PRACTICAL LEARNING

The global boom in volunteering over the past ten years

has impacted young people across the world; with
corporations selling volunteer-travel packages directly
into schools. Throughout the western world,
organizations are working closely with schools, delivering
lectures, workshops and promotions to advertise the
myriad ways that students can channel their “good will”
with their desire to travel — and it is fast becoming the
norm to have a program partnership offering
international volunteerism packages within a school,
college, or university. However, although companies are
going into schools to educate about the “good bits” of
volunteering, they often do not support student learning
about the bad, nor help them to make ethical, critically
assessed choices. Just because volunteer work is unpaid
does not mean the skills you learn are basic. Many
volunteering opportunities provide extensive training.
For example, you could become an experienced crisis
counselor while volunteering for a women’s shelter or a
knowledgeable art historian while donating your time.
Can you imagine someone teaching you to swim or drive
a vehicle, within four walls of a classroom? It is
impossible!! You have to get into the water to learn
swimming and you have to be out on the road to learn
driving. Some subjects are skill based and practice
oriented. Theoretical knowledge of skill- based subjects
needs to be supported by practice. Subjects like teaching
and engineering are skill based. In these subjects,
practical knowledge is more important than theoretical
knowledge. Practical work includes experiments in
laboratories, study tours, projects, assignments etc. the
advantages of practical work are unmatched. Getting
theoretical knowledge has no value until students can
apply it for practical purposes.
As a volunteer one can work as follow to improve
practical learning in India.
Focus on skill based education
Our education system is geared towards teaching and
testing knowledge at every level as opposed to teaching
skills. “Give a man a fish and you feed him one day, teach
him how to catch fishes and you feed him for a
lifetime.” I believe that if you teach a man a skill, you
enable him for a lifetime. Knowledge is largely forgotten
after the semester exam is over. Still, year after year
Indian students focus on cramming information. The best
crammers are rewarded by the system. This is one of the
fundamental flaws of our education system.
Providing practical platforms
A volunteer can help in improving the education system
by providing some practical learning platforms to the
students where they could learn as well as experience .
This is important as theoretical knowledge on one side is
not enough for the students to achieve success.
Education system in India can only be improved by
bringing in practical learning as a syllabus.
Make theoretical subjects relatable to practical life
A volunteer can improve the practical education in
schools by making the students learning their theoretical
subjects practically. Volunteers can help the schools
making assignments, worksheets , projects , etc. which
will help the students to build interest as well as help
them to learn faster .
Thought box
Thought Box is an online education curriculum for
schools encouraging critical thinking, empathy and
unlearning. Covering the topic of Volunteerism within a
bespoke curriculum, Thought Box also works with
teachers and students within a range of other global
issues; allowing the core skills of “think, feel, and
unlearn” to be practiced by students to support positive,
ethical global citizenship.

Volunteering at a school can be an intimidating and

challenging experience, but with a little courage and grit,
it can be an excellent opportunity to develop
Performance Character traits, leadership skills and a
feeling of optimism knowing that each moment spent
with a student contributes to their overall success in
lifetizenship.