How to Promote Childhood?

How to Promote Childhood?

Generations have changed (Exhibit I) and so has the ‘childhood’. When I look back at the days when I was a child (around 1980s/90s), I find that things were much simpler than compared to now and thereby I could see how different my childhood was from that of today’s kids (millennials)............

Scenario 1: Playtime

Then: On a holiday or after school, all the kids in my neighborhood would gather outside the house and play from dawn till dusk. We played hide and seek, cricket, football, run/bike endlessly on the streets, in the mud, irrespective of the weather – hot summers, drizzly rains or chilly winters. Parents would not bother even if one did not show up for lunch, as they were sure that we would be fed at any one of my friend’s homes. Only when the streetlights would shine, I would hear my parents’ voice and I would run home.

Now: Kids are only allowed to play in the yards of their homes or apartments they live in (with very few or no companions) and parents would constantly have a close watch on them. Kids are not allowed to step out into the streets. So, most of their time is spent indoors (Exhibit II)..........

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Factors Affecting Normal Childhood

According to a study carried out by University of Virginia researchers – one in which they looked at the transcripts and grades of more than 18,000 10th grade students – homework doesn’t necessarily help children get higher grades, although it may help them get better standardized test scores. On the face of it, the criticism is valid in India as well. Students in many schools in India – both public and private – are burdened with large amounts of homework from an early age. After long-drawn school hours, kids return home and immediately get down to tackling the day’s homework. The constant pressure of moving from one deadline to other leaves them perpetually harassed...............

Other Important Factors Leading to Missing Childhood

Somewhere, a child cannot go to school or play with friends because she is a ‘girl’. Another child does not have enough to fill his stomach and has to work for his family to make ends meet. And many others live fearing for their lives and without any hope for their future.............

Discussion Questions

I. How was your childhood? Do you feel that you had a satisfactory childhood, where all the fundamental requirements were fulfilled?
II. How do you think has technology, food, lifestyles and academics deprived a child off his/her childhood? Or how have they benefited the child?
III. ...............

Exhibits

Exhibit I: Changing Generations

Exhibit II: Playtime

Exhibit III: Social Interactions

Exhibit IV: Addiction to Technology

Exhibit V: Games Kids Play – Then and Now

Exhibit VI: Childhood-enders Threat Across the World

How to Promote Childhood?

Preamble

The purpose of this Teaching Plan is neither to outline the answers to Case Debate’s discussion questions nor to suggest an ideal way of conducting an effective debate basis the given topic. It is more to share the authors’ perspectives, basis their classroom orchestration of this Case Debate, on possible ways of orchestrating this Case Debate.

Purpose of the Case Debate

Purpose of this Case Debate, which is a prelude to the Case Method of Teaching, is to inculcate the following skills [Exhibit (TP)-I] that would amply benefit the participants during their careers..............

As this Case Debate is based on a very generic topic, the purpose is not to dwell into only the research-based inputs but more to prepare the students/participants for the process of case discussion – except that while the case discussion would be based on the case facts, the Case Debate encourages the students/participants to present their ideas with no rigorous business dilemma.

Classroom Orchestration Format

While the faculty has liberty to orchestrate this Case Debate in his/her desired format – like individual presentations, group discussions, group presentations, group debate, written assignments, role plays, etc., – it is suggested that each individual participant must be encouraged and mandated to participate given the purpose of this product as outlined above. Depending on the time availability, the number of students in the given class and the positioning of this Case Debate, the faculty may choose to orchestrate this Case Debate with clear learning outcomes.............

Exhibits

Exhibit (TP)-I: CASE DEBATE – SKILL SCOPING

Exhibit (TP)-II: Basic Needs for Healthy Child Development – Impact of Technology

Exhibit (TP)-III: Classroom Orchestration Plan – How to Promote Childhood?