CHAPTER THREE«

NATURALISM IN EDUCATION

I. Introduction

Before we dive deep into the evolution of Natura- lisa in the educational philosophy of modern India, let us examine the main features of Naturalism so that it may be convenient for us to know their evolution throughout the period. Main principles of Naturalism are as follows!

1. Aims of Education, - Educational aim according to Naturalism is the selfexpression and satisfaction of the natural impulses of the child. It stands for full opportunity for the development of the natural endow­ments of the childj and takes education not as a pre­paration for life but life itself. It aims at forming good habits by establishing conditioned reflexes? and

38

aims at securing happiness by releasing spontaneous activity of the child* It tries to sublimate instincts and to equip the individual for survival. It enables the individual to adjust himself to his environment.

2* Methods of Learning. - The main principles of learning according to it are the freedom of the child and auto-education. "Back to Nature" is its watchword. Paido-centric!sm is its keynote. Education is to be in accordance with nature* It emphasises learning through the senses. It believes that uniform laws of psychology explain human nature. Scientific principles of observa­tion) experimentation, and verification are accepted as the principles of learning.

3. Methods of Teaching. - Play way method is adopted.fhis system believes in "Things rather than words". Itsays) "give your scholar no verbal lessons.. He shouldbe taught by experience aloneMontessori. method,Kindergarten method and ’Follow-nature1 method areadopted. Self-Government in schools is introduced forthe purpose of teaching* School journeys and other

eo-eurrieular and extracurricular activities are followedas the means and methods of teaching. It believes in auto-education.

394# Curriculum. - So far as curriculum is concerned,

activities natural to the child are to he followed, according to this school of thought there should be no books, no verbal lessons and no examinations. Ethical and Spiritual instruction is not included in this scheme. The children are to learn these lessons through natural consequences. It recommends domestic arts and science for women's education. To it natural science is the Supreme Court; It believes in the principle of growth, principle of pupil activity and in the principle of individualisation.

Discipline. - So far as discipline is concerned it believes in the utmost freedom of the child. According to it there should be no punishment except natural consequences. Social taboos are unnatural according to this school. School is a place of happiness for children. Rules of discipline, moral and spiritual instructions are renounced in this system.

6. The Role of the Teacher. - The role, of the teacher is supposed to be that of a spectator or an onlooker. He is supposed to follow the policy of non-interference with the child. No formal teaching or examinations are acceptable to this school of educational philosophy.

40

Activity method is to be followed by the teacher and he

is supposed to take active part in all the activities.

How let us see how these main elements of Naturalism are developed in the modem Indian educational philosophy.

II. Aims of Education

1* Introduction. - Self-expression and satisfaction of the natural impulses of the child are the recent trends in the modem Indian educational philosophy. Tae educa­tionists in the beginning of the nineteenth century like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwarchanara Vidyasagar and Keshav Chandra Sen had only one aim before their eyes and it was education itself. They did not bother much about the psychological, methodical, scientific systems of education for India. They wanted English education and knowledge of Western science for Indian children to bring them out of darkness, decay and destruction which was to be the inevitable result of conservatism and stagnation in Indian educational system of the time.

i

2. Dayananda• Saraswati and the Gurukula System. -

The naturalistic aims of education were first i a?

formulated by the Gurukula System, of education which was advocated by Swami Dayananda Saraswati. The following

41are some of its Naturalistic aims and objects:

(1) To revive the long forgotten system of Brahma Charya and make it the basis of education.

(2) To provide an opportunity for the natural development of the physical, mental and

• spiritual faculties of students by rearing then in a favourable environment away from the pernicious influences of city life.

(3) To develop a strong character in the students and to foster in their minds a love for their indigenous culture, for plain living and high thinking, and for knowledge for the sake of knowledge.

(4) To create between the teachers and the taught relations of love like those between a father and a son,

(5) To assign to the mother-tongue (Hindi) a place worthy of its importance in the scheme of education.

(6) To make possible the study of the ancient Indian branches of learning with that of the English language and modem sciences.

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(7) To purge the scheme of education of the defects of the prevalent examination ridden system,

s

(8) To give education free of charge,

(9) To institute research into ancient Indian history and to teach history from a national point of view,1

Thus we can see that the aims and objects of the Gurukula System of education are not -only Idealistic hut also Naturalistic. Education in a natural atmos­phere and in natural surroundings is the fundamental aim of this system. These aims were further developed by the educational philosophy of Swami Vivekananda who was more Catholic in his outlook towards life and education,

3* Swami Vivekananda1s Contributions. - It was further developed by Swami Vivekananda who believed in the develop­ment .of physical, mental, moral and spiritual strength.His aim was to educate the masses and the women. He gave much importance to physical education and physical strength,

Thakore, Educational Studies jmd -Investigations. Vo 1^1 i’?Some Aspects of Educational Thought in India*',Bombay* Asia Publishing House, 1951, p. 155.

43

Once lie said that playing of foot-hall is more important for the pupils rather than knowing the Bhagavad Gita.Here he wants to emphasise the need of physical education as an aim.

In the words of Humayan Sabir about Vivekananda,

we gets"In fact, he was a great votary of power and

strength and held that the evocation of mental, intellectual and spiritual strength is one of the main purposes of education. Nor did he neglect the claims of science. He held that the West has mastered Nature through the pursuit of scientific knowledge, and India must not only take full advantage of what the West has achieved but make scientific contribution of her own."2

Though he was out and out a spiritualist he believed in physical strength and material prosperity and power through education. These aims were further developed by Dr. Jagadish Chandra Bose who believed in the great power of science and scientific education. He himself being a great scientist, has tried to bring Indian education nearer to physical nature with the help of his scientific discoveries, inventions, observations and experiments.He believed in the aim of scientific outlook towards life and education. Encouragement to scientific,technical

2Humayun Sabir, Indian Philosophy of Education. Bombay: Asia Publishing House, 1961, p. 205.

44and technological education in India was one of the main aims and objectives of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya who has greatly encouraged the study of these subjects in the Benares Hindii University founded by him.

4, Babindra Hath Tagore1 s Contributions. - Bab indr a Hath Tagore was the great man who again organised and reorganised the aims of Indian, education by his educa­tional philosophy of the Shantiniketan, Education in the midst of beautiful natural surroundings, in a natural environment and in natural atmosphere according to the nature of the child was the aim of the educational philosophy of Babindra Hath Tagore. Though he was an Internationalist and Spiritualist in his outlook towards life and education, he has accepted the fundamental aim of naturalistic education i.e. the self-expression of the child. He is for sublimation of instincts of the children by giving them homely atmosphere and natural surroundings. These are the aims bf education according to Naturalism and he has not only accepted them but he has put them into actual practice in his Shantiniketan.

5* 2£* Dhondo Keshav Karve1 s Contribnt.i . The principle of education according to the nature of the child has also been accepted by the educational philosophy

45

of Dr. Dhondo Keshav Karve. His .aim is to educate women according to the needs and necessities of their nature* He believes in the self-expression of the child in this sense. His aim is to form good habits in girls by establishing conditioned reflexes in fine arts and homescience, etc. He also aims at sublimation of their instincts, and to equip them for survival in the harsh and hard realities of life. His aim of education is to enable her to adjust herself to her environment and to adjust the environment according to her needs.

6. Mahatma Gandhi* s Contributions. - The fundamentalprinciple of self-expression and satisfaction of the natural impulses of the child has been further developed by the educational philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. The whole of the Basic educational philosophy sponsored and supported,by him is based on this very principle of self- expression through craft and creative activity. Basic educational philosophy is based on the foundation to form good habits in crafts and other manual labour by constant practice. These activities are supposed to be spontaneous in order to secure a feeling of happiness by the children. He intends to sublimate their instincts thereby. Thus his aim is to equip the individual for survival in the face of hard realities of life. According

46

to him the aim of the satisfaction of the Natural

impulses of children can be achieved by engaging them

in constructive, creative, productive, spontaneous

activities in daily life; and hence he aims at making

education craft-centered.

Sci 4l3K.o.kinaQ,s -Contributions. - Sri Aurobindo,

though a great Spiritualist, has accepted some principle

aims of Naturalism in practice. He believes in the

natural atmosphere of the school, and accepts self-

expression as the aim of education. School is a place of happiness for children. He accepts the guiding

principles of Naturalism for his practical purpose.

•Back to the Nature' is not the only thing he wants; but he wants to bring them to Supernaturalism. He

believes in child-centered education but accepts the

influence of the teacher and environment as the aim of

education. Nature of the child is to lead it to Super­

nature. He does emphasise learning through the senses

but that is only a part of his whole scheme of integrated

education. He accepts the laws of psychology but he

always aspires to take the child beyond the natural

boundaries into the supernatural realm through integral

education.

4?HI* Methods of Learning

1. Introduction. - So far as the methods of learning are concerned nineteenth century has practically believed in the traditional methods of learning by reading, writing and arithmetic; still however, ‘'Back to the Vedas" was

t

the watch-word given by Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Back to the Nature was the call of his Forest Universities. Learning through the living contact with Mature was the idea behind it. This trend was continued and developed further by Rabindra Nath Tagore.

2. Rabindra Nath Tagorels Yiew&«. - Paido-centricism was the key-note of his educational philosophy. He tried to emphasise the point that education should be in accordance with the nature of the child. Sriniketan emphasised learning through the senses of the child by following various arts and crafts of his liking. Swami Vivekananda had touched psychological trends in his talks and speeches which Rabindra Nath actually put into prac­tice in his Shantiniketan. He accepted psychology as the foundation of education and tried to put its implica­tions and applications into actual practice during his life time,. According to him school should be a place of happiness for the children. Freedom of the child and

48auto -education are the accepted principles of learning in his Vishva-Bharati. He does believe that the child is bom good but most of the schools are mechanical and unjust to children as they cannot understand their natural needs.

3. Dr. Karve* s Views. - Dr. Karve has also taken the most realistic view of life and education for women.He has accepted the needs of modern child-psychology and tries to follow them as far as it has been possible for him. Freedom of the child to choose the subjects and auto-education are the accepted principles of learning by him to a great extent} but the climax comes in the educational philosophy of Mahatma gandhi.

4. Mahatma Gandhi * s Vie^* - He has fully and whole­heartedly accepted the principles of freedom of the child' and auto-education as the principle's of learning in the Basic educational philosophy. His system challenges the traditional method of class-room. It condemns the arti­ficial learning, rigid time-tables and book-learning or cramming by heart without practical understanding end application of principles. “Back to the Mature" is its key-note. "Here and Mow" is its slogan in the processof learning. According to the Basic educational philosophy

49

education is to be in accordance with Mature aid the

nature of the child* It emphasises learning through

the senses. Learning by doing, learning by creative,

constructive, productive activity is the main principle

of learning. Learning through the close contact with

the nature around, and learning through social activities

in the community life are the fundamental principles of

learning according to this system. Graft, community life

and Nature are the three centres of learning activity.

Learning by doing, learning by activity and do and learn

are the basic principles of learning here. It is child-

centred and craft-centred both. It believes that uniform

laws;: of psychology explain human nature; and hence both

sociological and psychological methods of learning are

accepted. Close and living contact with the physical

nature, practical and utilitarian outlook towards life

and education, activity life in the community and sense

education through the craft of his choice are the main

methods of learning according to this scheme of educa­

tional philosophy.

5. Sri Aurobindo1 s Views. - Sri Aurobindo’ s philosophy

of Integral Education has accepted certain principles of

learning from Natural!m too. As he believes that each

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and every individual child, lias got a potential personality

to be developed for leading him to Divinity, he accepts

the principle of self-expression of the child and the

freedom of the ehild -for his learning activities. He

does not accept satisfaction of the natural impulses of

the child as the only aim of education but as he has

faith in the potential capacity of the child to evolve

the spark of hidden divinity lying latent , in the heart,

he makes it potent by the freedom of the child and the

principle of auto-education. According to him nothing

can be taught; but everything is learnt. - Learning is

the process of manifestation from within.

6. Conclusion. - Thus we have seen how the princi­

ples of methods of learning have evolved during the

period in modern India.

IV. Methods of Teaching

1# Introduction. - The early nineteenth century

mostly followed the traditional methods of teaching.

Playway method, kindergarten method and 'Follow nature'

method'are the recent currents of the twentieth century

in India. The Gurukula System of education accepts the

influence of the environment ■ and the teacher in the

.•/vV’ ,■ > rtf ( t" • 1 0 n. \ Tbrt

5 ' \w> / ( , w*: Vi

process of learning and teaching. It follows the •' ) k

ancient Indian traditional methods with nece ssaryfchanges°n,V.j. k .v V.'

according to the needs of the modern times. Gunikulas

accept the ancient Indian methods.

2. Kabindra Hath Tagore on Methods of Teaching. -

It was Kabindra Hath Tagore who took the initiative in

the methods of teaching and tried to develop them in his

Shantiniketan. Interest of the child is taken into consi­

deration. They are allowed freedom to play. The teaching

and learning should be a play to the children and not a

hard task or a great responsibility. The children are

allowed to grow here as the flower-plants do under the

kind supervision of a loving gardener - the teacher.

He tries to follow the nature of the child in his methods

of teaching. Shantiniketan is the home of peace for the

pupils and the development of the child takes place more

by the help of the influence of the teacher and of the

surrounding, environment and atmosphere. Shriniketan

emphasises the idea of learning and teaching through

senses. Though Kabindra Ifath is not a pure Naturalist,

he has accepted the modern principles of psychology i.e.

interest, attitude and aptitude of the child and has tried

to put them into actual practice.

52

Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviyaand Dr. Karve also

accepted to a certain extent the principle of learning

and teaching by doing. Malaviyaj i introduced scientific

technical and technological education for the same

purpose. Dr. Karve accepted the principle of teaching

according to the nature of the child and hence specially

introduced subjects like Fine Arts, Home Science and

Domestic Science for teaching to the girls.

3. Mahatma Gandhi1 s Contributions. - It. was Mahatma

Gandhi who has tried to put his system of Basic education

on the most scientific bases. He accepts Playway method

for teaching. He believes in things rather than words.

He does not believe in verbal lessons by the teacher to

the scholars. According to him experience is a great

teacher and the pupils should be taught by experience

alone. Self Government of the school by the pupils is -

an accepted and adopted principle of teaching in the

Basic educational philosophy. Co-curricular activities

and extra-curricular activities like the drawing,

painting, music, arts, crafts etc. form here the part of the curriculum and are utilized for the process of <

teaching. Though the Gandhian school of educational

thought is more or less Pragmatic in outlook it has

53accepted good many principles of modern psychology, Naturalism and science and has tried to follow them. Dramas, excursions and self-government in the school are used as teaching aids. All easily available audio­visual aids are used as teaching aids here.

The school is a place of happiness and work to him. Work is worship. This philosophy accepts the principle of auto-education of the child. No formal teaching is considered very much necessary. The teacher is supposed to connect and correlate different pieces of information and knowledge and has to evolve a harmonious, homogeneous integrated personality of the child with the help of self-government, creative activities, play-activities, community life and a living contact with the physical Nature. Creating life situations and solving practical problems of day-to-day life is the main teaching method adopted. The craft at the centre, community life, teacher* s guidance and help whenever necessary are the practical teaching methods adopted. Book reading is here subsidiary; and this system believes in co-education as a natural process.

4* Aurobindo1 s Contributions. - Sri Aurobindo has also accepted certain principles of teaching in accordance

V

54with Naturalism. International Centre of education and the schools from pre-primary to post-graduate level at Sri. Aurobindo ashram, Pondicherry accept Play-way method, Kindergarten or Follow-nature method for young children. He also believes in things rather than words, though he means spiritual things and not material things. He also does not much believe in verbal lessons. Children are taught by experience, Montessori method and Kinder­garten method with necessary changes according to local requirements are used for teaching here. He believes in auto-education and co-education.

Thus we have seen the evolution of the methods of teaching during the modern period in India.

V. Curriculum

1* Introduction. - Raja Ram Mohan Roy, IshwarchandraViayasagar and Keshav Chandra Sen all wanted Englisheducation with modern sciences and foreign languages. Keshav Chandra Sen had added craft-education in itfor the labouring classes. Thus the traditional indegenous education received a revolutionary change in the form of curriculum. They all wanted mother tongue as the medium of instruction.

552. Gurukula System of Dayananda Saraswati. - The

Gurukula System of Dayananda accepted the following3subjects in its curriculum.

(1) Sanskrit, (2) Hindi, (3) Arithmetic,(4) Geography, (5) Drawing, (6) History, (7) Reli­gion and morality, (8) Clay-modelling, (9) Mat­weaving, (10) Spinning.

These subjects are taught in the beginning for four years and then English and physical sciences are introduced from the fifth year onwards. Out of these some like religion and morality may not be said to represent Naturalistic trends as such. Further its aims are to assign to Hindi a place worthy of its importance in the scheme of education. It also aims to make.possible the study of English language and modem sciences. In short we may say that the curriculum in the Gurukula System has tried to develop, some trends of Naturalism even though it is mainly Idealistic in character.

3. Swami Vivekananda on Curriculum. - Swami Viveka- nanda also expressed his views with regard to curriculum. He says, "It would be better if the people got a little

%idya Ratna Taneja.-History of Educational Thought. Standard Series in Education, University Publishers, 1955. pp. 348-349.

56technical education so that they might find work andearn their bread, instead of dawdling about and crying

. 4for service."

He was for the inclusion of physical education and that of the mother-tongue in the curriculum. Knowledge of physical sciences has been accepted as a necessary part of curriculum by Dr. Jagadish Chandra Bose. Sciences, technical education and technology have been introduced by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in his Benares Hindu University.

4; Rabindra Hath Tagore1 s Views.' - Rabindra NathTagore has also introduced subjects like arts mid craftsin his institutions. He started (1) Rural Reconstructionactivities in the surrounding villages, having theirheadquarters at Shriniketan with its farm and dairy;(2) Village Industries with their workshops in carpentry,

5weaving, leather-craft, pottery, etc. at Silpa-Bhavan.

Thus in q>ite of the fact that he is an Idealist, a Spiritualist and an internationalist he has contributed

■%irvedanand, Swami Vivekananda on India and her Problems, "Education the Panacea of all Social Evils", Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, Almora. p. 49.

5 -C.M. Thakors, Educational Studies and Investigations. "Some Aspects of Educational Thought in India", Bombay! Asia Publishing House, 1951. p. 160.

57to the growth of Naturalism in India to a great extent.

5. Dr. D.K. Karve on Curriculum. - Dr. Karve has * introduced curriculum in the S.N.D.T. Women’s University which is appropriate for women's education according to the needs of their physical and mental nature. Fine arts, Home Science, Domestic Science are main subjects intro­duced over and above the study of child-psychology, health, hygiene, sociology, sanitation, child-nursing etc. Over and above the other humanities, their curri­culum is framed with a view to help them to become good housewives and Ideal mothers in Indian homes.

6. Mahatma Gandhi’s Views. - Mahatma Gandhiji is more or less a Pragmatist; but he has accepted the principles of Naturalism in the field of curriculum.He does not very much believe in books, verbal lessons and examinations. His curriculum is mainly craft-centered keeping creative activity, community life and Nature in the forefront. Correlation of all these things and experiences with other subjects like histoiy, geography, science, mathematics is to be done as the problem arises. Ethical and spiritual instruction is not included inthis scheme as he believes in the. non-sectarian and secular- education in modern Indian education. The

58children are to learn these things through natural consequences and through the influence of the teacher1 s character.

7. Sri Aurobindo1 s Views. - Sri Aurobindo, the Spiritualist, accepts modem scientific psychological trends in education. He tries to improve upon.them in his own way. Modern humanities and sciences are taught in the Ashrama schools at Pondicherry. Activities - physical and mental - natural to the child are followed. Physical education is given very great importance. Glass- room teaching is therej but books, verbal lessons and examinations are not given very much importance. Child’s work, progress and growth is counted to promote him to the higher grade. Ethical and Spiritual instruction is not included in the curriculum but it is absorbed by the pupils in their daily life from the living atmosphere and great influence of the environment of the Ashram.

8. Conclusion. - Our official curriculum is being greatly influenced by these currents after Indian independence. Multipurpose schools and diversified courses are being introduced in modern Indian education. Technical, Technological, professional, vocational and scientific subjects are freely introduced in the

59curriculum of secondary schools and colleges by the states and the universities. Thus we can say that the modem .era is the age of science and technology in Indian education.

VI. Discipline

1* Introduction. - The question of discipline did not arise in the scheme of ancient Indian education.There the teacher was the father and the hard task­master also. Hie question of discipline is a recent problem.in a way. The Guru loved the pupils and the pupils respected their Guru, that is our Indian tradi­tional discipline.

2. Gurukula System and Discipline. - But the question of discipline was first discussed by the Gurukula System.It has totally accepted the pattern of ancient Indian education with necessary changes required by the times and conditions. Strict Brahmacharya is expected from the pupils so long as they are the residential students. They are supposed to take acuive part in all the ceremonialrites and rituals of .the community. They are supposed to obey the rules and regulations of the community life, and are to respect their teacher. Thus we can see that there

60is no freedom of the child here as it is expected by Naturalism. •

3. Rabindra Hath Tagore on Discipline. - Rabindra Hath Tagore believes' in free discipline. It does not mean lack of discipline but means self-imposed discipline by the pupils. Here they are allowed to mix freely with all as they believe in co-education. The pupils here are freely allowed to mix with Nature as they are allowed in the Gurukulas. The teacher here does not demand respect but he commands respect as it is done in the Gurukula System of education. He believed in the utmost freedomof the child and accepted tie principle that there should be no punishment except natural consequences. The idea

fof self-discipline is advocated here. .

4. Mahatma Gandhlii on Discipline. - Mahatma Gandhi also believed in self-discipline. Ho physical punishment is allowed under any circumstances. There should be no punishment except natural consequences. So far as the question of discipline is concerned all these educators are sailing in the sane boat.

5. Sri Aurobindo1s Views. - The same is the case with Sri Aurobindo. He also .agrees with all his

61predecessors on this point and accepts free discipline.He accepts .co-education'and does not recognise the differences of sex in education. Here morality is not preached but is lived. Thus we see that the question of discipline is of recent origin. It has grown with the impact of Western culture and education and is to be dealt with accordingly.

6. Conclusion. - Students Unions like Trade Unions making demands for their rights, neglecting their own responsibilities are the recent developments of party politics. Strikes, violence, disrespect for the teachers and lack of love for the pupils are all due to mass education in modern India. These problems are bound to take place as the percentage of education increases.As the student population becomes unwieldy the question of discipline crops up. Hespect for the teachers and love for the pupils is the only true solution of it to my mind. Everything else is a patch-work and is temporary and transitory. Free India has this problem to be solved accordingly. Personal relations and influence of the teacher does count here.

Thus the question of discipline according to Naturalism is to be solved by the pupils by self-experience said not by

62precept and counsel. So far as Indian conception of Naturalism is concerned it believes that pupils would behave properly in normal circumstances. Abnormal cases are to be treated bn their individual, personal circumstances and are to be helped accordingly. There must have been cases of indiscipline in the Gurukulas, Shantiniketan or at Sevagram or even at Pondicherry Ashrama; but under these circumstances these abnormal cases are dealt with love and simp'bthyj and at times even with strictness in the interest of the pupils' concerned.

VII. Role of the Teacher

1* Introduction. - The role of the teacher in the traditional schools is traditional, but all our modern Indian educationists accept the respectable position of the teacher. Swami Dayananda Saraswati and Swami Viveka- nanda both would agree on this point. They differ here from the role of a Naturalist teacher. The role of a teacher according to Naturalism is that everything Natural is good; but everything degenerates in the hands of man. So here no formal teaching is much expected from the teacher. He is not supposed to interfere with the natural growth and progress of the child.

63- - 2* Rabindra Nath Tagore* s Views. - Almost all ofour Indian educationists believe in the influence of the teacher. They also believe in his guidance, super­vision and control whenever and wherever it is found to We necessary. Still however Eabindra Nath Tagore would

^ive complete freedom to the teacher to do his job. The only question is that he should be sincere and serious about it.

3. Views of Mahatma Gandhi. - The same is the case with Mahatma Gandhi. 'He considers the teacher as a friend, a philosopher and a guide of the pupils, and would not allow, him to interfere unnecessarily with the natural growth and progress of the child. He does not believe in any sort of violence by way of punishment to the pupils. The teacher* s personality and his living influence is bound to have its effect pn the character of the pupils. He does not believe in precept but in practice on the part of the teacher so that he might be able to influence favourably the pupils and command respect from all concerned. He is a friend, a philosopherand a guide of the pupils. The same is the case with Sri Aurobindo's educational philosophy.

Thus we have seen the role of the teacher according to modem Indian Naturalisn.

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VIII. Conclusion

These are some of the main characteristics of

Naturalism 'as professed and practised in modern Indian

educational philosophy. Here we have tried to see which

of them are "seen in the evolution of the philosophy of

education in modern India, and which are not. It 'is

not possible to find out all the characteristics of

Naturalism in modem Indian educational philosophy. Some

of them might be seen in a seed form, others might have

been developed to a great extent; while some of them

might not be seen at all, Indian life-philosophy is

greatly different from that of Western Naturalism,

though it has been greatly influenced by the new currents

of Western educational thought. The basic foundation of

our life-philosophy is not pure materialism. It is

something different from that. We do believe in material

prosperity; and we do believe in some higher values in

life too. Now let us try to find out which of the main

characteristics of Naturalism are found aid developed

in our modern educational philosophy and which are not.

In is quite possible that our educational philosophy may

oppose certain principles of Naturalism on some solid

ground. Our business here is to see how some trends of

Naturalist! have been evolved during the course of

65evolution of modem Indian educational philosophy.Then and then alone we shall he able to evaluate the contribution of Haturalisn to our modem Indian Educa­tional philosophy, and vice versa. Now let us discuss some crucial points here.

1* Nature. - Naturalisn in India would mean educa­tion in natural atmosphere and in natural surroundings according to the nature of the child. It would also mean the education of Natural sciences in a natural way. The natural world around us is a great storehouse of knowledge. Experience in a natural process of evolu­tion is a great teacher. The birds, the beasts, the vegetable-kingdom, the sun, the moon and .the sky, the

/ rivers and the sea, the mountains and the fields arethe great books of knowledge if they are studied properly. Indian educational philosophy does believe in the study of Nature in natural surroundings and atmosphere. Our Gurukulas and the Shantiniketan 'are the living examples of Naturalism in this sense of the term.

2. Reality. - If Haturalisn is to mean the exclusion of whatever spiritual, I think hardly any of our modem

' educationists would ever agree with this idea. In fact our. education in natural atmosphere is meant to know

66the Infinite Reality concealed behind the finite forms.It does believe in the existence of the Transcendental which is beyond the experience of ordinary human consciousness; and which is a concrete reality on higher levels of consciousness in human life. Sense- experience and knowledge is not the final truth but it is only a relative truth according to our conception of life and philosophy. The universe is governed by natural laws. All of our modern Indian educationists would agree on this point; but they would also insist that the logic and the laws of the finite are different from the logic and the laws of the Infinite. So far as ordinary human life is concerned, the natural laws are bound to hold water; but as the man reaches on higher levels of human consciousness i.e. on supernatural levels of consciousness, the laws and the logic of our ordinary Nature need not necessarily hold good. It is one thing to be taught in the classroom teaching because there we are concerned with our ordinary, practical and utilita­rian outlook towards life; but as an ultimate principle of Reality it cannot be and should not be taught as a final and complete truth. It is in a way partial truth that holds good in particular normal circumstances. There are different higher levels beyond our present so called

67Nature* They are Supernatural iii a way; and almost all our modern Indian, educationists, right from Raja Ram Mohan Roy up to the present day firmly believe in such Supernatural forces influencing our daily life.So this physical nature does not contain the.final answer to all our philosophical problems. It works in normal ordinary circumstances; but fails to solve human problems on higher values of life.

3* God* - Western Naturalism separates Nature from God; Indian Naturalism does not. It sees and tries to see God even behind the gross harsh and hard reality of life. In fact it believes that this physical world is the manifestation of the highest Reality in the material form. Our educational philosophy does not subordinate spirit to Matter. It accepts the' existence of both and the importance of both. On the contrary if at all one has to make a choice between the two, the Indian educa­tionists would subordinate matter to Spirit and not vice versa as is done in the Western -Naturalism.

4. Science. - Naturalism believes in purely scientific point of view. Our modern Indian educationists accept it. After all what is Science? Science is the knowledge of the forces of the physical and mental world; and in

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dealing, with the problems of the physical and mental

world its laws must be applied, and they must hold

good in those circumstances. So far as the principle

is concerned we can say that our present Natural

sciences though their achievements are really great

have got limited fields. They have limited means and

methods of approach. Truth is sought by them by means

of human mind and senses which have limited capacity

and are unable to grasp complete truth as a whole.

They can understand and explain partial truth only.

Human evolution has not put a fullstop at this stage

only. Nature is ever progressive, and human race is

a stage in the process of its evolution. The evolution

does not stop here. It goes on continuously as a

permanent process and as higher vistas open before

our mind's eye, the natural rules, laws and regulations

also change into supernatural rules, regulations and

laws in higher life.

5# Methods. - Most of our Indian educationists have

accepted the modem scientific, systematic and methodical- f *•

systems of observation, experimentation and verification

as a scientific process of learning and teaching! but

to them Natural Science is not the Supreme: Court. Our

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Naturalism does stand for education in continuity - with, the nature of the child. Rabindra Nath Tagore is the living example of it. He stands for full opportunity for the development of the natural endowments of the child. Our Basic educational philosophy takes education not as a preparation for life but for life itself. It does believe in the-principle of growth, principle of pupil activity and in the principle of individual develop­ment. The principle of individualisation is the back­bone of Indian educational philosophy. In fact it is tie aim of education from times immemorial. Each and every individual is supposed to have his own individua­lity and personality which separates him from every other individual. He is to realise the truth and evolution of his own individual personality and is to serve the society by means of his own individual growth and evolution. Our individual•aims are neither contrary nor contradictory to social aims of education; on the contrary they are com­plementary and supplementary to the social aims of education,

6. Nature of the Child. - Naturalism believes that child is born good. We accept the child as the image of god. Freedom of the child is a modern trend of education and it has been accepted in India*

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?• The Role of the Teacher, - Auto-education of the child is the accepted principle. Experience is a great teacher, no doubt, but its fees are heavy. Moreover our Indian educational philosophy, does believe in the influence of the teacher in education. His life-long experience is valued and is considered to be important for the development of the child. . In. fact Indian philosophy of education does believe in the great moulding power and influence of a real teacher. Guru- kulas, ashram schools, Vidyapiths, Vishva-Bharati. and International Centre of Education at. Pondicherry are only some of the examples to prove the case. Auto­education is a new Western current of thought that is gaining ground in the present day educational institu­tions in India. The 'P lay way * method and the ‘Follow- nature* methods are adopted in our primary and preprimary schools to a great extent.Iu Naturalism the teacher is supposed to be a spectator or an onlooker. This principle has also been accepted on preprimary and on primary level to a certain extent. The teacher is to follow the policy of non-interference in the natural progress of the child. It is a good principle so far as it has been practical. The teacher is to guide when his help is demanded.

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8* jQiUZllfialiJJB. «, According .to Haturalism there

should be no books, no verbal lessons and no examina­

tions. These currents of educational thought are gain­

ing ground in India. The Gandhian school of educational

philosophy has greatly supported this,theory and is try­

ing to put it into practice through craft centred core

curriculum. Ethical and Spiritual instruction is not

included in our present scheme of Indian education as

we represent a secular State and hence no sectarian

religious education is imparted by the State. That is

considered to be the personal and private business of

the pupils and their guardians concerned. It may be6

managed by private social institutions or religious

churches. The. State as such has nothing to do with it.

9. Discipline. - Freedom of the child is an accepted

principle and the theory that there should be no punish­

ment aj^ergpt natural consequences has been accepted in

modern Indian educational philosophy as a sound principle.

• TO. Women1 s Education. - Education for women should

make them good housewives and good mothers and hence fine

arts, home science and domestic art are taught to girls

to lead a harmonious healthy life. Education according to

their natural interests and aptitudes is given to them.