BOOKS ON EDUCATION

(co-author - Usha Rao)

These lists of books were developed during the post 1977 enthusiasm. Today, on the internet, several such lists are available. Unfortunately, they are not selectively annotated - leaving a new education enthusiast bewildered. This article is a product of cooperation of several enthusiasts who have known, used and promoted these classics on education for years.    

After the Second World War, the 1960s saw a new kind of upheaval. Among other events, it included the Vietnam War protests in the USA, student movements all over the world, the Sino-Soviet debate, Cultural Revolution in China and the Naxalite movement in India. In its wake came a vigorous critique of the educational system (along with issues of race, gender and health). Books like 'Danger School', 'How Children Fail', and ‘Letter to a Teacher' were published during this time. There was a search for alternatives in education. People sought to know about earlier educational experiments and efforts like that of Tolstoy and Montessori. In India Tagore's and Gandhi's experiments were studied with increased interest. There was concern that, though constitutions were egalitarian and guaranteed educational opportunities for all, the Black children in America or workers' children in Italy, like the SC/ ST children in India were dropping out or failing in large numbers. Education system served to maintain and reproduce the classes.

In India, innovative educational efforts burgeoned in the 1970s - significantly in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and also in other parts of the country, and more recently in Bihar. Educational journals like 'Naya Shikshak' and ‘Palash' brought to the fore and made accessible much of the progressive thinking in education. Krishna Kumar’s ‘Raj, Samaj aur Shiksha' was written during this period. Many books on education were read, reviewed, discussed during this period. Over time, some 25 of the most discussed books (see Appendix) were selected. Because of this process, many of these books were available in Hindi either in the form of books or journals. A group of individuals have been persistently promoting the spread of these books and educational ideas. Many of the books are available and being read in English - particularly in the South.

In Andhra Pradesh too, because of the level of political activity and an awareness of these issues, many of the books have been translated and published in Telugu. Many others are in the process of being translated and published by various interested publishers. In fact, some very good books like, 'Letter to a Teacher', 'Danger School', 'Preparation for Understanding' and Tagore's 'Shiksha' have been out of print for quite some time. They need to be printed urgently. Some good books like 'How Children Fail', Tolstoy's 'On Education' need to be translated. Likewise, some original works in Telugu are very good e.g. Namini's Ischoolu Pillakaayala Katha.

Select Book List

The list is in three groups: Politics of Education; Child Centered Education; Vision of Education. Evidently the contents of these books will not strictly follow these divisions. Tolstoy for example was a visionary, deeply aware of the politics of education and contributed significantly to child centered education. In fact he has been called the father of child centered education. All the same, the broad division is indicative of content.

In each section there is an attempt to order the list in terms of easy access to the reader. Thus in the section ‘Politics of Education’ the first book ‘Letter to a Teacher’ is actually written by eight Italian poor children who failed and later studied in a school for dropouts. The first paragraph of the book announces the angry and eloquent tone of the remainder of the text:

 “Dear Miss,

You don’t remember me or my name. You have failed so many of us. On the other hand, I have often had thoughts about you, and the other teachers, and about the institution which you call ‘school’ and about the kids that you fail. You fail us right out into the fields and factories and there you forget us.”

The book is a powerful critic of the mainstream school system and is written in a straight forward simple style. In fact, it is a model of how to write and handle statistics! Danger School is a book with illustrations and is a critic of the school system in North America. John Holt’s ‘How Children Fail’ is a classic of class room politics. Holt is also a powerful advocate of out of school education. Krishna Kumar is a fine scholar of education in India and his books have educated all of us about the Indian education scene. Myron Weiner’s writings have influenced most child labour eradication endeavours. They make a powerful case for state run compulsory education system. The second book, ‘Compulsory Education and Child Labour’ by Myron Weiner is a lecture and hence small and easy to read. ‘Facts against Myth’, is by ‘Campaign against Child Labour’, which demystifies media created myths about child labour. It is a small pamphlet, very easy to read.

In the section ‘Child Centered Education’ the list  begins with a fictional but very charming account of a school - Divaswapna’ by Gijubhai, the pioneer of Montessori education in India. It is followed by an equally charming account of a school, ‘Tottochan’ by Tetsuko Kuroyangi in Japan. These two books together have sold more copies than all the books in the list. It was Arvind Gupta who persuaded the National Book Trust to publish them in English and several Indian language editions. But even before NBT came into the picture, several editions in several languages were circulating. Many readers, on reading the book, ordered several copies to distribute to their friends. A.S Neill's Summerhill School, a co-educational boarding school in Suffolk, England, is the original alternative 'free' school. Founded in 1921, it continues to be an influential model for progressive democratic education around the world.

Preparation for Understanding is actually based on a book written by Richard B. Gregg, a Gandhian economist, who ran a school in Himachal Pradesh. It is a very useful compendium of teaching tools for small children using material available in the village. Teacher by Sylvia Ashton Warner is again a classic of language teaching for small children. The book describes methods in which children decide what they want to learn. ‘Child’s Language and the Teacher’ by Krishna Kumar brings out the best in language teaching in the world for an average interested reader. To Children I Give My Heart by V. Sukhomlynsky is a rich Russian book about children and has inspired many. The three books The Open Classroom by K. Margaret, How to Use the Blackboard by David Horsburgh and The Blackboard Book by Eleanor Watts describe experiences of the contemporary Indian alternative school movement, offering a rich  content of practical experiences.

The section on Visions of Education basically deals with works of Tolstoy, Taogre, Gandhi and the Soviet educationist Anton Makarenko. Unfortunately Tolstoy’s works in English are not easily available, although on the net you can get some on ‘Books Online’. So also, all of Tagore’s writings are not available in English. 

Both Tolstoy and Tagore were great authors and contributed to world literature in a big way. Both also thought that their work in education was the most significant aspect of their work. Both ran schools and contributed to children’s literature. Gandhi on the other hand had a moral and economic programme in education. Mulk Raj Anad in his small book ‘On Education’ critically examines it and combines it with Taogore’s approach of art education. Makarenko’s experience was mainly with the so called ‘juvenile delinquents’, but he is a profound thinker and practitioner and has a wonderful understanding of children. His ‘Book for parents’ is a very heart warming book.

While almost all authors agree on discrimination against the poor that exists in the school system they do not agree on a solution. As a rule, the libertarians or anarchists believe in running their own schools, whereas others believe in demanding from the welfare state equal rights. This debate runs right through in all the sections above.

In education, the libertarian or anarchist trend has been very influential because the idea of freedom is at the core of most education thinkers. Tolstoy, John Holt and A. S. Neil have been articulate about it. A very good review of this trend is available in ‘The Underground and Education’ by Mike Smith. This book is not included in the list because I have bought it several times in the second hand book market but have never seen it in bookstores. Another book not included in the list is Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich mainly because the language is very difficult.

Availability

One of the first question people ask is about the availability of these books. I am afraid, at no time are all available at one go. Most people collect them over time. National Book Trust has published Divaswapna and Tottochan in many Indian languages and in English. There are two bookstores which have tried to make many of these books available. They are: the Other India Bookstore, Mapusa, Goa, www.otherindiabookstore.com and Earthcare Books, Kolkata, www.earthcarebooks.com. Both supply books by post and take orders online. Arvind Gupta offers many of these books as free downloads on his website: www.arvindguptatoys.com           

Some organisations involved in education also sell select books on education. They are Eklavya, Bhopal, Sahitya Chayana, New Delhi, Bal Sahiti, Chandigarh and Shishu Milap, Baroda.