Stress and Education

Stress is a very normal and natural occurrence which happens in response to a wide variety of circumstances. It is an evolutionary response that it triggered by feelings of a lack of control, priming our bodies to react to a challenging situation.Stress has numerous effects on the body, but essentially prepares us for immediate action: fight or flight.The processes involved also affect the mind, altering decision- making processes and enabling us to take swift and decisive action.

Reasons for stress

Although stress evolved to keep us safe from physical threats, it is most commonly experienced for social reasons nowadays – work pressure, problems in a relationship, money worries, and so on. Stress is a one-size-fits-all response, rather being tailored to specific circumstances, and in many such cases it can be counterproductive. Due to the physiological processes entailed, prolonged stress can have devastating effect on the mind and body.

Education – at least, education according to the Western model – is one area that relies on constant stress. There are always targets and deadlines. We spend at least a decade of our lives and sometimes almost two in formal education: a constant round of homework, essays, regular tests, end-of-term and end-of-year exams – which, it is impressed upon us, will shape our careers and the rest of our lives. Stress is built into the education system. But stress is, by its very nature, intended to be a short-term response to physical danger. Education, by its own very nature, has to be a long term undertaking. The result is inherently a recipe for disaster.

The effects of stress and the link with depression

Via a chain of processes, stress promotes the release of cortisol into the bloodstream, which has wide-ranging effects on the body. Perhaps more concerning, though, are its effects on the mind. It pushes us into ‘all-or-nothing’ thinking: impulsive, quick-fix behaviour intended to get us out of immediate trouble. The chain of processes starts in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the brain. Recent research suggests that depression is also characterised by overactivity in the HPA axis. In other words, it appears that stress and depression are closely linked. Put simply, depression is just a misguided stress response that has become entrenched. Neurologically, depression and chronic stress don’t look so very different. This is hardly surprising when you think that stress creates that all-or-nothing, pass/fail mentality, and depression is characterised by feelings of persistent failure and low self-worth.

Stress and education

In an increasingly pressurised, competitive and market-driven education system, this phenomenon can only become more acute: depression is virtually a built-in hazard. There are several solutions, none of which are mutually exclusive. There is a case for building some or all of them into education syllabuses themselves – since almost by definition, the more ambitious a course, the more prone to negative outcomes for a proportion of students who lack the means to deal with the inherent stresses.

One is exercise: the stress response prepares us for action, and physical activity helps direct that energy somewhere helpful, reducing cortisol levels and returning the body to its normal state. It is no coincidence that exercise is one of the most powerful antidepressants, too.

Secondly, relaxation exercises can help offset the involuntary effects of stress, bringing them to your conscious mind and allowing you put them into context.

Lastly, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) enables you to examine and adjust the link between the way you think and the way you feel, allowing you to ‘switch off’ the automatic stress response in situations where it is not strictly warranted.

Role of teachers in curbing corruption

India is today one of the most corrupt countries in the world.  Corruption pervades every aspect of our life.  Starting with political corruption, we are all caught in a vicious cycle of bureaucratic corruption, business corruption, corruption in NGOs and criminalisation of politics.  The education sector is also totally affected by corruption in our country today. 

Starting with the admission to the kindergarten schools, right up through every stage in education many key aspect of education are infected with corruption.  The political pressure for social justice crystallising in the concept of reservation and priority given on the basis of caste and community has in itself brought a whole new chain of corruption starting with the getting of the false caste certificates and falsification of records.  The exam system is also riddled with corruption and leakage of exam papers is a prevalent phenomenon.  There are states like UP, where state governments have ruled on the students right to copy in an examination.  The introduction of self financing colleges has in turn brought a totally different approach to education where education has based mere consumer and corruption based.  In Maharashtra for example, amassing money by using corruption in educational institutions and use this clout to capture political power is well known.  Such political leaders there are called sikshan samrats.  Their equivalence are probably found in other parts of the country. 

 The corruption involving appointments of Vice Chancellors and other authorities in higher education system is well known.  Against this background, therefore, how can we explore the idea that teachers can play a role in checking corruption?  It appears to be a case of extremely naïve or extremely impracticability.  But this very impracticability could be the starting point for the type of change we want to see in the educational sector, including elimination of corruption, if not drastic reduction in corruption. 

We must recognise that change is brought about by a phenomenon, which is called the RAMA process.  Any new idea or ideal, initially invites R – resistance or refusal.   If one persists with the idea, comes the stage of A – annoyance of those who are constantly bombarded with the idea by the committed people.  Then comes the stage of M – mellowing.  And finally the A – acceptance and achievement. 

  

The importance and the influence of the teachers in shaping characters is well known.  Dr Abdul Kalam has been the most recent prominent articulator of this concept.  He focused on the issue of addressing students as many as he could through out the country.  He has also pointed out how values are shaped by our parents, our religion, our peers and above all our primary school teachers.  In the ultimate analysis, if we want to fight corruption, we have to understand what corruption is and how it arises.  Corruption is lack of intellectual, moral or financial integrity.  Generally we think in terms of financial integrity but intellectual integrity is particular relevant in the academic context.  The issue of moral integrity also arises particularly in business.  

What constitutes or what is the motive force for integrity?  It is the internalisation and acceptance of the value that one should be truthful because any deviation in the part of truth is not only harmful to the individual but to the society.  This value is very difficult to nourish especially in our time when material progress is what counts in society.  Temptations are too much and greed is very common. 

In fact, the one value which motivates the people to become corrupt is greed.  Ultimately, therefore, if we want tackle corruption we will have to encourage in people the value of integrity and dedication to truth and make them realise that greed is not good.  The teachers, especially the primary school teachers who interact with the students at very young age are in an important position to influence values.  The question is how many of our teachers are themselves are honest and committed to teaching?  How many of them can be role models, especially the all pervasive corruption in the education which I mentioned above?   In fact, is it possible for the teachers to play a role in fighting corruption at all? 

I believe that it is possible.  Because ultimately, reform has to come from within the system.  All reformers have come from the same society which had problems.  Vivekananda came from our midst and so was Mahatma Gandhi.  These great leaders emerged from the same society.  Everybody can not become a Mahatma Gandhi but at least each person can at least live up to some basic values of integrity.  And in the process, play a role in creating a small environment for nourishing the values of trust and integrity.  The issue of the teachers role in fighting corruption therefore can be looked from two angles.  The first is the individual angle of the teacher himself.  To begin with the teacher himself must be honest and must have a feeling that in his role as a guru, he must become a role model and must walk his talk.  One basic requirement for influencing people is to not only have a set of commitment but demonstrate the commitment in action.  The problem in our country is that so many people mouth slogans about values but their actions deviate totally from them.  That is why, none of the leaders today have a credibility in the public.  There is a all around atmosphere of cynicism.  When cynicism prevails, no progress is possible, especially when it comes to improvement and reform.

Apart from commitment to integrity, at a personal level, a teacher who wants to fight corruption can at least avoid many mal practices in the education system like fraud and corruption relating to admission, examination and so on.  The scope and temptation for corruption are very wide and pervasive.  By abstaining from at least these bad practices, a teacher can derive the moral authority and the credibility can influence others.  But then an individual can act only in a limited way.  The second angle of the teachers role in fighting corruption is to see to what extent he can mobilise the students as a community in fighting corruption.  In fact, there are so many activities of students like the National Social Service and other co-curricular activities.  The students can be motivated to study the issue of corruption and come up with ideas of how corruption can be tackled.  

Recently in the DAV Girls High School in Gopalapuram an initiative has been taken by one Mr. Suresh, who is a Vigilance Officer in BEML and who has been carrying on a single man campaign to spread the message of integrity among the youth.  He has come up with the concept of SIV-G, i.e. Self Imposed Vigilance for Good Governance and this concept has been further extended and he has conducted national online essay competitions in English through his website (www.siv-g.org) and students from all over the country have participated, some even from abroad.  The programs are also organised on Sardar Patel’s birthday, 31st October every year, which is also observed as the Vigilance Awareness Week by the Central Vigilance Commission of the Government of India.  As a further step in this process, the students who participated in the last competition were motivated and a National Governance Corps (NGC) has been created so that students themselves can become vigilant and commit themselves to the values of integrity and better governance.  This movement, if it catches on, will be helpful in creating all over in the country, a student body which will be focused on the issue of integrity, with the advantage of India as a youthful nation, by laying a foundation for a better governance and less corruption in the future.  There are number of NGOs which are active in fighting corruption like the Fifth Pillar of Mr. Nirmal, The Catalyst Trust and so on.  Students can be encouraged to associate with these NGOs and the teachers can also become active with these NGOs and contribute in fighting corruption.  In a way, this work is likely to be of the tough nature, because, the government by and large being corrupt there is no encouragement for such activities.  Even though the Right to Information Act has been passed, there is a lot of resistance in passing the information from public authorities. 

The techniques of the cellphone cameras can be used in sting operations especially to trap people in corruption and use the 24 x 7 media for exposing corruption.  But these are more activist methods.  Every teacher and the students has to decide to what extent they can play a more activists role in fighting corruption.

 Unfortunately, thanks to the secular approach of the government of India, in many government schools, there is hardly any teachings of moral values.  Teaching of moral values only prevails in religion based institutions like those run by the Society of Jesus or Ramakrishna Mission or Dayanand Anglo Vedic Schools.  Apart from these institutions, in government institutions, there is a need for introducing moral instruction classes so that students are forced to think in terms of values and the need for integrity.  Its a very healthy development that in the Anna University, in the Engineering courses, in the 7th semester, a subject of Business Ethics has been introduced.  This is a welcome step.  Value based education is an another area, in which teachers can play a role in inculcating the values and for this, concerted efforts has to be made by not only individual teachers but also collectively by the teaching community so that teaching of values become part of education at every stage.

The idea of encouraging groups of students at least to observe certain basic codes of conduct and introducing a code of honour and self discipline can be a starting point.  Every teacher to the extent possible can try to form such groups among the students so that at least the issues of integrity are not merely discussed and described upon and also practiced.  The students can also be encouraged to become whistle blowers and help in fighting corruption. 

In the ultimately analysis, for teachers to play an effective role in fighting corruption, the first requirement is that they themselves must be honest and must be committed to spreading value of integrity.  They should constantly try to inculcate the values in students not by too much of preaching or articulation but by their action at every stage.  Action speaks much louder than words. 

In addition to the individual level of teachers, collectively as teaching community, they may play a role in introducing an module of value education in education and also mobilise students in various group activities for not only discussing the issue of corruption but also initiating action to check corruption through whistle blowing etc.  They can also participate in activities like the National Governance Corps (NGC) or other such initiatives taken by NGOs.  The extent to which the teachers can succeed fighting corruption ultimately will depend upon their commitment and the persistence with which they operate.

Flowering of Dalits

DALIT literature began to be mainstreamed in India with the appearance of the English translations of Marathi Dalit writing. An Anthology of Dalit Literature, edited by Mulk Raj Anand and Eleanor Zelliot, and Poisoned Bread: Translations from Modern Marathi Dalit Literature, originally published in three volumes and later collected in a single volume, edited by Arjun Dangle (both published in 1992, the latter reissued recently in a new edition by Orient BlackSwan), were perhaps the first books that popularised the genre throughout India.

Not that there was no Dalit writing earlier: the origins of Dalit writing can be traced back to Buddhist literature; Dalit Bhakti poets like Gora, Raidas, Chokha Mela and Karmamela; and the Tamil Siddhas, or Chittars (6th to 13th centuries C.E.), many of whom must have been Dalits going by hagiographical accounts like Periyapuranam(12th century). But it was after the democratic and egalitarian thinkers such as Sree Narayana Guru, Jyotiba Phule, B.R. Ambedkar, Iyothee Thass, Sahodaran Ayyappan, Ayyankali, Poykayil Appachan and others cogently articulated the sources and modes of caste oppression that modern Dalit writing as a distinct genre began to emerge in Indian languages.

The Dalit Panthers of Maharashtra (formed in 1972) and the writers like Baburao Bagul and Namdeo Dhasal who spearheaded the movement gave an impetus to Dalit writing in Marathi following Ambedkar’s famous statement addressed to Gandhi, “Mahatma, I have no country.” The rest of the story, from the publication of Dhasal’s Golpitha (1972) onwards, is history. Now we have a significant corpus of Dalit literature in several of the Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Odiya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, and representative works from these are getting translated into other languages, including English.Over the past one decade or so, more than five anthologies and quite a few autobiographies and works of fiction besides theoretical works and works by individuals, including Dhasal, have been published in English by various mainstream and alternative publishing houses in India. While I hope to discuss some of these in future, let me confine myself here to the two volumes of writings from South India published recently:The Oxford India Anthology of Malayalam Dalit Writing, edited by M. Dasan, V. Pratibha, Pradeepan Pampirikunnu and C.S. Chandrika, and The Oxford India Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing, edited by Ravikumar and R. Azhagarasan (OUP, 2012), the first two volumes in a whole series of similar anthologies under preparation. (Let me not fail to mention here No Alphabet in Sight, another anthology of new Dalit writing from South India, edited by K. Satyanarayana and Susie Tharu and published by Penguin Books in 2011 whose first dossier too had carried translations from Tamil and Malayalam. The Penguin and OUP anthologies complement each other.)

The editors of The Oxford India Anthology of Malayalam Dalit Writing have an important message for readers in their prefatory note: “Readers will discover the limitations of their reading practices as they encounter the emotional, intellectual and aesthetic demands of this collection and might feel uncomfortable at the challenge it poses as they realise their complicity with the status quo. These selections will also bring the mainstream critics and reviewers face to face with their own prejudices, who, insufficiently equipped to understand or accept the truth of Dalit experiences and perspectives, often label this body of writings ‘bitter’, ‘biased’, ‘militant,’ ‘angry’, etc., and might, therefore, have dismissed it as not serious literary writing.”

Dalit literature has indeed created its own alternative aesthetic by redrawing the map of literature, by discovering and exploring a whole new continent of experience that had so far been left to darkness and silence, by helping literature overcome stagnation through a cleansing renewal, by disturbing the sterile complacency of the dominant social groups, and by challenging their set mores and fixed modes of looking at reality, their stale habits of ordering knowledge, beauty and power and their established literary canons, bringing to focus neglected, suppressed or marginalised aspects of experience, vision, language and reality and forcing the community to refashion its tools and observe itself critically from fresh and different angles.

Dalit poetry, for example, challenges the assumptions and injunctions of classical poetics by breaking its rules of “propriety”, “balance”, “restraint” and “understatement”. Dalit literature also questions the middle-class notions of linguistic “decency” by using words that classical aesthetics would consider “uncouth” (chyutasamskara ), “rustic” (gramya) or “obscene” (asleela).

Both the anthologies carry exhaustive introductions that trace the origins of Dalit writing in the respective languages and put this non-canonical body of writing in its social, historical and cultural contexts and provide readers with a conceptual framework that is sure to help them appreciate the discourse better. They contain selections from both creative and critical genres and reveal the range of concerns, forms, styles and perspectives encompassed by the standardising term “Dalit writing” that often conceals its thematic and idiomatic diversity.

The term “Dalit” began to be used in Kerala only in the 1970s chiefly as the hegemonic discourse of the Kerala renaissance, despite its reformative zeal, succeeded in camouflaging the specificity of Dalit discourse and its difference from the dominant discourse of the time. It is to be noted here that the gaps and silences of the discourse of the Kerala renaissance began to be discovered and critiqued by subaltern intellectuals only in the last one decade or two when the famous “Kerala Model” of development also found its astute critics.

Dalits and tribal people had been excluded from the idea of Malayali identity as even the historic Malayali Memorial, the mass petition submitted to the Maharaja of Travancore in 1891, did not demand jobs only for these sections. The class discourse too was used to render invisible the “cultural, symbolic and social capital” that their elite caste status had conferred on them. Many of the upper-caste reformers who pioneered the renaissance were progressive within their community but reactionary outside it.

Their idea of emancipation was confined to their own respective communities. It was this context that forced Dalit organisations like the Sadhujana Paripalana Yogam to claim a distinct political space within the scenario of the emerging colonial modernity, leading to the struggles for the rights to education, hygiene, land and modern citizenship itself. Ayyankali, who wore clean clothes and a turban like the aristocrats and followed their physical postures, provided historical agency to the Dalits and turned the Dalit body into a site of resistance to feudal servitude and the Dalits’ labour and identity into negotiating signifiers. His anti-caste approach displeased the leaders of post-Independence parliamentary politics, but he would be the last to collaborate.

Other movements followed, throwing up leaders like Poikayil Appachan, Pampadi John Joseph, K.P. Vallon and organisations, including the radical SEEDIAN (Socially, Educationally and Economically Depressed Indian Ancient Natives) of the 1970s and the current DHRM (Dalit Human Rights Movement). The most important struggles in Kerala, like those in Muthanga and Chengara in the last decades, were led by Dalits and Adivasis who found that they had no seats in the international socialist feast and that the Marxist scheme of the class struggle might never fully grasp the complex cultural issues of anti-caste struggles.

Reading culture through literature for women

   Women in the patriarchal world face restlessness and they often continue to experience a desire for intense nurturance and relationality. They were not allowed to enter the patriarchal world, ie, the external world and the world assign to them is the domestic space and women were given only the role of mere care taker.

   To cope up with this difficulties and to come across this state of affairs they choose romance reading as a medium. And it is said that the act of reading draws the women away from their present surrounding and situation. and they consider this as a legitimate way of denying a present reality.ie, the escape from reality. 

   According to the latest study the number of women reading romances has exceeded to 84 percent . and it is said that women used to read five to nine romances a week and 4 to 16 romances a month.

   women consider this particular means of escape is better than that of television viewing because the cultural value attached to book is greater than that of television.

   For a women reading a romance gives them a satisfying taste of what they are missing from their own life. Romance reading is considered as a declaration of independence from the social roles of wife and mother. By placing the barriers of the book between themselves and their families these women reserve a special space and time for themselves alone.

   romance reading is both an assertion of deeply felt psychological needs and means of satisfying those needs. reason for reading romances are quite complex. some novels are very good at offering the emotional sustenance women carve for and the other fails.some women read romance to escape the burdens and lonliness of houseworks and childcare. 

   Reading  is not just for the basic needs of escapism and relaxation, there is a core mythology that alleviates deep seated psychological burdens as well. women have been taught to believe that men must be their sole source of pleasure. although here is nothing biologically lacking in men to make this ideal pleasure, their engendering and socialization by the patriarchal family traditionally makes the very traits that would permit the to nurture women in this way.

   Because they are encouraged to be aggressive competetive and unemotional, men often find sustained attention to the emotional needs of others. both unfamiliar and difficult.

   Thus reading romance enable women to imagine themselves being tenderly cared for and protected by a fictive character who inevitably proves to be spectacularly masculine and unusually nurturance as well.

   Thus its says that women turn to romance because the experience of reading the novels gives them hopes and provide a pleasure for them.