4. Recognition of Teachers’ Authority:
One should not accrue that the teacher has lost its importance in the modern time. Rather, modern school situations demand a more carefully selected and well prepared teacher than was necessary for the traditional schools. Infact education on an atmosphere of freedom demands on teacher than does education guided by the old ideas of authority imposed. It demands a new atmosphere in the school and a new attitude in the teacher. It also demands new methods which advocate free activity of body, mind and soul of the pupils. The teacher instead of being a slave driver forcing the unwilling pupils to learn becomes a guide, makes himself one of the group, brings to the help of the group his larger experiences and thus helps the group in the search for truth, encourages them in every way to think, feel and work for themselves. Hence the teacher should be given a key place in the modern times. His authority of course is not that of an autocrat but of a leader, friend and a guide.
5. Nature Neglect:
A teacher should have a complete knowledge of the biological laws. He should know how the whole organism works. He should realize that the whole child comes to school and not only his mind. The mind and the body are an entity. They connot exist without each other. Latin proverb says that “ Mens Sano in Carpore Sano” means “A sound mind in a sound body”. Mind lived in the body as in a clay cottage but it would be more true to say that the mind grows in the body as a plant grows in its soil. Poorer the soil, the more arrested the growth; richer the soil better the growth. Thus the mind and the body are independent, one influences the other. The body responds to various states of mind. Fear, joy, anger and all other emotions are reflected in the body. On the other hand mental activity uses up nervous energy which has to be replenished by the body. These considerations have natural bearing upon education and the teacher being conversant with these laws aims at the development of both, the body and the mind. In brief one should not neglect the laws of nature and should work accordingly.
6. Physical Environment of School:
In general, the school environments present an educative atmosphere. The modern school site, building and equipments are adequate, safe, sanitary comfortable and attractive. It is only in the best environmental setting that the most effective learning takes place.
The improvement of the environment no doubt, lies in the hands of school authorities rather than teachers. Yet, the requisitions, request and suggestions by the teacher can correct the environment to a considerable extent. The teacher can suggest about lighting arrangements in the class, as due to defective lighting and ventilation arrangements the crowded classrooms lead to overheated conditions which reduce working capacity and encourage the spread of respiratory infections. Further, it will amount to restlessness, inattention and unsatisfactory work. It is a well know fact that individuals work much better in a room with an attractive atmosphere. Although a teacher cannot completely recondition a dull and dilapidated room yet a better planning and efforts can work wonders to improve its condition. Actually it all depends upon the upkeep of the room. Careless disorder in the room, waste papers on the floor, and the untidy state of storage space, book shelves, teacher’s table and pupils desks definitely give a shabby look to a room.
Thus, the rooms should be attractively decorated. Neatness, cleanliness, orderliness and suitable decoration in a room will induce pupils to take a pride in their room and should largely eliminate scribbling on the wall and desks. This all will prove to be a boosting environment for learning.
7. Gap between School and Community
The traditional schools are directed from social life and social activities. It has confined itself to book learning which has no utility for the child in his later life. But, the modern school represents the society in miniature. It has an intimate and organic relationship with the society. It incorporates such experiences which are intimately connected with actual living and enable the individual to lead a successful life is society. Secondary Education Commision points out that there exists a “two way traffic” between the school and the larger community outside and the problems that arise in the home and community life and the realistic experiences gained their should be brought into school so that education may be based on them and be intimately connected with real life and on the other hand the new knowledge, skills and values acquired in the school should be carried into home life, solve its problems, to raise its students and link up the teachers, parents and children in one compact and naturally helpful group.