🌱 Are We Really Preparing Our Students for Real Life?

Today’s students are growing up in a world where media and entertainment is deciding more about their dreams than schools or families. Many children spend hours watching movies, cartoons, and reels, admiring film stars, sports idols or social media influencers. Their idea of “success” often comes from these shiny images. The sad part is, in this rush they forget to notice real life heroes – scientists, freedom fighters, social workers, even everyday people who work hard and make a difference.

Educationists say this over-dose of entertainment content is distracting kids from learning values, real stories of struggle, and practical skills. Infact, a 2023 UNESCO report also highlighted that young learners spend more than 4–5 hours daily on digital content but less than 1 hour on structured reading.

So, what can schools and parents do? One strong way is to redirect this content consumption towards more meaningful stories. Instead of only cartoons and celebrity shows, children can be introduced to inspiring documentaries and talks like TEDx or Josh Talks. These platforms tell true stories of common people who made big impact – like women entrepreneurs from small villages, scientists working on space projects, or even youngsters who started eco-friendly startups. When students see real people overcoming challenges, they get motivated in a genuine way.

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📉 Problem inside the classrooms

But media distraction is only one side of the issue. Inside schools too, there is another challenge. Recent assessments in many schools (including ours) showed that students are struggling with high-order thinking skills. Critical thinking, creativity, communication, and even collaboration are weaker than expected.

The truth is, our current STEAM curriculum is not enough. Yes, it covers Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, Maths, but often in silos. Students mostly prepare for exams and do worksheets, but they don’t get enough integrated, challenging tasks that connect with real life.

Research by Brookings Institute has also shown that rote memorisation dominates Indian classrooms – while less than 25% of students get exposure to problem-solving or project-based learning.

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🛠️ What schools are trying

Many schools have realised this gap and started new experiments. Teachers are:

• Giving real world tasks like building a small bridge model or drafting a simple architectural plan.

• Designing projects on saving water in school, reducing plastic use at home, or starting a small recycling corner in class.

• Using tools like KWL charts (Know, Want to know, Learned) to make lessons interactive.

• Doing quick student feedback activities like “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down” to check understanding.

• Encouraging peer-checking and self-checking so that students learn to reflect and evaluate their own work.

In teacher training sessions, the focus is also on connecting better with children – using storytelling, questioning methods, and hands-on demos.

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🌟 Why project-based learning works better

Research worldwide proves that project-based learning (PBL) is far more effective than rote learning. For example:

• A 2019 Stanford study found that students in PBL classrooms scored 63% higher in creativity and problem-solving.

• The “Hour of Code” global movement showed that when children build something (like coding a simple game), their confidence in tackling complex problems rises sharply.

• In Finland, where schools regularly give community-based projects, students rank among the highest globally in collaboration skills (PISA survey 2022).

Even simple school projects like “make a water harvesting plan for your building” or “design posters on plastic reduction” help children work in groups, think independently, and present their ideas with confidence.

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🧭 Way forward

So the big question is: Are we preparing our students only for exams, or for life?

If we want them to grow into problem-solvers, leaders, and innovators, then:

• Schools must reduce rote work and textbook-only teaching.

• Parents should also balance entertainment with meaningful media exposure.

• Real-world projects, community challenges, and exposure to inspiring real people must be part of daily learning.

Only then will children shift their role models from “fictional heroes on screen” to “real heroes around them.” And only then, education will serve its true purpose – not just passing exams, but building future citizens who can think, create and care.

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👉 This is not just a matter for schools. It’s a matter for society. Because the children who sit in our classrooms today, will be the ones running our world tomorrow.

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