Brain drain

In the article “Where the mind is without fear,” (Oct.16), Prabhudev Konana misses many points. Societies in Japan and South Korea have similar cultures of obedience, yet students there rank high as per the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings. It is always possible to bring about modifications to a culture that inhibits creative thinking. Further, Indians being the most prosperous community in the U.S. also has something to do with the unique attributes of our culture.

Rohit Kumar Singh,Rourkela

Teachers are also human beings and it is quite possible that they may not have all the answers. However, using harsh language at students not only intimidates the students but also shows the incompetence of the teachers. I firmly believe that only people having a passion for teaching should pursue it as a career. Doing it for the sake of comfort or convenience will be harmful to the interests of children.

Md. Nasir Zafir,Dehradun

We, in India, continue to rely on traditional belief systems while raising our children. Creative expression of children gets hampered in the face of a domineering attitude of parents and teachers. We are trained to be followers and, as a result, whenever we face a challenging situation, we tend to look for help from others and distrust our own intuition. We need to change this by encouraging children to ask questions. Disobedience should not be viewed as disrespect; however, the child should be asked to come with reasons on why he disagrees. Changing the syllabus alone is not enough; the teaching methodology and the belief system also need change.

Monica Tripathi Shukla,

Mohali, Punjab