Educational philosopher’s and specialists (the international journal of current research)

Rabindranath Tagore was an education philosopher The aim of Rabindranath Tagore’s pattern of education is independence, perfection and universality. In the process of education, the educator creates an environment in which the child s personality undergoes a free, perfect and unrestricted development. Mental Development acc to Tagore: Besides the physical aim of education, Tagore equally lays emphasis upon the mental aim of education. Like Vivekananda, he is critical of the prevalent system of education, which laid sole emphasis upon bookish learning. To quote Rabindranath, We know the people of books, not those of the world, the former are interesting to us, but the latter tiresome. In fact, the intellectual aim of education, according to Rabindranath, is the development of the intellectual faculties which should be developed through education these are  the power of thinking and the power of imagination. Physical Development Like Vivekananda, Rabindranath condemned the prevalent system of education, which partially exercised the intellect only to the entire neglect of the body. According to Rabindranath, Education of the body in the real sense, does not exist in ply and exercise but in applying the body systematically to some useful work. . It is hence that he so much emphasizes games in school education. Pointing out the value of physical activities in the child s education, he says, Even if they learn nothing, they would have had ponds, plucking and tearing flowers, perpetrating thousand and one mischief s on Mother Nature, they would have obtained the nourishment of the body, happiness of mind and the satisfaction of the natural impulses of childhood.  Almost all contemporary Indian philosophers of education, including Gandhi, Vivekananda, Dayananda and Sri Aurobindo, besides Tagore lay emphasis upon the importance of setting educational institutions in natural environment so that the students may learn by their touch with Nature. Harmony with Environment In the end, the aim of education according to Rabindranath, is the harmony of the students with the environment. The student should know his environment and create harmony with it. To quote Rabindranath, True education consists in knowing the use of any useful material that has been collected to know its real nature and to build along with life a real shelter for life. This is particularly true about the rural education Education should imbibe his cultural heritage and should be able to use it in his interaction with the environment.