Role of Environment in Holistic Growth

A congenial environment has a profound impact on a child's holistic development. The aim of a progressive educator is to provide learning in a stress-free environment. Favourable environment unleashes full potential of a child. Maximum output can only be achieved when learning takes place without stress and fear.

 It is rightly said that " a child is not a vase to be filled but a fire to be lit". For igniting the mind of a child his creativity and love for the subject must be developed. When a child is happy and relaxed, he enjoys what he is studying and thus gets motivated towards studies. Using force can kill children's desire to enjoy the subject and can turn them off from the studies.

 With increasing competition many schools are guilty of suppressing the creativity of children and turning them into mechanical objects for just improving their result. Competition cannot and should not be completely eliminated. But it should be replaced by "healthy" competition with the interests of the child as the focus. The present environment focuses mostly on the end product, that is the result. It has to be replaced by a system where the process itself is the main focus.

Just like a seed needs proper sunlight, water, manure etc. to grow into a strong tree; a child also needs an environment with all that is needed for him to grow into a good and responsible citizen and our schools, teachers and parents must realise it.