|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Training is another aspect that hardly attracts serious attention from society, schools, colleges and other agencies, which deal with adolescents on a daily basis. The fact that many facets of one’s personality can be positively modified and molded through effective training is not recognised. As a result, training, which can be used as a tool to make the adolescent sensitive, aware, knowledgeable and motivated, remains under-utilised as a successful strategy to bring up well-adjusted adolescents. This book does a wonderful bridging job of brining these two aspects together. Practically, it is a training manual meant to train adolescents in developing certain skills and understand some important concepts which can help them in tiding over the rough patches of life in a smooth and dignified manner. It can be used by teachers, parents or trainers for planning workshops for teenagers on 12 different modules addressing issues such as interpersonal competencies, communication skills, stress management skills, developing self-esteem, etc. Each module includes a brief introduction, expected outcomes, a detailed point-wise explanation of the theme and exercises. Each exercise is further elaborated with information on materials required, steps to conduct exercise and time allocated for the exercise, making it a readymade support material for the trainer. A free CD accompanying the book makes the job of preparing PowerPoint presentations and taking printouts for group workshops even easier. Despite these visible benefits of the theme and presentation of the manual, certain significant aspects remain untouched or are marred by lack of novelty. For example, the book assumes that "adolescents" constitute a monolithic group and tries to address problems of this group in a linear approach, which is not applicable equally to all types of adolescents but targets mainly the middle-class educated section. A large chunk of adolescents from lower socio-economic background are school drop-outs belonging to broken homes, orphanages, slums or streets. These children would surely have to face an entirely different set of challenges than those kids tucked up lovingly in warm middle-class homes with only a few growing-up-blues to handle. This diversity has been ignored in the book, though it can be argued that to address all these differences, the canvas of a single volume is not sufficient. Handling conversations, relationships or interactions with opposite sex is a growing concern for an adolescent. I remember, during one such workshop which I was facilitating, one of the participating adolescent asked, "I am fine when I talk with boys, but I have problem speaking with girls". As I brushed away his question laughingly thinking that he must be joking, I suddenly realised that it was a very real and tangible problem for him and he was very serious in approaching me to get help to face this challenge. It is now an established fact that the age of sexual maturity is decreasing. Also due to the constant onslaught of permissive content by the electronic and print media and a relatively open society, youngsters nowadays are highly stressed out regarding their interaction with opposite sex. In my opinion, learning to deal with individuals of opposite sex in an understanding, respectable and mature way can prove to be a precious competency for any adolescent to achieve a stable and fulfilling life. Surprisingly, the author has not even touched upon this highly significant issue. Though relationship with peers is discussed, skills related to handling issues of more intimate and sensitive nature concerning opposite sex are conspicuous by their absence. Many of the issues and their approach seem to be influenced by the Western perspective. For example, discussions on developing entrepreneurial competence, conflict management and working as a team do not offer anything new and specific for the target group of adolescents than what is already available on the umpteen number of websites offering general tips of skill development. The claim of the author that the book can be used even by the adolescents themselves for self-growth is a bit too far-fetched because the format of the book has not been designed keeping the adolescent in mind, who would have appreciated illustrations, flowcharts, information in easy-to-follow and interesting ways rather than in the form of drab continuous text. Even the exercises prescribed for the workshops could have included more innovative methods like role-play, simulations, games, storytelling, etc. Keeping in view the author’s long and vast experience in youth and training, the book falls short of the reader’s expectations. Having said that it must be admitted that the book fulfills a vacant niche and caters to an urgent and acutely felt yet apathetically ignored need of the Indian society. Now, only if these training ideas can be incorporated into our rigid school/college curricula to provide our adolescents some real and usable education, this book will fufill its noble agenda.
|
||
|
|
||
THE
aspect of bringing up children is one of the most neglected parts in
our society. It is assumed that persons who become parents or teachers
will also automatically know everything about how to bring up children
in the best possible way so as to make them useful members of society,
competent in life skills and ready to take up challenges. However,
this assumption is costing us dear as the number of "not at peace
with themselves or the world"—adolescents—is on the rise and
it is needless to mention that an ill-adjusted youth will not grow
into a mature and happy adult.