Parenting in the digital age
Academicians discussed the shifting educational landscape and the obstacles that parents are grappling with
How frequently do parents place their expectations upon children? How often do they anticipate them to surpass these expectations? Damayanti Mukherjee, principal, Modern High School for Girls, highlighted the importance of setting achievable and realistic expectations for their children at the knowledge session organised by the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) at a hotel in Kolkata. She emphasised the need for honest and open communication between parents and their children and also the need to monitor digital explorations among kids.
Titled, ‘Empowering Tomorrow’s Minds: Parenting in a Changing Educational Landscape’, the session was inaugurated by Dr Skand Bali, principal, The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet. From career counseling, parent-school connect, to the importance of foreign languages for students, how to choose the right education board and the role of learning management systems in education, a series of topics were discussed in the presence of educators, industry leaders and parents.
Namit Bajoria, president, MCCI, admitted how parenting in today’s ever-changing educational landscape has become a challenging task. “One of the primary challenges parents face is the increasing competition and pressure for academic success. This academic pressure can result in tremendous stress on both children and parents, leading to a strained parent-child relationship,” he said. Bajoria also spoke about the shifting pedagogical approaches that add complexity to parenting. “Traditional methods of teaching are gradually giving way to more student-centric and experiential learning methods. Parents may find it challenging to support their children’s education when faced with unfamiliar teaching techniques,” he said.
According to Sunil Agarwal, chairman, Council on Education, MCCI, parenting plays a crucial role in shaping the educational experiences of children, especially in a rapidly changing educational landscape. He suggested that with the advent of new technologies, evolving teaching methodologies, and the need for a holistic approach to education, parents must be active participants in empowering their children’s minds. He also mentioned that MCCI would organise more such events to discuss raging issues in the education sector. Nirmal Agarwal, founder, Cognix Knowledge Group, suggested focusing on four factors namely ‘desire’, ‘knowledge’ ‘dedication’ and ‘emotional power’ while choosing the right career path.
Sanjukta Poddar, head of student development, Calcutta International School apprised of the benefits of learning a foriegn language and how it can result in enhanced cognitive skills, cultural understanding and global perspective.
The event was also attended by Simarpreet Singh, director, JIS Group and Alok Sharma, co-chairman, Council of Education, MCCI.
