Brains Not Brawns … Valid Still ?

Years ago an eminent professor discussing ‘transfer of training’ with the Post Graduate students of a reputed college, made the following statements: .“All learning of skills are interrelated… One skill can invariably be related to another …. Hence while we try to train someone in one area,its effects are felt on other areas too.” Then a challenge was posed to the students to contradict the statement. A few students tried but the brilliant Professor who had won acclaim at several conferences in her discovery of the statement was able to relate every instance of learning of one skill to the learning of another skill with aplomb!

As it always happens, the cheekier ones usually remain silent in the beginning. For them it doesn’t require great intellectual acumen to refute or rip apart arguments. The individual I am referring to said: “ Well imagine a situation where someone is being trained to become a speaker- ie; training in oration and another in which one is trained in weight lifting. The individual in question affirmed that there is no relationship what so ever in the skills being trained in the two persons. Hearing this , the ebullient Professor was mystified. It took several seconds for the Professor to come out of the startling response of her student. Finally the Professor admitted… YES… there is no relationship what so ever between the two skills viz; skill in oration and skill in weight lifting!

Now, what actually helped the cheeky student to discover what he had to say?… well, nothing very significant save a lesson he learned from his primary class teacher who used to regularly repeat “Children you need brains not brawns.”

Are Physical Education Teachers Lesser Mortals ?

This brings up to my mind an issue which puts Physical Education teachers in colleges in the state of Kerala at logger heads with the authorities. A rule , exists whereby a Physical Education teacher can never be promoted as a Principal of an Arts & Science college , whatever be his /her experience or seniority… Why is it so ? Could it be the peculiar mental make up of Physical Education teachers ? Are they susceptible to corrupt practices? Do they fundamentally lack ‘brains’ that enable one to take good administrative decisions?

Incidentally it is common to note the low esteem in which Physical Education teachers are held in institutions of higher learning when compared to the kind of adoration and respect students generally shower on teachers teaching academic subjects.

Shocking demeanor

A few months age a friend of mine who had joined as a faculty in a Teacher Training College, narrated something which left me absolutely perplexed for days together. A Physical Education teacher with over 25 years experience during a Teacher’s Meeting threatened a smart young lecturer who returned the Physical Education teachers’ attempt at throwing weight around by snubbing him. The indignant Physical Education teacher raved during the meeting admitting that he is dull in academics but wouldn’t hesitate to beat up the young lecturer if he tries to be too smart! What astonished my friend was that the Principal of his college refused to intervene and remained mute during the incident. Was the lady Principal bowled over by the macho physique which most Physical Education teachers flaunt? Or can ‘brawns’ invoke fear in individuals especially the female species? Or can we attribute this to their peculiar demeanor which never evokes admiration?

Lack of refinement

It has been pointed out by many teachers that the students who pursue sports as a career in Arts /Physical Education colleges lack any sort of refinement. Crude looks , half- burnt skin, rough voice and rude behaviour are characteristic descriptions of such students. Does this account for the lack of refinement in the Physical Education teacher too with 25 years experience ?

Is Physical education an Useless enterprise in teacher training ?

The University of Calicut, South India which revised its BEd. curriculum in 2005 had included Physical Education as a topic for both theory and Practical Examination. The whole venture collapsed with an year. Vehement protests from teacher educators of the fifty odd Teacher Training Colleges affiliated to the University, forced the University to drop the Practical Examination in Physical Education which they deemed absolutely unnecessary. To those Physical Education teachers who were desperately attempting to assuage some kind of integrity to their already diminishing reputation in Teacher Training institutions, this was the worst possible blow.

Will brawns ever replace brains ?

The evidences presented so far doesn’t suggest that brawns are in any way superior to brains. But a look at the history of brawns tell us that great warriors and kings of the past had all three beauty , brains and brawns. Will the world ever try to emulate the ancients in this respect ? Will questions related to brains and brawns ever evoke serious discussions???

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