By: Syed Shoaib Bukhari
In today’s world, almost every other person has this complex: why do people not value what they say or write? Why does their opinion not matter? There are several important reasons behind this that are so important to understand. If you read this article till the end, I guarantee at least a 50% change in your thinking.
Everyone knows that Pakistan’s education system requires change, but alongside, the training of teachers must also be accelerated. For years, we have been following a traditional pattern, which hasn’t brought about any significant changes in students. While the world is rapidly transforming its education systems, we are so far behind that it may take another century for us to fully equip our students with skills—unless we overhaul our traditional system. Without this change, we cannot provide our children with a promising future.
Recently, I was training students in the Mass Communication department at a university in Khairpur on social media. During the session, I had a good interaction with the students. I noticed that while they had a decent command of English, they struggled to convey their point effectively in the language. Other students mocked them, which didn’t sit well with me. So, I briefly shifted the focus of my training and listened to their issues related to this complex. I explained why they fail to communicate their points effectively and why their words are often not given importance, leading to feelings of inferiority.
Throughout life, we are either learning something or life is teaching us. To develop a strong personality and good presence, students must adhere to four golden principles—the “4 Cs” that can guide them through their evolving lives.
Let’s explore what these principles are and why they are so crucial. The first principle is Collaboration: In simple terms, this means building relationships with people, especially elders, teachers, and seniors. You will learn things from them that no book can teach you. No matter your field, make this principle a part of your daily life. When you start connecting with people, your ideas will begin to develop. For teachers, it’s important to connect with students as if they were your own children. You’ll notice that even students who don’t perform well will start showing results. In any field, a teacher’s guidance and close attention can shape a student’s life.
The second principle is Creativity: Once you engage with others and hear their ideas, the process of generating your own ideas will begin. You’ll feel your mindset shifting and realize that you’re now thinking clearly. When your ideas, whether in writing or speech, reach others, this reflects your creativity. In the modern era, Western countries have transformed their educational systems, focusing more on skill-based education. Alongside intellectual growth, they are working on fostering creativity in students. Having a personal opinion that is respected in intellectual circles is also a sign of creativity.
The third principle is Critical Thinking: To understand this, let me give you a simple example: if someone forms an opinion that Imran Khan’s government was better than Shehbaz Sharif’s, you can disagree based on ground realities. If your perspective is firm and well-reasoned, that’s critical thinking. Disagreement is a democratic right, but it should come with respect. It’s not necessary to always oppose; sometimes, you can present your views as a different perspective, encompassing both disagreement and respect.
Finally, we come to Communication: This is the most important factor that compelled me to write this article. I felt it was my duty to highlight that effective communication skills are essential for everyone—whether students, teachers, or professionals. No matter your field, you likely want people to admire your speech, to listen intently when you talk. For this to happen, you must practice the principles of collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking mentioned above. Without mastering these, you might speak well, but you won’t communicate effectively in a way that draws people to you or gives your words significance.
Dear readers, who are carefully reading this article, this is a collective issue that affects us all. The reason people don’t give importance to our words is that we fail to incorporate these elements into our communication, which is why we don’t become the center of attention.
Very informative and educative content
Very awesome.Such informative content should be printed. Every second person in Pakistan is suffering from such problems. Especially students who are in school, college or university are more prone to these problems. What is mentioned in the column can be quite helpful in dealing with such challenges.