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Divasvapna : An Educator's Reverie
इसी बीच प्रधानाध्यापक एकाएक आए और मुझे टोका; ‘‘देखिए; यहाँ पास में कोई खेल नहीं खेला जा सकता। चाहो; तो दूर उस मैदान में चले जाइए। यहाँ दूसरों को तकलीफ होती है।’’
मैं लड़कों को लेकर मैदान में पहुँचा।
लड़के तो बे-लगाम घोड़ों की तरह उछल-कूद मचा रहे थे। ‘‘खेल! खेल! हाँ; भैया खेल!’’
मैंने कहा; ‘‘कौन सा खेल खेलोगे?’’
एक बोला; ‘‘खो-खो।’’
दूसरा बोला; ‘‘नहीं; कबड्डी।’’
तीसरा कहने लगा; ‘‘नहीं; शेर और पिंजड़े का खेल।’’
चौथा बोला; ‘‘तो हम नहीं खेलते।’’
पाँचवाँ बोला; ‘‘रहने दो इसे; हम तो खेलेंगे।’’
मैंने लड़कों की ये बिगड़ी आदतें देखीं।
मैं बोला; ‘‘देखो भई; हम तो खेलने आए हैं। ‘नहीं’ और ‘हाँ ’ और ‘नहीं खेलते;’ और ‘खेलते हैं;’ करना हो तो चलो; वापस कक्षा में चलें।’’
लड़के बोले; ‘‘नहीं जी; हम तो खेलना चाहते हैं।’’
—इसी पुस्तक से
बाल-मनोविज्ञान और शैक्षिक विचारों को कथा शैली में प्रस्तुत करनेवाले अप्रतिम लेखक गिजुभाई के अध्यापकीय जीवन के अनुभव का सार है यह—‘दिवास्वप्न’।
मैं लड़कों को लेकर मैदान में पहुँचा।
लड़के तो बे-लगाम घोड़ों की तरह उछल-कूद मचा रहे थे। ‘‘खेल! खेल! हाँ; भैया खेल!’’
मैंने कहा; ‘‘कौन सा खेल खेलोगे?’’
एक बोला; ‘‘खो-खो।’’
दूसरा बोला; ‘‘नहीं; कबड्डी।’’
तीसरा कहने लगा; ‘‘नहीं; शेर और पिंजड़े का खेल।’’
चौथा बोला; ‘‘तो हम नहीं खेलते।’’
पाँचवाँ बोला; ‘‘रहने दो इसे; हम तो खेलेंगे।’’
मैंने लड़कों की ये बिगड़ी आदतें देखीं।
मैं बोला; ‘‘देखो भई; हम तो खेलने आए हैं। ‘नहीं’ और ‘हाँ ’ और ‘नहीं खेलते;’ और ‘खेलते हैं;’ करना हो तो चलो; वापस कक्षा में चलें।’’
लड़के बोले; ‘‘नहीं जी; हम तो खेलना चाहते हैं।’’
—इसी पुस्तक से
बाल-मनोविज्ञान और शैक्षिक विचारों को कथा शैली में प्रस्तुत करनेवाले अप्रतिम लेखक गिजुभाई के अध्यापकीय जीवन के अनुभव का सार है यह—‘दिवास्वप्न’।
First published January 1, 1931
19 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Gijubhai Badheka
25 books11 followersGirijashankar Bhagwanji Badheka or Gijubhai Badheka, was an educator who helped to introduce Montessori education methods to India. Badheka published a number of works in the field of education including Divaswapna, which translates to "Daydreams".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 28, 2020
Pedagogy 101
This story is about being a misfit in a very rigid place. Rules are not easily bent, but the morale is that if you persevere, it’ll lead to great, unexpected results. As a new teacher, I find it very informative. Dumbledore once said that “.. old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young”. It seemed like I had forgotten how I was when I was a kid. Staring out the windows, scribbling on tables, passing chits to friends, being notorious. These are natural student tendencies.
The story starts with how the teacher starts with connecting to the most unruly students through the medium of stories and develops a culture of hygiene. Kids love stories. They like to hear stories of ghosts, superheroes and of other kids just like them. He moulds the classroom topics into a curriculum of stories, drama skits, poems, songs, games and various fun activities. I couldn’t have imagined that learning nouns, verbs and adjectives can be so interesting. Children learn creativity through making their own toys, collaboration via working in groups and compassion by acting in a drama which deals with sensitive topics of religion as well. Nothing is learnt at the expense of losing their precious childhood. Experimented in colonial India, this is a very progressive book with ideas valid even today. I resonated with so much that was happening in the traditional classrooms. I was outraged that I have studied in such classes. In one instance, the teacher discusses the concept of corporal punishment with his kids and their innocent ideas are heartwarming. This book is an epitome of a simple and a powerful tale.
Note to self - Read Part IV for fun and growth inclined ideas for classrooms. Also, read about Montessori method of education (Mentioned in context of Mathematics)
This story is about being a misfit in a very rigid place. Rules are not easily bent, but the morale is that if you persevere, it’ll lead to great, unexpected results. As a new teacher, I find it very informative. Dumbledore once said that “.. old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young”. It seemed like I had forgotten how I was when I was a kid. Staring out the windows, scribbling on tables, passing chits to friends, being notorious. These are natural student tendencies.
It is not that they are unfit for the school. Rather, this school is unfit for them. The school is unable to teach them what they have aptitude for.
The story starts with how the teacher starts with connecting to the most unruly students through the medium of stories and develops a culture of hygiene. Kids love stories. They like to hear stories of ghosts, superheroes and of other kids just like them. He moulds the classroom topics into a curriculum of stories, drama skits, poems, songs, games and various fun activities. I couldn’t have imagined that learning nouns, verbs and adjectives can be so interesting. Children learn creativity through making their own toys, collaboration via working in groups and compassion by acting in a drama which deals with sensitive topics of religion as well. Nothing is learnt at the expense of losing their precious childhood. Experimented in colonial India, this is a very progressive book with ideas valid even today. I resonated with so much that was happening in the traditional classrooms. I was outraged that I have studied in such classes. In one instance, the teacher discusses the concept of corporal punishment with his kids and their innocent ideas are heartwarming. This book is an epitome of a simple and a powerful tale.
Note to self - Read Part IV for fun and growth inclined ideas for classrooms. Also, read about Montessori method of education (Mentioned in context of Mathematics)
August 16, 2014
A very interesting and wonderful read for anyone even remotely curious about how our current educational system is and how a teacher can turn it around. Had this been a real teacher and a real event, I would have paid him a visit for lessons. Loved it totally.
April 16, 2020
This is by far the best book for an educator in India, it should be a mandatory read for every teacher
If you work with the government or low-income schools in India or anywhere, try the techniques used by Gijubhai in your regular teaching. There is no better sustainable change than educating a child.
The book with its positive view brings in a lot of questions for the current practices in Education.
- Even after 100 years of this experiment, I've never heard an educator talk about this in my circle, which is surprising.
- The methods used for teaching are still the same(rote learning), our teachers still do not use creative methods and resort to corporal punishment of all sorts.
- The challenge of incompetent teachers still exist because the system is not able to filter on the basis of either motivation or competency(or maybe they do not want to).
If you work with the government or low-income schools in India or anywhere, try the techniques used by Gijubhai in your regular teaching. There is no better sustainable change than educating a child.
The book with its positive view brings in a lot of questions for the current practices in Education.
- Even after 100 years of this experiment, I've never heard an educator talk about this in my circle, which is surprising.
- The methods used for teaching are still the same(rote learning), our teachers still do not use creative methods and resort to corporal punishment of all sorts.
- The challenge of incompetent teachers still exist because the system is not able to filter on the basis of either motivation or competency(or maybe they do not want to).
August 8, 2020
Straight from the teacher's diary - teaching isn't an upward curve all the time - it is as challenging as it seems interesting.
Divasvapna by Gijubhai made me re-live my fellowship days at Teach For India. Having an experience of working for 730+ days inside a classroom - I can fairly say - the classroom experience was a self-reflective journey worth cherishing - struggling, failing, exploring, hoping, and loving.
As an educator, what I have understood is that - nothing beats the first-hand experience of being in a classroom and experiencing the roots of the problem, especially, if you want to create a ding in the ed-reform movement. Divasvapna clearly puts down the very same idea.
A highly recommended book for every educator💡
Divasvapna by Gijubhai made me re-live my fellowship days at Teach For India. Having an experience of working for 730+ days inside a classroom - I can fairly say - the classroom experience was a self-reflective journey worth cherishing - struggling, failing, exploring, hoping, and loving.
As an educator, what I have understood is that - nothing beats the first-hand experience of being in a classroom and experiencing the roots of the problem, especially, if you want to create a ding in the ed-reform movement. Divasvapna clearly puts down the very same idea.
A highly recommended book for every educator💡
November 3, 2022
This book makes me wonder about the flaws in the education system we grew in. Our acquired sense of learning that makes no sense in real world, the distinction between what matters and what not and most importantly ,it only takes a wonderful teacher in life to change it inside out. Really wonderful!
October 17, 2022
A great book for education practitioners. Must read.
September 18, 2025
written in 1931! I couldn't comprehend that Gijubhai Badheka was talking about these teaching experiments which is still a need of time in current India! so insightful. I could correlate to some of my school teachers who had tried several techniques from this book to teach us in our secondary school. Gujarati Audiobook was of a high quality. it's available on YouTube.
November 1, 2023
It is a misnomer...!!!
I bought it by reading its name , which literally means day-dream .
Tho it's all about primary education and its potential improvement..
It's still a good book ,but not my topic of interest.
I bought it by reading its name , which literally means day-dream .
Tho it's all about primary education and its potential improvement..
It's still a good book ,but not my topic of interest.
December 11, 2021
The fiction begins at a government school, somewhere in Gujarat during the colonial era of India.
The author has made it clear from the beginning that he wants a new approach and outlook to the education; so he begins with his experiments. But are misfits and revolutionaries easily accepted? Hell no! Similar situations are experienced by the author. Be it from non bending parents, to mocking colleagues, to the rigid education system itself, the author faced it all all but with an assertive belief in his ideologies.
The content is mainly about the experiments, their consequences, the difficulties that came along. The author brilliantly highlights the shortcomings such as bogus cramming based education, impractical curriculum and poorly written books but also provides solutions and alternative approaches to understanding based learning and education.
He tries to habituate sanitation and hygiene among students. Children love stories so he uses them to get the attention of the notorious ones as well as teaches pretty much everything via them. The kids also love it and subconsciously remember the facts and figures and most importantly understand the content.
The language is simple and easy to go through and is a bit straight in its approach which I think is essential in topics like these. Even then the author does not let the readers get bored, especially the activities undertaken and time spend with the students is fun to read.
The concepts and techniques provided are still relevant and will always be. This excellent work by Gijubhai Badheka give a sanguine dose of hope and has left an lasting imprint on me to recommend it to all the educators out there.
The author has made it clear from the beginning that he wants a new approach and outlook to the education; so he begins with his experiments. But are misfits and revolutionaries easily accepted? Hell no! Similar situations are experienced by the author. Be it from non bending parents, to mocking colleagues, to the rigid education system itself, the author faced it all all but with an assertive belief in his ideologies.
The content is mainly about the experiments, their consequences, the difficulties that came along. The author brilliantly highlights the shortcomings such as bogus cramming based education, impractical curriculum and poorly written books but also provides solutions and alternative approaches to understanding based learning and education.
He tries to habituate sanitation and hygiene among students. Children love stories so he uses them to get the attention of the notorious ones as well as teaches pretty much everything via them. The kids also love it and subconsciously remember the facts and figures and most importantly understand the content.
The language is simple and easy to go through and is a bit straight in its approach which I think is essential in topics like these. Even then the author does not let the readers get bored, especially the activities undertaken and time spend with the students is fun to read.
The concepts and techniques provided are still relevant and will always be. This excellent work by Gijubhai Badheka give a sanguine dose of hope and has left an lasting imprint on me to recommend it to all the educators out there.
October 10, 2021
3/5
किताब तो अच्छी थी मगर विषय मेरी रुचि का नहीं था। लेखक का लिखने का अंदाज़ अच्छा था। विषय वस्तु को सटीक तरीके से बताया गया था। लेखक ने एक नई शिक्षा प्रणाली की कल्पना की है, जो की आज अधिकतम विध्यालयो में अपनाई जा चुकी है। में लेखक के सारे विचारो से सहमत हूं। बताने का तरीका भी नया और अद्भुत था, मगर मैने इस प्रकार की बहुत सी कहानियां पढ़ चुकी है, इस कारण मुझे यह उतना पसंद नही आई। जिस समय यह किताब लिखी गई थी उस समय तो यह बहुत ही दूरदर्शी रही होगी।
और पढ़ने के लिए बेताब हूं।
किताब तो अच्छी थी मगर विषय मेरी रुचि का नहीं था। लेखक का लिखने का अंदाज़ अच्छा था। विषय वस्तु को सटीक तरीके से बताया गया था। लेखक ने एक नई शिक्षा प्रणाली की कल्पना की है, जो की आज अधिकतम विध्यालयो में अपनाई जा चुकी है। में लेखक के सारे विचारो से सहमत हूं। बताने का तरीका भी नया और अद्भुत था, मगर मैने इस प्रकार की बहुत सी कहानियां पढ़ चुकी है, इस कारण मुझे यह उतना पसंद नही आई। जिस समय यह किताब लिखी गई थी उस समय तो यह बहुत ही दूरदर्शी रही होगी।
और पढ़ने के लिए बेताब हूं।
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June 6, 2016A must read for an aspiring teacher. It shows how much creative thinking teaching involves. Passionate teachers who can use their creative skills to engage the students in learning activity are what we need today in India.
September 19, 2018
This book explains new teaching pedagogy. Author tells that children learn better by playing rather than rote learning. Author also tells that education shouldn't only focus on curricular subjects.
October 11, 2022
दिवास्वप्न [Divasvapna] (Paperback) (Gujrati language) by Gijubhai Badheka, Translator- Sarachchandra Wasti, translator to Hindi language by Kashinath Trivedi- Author is a British-Indian educator born in 1885 in Gujarat, British India. He was an author and a traveler. Between 1920/1930, the author requested the Education Department to permit him to experiment with students of Class IV in school. The book narrates the story of improvement in Class IV in School Education standard by experimenting with other forms of educating children. The author experiments with students following better hygiene, learning through stories, reading stories from books in the school library. Next subject is Hindi Grammar. He prepares two paper boards on which he writes about nouns, use of masculine and feminine words, singular and plural. For Geography, he first teaches them drawing, directions, viewing of planets. For Mathematics, he started teaching them from Class I onwards so that the children have a base to Arithmetic. The students learnt by Doing Things themselves method. In the book, it is fascinating for the reader to know how Gijubhai, met the kids, how they accepted him as a loving teacher. Within one year, he was able to bring so much change not only in the children but he also gained the confidence of the parents and other educationists. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.
April 1, 2020
Divasvapna is a good read and can be easily completed in one go. The langauage is simple and apposite. Gujibhai Badhekar has succesfully shown the negatives of rote learning and how deeply ingrained it is in the people of this country.The present education system is doing serious damage to receptive minds of young pupils. Though book is written way long back, and things have changed a lot, but the fundamentals of education are still more or less same ( here i am talking about schools in towns and villages, though some international schools with heavy fees are far better but the common student of india don not have access to it). The carrot and stick policy is still prevalent and has imperiled young mind's future. Well i too have gone through this system and there are too many loopholes to be fixed. I hope someday our country will learn from Finland and other contemporary nations who has achieved a lot in this field.
Talking about book, it gets bit boring in places, but yeah one should give it a try. And its must advisable for aspiring teachers.
Talking about book, it gets bit boring in places, but yeah one should give it a try. And its must advisable for aspiring teachers.
August 9, 2020
सुंदर, सरल, स्पष्ठ
इस तरह की पुस्तकें हम सभी को कम से कम साल में 2 बार तो पढ़ ही लेनी चाहिए। किस तरह छोटे छोटे प्रयोगों से हम बच्चों में सीखने की इच्छा और उनके चरित्र का विकास कर सकते हैं। सिर्फ शिक्षकों के लिए नही, बल्कि जो भी बच्चों के साथ आम तौर पर सम्पर्क में आते हैं, वे सभी ये जान लें कि बच्चे हर वक़्त सीख रहे होते हैं। चाहे आप उन्हें बैठ के पढ़ायें सिखाएं या बस उनके सामने अपना कुछ काम करें, बच्चे सीख ही लेते हैं।
जो लोग शुद्ध हिंदी पढ़ने के अब आदि नही रहे, उन्हें ये पुस्तक विचलित कर सकती है। जिन्हें किसी भी तरह की हिंदी से कोई दिक्कत नही है, उन्हें इस किताब में बहुत से सुंदर शब्द पढ़ने, बोलने को मिलेंगे।
एक बार पढने की कोशिश कीजिये। पसंद आएगी।
और हाँ, उत्तर प्रदेश के BEd 1st year के पाठ्यक्रम में ये एक आधिकारिक पुस्तक भी है।
इस तरह की पुस्तकें हम सभी को कम से कम साल में 2 बार तो पढ़ ही लेनी चाहिए। किस तरह छोटे छोटे प्रयोगों से हम बच्चों में सीखने की इच्छा और उनके चरित्र का विकास कर सकते हैं। सिर्फ शिक्षकों के लिए नही, बल्कि जो भी बच्चों के साथ आम तौर पर सम्पर्क में आते हैं, वे सभी ये जान लें कि बच्चे हर वक़्त सीख रहे होते हैं। चाहे आप उन्हें बैठ के पढ़ायें सिखाएं या बस उनके सामने अपना कुछ काम करें, बच्चे सीख ही लेते हैं।
जो लोग शुद्ध हिंदी पढ़ने के अब आदि नही रहे, उन्हें ये पुस्तक विचलित कर सकती है। जिन्हें किसी भी तरह की हिंदी से कोई दिक्कत नही है, उन्हें इस किताब में बहुत से सुंदर शब्द पढ़ने, बोलने को मिलेंगे।
एक बार पढने की कोशिश कीजिये। पसंद आएगी।
और हाँ, उत्तर प्रदेश के BEd 1st year के पाठ्यक्रम में ये एक आधिकारिक पुस्तक भी है।
July 19, 2020
It is amazing to read this book, how Gijubhai Badheka, experimented with Learn by doing method in the late 1920s/ early 30s. All the experiments mentioned by him are so amazing. It took me back to my school days and made me imagine if I was sitting in such a class and learning.
It was fascinating to know how Gijibhai, met the kids (Accepted the kids) as they were. Within one year, he was able to bring so much change not only in the children but he also gained the confidence of the parents and other educationists.
I would encourage all teachers and parents to read this book and Tottochan.
It was fascinating to know how Gijibhai, met the kids (Accepted the kids) as they were. Within one year, he was able to bring so much change not only in the children but he also gained the confidence of the parents and other educationists.
I would encourage all teachers and parents to read this book and Tottochan.
September 30, 2020
प्राथमिक शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में गिजुभाई बधेका जी के प्रयोगों ने क्रांति को जन्म दिया और शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में कई बदलाव देखने को मिले. गिजुभाई बधेका जी के उन्हीं प्रयोगों का लिखित रूप है ये पुस्तक. किस्से-कहानी और खेल के प्रयोगों से शिक्षा में बहुत से उनके प्रयोग इस पुस्तक में दर्ज़ हैं. एक शिक्षक के लिए अमूल्य पुस्तक ......
March 30, 2022
Very insightful ideas penetrating the depth of the education system. Written long back, it is still relevant to today's system in India.
Every educationist and education scientist should read this and is a must for any education minister in India.
Every educationist and education scientist should read this and is a must for any education minister in India.
June 19, 2022
The book is about different experiments Gijubhai does in his class to improve the learning process of his students and for their holistic development. Must read for anyone who wants to understand or work on school education and how to make it better.
July 16, 2017
..all stars for its simplicity!! Religion is an awakening, comes from within...not meant to stay merely on the tips of tongue.
March 29, 2020
Every teacher must read this book.
July 27, 2020
Very good book for all
June 20, 2022
It’s an amazing one.
« Things are easier said than done » is the motto of this book! It explains so beautifully how education system can change thoroughly, it is innovative and gives a sense of relief and tells us that even though everyone says that our education system should change but it is not that easy when it comes to actuallt doing it, obtaining results is very difficult through other methods than rote learning and it also emphasises the importante somewhere deep down rote learning gives us.
« Things are easier said than done » is the motto of this book! It explains so beautifully how education system can change thoroughly, it is innovative and gives a sense of relief and tells us that even though everyone says that our education system should change but it is not that easy when it comes to actuallt doing it, obtaining results is very difficult through other methods than rote learning and it also emphasises the importante somewhere deep down rote learning gives us.
July 30, 2022
Excellent book on novel ideas about primary education.
Why our educators and leaders are not having a look at it and adopting these child friendly ideas in education.
Why our educators and leaders are not having a look at it and adopting these child friendly ideas in education.
November 5, 2022
Really good. Kind of Indian version of Totto Chan.
November 20, 2022
This phenomenal book brings about a change in the way we treat education. Rather than being force fed, education should be synchronised with natural tendencies of the children.
February 4, 2023
Excellently eloquent book.
January 19, 2025
An amazing book for teachers to understand the psyche of students and it will help alot in teaching or also in parenting. Must read it
March 27, 2020
I recommend every teacher to read this book and reflect on their style of teaching. So many teaching ideas that can be taken away from this book...
July 24, 2021
#63 - प्रथम अध्यापक के पोस्ट पर गिजुभाई को पढ़ने के लिए इसी ग्रुप में किसी ने सजेस्ट किया था। यह एक अद्भुत रचना है। इसके पहले पृष्ठ पर जो कविता है उसे मैंने चित्र द्वारा पोस्ट किया है। गिजुभाई स्कूल में नए तरीके से पढ़ाने के लिए प्रयोग करते है। जिसमें वो खेल खेल में पढ़ाते है। बहुत ही रोचक तरीके से वर्णन किया है। बहुत ही उच्च श्रेणी की रचना है। हर अध्यापक और अभिवभक को तो जरूर पढ़नी चाहिए।
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