BOOK REVIEW

1.    Goel, Sushil Kumar (2018) Quality Improvement in Teacher     Education,Jaipur:Sankalp Prakashan/Thomson Press(ISBN –978-93-81950-54-8),Price : INR 1595/-,xvi+ 267(Hardbound);Reviewed by Professor SN Dubey, KS Saket PG College,Faizabad

   Every profession has its own role and impact on individuals by means of serving the different sections of the society. However, amongst all, teaching profession is the most inspiring and a noble one. In the olden days, gurus used to have their disciples living with them and would take care of the all-round development of their knowledge, skills and the mental ability so that they could face life successfully. For both the guru and the disciple, teaching/learning was a whole time vocation. The then gurus taught or instructed not considering teaching as a ‘profession’ but realizing their great responsibility in making of future citizens. As somebody has aptly described it as “Lawyers live on the lies of the people, Doctors live on the diseases of the people, Engineers live on the prosperity of the people but a teacher lives on the Trust of the people. Therefore, he must respect the trust bestowed upon him by the people through his conduct both within and outside the classroom.

   The ultimate beneficiary is the child in the school. The main function of education is to transmit those skills, facts and standards of moral and social conduct deemed to be necessary for the next generation’s material and social success.  Quality education should be the hall-mark of the entire educational process. Teacher education and information technology play contemporary roles in the training of an effective, efficient, dedicated and professional teacher. They should be provided direct access to multimedia equipments, interactive net-enabled computers as information communication technology (ICT) enhances the learning capacities to a great extent. Laboratories are also essential for hands–on experience of equipments and other materials.

   The book on “Quality Improvement in Teacher Education” contains four comprehensive chapters relating to various conceptual and qualitative issues on education. Sixteen leading academicians from India and USA have given their comments/observations and have highly appreciated the contents of the book. The significant features of this book are the inclusion of glossary and Solved Paper on Education for UGC-NET/JRF Examination. The author has written this book in the memory of his loving mother who left for heavenly abode on 03 Oct 2017.   This book will be a valuable addition in any library for B.Ed./M.Ed./ /M.A. Psychology/M.A. Education/MSW/M.Sc. Child Development students in all Indian Universities.
    

2.  Goel, Sushil Kumar (2018)(Ed) Value Education and Spiritual Elevation,Jaipur:Khandelwal Publishers & Distributors /Thomson Press(ISBN –978-93-81952-93-1),Price : INR 1995/-,xx+306(Hardbound);Reviewed by Professor SN Dubey, KS Saket PG College,Faizabad

   We are rational and social human beings. We have therefore formulated human values. We foster them by observing them. Thus they promote a harmonious co-existence of all of us. We are of divine origin. Each soul is potentially divine. Human values promote purity in us and help us to unfold the hidden divinity. Purity, Honesty and Integrity, Morality and Ethics, Simplicity, Truthfulness, Modesty, Humility and Strength are divine values which will surely take you to lofty spiritual heights.

   Values are in fact the fundamental strengths of a religion and philosophy which aim at guiding the people towards better and ideal living conditions. Our values are the indicators of our character and they determine the supreme ethical policy of our practical life. The values lead one to a respectable and happy life. Awakening through values can also help the human society and the individuals to overcome many social evils. A society, which is well groomed in human, ethical and spiritual values and where individuals are the role models in those values, can always inspire others to adopt and follow the path of value-based civilized existence. In the present time of human life losing a value-based existence, the main reason is this ignorance about the meaning and significance of values.

   It is values that give meaning to human life and enable us to adopt a balanced approach amidst various life-situations. According to the values of Indian culture, education is something which makes a man self-reliant and self-less. It enhances the character of students and makes them useful members of the society. Swami Vivekananda, a great educationist and spiritual leader of India, stressed that education is “the manifestation of divine perfection, already existing in man”.   This book on “Value Education and Spiritual Elevation” contains 11 chapters relating to various conceptual and qualitative issues on value education and spirituality. This book is very informative, intellectually stimulating and interesting. The innovative teaching methods have been described by eminent authors. The editor has written this book in the memory of his loving mother who left for heavenly abode on 03 Oct 2017.    The significant features of this book are the inclusion of comprehensive bibliography, glossary and Solved Paper on Education for UGC-NET/JRF Examination. This book should be available in every home, every educational centre, every community centre and every temple of learning.