Individual differences should be recognized in all effective educational programmes. Education should make every individual capable of making his unique contribution to the society.
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The operational knowledge of individual differences and the realisation of their educational significance is the main principle on which all the most important practical problems of teaching, discipline motivation, and progress in learning depend.
Developing Self-Actualisation
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Self-actualisation means one must be what he can be. The pupil with musical ability will practice music: the pupil with artistic taste will practice art: the pupil with mathematical ability will practice mathematical problems off and on.
All want self-actualisation. Hence the teacher, who aims at instruction meet the need of self-actualisation, provides varied curricula and Manifold student activities and plans for independent study.
He gives an ail information derived from tests and observations about theirand aptitudes so that they may be enabled to choose the knowledge that they desire to obtain.
The educational Oboists have long since been criticizing the uniformity of it does not meet the need of self-actualisation giving attention to individual differences means that the teacher or the school should have a wide variety of goals rather than the single goal of mastering subject-matter.
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We have but one goal in all schools and in all states; that is, we want our pupils to get a certain fixed standard of achievement in different subject’s areas. Let us increase the number of goals and their variety and then alone will we be able to meet individual differences.
Eliminating Individual Differences
A worthy school system aims at eliminating individual differences. Special classes are provided for those whose differences are marked. Ability grouping seeks to place the pupil where he can perform with some hope of success.
Remedial classes are organized in the weekends or in the summer or in the long breaks to correct academic deficiencies that are due to one or the other causal factor. Many young pupils get off to a good start. Instruction is adapted to individual needs and differences so that all are sure to get the fundamentals.
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Developing Talents
The problem before the class-room teacher may be either to reduce individual differences or foster them so that uniqueness may be developed. Educators and psychologists have begun to think the other way round.
They assert that while mass education is useful for disseminating knowledge, “education that really recognizes the individual holds forth the promise of self- realisation for pupils and improvement for society.
“No class-room teacher has accepted the principle as yet that it is his responsibility to develop difference if uniqueness is to be achieved.