In the above visual most of us give attention to the stuff that we have put inside the boxes. We hardly notice the containers.
In the same way, it appears to us that society/education system is quite focused on the contents. Maybe the initial idea was that when we work on contents it will develop the container. But over a period of time - more and more people gave substantially more importance to contents (subjects/topics) - so much so that the container (child) is almost forgotten.
In fact, the container (child) is judged on the basis of how well the child can answer questions related to content (often memory of content).
Part of the problem is this whole idea of teaching - invariably we end up teaching the contents and not the container. Schools seek teachers who are expert on specific content (say Maths teacher) - obviously, the teacher is in love with the content - you see the problem?
The moment we disregard the various subjects as content, and regard the container as our main subject - we change the paradigm completely. Now, we do not need to teach. Now, any content can help the container develop whatever he or she needs to develop - skills - self, social, physical, mental, logical, creative … whatever.
Just to take an example - I can be logical in anything - playing badminton, making ladoos, designing curtains, or just making people laugh.
When we remove our focus on contents, it also helps the child realise that the contents can change, contents are not the main thing, that he or she is the hero of his or her movie! Now the child has a million choices - for at the end of it - all contents are good to live by.
In fact, many of us seldom choose a career related to the key contents or the subjects in school / in student life. Often what we love to do or would love to live are other contents, some never even touched in our curriculum. Many of us are living a life which requires knowledge and skills so different from the contents or curriculum of school/college. Pity the education focused so much on some contents and missed helping us develop ourselves and our contents, our passions, our joy creators of life.
Would it not make sense if we could work with the container and leave it to decide the content.
If we were to not fall in love with the content, rather fall in love with the container.