Give children the joy of learning!

Two interesting, exciting, and promising items in The Hindu Newspaper today (March 23, 2025) have long standing implications in the field of teaching. One is a news item which says “headmaster turns a classroom lesson on transportation into a dream journey for students”. He took 17 students of class 5 on a trip from Pandarmpatti, Thoothukudi (aided primary school) to Chennai by air and allowed them to experience different modes of transport . Second item coincidentally on teachers, is the column by Sandeep Roy “When teachers become legends”. The best teachers teach how to think, not what to think, and their lessons go beyond trigonometry economics or The Canterbury Tales. As he rightly say “For the great teacher’s objective is not to create clone. Instead it is to build citizens”. ‘In fact, the greatest scholars are not always the greatest teachers. The best teachers are the ones whose lessons resound in us long after what they taught in the class room has faded away”

Rejoinder

In today’s world where “competition” is the key in guiding the pedagogical principles, “learning” takes back step and “studying” takes the forefront . Learning is the joy side of Education and “studying” is the stress side! The present day is flooded with technological innovations that can virtually emulate experiences. It is important that teachers mindfully improve their competencies on how to create experiential learning situations wherever possible. Marks, tuitions, entrance coaching and tests…, the students are sometimes unable to cope as learners, they are transformed to competitors for “seats” in a college of their choice (or somebody’s choice). Teachers have a greater role of imparting quality education thereby building citizens showing lessons for life.