All we need is to take more pains, motivate our students, respect them, value them and give them opportunities to express themselves
Never opt for the profession of teaching— especially in school education — should your treasure of patience runs out quickly or is in short supply ; Exemplary patience is a key for an effective teaching/learning exercise at the school level. In this field, a teacher climbs to the top of the performance ladder and progress on the back of understanding and a heart full of patience. The end result is students ‘ learning level looks up.
A vast majority of school teachers have been seen preferably responding with the physical / verbal or punishment or both against the students not living upto their expectations. This approach— though stands prohibited officially — works at times, making a teacher presume that stringent punishment is the way forward to foster learning among pupils. But nine times out of ten, it backfires: neither the students learn nor do they gain inspiration to love their studies. Worse, it births absentism; raises the number of drop out children and subsequently that of illiterates or semi- illiterates.
Effective teaching is an endless endeavor which yields rich dividends without the use of corporal punishment. A tonic of motivation, although seldom provided, along with a teacher’s efficient skills and command over the content— make teaching-learning a sweet experience. Motivating students for learning leaves any punishment unnecessary. This, however, is a hard nut to crack.
Undeniably, demotivated pupils reduce the tempo of learning and the hardwork ends in smoke. With learners ready to receive a lesson/ topic, a teacher finds it a smooth sailing to make them understand it. When you know why you are doing something, you work better.
Knowing that the medicine will treat his/her ailment, a patient takes it as advised by the doctor. Obviously, telling the students the reason (s) for learning something makes them curious to know how it will help them. This hunger to know the benefit of doing something acts as a driving force to make them hard workers, keen observers and disciplined. Then it is needless to give them verbal or physical punishment for bad performance.
From that it follows that the students will always be in a learning mode, making the job enjoyable for them and the teacher. Now every time, you plan your classroom presentation, you must keep your students in mind and never forget that they are active, curious and thinking beings. They look upon you as a facilitator, helper and patient listener. You can well ensure that their notes/ reading materials are clear and definite to learn easily.
In this pleasant atmosphere, a teacher can encourage students to ask questions and teach them ‘when and how’ they should ask questions. The teacher can also ask them his/her own questions. And should a student come up with a wrong answer, the teacher must never rebuke or insult him/her.
But reward the student with positive words for having at least stood up to answer. This positive reinforcement appeals to the student’s sense of pride and encourages him/her more to answer or question. A competition sets in among them to score more than others. And most importantly, the class room transforms into the happiest and the most beneficial place to work in.
Essentially, teaching in an atmosphere of student readiness enables a quality teacher to learn that the pupils are very active mentally and just need a window to express themselves. And be at their best. How easy teaching becomes then! Yes, they, sometimes, are not able to give right answers or think creatively but most of the time, their responses are quick and correct. Needed here is a dose of encouragement.
As a teacher, one must respect and recognize the individuality of one’s students. And show great care and confidence when they talk, act or read. Make no mistake if students are ignored, they feel nervous, rejected and dejected which, in turn, demotivates them towards learning. So no force can induce impactful learning in such discouraging climate.
It is in order to point out that if only a student of more intelligence perceived or real, is paid attention, others feel jealous and inferior. These are negative emotions and affect the learner’s studies and health. A responsible teacher discourages biased and lopsided interaction with the students. To him/ her, every student is valuable and capable of learning provided equity and equality is a guiding principle in the classroom situations.
And in this day and age, teachers must support their teaching with activities to make learning effective and easier. Gone are the days when the traditional ways of teaching-learning were useful; even acceptable. Now times have changed; so have the minds of our children. That we teachers must recognize.
Most importantly, this author has discovered that students are gifted with torrents of talent to face the various challenges of life. A class room should have vast scope to explore and express those capabilities. In such an academic scenario, pupils feel confidence and exhibit a positive self-image. They like their studies and feel that learning any subject is a smooth sailing.
The good news is that teachers can certainly make teaching-learning an enjoyable, easy and fruitful exercise. For that we have to use newer and attractive teaching methods with the administrative set up behind us. All we need is to take more pains, motivate our students, respect them, value them and give them opportunities to express themselves.
That way, we will see them on road to academic excellence. Let us pledge that teachers, at any level in the field of education and in any shape and form, make the noblest job of teaching-learning easier for students. They learn the best in the school environment which respects and recognizes their talents.
(Author is a teacher by profession and RK Columnist. Feedback: [email protected])
