CHENNAI: Every student presents a new opportunity in front of a teacher. With every question answered, a new question emerges that the teachers find answers to. For this, the educator has to be shaped — to keep up with the growing technology and establish exposures to the child. This was promoted by S Anandalakshmy who contributed to the field of early child development and education.
Embarking on a journey, taking Anandalakshmy’s work forward, the Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust (BMKT) organised a two-hour-long seminar. This seminar is part of a series titled ‘Celebrating Dr Anandalakshmy – Conversations on Education’. On Saturday, G Gautama, director-secretary, Krishnamurti Foundation India; VR Devika, founder of The Aseema Trust; and Aruna Rathnam, consultant, BMKT spoke on the topic ‘Empowering Teachers’.
Revolution in education
Anandalakshmy strongly believed in optimising anything rather than maximising it. It is usually that the have-nots in the society want to join the haves. She wanted to create an atmosphere for education where the haves would also join, where all are one and not differentiated in what they possess and not. “It creates such a beautiful atmosphere. To do this, you think from the heart and feel from the mind,” said Maya Gaitonde, honorary general secretary, of BMKT.
At this conversation-led seminar, Gautama shared his insights on how the classroom set-up has evolved after the pandemic, a study that proved that classrooms can exist beyond the four walls, the future of the industry with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the tools that teachers should be equipped with for the growing trends. “During the Covid pandemic, the education model shifted from physical rooms to computer screens. It enhanced the dynamics between a student and a teacher. The talk was beneficial as it pointed out that no concrete building is required for a teacher to share and spread her knowledge with her students,” said Vanaja S, a teacher from PSBB.
Gautama’s perspectives raised conversations on the practices in the past. This was addressed by Devika who brought in references from Gandhi and Nai Talim and their proposed education models. A structure wherein the student has a source of income when they graduate. “It was an eye-opener. Students should be given the space to share their views and above all we learn from them. Unless we have the openness to learn we cannot be a successful teacher,” shared Mala Shankar, headmistress of Bala Mandir Vidyalaya.
‘One for all, all for one’
Anandalakshmy viewed everything from the point of Indian culture. She helped the teachers present the curriculum in a way the students would understand. “You have to be sensitive towards a child’s culture and cultural practices and through that help them to do better,” said Maya. Talking on a similar line was Aruna Rathnam who shared that even today in government schools the students sit in a semicircle and listen to lectures. She said, “There are no rows and columns of tables and chairs in these schools. Students sit next to each other and share everything they have. I shook hands with my students so that a sense of equality is promoted.”
While the primary motto of the seminar was for the teachers to converse and create a student-friendly environment in classrooms, Hepsiba from Sathyamurthy High School, said, “Quality of education should be child-centric and we should think from the heart. We should induce thoughts in them. This seminar was very innovative.”
The organisers believe that a space for the teachers to converse has been created and they intend to curate many such seminars as the results will have an effect on the children, and the future of the nation.