COIMBATORE: Innovative teaching has fetched Bommanampalayam Panchayat Union Middle School teacher, J Yuvarani, the Sarabhai Teacher Scientist National Award 2021. The national award is conferred by the National Council of Teacher Scientist, an organisation affiliated with the Vigyan Prasar under the Department of Science and Technology.
Under the primary school teacher category, Yuvarani will receive the second place award, among three teachers, on February 28 (National Science Day) in New Delhi.
It came as no surprise to students and colleagues as Yuvarani is known for her teaching methods integrating art with learning. She created around 250 animated video lessons and has worked as technical staff at Kalvi Tholaikatchi (Educational TV and App).
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Yuvarani explained, "Kids like games and prefer playing to studying. We should play by their rules and engage them. I started to create e-content video lessons by myself at home. Based on it, lessons are taught using the SmartBoard. By employing this method, students show interest in learning and they understand basic concepts."
Yuvarani also transforms classrooms into puppet theatres, infusing lessons in these shows. "Using the conversations between two puppets, I teach and there is a good response from kids. Lastly, we teach lessons in staged drama concepts. For this, we script lessons like content for dramas," she said.
School HM P Parvathi told The New Indian Express, "Apart from teaching methods, Yuvarani is working on various activities such as fun learning events, involving students in libraries and conducting exhibitions for Science and Mathematics in schools."