CHENNAI: The classroom that day smelled of juvenile indolence. With their notebooks wide open, some students were trying to figure out the Greek sermons from the last day’s mathematics class. The stomachs of a few were growling, waiting for someone to ring the lunch bell. The backbenchers were chattering about the movies of their favorite superstars. A few minutes later, the sound of the monotonous wind was broken by the horns of a van. The 37-year-old science teacher V Arivarasan stepped out of the van.
The teaching method for the next three hours is to keep it simple and relatable. He enters the classroom with a backpack, consisting of chemical equipment, and takes an arterial road by talking about matters of the heart. “The tired faces exude life once they realise the change in the teaching method. They start thinking about different ways to approach a complex topic. I am happy that I add value to their learning,” says Dr Pasupathy Venkatraman, a renowned food scientist and the founder of Parikshan Charitable Trust that takes innovative education across the government schools in Tamil Nadu.
Hailing from Ranipet and now settled in Chennai, Arivarasan was like any other student who took each day as it went by. “I did not have big ambitions in my early years. When I was waiting for placements after completing my engineering at Anna University, a friend got me in touch with Pasupathy. This led me to the goal of making science simple for government school students,” he recalls. Arivarasan has since been working under the guidance of Dr Pasupathy.
Arivarasan began his journey through the ‘Vinayana Ratha Yatra’ in 2009. The science chariot has reached over 3,600 government schools in the state, covering over 13 lakh students from Class 6 to 12. In the Yatra, two science teachers and a driver accompany Arivarasan. The team continues to be in touch with the students even after the event. They follow up with another event at the same school six months later, taking part in government teaching progammes and striking a chord with the villagers. “It is not enough to build educational institutions like IIT and IIM to reach the masses. The government should encourage the local systems of teaching, especially in government schools,” he says.
Despite the unique method of teaching, Arivarasan has to face some resistance from students who are not very easy to convince. He says that in such cases, the answer lies in the eyes. “When I was teaching in a government school, a student constantly disturbed the class. I lost my patience but did not shout or reprimand him. I told the other students in the class that he can teach them only if they maintain eye contact. In that session, I deliberately avoided looking at him. It had an impact on him as he later met me to know the reason. From then on, he was focused and demonstrated his capabilities on his own. In other cases, all it takes is a wink to create an emotional bond with the students,” he says, chuckling.
With talent to empathise with students and by using his vast knowledge, Arivarasan has helped dyslexic and disabled students, instilling them with hope for a better future. He now aims to expand the initiative to all villages by having one van in each of the 38 districts in the state. “When we teach the children, we also grow along with them,” he adds.
How Arivarasan got attached with the Trust
V Arivarasan graduated with a degree in engineering from Anna University, in Chennai. A friend put him in touch with Dr Pasupathy Venkatraman, founder of Parikshan Charitable Trust. He began with ‘Vinayana Ratha Yatra’ in 2009. The science chariot has reached over 3,600 government schools in the state.