Initially, I was appointed at Bholapur village’s Upper Primary School in Rampur district in Uttar Pradesh. I taught there for six years and during that time, I learned and taught some interesting ways. I remember, when I was transferred from there, both the children and fellow teachers began to cry.
I explained to them that someone else would come if I’m leaving. After the transfer, I came to Sitapur, where I started many new things. Today, in our science class, we address the children not by their names but by the names of chemical elements. Moreover, to help children remember the names of states and their capitals, we assign them names based on the names of the states. For example, Aarti was given the name Andhra Pradesh, and Rahul was named Himachal Pradesh.
I always wanted to become a scientist right from the beginning, but when I got a job as a teacher, it turned out to be a different experience in the field of education. Initially, I faced many difficulties in teaching the children. Although they would come on time during lunch breaks, they would run away when it came to studying. That’s when I started teaching Science and Mathematics using simplified methods.
However, if we talk only about studying from textbooks, it can be difficult for children to remember things for a longer time. That’s why I started using theme-based teaching and paired teaching methods, which help children remember things for a longer duration. Then, I came up with a new approach to teach children and make them remember chemical formulas. The key aspect was that I would associate a formula with each child’s name, and the entire class would have names based on formulas. I introduced various new activities in school, such as dance competitions, sewing and embroidery, and sports, so that children keep learning new things. Besides teaching children in school, I also teach them yoga and help them collaborate with organisations for social service.
As recorded by Ambika Tripathi who interns for Gaon Connection
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