Hyderabad: Teaching evolves, takes smart route

HYDERABAD: Education has to evolve with the times. Today, students burn the midnight oil in smart classes which impart a holistic improvement in their overall development. Civic etiquettes,  road safety and traffic rules find a place in the curriculum which was not the case 20 years ago. Stories with moral lessons are taught at higher grades, too.

Changes are taking place at a fast pace in the curriculum. Ms Kiran Panjwani, a 52-year-old English teacher, said, “Updates on the curriculum are fast these days. Basic etiquettes included in the curriculum ensure a holistic improvement for students. Students today need lessons on road safety, civic sense and traffic rules. It is saddening to see students litter in public places without a thought.” Of late, many cleanliness programmes are included in the curriculum under the PM’s Swachh Bharat campaign, she noted. 

I picked 15 student editors for a school magazine and as I believe that the girls are more creative and enthusiastic. For the past one decade, the idea of educating a girl on par with a male student has set in.
 Malladi Phanimala

Civic lessons were confined to homes earlier, while today’s students are quizzed about them for marks.

Caroline Ross, a 37-year-old teacher, said, “It is sad to note that children these days do not learn much at home. Earlier, parents had the time to teach children and inculcate values. In today’s busy world, with students glued to gadgets, they should learn these basic manners somewhere and it should begin with schools.” 

 In Hyderabad, we haven’t faced much gender bias. There is a 50:50 boy- girl ratio these days in the classes
P. Sarasamma

With smart classes, aided by technology, taking over, teachers feel that the vital teacher-student interaction has lessened in the digital era. Anitha Suresh, a 30-year-old maths teacher, said, “In today’s classroom, there is less to read aloud and less problem-solving on the blackboard.”

However,  some old practices refuse to die out. The theme-based assemblies, for example, are not just a thing of the past but are continuing, said teachers. Morning assemblies with focus on life skills and grooming ensure behavioural changes, the teachers added.