Art Of Teaching

I was privileged to be in a school and college which had lot of open space for the children to play. The middle ground and areas behind the school on the English Medium side.

Unfortunately, today it is brought to my notice that the areas have been encroached upon by some vested interest in the name of garden of fruits and flowers.

We had planned to build a cricket practice pitch with nets behind the pre-primary section and an athletics area for Primary section for students of Primary and Pre- Primary.

It is unfortunate fact that the Management of our School changes every three years and therefore no long-term plans are possible. Everybody wants to score a point over the other and in this way thousands of rupees go to waste due to inflated egos.

 I don’t understand the need of a nature village, you want to give them the feel of a village then take them to actual villages to savour the authentic village life instead of creating artificial ones.

Also, if this village is infested with snakes, what safety can you provide to the children? How many times have you taken the students for visiting this Nisarg garden and what were the safety measures taken by the school to this effect?

I don’t disagree that lot of hard work and funds would have gone to the making of this village but did anyone stop to think whether this was needed in the school at the cost of children’s playground.

Also, now the other day when I was going to Jupiter, I saw huge structures coming up in the Shreerang playground. Some construction work going on. I have no idea what it is for.

My only concern is that you have no right to take away the playgrounds available for the children. I remember when getting sanction for college and NCC, I had to state on stamp paper that we have so and so areas of open space inside and around the school premises.

It is hilarious that government sanctions based on playgrounds and other areas once given are never inspected thereafter, to see whether the premises still exist or are compromised with.

 No academician can deny the importance of playgrounds in schools. This fact has been thoroughly researched by the child psychologists for hundreds of years. The students need playgrounds not only for the development t of their physical skills but also for social skills, creative skills, imagination and co-ordination.

 It is sad that today we have given our students television, video games, after-school activities, and burden from their parents pushing them to focus only on their studies.

 It is the responsibility of the schools not only to prepare kids for their future careers but it is their major job to teach them vital life skills, attitudes, and conducts that will help them overcome adulthood trials. Educators, be it teachers or educational managements to arrive at this objective, need to think beyond the classroom and integrate outdoor play into the syllabus to enforce not only physical but also emotional and intellectual development.

 Are you as Management even aware that physical activity at a school playground plays a critical part in cultivating the attention spans of kids, decreases their stress and anxiety, and formulates them for classwork? It also improves motivation and helps kids try out things that they may not be persuaded to try in a classroom setting.

I can provide some examples of our plan

These are the types of activities we had planned at pre- primary and primary level.

And this type of cricket pitch with net for Secondary and College.

I am astonished that the very Management who had given so much impetus to sports and had initiated Sports Club are today keener on environmental development instead of school student’s physical development. But there could have been other areas for such projects instead of putting at stake the school playground.

Also, I am told that the backyard was a garbage dump when I was the Principal, which is not true at all. We had our organic vegetables project in that area which went to international level under the guidance of people like Dr. Thakur and other members of his committee. Also, the debris were put purposely to build the cricket pitch which was removed later.

You must have heard the saying, “Man proposes, God Disposes”. Here I have experienced that “One Committee proposes and Next Committee Disposes”.

But as they say, ‘To Each His Own’. Priorities change with time, I guess.

Of course, there is nothing wrong if students are being technology smart, but we need to keep in mind that smartphones and video games won’t teach them everything. These devices will not deliver them with real-world experiences which they require to develop and mature into responsible adults.

I conclude by saying that ……..

School playgrounds are places which promotes imagination and creativity among the children. You may say that it is not a big deal. But as an academician I will say IT IS INDEED A BIG DEAL. Playgrounds are not places where the children only, slide, climb or swing.

 You fail to see the Bigger Picture. Have you ever heard the conversations of the children when they are in the playground? No. I believe not. But I have. If you listen keenly, you will realise that they indulge in a lot of make- believe games. Imaginary play takes center stage along with creativity whenever the children are in the playground, believe it or not.   

Physical performance also peaks the human brain cells to transformation when novel information is presented while endorsing the growth of new brain cells so that the brain can easily engross and recollect new information.  This helps the students to grasp assignments more effortlessly and achieve better in their academics.

 These are the ideological differences I had with the Managements at every stage of my career. Earlier Managements, tried to understand and resolve but the present Management had the writing on the wall – ‘I am the Boss…. Agree to everything I say or quit’. So, I quit as I did not want to compromise on my principles for my job and salary.

Happy reading Guys!