All of us as teachers can hope for students like Ekalavya and Arjuna. But as per the probability curve the majority of them would fall under the average group and a few below average. It becomes our task as mentors, teachers to enable them to be better learners.
How do we bring the laggards to perform?
Curiosity spurs one to learn. Get them to develop an interest in the activities. Interest is a powerful motivational process that energizes learning.
Joyful learning is possible only when the teacher brings in joy to the teaching learning process. Enemies of joyful learning are to name a few:
- Stress and anxiety
- Monotonous voice
- Not enough preparation by the teacher
- Poor content mastery
Joyful learning can be imparted to the students in a classroom through projects, field trips, music and dance and so on. The choice of choosing what to study itself can lead to joy among the students. Teaching for the whole brain, teaching for understanding, learning by doing, experiential learning and similar phrases have become buzz words.
The students are by and large gregarious and enjoy being with their friends. The socialisation process, being with their friends is very important for them. There are many theories on the socio-emotional learning. Social constructivism theory by Vygotsky has been a significant contributor.
Whether it is Robert Frost in the Road less travelled or Frank Sinatra's My Way to teach, it is pretty clear that the path to take has got to be different from the routine. We are all too familiar with the fact that students pick up subjects taught by teachers who have been different. Who have made an impact on them.
There is a famous Kabir's Doha
kabira jab ham paida hue, jag hanse ham roye,
aisi karani kar chalo, ham hase jag roye.
Let us make a few students if not all become independent thinkers who enjoy learning.
