Teachers are the key to meaningful learning!

"Some teachers behave like police! Some students behave like police! Meaningful learning cannot happen when either of them are behaving like police!!" said Mr. Melvin Braggs, Head Master of St. Thomas Higher Primary School, Mangalore, during the discussion after the screening of Shades of Our Schools,  a docu-film commissioned by The Teacher Foundation.  Shades of our Schools, a docu-film on how teachers and students interact and how teaching and learning happen in our schools, was screened during the Principals' Seminar organized by TTF Mangalore Centre for the Heads and principals of Government-aided Schools in Mangalore, on 11 November 2010, at 2.30 pm. 35 heads and principals participated in the Seminar led by Mr. Vijay Kumar, Sr. Coordinator (Training and Support), TTF, Bangalore.

Shades of our Schools screened, during the Principals' Seminar  in Mangalore

"If you want to create a classroom environment, where children enjoy learning and teachers enjoy teaching, what kind of teaching do we need?" - The Seminar started with a discussion based on this question. The participants came up with their ideas on how teaching and learning must happen in classrooms to make learning meaningful. The whole group was unanimous about "the idea of an ideal classroom" - they wanted a classroom where teachers are friendly with children and where all the children get an equal opportunity to participate fearlessly in learning.

Heads of Government-aided Schools in Mangalore during the discussion

"In whichever language it is, in whatever corners of the world it is, irrespective of what kind of schools they are running, if teachers can build confidence in children, they will learn! How does a teacher plan lessons? How does a teacher deliver her lessons? Learning depends on these two factors! There is no difference between a city school or a village school - meaningful learning depends on teachers" said Ms. Celin D'souza, Principal of Holy Family English Medium School, Surathkal during the discussion after the screening of Shades of our Schools. All the participants were of the opinion that teachers are the key to meaningful learning and to make that happen schools need to focus on further equipping its teachers through training and support.

Posted by Sojo Varughese, Sr. Centre Coordinator, TTF Mangalore