K Sharda has never allowed her physical disability to define her. The middle school Math teacher is helping students learn better through her 'happy classrooms', where they are exposed to multiple activities. A resident of Bhilai in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, Sharda used blended (offline and online) learning modules to keep students engaged. “Ever since I joined the government school as a teacher in 2009, I listed a few issues that usually affect the students,” says Sharda. “One of the key roles of a teacher should be to develop an environment that binds students’ attention to the subjects under study,” says Sharda, who has been paralysed from the waist down due to polio.
And it is during the COVID crisis that Sharda's concepts were put to the test. “We must overcome the learning crisis that our education system faced during the pandemic. After all, we effectively responded to the pandemic,” she says. Sharda has not only experimented, but she has also used tools to impart better learning outcomes. Her dedication was even recognised by the state government.
“She kept her optimism high during the pandemic. While coping with so many challenges, she found innovative ways to communicate with her students,” said M Sudhish, Samagra Shiksha's Assistant Director. “Before beginning the lessons, she structured the subject matter to guide us. She encourages doing things to seek knowledge. Our teacher incorporated real-life situations and examples while studying Mathematics, making it simple and interesting,” said Tunisia Thakur, a student of Class 9.
It is with a belief that every student has their own learning pace that Sharda operates. “Let them be involved in ways that are complementary with the help of teachers. Students shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes or facing setbacks,” she says. Finding a common factor with other students in the class can help make this happen.
According to Sharda, traditional classrooms are not outdated. With little redesigning, students can be pushed to think and learn further. Besides 'happy classrooms', Sharda has also made cartoon videos, anchored podcasts and created a YouTube channel. In fact, she has also developed multiple teaching-learning modules, including storytelling and imparting moral lessons in the learning environment. “I try using humour, technology and supporting activities to get to the level of the students so that they can remain active throughout the learning process,” she said.
It is not just students, but their parents also assume significance in Sharda's system. The module is also tested with the help of parents' feedback and conducting regular assessment tests.
