Starchild, Education and Me

Surprised? Don’t be. There is so much in the kitchen that can be used as teaching aids. As a mom and a teacher, I used my kitchen to teach. Many practical hands-on Science and Math activities can be conducted in the kitchen. (Teachers, you can carry some stuff to the class). Baking is an activity which kids specially enjoy. I often spent a Saturday afternoon in the kitchen as we baked a chocolate cake. We sieved and measured flour and other ingredients. (Learning – measurement). We pre-heated the oven at a certain temperature and then, baked the cake. (Learning – temperature). My son would be at first surprised. What made the cake rise? This and many more questions were answered as we bake. Often, I asked my son to observe things which are common to us but not to the child. E.g. Boiling of water makes the lid on the vessel rattle. Why? Where did the steam come from? The concepts of evaporation and condensation can be taught through these simple everyday actions. ...

Bring out the FUN in Learning! As I ponder over the grave word – “Education”, I conclude: Education should be meaningful to the child. Would you be interested in studying something which has no value in your life? A child also wonders why he is studying a particular subject. Will it be useful to him/her in her daily life? Today, one of my students argued, “Why have Science compulsory till Std. X?” I told him that it was essential to know basic science. He reasoned that knowing the nitty-gritty of the very insides of a plant and its processes would not be useful to him. He maintained that it was quite detailed. I was surprised by the gusto with which he argued with me. He would rather learn something which interests him and is useful to him. A child’s learning should not be limited to just the textbook but become part of her daily life. It can then make children realize the usefulness of their learning. If this is done from an early age, it would make learning not only t...

I believe : If you enjoy what you learn, you remember forever. As a child, I learnt on my own, did my homework on time and planned and studied for my tests and exams. I was self-motivated. Not all children are self-motivated. They need a guiding hand. Teach your child yourself : The trend to outsource the education of our children has become permanent. Parents have their own reasons to do so.  However, they must take interest in what their children are learning. Teach your children yourself. (whatever, whenever you can). You will see a positive change. Self-study : is one of the main aspects of learning. After attending school, tuitions and other extracurricular activities, the children have no time for self-study. Weigh the options, what is important? Which of these classes can be dropped out? Thus, making time for self-study. Revision : is very essential. A parent complained to me that her child cannot remember anything taught in school. I replied it is no...