Redefining teaching strategies to strike a chord with students

Visakhapatnam: Who says students studying in corporate schools alone could have fun while learning?

It is the same question that prompted Secondary Grade Teacher Paltasingi Alivelimanga, also known as Sudha, from Mandal Parishad Primary School (MPPS), Pinagadi, Pendurthi mandal to incorporate innovative teaching methods in the classroom.

By introducing customised subject-wise activities, the lessons taught by the SGT not only aids children to connect with the teacher well but also helps them with long-term retention. When the SGT got transferred to the MPPS, Pinagadi, Pendurthi in 2023 from Basula, she aspired to do something different to pique children’s interest.

Soon, play-based lessons, fun-filled activities and subject-related stories and purposeful conversations became part of her teaching strategies.

“After the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, enrolment in government schools has drastically come down. The idea is to reverse the trend and make children look forward to learning something new each day,” Sudha shares with The Hans India. The SGT has been appreciated by HRD Minister Nara Lokesh. In his official ‘X’ handle, Lokesh posted, “The manner Paltasingi Alivelimanga is teaching students through games, paying special attention is commendable. Congratulations to the teacher for making learning easy with activity-based teaching methods. Her unique innovative teaching methods, ‘No Bag Day’ activities, word building, foundational literacy and numeracy-based learning circulating through her social media platforms are appreciable.”

Expressing gratitude to the HRD Minister for recognising her efforts, Sudha says, “It came as a pleasant surprise to me when our school shot to fame all of a sudden and so are my reels. I am so glad that the reels I made for the children for my satisfaction on the campus caught the attention of the HRD Minister.”

Earlier, when Sudha worked in Pedabayalu mandal she had to trek 8-km on a daily basis, make-do with a verandah let out by a neighbour to teach students.

“Back then, there were a number of dropouts as there was neither a school structure nor a washroom facility available for the students. Parents were paranoid to send their wards to a school that lacks basic amenities,” recalls Sudha, adding that the situation, however, is totally different now.

Sudha’s reels on her Insta page ‘@miss_unique_18’ focused on activity-based teaching methods garner encouraging response.

The SGT says that her teaching strategies help children absorb the content far better and increase their retention power.