Many of our schools follow a predictive routine: teachers instruct, assign work, check for mistakes and leave. Consequently, students, learn to be obedient yet uninterested. The connection between the teacher and the learner remains superficial, leaving little room to spark love for real learning to happen. What we are teaching them cannot be called knowledge in terms of enlightenment or betterment of lives; it is just compliance to rules and obedience in general. Little curious minds often lose their spark and eureka moments and are just left to wonder will this work satisfy my teacher? They forget to explore, solve or think independently. This is especially true in rural or public schools where resources are limited and teachers are overburdened.

So, what should be done to bring a shift?
I believe it all starts with us as teachers taking baby steps towards our students, as we should:

• Learn to listen to them first.
• Ask what their goals are.
• Give them chance to voice out their opinions.
• Recognize their efforts and not just results.

All this reminds me of a quote that:
“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.”

Thus, we do not need adequate resources to build independent learners, but a shift in mindset i.e. less control, more trust and less checking work, more understanding their thoughts and feelings.

What small changes have you done or seen in your surroundings which made students more confident in their own learning? I would love to know.

As educators of 21st century, are we really allowing our students to inquire and explore?

The world is changing rapidly. No strict adherence to any textbook can keep up with this pace. Facts can be googled, formulas memorized and definitions copied. But, thinking is what will help students make sense of it all. Thus, it is essential to redirect classroom environments toward fostering curiosity and building a culture of inquiry where questions are encouraged and exploration is celebrated and teachers create space for students to learn and reflect on what they are learning. Particularly in science classes, where inquiry ought to be the rule rather than the exception.

Here are simple steps to make science classrooms more inquiry-based:

• Start with Enquiries Prompted by Students:
  Let students raise questions that direct the learning process once you introduce the subject with something visible.

• Make it Safe to Experiment and Make Errors:
  Appreciate hard work and exploration. Encourage pupils to view failure as a component of learning rather than a cause of fear.

• Use the Five E's Inquiry Model:
  Lessons may be organized around discovery and reflection by using the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate phases.

• Allow Students to Conduct Their Own Research:
  Present a challenge and let students plan and execute their own experiments rather than providing detailed directions.

Hence, it requires patience and effort to create an inquiry-based environment in class. We, as educators, must give up some control and trust our students to take the initiative of their learning. Doing this, would provide us with inquisitive and confident students who make significant queries, think like scientists and do not hesitate to try new things. As it is rightly said that “Science is not a collection of facts; it is a process of discovery.”

So, are we ready to let go of control and truly trust our students to lead their own learning journeys?

As educators of 21st century, are we really allowing our students to inquire and explore?

The world is changing rapidly. No strict adherence to any textbook can keep up with this pace. Facts can be googled, formulas memorized and definitions copied. But, thinking is what will help students make sense of it all. Thus, it is essential to redirect classroom environments toward fostering curiosity and building a culture of inquiry where questions are encouraged and exploration is celebrated and teachers create space for students to learn and reflect on what they are learning. Particularly in science classes, where inquiry ought to be the rule rather than the exception.

Here are simple steps to make science classrooms more inquiry-based:

• Start with Enquiries Prompted by Students:
  Let students raise questions that direct the learning process once you introduce the subject with something visible.

• Make it Safe to Experiment and Make Errors:
  Appreciate hard work and exploration. Encourage pupils to view failure as a component of learning rather than a cause of fear.

• Use the Five E's Inquiry Model:
  Lessons may be organized around discovery and reflection by using the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate phases.

• Allow Students to Conduct Their Own Research:
  Present a challenge and let students plan and execute their own experiments rather than providing detailed directions.

Hence, it requires patience and effort to create an inquiry-based environment in class. We, as educators, must give up some control and trust our students to take the initiative of their learning. Doing this, would provide us with inquisitive and confident students who make significant queries, think like scientists and do not hesitate to try new things. As it is rightly said that “Science is not a collection of facts; it is a process of discovery.”

So, are we ready to let go of control and truly trust our students to lead their own learning journeys?

In my classroom, I see bright, curious girls with dreams of becoming teachers, doctors, artists, pilots and engineers. They are everything what you would call an ideal student. They are multi-talented and are eager to learn; however, they face one difficulty; i.e. lack of time and support. Their dreams are shattered by the stereotypes of the society. They are expected to carry the weight of expectations far beyond their age and are told that their first role is to care for others; their ambitions, passions and potential come second. It is the matter of gender equality that the world still struggles to achieve.

I believe change is constant and we all need a change in perspective. We need special lenses to truly see the potential in our girls: as leaders, innovators, caregivers and change makers.

So how do we shift this mindset? How do we help parents, elders and girls themselves understand that a girl’s education is not a burden but their right and the foundation for a better world?

Many of our schools follow a predictive routine: teachers instruct, assign work, check for mistakes and leave. Consequently, students, learn to be obedient yet uninterested. The connection between the teacher and the learner remains superficial, leaving little room to spark love for real learning to happen. What we are teaching them cannot be called knowledge in terms of enlightenment or betterment of lives; it is just compliance to rules and obedience in general. Little curious minds often lose their spark and eureka moments and are just left to wonder will this work satisfy my teacher? They forget to explore, solve or think independently. This is especially true in rural or public schools where resources are limited and teachers are overburdened.

So, what should be done to bring a shift?
I believe it all starts with us as teachers taking baby steps towards our students, as we should:

• Learn to listen to them first.
• Ask what their goals are.
• Give them chance to voice out their opinions.
• Recognize their efforts and not just results.

All this reminds me of a quote that:
“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.”

Thus, we do not need adequate resources to build independent learners, but a shift in mindset i.e. less control, more trust and less checking work, more understanding their thoughts and feelings.

What small changes have you done or seen in your surroundings which made students more confident in their own learning? I would love to know.