This Teacher Piques the Interest Quotient of Her Students With Toys!

In the Kunnathur Government School in Villupuram, a village in Tamil Nadu, Tamil language classes have turned very interesting as never before. Students impatiently wait for their teacher and as soon as she arrives, they ask her what’s special for the day. The teacher assembles a set of toys on the table - most of them made of bamboo- on the table and chooses a toy that is in the shape of a spider. Speaking to TNIE, Hemlatha said that government school teachers get a good salary and so she can afford to invest a part of it in the students of her school. Hemlatha herself makes the toys and applies them in the teaching as aids to improve the cognitive abilities of children and to get a better grasp of texts like the Thirukural and the Puranaanuru. Occasionally, Hemlatha takes the teachings out of the classroom and into the real world. In addition to teaching language, she raises awareness about a variety of topics, such as child abuse in the villages where the students come from. When kids take part in such awareness campaigns in their villages, it feels more personal. It gives individuals a greater connection to the topic, allowing their thoughts to flow more easily. Hemlatha claims that these sessions are attended by parents as well. In December 2020, the teacher was featured in the Mann Ki Baat segment and was commended for her attempts to shape words into the craft.