Kalam lays stress on ‘creative teaching’

Did you know that it was while studying in fifth standard that former President A.P.J. Kalam thought of becoming a scientist and make things that could fly?

“Our science teacher Mr. Siva Subramaniam Iyer was teaching us how a bird would fly. He taught us very creatively and it was the way in which he explained things to us that made me dream of becoming a scientist,” said Mr. Kalam while addressing the Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex principals’ meet here on Friday.

This is what present generation teachers need to do. They should make children think creatively and conduct classes creatively. Teachers should instil confidence among students and all this should be done without causing any pain to students, he advised.

Delivering a lecture on ‘Empower students with knowledge, ethics and value system’, Mr. Kalam said the present education system needs to be changed. More professional aspects need to be taught to students from sixth to tenth standards. Teachers should make children aim at becoming employers rather being employees, he suggested amidst huge applause from the gathering.

Listing out the characteristics of a dynamic school, he said a school should radiate with the teachers’ capacity and ability to teach. Schools should focus on helping students who score low marks to bag top ranks, he explained.

He administered a pledge to all the teachers and later, he replied to queries raised by a few teachers.

On what should be given prime importance — whether the syllabus or creativity? Mr. Kalam replied saying that syllabus was equally important, but it is the creative teaching ability of the teacher that makes the subject more interesting and helps students to think creatively.

Swami Bodhamayananda from Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence, RK Math and Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex chairperson D. Usha Reddy also spoke on the occasion.

Lead India campaign

What would you like to be remembered for? This was the question put forward by former the President to the schoolchildren. He was addressing them during the launch of the State-wide Lead India 2020 training programme at GMC Balayogi Stadium, Gachibowli.

Dr. Kalam advised the children to write their response for this question and mail them to apj@abdulkalam.com.

Assuring them that he will respond to their mails personally, he said that these responses could be one of the most important documents in the human history.

Lauding the Lead India programme, Dr. Kalam said it will develop the moral leadership qualities among the youth by creating a right disposition towards doing right things.

“It is not enough to be a good student, every child should strive to become a good citizen and become partners in the development of the national,” he said.

Civil Supplies minister D. Sridhar Babu said that by the year 2020 youth will be about 70 per cent of the total population and programmes like this will imbibe moral values in them. Lead India 2020 Training campaign aims to train about one crore students in the State in personality development.

Through “THE HINDU”