Beyond the classroom walls: Informal teaching is need of the hour

There was a time when a teacher or p a r e n t s were the only ones c h i l d r e n looked up to, to show them around the world, to tell them how things work, to tell them what future holds for them. Today, there has been a complete shift. It won't be an exaggeration to say that children are now a window to the world to their parents and they know much much more than their teachers.

All thanks to Internet. They are reading, blogging, sharing views, searching, exploring information on the Internet . They don't need to join a computer class to know how a computer functions. Children as old as 2 year olds are more tech savvy than their fathers. Social media applications have got them glued to the laptops.

In this age of information bombardment, teachers have to gear up. Their students no more want them to tell them what's their in the textbooks. They want them to go beyond the books and the classroom. They want their lectures to be informative and analytical based on a dialogue between the students and the teacher.

This is where the teachers can play a major role and they have to. The four walls of the classroom are not the
temples of learning alone. Today a student is more interested in studying beyond the classroom and not just in the physical sense. Teachers have to make sure that in order to keep the interest of a student alive in studies, they have to teach them the way students would want to learn.

An informal manner of teaching is the need of the hour, beyond the classroom walls. They need to figure out a unique way of teaching that would hold their students' attention. They need to innovate, they need to think how they can make sure their students get to learn and grow. To teach something new to a generation that already knows a lot and already has access to information, it is a challenging situation, but it is not an impossible task.

For a student to attain his or her potential, it is important to let them loose. I have seen many teachers bolt the door from inside as soon as the class begins. I say why punish a student just because he or she is a few minutes late? Why can't we have an informal way of learning? Why can't we as teachers allow the students to be relaxed while in the class?

If a student enters the class with a cup of coffee or 'cuppa ' coffee as the young say these days, why do the teachers take offence to it? Sometimes when my students come to the class eating something or sipping their coffee, they get embarrassed seeing me but I say it's ok to be a little informal. Just because they are a little open doesn't mean they are not interested. In fact they are much more aware than most of us.

Today's generation is vocal about issues, about things they feel strongly about. They want to be a part of the change in the society . It amazes me to see them so interested. More and more interaction with the students is required .

–The writer is Associate Professor, Department of English Literature at Hansraj College, Delhi. He is also a theatre activist