An artistic perspective to studies

We would have had amazing childhoods if we were taught English through puppetry and arithmetic through drama. But for most, art and the ‘main’ subjects were disparate elements that would never blend.

Mallesh Paugad, a high school teacher from Dharwad, has seen many teachers who do their jobs with a sense of ennui and lethargy, and teach the same things with the same tone and style without updating their knowledge. Today, he has an informed opinion about the subject.

“Children learn to be creative only when the teacher is. Most of them have a rigid way of teaching mathematical theorems. If you use jargon that children don’t understand, how can you expect them to understand?” says Paugad, “The same theorem can be made simpler through storytelling, we need to bring in flexibility in our methods.”

Paugad has learnt all about theorems and the need for both the teacher and the students to enjoy the process through Kali Kalisu (learn and teach), an art-based teachers training programme. A joint venture of the India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) and Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, the programme blends art and studies, and turns a fact-ridden chapter into a memorable experience. The programme targets  government school teachers in several districts.

Teachers learn to build up a rapport with students, and engage them in the classes. “Something like learning the India map can be so much easier; each child takes up the name of one state, and then they stand in their respective positions on the map,” says Ganapathy Hoblidar, a workshop participant and cluster resource person at Udupi. At the workshops the teachers get to choose the art forms that they want to learn. The workshops are conducted by several art facilitators from across the state.

“Similarly history can be taught through drama and personification of various characters,” points out TB Kumarswamy, an art teacher from Kodagu who uses puppetry to teach his students grammar and spoken English. “The children love the idea, they take the initiative and make their own puppets using grass among other things.” Kumarswamy is still fascinated by how creative the children can get.

Ashok Totnalli, a high school teacher in Sedam, Gulbarga district, has taken this concept beyond classrooms and into the community. “I live in a place where the caste system and gender discrimination still exist. But children do not have any prejudices, and they make the best means to unite the community.” The government school organises several activities every month that involve not only schoolchildren but also farmers, parents of the children, and other villagers. “We make sure that people from different castes and communities are teamed up together” The event is named Tingala Sanje (monthly evening event), and includes the children’s grandparents narrating stories.

“There are many workshops that provide training to children, but for real change it is important to invest in teacher training programmes,” says Anupama Prakash, programme executive of Kali Kalisu, IFA. The programme has pooled in nearly 500 primary and high school teachers across eight districts: Dharwad, Mandya, Udupi, Sirsi, Gulbarga, Shimoga, Bidar and Kodagu.