Essence Of Thoughtfulness
It is certainly true that an ideal classroom can only be created by a thoughtful teacher. Therefore thoughtfulness is one of the values that help us think about others feelings and let us put them before ourselves. Students are the major part of a classroom, and we teachers can inspire them to participate and learn things with their interests.
More importantly, if we want to inculcate thoughtfulness in the classroom, it can be shown via looking out for activities that encourage tools like compassion, kindness, loyalty, patience, generosity, selflessness, cooperation, discipline among the students.
As said in my class, I would like to implement these 3 tools, .i.e.
Cooperation, Selflessness and Discipline
Class cleanliness can be done, which will generate a model of cooperation. When students work together for a given task, it makes them understand the true meaning of cooperation, and this can also be done by helping out each other in their studies. They'll know about cooperation and teamwork and how to be selfless and help others without any expectation.
Creating situations for students by sharing stationary or food whenever possible, talking politely and letting others share their views first. Give them hints to act with selflessness on their own, as they follow the best from their teachers, we have to make sure they feel happy in their actions.
Giving students the responsibility of small jobs in the class like putting things in order, sharpening pencils, filling their worksheets; helps them to work systematically. Teachers should praise them for being responsible, which will motivate them to have a sense of discipline.
We can always start from a smaller perspective for all the above-mentioned tools. Practising these exercises in a school inspires students to do better with an essence of thoughtfulness in life.
Understanding
Empathy Empowers Understanding
Understanding is a core value that develops an individual's personality. Understanding gives us the power to sense different ideas, and it is built by empathy. Students need empathy to develop understanding towards the world around them, which can be inculcated through these activities:
1. An art activity on emotions after watching a video clip on stray dogs. Which will help the students to know how the dogs are surviving without any shelter. After the video, they'll draw a feeling of emotions to express themselves for those small creatures. Students may also feed at least one meal to a stray dog around their residence with the help of any of their elder family members. Later on, they'll discuss in the classroom how they felt about it.
2. Storytelling is the most interesting way to demonstrate any of the topics in a class. So, a story to the students is the best way of expressing and inbuilt empathy.
A story of homelessness and briefing about the children who are living in orphanages.
We could also visit any of the nearby orphanages for interaction and ask our students to donate their favourite toys.
3. A roleplay activity after taking them for a tour to NIEPVD will sensitize them towards differently-abled at the same time they'll be grateful for the things they have.
Students will walk 20 steps by closing their eyes and understand the difficulty of visually challenged people. And then, they can do a roleplay, where the students will show empathy and compassion for the visually challenged people.
To promote empathy in students, we can use the above activities. They'll develop a sense of better understanding others feelings by relating them with them and acting with a good heart.
Hence it's believed that students will not always do as we say, but they will always do as we do.
As teachers, we should always hear out their doubts and support them. The feeling of empathy empowers understanding among us.
- Ambica Gurung@JMMS, John Martyn Memorial School, Salangaon, Dehradun