This teacher from Kothagudem makes his students passionate about learning

For Maloth Badhru, teaching is a passion and his innovative teaching methods make his students passionate about learning as well

Manugur (Kothagudem): For Maloth Badhru, teaching is a passion and his innovative teaching methods make his students passionate about learning as well.

A Telugu Pandit, Bhadru’s focus is on making learning a joyful experience for students. Teaching Classes 7 and 8 at the ZP High School in the remote Sambaigudem village in Manugur mandal, Badhru is not a fan of lecturing. Instead, he prefers practical, participatory, personalized and art integrated learning to instruct students so that they can fully grasp the subject rather than learning by rote. He also involves the local community to enhance the student’s sensitivity and awareness towards the indigenous culture.

For instance, to teach a Class 8 lesson, ‘Asamanyulu’ (Exceptional People), and a Class 7 lesson ‘Ye Kulam’, which describes the life of artisans engaged in caste-based occupations, Bhadru takes the children to local workplaces and explains how a barber, potter, ironsmith, bamboo basket maker and others work. In order to teach a lesson on Singareni, he takes the students to the local SCCL opencast mines and explains how coal is produced, its importance in the nation’s development and hazards of coal burning at home. And for all this, he spends his own money for transportation of the students.

At the same time, being a strict teacher, Bhadru does not allow his students to be absent from school for long. If anyone is not in class, he goes to their home, convinces them about the need to attend classes regularly and takes them to school on his motorbike after offering them breakfast.

He has also taught a few students the oral storytelling folk art of ‘Burra Katha’, and made them explain a lesson, ‘Seetha Ishtalu’, to the class.

“Art forms help students to involve themselves in the learning process and they can also learn about the art form too,” Bhadru told Telangana Today.

A nature lover as well, Bhadru and his students have planted over 180 saplings on the school grounds as part of Green India Challenge. He also organises seminars on environmental protection and teaches students creative photography using mobile phone cameras.

“I faced a lot of troubles in getting education and there was none to guide me. I wish to do complete justice as a government teacher, guide students in a proper way for their better future and stand as an inspiration for others,” he says on his approach.

“In Telugu, there is no scope for practical classes like science subjects have. So, I came up with the idea of conducting field visits and using art forms to teach, which serve as practical classes,” he adds.