Finding a voice through writing
Nidhi Qazi
The night of November 8 changed the lives of many; the effect created by this Demon(etisation) disturbed the flow of lives for all of us. The effects of it continue till date and who knows what’s in store next.
And somewhere in the midst of all this, when Murari Jha, a social science teacher for middle and secondary classes in one of Delhi’s government schools decided to make this historic event (in a sceptical sense of the term) a part of the classroom, children poured their hearts out. Jha asked them to write on this topic. Writing on a topic was nothing new for his children. But this time, he gave one specific instruction. “While I do give out some common instructions for a writing exercise, in this one, I had specifically asked them to write what they truly felt and not bring any points that are being circulated by the media. I asked them not to focus too much on media information and rather narrate their own experiences and experiences of people around them. But at the end of it all, their writings reflected the fact that media’s influence on them is quite dominant.”
These write-ups could not be used for an active discussion in the classroom due to lack of time. But this became a starting point for a conversation with Jha on what do such exercises really bring forth in the classroom. Having gone through some of the write-ups, this author couldn’t agree more with Jha on the influence that media has on the children. But more importantly, the significance of such a writing exercise or any other kind of activity where the children create content in an otherwise ‘dull’ social science classroom cannot but be appreciated and emphasized.
Where and how did it all begin for Jha? He goes back to his initial days when he had to teach a new batch of class 9 children. Soon enough, he realized that these children couldn’t write and express. Thus, he thought of giving them opportunities to express themselves through writing. Initially, the exercise was a free-wheeling one where the children could write on any topic of their choice. Eventually these were centered around specific topics such as gender, rights and many others which would either be directly linked to their lessons in the textbook or which were based on current affairs. As the quality of the content and engagement evolved, Jha would use the children’s write-ups as text and sometimes finish a chapter without the help of the textbook. “Since I knew a lesson and its content, I would slip in these without explicitly telling them that these are present in their textbooks and we would end up finishing an entire lesson without even once needing to take the help of the textbook,” he shares. Textbook lessons themed around ‘clothing as reflection of history and culture’, ‘gender, caste, class’, ‘democracy and diversity’ are some examples where children’s write-ups enriched the understanding of a lesson.
How comfortable were the children sharing their write-ups with the entire class? To this, Jha adopted a simple method. “Not all children are comfortable sharing their write-ups on a few specific topics. But it has been made a culture to ask them if they would want me to read their write-ups and if I can use the same for further discussions. It’s completely up to the children.”
The teacher further elaborated on his experiences in the following questions:
What’s your view on children’s writing on demonetisation?
The children have been writing various issues related to their life and about the major developments taking place in the world. Their writing became an important starting point for classroom discussions. I found that demonetisation was an issue which influenced their lives directly. They could capture their own experiences in their writings. At the same time I found that there is a huge influence of the stories narrated by the media. Many of them believe in the stories. While they did write about the difficulties faced by them or the people around, they seem to have accepted the narrative that demonetisation has and will continue to bring an end to black money.
How does this approach inform the overall pedagogy/how does this get incorporated in the syllabus?
I see social science teaching as discovering the social life around. The syllabus is a structured element to help in guiding the classroom discussion so that it remains more systematic and thus scientific. Its role is to guide, not to instruct. I see it as a reminder which helps us in the class to move in a particular direction rather than beat around the bush. Such activities of making children write and discuss and use these discussions as a source of learning a subject in class also lets children become the creators of knowledge; what they know or experience gets acknowledged as valid content in the classroom. This is based on an acceptance of their identity and is thus more inclusive. The classroom discussion becomes highly engaging as children own the content.
Such activities also help at two levels – debunking certain perceptions which the teacher forms about some children and helping the teacher understand the children. For me, I was amazed to see how children who would not respond in class otherwise and about whom I had also formed a certain perception would come up with strong content which would be quite individualistic and well written. Such children may not have been vocal otherwise. Now, they were able to assert their voices through these writings. The process also saw many children opening, sharing and confessing, which becomes an important part of a teacher-student relationship.
What are the challenges that impede this initiative of yours?
This needs a lot of time which generally a teacher lacks. Schools are functioning on the ‘factory model’ where it is believed that once the bell rings, the learning on a particular subject has to be stopped, thus forcing an abrupt end to a discussion. The other challenge is the criticism I receive from the children. Initially, when you do this work, after a month or two, the children comment saying, “Sir, now please at least teach us”. They have a strong notion of what teaching and learning is in the school since many of the other teachers are practicing the traditional methods. A good relationship with the students is an essential prerequisite for this work and it develops over a period of time.
Another challenge is to avoid topics which may lead to controversies. One example was that of surgical strikes, which I wanted to avoid, even though it was an event worth writing about. Here, I want to share one incident. Since the topic was left completely untouched because of its communal nature, a student from the minority community came up to me and expressed that she wanted to write about it. Since it was her choice, I let her go ahead. Her write-up reflected her support for the surgical strike as she defended it. For me, that was a significant moment since a child wanted to express something. Also, children from minorities are under pressure to prove their support for a nation since they keep struggling on a daily-basis with the kind of comments and comparisons they keep hearing from their peers. Perhaps, this student found an opportunity to express all of this.
How have your fellow teachers responded to this initiative?
I have spoken about my work on various platforms. I found that there is a mixed response from the people. They wish me good luck for the dreaded inspection doubting if my children would be able to show their work (since it is expected that children maintain a notebook that’s filled up-to-date with all the classwork) and its repercussions. These teachers, as one understands, are more concerned about the prescribed instruction and avoid taking risks. You need a high level of self-belief that what you are doing is extremely important for the children and what others say is not so important.
Doesn’t this approach disturb the flow of the syllabus considering there is immense pressure to complete it on time?
It does disturb. I have mentioned earlier that the relationship with the students is the key. Once that is accomplished, a teacher can discuss with them as to how can they find ways to complete the syllabus and pass the exams. They see value in what they do, and so they don’t mind paying some price for it.
Teachers from private schools may find it difficult to do this sort of a thing since they have to keep reporting and updating about their work and also because of the strict high-level monitoring, the default design of a government school gives space and time to teachers; thus making it relatively easier to carry out such activities.
Have these writing exercises led to an ‘accepted result?
This was astonishing. All the children who participated in this exercise secured good marks in the exam. Unfortunately, many of them failed in other subjects.
It would be appropriate to quote here an excerpt from NCERT’s Position Paper on Teaching of Social Science which elaborates on various aspects of the subject including the pedagogical aspect.
“Social science teaching basically should be aimed at investing in a child a moral and mental energy so as to provide her with the ability to think independently and deal with the social forces that threaten these values, without losing her individuality. Social Science teaching can achieve this by promoting children’s ability to take initiative to critically reflect on social issues that have a bearing on the creative coexistence between individual good and collective good. Critical reflection pre-supposes a comprehensive curriculum in which learners – both teachers and children-participate in generating knowledge without any latent and manifest forces of coercion. It is through this non-coercive and participatory mode that children and teachers stand the best chance of making teaching and learning interesting as well as enjoyable.”
The above process of critical reflection is aimed at helping a child think and apply the knowledge gained to understanding the social issues surrounding us. The paper also emphasizes the need for a participatory approach which comprises a shift from mere imparting of knowledge to more livelier debates and discussions which lead to a deeper understanding without making the learning process dull and low on energy. In this process, the learners can actively engage on issues of individual and collective good, linking the two to understand the overall picture. Thus, the learner not only gets to share her/his lived experiences which help keep other learners and children aware of social realities but also develops a sensitivity to those realities.
All this can be achieved only in a classroom where the learner is allowed to express himself freely, where children’s creativity and energy offset the dull moments or a classroom where children can write for themselves and for others.
The author is a consultant working in the space of education with children and teachers. She can be reached at qazi.nidhi@gmail.com.
