I have always wondered how to teach Social and Political life. It’s a pretty interesting book. But teaching or rather getting students to think on lines of equality, social justice is quite a challenge.

I went reluctantly to the  classroom – wondering how do i get grade seven to think on lines of equality. I did have the ready-made lesson plan, as required. But lesson plans to me resonate a dull classroom. Something interesting caught my eyes, and it was  a really small passage on the Disability Act of 1995 by the Indian Government.

What went through me that day, I have no clue. I opened the topic just as a magician would open his hat  and pull out a bunny. The wow factor emerged – just like that. It just happend – it was not planned.The bunny did not emerge from my hat but from those of the kids.

Ideas just poured out – I had one child  linking the word disability to Helen Keller, someone spoke about Stepen Hawkins.There was some child talking about Braille, one trying to figure out the appropriate word for ‘the person who writes exams for the blind’ – i had to tell the class such a person is called scribe. One child was busy making chart about how his robo would help the disabled – amazing speed of thought.

The classroom turned alive. While walking out I was wondering If I have to still file the drab lesson plan or just reflect on my class and make note of the reflections. The class did understand the importance of Disability Act – in the right context and in the way they should – so I just had to facilitate and not teach.

Students are not unilateral thinkers like teachers, they interlink -that’s how learning should happen.That’s a lesson I learnt that day.

Is  it not time to change our documentation pertaining to schools – is it lesson plans or reflections that have to be recorded? Let’s reflect.