How Can We Motivate Semi-Urban Students to Take Their Education Seriously?

Students in semi-urban areas are not serious about their education, which is causing a lack of interest even among the faculty in the teaching profession. As a teacher, I kindly request your suggestions to address this issue.

I can understand your frustration and anxiety at the indifference shown by the school children in semi-urban areas. As a teacher, you are also perturbed by the haplessness that you are in, and as you rightly pointed out, your colleagues and you will also slowly become demotivated day after day.

To my way of thinking, there are three steps that you would need to do in order to enthuse your students and the teaching faculty.

Analyze the Cause – Possible Focus Areas Could Be

- Poor school facilities
- Indifference of parents
- Students do not like to be disciplined
- Pressure to work to supplement income
- Poor/uninspiring teaching methodology
- Fear of failure/punishments

Take Proactive Steps – Based on the Analysis

The first step is to find ways and means of making the teaching interesting. Focus on getting the students motivated, e.g., incentives for attendance, participation in activities, recognition of their talents/achievements, etc. Find ways to motivate teachers and staff members. Link the learning with practical application so that the students can visualize the perceived benefit of the learning.

Keep Innovating

Seek out a sister school arrangement with an urban school to get financial support/donations of sports equipment, lab equipment, computers, school bags, cycles, etc. Work out an arrangement to visit an urban school or organize an event and invite students of the urban school. Get the local leadership to take a proactive interest in the school and upgrade the facilities. Get expert help to upgrade the knowledge and teaching skills of the staff.

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It is possible that you would have tried many of the suggestions listed above without much success. However, patience is a virtue that is a must when you are in the business of molding lives. Equally importantly, hope is another virtue that must be kindled within you.

Remember Your Role is Not to Take the Horse to the Water, but to Make the Horse Thirsty, and They Will Seek Out the Pastures and Watering Holes Themselves.

Best wishes for your noble endeavor.

Opportunities in India: A Land of Potential

India is a country where a one-time newspaper delivery boy went on to become a top-notch scientist and then president. A one-time office boy became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. India is a land of opportunities, and examples of this kind abound. Now, one has to decide how to avail of those opportunities.

Factors Beyond and Within Our Control

There are two things here. One is beyond our control, and another is within our control.

First, let me tell you what is beyond our control. There is no substitute for "self-motivation." Let me tell you what Lord Krishna has said in the Bhagavad Gita - "Uddharet Atma-atmanam" (उद्धरेत् आत्मात्मानम्). It means one makes one's development. A classic example of this is a recent news item titled "Auto-rickshaw driver's daughter tops CA exam." Who had motivated her? Nobody! One has to assume responsibility for oneself, family, society, and the nation as a whole. This sense of responsibility makes one stay focused.

Taking Action: Inspiring Students

So, what is another thing? Should we just resign to one's fate or keep quiet? Not necessarily. In your case, I recommend you call old but successful students of your college and arrange their talk. Let them share stories of how they succeeded in their careers. Your students can look at the old students as their role models. Instead of giving external examples, let them have examples of their own people who were somebody like them just a couple of years ago. Hopefully, it will make a mark on their minds.

Ok...

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar

Excellent suggestions have been given by members. I would like to add a few suggestions:

1. Arrange talks by locals who have excelled after receiving a good education.
2. Organize trips to urban schools or invite a few students to attend functions so that they can interact with urban students. This should be planned carefully to ensure it does not have the opposite effect.
3. Screen motivational movies.
4. Encourage sports activities, as these can open employment avenues and lead to better lifestyles.

Regards,
Col. Rathi

Thank you for your concern for the voiceless children. In India, more than 80% of children live in the same reality, and due to efforts by teachers like you, I presume 20% become corporate leaders, while a few others become leaders for others, etc.

Addressing Sadness in Children

The basic issue is that sadness grips the children because of poverty or lack of care from family, etc., and teachers tend to get demotivated. The best way to come out of it is to have more games, improve their speaking skills, and engage in cultural activities. This will bring joy and does not involve much money. Joy is a motivation in a child.

Some of the members have given a few hints that will help you and people like you to mold this country into a better place to live. A smiling teacher will bring energy to children. Make education and learning fun so that the darkness within will dissipate, and new light will enter.

I take this opportunity to salute every teacher like you who can show the light of the day. A happy child is the nation's pride.

Goodbye

Some excellent inputs have been provided by Mr. B. Jacob and Mr. Dinesh Divekar. It is heartening to note that you are showing concern to create a change for the better. As they often say, there is a desired state - WHAT SHOULD BE and a present stage - WHAT IT IS. The gap analysis would tell you what can be done within your means.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai

The Genuine Concern of Mr. M V Sudhakar

The problem faced by the teacher, Mr. M V Sudhakar, is indeed genuine. It's good that he has shared it with everyone. The reasons for the lack of interest in studies by children in semi-urban (and also rural) schools could be many, as highlighted by different experts in their responses above. Some solutions have been suggested, but the enormity of the problem cannot be addressed by the teacher who initiated this conversation. His genuine interest is, perhaps, in knowing what simple steps can be taken at his level to motivate the students to become serious about their studies.

Well, the children (including those in urban schools) are not clear about the ultimate outcome of putting effort into their studies. Most of these children mainly dream of occupying positions in which their parents (generally fathers) are working to earn their livelihood. Some others feel that 'becoming a teacher' is their objective, which they occasionally discard at the first thought when they discover that their communication skills are not comparable to those of their teacher. Well, none of these children have 'big dreams'. Therefore, showing big dreams, preferably with numerous examples of how children from rural and semi-urban backgrounds have grown to occupy positions of responsibility, can be done by the teacher himself. This may require some data collection, and the Principal or School management could be the focal point for the same.

'Selling big dreams' to the children, in my opinion, has to become one of the roles of a good teacher.