New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) A teacher who uses low cost materials to convey chemical bonding and another who is teaching children of nomadic tribes are among the 47 winners from across the country to be conferred this year’s Teachers Award.
Among the awardees is Sangeeta Sohni, a teacher at the Atomic Energy Central School, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, who believes in doing alchemy to teach chemistry to students through use of simple, every-day models. Today, she look back satisfied at her more than three decades-long career as many of her students are high ranking officials.
A fourth generation teacher, she started teaching in Hyderabad before shifting base to Mumbai. Her use of low-cost models such as paper, balls, bangles and toy dolls to teach chemistry to students from grades IX to XII, made the subject easy for the students.
The 58-year-old educator says “I have used toy dolls to explain atomic structures and periodic properties, bangles and balls to explain chemical bonding and a pack of cards to demonstrate different group properties.” She is also involved in International Junior Olympiad competitions.
Narayan Chandrakant Mangalaram, a teacher at Zhilla Parishad Primary School, Rahuri, Ahmednagar, also in Maharashtra, has been conferred the award in recognition of being “an extremely progressive educator” who has created a model primary school, according to the National Jury citation.
“In a rural school, where children of nomadic tribes come to study, he has effectively implemented art, integrated learning and other innovative pedagogies which has helped retention and increased daily attendance.”
Mr Mangalaram has also been able to mobilise the community and bring in donation that has led to better infrastructure in the school.
Thanking the Government and the jury for the recognition, Mr Mangalaram says the award is an honour for all teachers who are devoted to spreading education in rural areas despite various difficulties. “The award will further increase my dedication to strengthen the next generation of the country.”
President Ram Nath Kovind presented the National Awards to Teachers to 47 teachers via video conferencing on the occasion of Teachers Day.
The awards were finalised by an independent national level jury constituted by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, an official release here said.
