A Teacher’s Own Story

In a small village in Konta Block, Dhruv sir began teaching at Primary School Tokan Palli. On his first days, he noticed something worrying—children sat quietly with lowered heads. When asked a question, they either stayed silent or mumbled “I don’t know” out of fear.

Dhruv sir understood the reason: at home the children spoke Gondi, but in school everything was in Hindi. Because they weren’t confident in Hindi, they hesitated to speak and slowly started believing they were “weak” at learning.

One day, Dhruv sir decided to try a simple change. The next morning, he greeted the class in Gondi: “Johar.” Children looked surprised, then smiled. He began explaining lessons using Gondi words and examples.  like “3 kosa + 2 kosa = 5 kosa.” Even maths felt easier—he started explaining addition and subtraction using familiar terms and daily-life contexts.

Slowly, children began responding. They started asking questions openly. When they made mistakes, they laughed and said, “Sir, I’ll try again!” Within a few weeks, children who used to sit at the back started coming forward to read and speak. Fear was replaced by pride and confidence. 

During an inspection, when officials asked what they liked in school, the children replied together, “We study in our language, so we all can learn!” Dhruv sir smiled. He understood language is not just words, it is the path to a child’s heart. And when learning connects to the heart, confidence grows on its own.

What We Can Learn:
– Start with children’s language: Home language can be a bridge to understanding, not a barrier.
– Create a fear-free classroom: When children feel safe, they speak, try, and learn more.
– Use familiar examples: Daily-life contexts make concepts easier and more meaningful.
– Small steps create big change: One simple shift in approach can transform participation and confidence.

(This story is collected and shared by Shiksharth)