Teachers in Maha’s Karmala tehsil turn motivational speakers

Pune: Teachers in Solapur district’s Karmala tehsil have become motivational speakers, thanks to the initiative ‘Teachers Talk’, which encourages them to speak on the latest trends and the best practices in the field of education. The initiative, modelled on the lines of TED Talks and Josh Talks, has been introduced by the panchayat samiti there. “We decided to start Teachers Talk in primary and secondary schools in the tehsil. Teachers can speak about the latest topics in education and allied fields for 15 to 20 minutes in a precise and motivating manner,” said Manoj Raut, block development officer, Karmala tehsil. The objective is to encourage teachers to be insightful and curious, as well as keep them abreast of the global trends and developments in the field of education and allied avenues, and motivate other educators, he said.

“The talks are organized at 17 centres in the tehsil during monthly education conferences, where teachers from schools attached to these centres meet to discuss best practices and various issues faced by them,” Raut said. The talks are not restricted to teachers from government schools. Educators from private, aided and unaided institutions can also participate. Balasaheb Bodakhe, a teacher from a school in Khatgaon, said he spoke about sports and the role of teachers in encouraging students who have the potential to excel in the field. “During my Teachers Talk, I cited the example of a farm labourer’s daughter who went on to win a gold medal in athletics at a national event after she received proper guidance and training at school,” Bodakhe said. Similarly, Praffulata Satpute, a teacher from a primary school in Khadaki, spoke about inculcating good reading habits in children. —PTI