Hyderabad: At a govt school in Penpahad of Suryapet district, Biology is anything but boring. In one class, a child becomes the heart, another the lungs, and a third the liver as they act out the circulation system. On another day, the students might role-play a food web or ecosystem.Behind these unusual lessons is Maram Pavithra, a high school Biology teacher who has just been named the only recipient from Telangana of the national teachers’ award this year. For her, the best way to learn science is to live it.“I use role-play to explain difficult topics. We move to the ground, draw a big diagram, and students take up positions to act out their roles. They understand the subject better because they experience it, not just read about it,” Pavithra told TOI.But role-play is just one of her innovations. Pavithra has designed board and card games that make even the trickiest concepts simple. “Gamifying lessons makes learning interactive. Even shy students open up, ask questions, and start enjoying the subject,” said the 43-year-old, who also develops interactive content for the state’s e-learning resources.Her focus goes beyond academics. Instead of regular homework diaries, her students keep a “personality diary.” Every good or bad deed is recorded, and the entries are reviewed every week. “It helps children reflect on their behaviour and gives them a chance to improve themselves,” she explained. All 210 students from classes 6 to 10 are part of this activity.Pavithra, who won the state best teacher award in 2023, also ensures her students see a world beyond Penpahad. Through the Vidya Varadhi programme, they interact with children in Pennsylvania via video calls, sharing cultures, traditions, and experiences. She also takes her students on field trips to institutions like Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) and pushes them to participate in science competitions like ‘Intinta Innovator’ and the National Children’s Science Congress, where many have bagged prizes. For her students, Biology isn’t just a subject, it’s an experience. And for Pavithra, teaching isn’t just about textbooks, but about shaping young minds for a bigger world.
