In a reproductive Biology class.
By Mrs. Richa Joshi Pant Monday, Jun 29, 2020
Being a teacher gives me an opportunity to interact with children and young adults. I see them growing, getting smarter, cheekier, more confident as the years roll year. The children that I teach in the sixth grade are just at the cusp of becoming adolescents, giggly, even at the mention of the word sexual reproduction. The fact that this is with respect to flowers is not even relevant. They just can't stop being curious and also self-conscious. They nudge each other and look sideways even at the mention of the word fertilisation. The fact that this happens year after year does not take away from the charm of seeing it unfold in front of your eyes. The anticipation and the pleasure of watching it happen is a wonderful part of being a teacher.
The reproductive system is the part of the syllabus from grade seven onwards though the difficulty level and complexity increases.
The girls get distracted while I explain the plant tissues and look at their watches as I talk about the gas exchange taking place inside the innumerable alveoli of lungs. But come reproductive system and they jump like jacks from their boxes. They seem to be in a state of readiness that is comparable to that of an astronaut waiting for a lift off. The class looks like a sea of eyeball, focused at me with delicious anticipation.
The reproductive system class goes on perfectly, as if in another dimension. No needless interruptions, shuffling, or passing chits below the desks. Even the kid with an attention span of a flea sits like a Zen monk. I wait for this spell the entire year. It's just so reaffirming and my self-esteem also registers a measurable boost. They hear me pronounce socially embarrassing words with a clinical ease. As we move towards the later part of the chapter on the third or the fourth day, the class becomes more composed. Having got over the initial delirium they are ready with questions.
The first few questions are bowled by the coolest dudes of the class. The terms ovulation cycle and secondary sexual characters get thrown around. Some funny one liners also get cracked. There are others who want to ask me queries in private. With some initial hesitation and some prompting many myths acquired from the electronic and print media in a Chinese whisper mode dies a natural death.
I observe that year after year the questions on sexuality are getting bolder and bolder. It’s the sign of times. The children I deal with are way smarter than what their predecessors.
They want to know about AIDS, test tube babies, surrogate mother hood, homosexuality and even its evolutionary significance. It’s a challenge for a teacher to present the information objectively, in the right context and also nourish their sense of curiosity.
The kids today are a new breed and our best chance for a better society.
By Mrs. Richa Joshi Pant