Nurturing Curiosity: How My English Teacher Sparked Interest in News
A Journey of Discovery Through the Pages of Newspapers
Many of you might have had a special teacher, perhaps even a favorite. As young students, as all humans do, we tend to cherish certain memories, especially those that have left a lasting impact on our personal or professional lives.
This post is about my English teacher, who had a unique approach to teaching. I now realize the ‘uniqueness’ while I reflect on my experiences as an adult.
When I was in 10th grade, my English teacher would often come with newspapers in the classroom. The 90-minute sessions would happen usually after formal curricular hours, scheduled as remedial classes after the lunch hour.
He would offer us to read the newspapers. I couldn’t understand his intentions when he asked us to read newspapers in class. However, his method was different from what other teachers did every day. He was the first to bring a few copies of the newspaper and allow us to read in class.
We were all excited. We found the textbook much of a regular affair.
The teacher had a clear objective, but there were minor disruptions. Some students preferred to talk and giggle, as the newspaper wasn’t study material for them. Isn’t this obvious, given their age?
The newspaper sessions continued, sometimes once a month, sometimes twice. I became more interested than the rest of the class, and when the teacher noticed, he asked me to collect newspapers from his residence whenever I needed them.
I remember visiting his residence often to collect the newspapers. They strengthened my reading habits and became a window to various types of news.
One important aspect he wanted me to focus on was the Editorial page. But it was quite a chunk of writing, always. Sometimes on economic affairs, sometimes on politics. There was a wide array, and I started noticing some familiar columnists whose writing made sense, so I began following their work regularly.
Newspapers became a world in themselves. There was so much to read and learn. Apart from the new words and phrases, there were a host of dedicated sections and pages — Sudoku, letters to the editor, sports, international affairs, competitive exam notifications, quizzes, book reviews, new book releases, etc.
The reading habit helped me develop my general knowledge, and I did well in school-level and district-level quizzes and public speaking competitions. I credit all my success to the teacher.
It was a small change in his approach to utilise the 90-minute remedial sessions, but it had a lasting impact.
This blog post is also a testament to that impact. :)
If you have an anecdote to share, one that may have surfaced after reading this post, please feel free to share it in the comment section below.
