Teacher on call for NMMC students without internet!

Teacher Subhangi Sansare and her students, (right) Hamza and Safeena Bagwan stud at home

At a time when most city schools have started online classes for its students, a Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) school teacher has come up with a unique idea of teaching kids through regular conference calls so that they do not need a computer or internet connection for it. As many of the kids do not have the technological support at home, the Turbhe civic schoolteacher is making them use only their parents' mobile phones for the classes.

Subhangi Sansare, who teaches Std III students at NMMC school number 20 in Turbhe waited for a couple of days after the lockdown was declared. When she realised that the situation won't be normal soon, she called up the parents of 40 students and started the classes. Slowly it became a daily practice. After dividing the students in batches, she started taking 50-60 minute classes everyday, teaching one topic daily. She would give homework and discuss that the next day.

Speaking to mid-day, Sansare said that she would call on the parents' numbers so that they don't have to pay for it. "It has not been very easy. Not all parents have phones and even if they do, they are mostly with those who go out to sell essentials. Of 40 students in my class, I can regularly connect with about 20 of them," she added. According to her, the classes on conference call have been an enriching experience and even the parents were quite proactive about it.

"It is important to keep the children in touch with academics as we have seen earlier that in the absence of a supportive environment at home, they tend to forget what they have learnt. In many cases, students even drop out of school," added Sansare.

One of the parents, Rubina Bagwan, who is a housewife, said, "Since it is my mobile phone, I sit with the kids while they study on call. My son and sister-in-law's daughter, who are in the same class, are being able to continue studying because of this initiative."

Rubina, who stays in a joint family of 15 members, is home because few others are going out daily to sell vegetables. Hence, she allows the children in the house to use her phone for studies. "It might not be possible for everyone but this process is turning out to be good revision work and it also keeps the children busy," she added.

20
No. of students Shubhangi Samsare can connect with

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