Breaking from the routine examination-oriented lessons, the one-hour session introduced the 8th standard children to newer and fresher ideas in the learning process. The experts opened their eyes to the undisputed importance of lateral thinking, a method that helps one find simple solutions to complex, unforeseen problems.
The Newspaper in Education programme of The Hindu launched at Satyanarayanapuram branch of Ravindra Bharathi School on Monday saw the children actively and enthusiastically participating in the activities conducted by the resourcepersons, even as they freely interacted with others in the process of bringing out the best in them.
Brainteasers
Through puzzles and riddles, the resourcepersons made the students see how significant it would be to think out of the box and always think of creative ideas to resolve difficult situations.
The children strained their brains a little when they were asked to draw a square with three lines. As they appeared tired and clueless, the trainer gave the answer saying it was very simple and one should just draw a square as usual and leave three lines inside it. Never go by the literal meaning of words, but search for answers with lateral thinking, they said. Hailing the NIE, Ravindra Bharathi academic officer P.V. Praveen drew the attention of students to the effectiveness of such novel programmes in increasing quality of learning. He said that the concentration, confidence, and capabilities of children would be greatly increased if they were made to undergo such innovative programmes. The students found the one-hour sessions enjoyable and impressive with all of them shouting aloud in unison at times when they all had an instant clue to a problem.
They came out occasionally with incorrect answers, but ultimately their doubts were cleared.
To a question as to how many sides were there to a circle, a girl student boldly said “two” while a boy cried out “none.” When they were told the tricky answers that there were “inside and outside” in a circle, there was a peal of laughter.
Coordinator of NIE V. Sailaja sought to attract the attention of students, saying that lateral thinking was different from rote and programmed learning models in routine classroom methods, where they would be trained only for the sake of examinations. Resourceperson B. Neelima asked the students to think of new ideas and increase their capabilities.
