SFormal schooling has been around in India since centuries now. However, there is a vast difference in the way the schools were run in 1950s to the way they are run now. Many aspects have changed over a period of time. Though, many schools still run in an old age traditional way, there are several other schools that have updated their methods with the changing times.
The way the classrooms looked back then and the way they look now is vastly different. The classrooms usually had a blackboard, table and chair for the teacher, desks and chairs for students. At the most some schools had the privilege of having bulletin boards in their classrooms. The classrooms of today look much different. There are many resources available in the classroom. The blackboard in many schools has been replaced by smart boards. The walls are no longer blank and bare. There are colourful paintings or charts on the walls that enhance learning experiences. In many schools, there are strings hanging from one wall to the other displaying students’ work. There are other teaching learning resources that hang from the ceiling as well in some classrooms. In a nutshell, the classrooms these days are more vibrant and colourful and add value to the learning experience of children.
Just like the classrooms, the school premises and infrastructure has also changed over the years. The new school infrastructure has more amenities and is tech-enabled. While many big schools have huge fancy buildings, good schools have thoughtfully designed their premises. A good school infrastructure is one which provides all amenities at ease and facilitates the process of learning. Merely having fancy buildings and huge spaces is not a sign of good school infrastructure.
Another major thing that has changed in schools over the years is the methods of teaching. In the earlier times, teaching was more lecture-based and mainly done through books and blackboard. It is popularly known as the chalk and talk method. While now teaching is done using different resources. This shift has happened in good and aware schools and is slowly happening in other schools that are realizing the importance of changing the traditional methods of teaching. Book is just one resource these days. Topics are taught through activities using different kinds of teaching learning materials. Technology is also increasingly being used in the teaching learning processes. The schools these days have shifted from one-way teaching to activity based and two-way teaching. The latter of course is more beneficial in engaging children and enhancing their learning ability as well.
The changes that have occurred in the schooling system over these years are based on scientific studies and evidence. It is important to know and understand how students learn and make learning meaningful and relevant for every child in school and not only for the so called ‘intelligent students’. While largely most schools realize this fact, not all schools actually follow these practices. Reputed and experienced schools such as Millennium Schools are an example of schools that base their curriculum and teaching methods on in-depth research. Their practices make them the best CBSE schools in India. The Millennium Schools and Millennium World Schools, both follow a global approach and focus on making learning more meaningful for every child. Millennium Schoolsare rightly rated amongst the top schools in India.