Lessons from the Earthquake

By now, we must have all read about the devastating 9-magnitude earthquake, the 10 metre tsunami and the grave possibility of a nuclear meltdown in Japan last week. The drama continues this week and all this while, I have been, like everybody else, stunned by the footage of a huge wall of water washing away everything in its path. This must be one of the most shocking natural disasters the world has witnessed. Should we be talking about this with our students?

The tragedy took place on the last day of the school term, and all schools have been closed for a week. But when school begins again on Monday, I hope that teachers will not just go about teaching what is on the syllabus. This disaster merits attention and teachers should use this opportunity to discuss the many issues related to it.

I say this because, time and again, I hear teachers talking about their need to complete the syllabus and to assign a quota of work. I hope they are not thinking this way when they meet their students again next week. I also hope that they won’t dismiss the topic in a cursory way. Too often, we miss out on discussing topical issues because they have an unfortunate way of popping up in the midst of our planned curriculum. They mess up our already tight schedule. But by not discussing such topical issues, we are actually depriving our students from a marvellous learning opportunity. In the case of the earthquake and its after-effects, we must remember that we are also affected by what has happened in Japan.

Help your students understand about the causes and effects of this natural disaster. Help them feel for the people who have suffered and are still suffering as a result. Help them learn about the many issues related to nuclear power and the need for energy. Help them realise that in any disaster, people’s behaviour can be unpredictable. Help them see the courage and grace the survivors have shown despite the tragedy. Help them realise that even though we are miles away, we are not completely immune to the after effects, and that we all have a duty to offer any kind of assistance available. Help them be thankful for where they are, and for what they have. Put life in perspective for them.

I don’t need to spell out the value of such lessons over the grammatical items, the essay topic or the comprehension passage. And I am sure teachers realise too that such lessons are not only enriching pupils’ hearts and souls; the potential for language learning is immense. But don’t just do it for the vocabulary and the grammar; do it because it is the right thing to do. What happens around us is always our business; we cannot afford to be apathetic.

Education is not just about studying the stuff that will help children pass exams.

Good teaching is all about helping children make a connection with, and to learn from, what is all around them.