Growing With Education
Deepesh Gupta
I am a student who joined IOMS at the beginning of class 10th and I am ready to face Board Examination. In the beginning I was told that in IOMS teacher teach us not for marks, but they explain all the concept in detail, and student will have to practice them by solving question to make their concept strong.
My experince of online classes conducted by school was that it was always leaving me with doubts. This made it difficults for me to solve problems in mathematics, physics and chemistry. I was expcting the same experince in IOMS. But, in a week I realized that I was wrong. I can say that understanding subject and solving problems in IOMS class is very good and encouraging. Thus I can say that “If you want you can understand from any where, at any time and at any place.”
This IOMS is an abbreviation of Interactive Online Mentoring Sessions, where each of the words in it has specific meaning. It is an idea which has been developed by a small team. Aim of the team is to give quality education to those who need it, but cannot afford it, for whatever reason. That is why teachers in IOMS give their priceless knowledge and experince to the students totally free of cost. But, students have to use their own mobile and internet connection for which IOMS does not provide any assistance.
Free education in IOMS should not be meant that one can continue learning without doing anything. It is important for every student joining IOMS to know that each them have to give his time and efforts in attending mentoring sessions punctually, and complete all the assigned works sincerely. Further, every student has to interact in sessions by posting problems on WhatsApp group, seperate for each class. Students during discussions on concepts and solving problems are required to be interactive with How? and Why?
Thus, while IOMS is free but students pay the price of learning through their time, efforts and sincerity. But, it is to none other than themselves. It is the most precious quality in life.
In IOMS teachers encourage us to try some thing new. Teachers correct students when they make mistake by explaining where students went wrong. Problems experienced by students are discussed in class so that we learn to evolve solutions. It is a method of learning by interaction and aprticipation, and just not of providing a quick solution. Thus, overall approach in IOMS is to give freedom to students make mistakes without any fear. Further, every student is free to ask any question at any time or place. But, teachers remind us to make new mistakes and caution us to not to repeat them.
In IOMS many activities related to studies are also done by students. Some of them are submissions on topics discussed in IOMS. It requires every student to completely explain any one concept from its basics. This has to based on learning in our own language. In this year I have made 7-8 submissions. For this I had to prepare an outline and send to the subject teacher. The teacher discussed the outline in one of the sessions in presence of other students and suggested changes, if required. Based on the outline we make draft submission on rough paper. We are advised to submit revised draft, if changes are many and important. Otherwise, we make final submission on A-4 size plain paper, writtten neately and diagrams drawn properly. Finally, these submissions are brought out in monthly web-bulletin of Gyan Vigyan Sarita, the initiative under which IOMS is being run.
Initially, it was irritating when many changes were advised by the teacher. But, after successfully making a few submissions I have realized that my concepts have become clear and powerful on the topic. I have also gained confidence to explain the concepts to other students. In case we find any difficulty, we can again ask our teacher in IOMS.
Another example is this article, stories or poems. In my first article of my life, for the monthly web-bulletin, I had made many mistake. Our teacher in IOMS advised corrections before it is finally inclusded in the monthly web-bulletin. These activities have boosted my confidence, raised my level of knoweledge, and an ability to present myself.
Here, I want to narrate one funny instance. One day during session I was asked to name most cuel person that I have encountered. Without thinking I said “Joshi Sir”. The whole class became silent and was looking at me for the funny answer. To my urprise the teacher was smiling. Perhaps, sir understood me and that it my answer was neither a complaint nor out of anger. It was my honest feeling of changes that had happened in me after joining IOMS. Had my teacher been not cuel to me in pointing out mistakes, lack of sincerity, punctuality and interaction in IOMS, I would have remained a below an average student.
Thanks to IOMS team for changing my thinking, change in my process of working and give me a priceless experince which I am keen to continue in following years. Now I realize that education is simply not about marks, it is far beyond, and it is the real wealth.
Teachers are guide who show us right path, but we students who have to walk on the path by our own legs.
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