Teaching Isn’t a Lost Art or Is It? : Indian Teachers’ Funny Videos Going Viral on Twitter

During the pandemic, online classes have become the “new normal” for students. Tackling students in a classroom is one thing that teachers have gotten used to over the years, but keeping them engaged through online classes has brought out the performer in some Indian “gurus”.

Several hilarious videos of Indian teachers "going the extra mile" to make students understand complex subjects have found their way onto social media.

A 16-second video that shows a chemistry teacher making catchy sentences out of the names of elements to help students memorise the dreaded periodic table is garnering thousands of reactions on social media.

The teacher can be heard narrating a cheesy Hindi sentence – “suno tum vivah karlo mujhse, fir koi nahi kahega jaanu” (listen, you marry me then nobody else will call you baby), each word of the sentence represents an element from the periodic table in sequence.

This is why I left the education system pic.twitter.com/k7ksCSseDV

— Λtharva Kharbade (@athrvakhrbde) August 26, 2020

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While some people were against using mnemonics to impart knowledge, most people praised the teacher’s creativity.

According to research platform Statista, there are over 2.6 million teachers in India for primary school students alone. Including high school teachers across the country, the figure is estimated to reach around 3.2 million. 

A lot of teachers have been coming up with novel ways to keep their students interested in classes, regardless of how boring the subject or chapter they may be teaching.

Arun Bathora, an officer from the Indian Police Services posted a 2.18 minute-long video of a tutor teaching the complex topic of -precision approach path indicator (PAPI) – with great enthusiasm in Hindi language.

‘PAPI’ is a visual aid that provides guidance information to help a pilot land. While sharing the video, Bathra wrote, he would have topped his civil services exams if he had teachers like this.

I would have topped the UPSC If I had a teacher like him 😅 pic.twitter.com/IaCKtDe2kf

— Arun Bothra (@arunbothra) August 27, 2020

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The video attracted several likes and retweets, while some people highlighted how important it is to use the local language for teaching.

 

More often than not, teachers and students are expected to focus on communicating in English in India, which has 22 official regional languages.

 

Actually
The new education system should think about this.
Local language should be the mode of education.
How easily we will learn more.
We run behind English for everything considering it as standard.
When it's only another language, which can be learned by some crash course🤔

— SDB (@SDB14583535) August 27, 2020

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Another teacher, Nilesh Karale, from the state of Maharashtra, has become the apple of netizens’ eyes after a clipping of him teaching the eruption of a volcano via beatboxing–inspired sound effects. Have a look.

 

I regret not having studied under him😩
Teacher teaching VOLCANO in online class.... pic.twitter.com/qdLXD9HmtN

— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) August 27, 2020

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Part 2 Sir 😅 pic.twitter.com/rOlh750rfa

— समुद्र (@uzernamezzzz) August 27, 2020

The comments on this one have been hilarious.

Netizens applauded the passionate teacher and many enquired about his classes in the comments section.

 

Part 2 Sir 😅 pic.twitter.com/rOlh750rfa

— समुद्र (@uzernamezzzz) August 27, 2020

 

Plz tell me how to join his online classes 😃

— sanjay razdan (@razdan62) August 28, 2020

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Wether you love them or hate them, teachers will always have a vital role to play in our lives, and on 5 September, India will be observing its annual National Teacher’s Day.