User:Nandanji

Innovations In Education

Subject – Music

Nandan G Herlekar Music Teacher

Innovation occurs when teaching is corroborated with new ideas and with a novel approach before the inquisitive minds of the students. A topic chosen for instruction may or may not be a new one, but what matters is the way of imparting it.

Being a music teacher I have always thought of demonstrating the basic Swaras before the students with some new colour. The basic notes do not vary, they are same and as old as the Vedic rhyms that were sung in the hermitages. They are there for thousands of years. Every nook and corner of this wide country has been singing “SaReGaMa....” and no part of it has changed for centuries.

The question here is how one ‘dares to teach’ these Swaras when they are there in every person, whether it is a child or a grown up person. I believe every person sings in his or her routine life. Some sing loud enough for others to enjoy and some do not! The person sings for self calls him/herself a bathroom singer. Such persons also have music in them. Given an opportunity, they come out of their shell and demonstrate their hidden talent with more enthusiasm. Here no one, including an aficionado expects quality of good music from them. The sole purpose of it is to come out and just sing.

Believing in this natural behaviour I always begin with a direct approach. I just start a “Sargam Geet” (a song with only Swaras in it, there are no words in such songs) and ask the students to sing along after listening to it for four to five times. This composition does not belong to any particular Raga. These are just the basic “Shudh Swaras” (pure notes that begin on the white keys of a harmonium keyboard). The result is always positive. Every one sings perfectly! No off-keys! No off-beats!

A student who is a complete novice plays this composition on a key board without any single mistake within two or three days of regular practice and encouragement. Most students play rhythmic instruments perfectly along with singing of such compositions within a short period.

How this happens?

A person may be tone deaf but no one ever misses a beat. Rhythm is built in. It is in blood circulation in every nerve of the body. It matches the heart beats of all living persons. Singing along in a group is never a challenge for anyone. Even a person sitting in the auditorium too matches the beats of the performers on the stage with tapping of his/her feet on the ground. This action is natural, not pre-determined. Music is present in every soul. It is of numerous colours. Each one’s music is unique in its own way. It lasts forever. It helps the man to live happily. Every person is well connected with each other through the heartfelt musical pieces. Music merges hearts.

It is seen that the persons attending a music concert have their own groups. As far as possible they do not abandon their company while listening. It is mainly due to a common point of interest among them. A keen observer can see such groups and overhear their comments. They are always truthful, subjective and constructive. They are open to criticism, a healthy criticism. One among them is an accredited writer on music. He openly expresses the views and reviews about the performances. These writings are well accepted by the artistes, organisers and by other common listeners and readers too!

Coming back to innovative way of ‘teaching’ music, I, as a conscious teacher just go on singing to be keenly observed by my students. The result is always encouraging. Everyone enjoys and sings.

To make my point more clear, I wish to present here a very simple composition of mine. This can be sung with a very simple drum beat of marching, suiting the left-right-left-right.

'''सारेगम गरेगम '''धऽपप पऽऽऽ '''सारेगम गरेगम धऽपऽ सांऽऽऽ'''

'''पऽधप मऽमऽ '''मऽपम गऽगऽ '''पऽधप मऽपम गऽरेऽ साऽऽऽ  पऽधनी सांऽऽऽ '''नीऽधप मऽऽऽ '''रेऽगम धऽऽऽ पमगरे साऽऽऽ '''

First stanza

Very happy we are happy Let’s celebrate In the morning everyone is Feeling great!

Second stanza

Welcome dear guests Welcome everyone Very happy moments You will get!

Third stanza

Cheers and smiles Dancing steps around Celebrations and greetings Everything is set!

Any music teacher can learn and teach this Sargam and the song quickly. I am sure the students would love this to sing and enjoy and learn the basics without much difficulty or prejudice. I have seen hundreds of them enjoyed this ‘song’ and learnt it with enthusiasm. Adding some appropriate actions, it becomes wonderful.

Necessity is the mother of invention

Most of the inventions are born out of necessity to achieve something. Innovative way of teaching of any subject is nothing but a way to make the students understand a fact by going the other way round. When I was given a class of III on my very first day of job, I was stunned to see a lot of noisy, uncontrollable but very smart children in an Air Force campus. I was not at all trained to handle such a bunch since I was a traditional ‘Gavayya’ of Gwalior Gharana. Suddenly I was feeling myself to be an Arjun standing face to face before the warriors on Kurukshetra. For some minutes I was nervous and was thinking to run away from this ‘lucrative’ job (yes, I was promised Rs. 330+...). The moment I was dreaming to be on the outer side of the massive gate of the campus, a boy asked, “Sir, why are you so silent? Are you not going to teach us something?” Suddenly I was aware of myself and instantly started to sing a song meant for children. In between each line I went out of the way to sing meaningless syllables in tune with the song. Sometimes I made the imitations of the tune with “Tara Rara Tara Rara”. Thoughtfully I sang the Sargam of each line.

Wow! The children smiled, clapped and copied my tune. They danced, sang my ‘meaningless’ words with gusto. Out of nowhere I got my nerve and I was in seven heavens. It was like a century on the first test ever. Since then I have the feeling that I chose this job with a correct mind and made a right decision.

After that first nightmare, I thought on every class, age group and searched for talent among children. The talent was amazing and response was overwhelming. I planned my lessons for each age group and class. Even after nearly thirty five years of ‘experience’, each day is new for me. Every child is a challenge before me. Each day is a learning day. Let us smile and learn.

Nandan G Herlekar