What’s a classroom? Certainly, an organized space where learning is possible. It doesn’t matter what the medium is, all that matters is how much the child is able to grasp. In a few words, growth matters above everything else which is directly proportional to how much is learned and understood.

No doubt, online learning has enhanced it by multiple factors. When there is a huge influx of resources from the side of the teacher, the students are better acquainted with the subject in hand. It not only provides a certain kind of flexibility to the structure of the curriculum itself but also widens the scope for the students to choose from, on the basis of their respective interests.

Multiple courses can be taken up depending on what one wants to learn. When one is provided with numerous alternatives, one fares better because freedom of choice increases confidence in that individual. You might have felt this a number of times that when you are in total control of the tasks assigned, you develop self-discipline which is extremely productive. This proverb, “Jack of all trades, master of none” should be something we should rethink rather than simply stating as it is. Proverbs like these instill insecurity within us and that makes us doubt ourselves. Let me put it in a proper way. When you are going through a textbook, if you are really into it, you’d find that the textbook is not enough. It is never enough. You feel that there is a serious need to get reference from other materials if you are to understand the topic you have been sitting on for hours altogether without getting any clarity.

So, ask yourself at that very juncture, is it compulsory to stick to the proverb when it is not helping you achieve your targets? All I am saying is no one is asking for expertise, what they are really asking for is students who have the logical ability to think beyond what is given to them. When students develop this interdisciplinary, holistic outlook towards whatever is feeded into their brains, they become independent decision makers. Such students can even sometimes outshine their teachers as well.

The student must feel at peace with the curriculum curated for him. He must feel in control. He must be able to answer all the ‘whys’ when asked why he is even taking up any particular course. Trust me, when all these things are guaranteed, he doesn’t need anyone to guide him regarding what future course of action he must take in order to taste the sweet fruit of success. In the case of deficiency of all these important aspects, the lessons would become dull and monotonous and hence boring. A bored child is never better than a child who is an extremely slow learner. This kindling of desire is necessary for any sort of learning to happen.

A free and open mind is capable of embracing different contradicting viewpoints thrown at it. It is so because it knows what it is putting its efforts into. Whereas, a closed mind is like a stagnant pool where nothing thrives but ignorance and arrogance.

When a child is made to sit at the helm of exposure, his brain cells are activated to a quality where interconnectedness thrives rather than interdependence. These days, online classrooms have made it possible to connect students from all around the world bridging the gap between different cultures, different lifestyles, and different ways of looking at things. Imagine the possibilities that could happen, when such large pools of students come together. Wouldn’t it be totally justified to say that such a classroom not only remains merely a place to learn then. It surely transforms into something larger. Sometimes beyond the ordinary where miracles could happen that have the potential to make our society a better place to live.

Children are, undoubtedly, our future. And it is not just a task but a duty to educate each and every child. The society should make sure that the opportunities are provided irrespective of their economic or geographical status. I believe online teaching is one big step in this direction. It has the capability to harness parity in terms of education, which is every child’s basic right.