Hopscotch, Puppets, and Plant Life: Swathi Vallem’s Classroom of Joyful Learning

Imagine a classroom where children play a colour-matching game using colourful paper circles—learning by sorting and grouping them through fun, hands-on play. Picture students learning verbs through hopscotch—jumping from one word to another, physically connecting language with movement. When the life cycle of a plant comes alive through interactive charts and student-made artwork, learning becomes not just engaging, but unforgettable.

These innovative teaching methods aren’t just theoretical ideals—they’re the daily reality in the classroom of Swathi Vallem, teacher at Bodhanampadu SC School in Kurichedu Mandal, Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh. Swathi joined the teaching profession in 2010, beginning her career in a remote, single-teacher school with no access to basic amenities like water. Over the years, she has transformed her public-school classroom into a space where every child is encouraged to learn through play, creativity, and empathy. In this interview, Swathi shares how her journey began, what keeps her going, and why she believes showing works better than telling.

Q. How did your journey into teaching begin, and in what ways has it influenced how you connect with your students?

– Becoming a teacher wasn’t a plan from the start. But once I started, I felt responsible for all my students, especially for the students who sit quietly at the back. I wanted them to feel included and confident. Making learning experience equally enriching for all. That’s what led me to create my own TLMs (Teaching-Learning Materials). As a teacher, I strive to be patient, empathetic, and adaptable to different learning speeds. I believe that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning journey—for my students and for myself.

Q. In what ways have your parents shaped your methods and philosophy as an educator?

– A lot. I used to listen to them talk about school and children all the time. My father would recite Telugu poems with his students to teach values. I do the same now. And I learnt about the potential of creative TLMs from my mother, which are now part of my everyday teaching.

Q. Can you recall a defining moment or student interaction that significantly influenced your teaching style?

– Yes. I realised quickly that every child is different. Some understand right away, others need help repeating or remembering the same concept. My goal is to make sure all of them achieve the learning goals, and learning by doing or experiencing felt like the best way. TLMs actually help me do that. This became even more important because I was working in a remote, single-teacher school with no real infrastructure.

Moreover, when I observed that many of my students were reluctant to attend school, I focused on creating a welcoming environment. I started reciting poems with them in a sing-along way, introduced games to understand lessons, making learning enjoyable and less intimidating. Even now, I often try using real-life objects like flowers, classroom and household objects, and pictures to capture their attention and keep them engaged.

Q. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced starting out at a remote, single-teacher school, and how did you overcome them?

– My first school had no facilities or books. As a teacher, I saw my job as more than just covering the syllabus, so I bought books myself for 12-14 students, which was the strength of the class back then. Their faces lit up to see the chance to learn like any child in their neighbourhood, which encouraged me to find more ways to support their learning.

Managing five grades alone without a school head was challenging, but I turned it into an opportunity. I grouped Grades 1-3 and 4-5 together to strengthen their basics. To build reading skills, I had students create their own sentences, practice repeated paragraph reading, and work on interactive projects beyond textbooks. Within months, children who once feared opening books were confidently reading aloud—a transformation that became our foundation for everything that followed.

Q. Where do you draw inspiration for your creative teaching methods and innovative classroom ideas?

– Inspiration is all around us. Only if we have the right passion can we gather ideas in the most interesting ways. Like I mentioned, my parents’ journey has been the greatest motivation. There are times I learn from the children’s textbook itself! My husband, who is also a teacher in a private school, is my brainstorming partner. We share new teaching methods with each other, creative classroom practices, and simple tools they use to keep students engaged. If private schools can do certain things, I ask myself, why can’t we in government schools?

Q. Could you describe a particular classroom initiative or technique that has had a meaningful impact on your students’ learning?

– One initiative that made a remarkable difference was what I call graphical reading. Many of my students were first-generation learners who struggled with reading and comprehension. I realised that plain text often intimidated them, so I began using simple, colourful visuals—like story maps, picture-word associations, and sentence flowcharts—to help them connect words with meaning. To spark their interest further, I cut out words from old newspapers, stuck them onto a chart, and used it as a reading tool. When children see a tree drawn next to the word ‘tree’ or a small comic strip that narrates a story, reading stops feeling like a chore and becomes something they can relate to.

Q. Beyond your graphical reading approach, what other hands-on activities have you introduced to make lessons more engaging?

– I also brought real objects into the classroom—for example, fresh flowers during a lesson on nature—to make abstract words come alive and give children something tangible to associate with new vocabulary. I also introduced the “Rainbow Theory”—a technique where colours are printed using vegetables like cucumbers, okra, and flowers—to make learning vibrant, tactile, and fun. Gradually, their confidence grew, and they began recognising and using new words independently.

Q. How did you modify your teaching approach during the pandemic, and what insights did this period give you about innovation in education?

– During the pandemic, when schools shut down, I knew I couldn’t let the momentum drop. I began using my mobile phone to take online classes and created a WhatsApp group to stay connected with my students and their parents. But I wanted to go further. That’s when I launched a YouTube channel—Garista Education—where I uploaded engaging lessons, activities, and explanations in our local language. It allowed me to reach not just my students, but many others in similar settings across the region.

Seeing my students learn and smile in front of a screen, despite all odds, reminded me that innovation doesn’t need fancy resources—it needs heart, intent, and a deep belief that every child can learn.

I believe in using whatever is available—TLMs, stories, puppets, real objects like plants or birds, drama, storytelling. These tools make education meaningful. All teachers should use them to create better learning for children.

Q. How do you perceive the significance of the National Innovative Shiksha Ratna Award in your teaching career?

– Honestly, I don’t think much about the awards. I’m honoured to have received it, and it does feel like encouragement. But what makes me happiest and feels most rewarding is when my students reach out to tell me they learned something with ease because of how I taught them, or apply the moral lessons and values in their lives. That’s the real award.

Q. From your experience, what key improvements would you like to see implemented within the public school system, especially regarding technology use?

– Technology should be available for students, not just teachers. If I want to teach something technical to my students, having access to tablets, desktops, etc., would make a big difference. The government/ NGOs/ philanthropists should come out more to support the schools in providing them. Right now, all our teacher trainings focus on using different technologies – use of Google documents, video conferencing to conduct classes – but these efforts will have a multiplier effect if students also have access to the same tools.

When I began teaching, there was no technology in the classroom. We used traditional methods only to teach. Today, it’s become an essential part of how we teach and learn. My advice to new teachers is this: subject knowledge is important, but it’s just as important to learn how to use technology effectively. It can transform the way students engage with lessons and help create a more lasting and meaningful learning experience.

Meet the Author

Vinaya Kurtkoti

Vinaya is the Senior Lead of Communications at ShikshaLokam, where she brings her passion for narrative and community to amplify stories of education leadership and systemic change. A firm believer in the power of storytelling for social change, Vinaya has over seven years of experience as a journalist. Her work as a journalist explored issues related to the environment, human rights, culture, and disability. She also serves as a Trustee of Niwant Andha Mukta Vikasalaya, an NGO dedicated to empowering visually impaired students.