Teachers’ Day: Mapping lessons beyond the classroom

R. Subramanian (third from left) conducts the morning assembly at the school With two awards, it was double the delight for this Geography teacher from Government Model Higher Secondary School in Nandanam, on September 5 when he received the Dr. Radhakrishnan Best Teacher Award from the Tamil Nadu government. And on September 6, the post graduate teacher will be among ten teachers to receive the Vidhya Seva Samman.Following teaching stints in Ethopia and a few Indian states, 12 years ago, R. Subramanian eased into the role as government school teacher at KLK Boys Higher Secondary School in Gummidipoondi.One would have expected the teacher to face a huge culture shock moving to a geography that hugely contrasts with the one he previously operated in, but that was not the case. “From the word go, it was smooth sailing at this school in Tiruvallur district. I am good in classroom management and have also prepared modules to train teachers,” he says. On September 5, 2026, R. Subramanian was among those who received the Dr. Radhakrishnan Best Teacher Award from the Tamil Nadu government. Since 2017, Subramanian has been associated with the school in Nandanam. He worked on bringing about behavioural changes in teenagers. He believes that life’s most important lessons are best taught beyond the four walls of the classroom. Be a friend to teenagers, not just their teacher, he says.A tree planting exercise he initiated on the school campus was much appreciated.“Engaging students in activities such as nurturing saplings and painting the walls of the school with social message are a few ways I built a rapport with students who would otherwise skip classes,” says the 54-year-old teacher who is a resident of Madipakkam.One of the Subramanian’s pet initiatives is anchoring the morning assembly, where relevant news in science and technology or current affairs is presented to students in a capsule format through stories or Thirukkural. This is followed by a question and answer session where students giving the right answer are given goodies by the school headmistress.Beyond the classroom, the “geography sir” is a resource person with the School Education Department on school safety, a visiting faculty for civil service coaching at Anna Institute of Management in Greenways Road and a trainer at Naan Mudhalvan Competitive Exams programme.In most institutions with higher secondary classes, science and commerce are preferred groups for students. Subramanian has been changing this thinking in students by providing them with an understanding of careers in UPSC and TNPSC.He says: “History, Geography and Economics are among core subjects in civil service examination and focussing on them is essential.” Published - September 05, 2026 09:26 pm IST