Kumud Sharma, Headmistress at Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, explains about supporting independent learning from an early age that encourages children to think for themselves. Small opportunities to plan tasks or work through difficulties help them gain confidence. As they practise working independently, they improve their focus and perseverance.
The dedication that each of us teachers brings to our role certainly deserves acknowledgement. Whether we are teaching in a busy, bustling city school or in a quiet rural classroom, we all have one dream before us: we want our children not only to know facts but also to truly understand how to learn.
Let me begin with a simple moment many of us can relate to in our classrooms. Let us imagine a child struggling with her project at home. She is working on making a solar system model and, after ten minutes of fumbling with glue, paper and scissors, she looks frustrated. Her parent, with the best of intentions, steps in and finishes it for her. The result is a perfect solar system model. But what did the girl actually learn? The fact is, she did not learn how to solve problems. She did not learn how to be patient. She did not learn how to put in more effort to improve. She only learned that whenever she struggles, someone else will step in and take over to help her finish the assignment.
This is where our real challenge lies. When we help the children too much—out of love or lack of time—it often leads to a situation that we call learner helplessness. Children slowly begin to lose the confidence that they are capable of doing things on their own. As Maria Montessori wisely said, “Never help a child with a task which he feels he can succeed at.”
So why does independence in young children matter? Independence matters because children are born curious. Anyone who has spent even five minutes with a five-year-old knows the endless stream of “Why?” that follows each of our answers. But unless we cultivate that curiosity in them and give children ownership of their learning, they will begin to depend on us for every response.
I once observed a student from Grade Three who always looked at his peers’ notebooks before writing his answers, which was because he lacked confidence in his own thinking. Instead of reprimanding him, his teacher opted for a different approach. She asked him to demonstrate a science activity in front of the class. She had already noticed his strong interest in science. The activity was a simple vinegar-and-baking-soda volcano experiment. The teacher observed that for the first time, the boy was not nervous. He was not looking at anyone else because he was leading the activity. When his experiment fizzed, and his classmates applauded, his face beamed with pride. Within a few weeks, his habit of copying from peers began to decrease. That is the kind of change we, as educators, can bring about.
Let me share another example. A Grade Four student—let us call her Monica—was extremely shy and asked for help with every mathematics problem. Her teacher introduced a “thinking notebook”. Before approaching the teacher for help, Monica had to record at least two attempts at solving the problem. Within a few months, she began solving sums independently, not always correctly, of course, but with far greater confidence infused into her.
This confidence matters because independent learners build resilience when things do not go as expected. They learn persistence. They learn to solve problems creatively. They retain knowledge longer because it has come to them because of their own efforts—it is not borrowed learning. When we allow children to take ownership, we lay the foundation for lifelong learning. When children feel ownership, they are not merely preparing for tests and examinations; they are preparing for life itself.
This transition requires us to move from being instructors to becoming facilitators. Traditionally, teachers have been knowledge providers. We write on the board, and students copy. We explain, and they repeat. While this method may produce short-term results, it often creates dependency. The role of a facilitator is different. It is not about giving answers but guiding them to discovery.
We can take an example of a Grade Two student who once asked, “How do we spell ‘caterpillar’?” The teacher could easily have given the spelling for the word, but she paused and asked, “What tools can you use to find the spelling?” The child thought for a moment, walked to the classroom library and found the word in a book. That moment of discovery would have remained with him far longer than rote memorisation ever would.
In another classroom, a teacher posed a question to her Grade One students: “What melts faster—ice with sugar or ice with salt?” She divided them into small groups and provided them with bowls containing each mixture. The students observed with excitement as the salt caused the ice to melt more quickly. Discovering the answer all by themselves deepens their understanding and fills them with joy.
Many more practical strategies help us transition from instructors to facilitators. One effective approach is the use of choice boards for projects. For a topic on animals, for example, children may be allowed to choose to create a drawing, write a poem, perform a role play or build a model. Such flexibility allows diverse talents in them to shine, recognising that every child possesses unique abilities.
Peer teaching is another powerful strategy. In one Grade Four class, a student was asked to explain long division to her classmates. In doing so, she improved her own understanding far more effectively than when she had simply listened to the teacher. Teaching others requires revisiting the concept, clarifying doubts and engaging with finer details.
Guided questioning is equally important. Instead of providing direct answers, we might ask the students, “What could you try first?” By shifting responsibility gradually from our shoulders to our students, we empower them.
However, independence in young minds is not built through teaching strategies alone. It thrives in an environment of trust in them. In one school in Bengaluru, a teacher introduced a self-check station. Before submitting their work, students compared it against a checklist displayed on the wall. Within months, errors started decreasing. More importantly, students would proudly say, “I checked it myself.” That sense of ownership was priceless. In another case, a child who was always restless was appointed line leader. His responsibility was to guide the class quietly between activities. Feeling trusted and valued, he became more focused and disciplined.
Similarly, a Grade One student who frequently forgot her books was supported through a visual timetable displayed on the board. Pictures of the required materials for each period helped her prepare independently. Gradually, she would no longer rely on reminders. What once felt confusing became structured and manageable.
Some classrooms also have introduced an “independence corner” containing puzzles, extra books and simple science kits. Students who finish tasks early can choose meaningful activities instead of causing disruption. This encourages self-directed learning and, at the same time, maintains classroom harmony. Independence flourishes where trust is present. The message we must consistently send to the young minds is simple: “I believe you can do this.”
Yet our efforts in school must be supported at home also. Parents are essential partners in this difficult journey. Often, out of love, they tend to help their children. We have often seen projects that look more like adults’ creations than children’s work. One Grade Four student was regularly submitting artwork that appeared professionally done. The teacher later discovered that her mother had been completing the assignments. Instead of criticising the child or the mother, the teacher invited the mother to observe the “Beautiful Mess Wall” in the classroom—a display of unfinished drafts and corrected work. She explained to the mother that learning happens through mistakes. From that day forward, the child’s submissions were, of course, less polished but authentically hers. She felt proud presenting her own work.
In another case, a father insisted on submitting perfect homework by his son. The teacher showed him two samples: one heavily corrected by the parent and another messy but independently completed by the boy. She asked the father, “Which one truly shows what the boy has understood?” That simple question transformed the parents’ perspective. As facilitators, we must guide parents as well—through means such as rubrics that value effort and creativity, discussions during parent–teacher meetings, and student-led conferences. Our aim has to be clear: we want problem-solvers, not merely perfect score chasers.
True independence also requires reflection by the students. Metacognition—thinking about one’s own thinking—is a powerful skill. During a mathematics lesson, a teacher once asked the students, “What helped you solve today’s sums?” One child said, “I drew pictures.” Another said, “I counted on my fingers.” By articulating their strategies in this way, they became aware of their own learning processes.
In Grade Four, students completed exit slips after group work, answering the questions present in the slip, such as: What did I do well? Where did I struggle? What will I try differently next time? Even younger children can work on this. In a Grade One classroom, the teacher made students use thumbs-up, thumbs-sideways or thumbs-down gestures to indicate their level of understanding. This simple action encouraged honest self-assessment. Over time, students begin to view mistakes not as failures but as stepping stones towards growth. That mindset is the hallmark of independence.
To conclude, independence is built through small, intentional steps from the teachers and parents. Our role must transition from instructor to facilitator. Classrooms must be safe, trusting environments where responsibility is shared by all. Parents must remain active partners. Reflection must remain central to learning. When we step back slightly, children step forward to do work independently. When we reduce control, they do work on their own. When we nurture independence from the earliest years—even from pre-primary—we bring out not just learners, but thinkers, explorers and lifelong problem-solvers. Let us commit to raising not only learners, but thinkers; not only performers, but explorers.
Shaping tomorrow’s leaders
In future-ready schools, the educators and management have to be at the forefront, work more, facilitate for the students, incorporate all the new strategies coming up every day, and we need to ensure that all the teachers become well-versed in these skills and use them in the classroom meticulously. We need core values such as compassion, resilience, integrity, and empathy to be developed in young minds. They shape them as great individuals and prepare them for the future. They also help in bringing about a positive transition in the present community.
Lifelong learning for educators
An educator has to keep practising, attend as many leadership workshops as possible, and continue to read. They can get guidance from senior persons. They should be open to learning continuously. They should view every day as a learning experience. They should be willing to learn from peers, seniors, and workshops, and they should incorporate them in their teaching methodology with enthusiasm and resilience.
Learning through challenges
I am a positive person and take every challenge as a learning experience only. I try to find a way out of these challenges. I do not keep them in mind as challenges. I do not get panic attacks about the challenges that lie ahead of me. So my career has been a nice journey and has given me a lot of learning experience. I have always been able to solve them and move forward for the next learning experience.
Whatever examples I have given are from my own experiences, except for the names of the children. I am happy that I have tried to change myself with the times. My journey from instructor to facilitator was not a smooth one, but I have found a great transition in myself, and I am happy that I could adapt to all the changes.
It is the teachers who build the nation, take up the responsibility to develop other professions also by infusing confidence, shaping up the values, changing the outlook of the children, and we, teachers, help the youngsters to become responsible and active citizens of the world. The role of teachers is not limited to academics alone, but it also helps in nurturing courage, empathy, and responsibility in the youngsters.
Education for changing world
Education will become more personalised and will be skill and technology-oriented. Schools will have to prepare the students to focus not only on careers but also to become good citizens, with mastery over technology. My school infuses technology and sustainability, along with global citizenship in our curriculum for the students, which many schools have started doing too.
Contact Details
Kumud Sharma
Headmistress at Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
M: 99991 58069
E: kumudpraveen@gmail.com