Hey folks,

Bringing environment into classrooms. It must be one of the toughest challenges that educators across the globe have ever tackled. Almost comparable to the dilemmas that policy makers appear to face in protecting it! Why else does the heated debate surrounding the subject show no signs of ending? No, the wranglings are not over whether students should be ‘made aware’ of how vital environment is for survival — but on how should they be introduced to this… There are two options on the table. One is the ‘infusion’ approach, which says environment should be made a part of every curriculum in every grade. Why make it a separate subject and reduce it to a boring text book-bound routine, when actually it cuts across all disciplines?, ask its supporters. The other is the ‘block’ approach, which presents environment as a distinctive course. Or else it would be short-changed, warn proponents of this method. The curriculum would lack depth and fail to inspire youngsters. Like in every other country, in India, too, the two rival camps are battling it out, while the school community keeps waiting for the verdict. I belong to a third camp. One which believes that the magic glue that will make all these loose ends stick is a league of committed, excited, and interested teachers. What do you think?