If I Could Redesign Schools for the Future
Schools are often described as the temples of learning, yet when I reflect on my own school years, I sometimes remember how rigid and stressful they felt. Bells dictated our day, marks decided our worth, and mistakes were often feared more than celebrated.
Now, as I pursue my B.Ed. at SCERT, I feel a deep responsibility to reimagine what schools could look like in the future. My years of teaching tuition alongside my studies—nearly five years of guiding children of different ages—have given me valuable insights into the gaps in our current system and the possibilities that lie ahead.
If I could redesign schools for the future, I would dream of institutions that are not exam factories but nurturing communities, places where joy and curiosity thrive, where technology assists but does not dominate, and where every child feels seen and capable of success.
Making Schools Joyful, Not Fearful
In my tutoring experience, I often saw children afraid of tests, worried about scolding, or discouraged because of a single poor mark. I realized early that learning cannot bloom in an environment of fear. My redesigned schools would place joy at the center of learning.
Instead of focusing on class ranks, we would celebrate individual progress and personal journeys.
Mornings would begin not with roll calls but with stories, music, reflection, or short meditation to set a positive tone.
Mistakes would be treated as opportunities, not punishments, because only then can children take risks and truly grow.
A school must be a place where children look forward to going every day, not a place they escape from.
Learning Without Walls
During my B.Ed. practicum, I noticed how theory-heavy teaching often made students restless. For example, while explaining environmental topics, I felt how much richer the lesson would be if we could connect it with local community practices or a hands-on activity.
In my redesigned school:
Science lessons would happen in the garden, the lab, or even on field trips.
Mathematics would be learned through budgeting for events or calculating real-life statistics.
History and culture would be experienced through plays, oral storytelling, and virtual reality visits to historical sites.
Education should not be about memorizing lines in a notebook but about living and applying knowledge.
Technology With a Human Touch
Technology will play a huge role in schools of the future, but I believe it must remain a servant, not a master.
In my redesigned schools:
AI tools would personalize lessons, ensuring each child learns at their pace.
Virtual and augmented reality would allow students to explore worlds they cannot physically reach.
There would also be technology-free spaces where children read books, create art, and connect face-to-face.
My tutoring years taught me something crucial: what students remember most is not the tool but the human connection with the teacher. That is why technology will only assist learning, never replace the teacher’s role.
Teachers as Mentors and Lifelong Learners
My journey of teaching tuition has shown me that children thrive not under strictness but under trust and encouragement. As a teacher-in-training, I want to carry this lesson into the schools of the future.
Teachers will act as mentors, guiding both academic and emotional growth.
They will be co-learners, continuously updating their knowledge and modeling lifelong learning.
They will focus on creating an environment where questions are welcomed, and curiosity is celebrated.
A school is only as strong as its teachers, and teachers are strongest when they keep learning with their students.
Schools Without Boundaries
The schools of tomorrow cannot be limited by geography or walls. I imagine redesigned schools where:
Students in India can collaborate on projects with peers in Japan or Kenya.
Communities and schools work hand-in-hand, with students solving local challenges like waste management or literacy drives.
Global citizenship is nurtured alongside local identity.
Learning, in this vision, is not about passing exams but about participating in building a better world.
My Personal Aspiration
Studying at SCERT has given me not just academic training but a sense of purpose—that I am preparing for a profession that shapes futures. My five years of tutoring have taught me patience, creativity, and the power of personal connection.
When I imagine myself teaching in such a redesigned school, I see myself walking among clusters of students who are debating, experimenting, and creating, not just copying notes. Some may be using tablets, others painting, and a few may be outdoors observing nature. My role would not be to control them but to guide, encourage, and walk alongside them.
Above all, I want to create schools that build kind, resilient, and confident human beings because the future will demand not only intelligence but also compassion.
Conclusion
If I could redesign schools for the future, I would design them as homes of joy, innovation, and humanity. Schools where children laugh, wonder, and grow. Schools where teachers and students learn together. Schools where knowledge goes hand in hand with wisdom, and exams are not the final goal, life is.
This is not just a dream. With every step of my B.Ed. journey, and every hour I spend teaching children, I know this vision can become reality. One day, I hope to stand in such a school, proud that I played a role in reshaping it—not just for myself, but for generations to come.
— Garima Bhardwaj
SCERT
