He seeds good habits that could save the world
30 Aug 2024
For Mr Mohan S/O Krishnamoorthy, kickstarting sustainability projects is a walk in the park, which is something he also enjoys. He brings his passion for Science to life in and out of the classroom, allowing nature to transform his students.
Mr Mohan is Level Head, Science, at Greendale Primary School and a recipient of the 2024 President’s Award for Teachers.
Drenched in sweat and out of breath, students of Greendale Primary School’s Environmental Club CCA are resting after carting soil and transplanting seedlings. But ask them about the green spaces they are building around the school, and they jump up to answer.
Mr Mohan Krishnamoorthy, their teacher in charge, sees their hard and heart work, when his students display ownership, curiosity, and care for the environment. The Science principles they learn and apply to their studies are icing on the cake.
Inspiration: Not all classrooms have walls
Twenty-five years of teaching primary school students has not dimmed Mr Mohan’s enthusiasm for finding new ways to excite them.
“Why show a photo of a stick insect when you can bring a live one to class? Want to see a Plain Tiger Butterfly? Let’s grow the plants that attract them,” he says.
His own passion for nature and science may have something to do with how his father and grandfather were both avid gardeners. Initiatives such as the Ministry of Education’s Eco Stewardship Programme, and National Parks Board’s (NParks) Greening Schools for Biodiversity also inspire Mr Mohan to help students play their role in sustaining the environment.
When he joined Greendale Primary School four years ago, he headed the Environmental Club CCA and led its members to design and build a wetland pond in the school, right outside the Science Lab. The pond not only provides habitats for biodiversity, inviting all kinds of insects and birds to visit and nest, but also acts as a living classroom for the school community. From there, Mr Mohan worked with his colleagues to weave the wetland pond into the school’s Science curriculum.
By watching their garden grow, his students can see tangibly how great outcomes are achieved with patience, knowledge, and hard work. Mr Mohan notes the positive effects this has had on them, in the form of better behaviour, or in paying more attention to their schoolwork. “I can see the change in some of the students,” he says. “I can see that sense of responsibility in them.”
“We have to keep the light burning for our students.”
Transformation: Nature – and toys – as teaching tools
Mr Mohan is a proponent of hands-on learning, believing that students learn better by experiencing more than just observing. Toys are among his favourite teaching tools, and he is always on the lookout for new ones to enhance his lessons.
“All children love toys and it’s one way you can get them engaged, get them to think critically, and get them to apply a concept that they have learned,” he explains. His go-to gizmo for teaching circuitry is a magician’s lightbulb that doesn’t light up the scientific way. It always sparks chatter about what the ‘right’ way should be. They also get creative about how they could possibly pull off the same stunt without an electrical source.
Mr Mohan also uses real-life scenarios to drive home a point. He turned a visit by a swarm of bees to his home into a class discussion. They covered the significance of bees in biodiversity, and how they should be handled with care. He concluded the lesson with a demonstration of how the bees were safely removed from his home.
It is hard not to be infected by Mr Mohan’s love and respect for nature and Science. One of his students went on in his adult years to win an award for his work with orchid hybrids; he attributed his success to the dedication Mr Mohan displayed for the subject and for his students all those years ago. Like a ringing endorsement, Mr Mohan received NParks’ “Teacher of the Year” Award this year for inspiring students to explore and implement solutions to environmental challenges.
Reflection: Creating the right environment to thrive
When students throw Mr Mohan a curve ball now and then, he responds with patience, some ingenuity and a wrinkle of a smile.
For a certain mischievous student who often got into trouble, Mr Mohan introduced a special ‘reporting routine’, where the boy had to meet him every morning to work out his behavioural targets and plans for positive learning for the day. He set a goal to pass his PSLE and over time, this appeared more and more achievable. When his dream came true, he teared with joy and his family thanked Mr Mohan for his close guidance.
Mr Mohan encourages his peers to proactively engage parents and the community to create a collaborative ecosystem around a child, so he or she can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
He urges his colleagues to exercise the same degree of care for themselves – from keeping fit to taking necessary breaks – so they can go the distance for their students, and avoid burning out. He says, almost in echo of his green mission, “We have to keep the light burning for our students.”
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