Kerala woman aged 85 teaches children using sand and a stick
Indira Amma has used traditional methods to teach Malayalam, Hindi, English and mathematics for nearly a decade.
An 85-year-old woman, Indira Amma, has been teaching young children Malayalam, Hindi, English and mathematics using sand and a stick for nearly a decade in Kerala. According to the Times of India, she conducts these lessons at the Temple of English School in Alappuzha.
Known affectionately as Ashaatti Ammumma, she spreads a layer of sand on the ground and uses a small stick to write letters and numbers. The children watch her movements and then use their fingers to trace the shapes in the sand.
The method allows children to observe how characters are formed and reproduce them. If mistakes are made, the surface can be smoothed to start over, which avoids the need for paper or notebooks.
The practice is connected to Kerala's traditional educational methods, such as Ezhuthiniruthu, where children trace letters on sand or rice. This approach is also associated with the traditional Aashan Kalari system.
A video of her teaching recently went viral on social media. The lessons provide a way for young learners to practise basic writing without relying on digital devices or expensive materials.