In a lively classroom in Chennai, two teachers had very different ways of handling their students.
On one side, there was Mr. Ramachandran, an old-school disciplinarian. His loud voice often echoed through the corridors as he scolded students for their lack of focus. “Why aren’t you paying attention? Do you even care about your future?” he would thunder. The students, rather than concentrating, sat stiffly, waiting for the period to end like prisoners counting down their sentence.
On the other side was Ms. Nandini, who had recently attended a ‘brain-based teaching’ teacher training program by Pipaltree. She had learned about how dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, could be used to increase engagement. Instead of yelling at students, she used an unexpected tool—small rewards and surprise challenges.
One day, in her English class, she announced, “We are going to try something fun today! The student who can use the most new words from today’s lesson in their answers will get a mystery surprise!” The students sat up, their curiosity piqued. A surprise? What could it be?
Even Aravind, who usually doodled in his notebook, started paying attention. Lekha, who was always daydreaming, was now whispering synonyms to herself.
At the end of the class, Ms. Nandini opened a small box. Inside were colorful bookmarks, stickers of inspiring quotes, and tiny keychains shaped like books.
“Wow! I got a ‘Grammar Wizard’ sticker!” shouted Karthik.
“I got a ‘Creative Thinker’ bookmark!” beamed Shruthi.
The students felt a surge of happiness—it wasn’t about the prizes, but the unexpected reward that made learning feel exciting. This was dopamine in action, making their brains crave more learning moments like these.
Meanwhile, in Mr. Ramachandran’s class, students were still half-asleep, afraid to make eye contact lest they be yelled at.
The difference was clear. Ms. Nandini’s students were not only paying attention, but they also started asking deeper questions, coming up with their own activities, and—most importantly—enjoying learning.
As days passed, even Mr. Ramachandran noticed the change. One evening, after a tiring day of scolding, he approached Ms. Nandini. “How do you do it? My throat hurts from yelling, and yet your students actually want to learn!”
She smiled “It’s not about force, sir. It’s about how the brain responds to learning. Back in my previous school, I attended a short course by Pipaltree on how dopamine drives motivation. It completely changed how I teach.”
Mr. Ramachandran hesitated but then sighed. “Well, maybe it’s time to try something different.”
She nodded. “You should talk to the principal and recommend this training for all teachers. If every classroom could be like this, imagine the impact!”
For the first time in years, Mr. Ramachandran felt something stir within him—curiosity. Maybe, just maybe, there was another way.
And so, the magic of dopamine-driven learning began spreading, one class at a time!
Want to transform your school too? Bring the power of new-age teaching & learning.
“Pipaltree: Transforming Teachers, Inspiring Futures—Where Every Lesson Becomes a Lifelong Impact.”
Contact us to revolutionize your school’s teaching approach today!
In service since: 2010.