Beyond English Lessons: How a Volunteer Built a Lasting Bond with His Students
eVidyaloka|October 2026
eVidyaloka|October 2026
Learning, when it is engaging and accessible, can impact more than just the classroom! At GHPS Miyapur, VT Akshay Patil’s journey with eVidyaloka shows how an encouraging teaching approach can make learning more enjoyable and build lasting connections with students.
In 2018, Akshay Patil began teaching English to Grade 5 students at GHPS Miyapur, a government school in Koppal district, Karnataka, through eVidyaloka’s Digital Classroom Program.
Many students had limited exposure to interactive English learning and needed encouragement to participate and express themselves. Akshay worked to make the subject easier to understand. He used simple explanations, real-life examples, games and activities that connected lessons to everyday experiences.
Instead of making English feel difficult or intimidating, he created a friendly classroom environment where students could ask questions, participate and learn at their own pace. Gradually, students began enjoying the lessons and looking forward to his classes.
Professional commitments eventually led Akshay to discontinue his classes. However, the connection he had built with his students remained meaningful.
Several years later, he returned to GHPS Miyapur and resumed teaching, picking up a journey that had begun in 2018.
His return reflects how the relationships volunteers build with students can extend beyond the time they spend teaching. The enthusiasm with which students look forward to his classes speaks to the bond they continue to share.
Akshay’s contribution extends beyond helping students understand English. Through his engaging approach, he encouraged them to participate more confidently and approach learning with greater enthusiasm.
His former students have since gone on to pursue higher education in a range of fields, including Arts, Commerce, Science, Paramedical studies and Diploma courses.
Each student follows a different path, shaped by their interests and aspirations. Supportive educators can help them build confidence as they explore those possibilities.
Through eVidyaloka’s Digital Classroom Program, technology connects students in government schools with volunteer educators. Akshay’s journey shows how these connections become meaningful when volunteers approach teaching with patience, creativity and an understanding of young learners’ needs.
Akshay’s journey is a reminder that teaching involves more than explaining concepts or completing lessons. The way a teacher engages with students can shape how they experience learning and how confidently they participate.
By making English approachable and enjoyable, Akshay helped create a learning environment that students wanted to return to. His decision to resume teaching at GHPS Miyapur also brought him back to a school where he had already built meaningful relationships.
More than a volunteer, Akshay has been an encouraging presence in his students’ learning journeys. His story reminds us that when educators make learning accessible, engaging and welcoming, the connections they build can last well beyond individual lessons.
Explore how quality education empowers children to break barriers and reach their full potential.
Discuss innovative teaching methods and approaches used by education NGOs to foster a love for learning.
Shed light on the dedicated educators, staff, and volunteers who drive the NGO's educational initiatives.
