Kamal Ghorui
Photo credits: The tribune and Canva
Mornings for school and evenings for tuitions; This is how most teenagers manage their studies. However, for 18-year-old Gurpreet Singh, attending tuitions wasn’t a choice, for he had to support his family’s financial struggles. The class 12th student, hailing from Punjab’s Jalandhar, worked as an electrician after school, yet what the boy has achieved is beyond impressive. Gurpreet Singh scored 97.2% in his class 12th exam, and became district’s second topper in Punjab School Education Board. Now Gurpreet’s story has become an inspiring story for many.
Photo credits: The Better India
Gurpreet started working as an electrician nearly three years ago, as he had to support his financially struggling family. His father works as a labourer, while his mother is a homemaker. Every day after school, he would head for electrical work and often return home late in the evening.Gurpreet is a student of the School of Eminence, Kartarpur. He secured an impressive 486 out of 500 marks. His subject-wise performance includes 90 marks in elements of electrical technology, 89 in materials and workshop practice, 87 in electrical domestic appliances, 98 in Punjabi and 92 in English.He also pursued vocational training in the electrical trade alongside his studies, believing that both education and practical skills would help him build a stronger future.Managing studies alongside work can never be easy, but Gurpreet didn’t let his circumstances affect his studies. He used to study late at night.
The one habit Gurpreet focused on
While speaking to The Better India, Gurpreet Singh revealed the core approach he followed with his studies. He never believed in simply memorising lessons for exams, instead, he focused on understanding every concept properly. This one habit helped him remember topics better. And now, after his Class 12 success, Gurpreet hopes to pursue a diploma in electrical studies and eventually secure a government job. Certainly, managing work and studies is far from an ideal situation for any child, and this definitely proved Gurpreet is an exceptional learner. However, beyond his hard work and resilience, his approach towards learning also stands out.What every parent and student should takeaway from Gurpreet’s approach Gurpreet’s journey highlights that learning goes beyond memorization. It is a message for students as well as parents that shows the power of understanding concepts instead of only rote-learning them for the sake of scores.
Why understanding matters more than learning
When students focus on only memorising answers, studies become stressful and even the retention becomes temporary. On the other hand, when a child understands concepts, he builds confidence, clarity and even curiosity in what they study. Research also supports the idea that concept-based learning helps children develop stronger thinking skills than what they build from memorisation. Studies suggest such approaches of learning develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Practical tips for children to focus on understanding instead of memorising
Ask questions like “why does it work the way it does?”
When one understands the logic behind concepts, they tend to approach the concept with deeper thinking and stronger understanding.
Repeat the concepts as if you’re explaining to someone
When one can explain a topic in simple words, it shows that they understand the idea and have not just learnt it.
Connect examples and concepts to real life situations
Connecting lessons to everyday experiences makes learning relatable, and thus retain for a longer period of time.
Use visuals and diagrams
Visual learning methods help simplify difficult concepts and help children understand topics more effectively than repeated memorisation.
