- A Delhi teacher created a self-attendance board for primary students to use daily
- Children mark their presence by sliding open matchboxes with their photos and P/A letters
- The low-cost, creative method promotes independence and accountability among young students
A primary school teacher in Delhi has won the internet's heart after introducing a creative self-attendance board that replaces the traditional morning roll call. A viral clip uploaded on Instagram showcases how a simple, low-cost classroom hack can teach young children independence and accountability right from the start of their school day.
The video, posted by educator Sumi Siyag on her Instagram page (@mind_map_master) with the caption "My little ones, taking charge," shows the teacher walking into the classroom followed by her young students. Rather than sitting down and waiting for their names to be called, the children head straight to a colourful board mounted on the wall to mark their attendance.
The board features rows of empty matchboxes, each displaying a photo of an individual student on the front. Inside each box are the letters "A" (Absent) and "P" (Present). Upon arriving, each child locates their photo, slides open their matchbox to reveal the letter "P," and quietly takes their seat.
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Watch the video here:
Social media reactions
The teacher's low-tech approach shows that meaningful educational tools don't require expensive gadgets or digital screens. The heartwarming video quickly drew thousands of likes and appreciative comments from users across social media. Nearly 27 million users watched it.
"What an amazing initiative and way to take attendance to increase attendance rates, especially in primary school! Hats off to whoever came up with this idea to promote self-awareness among children-fun mixed with study!" one user commented.
"What a creative and engaging way to take attendance! This is exactly the kind of hands-on, interactive learning that research shows builds children's engagement and confidence," shared another.
While many praised it as an "amazing idea," one user jokingly remarked, "Marking a proxy just became way easier!"
