Heart Vs Mind - Reading at The Teacher's Academy 14th Sept 2024

Summary of the reading session

Addressing Student Disciplinary Issues and Teacher's Role

We read about disciplinary issue involving students Arjun and Rakhi. Roma, their teacher, disagreed with the punishment and insisted on talking to the parents first before disciplining the students. Roma emphasised the need to understand the student's perspective and only jump to conclusions with giving them a fair chance. The discussion highlighted the importance of respecting teachers and allowing them to handle situations with their students. Roma firmly stood up for her students despite opposition from senior colleagues.

Addressing Student Misbehavior and Consequences

Roma discussed the actions of two students, Arjun and Rakhi, who had been caught talking on the terrace, a prohibited area, and bunking the morning assembly. Learning emphasised the importance of understanding the consequences of their actions, which had given the school administration, teachers, and other students a wrong message. She also highlighted the need to adapt to new times and understand the younger generation's perspective. The students apologised for their actions, but Roma continued questioning them to ensure they understood the gravity of their mistakes.

Relationship Issues and Physical Intimacy Discussion

Arjun, Rakhi, and their friends discussed their relationship issues. Rakhi expressed her need for more time due to the impact of the relationship on her life at home and school, while Arjun argued that the relationship was not affecting his life. They also discussed the influence of their friends on their relationship, with Arjun mentioning that Anthony had advised him that Arjun liked Rakhi. The conversation ended with Rakhi expressing her desire to end the relationship due to the pressure it put on her and the fear of a breakup. Additionally, Rakhi explained the four phases related to physical intimacy, which led to an unintended revelation by Arjun and Rakhi in front of their teacher.

Discussing Friendship, Autonomy, and Consequences

Sandeep expressed concerns about friends' influence on personal decisions and the potential consequences of such decisions. Anubha mentioned the importance of individual autonomy and the possible impact of their actions on others. The conversation also touched on the theme of friendship and its potential challenges. The conversation ended with Learning promising to work on being just friends to facilitate a meeting with their parents.

Building Self-Confidence and Trust in Education

Roma shared her experience of receiving love letters at 16, which helped her cope with negative comments and build self-confidence. She connected this to Rakhi's situation and highlighted the importance of self-confidence and teacher-student trust. Roma welcomed Arjun's and Rakhi's parents to discuss punishing their children for their mistakes. The parents agreed with the school's decision and decided to remove their children's privileges.

Addressing Technical Difficulties and Punishments

Our meeting was marked by technical difficulties, with participants experiencing intermittent audio and video issues. Despite these disruptions, we managed to continue the session and the discussion on punishments. Sandeep emphasised the importance of understanding how these punishments can be handled and the need for better devices and connections to prevent future disruptions.

Navigating Teenage Years: Challenges and Support

The discussion revolved around the challenges of parenting teenagers, particularly those between the ages of 14 and 16. The participants acknowledged the significant changes during this period, including shifts in friendships' cognitive, emotional, physical, and personality growth. They emphasised the importance of understanding these changes to better support their children. The conversation also touched on the role of schools and parents in navigating these challenges, focusing on providing guidance and support during this confusing phase of life.

Teenagers' Behavior and Relationship Dynamics

The meeting revolved around the issues faced by Rakhi, a teenage girl, and Arjun, a teenage boy. The discussion centred on the reasons behind their behaviour, with Roma suggesting that Rakhi might seek self-assurance through a relationship due to her insecurities. On the other hand, Mr Rana argued that Arjun was a confident boy and didn't need to seek self-assurance through a relationship. The group also discussed the possibility of Arjun missing his mother or sister, which could explain his attachment to Rakhi. The conversation ended with the group agreeing that trust should be given to teenagers and that they should not be punished for their actions.

Teenage Relationships: Emotional Challenges and Communication

The discussion revolved around the emotional and psychological aspects of teenage relationships, particularly the challenges teenagers and their parents face. The participants acknowledged that teenagers often experience intense emotional connections, which can be overwhelming and all-consuming. They also recognised that teenagers are young and immature and usually try to deal with their emotions independently. The importance of open communication and understanding was emphasised, suggesting that parents should not react as anticipated but instead give their children a chance to talk about their experiences. The participants also discussed the potential dangers of physical intimacy in certain relationships and the need for teenagers to learn how to say no and leave situations when necessary.

Teenage Self-Esteem and Brain Development Discussion

Roma and Mrs. Vishwanathan discussed the importance of self-esteem in teenagers and advised Rocky's mother to work on his low self-esteem by encouraging self-love. Roma also explained the development of the teenage brain, emphasising emotional sensitivity and the ongoing development of the prefrontal cortex. She shared her experience of a tense day at school filled with drama and tension and received a warning from Simon about her actions, particularly her involvement in taking four girls to a club.

Chapter Completion and Assignment Discussion

Learning discussed the completion of the current chapter and the assignment planned for it. The assignment was shared in the Joy of Learning Library and Dehradun. Learning encouraged everyone to work on it in groups, creating videos as suggested or coming up with reflections. The next session was set to focus on reflections from teachers across schools. Learning also emphasised the importance of reading and leading, urging everyone to try to read the assigned book. The conversation ended with a reminder to refer to the blog post and start working on the assignment.

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Quality and Love - Jaspreet Kaur

“Quality is not an act; it is a habit.” 

A student who does a shoddy job in classwork and homework: - During the teaching-learning process, we face several problems. In grade V, one student came from a government school. Initially, he needed to understand the culture of the school. He is an introvert too, who never shares his worries with anyone. He needed to understand  English properly. At the beginning of the session, he never did his homework and classwork. Even teachers can’t understand his handwriting. We worked on his script. As a teacher, I counselled his mother to buy a notebook to improve his writing. Every day the language teachers gave him one page daily. Gradually,  he improved his handwriting. I usually appreciated him when he gave wrong answers to boost his confidence. I also counselled the students of Grade V not to laugh at him, even if he gave wrong answers or could not make proper sentences. Now, at the end of the session, he improved a lot. He provided answers confidently. I am delighted and thankful to all the subject teachers who played an essential role in his improvement. 

Two underage students in a romantic relationship: - If I will face this kind of situation, Firstly, I would love to talk to the students individually, but not in front of other students. I will handle the situation with great patience and love. I will suggest the students concentrate on their studies. I will also take the help of my parents to counsel them with love, not by scolding them.  

Jaspreet Kaur 

Kamla Nehru Public School, Phagwara

Hope and Friendship - Preeti Mahajan

“Hope is the power that gives a person the confidence to step out and try.

Once you choose hope, anything is possible.”

Life is a roller coaster ride. We all face ups and downs in the course of life. The only weapon that helps

us to sail through the darkest of times is hope.

My Observation

A girl in class 8, Vibhuti (name changed), lost her parents in a car accident. She was an average student, but post the tragedy, she became utterly hopeless and pessimistic in her approach to life.

The effort from my side.

Vibhuti was given individual attention in class. Many times, counselling and guidance were provided to her. Personalised notes and test papers were given to her. She was made comfortable to ask and discuss her personal problems and challenges. In due course of time, she regained her lost hope and interest. Instead, her academic performance also improved.

Friendship

“True friends are like diamonds bright, beautiful, valuable and always in style.”

My observation

A child named Zoya (name changed) in class 8 was a reserved and quiet girl. No friend circle at all. She occupied the last seat always and often found herself lost in her thoughts only. At times, she was quarrelsome and short-tempered also. This indifferent behaviour made her isolated from her entire class.

Action taken

Zoya was counselled for her indifferent behaviour. She was convinced to sit and mix up with the

students of a class. She was given group tasks like board decoration, copy collection, group projects,

enacting plays and many more to make her converse, interact and talk with her classmates. She was

appreciated for her excellent performance and transformation.

Advice to the educators

Children are like soft clay, ready to be moulded and shaped by us, the sculptors.

Observe the child deeply.

Take the right action at the earliest.

Hold their hands firmly.

Show them the light so that they can traverse even the darkest tunnel in their life smoothly.

Ms Preeti Mahajan

Ahlcon Public School

JOL Cohort 2022

Courage and Patience - Preeti Mahajan

A Fearful Student

Observation 

I was teaching English in class 6. The children were new to the senior wing and were trying to adjust to the new environment. One boy used to occupy the last seat always. He never made any attempt to answer the questions. His reading skills were also poor, and when talking to teachers, he used to stammer.

Action taken 

The child was handled politely and told that all the teachers were there to assist and guide him. They are not to be scared of. His classmates were sensitized to help him overcome his fears and apprehensions. He was given positive reinforcement quite often. After a few weeks, a good change was noticed.

My advice to the educators

1. Observe the child's unusual behaviour for at least one week 

2. Establish a good rapport with the child.

3. Talk to him and allow him to open up.

4. Sensitize his classmates about his fears and apprehensions.

5. Make the classroom environment happy and comfortable.

6. If the need arises, talk to the parents.

7. Scolding and snubbing are a complete no-no for such children.

8. Friendliness and politeness can do wonders to make a fearful child a confident one.

An impatient student

Observation

I noticed a child in class 7 who exhibited fidgety and restless behaviour. He never waited for his turn to

answer the questions. He did not allow others to speak. During recess time, he also pushed others to make his way to the canteen.

Action taken

After observing him for a few days, I approached and counselled him for the misbehaviour. He was told about the invaluable virtual of patience in our life by giving examples. Regular follow-up was done to check his mannerism. In about a month, a positive change was noticed in his behaviour.

My advice to the educators

1. Observe the child's behaviour for at least one week.

2. If the child exhibits impatient behaviour or restless attitude, try to know the reason

3. Counsel him and state the disadvantages of being impatient in life.

4. Give him some extra work to occupy him.

5. Mind games and puzzles can also be employed.

6. Most importantly, don't lose your own patience while handling an impatient child.

Preeti Mahajan
Ahlcon Public School 

Happiness and Tolerance - Jaspreet Kaur

 My experience with handling an unhappy student and an intolerant one.

Jaspreet Kaur

Kamla Nehru Public School, Phagwara

JOL Cohort 2022

Quality and love - Neelam Bhardwaj

The word Quality can be defined in two aspects -

• The degree of excellence in the work undertaken.

• Distinct virtue or characteristic - Discipline, Hard Work, Diligence, Sincerity etc.

Image from Shutterstock.com

A teacher deals with all kinds of students and no two students are the same. There are times when the children come up with untidy or incomplete work. So how a teacher can enhance the various qualities in the children to get a good quality of work from them.

There can be many reasons, for which a teacher needs to find the solutions as well.

1. Unclear concepts

Sometimes the child does not understand the concepts and finds it difficult to complete the given work. A teacher needs to find the learning styles of the students. For that matter, a teacher needs to be supportive and encouraging. There are some slow learners who may need extra help. The teacher should give them individual time, and may even need to adjust some assignments for them. 

2. Too much workload

Sometimes it is hard for the children to give good results in their work as they get overburdened by the work. Rather than teaching 2 or 3 topics together, the teacher should limit the learning to just one topic. Students will give a better quality of work as their focus remains on a single topic. Homework should be given, but limited. It is just a mode for the children to revise and retain what they learned in the class. Homework is given to set a system of learning, which helps the children to develop discipline and self-confidence.

3. Home is a place for relaxation

It is hard for the kids to focus at home. When the child is in the classroom there aren't a lot of distractions and  Learning is structured and organised. As soon as the children reach home their brain clicks to relaxing mode. They intend to do what they feel like. For this, the parents need to assist their child at home and teachers should make sure to check with the parents. Under the guidance of the parents, the children can give better results in their work.

4. Lack of interest

At a point in time, the children really lose interest in doing their work. A teacher needs to have discussions, not lectures. Some group activities, project work, outdoor walks, social experiments, should be included in the teaching to make the learning interesting and exciting for the students. This will definitely give good outcomes and improve the quality of work. 

5. Lack of understanding between teacher and student

Students are more inclined to complete assignments when teachers and students respect one another. Students sense when teachers care about them and want them to do their best work. Even the students will try harder if they know that the teacher cares about them and respects them not just as students but as human beings as well.

Classwork and homework can bring together children, parents and teachers in a common effort to improve students' learning. Teachers are the vital link in making this happen. Qualities like self-discipline, responsibility, love of learning, sincerity, punctuality which they learn at school benefit them throughout their lives.

Love

Love makes not just the world go around, but our perception of everything in the universe as well.

Love is a word that does not have a definition. It is more easily experienced than defined. It is multidimensional and complex yet simple and powerful. It takes on different forms. 

Middle school or High school is when many teenage students start to explore love and romance. This may seem silly but for a teen student, it is one of the most important steps in the journey of growth. This is the time when they are going through hormonal changes.

Image: Pinclipart

For teachers talking on a topic like love is as important as teaching any biology lesson. Teachers have a great role in helping students understand what love is and its various aspects. 

The conversation about love should start before the students reach that stage of getting into any romantic relationship. A teacher should define love to the students in different aspects. Having someone's help, enjoying a game together and sharing lunch is a way of showing love. It is the love that we share with our family, friends and pets. In another aspect- dancing, painting, travelling, gardening, shopping is also love because love is what you like. Doing something for the love of it is the most divine, wonderful, powerful way of doing it. Another form of love that generally attracts teenagers is the romantic form of love. The children need to know that love is not always about romance. 

Love and relationships can be difficult, especially in the teenage years. Budding romances can be fun but also confusing. In these moments of confusion, students often turn to friends or the internet. In that case, Students can be best guided by the teachers, as they spend most of their time in school.

Teachers need to counsel the children about love and infatuation. Even talk to the parents. Tell the children what is right and wrong for them. Needs to show the students that they value their opinions and keeps the door open to more conversations.

Images: Shutterstock.com

Teachers and parents can still have rules for the children to be safe, healthy and moral while communicating in a mutually respectful way.

 - Neelam Bhardwaj@JMMS, John Martyn Memorial School, Salangaon, Dehradun

Happiness and Tolerance - Dr Mona Khanna

 “The key to happiness is the tolerance of those who do not do as you do." ~ Jeanette Winterson.” 

We argue the most with the people most important to us, our family. As children, we are blissfully unaware of parental duties and oppose so many decisions that our parents make for us. As parents, we try to impose those same expectations on our children. 

In today’s world, the generational gap is becoming increasingly evident and prominent. A member of Generation X, I am seldom in sync with the beliefs held by my Gen Z children. There are so many similarities and differences between their upbringing as compared to my own. Over the years, I’ve adjusted and adapted to their ideologies and principles as they have to mine. True happiness can only be achieved via harmony and mutual respect. Tolerance goes a long way in arriving at that harmony.

My son, Shiven, turned 20 years old recently, and I looked back at his critical decisions. It doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree with those decisions as long as he is satisfied with them and is making the most of his time. All my life has gone into studying and then teaching mathematics. My father was a civil engineer, my brother studied engineering while my daughter is pursuing medical. Safe to say, we are a science family. 

Ever since a child, Shiven shared my interest in Maths and Science. It hardly came as a surprise when he opted for PCM, post his 10th results. His career path was structured, and I was happy that he knew what he wanted to do in life. Fast forward two years, and I was stuck at a crossroad, I had never imagined myself to be facing. Shiven had given the IPMAT exam for IIM Indore’s 5-year dual degree program. The exam was supposed to be a back-up, and we weren’t expecting him to clear without preparing. So when he got through and then decided to accept their offer letter, I was not ready.

For ten years, we had shared a vision. It was really tough to let go of that dream and drastically switch careers. Never in my wildest dreams did I envision Shiven to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. Unprepared and confused, I sought counsel from many people on the program and curriculum. Shiven was adamant about joining, and I had to agree that the course was promising. Conflicting emotions led to unnecessary arguments that took time to mend. 

It was a crucial point not just for him but for me as a parent as well. I was going to have to learn to tolerate and accept some of my children’s decisions. I am a staunch advocate of the philosophy, ‘‘Live and Let Live.’’ I have lived my life on my own accord, making my own decisions, many of which haven't panned out the way I expected them to. It is incredibly challenging seeing your loved ones make mistakes, even more so if you could help prevent them.

As Shiven enters his 3rd year at IIM Indore, I marvel at what he has been able to achieve over the last two years. We are never going to get everything that we hoped for. Nor is everyone going to follow your principles or listen to your advice all the time. If that were the case, the world would be deprived of different talented individuals and lack creativity. 

Happiness and Tolerance go hand in hand. Keeping others happy, especially the ones you love, goes a long way towards your own happiness. At times, that requires tolerance, patience, and the ability to compromise. 

Ambiguity is a ubiquitous part of life. A student may spend his entire two years preparing for the course without knowing if the search will be in vain. He may stare at an abstract painting on a gallery wall, uncertain if the vague shape is a bicycle or a product of his own imagination. The tendency to view ambiguous and uncertain situations as appealing versus threatening is known as ambiguity tolerance (Frenkel-Brunswik, 1949; Budner, 1962) or uncertainty intolerance (Freeston, Rhéaume, Letarte, Dugas, & Ladouceur, 1994). People who are more tolerant of ambiguity report being happier (Bardi, Guerra, Sharadeh, & Ramdeny, 2009), more motivated to learn (Tapanes, Smith, & White, 2009). As teachers, we should be prepared to be more tolerant of ambiguity and be flexible to tap the best potential of the child and allow them to be risk-takers, creative and make the world a happier place for themselves. Tolerance doesn’t just make peaceful coexistence possible, another advantage is that being open to other ways of thinking can help with personal development.

Teaching children about tolerance is the best gift that you can give them as teachers. Children shouldn’t grow up with feelings of hate and suspicion. Children who grow up with hate and jealousy of others turn into unhappy people. And children who are forced to believe certain opinions will develop into people who aren’t free or independent thinkers. Tolerance can help shift the attitudes toward others, leading us to a more productive and happy life.

- Dr Mona Khanna, Vice Principal at Unison World School, she has joined the PLP Cohort for the Joy Of Learning Program at the John Martyn Memorial School in Salan Gaon near Dehradun, India Dr Khanna's professional profile - linkedin.com/in/mona-khanna-244198175 

Photo Courtesy The Doon School Weekly August 25, 2018, Issue No. 2510