Quality and Love - Optimizers BHIS

Where there is love and care there is no darkness.

Listen to the podcast

A student is far more responsive to a teacher who loves and cares and is, therefore, more likely to learn and engage.

Let us read the story of Raj and how his teacher’s love and caring relationship helped him to do better in school. Raj was a well-known student in his school and in the class for his outstanding commitment. All students knew that he was very helpful towards teachers and his friends. He uses to volunteer in all the school events and even waited after school with teachers, to help them out in completing the extracurricular activities. One of the teachers was a keen observer of Raj’s behaviour. He encouraged and motivated him in all the works that he does in class. But, he found that Raj was not enthusiastic in studies like the way he is good at activities. He enquired from other teachers and tried to know more about Raj. But, he did not get many details from them.

One day the teacher called Raj and had a talk with him. The teacher asked “Dear Raj I appreciate your involvement in school activities, the way you help teachers and your friends. What about your studies? You are not performing well in your academics and I would like to know the reasons for your lack of interest in studies". Raj started crying. The teacher got puzzled and asked him to share his worries with him. Raj told teacher about his family issues that included the disputes between his parents and he was feeling uncared at home due to which he felt lonely, so he spends most of the time in school and makes himself involved in some work. He doesn’t want to go home.

The teacher made him understand the importance of academics in life. Raj was given the assurance by the teacher that he will be with him in all his difficulties. This love and caring character of the teacher towards Raj continued for months which made Raj focus in his academics. One day the teacher called his parents to school. He had a separate discussion with Raj’s parents where he shared to his parents about their son’s talents and dedication towards school. An insecure Raj was in need of his parent's love and care. Tears rolled from their eyes after hearing their son’s performances in different activities that were held in the school which the parents ignored and overlooked. They hugged their son and promised the teacher that they will love and care Raj in future without giving any trouble to him.

Empathy, love and understanding, caring, all of that is so important when you're an educator. It really does shape your experience as a teacher, but also the experience of students.

Optimizer @ Billabong High International School, Thane.
- Sanket Patel, Madhubala Saji, Kshama Rajgor, Ajita Bhoir, Kalyani Chaudhari, Momita Banerji, Rupal Trivedi.

Happiness and Tolerance - Spectrum SHS

In the year 2019, a situation in a certain class arose...that was the monthly theme display. The theme to be displayed on their class board was HAPPINESS.

The class teacher was really worried since he had very few artists and creative students in his class. "Oh! God, What am I to do?" was his first expression. Even though quite dejected he gave a shot in the dark. He proposed the theme of Happiness to his group of 22 students. Each student was grouped A, B, C and D. The task was assigned to each group with the theme. "Two days you have, and not the extra period. Use your games or T.V. time." the class teacher announced.

A lot of reluctant grunts was heard from the students. " Sir, not the games please." usual request. "What about your T.V. time?"

"Yes, Sir we will do away with the T.V."

Two T.V. slots of three hours, the sacrifice, contribution and involvement of the students evolved into a beautiful display of ideas to pursue Happiness. Ultimately the class was able to display their creation.

The week passed by, the students waited eagerly for Tuesday to hear the result of their effort. However, the group of 22 did not win. In the class frustration, dejection, sense of failure could be read on their faces by the class teacher. The class teacher silently took some time to calm down the situation and continued with his task. There was no reaction from him. 

During the short break session, things took a different turn, the boys from the next door jeered, booed and insulted the group of 22. "NEVER A WINNER." was their mark. "The man in the picture looked like the puffed-up logo of Uncle Chips, the messages are written were unclear, the colours were ultra."

"Your class is always a loser!"

The boys rushed to the class and poured out themselves to the class teacher. The class teacher thoughtfully explained the class the Art of Being Tolerant. "Intolerance brings in a negative result, life should accept insult and defeat."

The students accepted the teacher's view and the monitor stood up and declared, "Sir, we will do it, once again! We will work with better ideas and we are ready to give up our games too."

The majority did stay for the hours which they had sacrificed. Gave the best and produced a better display.

Much awaited Tuesday arrived. The group of 22 missed a few heartbeats when they were announced the winner! This time there was a change in the winner's prize that was.........an outing to City Centre, Siliguri.

- Prakash Yonzon <yonzonprakash1@gmail.com> for Spectrum at Sacred Heart School Siliguri

Should Knowledge Chase Students

All the students go to school to get an education and to learn many things. Sometimes it seems that they are not learning how much they suppose to learn. It may happen because of many reasons. They may be physically present in the classroom but not mentally. It seems like they take study as a burden. It is because of either they are not interested in that topic or the topic is not taught in an interesting way because learning does not happen if there is no interest. 

It is a teacher’s duty to teach in such a way that the children do not think it as a burden and they should enjoy the learning. For example, if a teacher teaches Gram Sabha in the classroom and gives a lecture on it,  some children will take interest in it but not all the children. Few of the children may find it boring. If the teacher forces them to pay attention towards it, they will feel they are forced to study and they will not understand. Instead, if the teachers make her lesson so interesting by taking them outside and create a scene of Gram Sabha, all the children will happily participate and enjoy their learning. In this manner, the children will be happily involved in learning and gain knowledge. They will also become curious to know more about it. In this way, the students will chase the knowledge, not the knowledge.

Our learning from “Can We Teach A Zebra Some Algebra”  by “Debashis Chatterjee”

- Monika Vaishnav,  Prerna Rathore, Usman Gani & Vinit Kumar - The Fabindia School