An Imaginary Educator... - Simar Kaur

Simar Kaur from Gyanshree School, Noida

‘The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see’. 

I think that teaching is one of the most critical and challenging jobs. Teachers are the pillars in students’ lives; without their encouragement and driving force, students find it hard to explore themselves. Dealing with different kinds of students can be hectic, but teachers work hard to make sure that everyone in their class understands the concept. They ensure that everyone feels included and gets equal chances and opportunities. And that is why I admire their profession. They convert present learners to future leaders. 

Now, if I were an educator, taking my teachers as inspiration, I would deal with different students differently. 

For example: If a learner in my class was too impatient to wait for his turn, I would tell him to calm down in a classroom where everyone gets a say. I would ask him to take three deep breaths and write the answer down, and his excitement told me that he knew the answer. However, some learners are unaware of the solution. So, before giving a chance to someone who already knows the answer, we must ensure that everyone else also knows the answer. 

Similarly, a fearful learner will have trouble communicating with the rest of the class and will probably hold himself back from answering. I believe that students know the answer, but they fear getting it wrong and the embarrassment they think they will experience. So, as an educator, I would encourage them to tell their doubts in class and answer questions. Even for a small amount of participation, I will appreciate their effort. Apart from that, fear can also be generated by peers who are not friends. So I would give the student opportunities to be comfortable with everyone in the class so that he doesn't feel humiliated even if he answers a question wrongly. I would tell him to repeat these lines whenever he feels scared or fearful - ‘I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is a little death that brings total obliteration. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.’ These lines were written in the fictional book ‘Dune’; sometimes, when I feel scared, I tell myself to calm down and repeat these lines. And it works for me. 

Making students aware of the tactful techniques I use to overcome these problems would be my go-to method to help them. By telling anecdotes of my own and of other people, I would make sure that they inculcate these values. These are my current thoughts, but I know I still have a lot left to learn from my teachers and educators, and I’m looking forward to the limited years I will spend with my teachers here at Gyanshree. 

These Great Teachers Will Soon Be Forgotten

 But what about our children?

Photo courtesy of the author

Do you remember the names of your teachers?

As a child, I respected my teachers — no matter the grade level. Even when they bored or infuriated me, which was most of the time, I recognized that they were necessary for my personal growth. They were part of life. We just had to deal with them.

A few of them even inspired me. We all have that experience — the handful of teachers whose names we remember decades later. The teachers motivated us and altered the trajectory of our life.

In my twenties, I developed a new appreciation for all my teachers. I came to understand that they were instrumental in making me the person I had become. Even the boring and annoying ones.

And I didn’t have to think too long when I was offered the opportunity to become one myself.

You don’t hear it often but being a teacher — in my case a college professor — was my dream job. The opportunity to inspire the next generation and give back to society.

The salary wasn’t the most important thing. It was a calling and soon it had become larger than life to me. The opportunity to help change how young people see the world. The freedom to make the job yours, and to bring a little bit of your own personality to the role.

But now, the world has caught up with me. The “dream job” has become a distant memory.

And this frightens me. Because it is happening at precisely the moment that we need to be doubling down on education and encouraging the real teachers.

A teacher is nothing more than a poorly paid administrator.

The teacher’s freedom is now curtailed. More and more time is spent on managing paperwork and navigating more and more policies, rules, and regulations. Everything is about teaching taxonomies and philosophies, learning objectives, evaluations (lots of them), writing reports, and more and more pointless meetings to discuss these meaningless issues.

Of course, we need some structure in education. But right now, it’s out of control. Everything is about standardization and homogenization.

Mind-numbing is the experience of being a teacher today. We have gone beyond spoon-feeding the students. Today’s teachers must find their way through a never-ending maze of formal procedures and mundane tasks. None of which add any value to the student experience. The students will soon forget the teachers’ names.

You spend less time teaching and inspiring the next generation. All energy is devoted to keeping the managers happy and becoming a manager yourself.

If I wanted to be a manager, I would not have become a teacher.

No wonder that the great teachers — the one’s whose names we always remember — are quitting.

And new talent? Well, “thanks but no thanks” has become the standard response.

The daredevils who defy logic and start as fresh teachers will most likely leave the lecture room sooner rather than later.

And let’s be honest. There is no real teacher who loves the managerial and administrative components of the job. So why do so many people go along with it and let it dominate their lives?

Being a teacher — a real teacher and not a manager — is a dying profession.

Only the managers survive. And no one will remember their names.

These developments are devastating. For teachers and young people.

In a digital world where everyone is wholly exposed, we need to give our children more guidance. We need more real teachers (not less).

Undoubtedly, the digital world offers many possibilities for online teaching and teacherless self-learning.

But the digital world must not eclipse the demand for teachers and education.

In fact, the digital world offers an excellent opportunity to restore the balance in education and give more room again for the innovators and the inspirators. The ones who want to understand the world and love to experiment, learn, and teach.

It’s time for action.

Our children need real teachers. The ones whose names they will remember.

Source
https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/these-great-teachers-will-soon-be-forgotten-80cc9cdd84d0
Thanks to Sunil Malhotra.

World Teacher’s Day - Prerna Rathod

If school is a temple, then teachers are definitely the God.

World Teacher's Day is celebrated on 5th October every year for celebrating the anniversary of the 1966 International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. This sets the rights and responsibilities of teachers. This day is celebrated to give tribute to the teachers all over the world and to show appreciation and honour. They all find ways to improve the condition of teachers and enhance the teaching techniques for the future generation.  

The theme of this day for 2020 is “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”.  This year due to the Covid-19 the education system has to face a lot of problems and so the teachers are under stress and pressure. But as teachers are great fighters they are learning new techniques and going through hardships, just to keep the light of knowledge alive. They are teaching online and taking regular classes. So this year theme is very appropriate.

Thus, 5th October is a day to celebrate the teaching profession all over the world. Being a teacher is one of the toughest professions as the future of the country is in their hands. It is a profession that will never lose its importance. As we know that there is no age limit for learning and so teachers will always be there to guide the students. 

Prerna Rathod, The Fabindia School <prd@fabindiaschools.in>

Responsibility and Cooperation - Jitendra Suthar

When we say a person is responsible and very cooperative, it means that a person has the quality of

being kind to others. With the aim of helping everyone and not making others feel any kind of pressure is said to be a responsible person.

We all have two such unsung heroes in our life, who are responsible and kind at the most. First is the person who works hard to fulfil our dreams keeping all his dreams aside. That’s our father. Another one is the person who works hard to make us ready for the future, ready to fight any situation we are in, who always stands by us, who can never be biased. Yes, that’s our teacher.

Our both these heroes take our responsibility to shape us for the upcoming challenges. No matter what situations they are, they will always be cooperative to us. Even if situations are not in their control, they won’t let us feel so, wearing a smile starts working in a normal mood. 
  

A father, who always stays with the thought of how he can give more to his child or his family, never stops working with all the responsibility. A teacher goes through a lot of pressure but never ever let these things affect teaching in the classroom and he is the most polite person we ever meet in our education time. 

It is said “After your parents, it is your teacher who always thinks good for you” – Truly being in such a professional will be a proud moment for everyone.

Jitendra Suthar

The Fabindia School

jsr@fabindiaschools.in

Courage and Patience - Prakash Dangi

Courage and patience both are important in today's world. Nobody is perfect, everybody has some weakness, everybody commits mistakes. We face challenging situations in our day to day life regarding academics, profession and our personal relations. Nobody wants to fail. But many times we fail despite putting in efforts. Failure gives a lesson. If we honestly accept our mistakes, only then we will be able to correct those mistakes in future and become successful. 

Patience is the key which solves all problems. Being patient does not mean you have to wait. It means you have to continue your fight for your dreams. The power of patience helps you empower your life leading to wisdom and success. Success breeds happiness and happiness is the product of hard work and patience. Patience is not just a trait, but it’s a skill that needs to be developed.  

If you show patience, you can gain new skills and improve your talents. Thus, you can direct yourself towards the achievement of your goals There are lots of examples of great scientists, entrepreneurs and business people in whose lives patience has played a large role. They did not let the circumstances break them at all, but kept moving forward is focused on what they wanted to achieve while expanding new possibilities.  The most important quality that a teacher should have is patience.

A great teacher is very patient with his students. You never give up on your students and would try out new ways to help them succeed. Every student has its own nature and attitude and for all these students there is one teacher available to handle them, to teach them and to communicate with them. If teachers lose their patience they won't be able to help them. Today we all are facing the major problem Covid-19. But we will win this battle against COVID-19  with our courage and patience.

Prakash Dangi

The Fabindia School

Role of an Educator in Student's Life - Monika Vaishnav

An educator is not only the person who teaches in the class, but he is also the one who gives shape to the future of the student and shows him the right path. He does more than just being an employee. He becomes a teacher while he teaches in the class, he becomes a parent outside the classroom as he always takes care of the children whenever they are with him and he also becomes a friend when something needs to be taught apart from the studies or curriculum. He indirectly helps the parents to make their foundation stronger for life.  He prepares his lesson to teach in the class every day. He has to think about the performance of every child.

The educator has to build trust in children for himself because without trust he can't deliver the knowledge how much he wanted. He is always ready to help and guide the children whether it's about academic or non-academic. He always wants to enter the class with a small to make children happy. 

Sometimes, he has to be strict with them or scold them but as an educator I know he would choose this only if it is the last option. He too feels bad if he does that but sometimes, he has to correct them at the right time, if he doesn't, the child may have to face more than just being scolded by the educator. He is the person who will be more than happy on their success and progress and will be proud of them. His every action in the school is always in the betterment of his students. He never expects anything in return from them. 

I would like to add a quote, " Teaching is the profession that teaches other professions". Every student has one teacher in life who taught or guided him to be what he is today. He always wants his students to achieve their goals and make everyone proud of him. The school years get over one day but the bond and trust the educator and student build remains forever.

Monika Vaishnav

The Fabindia School

Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions

“A good teacher can inspire, hope, ignite the imagination, and instil a love of learning.” - Brad Henry.

In my view a true teacher must be a true educator. He or She should enable a child to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life. Teachers must provide opportunities  to enhance the student's creative expression and the capacity for aesthetic expression. It is a character-building process that sows within an individual seed of simplicity and service values and helps a child blossom into a beautiful human being. It is necessary to mould the child in their attitudes, values and ideas. This is the only way towards a better tomorrow. In my view  it is essential for a teacher to instill in their minds a dream, a vision, a burning passion for achieving lofty goals. It is essential for a teacher to inspire a child  to become original thinker, innovative scientists  and creative artists and serve their society, country and the world. They must have freedom to discover, to create and to grow. Students must be trained to become sensitive to the surrounding and society. 

As students are never passive learners, they are always active learners. A teacher should inculcate values through literature, stories, autobiographies, biographies of great persons, poetry,music and drama. All the activities and experiences to which the children are exposed either in the classroom or outside the classroom, on the play field, in the laboratory and the library should be value oriented because students can eff ortlessly pick up values like self-discipline, compassion, self-control and sense of responsibility. Teachers are the role models  and play a major role in shaping the young learners. A child is a precious gift, and nurturing them with love and care is as teacher's sacred responsibility as students learn from their teachers' conduct as they emulate their teachers. The turning point in throwing up is when teachers can spire an urge for innovation, a spirit of compassion for the world around and a passion for becoming an achiever but remain deeply rooted in human values. According to my view a teacher must act as co-learner and facilitator. After all in words of Gilbert Hiest “A Good teacher is a determined person” and this determination and grit makes the teacher a sculptor who carves out marvelous pieces of work i.e. confident and honest students.

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." - Albert Einstien

                                                                                          
- Girja Koul is a senior teacher at the DBN Amarvilla School, you can contact her by email gkl.av@dbntrust.in

Make teaching the most sought after profession

The biggest challenge for us is to make teachers feel real good for being teachers, and make teaching the most sought after profession in the nation. 

Teachers have a reason to be 'averse to change', as they find themselves on the receiving end from all the stakeholders in the education process - the parents, the students, the management and even the society as a whole is not really as appreciative of our teachers and their work. The lack  of appreciation, leads to the loss of self-esteem. The urge to live in the age of consumerism, leaves little way scope to be innovators, free thinkers and learners. To top it all the out-dated syllabus and the tools of delivery all make their job most uninteresting. Further, in most cases the students out-do the teachers in life-style and earning capacity, and this makes the teacher even more pessimistic in outlook. Some find that 'once a teacher, always a teacher', makes them quite staid and even brings about a feeling of isolation. The teacher becomes 'victims of thyself', as they believe their destiny is to be stuck in the profession alone.
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