VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 04 | SEPTEMBER 2019 | 40
®
A MATTER OF PRINCIPAL
ISSN 2320 - 0650 ENGLISH MONTHLY
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In a future classroom dominated by the Digital & Virtual the teacher is our only
Hope to Remain Human Syed Sultan Ahmed MD & Chief Learner - LXL Ideas
HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY
Let t
Vol. 13 | Issue 04 | September 2019 | info@lxl.in
r ito
from the Ed er
Contents
03 Mentor Thoughts
Letter from the Editor.............................................03 What’s Trending.......................................................04 Sultan Speaks..........................................................05
06 Pedagogy
School Pedagogy: The Heart of Learning...........06 Cultivating Curiosity................................................09
11 Cover Story
Teachers’ Day Special............................................11
22 Governance
Campus Culture.......................................................22
25 Leadership
Leadership for Staff Retention Crisis..................25 Self-care for Teachers ...........................................29
32 Innovation Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education..................................................................32
All Rights Reserved 2016 EduMedia Publications Pvt. Ltd.
Publisher & Owner: Syed Sultan Ahmed Editor: Kalpa Kartik | Sub Editor: Aditi Dharmadhikari Content Developer: Farah Javid Layouts & Design: Zayd Muhamed Production: Faisal Ahmed, Sathish C, Guna V Printer: Elegant Printing
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his month, Mentor reached out to a few educators to get their opinions for a Teachers’ Day Special on matters including the qualities of a successful teacher, leadership in the school ecosystem, and how to foster a love for learning. Teaching has always been synonymous with making a child literate, but in the present scenario, we prefer not only to make them literate, but also to make them aware. The ongoing changes from being just learners to being the decision-makers are significant; these decisions about what to learn, and how to learn, will herald the education world in a new direction. Imagine the amount of input needed by teachers and the students to mentally prepare themselves for such a big leap. When it comes to factors that adversely affects student performance, high turnover in the school staff is a huge issue because the school staff can make or mar the school. Therefore, as school leaders, our prime focus should be on the retention of efficient staff members. Educational institutions should tap into the great intellectual, as well as the technological expertise of the present-day youngsters for creating a better ambience in the campus. Today’s children are far more than gadgetgeeks. They are well-informed and could be great ambassadors of social and environmental changes. Even today, the power of the youth is formidable, and if channelised in a proper direction, can create a revolution. At the crux of it, teaching is that which equips an individual to deal with worldly situations — diverse and adverse. This would lead on to create a positive and nourishing experience, and ultimately help mould an individual to develop a holistic personality. Some pertinent questions to ponder over would be: How can we help teachers rejuvenate themselves?
Notice: The contributions in Mentor Magazine are solely the views of the author and are in no manner to be directly associated with the views of the editorial team or LXL Ideas. Authors/contributors are responsible for the authenticity of information they provide in the article. The publishers do not accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication. By submitting letters/emails or other publication materials to Mentor Magazine the author/contributor agrees that it is the property of Mentor Magazine. All communication to Mentor Magazine must be made in writing. No other sort of communication will be accepted. All decisions regarding publishing of a contribution is the prerogative of the publisher and editorial team of Mentor Magazine. Mentor Magazine is owned and published by EduMedia Publications Pvt. Ltd. for and on behalf of Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts and forums in Bengaluru City.
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How can we add value to their pedagogy so that they can be functional caregivers to their students? With these thought-provoking questions, we hope you enjoy the read dedicated to you, and we wish you all a Happy Teachers’ Day!
Kalpa Kartik Editor 3 | Mentor | September 2019
What’s Trending
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE REPUTATION OF TEACHERS IN SOCIETY? “Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, calibre and future of an individual” — Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
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n our culture, teachers are traditionally the secondary parent and exceptional role models who have a substantial, persistent impact on all of their students’ success.
This impacts not only teaching academic skills, but essentially fostering student self-esteem by being the rolemodel, friendly in nature, passionate in enriching others, knowledgeable, confident, sincere and a competent person who is associated with increased motivation and learning, which reflects in the sense of belongingness in student behaviour. The use of effective motivational strategies helps teachers to foster self-esteem. It is more effective to be a mentor than a teacher; one should be passionate enough to effect a real change in the lives of students. Teachers have to concentrate on trying to build students’ character strengths besides educating them academically. As a supportive measure, the mentor has to identify and incorporate different learning styles as every student is unique in their skills and abilities. Positive interventions and motivational feedback can be an effective way for teachers to sow the seeds of selfawareness, as well as gain insight into the talents and goals of students. Being kind and committed in your role also improves the students’ quality of life. The students will be more open to explore learning not hesitant in sharing what they know; it will enhance the entire learning process and they will succeed in life confidently. “Teachers should be the best minds in the country” – Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Mrs. Brindha T Counselling Psychologist Kumaraguru Institutions, Coimbatore
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s a teacher, I would think not, but as a parent, I think — yes, to some extent. As a colleague and a school leader, I think it’s a painful, resounding ‘yes’. The majority of teachers end up being so by accident, they join the profession either to make money or as a last resort. Dedicated teachers should group together to inspire, train and motivate young teachers and aspirants by setting an example as role models. Apurba Das Principal Ramakrishna Mission English School, Jamshedpur
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Sultan Speaks
COPYING, PLAGIARISM & INSPIRATION! W
hen I was in school — like most students even today — I was told that ‘copying’ is a very bad thing to do, and schools have a very strict policy around ‘copying’. In fact, the whole examination system that has been set up is designed around the secrecy of the question paper and invigilation. There is so much importance given to the sanctity of question papers that it actually makes national news when any paper leaks. There is an entire parallel underground industry that has evolved over the decades that apparently helps students to ‘copy’; some states are notorious for teachers and schools that conspire to help students ‘copy’. There is a basic flaw in the way we looked at education — or rather, in the way we still look at education in schools. While it is a crime to ‘copy’ from one another during a test or an exam, the overall objective of the exam itself is for a student to replicate what is printed in the textbooks, or to quote the author directly. In fact, if the student can replicate what is printed — or rather, ‘copy’ from the author or publisher — the better marks he can expect. Effectively, school education expects children to replicate material but they are not allowed to ‘copy’ from each other. This aspect of education takes an interesting twist in university. If a student replicates the exact language, thoughts, ideas and expressions without giving credit, it is considered plagiarism. Originality is expected from students especially in arts, media and business-related programs. There is an innate dichotomy in the manner in which we expect our students to be ‘original’.
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Original ideas are a rarity; what runs our world is inspiration. Nature and necessity have been the biggest inspirations for new ideas. Innovation happens when an existing idea is worked upon and improved. Our lives are not black and white, after all — grey is the dominant colour of our world of rules. Copying was a crime in an era where knowledge and information were priced and scarce. We live in an era where knowledge and information are freely available, so the very idea of an exam or test has changed tremendously. This needs to be reflected in the manner in which we evaluate the outcomes of our education today.
team to create the playlist for IKFF 2019. There are some amazing films that are made for children, but they never see the light of day as they are not marketed well; the ones that are marketed are not necessarily the best. We are doing our bit to bring the best of world films to schools through this festival, but this is just the beginning. Similar efforts are needed in the space of social media, influencers and gaming as well.
The dominant influencers in the lives of the young today are digital and social media. Tik Tok, Instagram and their likes are influencing our children way more than the syllabus that they study in school. Children ‘copy’ their influencers not just in word but in action. This is way more serious than the fact that a child copied in an exam. While we have built an entire machinery to prevent children from ‘copying’ in an exam, education is yet to wake up to the culture of aping that we live in. In the clutter of content that is available for our children, it is imperative for our schools and educators to expose children to good content. Teachers need to play a role in curating good films, YouTube channels, introducing influencers and games that they can recommend to their students. The past month, I have been busy watching films from across the globe along with my festival
Syed Sultan Ahmed MD & Chief Learner @ LXL 5 | Mentor | September 2019
Pedagogy
SCHOOL PEDAGOGY: THE HEART OF LEARNING A Detailed Look at the Fluid Pedagogic Approach (FPA)
Introduction
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chool learning is nothing but all about pedagogy. To turn out lifelong learners who can work independently, we need to expose our students to tasks which prompt the learners to develop these skills. No longer is it ‘one-size-fits-all’ — so it is pertinent for any school/teacher to focus on pedagogy, as it is the ‘heart of all teaching and learning’. In our school, we initiated ‘Differentiated Learning’ to ensure that the students are ready to meet the rigours of the fast-changing modern world. Our pedagogical consideration was based on the ‘Learning Theories’ which dwell on the problem of how learning takes place in the human mind; it refers to Thorndike’s ‘Transfer of Learning Theory’ in explanation as to why learning does not take place, or is inhibited, due to structural phenomenon, which is
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In my opinion, every innovation starts with a ‘small idea’ and develops further through experiential learning either a surface structure or a deep structure. The deep structure refers to the operation or the pedagogy involved.
Fluid Pedagogic Approach: A Breakdown There are three evidence-based models of pedagogy which our school implements: Didactic, Authentic and Transformative approaches. As we have heterogeneous classrooms, our manner of approach shifts from one to another, which
teachers apply fluidly. The learning objectives, which are mandatory, are taught using the didactic approach, which will then flow forward to the authentic approach, where students learn from activity-based models. Gradually, it becomes more abstract and transformative as children reflect and question the knowledge in various life situations in the classroom. The basic didactic pedagogy takes the students through an epistemological challenge to the authentic approach of pedagogy; in this, the students have to decide whether the knowledge is just given to them in the form of a lecture or they would like to explore by themselves. Eventually, it leaves room for transformative pedagogy to reflect how acquired knowledge can be used to solve real-life problems. Collectively, this approach, as we define it, is called as the “Fluid Pedagogic Approach (FPA)”.
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Pedagogy Rationale: The Need for a New Model FPA has really worked well with the students as it caters to their individual needs, and student attainment and progress has improved. The class tasks and projects are planned as per the level of the student, with a transformative task for the highachievers and a didactic task for the students who struggle a little bit more. It has prompted teachers to bridge the gaps in curriculum, so that it addresses the personalised needs of students in the class.
How Educators Facilitate Learning for the Students The educators participate in discussions and give expert critique on a given task, lending students a level of confidence in their guidance. They are given ample space to choose their tasks as per their capacity (through the self-evaluation process). The teachers in the class are able to meaningfully engage the students and work on facilitating learning for the students by giving students the freedom to take
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responsibility for their own learning. The educators in our school use National Council Of Educational Research And Training (NCERT) model books, which distinguishes the above approaches and gives educators the choice to select the type of pedagogy and flow in the classroom.
The Benefits of Such Classroom Practices Educational Neuroscience documents the benefits of such classroom practices by way of brain development and continuously
activating and exercising the cognitive systems. The ultimate goal of human development using the curriculum is evident - not only in reading and writing, but also in developing and enhancing soft skills, communication capabilities and emotional intelligence. Educators primarily see to the fluidity and transference of these approaches by designing the instructional task in their lesson plans, and in individualised educational programs; they use
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound (SMART) goals in reaching the learning objectives with a ‘Big Question’ used to challenge the students in the beginning of each lesson. At the beginning of each session, the class goes through the Cognitive Ability Test and each class has its own ‘class story’ to tell, as students display their dominant style of processing information through spatial, verbal, non-verbal or quantitative learning methods. The teacher plans her lessons and assignments according to the ability
and learning style of the student, thus either supporting or challenging the students during the class tasks or assessments.
The Impact of Fluid Pedagogic Approach The core of the FPA is differentiation, which respects the balance between the pace of learning of every student and the fact that “every student learns”. The impact of this approach can be seen in two areas: 1. During transition periods of 7 | Mentor | September 2019
Pedagogy the student i.e., from one grade or Development Programs (CPD) aim standard to the next. to achieve the FPA using the three pronged formula: learning, adaptation 2. In the continuous evaluation and improvisation. systems. The adaptation of the Fluid Pedagogic Approach has reaped the results in all the four phases which are consistent with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF, 2005) designed on the basis of the five principles of:
The Challenges Along the Way
The main challenge that our educators face is not directly with the students, but by the extra-orbital job-related stressors of documentation, and the complex matrix of assessments to 1. Connectivity — connecting the monitor the progress. syllabus with real-life situations The second challenge would be the 2. Away from rote memory — the demands which educators have learning must be meaningful, useful to address in the heterogeneous and joyful classroom and the shifting 3. Enriched curriculum — targeting temperaments of students each day, multi-dimensional personality which makes the three approaches rather challenging; changing gears development of FPA cannot be time-scheduled in 4. Flexible evaluation system — every class of eight periods across to alleviate psychological stress grades. like exam phobia and alternative evaluation pattern like activity-based The primary condition being human interactions on a daily basis, it will evaluation sometimes exhaust the educator. A 5. Caring about democratic heterogeneous classroom comes principles — such as equality, justice, with its own merits and demerits. The opportunity etc. merit being that at least the whole The nature of consciousness towards classroom will have a basic level inclusiveness has also been enhanced of transference of knowledge, as it depends on the ease and art of the by FPA. educators to flow from one approach The Indicators of to another. The demerit is the complex Implementation gear-shifting process of FPA in every The major advantage and strength of class. the school is the ease with which we would implement FPA. Most of the teachers are already trained in all of these approaches (didactic, authentic and transformative), and the only task of the school is to train teachers to manoeuvre from one approach to another in a classroom.
Conclusion
Classical teaching methods have paved the path to modern learning methods because of the demands of the generation which pushed researchers to review their education systems critically, thus helping the pedagogical approaches to evolve Middle-level leaders are trained by with the times. senior leaders on the parameters that should be met during learning These approaches are time-tested walks and classroom observations, and evidence-based, while at along with the question of how to the same time, being sensitive fluidly move between approaches. to any changes in the classroom All our Continuous Professional environment. The challenge of the www.lxl.in
educator is to maintain the learning environment to accommodate these approaches to see the transference of knowledge through successfully. In my opinion, every innovation starts with a ‘small idea’ and develops further through experiential learning.
Ms. Mala Mehra Ms. Mala Mehra has been associated with the field of education for the last 25 years. With a degree in Education and post-graduation in Educational Leadership, she has pursued her passion in this field and has had the privilege of working with some of the good schools across the United Arab Emirates. As the Head of the school, she has worked to develop a clear vision and mission, monitored academic operations and improved educational standards. Apart from administrative responsibilities, she has followed a rigorous staff professional development and monitoring programme for the school, taken the initiative to start and set up the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) department to provide inclusive education for SOD, and initiated Adult Literacy programmes for the administrative staff in the school. principal@centralschool.net
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Pedagogy
CULTIVATING CURIOSITY Critical Thinking for Student Engagement is constant, it is the continuous interaction with an ever-changing situation deriving at new knowledge that gives a better perspective with new evidence, and the process goes on like this. Critical thinking cannot be taught in schools, but curiosity sure can be cultivated if the right atmosphere is created in the school, in a way that the takeaways will stay with the students for life.
Introduction
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s educators, we all know that our forefathers were the masters of actual thinking; they were truly learning by doing, rather than learning by teaching. It was exploration and experimental learning that gave them rich, solid experience that would last them a lifetime. Research papers and pedagogical innovation also support this claim. The prospect of cultivating an ambience of constant curiosity today is a daunting one. We are in the 21st century and the students of today will be job seekers in 2030. They should be open-minded thinkers, willing to learn, unlearn and relearn constantly.
To cultivate critical thinking, we need a clear and cohesive curriculum that can be used as a tool of education for the students
The Most Important Skills for Modern Learners The important skills that the students of today have to master are problem-solving, reasoning, analysis, evaluation skills and the discernment to ask pertinent questions especially about the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of lessons. They should be able to engage in brainstorming sessions in collaboration with the team, willing to question their own beliefs and practices and come up with something new and innovative.
How Cultivating Curiosity Among Students Benefits Them ‘Education is what survives when what has been learnt has been forgotten’. (New Methods and New Aims in Teaching, 1964). Curiosity is amongst the first qualities that causes a shift from just thinking to critical thinking; the thinking is only a strategy to arrive at some form of logic, which means you have started understanding yourself and the world around you better. Critical thinking has no end — it
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Education that does not help children create meaning along with the learning will quickly be forgotten. In the long run — that is to say, in life outside the classroom — children will make meaning of their learning, linking what has been learnt to what has been experienced. Such learning will equip the students to face the world in the future with confidence, and help work towards resolving major global issues.
How Does Critical Thinking Result in More Engagement? Critical thinking is rooted deeply in independence or independent thinking. It is an innovation in itself; a higher-order thinking, it may work slowly, but the pace at which students learn is steady, and sure to reflect positive learning outcomes. It is very engaging since it is a continuous process. I know a student of Mechanical Engineering who had exhibited traits of curiosity in his young age. His mother had tried all the sports language learning and art forms, but it was seen that this child was very curious to know about automobiles, so he used to choose to do anything — whether it was drawing, reading or talking about — connected to automobiles. Recently, when I met his mother, 9 | Mentor | September 2019
Pedagogy I came to know that he had become a Mechanical Engineer specialising in automobiles and had independently started his own company, that made use of carbon fiber to make various parts of automobiles. Through his mother, I came to know that his curiosity was cultivated in his childhood and since it’s a long, ongoing process, he is still trying to explore different avenues, and he has developed all the skills required for critical thinking.
Strategies to Foster Critical Thinking in Classrooms 1) Raise important and relevant questions 2) Use abstract ideas for interpretation, after gathering evidence 3) Come to a satisfactory solution after verifying it 4) Communication with others to come up with a joint solution for an important problem, exhibiting change 5) Have a cohesive curriculum that cultivates curiosity
Outcomes of These Particular Practices •
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Children learn to co-relate in subjects like Mathematics, Geography, English, History and Science, using the interdisciplinary techniques to teach the same concept and develop their cognitive skills much faster. Using videos of ‘What if’ — what if humans inhabited Mars? Co-relation of different subjects boosts problemsolving skills of the students.
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Helps develop student’s autonomy, build social and emotional skills and increases engagement with learnercentred learning.
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Involves students voice and choice — develops
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constructive reasoning while working on the project.
How Education Stakeholders Can Actively Work Towards Creating Critical Thinking Classrooms Education stakeholders — such as policymakers, curriculum designers, parents and the teachers community — should focus on cultivating curiosity through lessons, where they are able to develop analytical thinking in students through problematizing, questioning, debating, interpreting and solving the problem that arises. The curriculum designer should evoke a spirit of inquiry and critical thinking in the students through the curriculum and the syllabus. Assessment should be planned and generated from the outcomes of critical thinking.
‘Try It Out’ — A Practice to Try in Your Own Classrom Prompt students to think about how their perspective may differ from other people’s. a) Ask questions like “How will climate change affect people living in X country? b) Why should the people living in that country worry about it?
Conclusion In the 21st century, cultivating curiosity equips students to consider what type of learning experiences and exposures are provided to them, to develop the important skills needed to solve complex problems in their daily life. Policymakers, administrators and teachers would generally agree that cultivating critical thinking is essential for skilled reasoning in school, outside school, and in prospective workplaces.
Questions Worth Asking
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Is cultivating curiosity a valid measure of a student’s intelligence?
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Should educators focus on creating assessment for measuring critical thinking for students in their classrooms?
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What could be some more strategies for engaging students within the educational setting?
Renu Milind Dhotre A teacher, author, editor, assessor and material developer, Renu Milind Dhotre has been involved in language teaching for more than 23 years. She has received many awards, including the Best Teacher Award in the same field. Her research interest focuses on classroombased research, collaborative learning and skill development. She has presented at numerous international and national conferences like International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL), All India Network of English Teachers (AINET), English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI) and published several articles on Learners Autonomy, Group Work and Pair Work and TaskBased Learning and Guided Reading. She uses an inquirybased approach to teaching through which students develop 21st century skills. She has also published her research papers in online journals.
renudhotre@yahoo.com 10 | Mentor | September 2019
Cover Story
TEACHERS’ DAY SPECIAL Leadership, Fostering a Love for Learning & Much More
Why Learning Isn’t Happening in the Classroom
Introduction
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eptember 5th, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday, has been celebrated as Teachers’ Day across the country since 1962. The humble suggestion came from Dr. Radhakrishnan himself, at a time when he was the President of the country. “Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if 5th September is observed as Teachers’ Day”, he asked his students and friends, who were seeking permission to celebrate his birthday. This year, Mentor reached out to a few educators to get their opinion for a Teachers’ Day Special on matters including the qualities of a successful teacher, leadership in the school ecosystem, and how to foster a love for learning.
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September 5th, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday, has been celebrated as Teachers’ Day across the country since 1962
The views shared in this article belong to Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed, Director of LXL Ideas, as told by Aditi Dharmadhikari, Sub-editor of Mentor.
Let’s kick off this piece with a few key takeaways from my experience spent working in the education field. The challenge for classrooms, teachers and educators today is actually stemming from the lives of the children. If you look at the lives of children, they’re extremely personalised, digitised and very action-oriented. An average middle-class parent anywhere in the world makes sure that the children have a lot of personal attention. When these children come into the classroom, it’s exactly the opposite — it’s generalised, they loose individuality and there’s not much action happening in schools. Digitisation in classrooms means having a screen, and that’s not very exciting from a child’s point of view! 11 | Mentor | September 2019
Cover Story Since the atmosphere inside a classroom is anything but exciting for a child, they are not motivated to learn. Classrooms as a space today are not exciting; until we bring back the excitement, we are not going to have children learning effectively.
How are Teachers the Untapped Resources in Schools? The key to education today, and in the future, is going to be the teachers, and we all accept this fact. The challenge though, especially in India, is the kind of investment that gets made on teachers and their motivation. On one hand, we have government schools which spend almost 9095% of their expenses annually on teacher salaries, and yet we get such low-quality outputs. On the other hand, private schools pay pittance and peanuts compared to government schools — yet, apart from salaries, we don’t consider
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anything else in terms of upgrading teachers. As a resource, teachers are ultimately highly under-utilised. We are, quite absurdly, expecting teachers to do the job of Google of just passing on the information, the way learning apps do. The power of a teacher is much more than that — it is to inspire, to be that human physical touch for a child. One of the biggest changes in the education system is that we’ve made teachers much more mechanical and less human. We have enough technology that can bring mechanical and digital teaching methodologies into classrooms, but we need to bring the human back in the classroom. Good schools need to focus on teachers’ happiness, to create a place that is a safe space for teachers so that they can be that motivating, dynamic personality shaping the future of the world. Let’s hear it from the teachers themselves, as they discuss a range of core issues in the teaching-learning environment.
How to Ensure Your Leadership Creates Better Teachers Who Foster a Love for Learning? “A leader is a mentor, a facilitator, a guide and a creator of knowledge”, Ms. Asha Sharma, Principal, Indian Learners Own Academy, Kuwait, shares. “Education is the noblest of all the services, as it deals with the tender minds of intelligent beings. It is rightly said that the influence of a teacher can be felt till eternity”. “An educator in an institution is mostly a reflection of its leader. The ones who lead the teachers, influence their lives”, she elaborates on leadership in the school ecosystem. “It is up to the leader how comfortable a teacher feels at school, as each teacher needs encouragement and mentoring at each step. The overall atmosphere of the school influences a teacher, as well. Discipline starts from the top; educational leaders don’t need to teach everything consciously, as
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Cover Story there are many qualities that are picked up by the teaching fraternity unconsciously. The role of the leader is to play with group dynamics very cautiously”. She explains that a leader is expected to identify and mould those educators who are not progressive, shirk new knowledge, are not exploring and do not share their learnings and ideas. “People who have no love for learning are like weeds in the fertile field of education and are better separated from healthy, growing and innovative minds”, Ms. Sharma opines. “Leaders inculcate team spirit and are sensitive to the pulse of the institution through educators. Effective leaders are impressive communicators and paraphrase their pieces of advice wisely. If new inferences, new examples, interesting happenings are continuously informed to the teaching faculty, they are made to think in a guided manner. This makes teachers alert and aware. The school leader has to be a learner first, and a fountainhead of ideas to inculcate the love for learning among teachers, which further filters down to the students”.
to integrate disciplines and a desire to go beyond their teaching duties”.
Audio-visual learning is one of the best ways of bringing the world inside the classroom
Some Major Influences That Have Shaped the Way You Approach Your Profession “I have been influenced by my teachers across my school and college times”, Mrs. Manju Balasubramanyam, recipient of the National Award for Teachers 2017 (by the Ministry of Human Resource Development) for her work towards Diversity and Inclusion, shares. “The teachers who have had the greatest impact on me had some common traits. They had exceptional subject-knowledge, a great sense of humour, the ability
“What set them apart from their colleagues was their undying passion towards teaching and their unconditional faith and love for their students”, she elaborates. “I was touched by their humility, simplicity and their spirituality. My own two children have also influenced and shaped the teacher in me. Their attitudes, behaviours, struggles and successes have enabled me to look at each child who has been put into my care individually”. She firmly believes that this profession provides her with an opportunity to transform the lives of thousands of young people by touching their hearts. An armed forces background and opportunities to travel across the globe have also provided her with a global perspective and have made her more adaptable and accommodative as an educator. Her Fulbright programme and teaching experience in the UK encouraged and empowered her to follow the path of inclusive education and special needs. Interactions with the community, networking with people from varied backgrounds and professions and constantly learning from every experience has enriched her life immensely. “In learning you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn” — Phil Collins
Is it Essential for a Teacher to Be a Role Model? “One cannot teach a child, as children are natural learners and they absorb from their surroundings”, opines Mr. Srivalsan Murugan, who is the Principal and CEO of Our Own English High School, Sharjah – Boys’ Branch. “I have read somewhere that ‘when we open a school, we close a jail.’ This drives home the point that students, who are the future citizens www.lxl.in
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Cover Story of the world, learn values, more than subjects, here. It is here that the basic character is built, which then becomes the bedrock of the student’s personality”. “Teachers have to be role models because students tend to learn most of the values from them”, he says. “This, then, translates into the need for teachers to walk the talk. As teachers, we have the responsibility to model behaviour that is worthy of emulation. Behaviours, good and bad, are learnt. So, in my opinion, it is imperative that all adults in the community, in general, and teachers in particular demonstrate values and behaviours that we want to inculcate in our youngsters”.
What are the Inherent Qualities which Form a Successful Teacher? “As per the Indian definition, a Teacher is a guru”, Mrs. Amrita Burman, Deputy Director, Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions. “Someone who shows you the way, and takes you on a journey from the darkness to the
light. I feel this definition does stand good, even today, but the context in which the teachers work today has changed so much, that it forces us to rethink the role of a teacher”. “What has forced the teacher’s role to change is the change in the child”, she shares. “The child – having become much smarter, more informed and more of a thinking individual – poses greater challenges to the teacher and this has changed the role of the teacher. A child has also become emotionally more fragile, on the one hand, and also more aware of his rights, which the Constitution has given to the child in the form of a number of legislations of late”. The teacher today, according to Mrs. Burman, understands that to take the child on this beautiful journey of darkness to light, she has to learn the art of being there for her child, whenever required. “The teacher today has the same destination as any teacher at any time, but the journey has changed tremendously and the challenges are immense”, she concludes. “A
teacher, therefore, is a mentor who is understanding and a person with great compassion and patience. Only a person with great empathy and love with a high quality of subject knowledge can take up the challenge of being a teacher today”.
How Educators Need to Gear Up to Face the Changing Demands of the Audio-Visual Learners? With the advent of technology and the internet, it is only natural that there has been a shift towards audio-visual learning in the classroom, as well. Traditionally, we divided our learners into audio-visual, kinesthetic and auditory. That worked well with books, and in a world where there was a blackboard. But today, we’ve completely redefined the dynamics with which our children are imbibing information. Visual information and auditory information, as a combination, is something that starts at a very early age. Children as young as a few months old are actually getting used to screens and interacting with the screen. For them, that is their way of life. As educators, we might get excited that we have audio-visual content in the classroom, but it is hardly exciting for the child because they consider that very basic. Therefore, schools need to first identify this or recognise this aspect, and come to terms with the fact that reading and writing alone is not literacy anymore. Literacy, today, is a lot more than that. Literacy today, along with reading and writing, is knowing how to identify good images or good videos, and knowing how to create visual and audio-visual content. So those are the basics of literacy and no school is catering to this need at a very young age. The idea of literacy is changing, and the idea of education – in the
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Cover Story manner it is put across – needs to change as well. The other thing which also needs to happen – which the audio-visual medium allows – is to bring the world into the classroom. Traditionally, we have taught children what has happened in the past – whether it was History, Maths or Science – these were all problems that have been solved. We have been teaching children to solve problems that have already been solved; but that’s not what we need today. What we need, today, is for children to solve problems that have not been solved. So if you’re living in a city like Bangalore, for instance, what is a solution to rainwater harvesting that the students can work on? How do you solve the garbage problem, how do you solve the problem of people not going out and voting? Now these are real problems which are being discussed in the television, newspapers and channels – and, hopefully, in some dining tables, as well. In my opinion, these should form an integral part of the lessons that are being taught to the children and instead of teaching a lot of theory, real-world solutions should be taught in the classroom. Make them think, force them to think and come up with solutions, and then allow them to implement it. I think the whole idea of education should be to bring the world and its challenges into the classrooms, and one of the best ways to do that – whether we are talking about issues like migration, complex problems, emotions, conflict
Ms. Asha Sharma www.lxl.in
The idea of literacy is changing, and the idea of education – in the manner it is put across – needs to change as well
or environmental issues – is absolutely through films. I think films are a fantastic way of bringing the world inside the classroom. I think audio-visual learning is one of the best ways of bringing the world inside the classroom.
Conclusion If the future of learning is personalized, then how will schools make themselves more relevant? The present is highly personalised for students, as mentioned earlier. I think schools have no choice – if they have to get quality output, they have to start using technologies, not just by having a screen in the classroom. I think one of the things that schools don’t do that effectively, is, for example, that which most of the digital startups today do.
which people in which parts of the country. Now, this kind of data can be made very specific and useful, and it is communicated back to the restaurant, to tell them exactly which kind of food to focus on, on certain days at certain times. So this kind of data is available for a lot of these companies. Whereas, if you look at schools, the amount of data schools have is terrible. It is all running on speculation. I think speculation is great, but if schools can have a lot of data about the time of the day children enjoy studying a particular subject, and then design their timetables around it, learning would be much more effective. The bottom line is – can we look beyond using apps just to track children or get them to achieve high marks? Can we start looking at a lot more useful data that will help the schools personalise and specify their experience that children will have when they come to learn in a school? With these thought-provoking questions, our Teachers’ Day Special comes to a close. We hope you enjoyed the read, and a very happy Teachers’ Day to you!
For instance, if someone is running a food app, they get access to information on what kind of cuisine gets consumed the most, by
Ms. Manju Balasubramanyam
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Governance
CAMPUS CULTURE How Today’s Students Shape It
Introduction “Child is the father of man”
T
rue to the words of William Wordsworth, children can be an enormous source of learning for the elders. Usually when we visualise the kids of the present generation, the Gen-Next kids — straight out of Players Unknown Battlegrounds (PUBG) — come to our mind. The elders try to write off todays’ kids as having become nerds due to getting excessively hooked on to social media. We feel that today’s children are engulfed in the labyrinth of technology, oblivious of the happenings around them. On the contrary, today’s children are far more than gadget-geeks. They are well-informed and could be great ambassadors of social and environmental changes. Even today, the power of the youth is formidable, and if channelised in a proper direction, can create a revolution. www.lxl.in
Tapping Into the Students’ Potential Educational institutions should tap into the great intellectual, as well as the technological expertise of the present-day youngsters for creating a better ambience in the campus. It has been proven beyond doubt that students are immensely influenced by peer groups; rather than the suggestions and advice of elders or teachers, the words of their peers become gospel truth to the kids. Hence, whenever educational institutions plan to implement certain ideas or policies successfully, the best method is to take kids into confidence. If the youngsters are convinced, then without any doubt, the ideas/policies can be efficiently implemented.
Practices that Have Built Campus Culture in the School
At Sanjay Ghodawat International School, we have been able to develop a unique campus culture due to the coordinated efforts and support of students. One can witness this the moment they enter the campus. Instead of wishing teachers with the usual ‘Good Morning’ or ‘Good Evening’ every day, the children have initiated wishing teachers with a traditional ‘Namaste’, and this practice has been well-appreciated by parents and visitors. The culture of touching the feet of elders and seeking blessings has been further strengthened by our students. The senior students extend elder brotherly or sisterly affection towards the younger kids. They take responsibility in the school bus while helping the younger children board or alight. The day begins with meditation, which is mandatory for everybody at the campus to engage in for 15
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Governance minutes every day. The student council members take the lead in guiding the students during meditation. Birthdays, too, are observed in a unique fashion. The muchanticipated manner of birthday celebrations by cutting cake and distributing chocolates has long become redundant at Sanjay Ghodawat International School (SGIS). The children ensure they contribute saplings and books to the school library on the occasion of their birthdays. They refrain from distributing chocolates; rather. they prefer to indulge in charity and celebrate their birthdays at orphanages or old-age homes. This culture has been deeply imbibed at our campus.
Educational institutions should tap into the great intellectual, as well as the technological expertise of the present-day youngsters for creating a better ambience in the campus
donated towards causes including flood reliefs, martyrs, rehabilitation of the downtrodden, literacy drives among the underprivileged, etc. All this could be possible due to the culture of empathy that has been cultivated at our campus. On the Creating A Culture of occasion of the birthday of Dr. A.P.J. Empathy in the Campus Abdul Kalam, the children were In the cafeteria, during lunch break, involved in a massive tree plantation the senior students serve the food, campaign. as well as monitor the kids to A whopping 40,000 saplings were ensure that there is no wastage of planted all across Kolhapur district food. This has helped the kids to within a short span of time. The understand the value of food. In district administration and forest case there is any food remaining, departments lauded the endeavours it is handed over to the local of the children. Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) ‘Robinhood Army’ which As part of ‘NDTV Behtar India’, our distributes it to the poor and children produced a documentary hungry. which was aired on NDTV. This task was completely handled by the The students extend active children themselves. support towards social drives. We have generated huge amounts and
Consciousness about environment has sensitised SGIS students greatly. They have become responsible citizens who have pledged to protect the earth and save nature. They have become accustomed to using water sparingly, switching off all electrical devices when not in use, and their use of papers for print outs or photocopies has drastically come down. Another important practice the children have developed is creating ‘Best Out of Waste’. The kids have converted old newspapers, magazines and plastic items into valuable products like greeting cards, toys etc. These creative items are exhibited during Open House where our generous parents buy the products; the amount generated is directed towards charity. Our kids have realised the value of the environment and have become habituated to reduce, reuse and recycle. The prefects, as well as senior students, go around the campus and ensure that the environment is kept spic and span. The culture of ‘Cleanliness is Next to Godliness’ at SGIS has been appreciated by many national and international organisations by honouring us with prestigious awards like ‘Green School Award’.
Other Positive Practices Contributing to Campus Culture A very positive culture that our students have cultivated at our campus is the reading habit. The children believe that good readers become good leaders. Hence, once a week, respective class students gather in the reading hall at a stipulated time and indulge in DEAR (‘Drop Everything and Read’) activity. Our children have vigorously cultivated the culture of ‘Dignity of Labour’. They respect ancillary staff and, during leisure time, they
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Governance
Mr. Naveen H Mahabaleshwara
We feel contented when our students emerge as well-rounded personalities who live with integrity wherever they are placed around the globe
help out in the duties of gardeners, kitchen staff, housekeeping, once in a while, the children organise fun time for them through games and snacks. The usual scenario of a school after the last bell is that of excited students rushing out of the school. At SGIS, before the final bell, the National Song ‘Vande Matharam’ is played and the whole campus comes to a standstill. Teachers, students and ancillary staff alike just stand at attention, wherever they are to pay their respects. The culture of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’ (Universal Family) is excellently exhibited by our kids. They have an enormous amount of tolerance and respect towards the faculty members and children www.lxl.in
of foreign nationalities. Our children readily agree to host overseas kids whenever they come down through wour student exchange programs. Due to the congenial nature of our children, we have become confident to host dozens of foreign students, faculty and delegates every year. The alumni of our school deserves great appreciation! These are the students who have become real ambassadors of campus culture. The very fact that wherever they are in the world chasing their dreams, they exhibit the values and ethics imbibed at the school. They make it a point to visit the school as and when the occasion arises and create positivity among us.
Conclusion We feel contented when our students emerge as well-rounded personalities who live with integrity wherever they are placed around the globe. The alumni carry forward our culture by actively indulging in social, environmental, cultural activities. They interact with the younger students at school and instill a fresh vigour of cultural richness at the campus. And thus, the legacy continues!
Having rendered years of service as an educator since the last two decades, Mr. Naveen H Mahabaleshwara is currently the Principal at SGIS Boarding Section. He has vast experience in dealing with CBSE, Cambridge Curriculum as well as State Boards. Mr. Naveen holds an MA in English, B. Ed., M.Phil. and a teaching certificate from Cambridge University. He has rendered all his service in Boarding Schools across Karnataka and Maharashtra. His distinguishing feature is mentoring and guidance of residential students. Mr. Naveen has received commendations from Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry, British Council, International Award for Young People (IAYP), National Service Scheme (NSS), etc. He has travelled widely across the globe. Mr. Naveen has received the Best Teacher Award from Himakshara, Global Friendship Society and Garden City University. residentialprincipal@sgischool.in
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Leadership
LEADERSHIP FOR STAFF RETENTION CRISIS The Reasons for High Staff Turnover
Introduction “No one should teach who is not in love with teaching” - Margaret Elizabeth Sangster
A
question that Human Resource (HR) people love to ask is, “Are you a task manager or a people person?” I was asked that question during my interview for the post of Principal. I replied, “I am a taskmaster”. However, I wasn’t too convinced with my answer, to be honest. In my heart of hearts, I knew very well that in a people-centrist educational institution, it is impossible to be a taskmaster without being a people person. Without winning the confidence of the people, you cannot focus just on getting the work done. The main problem the school administration faces these days is the retention of efficient teachers.
The Reasons for High Staff Turnover High
turnover
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in
the
school
staff adversely affects student performance, because the school staff can make or mar the school. Therefore, as school leaders, our prime focus should be on the retention of efficient staff members. Before addressing this issue, we need to analyse the reasons for high staff turnover. •
•
•
Low salary: The hard reality is that most school managements do not consider the staff salary as an investment but treat it as an expense. Disrespect: Exceedingly high expectations from the parents without due respect for the teachers increases the stress level of the teachers. Bitterly criticising the teachers/ school on social media or in the PTMs has become a common trend. Health: Large class sizes put a lot of pressure on the teachers, which is severely affecting the health of the teachers. Teachers suffer from
occupational diseases such as spondylitis, backache, knee pain and throat-related ailments due to long-standing hours, excessive use of vocal chords, etc. •
Too much paperwork: Too much time spent in recording maintenance and doing clerical work leaves less time for creative work.
•
Redundant curriculum: The ridiculous curriculum makes the work of the teacher very tough in making the material interesting for students.
•
Unruly students: Students throwing tantrums at the teachers without fear of punishment is widespread in schools. Teachers don’t have recourse, and the kids know it.
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Micro management: Untrained, over-enthusiastic supervisors breathing down the neck of teachers around the clock makes the lives of teachers miserable. 25 | Mentor | September 2019
Leadership •
The pressure to produce the best results: Teachers come under tremendous pressure when they have to obtain the best results from students having different abilities.
•
Lack of fairness: Lack of transparency and fair policies regarding promotion and increment ends up demoralising the staff.
Without winning the confidence of the people, you cannot focus just on getting the work done
5.
Celebrating success: Sending ‘thank you’ emails or appreciation letters makes a lot of difference. Those teachers who put in so much effort into their work need that pat on the back occasionally to ensure that they are in the right profession.
6.
Minimising the donkey work: Identifying the paperwork which is not adding proportionally to the ultimate goal and decreasing the same, will go a long way in reducing the stress of the teachers.
7.
The activities outside school hours: Minimising the events that happen after the school hours will give a chance for the teachers to rejuvenate for the next day.
8.
Offering partnership: Seeking professional inputs from the staff for the decisions that need to be taken makes them feel valued. There should be no fear to open up.
9.
‘Stay’ interviews: Conducting exit interviews gives an idea as to why the staff leave. Similarly conducting ‘stay’ interviews provide an opinion as to why the team sticks to the organisation.
The Role of Leadership in Staff Retention Crisis Being aware of the above hard realities, school principals should focus on teacher retention strategies more than anything else. The frequent change of teachers disturbs the academic activities in the school. Student indiscipline is bound to rise when there is no stable staff. Therefore, the primary focus should be on training the trainers and changing their mindset. The challenge is to create a feeling of belonging, despite having several reasons to complain and quit.
preparations, corrections, etc. Their planning should not be disrupted without prior notice. 2.
3.
Suggestions for Solving Employee Retention Crisis Hiking the salary is not the only solution. A leader can woo efficient staff in the following ways: 1.
Protect free time: As far as possible, try not to disturb the teachers during their free periods. These are the periods meant for their
4.
Extra time: If we need the services of teachers outside the school hours for additional teaching or rehearsals, the school office should keep a record of extra hours put in by the teachers. Presence: The presence of the school leader along with the staff during the arrival time, break time and dispersal time to greet them, to interact with them, and to understand them will pay a rich dividend in the long run. Supervision of the supervisors: Supervising the supervisor is critical to minimise the micromanagement by them, which will adversely affect the teachers.
10. Crèches: Providing some simple facilities like crèches in the work area and giving admission to the staff children at a concessional rate, will help many young teachers to continue in the profession. 11. Poaching: A school trying to ‘poach’ the teachers of another school requires serious introspection by the school leaders. 12. Hiring the right people: If passionate teachers are hired in the first place, the chances of those leaving the school in between are very less.
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Leadership flowchart of programs, etc. can help the newcomers to take over quickly. We take teachers for granted without realising how important a role they play in shaping the next generation
13. System-driven: Making the school system-driven and not people-driven reduces a lot of confusion that arises when a person leaves. A well-drafted year plan, lesson plan, result analysis, substitution plan, a
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14. Talent shows, tours/picnics for the staff: Even teachers and staff need to have fun once in a while! 15. Guidance and on-the-job training: After every class observation, giving the teachers the right direction not just with lip service but by giving demo class strengthens the absolute power of the leader. 16. Clarity of expectations: Welldefined goals and targets keep the teachers on their toes and minimise their confusions.
17. Salary: Salary plays an important role too. If both the senior staff and the newlyappointed staff get almost the same pay, it ruffles the feathers of the senior team. Therefore, these decisions should be taken very carefully considering various factors such as efficiency, seniority, etc. 18. Leadership opportunities: Opportunities to climb the ladder through efficiency and hard work always retains the efficient staff as they need not look for the same outside the organisation. Career-oriented teachers must experience growth opportunities to realise their own potential.
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Leadership 19. Professional growth: Teachers should be given leave to write exams, attend contact classes, workshops and training programs. This keeps the employee attached to the organisation for long. 20. Fairness: Above all, integrity in every practice adopted by the organisation, such as promotions, increments, etc. will make a teacher think twice before quitting the job. Providing a perception of fairness and equitable treatment is very important.
Our Style of Leadership Our school is an example of transparent leadership. Here, there is no secret. Regular HoD meetings, faculty meetings, coordinators’ meetings, parents’ meetings, student council meetings, drivers meetings, and the ancillary staff meetings helps everyone to get involved in the decision-making process. Rotation of duties every year gives the required training to every staff member to assume significant responsibilities. I believe in making the school system-driven and not people-driven. Every instruction is put down in writing; every procedure is welldrafted and shared with all. The involvement of the staff in every aspect of the school keeps their morale at a higher level. We study each situation deeply and decide on the required set of instructions and directions. Each one is unique, each case is exceptional, and each leader is different. What is important is connecting with the changing time, changing conditions and connecting with each person involved.
on how to woo the stakeholders to increase the enrollment rate, but rarely do we understand the techniques to woo the staff. We take teachers for granted without realising how important a role they play in shaping the next generation. Let’s wake up before it is too late. Let us not wait until the teaching profession is flooded with misfits who have not found a job anywhere else. Teaching is divine; it needs only those who want to be one.
Ms. Anita Sadanad Ms. Anita Sadanad (M.Com., L.L.B., B.Ed.) is presently leading Salmiya Indian Model School in Kuwait. She is a postgraduate in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations with a professional degree in Law as well as Education. She has been a passionate educator in the field for the last 28 years. principal@simskuwait.com
Conclusion We often read articles on how to woo children in the school to learn better. We also read articles www.lxl.in
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Leadership
SELF-CARE FOR TEACHERS The Strain and The Strategies
Introduction
What is the Role of a Teacher?
W
hen the world sleeps, there is always a teacher — or there may be many teachers — wide awake, burning the midnight oil to complete her corrections or planning her lessons for the next day. If the teaching profession is to bring one from darkness to light, then why do teachers have to slog through the day into the wee hours of the night?
As the popular saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Fill your cup up with selfcare to be the best you can possibly be
Who is going to speak on behalf of this, and when is it going to be brought to light? The concern is one that is long overdue in being addressed by the education community. ‘Self-care for Teachers’ is one of the prime physical, mental and emotional health radars that teachers themselves need to be aware of and care about. www.lxl.in
From time immemorial, teachers have taken on themselves the onus of their learners. It has been designed, or rather evolved over time in such a way that teachers are the most decisive element in the classroom, and also out of the classroom, and way beyond.
Teachers are communicators of their subject, an influencer by their interactive skills, a motivator through her words and actions. Is she a gene interpreter, a counsellor, a specialist in social behaviour? Well, the time has come when all of the above is expected out of her and she is to give her best! Why? When she intended on being a teacher, beckoning to the call from within to make this world a better place, she was also a part of this good place — was she not? Then why is the teacher now so very disgruntled? Is it becasue she has bitten off more than she can chew? Is she disoriented and clueless? Does a teacher see how her chagrined state of mind reflects in her class management strategies? 29 | Mentor | September 2019
Leadership Is the teacher suffering from compassion fatigue or is she on an information overdose, in a technological junkyard? “Say it with me – we can’t do everything. It’s impossible – and that’s okay. The harshest fact of all is, we won’t be able to do anything if we don’t start practising some serious self-care. Teachers are caregivers, and the importance of self-care for caregivers of all types cannot be stressed enough.” – Kaycee Morris. The more the teacher takes upon
herself, placing herself on a pedestal of righteousness – the ugly truth is, she is going to burn out faster. We need to remind our faculty members that they are human, first, and then teachers.
What is Self-care? How can we help teachers rejuvenate themselves and add value to their pedagogy so that they can be functional caregivers to their students? You may be asking, “What is selfwww.lxl.in
care?” The generally-accepted definition of self-care is anything that we do purposefully to take care of our own physical, mental, spiritual, and/or emotional health.
One self-care idea for you might be to create your own vision board.
What keeps you healthy? What makes you feel good? Where do you find your joy? The answers to those questions are your personal self-care activities.
1. Give your services for an institution that would treat you as a human, with appropriate dignity.
Where Do Teachers Find their Joy?
Some Self-care Ideas for Teachers
2. Make sure you are not accepted with a discount. 3. Work for a purpose, work towards a cause.
I know you spend your days making others feel good – but what
4. Be constructive and creative.
about you? When was the last time you did something just because it made you feel good?
5. Refrain from engaging in small talk and with toxic people.
Lastly, where do you find your joy? What makes you feel that deepdown satisfaction, that true sense of success? Do you have goals to help you reach that success and, have you made the time to work towards those goals? I have written before about creating a vision board so that your goals are right in front of you. Seeing them inspires you to work towards them.
6. Leave work at work. Your home is not your school office. 7. Even if it’s only for a few minutes every day, take the time to go outdoors. 8. Drink plenty of water. 9. Make sure that you spend that time doing something that makes you feel good or brings you joy. 10.
Pampering
yourself
can
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Leadership
Dr. Padmavathi B.
actually pay out many times over, because when you feel good, you are more able to make others feel good. 11. Mindfulness just means focusing your mind on what is happening in the present. 12. Mindfulness for teachers is especially important. In the
How can we help teachers rejuvenate and add value to their pedagogy so that they can be functional caregivers to their students?
classroom, being focused on the present, instead of worrying about that grading you haven’t done or how long the staff meeting will be, allows you to give your full attention to your students. Kids will feel that focus, and blossom under it.
cannot repay you in cash or kind. 15. Love yourself! You are unique. As the popular saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Fill your cup up with self-care to be the best you can possibly be. It’s important, friends. Please be kind to yourself! Be the best version of yourself!
Dr. Padmamavathi B. holds an M.A., M.S., M. Phil., B.Ed. and a PhD. A multi-faceted personality, she has achieved many awards in her career; to name a few, there are Kempegowda Prashashthi, Most Qualified Principal, Best Principal of the Year 2018, Avantika A.P.J. Abdul Kalam awardee 2019, Govt. of India HRD Ministry, International School Award 2019, etc. She is currently working as the Principal of East West Public School, Rajajinagar, Bangalore. Dr. Padmavathi is a dynamic person with a flair for perfection, who has been tirelessly working in this position for the past five years. She was also one of the panel members in the programme ‘Shaping Young Minds’ conducted by Young India Management Association and a Global Goodwill Ambassador. padmanavaneetha@gmail.com
13. Exercise in whichever way your body responds. 14. Practice kindness to those who www.lxl.in
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Innovation
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION How Smart Schools Can Shape Customised Learning Experiences
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rtificial Intelligence (AI), a field in computer science that involves the creation of intelligent systems that behave like human beings, has seen major developments in the recent past. There has been massive AI investment in the education field globally with the AI education market being currently valued at half a billion . It would be interesting to take a step back and look at how artificial intelligence will affect the future of education as a whole.
Tailored Learning Experience for Students For a very long time, the education system has treated all students as the same; however, the truth is that every student is unique. The future will see AI systems customise the www.lxl.in
learning experience for students based on their strengths and weaknesses — this will enable all students to enjoy the learning process.
AI systems can also uncover a student’s areas of weakness and suggest content to help them improve
Smart Algorithms to Determine Best Teaching Methods Smart algorithms are able to determine the best teaching method for each student. Not all students learn well with a teacher speaking to them all the time. This will help in detecting students with learning disabilities and addressing their concerns at an early stage in their education. Therefore, this will lead to better grades and students garnering skills that they can apply in the real world.
Career Path Prediction After university selection, there are usually many complaints of students being allotted for courses they didn’t want. This is 32 | Mentor | September 2019
Innovation partly because most students will choose similar courses and our institutions do not have enough capacity to admit each one for what they choose. AI systems, with the assistance of teachers, will be able to gather student data and predict the best career path for each student. This will make the university course-selection process simple and seamless.
ability of a computer to understand human language, can be used to analyse course content and uncover learning gaps in the curriculum. AI systems can also uncover a student’s areas of weakness and suggest content to help them improve. Another interesting thing these systems can do is to discover the best delivery models for students.
Predicting Students’ Future Performance
Generating Customised Education Content
AI systems will predict the future performance of a student by looking at their performance over time. This kind of intelligence will
AI systems can now analyse the syllabus and course material and come up with new and customised content. These systems are also
help the Ministry of Education understand how many students are expected to join secondary school and university in a certain year. The ministry will, therefore, be in a position to make future budgetary plans for the construction of institutions and teacher training.
able to generate exams after analysing this content. This would eventually free teachers up to focus on more pressing issues, such as student performance.
Uncovering Learning Gaps Natural language processing, the www.lxl.in
Collaborative Learning By analysing student data, AI systems can pair up students based on their personality type, strengths and complementary
skills. Grouping students who can work together will reduce conflict and make the learning process smooth and efficient.
Artificial Intelligence Tutors With the increasing number of students in our learning institutions, AI tutors will come in handy in easing the burden on teachers. These tutors will provide additional support to students as well as give them feedback. They will also make on-demand learning for students possible, in that students don’t have to be confined to a class setting to conduct their studies.
Smart Schools Schools will be built based on the Internet of Things (IoT), a technology that involves connecting various devices to the internet. These devices will communicate with each other and monitor things such as alarms, lighting and even maintenance needs before they happen. Smart classrooms will invigilate exams and, therefore, 33 | Mentor | September 2019
Innovation
Syeda Farha Nousheen curb cheating. These classrooms will be configured with facial recognition technology that will monitor student attendance and even tell how long a student has spent in a particular class session. With Artificial Intelligence all set to disrupt the education sector globally, the biggest worry for most people has been whether it will replace teachers. Artificial Intelligence systems are not as empathetic as human beings; these systems will work best with the help of human teachers. It is therefore highly unlikely that these systems will completely replace teachers in our classrooms. These systems are already operational in many parts of the world.
Syeda Farha Nousheen was born However, for countries of the and raised in Mysore. She has Global South to catch up with graduated from Teresian College the rest of the world, there have to be intentional strategies by and has been teaching at Tagore stakeholders in the education English School for the past three sector. Some of these strategies years. In her free time, she enjoys include collecting the necessary reading, dancing and playing data points that will power these intelligent systems, including data throwball. She was a homemaker science and artificial intelligence for seven years, before she decided courses in our curriculum to follow her passion of teaching. and preparing the technology It had always been her underlying infrastructure that will enable the adoption of this technology. Until desire to become a teacher, and then, we can only sit by the side with the support of her husband and watch as other countries reap and family, she has been able to the benefits of this technology. achieve it. Now, she is mentoring other homemakers to come forward and achieve their dreams by educating them on technologies and concepts. azzu.abbu7786@gmail.com
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