PANDEMICS CANNOT IMPEDE LEARNING AND INNOVATION

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”

The first part of lockdown ended yesterday and today we enter the second and more crucial phase of the same. The world is experiencing something it had never experienced before. In my last article, I discussed the ways to remain positive and to make the best use of the situation at hand. In this article, I would exclusively focus on the teacher-student-parent community and the thoughtfully committed and innovative way it has dealt with the state of affairs. Teachers all over the world remain unperturbed. They have become more dedicated, creative and are constantly engaged with their students through various online platforms, attesting that education never takes rest. At the outset, I must accept what parents and students across the world have acknowledged. There is no better feeling than being in the physical and tangible world of school, but this temporary yet complete reliance on online classrooms has its own benefits. When it comes to lesson planning, the teachers have become more careful and pertinent. The videos they upload are re-revised before uploads and the activities are planned with more ‘out of the box’ approach as the students are only virtually connected. 

For most of the students it is a different experience. They definitely miss the classroom-teaching but they are undoubtedly enjoying the change too. There has been an enthusiastic response from their side as well. They have not only got a chance to work at their own pace but also have the space and time to frame their doubts extensively and ask for solutions at their convenience. They aren’t bound in a 40-minute time-frame for the same. They are more comfortable as they don’t feel the pressure and competition of an intense learning but a reasonably paced class; especially the introverts have been opening up and participating with ease. 

When it comes to the involvement of parents in classroom teaching, the complete switch to online teaching has opened up new ways. Parents are getting involved in the teaching-learning process like never before. Even the grandparents are getting an opportunity to witness directly and participate in the learning and teaching of new concepts. It’s an amazing bonding and connecting exercise. With this we realize that the basic parent-child-teacher trio has become an all-inclusive cycle as parent-child-teacher-family-resources everyone and everything has come together to be an eternal progression, undoubtedly better than before. 

But all this progress hasn’t come so easy. There are so many challenges that the parent-child-teacher and community, is facing and overcoming every day. Let’s take a look into a few of them. The very first challenge is to select the best online platform, and then comes the excessive data consumption and slow internet connection in remote areas. Some areas do not have proper Wi-Fi connectivity that results in ineffective communication. Another major problem is the families having 3-4 school/college going children. Here, sharing the software, devices and internet has been a tough task. A lot of parents are also working from home; this also hinders a hassle-free connectivity. 

Of course, they all are constantly trying to overcome these trials and focusing on the brighter side. They all are becoming more comfortable with technology, learning how to follow basic hygiene and adopting judicious ways to use the available resources. As we adopt the new ways together, trying to adjust with the situation, let us pray that we would be able to restore the social fabric that once existed. We will definitely come out of the lockdown more mature and cognizant than ever. 

Focusing on the positive side, I would like to proudly share the innovative initiatives of the teachers brilliantly dealing with the lockdown. In our school( and the same is true for many more schools) The Primary Block has adopted a creative take on the situation introducing a flexible activity based approach catering to multiple intelligences. Including all the three domains of development a set of foundational classes has been introduced. The activities include sorting activity to enhance the psycho-motor domain. The focus is on the judicious use of resources and inventing ways to save resources and learn more. Parents are constantly involved and their suggestions are welcomed. For language development the teachers are recording various videos narrating stories, reciting poems and enacting plays with their own kids at home. The recorded videos with teachers performing are really endearing and the tiny tots enjoy them beyond measure. Performing the balancing activity at home with siblings and elders was fun for the kids and lemon and spoon activity was thoroughly enjoyed even by the grandparents as it made them ecstatically nostalgic. To enhance and cater to the social domain, prayer sessions and household chores are included as assignments. 

The Middle Block is also catering to multiple intelligence with a wide range of activities focusing on correlating various subjects. Art and performing arts have been exclusively included in lesson plans. Various pedagogical strategies are being used by the educators. For example, teachers have incorporated PPT mode of teaching. Discussions are taking place with flashcards and comments or questions through the chat box on online platform. The students are getting comfortable with the flip classes and are able to watch the videos at their own pace and replay the videos for better understanding. The introvert kids are posting the assignments on WhatsApp groups and getting applauded by the classmates. One of the language teachers shared her experience of a before-after activity she conducted with class VIII students. The students were asked to take up a household task like dusting or arranging their room or cupboard properly and post a collage of before and after pictures with a four lines poem on their accomplishment. The response was overwhelming and unbelievably commendable. 

In the Senior Block the teachers teach and interact at the assigned time of the class but the students are free to clarify their doubts as per their convenience i.e. in the afternoon post TLP or evenings as well. One of the Mathematics teachers shared her experience informing how kids are sensibly using the technology and concentrated as she taught constructions. They drew and measured with her which reduced the doubts to the minimum. Another language teacher successfully conducted poster making activity incorporating the current world situation. Students made posters on how to stay safe from COVID-19. Students are also conducting Physics and Chemistry experiments under the supervision and guidance of their parents which has made learning fun and engaging. 

We salute all those who are fighting the corona battle directly as doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, police personnel, administrative staff and our government official at the cost of their own safety. At the same time I salute the teachers also who are contributing their bit( which is very important) in making the day to day life of their students worth and involving them positively and creatively. For many it would have been really a challenge to all of a sudden shift to online interaction.

Life has come to a halt but learning cannot be curbed. It finds its ways. This is such a time when a lot of leaning can happen on an emotional level. The challenges are immense but the teachers are constantly not only engaging but empowering kids, the parents are not only giving the resources but also the most important treasure i.e., their time and attention to the kids.  And the wonderfully amazing bundles of passion and hope, our kids, are dealing with this situation with patience, getting ready and better prepared to face future challenges. My blessings are with you all. Stay safe. Stay optimistic. Stay humble. Keep learning and innovating. I would end the article with these inspiring lines from an English translation of DaisakuIkeda’s “The Cherry Tree”

“When you find the strength within yourself to survive the toughest of times, then you can stand tall like this cherry tree and know in your heart that you have done your best.”