Applauding The Efforts Of Our Educators

The role of a teacher or an educator refers to the person who helps students acquire knowledge and virtue. Despite the overwhelming consequences of COVID-19, this global crisis has also been an extraordinary time for learning. The roles and responsibilities of the teacher changed drastically during the pandemic. On 24 March 2020, the Government of India ordered a nationwide lockdown for 21 days. Although the citizens didn’t know how to react yet they took it as a break from the hustle and bustle of life. The lockdown affected the different sections of society, differently. The affluent were relaxed but the daily wage workers had to migrate to their villages for their survival. The fear of illness, social restrictions and economic insecurity had all taken their toll on the psychological wellbeing of these adversely affected ones. Therefore to build up the morale of the nation, various government agencies and organisations came up with many unique ideas like lighting diyas, beating thalis, showering flowers on health care workers thereby acknowledging their relentless efforts.

During all this chaos and clutter, when schools were on the fag end of completing their academic session with the regular regime of examination or preparing the results to be declared, it looked as if the teachers were in the middle of nowhere. And then they took the baton to lead the learning of children under lockdown and were silently back to their work. All this seemed like moving mountains but they came up with plans nobody had talked much, lest tried before; experimenting, practicing and learning became a part of their lives. This community was equally affected by the pandemic and lockdown yet they quietly adapted to the new system. Now they would have to work at home and from home, completely ignoring the fact that their challenges ranged from adopting innovative pedagogical strategies to dealing with changed household settings while they were trying to teach online.

Here I would like to share my experience with my colleagues. In spite of all the domestic issues, the teachers rose above the masses and stood up to the looming challenges and vigorously adapted to the latest applications, whichever, came their way, so that their students may not be at loss. They diligently curated the lesson plans for the online classes on Zoom. The tasks frequently performed by teachers were screen presentation, assignment allocation and synchronous video-audio-based discussion, etc. Every task demanded meticulous planning and time. It was more difficult for the teachers of pre-primary classes as they had to prepare activities which the students could relate to and the selection of props or items which would be easily available at every household, along with creating videos at home to explain the basics of each topic and share their screens for teaching. Secondary and Senior Secondary teachers had to arrange practicals through simulations and experimental methodologies and interactive activities to communicate, teach and make the students respond during each class.

Then rose another issue as Zoom application was declared unsafe and there was a resistance to use it with students while teaching. Nonetheless, the teachers adapted to another application swiftly which was Extra Marks. Taking sessions with each other, either in pairs or in teams for the same, and rigorous practice on the new platform, made them competent as well as confident. But this too didn’t last longer due to connectivity issues. So there came another shift to Microsoft Teams.  This added on to their extra hours of training sessions for the new application.  After taking their own online classes, it was exhausting at times, but the zeal to learn-teach-learn was supreme. Now they were handling the gadgets, coordinating and interacting with the students more buoyantly. Witnessing my teachers creating innovative videos, quizzes, storytelling sessions, virtual tours, online games and activities to make the students comfortable in their habitat, overwhelmed me and many other people who understood the predicament of teachers.  They took one-on-one sessions, counselled the young minds to stay positive in the distressful situation. 

There was a big surge in the online platform of webinars, workshops and seminars organised by government and non-government bodies. The webinars usually focused on the inventive methodologies of online teaching, methods of engaging the students, preparing interactive questionnaire, counselling etc., which pressurized the teachers further. Each session they attended was after the school hours. This increased the working hours for them. But soon came a time when all were worried about the teachers’ mental health and well-being. Perhaps, one should not forget that the teachers too are humans who were also affected by the pandemic. But they quietly managed everything effectively. Time management hadn’t been easy for the them, however they did justice to the same. It would have been equally pivotal for them to deal with professional prerequisites and also manage their families.  The month of April and May were well spent in adapting the applications and perfecting the art of teaching and learning online. The month of June was dedicated to further learning and taking care of students who couldn’t attend the online sessions due late admissions or unavailability of gadgets. The educators for pre-primary classes took online sessions for the students in morning as well as in the evening as per time which was most suitable to both parents and children. Their job also became a 24x7 job. Planning, learning, implementing and imparting, kept the teachers on toes. Didn’t they need unwinding? Did they get the time?

Teachers, just like doctors, had to mask their personal grief and worries and maintain and display brave face before the learners. Constantly shuttling back and forth between online and offline duties, between personal grief and professional demeanor, supporting not only their students but also their own family’s needs while ensuring everyone’s health and safety. In spite of the domestic turmoil (if any) this community rose above the masses and stood up to the looming challenges.

The teachers had to face great difficulty in guiding students who needed extra support both academically and emotionally because everything had to be done from the other side of the screen. There was a lack of personalized feedback that made teaching processes difficult. But this seemed like a never ending task as preparing the students for classes X and XII board exam was one of the most important responsibility for them. Arrangement of the extra online classes reduced the time educators had for their personal space. When the board examinations were postponed and rescheduled from 4th of May to 14th June 2021, the teachers had to engage the students of board classes in a quintessential manner. Soon on June 1st, 2021 the exams got cancelled. This brought an end to the work of students who were supposed to take the board examination for the year 2020-21. Did this decision bring an end to the work of teachers? NO. Then came in the herculean task of result preparation, in which the educators had to toggle between their homes and schools and staying back for longer hours. Preparing result in consonance with the reference year, yet keeping it justified was a major challenge for the teachers.

Amidst all these unsung efforts of thousands of men and women of this community the society was ignoring the danger they would be in. Were they immune to COVID, or were their families and children not being threatened due to their exposure?

It was tough for the teachers to impart knowledge to enhance the skills of the students on an online platform where they couldn’t meet their students, but still they were connected closely with the students and were resolving queries efficiently. Then the new session began with new hopes that the things would be better. Hybrid pattern of education suddenly emerged and the teachers once again engaged the students effectively in parallel sessions of offline and online classes. They delivered their duties with utmost dedication and diligence. Next came in the Term 1 Examinations of classes X and XII and almost all of them were once again involved in the successful conduct of the same, without any grievance. Teachers silently adapted everything and became the masters at every task and of every circumstance. Kudos to them, their families at home and extended families at school.

I shared my experience for the reason that the ones who are responsible for the educational policies should not ignore the well-being of teachers. CBSE, as one of the most prominent boards, responsible for the quality education, must realise that schools are not only for conducting examinations but for effective teaching learning process and if the teachers are continuously involved in administrative and miscellaneous work, the very purpose of being teachers and nation builders fades amidst all this and then they tend to fall short of what they are supposed to do. For example, this time (first term exam) everything from filing the online information of students to printing the question papers, conducting board exams and then same day evaluating the OMRs, uploading the correct answers and dispatching the documents on the same day has been left to the schools (all of a sudden) which all know is not an easy task in addition to taking care of other students learning, because they cannot be left to themselves for about a month in the middle of academic session. It essentially appeared that the teachers are not educators but a workforce, working on the whims and fancies of higher ups. Not many think to make them the part of the reforms. My request to all responsible for reforms in education is to focus more on learning and the entire attention should not shift towards testing. Thank you educators for doing your job without any grudges. I respected this profession deeply, but now my head and heart bows more in acknowledging the selfless approach of this fraternity, of which I too am a part and will always be...

As we approach the end of the year 2021 and are set to enter new year 2022, my sincere thanks to all the parents who helped us in taking care of our students. And dear students you have displayed power of resilience during this period and I pray for your success in the new year and always.

Wishing all readers a happy and prosperous year 2022.