– Mrs. Palvinder Renu
Asst. Teacher
Kilbil St. Joseph’s High School
As the COVID-19 pandemic set in across the globe, everyone’s life turned upside down. The biggest question for the educators, parents, government authorities was EDUCATION.
To replace the traditional system with technology, androids, laptops and stronger networks, to create a coherent system of teaching-learning was a great challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic suddenly and abruptly forced schools and education to engage into a digital transformation.
It was a big task for the teachers as they had to double down on their innovative skills in the Teaching-Learning process. The teachers served a very important role in showing their expertise and prove their mettle to their colleagues, parents as well as the policymakers for long hours.
Government departments provide guidelines, administrators of schools are keen on implementing these policies but it’s only the teachers who can translate the government policies into concrete learning techniques.
The new system was not easy and acceptable to everyone in the beginning. Parents were reluctant to expose their children to the electronic devices for long hours.
This is when the pioneers of education braved in with smiling faces, compassionate behaviours; calm attitudes fully equipped with the technical know how to bring about the TRANSFORMATION. And then eventually realization dawned upon the parents that it is the time for us to connect, learn, and lead together with teachers at the forefront.
Parents are now more comfortable and feel safer to keep their children at home and take lessons online. Students are watching, listening, interacting, and learning on their devices. They have become more independent, careful, and disciplined.
Parents are now better connected to and involved in their child’s development, creative growth more than mere education. Teachers are playing an important role by providing personalized learning, where each student enjoys focused individual attention. It is ensured that students feel inspired, safe, valued and can learn in flexible conducive environments.
Now, the youngsters of today can understand and make decisions on how to utilize digital technologies in everyday life in meaningful ways. The young generation has gained skills and competencies to innovate, design, program, make, build and use digital technology for their learning process. Schools are playing a pivotal role in educating the children for the needs of the future.
The best part is that teachers who are model learners learn with the kids and deliver to the best of their abilities.
It’s not only the monotonous lectures but the assignments, quizzes, projects, live question-answer sessions, interesting activities, tests and online competitions that give it a school atmosphere wholly.
Despite the stress and pressure of completing the portion on time, the teachers are working hard to make the lectures interesting, interactive and enjoyable.
This is gratefully reciprocated by all – the management, the parents, students and the community as well. A recent online survey shows an increase in appreciation for teachers’ work. Thus the parents have built better relationships with their child’s teachers.
The PTA at Greenwood Elementary had recently organized a Drive-thru teachers’ appreciation event, presenting their educators with flowers, a card and a special T-shirt from Ray gun. The parents and communities have become very supportive and so the teachers and students can carry on their respective endeavours more efficiently.
The pandemic has opened many parents’ eyes to the role the teachers play as a part of the basic fabric of education. It is noticed that the teachers are absorbing renewed affection from their students. The connections might be virtual but what’s exchanged via them is real as never before.
Overall, the transformation has set in and the virtual teaching-learning programme is gaining momentum.
