– Mrs. Gayatri Shastry, Asst. Teacher
Kilbil St. Joseph’s High School, Nashik
The year 2020 will be remembered for many more years to come in the almanac of World History as a year of COVID -19. It was a year of rule of the Corona virus and a period of anguish, uncertainty, anxiety, grief and distress and a new normal for every citizen who was a part of this phase. Corona virus changed the face of the world in such a way that it left a strong impressionable impact in everybody’s everyday life.
I, as a teacher too, was influenced by this pandemic in both ways- positive and negative. I take the pleasure to pen down the deep the impact the virus created on me.
The spread of the virus was so fast like a wildfire, that it did not leave any room for planning and rethinking. The virus affected humanity on a large scale and a rapid pace.
Lock down, social distancing and self-isolation within the four walls of your own house seemed to be the only solution. It was a complete contrast to the usual social living which we are used to since ages. It created a sense of panic, anxiety and emotional imbalance among all sections of the society.
The children lost their childhood and elders found themselves keeping distance from their acquaintances. Weekends never seemed to end and empty roads became the order of the day.
In this uncertain situation too, I feel blessed to be a teacher. I am called a War Hero, since I have not failed in my duties to impart knowledge and educate my students. I have adopted online teaching as a challenge against all odds and I am communicating with my children.
It gives me a special feeling of satisfaction to be a part of nation-building even in this hour of crisis. My students are my strength and motivate me to move on. They demolish my boredom and loneliness.
I interact with their parents and share their problems and apprehensions. It makes me feel like a Godmother as I am a tool in their growth process and instrumental in overcoming their uneasiness.
Every day, I eagerly look forward to the online classes to share my opinion and hear my students speak. So, e-learning is the need of the hour to overcome this paroxysmal attack of pain and distress and I feel privileged to be a teacher.
However, all this did not come easily to me. It was a Herculean challenge which I had to overcome to be a part of this new normal living. In the COVID-19 situation, it was a very unique challenge. The challenge demanded that I should go through a digital transformation overnight.
I accepted the challenge and left behind all my tech fears. I suppressed my inhibition and opened my house for public viewing. The challenge demanded that I had to accomplish all these tasks with limited or no resources.
The challenge also demanded that I need to teach with 30 odd parents watching over the student’s shoulder and judging my every move. However, I accepted all these challenges and today I stand strong with appreciation and respect not only for myself but all the teaching fraternity as these relentless warriors stand united for a cause.
My appreciation for them cannot be expressed in words. As a tribute to all the teachers, I bow my head with respect and praise myself to be honoured to be a part of the human race which so quickly learns to pick up all the good things even in a pandemic situation.
Humans can easily accept all challenges and I am sure sooner than later, one day the other COVID warriors – our doctors and researchers would come up with a vaccine and ensure a cure against this deadly demon. Praise the human race and praise the teachers. God bless them always.
