Sreepriya Unnikrishnan, Head of School, Ekya School, JP Nagar, Bengaluru
The education industry is booming and we have witnessed a profound change in the field of education. Rapid development and skill enhancement for teachers are the need of the hour. Chalkboards have transformed into whiteboards and PowerPoint presentations. Access to new tools and technology has made education convenient across all the platforms. Hence, students have a plethora of material at the tip of their fingers. To provide quality education, students require a guide, and this is where the professional teacher comes into the picture. Teaching is an evolving skill because a good teacher needs to keep on upskilling herself to be able to engage the students productively in the class and ensure the intended outcome in our learners.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education creating a huge learning gap among students and many teachers. Teachers had to adopt the latest technology and methods to teach online. It was difficult for them to connect with each student emotionally online and understand their problems. Nevertheless, all the teachers acted as saviours during the tough times and guided students adequately. Few initiatives that demonstrate effective teaching in the classroom which will lead to the overall development of Teachers and Students are:
Induction and Orientation Program
It is important to organize induction and orientation sessions for new and existing teaching faculty. The training is provided with an aim to upskill all teachers with the academic year’s priorities. Few key sessions to be included such as;
- Innovative pedagogical approaches
- Advanced technological tools for online classes
- Classroom management and school culture setting
- Content-specific cohorts
- Organizational vision and policies
- Effective teaching and learning practices
Continuous Learning Program
It is one of the pivotal parts of the teaching-learning process. Workshop emphasis on updating them with the latest research in the education field. Teachers should be given opportunities to develop their ways of teaching and learning throughout the year. Orientation programs are just a kick-start to this process. Under this, one can conduct various programs mentioned below;
- Learning programs that provide educators with the tools they need to foster the development of emotional, social, and ethical intelligence for students and themselves.
- Year-Long self-paced Massive open online course (MOOC), a model for delivering learning content online to any person who wants to take a course, with no limit on attendance
- Summertime learning opportunities
- Campus PDs (Boot Camps): Facilitating intercampus best practices sharing events
- Campus-wise session: Based on the campus’s requirement
- Faculty Development Programs: These are weekly sessions catering to the diverse learning needs of the school
The shortage of skilled and qualified teachers is a major problem that has plagued the education system. Skilled teachers are vital to ensure quality education, promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and prepare students for a dynamic future. Nowadays, kid-to-professional learners have become smart and hence educators need to be one step ahead. Also, this will further help teachers come up with various teaching methods through the adoption of correct procedures to gain students’ confidence and help them to learn more effectively.
Teaching and learning go hand in hand
Great teachers identify students’ talent and encourage them for a better future. It enhances confidence and skills in the students for engaging with the teachers regularly. Providing workshops and inclusive training will make teachers more productive and give them more time to focus on the student instead of paperwork. Many teachers spend most of their time on student evaluations, curriculum development, and other paperwork in addition to the hours spent on classroom preparation.
Subject Enhancement & Management
Teachers should implement the latest developments related to their subject in their classrooms. For example, a math teacher can use upcoming technology to make learning fun in the classroom such as Globatoria, geometry pad, math playground, dragon box, etc. Tools make it easier for teachers to plan their lessons according to the sessions.
