Be a Veteran at Classroom Management!

 “Classroom Management is not about having the right rules. It is about having the right relationships.” 

The hottest topic of discussion in a staffroom is a chaotic classroom. A teacher who does not manage a classroom like a pro often faces criticism from his or her colleagues and even the authorities. A newbie in the field often wonders how the other teacher is managing the neighbouring class like a veteran. She puts it down to years of experience and the situation worsens over a period of time. A few other teachers take control of their classrooms from day one and do not face any hassle to manage a bunch of 30 to 35 kids or whatever the capacity maybe. 

 Trust me many a teachers scare setting their foot inside a classroom which is not organised or chaotic. I have seen teachers refusing to take ownership of a classroom because they fear that the students will be out of their control. Any word or instruction will have to be shouted and not said. 

 ‘Discipline’ sounds more of a dictatorial rule than simply understanding that it is all about making the right decisions during a given situation. 

 So let us understand that classroom management is not a 5 tips or tricks away. 

“Classroom management is not about tips and tricks. It’s how we relate, speak, guide and care”-Liz’s Early Learning Spot .

The best thing that has worked in managing a classroom full of students is standing in silence. It spreads like magic. I’m sure you must have tried it out a hundred times. If not go ahead and do it the next time your students are having star wars inside the classroom. 

 I have said it umpteen times and would like to repeat it again-A teacher should plan her lessons in advance before entering a classroom. Also the students know very well that they can take you for a ride. 

You will have to be smarter, more proactive and have a sense of humour when you deal with them. 

 Why do you accept excuses like- 

I forgot to bring my book. 

I went out last evening so I could not complete my homework.

I had lent my notebook to my friend who is absent today.

There are hundreds of such excuses which they give if the work is incomplete or not done or simply that they have been lazy enough not to even blink an eye at the mention of the homework. Instead of getting perturbed, make them write the same in the classroom in front of you. If they do not have the concerned notebook, they can write it in a notebook. The point is to convince them that they have to realise their responsibility of completing the work. 

 “The goal isn’t to get a good class. The goal is to cultivate a good one.” 

Everyone wants perfect students who would not even utter a single word in the classroom. The teachers feel teaching should be like a cakewalk. Well it can be if you develop the right relationship with your students. 

Just like we cultivate a garden, we have to cultivate values, principles, humour, responsibility, integrity, etc. among our students. 

 Don’t you ever play the blame game… 

NEVER! 

The teacher blames the parent and the parent blames the teacher for the behaviour of the student. What each needs to understand is that react to the child’s behaviour after you have analysed the situation. And always remember to react positively. Because any negative or harsh words or your stern body language leaves scars on the child’s personality and character. 

 Leave aside your arguments or issues with the parents of the student. Don’t let the negative perception that you have of the parent come in the way of your dealing with the child. Never judge the child on the basis of your analysis of the parent. Treat the student as an individual identity. Treat the student as wet clay to be moulded until he is in your hands. Now, let your creativity run wild and carve a structure which symbolises happiness, empathy and sensitivity. 

A classroom is a room full of students. 

But take each child at a time. 

Remember it is that one human that you touch counts. 

Try to make a difference to that one student and soon the entire tribe is your fan. 

 You understand them and they will understand you. 

“The number one problem in the classroom is not the discipline. It is lack of authentic learning tasks, procedures and routines.”-Harry Wong 

The environment in your classroom will seem to be in order if you capture the interests of the learners. If the main objective of a classroom is to focus towards a learning environment, then the teaching learning process has to be in place according to the demand of the learners not according to the objectives set by a teacher. Of course, the learning objectives are planned well in advance keeping in mind the learners’ learning styles and quite a few other criteria. 

The students love certain routines which are created by a teacher. For example, the video which went viral which showed a kindergarten teacher giving the preferred welcome to my class as chosen by the student from the symbols pasted on the wall outside the classroom. 

Another example is the circle time which the students look forward to or the class library where they can choose a book to read, if they finish the assigned task or receiving a star or some extra time for games if they bring nutritious food in their tiffin boxes, etc. 

Some interesting learning tasks are experiential activities which the teacher takes up in the class or a poetry reading session in the outdoors. Describing your favourite person or creating a story with pictures are a few others. You can also grab the interest of the students if you can motivate them to be a part of the class magazine. Tongue twisters engage the students equally in the classroom. 

 “It’s the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom” – Michael Morpurgo 

All said and done.

 I will always conclude that it is the teacher which matters not the four walls of the classroom. The magic stick is in your hands. You need to wave it every time that you feel students need something new or more interesting to captivate their interest. 

 Don’t listen to the rumours. 

Don’t judge by your perception. 

Don’t get intimidated by your students. 

Don’t let them rule the class. 

Don’t make strict rules just to discipline your class. 

Don’t write the classroom rules on the bulletin board and forget all about them. 

Don’t lose your confidence. 

Don’t let others' judgement of your classroom handling overshadow your self-belief. 

INSTEAD-

Be cheerful. 

Understand your students. 

Listen to them. 

Guide them. 

Manage the classroom like a PRO! 

YO! 

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Learn the Art of Persuasion to Teach Well!

Image credits: https://kidstarnutrients.com/health/family-nutrition/tips-to-feed-a-picky-eater/

 Aristotle gave the structure of a great speech to his students. He framed it around Ethos-Pathos-Logos. According to him great things are achieved if one knows the art of persuasion well. He taught his students the art of persuasion through delivering a powerful speech. 

 When we consider a teacher in a classroom setting or any other setting what comes to light the most is that she/he has to speak to deliver a lecture or speech most of the times. He/She has to communicate effectively to his/her students. 

Imagine a classroom where a teacher is teaching and the students are all around the classroom. The teacher is focussed at completing her curriculum. She has received a deadline and now finally she is just at her job. 

In another classroom all the students are sitting with eyes and ears glued to what the teacher is teaching. She is delivering her lecture with certain notes and diagrams or graphs which she is interlacing while teaching. 

 In both the cases we have professionals. 

Both are focussed. 

 They know their task. 

They know their targets. 

But the way to achieve the target is absolutely different.

 One has a captured audience and the other simply has the audience but no ways and means to capture their attention. 

It is somewhat similar to what happens when a salesman simply tries to sell a product and a veteran salesman sells the solution of the problem to the buyer.

 While teaching communication skills to the students we teach that words or speech gain only 20% of the audience’s attention. Where as 80% is contributed by the body language, your tone, intonation, expressions, etc. Curriculum delivery becomes fairly easy when the relationship between the teacher and student is empathic and considerate. 

So how to do it?

 Here we go- Ethos-Pathos-Lagos 

Ethos- Is your own character. It is your credibility that you build as a teacher. It tells, persuades or even compels the audience to believe in you. So, when we speak of command over the subject, inter twinning practical examples in your teaching material or taking them out for an experiential class where you deliver the lecture to co relate things around you into the teaching material it is all a part of building credibility. The more knowledge you have you will be able to deliver to it in a better manner. It is important for a teacher to build her credibility. 

You want the students to trust you that whatever material you are delivering is important for them to remember, understand and reproduce. The more the faith the better the understanding by the students. It is directly proportionate. Build on faith. Hence professional development is constantly suggested to keep upgrading your knowledge and skills. The new generation has a lot of information at the command of their finger-tips. If you are able to cater to their interests in unique and innovative ways you have won half the battle. 

Let us understand with the example of advertisements. Big brands higher celebrities to advertise their product. Why? The customers value the celebrity. They trust them and in turn that trust gets converted into compelling them to buy the product because it has been endorsed by the celebrity. 

 You will also find some ordinary people making a great impact through the advertisements. We do remember the TATA motors ad launched on Durga Puja. It showcased common people being a part of the celebrations. Enjoying the routine. Just feeling and being happy. 

 What I mean to say is by being happy in a class you automatically endorse that the concept that you are teaching is pretty good, simple and easy to understand. 

 Pathos- It is the empathy that you have for your audience. You are addressing some of their major concerns. These are the problems that the students are facing related to the academic content or concepts. They are confused or totally unaware of these topics. In a way you are voicing their concerns and then providing them the solutions. 

Remember through pathos you are touching the emotions of your students. You need to appeal to their senses, memory, nostalgia, feelings of joy, excitement, integrity, etc. We often stick to an advertisement because it involves high drama of emotions. You sit back and take note of it and then ultimately you remember. Apply the same sequence of thoughts to your students. It happens just the same with them. The goal will be sooner achieved because they will remember what you have taught because of the emotions that got entangled or ran free or uncontrolled at that moment of time. 

The humour, the drama, the fear, the extent of helplessness, the vastness of the devastation, etc. all such emotions should be put to use. They will understand the extent which you want to deliver. They will empathise with the situation and remember the lesson. That is what the ultimate goal is.

 Logos-The logical reasoning behind the concepts taught. Yes, all the academic concepts are related and assembled together because they are logical. There is a reason why we teach these concepts to the students. 

 One of my students put up a question to me on ‘Instagram’. The student asked, “Respected Madam. When a teacher cannot teach all the subjects why are the students expected to study each one of them?” 

Oh! But true.

 My Reply, “Education aims to expose you to different concepts and subjects. It wants you to taste everything and finally decide which subject you want to specialize in.”

 In response to this, I received a smiley. 

 So, the logical reasoning part can be taught by including statistics, graphs, calculations, and some live examples to prove the point. This is the best way to include LOGOS in your speech to persuade the students. This technique comes in handy while you are trying to teach Social Science. The students feel this subject as boring which it is absolutely not. When you deliver certain facts by stating statistics, percentages, numbers, graphs, etc. the students remember the information. Because they get captured by the numbers fairly quickly. Even better than a well dramatized story. 

 I conclude with the lines taken from an article from the blog Farnam Street- 

Ethos is about establishing your authority to speak on the subject, logos is your logical argument for your point and pathos is your attempt to sway an audience emotionally. 

 Link for the article- https://fs.blog/ethos-logos-pathos/ 

 So, learn the Art of Persuasion and go on and teach well. 

Follow my blog for more insights into the world of teaching. 

 DISCLAIMER: The author has no intention of using a copyrighted image. It will be removed if the publisher has an objection. Due credits have been mentioned on my blog.

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#8 Simple ways to make your teaching interesting.

 

“Those that know do

Those that understand teach.”-Aristotle.

 

As teachers our path is to guide. This line has been said many times.

Well, I am not writing this blog to motivate you or anyone else. My purpose today is to make the teaching learning process more meaningful and approachable by demonstrating that it is possible to get good results by taking a few mindful steps.

Teaching is a profession just like any other job in the world. What makes it different is that we are dealing with the next generation. So, we have to make a difference today to ensure a positive change in tomorrow’s world.

 

#1 Develop the art of story telling

All the business houses and start-ups are turning to story-telling to create an impact. From Amazon to Flipkart, the executives are trying to make sense by putting the numbers and mind-boggling figures into an interesting story.

They are using diction, tone, intonation, accents, dialects, etc. to make an impact with their stories to help them get that contract, or funding or to put their company on top.

Then why are teachers not using this basic skill in their classroom where this art was actually born?

We teachers actually have a copyright of this activity.

Story telling can be used to create and leave an impact on the child’s mind. This impact is termed as ‘learning value’ in the education jargon. This is one of the handiest of the tools but which is not used by most teachers. It is just because they feel that the lecture method which is ever prevalent is the best method of all.

 

Drop everything and practise storytelling to make the most of your time in the classroom and allow the best of the learning to happen.

 

#2 Note down your classroom victories

Each day teachers return home with a bundle of frustrations. They wait for their bosses to appreciate, or notice. Mostly it doesn’t happen because everyone is occupied with work and their own struggles and victories.

 

A teacher should go home, and note down all the victories of the day in a journal.

But honestly speaking, ‘What are victories of teachers?’

 

You listened to a story patiently.

You patted a back.

You allowed someone to share the tiffin.

You answered a parent’s call and gave a satisfactory answer.

You taught a particular topic very well.

All the students were smiling or were happy during your class.

The students raised or put up some amazing and difficult questions.

You assisted your colleague to complete the attendance work.

You lent a red pen to a teacher who needed to complete the corrections on time.

You just showed kindness by speaking gently and softly with the support staff.

 

The list is endless. Teachers, go on and record your victories.  

Celebrate you success everyday!

 

#3 Be determined to teach

Planning seems very good on paper. When you start implementing it, you see roadblocks, you feel tired, you forget to carry teaching aids, etc.

Many things come in the way of executing a plan. Just remember that plan well but execute it even better. Mere planning will not bring the results. Or it will not complete the syllabus on time. But proactiveness in acting out the plan will make everyone happy.

Don’t mind the noise, neither the disturbances or the fluctuating power, or the maid who comes with a circular, or the teacher who wants to ask you something at that particular time, or the noisy rain, or the grime and the sweat or the chill of the winters…

Just teach!

#4 Build a relationship

Invest the initial classes at the beginning of the year in building a relationship with the students. Never be in a hurry to teach. Your priority should be to have a relationship with your students. A good relationship will ensure that you are able to teach each and every concept with ease.

 

#5 Mindfulness

Be mindful of the emotions and the experiences which the students are going through. Look them in the eye. Talk to them. Listen to them. Give them solutions for their problems. Hear them out. Be patient. Pay attention to the details. Question, investigate if a child is sitting with a sullen face or is not in the mood.

Appreciate and praise if someone has drawn something or is looking up to you for a nod which says, ‘yes you have done it well’.

 

In short, BE MINDFUL in the classroom.

You can pay attention to all of the above only if you are mindful.

If you get pre occupied with a lot of records which are to be done, or to be submitted, or your own workload which seems boggling, you cannot be mindful in the present times.

 

You will miss out on the important emotions, feelings, achievements, failures, disappointments or wins of your students.

Grab them all-BE MINDFUL.

 

#6 Observe your peers:

If all the roads seemed blocked, then open your eyes and ears and go into the observation mode.

Yes, you heard it right. Stop working and just observe your peers. You will learn new way to do the same old things. You will learn smarter ways from your colleagues. Because most of them are working well ahead of their deadlines.

Everyone has a way of managing and organising their work. If you feel that you are not able to meet the demands of the profession, do observe how one your colleague who finishes his work fast and quickly is managing.

What are the skills and techniques that the teacher is using?

Now introspect and try to adopt some of the good techniques that you saw or spotted among the other teachers.

Go ahead-COPY AND PASTE.

#7 Enter with a smile

This one is pretty cool and simple. It is in your hands. It is just a thought that you have to carry. Just be mindful when you are in class. Wear that smile come what may. Don’t forget it. be kind to yourself and the class.

Enter the classroom with a smile.

 

#8 High energy level

Teachers or employees who keep up their energy during the day are happier than the other lot. It goes without saying that they are more productive.

The students also respond well to someone who speaks loudly and clearly rather than the one who finds it difficult to even raise a finger to complete the work.

Eat, munch, crunch, crush or move some muscles.

Do whatever it takes to carry a happy self to your workplace.

Nothing will work if you are an unhappy or dejected soul.

 

From Digital Natives to STEM Propagators

 

“Scientists discover the world that exists, Engineers create the world that never was!” -T.V Karmen

What is STEM?

An  acronym penned for Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics!

How do we relate it with the curriculum?

Whenever we instruct the students to make a project which includes either one of the above quoted concepts, we are engaging in STEM activities.

Were the above two answers sufficient to answer all the queries related to STEM? (Certainly Not!)

The word STEM in education has become a common jargon with everyone. Say STEM and everyone thinks that 21 st century skills and everything related to the latest educational trends and technology is being delivered.

Well in most cases it is not so!

I have come up with my own personal definition of “What is STEM?’’ to help my teachers understand it better.

Whenever the student offers a solution to the problem that he or the world is facing using Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics, then he is said to have used a STEM based approach.

Every solution in this world is connected to a combination of STEM concepts!

So STEM is all about creating or finding solutions!

Application based education is STEM.

Memory based reproduction of knowledge is not STEM.

STEM judges you by how effective your solution to the given problem is. It does not test how much you know.

When a student thinks for himself, it is STEM. When we tell the student what to think, it isn’t STEM.

When we put up a problem in front of the student, it is STEM. When we provide them solutions, it isn’t STEM!

Important: All students must understand and gain mastery over STEM subjects. Hence the focus on teaching application based Science and Math at the early levels is to enable them to master these subjects as they grow up. The students start applying logical reasoning and computational skills to every problem that they encounter. They calculate, measure, explore, think and then arrive at a conclusion which is termed as a solution.

The pandemic revolutionized the teaching methodologies and put us on an online mode of teaching. We got associated with technology and became adept at using it. The same happened with the students. They were given technology to assist in their learning. But most of us are just using it to gain knowledge and complete our education or impart education. The day we use it to find solutions, we will enter the STEM zone.

So how do we convert our digital natives into STEM enthusiasts?

1 Application based teaching: All Science and Math based concepts should be taught experientially. Examples for these concepts can be given from real life. Allow the students to touch, feel, explore, apply and experiment. Let them observe the results and arrive at a conclusion. 

2. Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving: The students should be exposed to questions which demand logical reasoning. They should be given worksheets based on reasoning and problem solving. It should be a part of Math curriculum in the schools. The best part about reasoning questions is that they cannot be taught how to solve. The students have to think and solve it. Each question is different from the other. So the approach to the solutions vary and they matter.

These questions or problem statements, force the student to think and arrive at a solution. If the solution is wrong, then they themselves have to figure out what went wrong. This enhances their thinking skills and it significantly impacts their cognitive behaviour.

While attempting these questions, their knowledge of Science and Math is at foreplay. If their understanding of these subjects is good, they will be able to solve the questions with ease. 

3 Looking for Problems:  The teachers have a mindset that they are supposed to give the solutions to the students. Generally in the form of answers to the assignments given in the textbooks. The parents also have a fixed mindset towards the assignments and their solutions given by the school. The teachers must put up the questions and let the students find the solutions. This is the best way to encourage thinking. While imparting STEM education, a teacher must prod the student to think independently. Don't teach them what to think based upon the answer that you want. This approach damages a student’s ability to think independently. They always try to think of an answer which should be right according to the teacher. The expectation of a reward or praise or acknowledgement from the teacher upon a correct answer also kills this thinking instinct of the students.

Hence the teacher should not begin sentences with: Wrong answer….

4 Personalized learning: This is the best way in which you can give them an opportunity to think. Provide them with a topic and give them certain details on how to research and come up with the relevant material related to the topic. Also ask them to make observations and write comments after analysing the situation from their point.  Questions which invite opinions also encourage the thinking process.

Remember when we speak of STEM we want the students to think and come up with a solution. This will ultimately lead to certain innovations and inventions by them.

5 Creativity:  Creativity can be learnt and taught very well with pictures and drawings. I strongly believe that there is nothing original in this world. Everything is copy and then paste with a difference. The human mind keeps absorbing whatever it sees and observes in the environment. Based upon your past experiences, these observations are converted into something creative by your mind. So observations are mixed with past experiences and the result is creativity or innovation.

The teachers can easily encourage creativity by asking the students to draw and by showing them various pictures related to the concepts that are being taught. 

6 Research based learning: As teachers we believe in giving extra information to the students during the class. But all of that information is not retained by the students. Hence the role of a STEM educator is to arouse the curiosity of the students and lead them towards research and finding out information on their own. One of the important aspects of education is to help a student convert knowledge into wisdom. This is possible only with time as they mature or if the student indulges into in depth research related to the given topics.

7 Fear and Hesitation: The teachers have to develop confidence among the children so that they do not hesitate to experiment or apply what they have learnt in real life. This can only happen when the students are allowed to experiment or apply everything that they learn.

NOTE: Hesitation and fear will not have any place in the act of Problem Solving. We need confident students who do not hesitate to take a step. Because problem solving involves experimentation, innovation, invention and failure. Sometimes it takes days and years to arrive at a conclusion which solves the problem. They need to make several attempts before they arrive at what they want. Resilience and patience will be the key emotions at play here.

Statements like-What will people think? Should not linger in the hippocampus (an area which predominates the subconscious mind) area of the brain.

STEM integrated with subjects:

Languages: When you give a statement like-Write a paragraph about how we can control deforestation?

You are asking the students to think, research, calculate and then make a decision based upon the learning. This is certainly STEM.

Social Studies: How can the displaced migrants from flood prone areas be settled in cities or on the higher reaches?

You are definitely calling for solutions which require the integrated approach of all STEM subjects including certain skills like Problem Solving.

UNSDGs and STEM

The 17 sustainable development goals given by the United Nations are the problems that the world is facing today. We have to urge the students to find solutions and put them into practice to help solve these problems.

Every solution that the child attempts will have an integrated base of the STEM concepts. Hence understanding a STEM based approach has become a priority. Most teachers think that STEM is all about learning or studying Science and Math and gaining a mastery over the subjects to secure a well paid job in the future.

Well they are correct but upto a certain point only. Developing a STEM approach is training the young minds to use applied STEM concepts to come up with solutions to ease problems in the world or their environment.

STEM jobs:

Now when we speak of STEM jobs, it also means that the students have-

1 Mastery over STEM subjects

2 Skills like problem solving and critical analytics

3 Creativity and Innovation

4 Team spirit and leadership approach

5 Communication and presentation skills.

6 Decision making

STEM jobs will be the highest paying jobs in the coming decade. So it is important to remember that these jobs involve a mastery over STEM subjects and a Problem Solving approach.

I hope the teachers understand the importance of the word STEM now.

We are not looking at reproducing the models and projects which are already made. We are now looking at projects and models which are providing ideal solutions for the given problems.

So try not to give projects like- make a kutcha house and a pucca house.

Instead give a statement like-

Design or construct a house which has an efficient rain water harvesting system in place.

Hope your understanding of STEM in education would have increased. Now go on and put it into practice. (Words cannot replace actions!)

Observe Patterns to Save Time and multiply Prodcutivity!

 

I have written many articles on Time Management for the teachers earlier than this one. This is an important factor which reduces stress in your life. I like to write on this topic because more often I have seen that teachers do not see beyond teaching or finishing curriculum in the classroom. Vision is an important part in any profession. If you just enter a profession without any vision for the future your progress is slow.

 

I entered the profession without a vision but my goal was set on day two of my job. My mind had registered the fact that I wanted to see myself working as a principal of a school one day.

I admit…

I never took steps immediately to proceed towards my goal. For years I was just content and satisfied working as a teacher. It was much later that I pushed myself to achieve the goal which I had set for myself.

Anyway… I want to talk about Time Management and I will stick to it.

 

Nature has a pattern. All living things function according to a set pattern. We all know about tides and rotation and revolution of the earth. These are set patterns of Nature. There is no stress in Nature because the pattern is almost set.

Similarly, every school and the education system in the country has a few basic set patterns. If a teacher observes the pattern and keeps a note about it, she will be able to complete her work well before time and there will be no cause for stress.

In this article I will only speak about the basic functioning of the school which cannot be ruled out ever. Pay attention to the points mentioned here to get rid of all your time management and anxiety related issues.

It is commonly said that take care of your pennies and the pounds will multiply on their own. If you take care of these daily or monthly or yearly patterns which occur in a school, you will surely focus on bigger goals and progress in your career.

1 Foresee and foretell: As a teacher you must know about what is going to come next in the routine or as a task.

Just a brief example-Every school has a set assessment pattern. The examination department generally asks for question papers and other requirements a few days in advance. This time period is also previously fixed.

As a teacher if you have foreseen the dates then you must also start preparing the question paper a bit in advance. If you do this, you will not be pressurised when the dates are announced for the submission of the question paper.

Similarly, a class test pattern is set, the tentative time period of the annual functions is fixed, parent Teacher Meet is pre decided, celebrations or certain inter school activities are pre-determined, etc.

There are many such other events and activities which are planned at the beginning of the year and then implemented when the time comes. You can gain advantage if you foresee and then foretell about these happenings and keep your own submissions ready beforehand.

 

Most teachers know about these dates but the only thing I have heard from them is-Oh no..they are asking for it again.

OR

There is a lot of time in hand now. I will do it later. (This ‘later’ becomes the killer weapon for action and you just procrastinate to avoid the task.)

2 Mind your minutes to mind the hours:

There are some tasks which are to be done every day. They seem insignificant in nature because they take very less time and are due every day the minute you reach school. Like: Marking attendance for yourself, marking the attendance for the students, submitting the daily attendance report or the daily log, writing date and attendance on the class board, etc.

Even planning a leave and setting aside some assignment to be done while you are on leave. This is a routine process but most teachers pretend they have overlooked it.

Teachers do not understand why these tasks are important and so often they are avoided. They try to overlook it or postpone it thinking that the leadership will forget it. But time and again it adds to negligence or carelessness on your part.

Teachers ask for forgiveness once then twice on such matters when questioned and reprimanded but they should understand that this should be a part of your discipline to complete these tasks without any reminders.

 

No work is small or mundane or insignificant. Work is work. It has to be done.

3 Workstation:

Define a space in the school or the staffroom which will be your workstation. That space is your space. Stick notes. Keep it neat and tidy. Give it a glimpse of your personality. Attach value to it.

At times a good and organised workstation pulls you to work.

4 Maintain folders or files

Organising your work place takes less time but it leaves a lot of time in your hand to do other things. All the papers and important documents should be kept in proper files or folders. Extra paper should be either given for recycling in the school or destroyed if not required.

Take note:

A Do not ever store any piece of extra paper.

B Do not keep any paper in the attendance registers or teacher’s diary.

Teachers receive a lot of applications from the students or test papers, etc. Never keep loose papers in books, note books, attendance registers, class log books, etc.

The correct place of a loose paper is in a file. Take a file from the office, punch the papers and file them. Write appropriate title on the file so that you are able to find the papers later on under proper heads.

 

5 Carry a pocket diary

While moving in the school, or while talking to the teachers, or while teaching in the classrooms, you remember some important tasks which were to be done. Make a habit of writing it down in your diary. You will completely stay focussed and get all the work done in time.

6 Talk to all the teachers in the staff room:

This one is a golden rule. Each teacher works at their own pace. But there are some very proactive teachers. They not only complete their work well in time but they are also the ones who are foreseeing and foretelling most of the time. Keep talking to everyone in the staffroom and do keep a track of what others are doing in the current time. If you have skipped an important point or two, you will be apprised well in time of the task coming up or is immediately due.

 

All this helps you to wrap up your work in a proper way. Hence you have a lot of time in hand to practice creativity or target your higher goals.

Why I advocate to teach Creative Writing?

 

 

Picture credit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/getting-started-with-essay-writing

I have confessed many times in the past and I do it again. I did not enter this profession by choice. It was a good and comfortable option at that time to choose from.

Why am I saying this again?

Well, I am a Convent Educated girl. Proud to have studied from St. Joseph’s Convent, Kingsway, Nagpur. My LSRW (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) skills were very good. But that was me and myself.

When it came to teaching the same to the students, I re-searched, re-learned and re-discovered everything entirely. Then I stepped into the domain of teaching creative writing to the students confidently.

Read my story of why I started advocating creative writing?

Imagination is a boon everyone in the world is endowed with. Thoughts run through our mind. They will never cease to exist. But we are not conscious when these thoughts move in our minds. Hence, we are not able to harness them into productive outputs. This has been proven scientifically.

A similar complex situation exists with the students. Since most of the students do not read, they hesitate to imagine. Then they struggle for words to give their thoughts a concrete structure. As a result, they hesitate to write.

When I started teaching, my co-teachers were Uma and Archana. They boasted of super imaginative powers which their students possessed.

What was the proof of the above statement?

Their students framed long, interesting, creative and grammatically correct sentences. PHEW… They really gave me a complex.

All Centre Pointers were supposed to take up ‘Frame Sentences’ very seriously when they were teaching languages. Each teacher took pride in showing off the wonderful sentences made by the students.  We were made to attend different and at least three or four workshops in a year which were targeted to teach ‘Frame sentences.’

Such was the craze to develop skills for Frame Sentences. When I started teaching, I was clueless about how to make children write good sentences. Out of frustration, one day I wrote a variety of sentences and told the children to copy it.

Well, Archana was too quick to catch my folly. Now what?

The only way to learn is to put in hard work. So, I started observing her classes to understand how she triggered imagination. While teaching she was …what? Dramatic, eloquent in speech, used simple vocabulary, added a unique twist to every child’s question, focussed only on students, gave them ample time to think and then to write, showered praise generously, etc.

Google had made an entry in my life at that time. I immediately took to Googling and finding out methods to teach imagination and improve my skills to teach creative writing. I discovered many new and exciting ways. I implemented it in my class and started getting good results. I was happy but not satisfied.

Because the next challenge came in. The students were supposed to write long paragraphs by this time. The demand was that the content should be creative, the language perfect and the spellings absolutely correct.

Oh My God!

Will it ever stop? No came the prompt answer. Once more I started Googling and came up with good solutions and saw the results.

There was a catch in the entire situation. And it was that we cross checked each other’s answer sheets. Hence the quality had to be high because the answer papers went through multiple rounds of checking. First by the teachers, then the coordinators and finally the Principal, Mrs Chatterjee.

Most of the skills that I picked up are actually copyright of Mrs Chatterjee. She took various workshops and taught us these skills and tactics of Creative Writing and a functional approach to teaching grammar. She had what... around ten thousand ideas to teach any given topic. She was super excited when anyone asked her for an idea to teach a lesson. Moreover when we went to her with our own idea she would praise us, encourage us and applaud in staff meetings of the wonderful creativity shown by us!

If I have the authority, I will declare her as the Creative Head for all the schools on this planet. Trust me I am serious. Her capacity for Creativity is beyond anyone’s imagination and reach.

Over time I have realised that it was a golden policy to teach Frame Sentences well to develop good writing skills among the children.

 

Anyways!

There are two sides of this coin!

One reason why I loved to teach creative writing was that it was a challenge each time to make the students write.

The other reason was, the revelations which the children made in their innocence. Most of the time the students’ mental condition is revealed while they write paragraphs or essays or make sentences. It helps us as educators to understand the problems or excitements faced or experienced by the students. This in turn strengthens the bond of teaching and learning.

I believe that no one can just teach. You have to understand the child and deliver your teaching as per his learning needs requirement.

I have won many prizes based on the case studies of children. Most of these case studies find their base in the creative writing pieces which they wrote in my classes. I took a clue from those scribblings and decided upon an approach for the child. It made me empathetic and I developed a good relationship with my students.

Years later, now in the present, very recently, I corrected a few creative writing pieces of students which opened my eyes to what their dreams and aspirations and thoughts were. It changed my perception of the students and the idea of this blog crept into my mind rather it popped into my mind.

There is this bunch of students who have given me sleepless nights because they were not passing the pre boards. Leave apart the pre boards they didn’t even clear the short tests which were planned for them.

I perceived them as aimless, clueless about their own future, not responsible at all, taking life carelessly, and on and on…

But when they wrote about their aims and ambitions in life, I was in for a set-back.

Student A wrote about why he wanted join the Indian Army. He sketched the entire picture of what happens in his house. How his father keeps motivating him to join the Indian Army and serve the nation. He was made to watch the Republic Day Parade to understand what proud moments are. His elder brother is also serving the Army and so he also keeps motivating him by telling him stories of war heroes and their bravery. He wrote passionately about how everyone talks, sleeps and walks through the regimes of the Indian Army. The training given to the soldiers and what pride actually means to them!

So he is clear in his objective- He wants join the Indian Army to serve the country.

Student B’s parents are Government employees. According to him starting a business needs a knack. It needs skills. Since no one has a background of starting a business in his family, he chose to study Commerce and learn the skills to become an entrepreneur. His parents supported his decision and are willing to help him out. So, he is focussed on becoming a businessman in future.

He has the future chalked out completely.

 

Student C remembers that his grandfather passed away due to heart failure because there was no medical facility available in his village. He described how his grandfather succumbed to pain in the ambulance which would have taken him to the hospital and if possible, life. Hence his aim of becoming a doctor and serving the people of his village is very clear.

 

When I read through these essays, my perception about these students changed entirely!

This generation is not out there to have fun. They are serious about their goals and what they want to achieve. They are driven by passion and are full of determination. The roads are chalked out and the maps are well marked for the destinations which are going to arrive during the journey.

 

They are willing to scale peak after peak and hoist the flag of their dreams which will sway in the winds of success!

 

Why you should read Bruce Lee Quotes?

 

Picture Credit: The above picture is taken from the below mentioned website. 

https://www.theringer.com/movies/2020/7/23/21334815/three-portraits-of-bruce-lee

In an age of internet, jpegs, pdfs, video files, etc. quotes have become very popular with everyone. These word-embedded pictures act as a motivational force for everyone. The teaching community, I feel has been greatly benefitted with these quotes because they motivate the students as well as the teachers.

 

Message in the form of words and quotes are a regular feature on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. An enigmatic picture and a few captivating words have attracted many teachers to find motivation and keep going on.

 

Being a language teacher myself, I feel attracted towards words. Poetry, to be specific but a good quote has always held me captive. I used to fill my diaries by writing quotes and then reading them every day. It was a regular habit since I was very young.

 

In those days I just copied words because I was not writing on my own. I guess my first attempt at writing would have been inspired by those quotes which I copied from everywhere that I could find them. Gradually the words kindled imagination and ultimately, I reproduced what my mind was imagining on to paper in the form of articles.

So, coming back to the quotes and the motivation that they provide.

Most youngsters now store these quotes in the form of pictures in their mobiles to motivate them in their daily work. These quotes help us keep a positive frame of mind. No matter what the situation arises, there is a quote for every occasion which shows you a ray of light.

 

I know that everyone knows that visualization works. Hence the quotes that come with vibrant visuals are in trend since a long time.

 

 

Why Bruce Lee Quotes?

 

My first acquaintance with Bruce Lee was through a 2-feet by 4-feet Bruce Lee poster which one of my cousin brothers had put up on his almirah. For years when I went to my grandmother’s house for summer vacation this poster stared at me before I went to sleep. According to my cousin, the poster was an inspiration to him. For me it was some Hollywood hero.

A few years ago, the memories of that poster came back to me when I was discussing one of my summer vacation escapades with someone. And I searched about Bruce Lee. Then I read about his life and struggles and finally landed upon some of the motivational words which he had said.

They reflect his thought process and the wonderful philosophy that he had about life.

So when I was thinking of an out of the box idea to write my next blog, a Bruce Lee quote swam into my brain. I decided to go ahead to frame a blog on it to motivate the teaching community out there.

 

These days the classes and the struggles in the online meetings can well be compared with the boxing inside the rings.

So here is my list of 9 Bruce Lee quotes which reflect and can be a source of motivation to the teachers.

 

1                      “The more we value things, the less we value ourselves.”

This is true! And I relate it directly to monetary value that the teachers attach themselves with. Most of them compare their salary to the amount of work that they are doing.

When you decide to work your focus should be on quality work that you produce. Develop your work ethics in a manner which do not reflect the amount which gets deposited in the bank.

 

I know! Salary matters.

But trust me! Quality of work and delivery of results matters more. Focus on your task. Plan and develop a strategy to improve it continuously. Think of new ideas. Simplify the mundane and administerial work. Do it with joy.

 

Make creativity your tool. Let quality drip from everything that you do!

Value your work highly and you will get the necessary rewards.

 

2                      “Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.”

We keep assimilating knowledge all our lives. When we teach, we start applying it to real life. I have seen many creative ideas of teachers going waste because simply they were not implemented. They are written in lengthy and well ornated lesson plans but never implemented. Hence the teachers can feel happy that they came up with unique ideas but actually they will not produce results.

 

Procrastination is the real killer at all times. I suggest this flow chart which seems helpful-

 

Write down the idea which crept up in your mind.

Break it down into simple steps.

Set a target date.

Do one step a day.

Ensure that you do not miss the target date.

 

Nothing can replace action!

 

3                      “To hell with circumstances, I create opportunities.”

 

PANDEMIC-TEACHING-TOPSY TURVY WORLD=MOVE BACK

OR

SURGE AHEAD WITH GREAT FORCE

 

I think everyone agrees with it. There were just a handful of teachers who took a step backwards. Rest everyone created opportunities for themselves. Teachers experimented with apps and programs to make their lectures successful. They ensured that teaching happened.

They made their classes interesting to capture their students’ hearts. There were images and power point presentations. There were innovations and implementations.

Each teacher created the opportunities where there were none.

The circumstances looked too meagre in front of the gigantic opportunities which these educators created.

 

4                      “When you say that something is impossible, you make it impossible.”

Remove the word impossible for your life. Think of probable solutions. If every roadblock can be removed then what are problems in terms of teaching. Yes, impossible takes a bit longer to achieve. But if you are determined nothing can stop you from conquering the world.

 

How many times have you attempted the most difficult of activities and achieved results?

 

How many times did you think that you could never do any more corrections, but you did?

 

How many times you were asked to submit, lesson plans, question papers, and tons of other documents all at one time?

You thought you would crash, but you sailed through smoothly.

Carry the attitude of doing things. Impossible will shrink to a size so tiny that you will need a microscope to trace it!

 

5                      “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.”

From the entire lot of teachers who are teaching right now or who are entering this profession, 99 % of them chose this profession because they wanted a life of comfort.

 

Limited working hours, holidays, vacations, etc. Simply Wow!

Well, the bubble breaks when they start working. Then they face problems because the mindset does not match with the skill set and hence the desired productivity is not achieved.

Expectations were high. Ground realities are different.

There is no celebrity status attached to a teacher until and unless you prove your mettle or make a mark with the students.

There are no praises only expectations. Everyday something new has to be done. The teachers also have to cope with the administrative work. Hence the cakewalk gets messy for most of the professionals.

You can sail smoothly in teaching also, but you need focus, inner strength and the correct approach.

 

6                      “Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”

‘Instructions’ are an integral part of teaching. They have to be delivered from time to time. One has to be meticulous when instructions are given. Also, there are multiple instructions to be given at one time.

 

So, mistakes are bound to happen.

The teacher has to receive instructions from the head of the institution, from the co-ordinators, etc.

He has to comprehend these instructions and then deliver to the students.

It is a lengthy process. One tends to forget or misunderstand instructions.

It is a fact! Let’s accept it! It happens!

The best way out is to accept the mistake rather than try to cover it!

If you cover your mistake, at some point the can will burst and the dirty wiggly worms will come out.

If you accept it, rectification starts and soon everything is forgotten in good faith.

 

Note: Do not repeat the same mistake again and again. It is known as carelessness.

 

7                      “Water is fearless. If you put water into a cup it becomes the cup. You put water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot, water can flow, drip, creep or crash.”

As a teacher, you have to don many hats. The more versatile you become, the more successful you will be.

You have to do many tasks at the same time.

We have heard-‘Teacher, philosopher, guide…’

Many more titles can be added to it-administrator, manager, organizer, leader, etc. All the titles can be given to one person. The role of a teacher demands a cumulative bundle of them.

 

8                      “What you habitually think, will define what you ultimately become.”

Most teachers do not graduate to leadership roles because they do not fore see themselves as one.

There are many negative attitudes attached to a teacher’s role. The dignity of labour is still missing from this profession. Hence the approach of the teacher is shrouded by doubts, insecurities and an unprofessional attitude.

 

Read the biographies of great people and understand how a teacher has impacted their lives. Have role models who are working well in the field of teaching. Talk to teachers who are still connected to their students even if they have retired from the profession.

 

Follow teachers on the social media. Many of them have their own professional pages and blogs. Read, comment, interact with them via the social media. Take a careful look at the content they post.

Upgrade your own social media standing by posting relevant educational content on your page.

Feel proud about the profession, and the profession will give you what is rightfully yours.

 

9                      “Be happy, but never satisfied.”

 

There is a lot of work to be done. There are many students who need guidance. There are changes which are occurring in the system. There are assignments to be done, tests to be checked, lessons to be covered…

It goes on and on.

 

What matters is your happiness in the profession. Cherish every good act that you do. Feel happy about the roadblocks that you are able to remove. Be excited when you are able to innovate to teach in a better manner.

But remember, the moments will pass and new ones will emerge.

So, keep striving. It is an ongoing process. Don’t get satisfied with the little wins and stop your journey. Don’t turn complacent!

 

Happiness makes your journey desirable. Momentary satisfaction leads to contentment. This leads to encouragement.

Never let satisfaction stay for long. Look for an uncomfortable place if you wish to continue your journey happily!