“I don’t remember the last time someone reached out and asked us what support we (teachers) need from the education ecosystem or what our visions are for education,” reveals Nawaz Shariff, a Social Science High School Teacher at Raza Excellent School, in Bangalore. This response from an educator from one of our partner schools where we offer Dream a Dream programmes prompted us to ponder on how often we cared or even paused to discuss teachers’ well-being or issues or the irreplaceable role they play in a school-going young person’s life. Shifting the focus to teachers and their well-being, we reached out to six of our teachers – Vaseeha Baseerat Banu (Raza School), Manjula GN (Vishnu International School), Manjula V (Vishnu High School), Mamtha R (Siri School), Sushila S (Siri School), and Nawaz Shariff (Raza School), individually, and, asked them questions around the role they envisioned for themselves in the lives of young people. We promised that we would amplify their voices by sharing their heartfelt responses!
What kind of a relationship would you like to build with the young people?
Nawaz Shariff, 10th Std, Social Science, Raza Excellent School: The relationship between a student and teacher is quite different and unique. I believe it should be flexible where there is friendship and responsibility. Teachers should facilitate learning by maintaining the dignity of both teachers and students, as we are responsible for molding the personalities of young people. We need to maintain a balance and support each other, when teachers support students’ welfare, students should also support teachers’ welfare.
Mamtha R, 6th Std, English, Siri School: Young people should be assured that their teacher is there for them. They must be in their comfort zone around a teacher, for example, they should feel comfortable and safe going to their teacher with their problems, and the teacher needs to help. Young people should know that they can rely on their teachers.
Sushila S, 8th & 9th Std, Hindi, Siri School: Friendship-based relationship! Teachers should be polite, nurture their curiosity with love and affection shared between teachers and students. Co-designing education with students is what we need!
Manjula V, 9th Std, Hindi, Vishnu High School: The relationship built should be such that if young people make mistakes, they should be able to come to us and ask how to rectify that mistake. Building trust and a strong bond is imperative.
What is your vision for education for the future?
Manjula GN, HM, Social Science, Vishnu International School: The education system needs to change; there is no relevance in what young people are learning and what they want to be. Children should develop life skills right from preschool, and teachers should make it happen. Learning must be skill, job, and talent-oriented.
Manjula V, 9th Std, Hindi, Vishnu High School: I believe it is time we have less theory and more practical-based learning because day by day education system should become more passion-oriented. Education must provide self-confidence to our children and should stop them from running behind marks. Learning should continue even beyond the classroom; they should observe and learn. If I ask them what is grass, and show them the picture, they wouldn’t understand, but if I take them out and show the actual grass, they can feel it and understand better. In this day and age, education has become instant, but what
is needed is a deep understanding of concepts to learn. Our vision should not be to fill empty vessels but make young people think for themselves. Because through our children, we can change the world, beginning with changing our street, then our area, district, state, nation and eventually the world!
What support is expected from educational ecosystem/young people for the teachers?
Manjula GN, HM, Social Science, Vishnu International School: To begin with, our students’ respect is the best reward we expect. Next point is definitely on how Government and educational ecosystem should treat all teachers equally, whether it is Government schools or Private schools, teachers are teachers. Why should there be disparity in the pay? We work systemically, wholeheartedly, and are equally hard working but our pay is so low. So proper compensation should be there. We have no pension schemes, job security…even PF schemes came so late for us.
Mamtha R, 6th Std, English, Siri School: Teachers’ well-being is so important; meditation, yoga, and weekly workshops on creativity are a few programs that can be incorporated for teachers at school. Additionally, skill-based training is the need of the hour because when we were learning, the teaching methods were different and the new updates in education, like the usage of phonic words, are new to many teachers as well. So, such subject-based capacity-building workshops should be conducted for teachers, so that they can go back to classes and learn. Teachers need to also become learners as well as learning is a life-long journey! (Shares, with a smile)!
What is the changing dynamic around the role of a teacher in a young person’s life?
Manjula GN, HM, Social Science, Vishnu International School: There should be kindness, and children should never be scared of their teachers. They should learn without any fear. Teachers should never feel like there job is to just come to classrooms and teach and leave, there is so much more to teaching.
Mamtha R, 6th Std, English, Siri School: Nowadays, most parents are going to work and spend more time with teachers. So, from the teacher, the expectation is more. Teachers have to take multiple roles of being friends, mentors, and even well-wishers.
Sushila S, 8th & 9th Std, Hindi, Siri School: We should walk along with the young people if we wish them to learn more. Firstly, we must understand the young person’s passion, understand their interests and nurture that. Activity-based teaching and learning is of utmost importance. In the end, teachers must always teach happily!
Manjula V, 9th Std, Hindi, Vishnu High School: Teachers are supportive figures who empower young people to be independent. Mentally, physically, and emotionally we mold them to be strong.
What are some issues teachers face while carrying out one of the world’s noblest professions?
Manjula GN, HM, Social Science, Vishnu International School: Young people are distracted by the surroundings filled with gadgets and technological advanced living. So many times, we feel that there is zero respect for teachers and our dignity is at stake. Current education is not relevant for life nor for livelihood, unfortunately rote-learning for the sake of good scores in marks card continues in school systems!
Nawaz Shariff, 10th Std, Social Science, Raza Excellent School: Nowadays, education sector is becoming more like a business sector and teaching is becoming just a source of income. Teaching is a noble and sacred profession but it pains me to see that education is seen as a commodity in the market. Young people from vulnerable communities can’t access proper education and only rich can afford quality education. This affects teachers as well and it needs to change. Lack of awareness of common policy and illiteracy among parents is also thwarting young people from weaker sections of the society in accessing learning opportunities. Such bias must be put to rest. Additionally, parents play a big role, however, there is minimal involvement of parents in young people’s learning journey and this puts a lot of pressure on teachers. If there is zero encouragement and support from parents, students will lose interest in learning and school.
Vaseeha Baseerat Banu, 9th Std, Science, Raza School: It’s should be a triangle. Parents must be involved in their children’s education. It is a must! Parents, teachers and young people together can do wonders.
Nawaz Shariff, 10th Std, Social Science, Raza Excellent School: The pandemic hit teachers hard; we felt exploited and neglected. Some of us are still doing part time jobs. During pandemic, I worked as coolie in the nearby market areas. For livelihood and survival, a teacher had to become a coolie, imagine our conditions. Till now we are not financially stable. The pandemic affected most teachers and we had to work twice harder with less pay.
Vaseeha Baseerat Banu, 9th Std, Science, Raza School: During pandemic, technologically we improved. But it was hard time for teachers, some of us who were introduced to online classes for the very first time. We had to evolve. Besides, it also had negative impact on students who are currently addicted to gadgets and use it for wrong purposes. We worked so hard but were earning was so less. It was a one-way traffic with little to no support from the system, no support from young people and even parents.
What are your thoughts on NEP? How well are you equipped with the right skill-set?
Manjula GN, HM, Social Science, Vishnu International School: (Laughs) Let me see it in practicality.
Mamtha R, 6th Std, English, Siri School: It is really good. A lot of learning through activities is mentioned and I believe when there is practical learning, young people learn better.
Sushila S, 8th & 9th Std, Hindi, Siri School: Nowadays, young people are really motivated! They have good exposure to all kinds of learning platforms through, watching news channels, YouTube, etc. They are keeping themselves motivated and learning, self-learning is more. So, what I feel is that teachers should also be self- learning and that is one of most important part in this career that teachers must be investing in as a part of the New Education Policy and for its proper implementation. Teachers need to keep themselves updated in the process towards NEP. All children are not similar, they are different, and to bring them to an equal state, this policy is really important.
Heart to heart with our teachers opened up a whole new world of understanding into the not-often- discussed lives of teachers and for them it was more of a platform to voice out their thoughts, intentions, and concerns.
Compiled and curated by: Aiswarya Babu Shelvi, Associate Manager – Thriving Schools