I was lucky to be part of the ongoing EduTALK organized by V-TOB (volunteer teachers of bhutan) from January 1 – 7, 2021. The panelists are mixed individuals from all walks of life. It is the virtual platform which brings in the voices from outside the current education system to share their experiences, perspectives and insights.
From day one of the session, I have been fortunate to listen to different panelists on different topics –purpose of education, technology in education, curriculum, great expectations, teacher education and professionalism growth, transmission of values and tradition and social and emotional learning. I have gained a lot of different experiences and a strong message as a teacher myself. I wish this talk might have occurred earlier than this, somewhere around the 1950's, so that I would have got better opportunities than I had.
Some panelists go as far as to share that teaching profession is the least opted or liked job option to any graduates –sad to learn that most people openly say teaching is an easily available job or rather a very cheap job to take up and beat around the bushes. "How proudly people say join the teaching profession if one can't manage another job". However, it was interesting to get repeated views from amongst the panelists that teaching jobs are different in rural and urban areas. The workload and prestige are seen very differently. Furthermore, social stigma regarding the teaching profession is really killing the hearts of anyone in the job or wishing to join the teaching force despite substantial pay rise and other reforms.
It was good to know that teachers are overloaded with work beyond teaching job– hostel warden, mess in-charge, health coordinator, attending students to hospital, developmental activities in school, classroom and agriculture are seen as the main hindrances in the current teaching profession. The lack of teaching materials like working models, lab equipment, computers, labs, Internet facilities, adequate and relevant training for teachers also pose another dead log in delivering quality lessons. However, some pointed out that despite lack of adequate facilities and training, our teachers in the field have done a great job so far in shaping education as expected and as prescribed. It is also seen that teachers are always in a race the moment they are inside the campus to cover up the syllabus like a rolly-polly game. There is no single moment for teachers and students to explore of their own. Therefore, teaching and learning is overly losing its place and charm. Therefore, it is felt that proper training both in-campus and beyond various aspects is felt necessary –skills like communication, practical, language and subject matters are must and should come timely.
Teachers should be teaching only. However, since we cannot expect the education system or curriculum approaches to change over night. It is best to work on how we can improve on the existing ones with better and doable approaches and how we can adopt and enhance the skills and capacities of teachers to make learning more creative, interactive, fun, holistic and interesting.
It is the leadership who either succeeds or fails the school, which ultimately fails our future citizens. Therefore, building stronger and vibrant leadership is seen and felt deem necessary and important. Also a shorter teacher training course and focusing more on school based training on subject matters would do more justice than spending awkwardly long on irrelevant courses in teaching colleges.
A must watch movies for all teachers!
To Sir, with love
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Dead Poets' society
Schools among glaciers
Lunana –A yak in the classroom
Taare Zamin Par
3 idiots
Let us question ourselves on how far this is true –"poor curriculum in the hands of the good teacher is the gold, good curriculum in the hands of a poor teacher is a disaster".
However, the question of how to make teaching noble, attractive and set a high social status is still seen as an uphill task.
I will remain grateful to the host Mrs. Sonam Norbu, Teacher, all the panelists and participants. Education is everyones business!!!
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