Caption: Door is one of the most important parts of the house. It provides not only safety and maintains privacy to people living inside but also it gives light and ventilation to different rooms. However, with modernization the new roles of the doors have changed beyond the norms –it is used for hanging things like brooms, sack, dust collectors, etc.
Q.
Have you ever conducted any lessons or projects on the SDGs or ESD within your school community?
a. Classroom lessons or activities
b. Long-term projects in the classroom
c. School-wide campaigns
As a classroom teacher, I have been educating students of various grades on some applicable SDGs goals through daily teaching or lessons. SDG goals like "no poverty, good health and well-being, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, life on land, life below land and climate action" all begin with individual action is what I always embed into teaching-learning activities.
To overcome the "clean water and sanitation" challenge, I have taken various initiatives within my organization and beyond. Through the "Rotary Club of Thimphu" I have installed SkyHydrant water filter, which has the capacity to filter around 12,000 liters of "safe and clean" drinking water for school kids. As a BTO (Bhutan Toilet Organization) ambassador, I've also worked closely to uplift the sanitation (clean toilet challenge) within and outside the school campus and in recent few years the sanitation around school campus has improved a lot. Working everyday with young individuals of below 20-year gave me a lot of space to work beyond my actual role as a teacher to improve 6th SDG goal to the grassroots level.
Q.
Describe your interest in Global Schools and why you want to be an Advocate. (Please answer with bullet points and not in paragraph form. 250 words max.)
a) Self interest to eliminate some pertinent SDGs goals
b) Know the mission, vision and objectives of SDGs and beyond
c) Interest to share the common problem, if possible want to get some funding from different organizations like international or local organization
d) Get ideas and doable ways to over these challenges in an effective ways
e) I want other people to know and understand that all these challenges are man-made that can be solved easily.
f) Impart and instill the collective and moral responsibilities to every individual human being
g) To let the world know that every one of us has the power to change our lifestyle.
h) To make this world a better place not only for present times, but also for the future generations
i) To come up with some local ideas to this global problem
j) Make a strong and a vibrant network among different leaders to address these challenges
k) To instill a civic sense to the grassroots level on some important SDGs
l) To build a strong and reliable network among educators of various regions and country
Q.
If you were tasked with creating a movement in your school around local and global issues, what steps would you take to inspire students and other teachers? (Please answer with bullet points and not in paragraph form. 250 words max.)
a) I'd take some SDGs with daily lessons to teach and impart the knowledge to students of various grades and its impact for local, national and global level
b) I'd take social media platform to create awareness on the pertinent issues around the locality and even to national level
c) For the organization I'm working for past many years, I'd raise a voice on behalf of students about the problems and way forward to address the issue
d) I'd include management or leaders of the organization to take a role, inspire to support the movement that would ultimately benefit everyone
e) I'd raise a voice for the voiceless as per the constitution right
f) I'd take a move for some important SDGs to be address based on need and situation
g) I'd work with different organization on the need and support they required to address some SDGs
h) I'd instill good values to individual human being for the agent of change
i) With right resources and trainings, I'd continuously impart good sense of humanity to care everyone –even life in water
Book Title: Gyal-Khab
Author: Thakur S Powdyel
Year of Publication: 2019
Page: 67
The Gyal-Khab is an extremely powerful reflection of a state, citizen and citizenship education. Also a book is full of hope and tenderness especially for our young kids who will become our future leaders. Any country becomes strong only by citizens' virtues. Therefore, it is must for every citizen of the country to realize the moral responsibilities in securing the nation for all times.
The book talks about the core mandate of every citizen, social responsibilities, constitutional duties and at the same time it also reminds us of the responsibilities of citizens ensuring our national sovereignty and security. It talks about each individual as the custodians of sovereign and peaceful state. In the upholding of the nation, each citizen must act like the leader and take the sacred responsibility with utmost dedication and service to people, country and the King.
The most beautiful part of the book is the "state and citizen". As an educator, I stress this topic along with the classroom lesson all the time and everywhere to my students, since they are the future of the country. Like the author, I also share the similar ideology on "citizenship education", which was illustrated quite well and in great length for us to understand and be the rightful citizen. Therefore, knowing the vision and the rationale of citizenship education by every citizen has become very important and necessary.
The book also talks about elections. Mandates. Democracy. Political party. Good governance. Election franchises. Individual rights and many more. More importantly, the foundation and the pillars of democracy are its citizens. However, we must know that an election is also a collective decision made by the grassroots people in electing a right government.
I strongly recommend this book to all the Bhutanese people –far and wide –big and small –rich and poor, and above all to every citizen across the Globe to read and know your worth for a good democracy, that comes only at the cost of rightful "Citizenship Education".
Sub: Joining Report
I, Mr. xxx, a teacher bearing Employee ID #2xxxxx1584, have joined the school on xxx after I have been relieved from xxx.
As I have not availed my preparatory leave, I would like to credit it for my future use.
Thank you
Yours Sincerely
xxx
Sir,
Please, know that I have gathered all my courage to talk about this to you long before this week.
I would like to ask you for a small permission. I want to change my seat. I want to sit with one of my classmate friend, Mr. xxx.
Sir, nowadays most of the teachers are conducting class tests, so I want to help him with his studies.
I can see that he is trying his best in studies. So, I want to teach and give him the best of me and change him into a whole different person. I want to start my journey to success through this small step in helping my friend achieve his dream and know his full potential. I saw him suffering in some of the subjects although he is trying so hard.
I would be grateful if your good self could understand this situation.
If you agree I would like to request, not to share to anyone that I asked for this favor. Please, keep it confident between the two of us.
Yours Student
Ms. yyy
My Response
Dear yyy,
I am amazed by your kindness and confidence to help your classmate friend. It was so sweet of you. Your kind gesture is truly amazing, a responsibility that every single Bhutanese must bear with much zest and pride to uphold our nation to be stronger than ever. Keep up with the same spirit in helping friends and community around. Together we can build a great nation. Also know that "a nation is great not by its size alone. It is the will, the cohesion, the stamina, the discipline of its people and the quality of their leaders".
We can always discuss the matter. I will get back to you soon. Above all, your confidence and the role you want to lead is well appreciated and marked. Nevertheless, you are truly a great human!
Yours Teacher
Mr. zzz
The pandemic has impacted the world like no other times. Like business, daily social activities and political affairs, the education sector was equally affected. Millions of children are out of school globally. How long will this virus unrest continue is still very uncertain although hundreds of vaccines are on trial?
However, for Bhutan things have been quite well and still under control under a visionary leadership of our Kings and the Medical Doctor led government. Our "smallness" in population has become our strength in combating this deadly virus.
After several ups and downs and dilemma school for high graders and colleges have resumed for contact teaching. As of today, everything is under control. Everybody within and beyond the campus is doing fine. However, conducting class tests have become quite challenging since the toner cartridge and papers have really become scarce with borders closed for months.
To keep the flame of learning high and making sure that the quality of education is not compromised, every school and teachers are carrying out numerous tests and other forms of daily assessments holistically.
Besides questions on the chart, board, flashing in PowerPoint and in groups, I have adopted a new method of conducting a test with the Classes of Science (twelve grader). We decided to take an online test. How? The puzzle is simple and easy. We have created a messenger group for each section. We agreed to bring 12 cell phones for section A and 13 cell phones for section B. We have agreed to share phones during the test. I even told them that I would share my phone and laptop with the tethering facility on my expense if need occurs. To make things easy, I share with them the modality of the test and cell phones. We agreed and promised a deal happily.
On the test day, they came with their phones and handed them over to me in the early morning. I kept their phones safe. Trust is what we have built during the course of chemistry lessons. It was the fourth period, my turn after a heavy physics lesson by a teacher in black gho. I took all their phones and we prepared ourselves for the test. The test file that I have in my phone was sent to the respective group. Once they opened the test file, I requested them to put off the net and phones to be in the silent mode. I am always proud of science students. They are obedient and loyal. Teachers don't need to guide for every part. They have a strong sense of learning zeal and extraordinary focus for what is ahead of their future. I will be missing their simplicity and honesty, hard work and patience for learning.
After forty-five minute, I asked them to stop writing. They obeyed well on my instruction. Everything went so well. We are happy more than anybody. We were satisfied with our uncommon way of conducting a test. It was easy and less time consuming. The online test seems very successful. This is the power of technology. Everything happens in the click of a button. We were genius. We did it!
We have happily wrapped everything before time. Despite endless challenges, we must encourage our kids and students to be a responsible media user or consumers of the Internet facilities and smart phones. Making them a responsible tech user is our responsibility because they live a life alongside or all through technology. It will be their food, shelter, cloth and in fact, everything. Let's hope for a better tomorrow and better future of our kids.
We must know that our kids are digital natives. They learn more through the blended approaches over old methods of teaching. All they need is the right kind of empowerment and tools. Teaching them about the effective use of cell phones has become a very important part of education. Should we want our kids to excel, become responsible citizens and do well in life, we must put them the right kinds of tools and information from early childhood.
We build too many restrictions; live with the old beliefs, never ending protocols. Life would become "HELL" for every passing second. We can't control the pursuit of the Internet Thing when it is easily available. It became the double-edged sword. And school and parents must play a crucial role in empowering kids of all kinds. Our kids need unfailing love and care and empowerment to overcome these hurdles of everyday life.
Have you ever headed to your office without phones in your pocket? And we are blindly damming the ideas of using cell phones at school, that too for learning and under supervision and under need circumstances.
We need to have eyes that see the best in people around, a heart that forgives the worst and a mind that forgives the bad.
We must always teach the necessary skills before expecting a child to succeed or trying to discipline them with Hitler's principles. Remember it will never work with our kids today. Time has changed, thus, far. Rather than restrictions, we must encourage them to use the Internet Thing and cell phones and other rapidly changing things around more responsibly. Together we can live better and longer. Together we can coexist as a better human race over divinity or else we will continue to live poor as a nation.
If we are concerned about our kids, we must first learn to empower them with the right manners. Do-over plan. Lasting plan. Impactful plan. Simple plan. Supportive plan. There is no time for complication and puzzle when everything is already at the fingertips or at the click of a button. This is the part of life and we must plan for it consciously. Complicated and strict rules have no room in the world of technology. No theories or discoveries have ever happened without planning and supporting each other or failing. No man is an Island!
We learn through mistakes. We must find an enduring solution to empower kids when they struggle. Collective responsibilities go a long way in building a stronger and a secure nation. Everyone must take a positive role in making the future of our children. Time has changed and it will keep changing, all we can do is adopt, adapt and adjust. We must learn to tailor on the path we will be going to live for the rest of our lives.
The problem comes when we overrule our children or put them under strict rules of life. It will make their life more burdensome and stressful. Maybe such protocols will give a temporary comfort, it will make us feel better and at ease, but our children will miss out on learning opportunities and many more life experiences that may live for the rest of their life.
When was the last time your pocket went empty with a phone? When was the last time you thought, your child would be living a life by the side of the Internet and cell phones and other luxury gadgets? You control today, make them discipline with life and next day they will lead a life with all these luxury things.
Should we want our children to be empowered lawfully and holistically, we must relook at the existing school policy governing cell phone usage in school.
However, keeping things inline for learning or the charm of learning going or keep the flame of learning or learning more integrated and dynamic, we must erase the ill thought regarding the Internet Thing and cell phones.
Declaimer: The opinion shared is the Author's feelings.
Among thousands, getting to work as an educator for more than a decade in two beautiful schools is truly an amazing journey. One that is ful...
