Teachers have to be more empathetic and tolerant in a post-pandemic world, school heads said ahead of Teachers’ Day on Monday.
In the run-up to the event, a number of schools have organised workshops with teachers or asked them to write a resolution they would want to take on the occasion.
Teachers shall be “sensitive” to the needs of the students, is a pledge that a body of pre-primary and primary schools have prepared for teachers to take across campuses on Monday.
There are students who have fallen through the cracks created by two years of online teaching, forced by the pandemic, and the teachers have to reach out to them to help them bridge the gap, academic and emotional, said several heads of schools.
“In the last two years, there was a screen between the student and the teacher. That screen has gone but the distance has remained and it is important that the teacher reaches out to that naughty child in the back of the class as well, and it is for the teacher to bridge that distance,” said Angela Ghose, acting principal, Scottish Church Collegiate School, Kestopur.
The school organised a workshop for all teachers in the run-up to Teachers’ Day to help them understand their roles better and to evolve with the changing times.
At The Heritage School, teachers were asked to write their own resolution after reflecting on what they can do to become better teachers. Portions of the resolutions were put up on a board on the campus.
“To be a diligent, responsible and empathetic teacher who will guide the students in every possible way and in the process learn to accept, adapt and improve herself,” wrote one teacher.
“We keep telling our teachers in middle school that they have children who perhaps are still in primary emotionally and do not know the appropriate behaviour according to their age. Teachers have to be more humane and empathetic,” said Seema Sapru, principal of The Heritage School.
ECA-Aper (Early Childhood Association and Association for Primary Education and Research), a pan-India body, has prepared an oath which teachers will take on Monday.
One of the points in it is: “I respect diversity and will be sensitive to the needs of all my students. Inclusion is a right that I will always uphold for my students.”
Teachers of about 50 schools will take the oath in Kolkata.
“There are weak children who have fallen through the gaps created by the pandemic. We have to create more consciousness and awareness among teachers,” said Swati Sarawagi, director, Swarnim International School and the head of the Kolkata territory of ECA.
Suman Sood, national core committee member of ECA and director of BD Memorial said the pledge was to remind “teachers of their commitment and duties”.