If you think that the pandemic was the only struggle that mankind faced in the past few years, you are in for a surprise.
With the reopening of the schools, many old patterns of work have become redundant and new dimensions in work have emerged. There is a newfound respect for health and work-life balance. Teachers have been recognised as valuable and indispensable resources in schools. They have brought new extensions into teaching and seamlessly embedded technology into their teaching plans.
Coming back to normalcy is easier said than done!
With highly divergent views on the school’s attitudes towards Covid and how to deal with sporadic cases emerging in the school, the staff struggles to keep the ‘wheel rolling on’ and minimise disruptions. The school should consider the two years of struggle as a wake-up call to put in collective efforts in digitalising its function. Should the need arise, school operations should seamlessly be taken to an online platform.
Another dimension that could be used to its optimal potential, but is not, is the ‘Community Connect’ programme in schools. Around any institution lies a pool of other institutions, such as factories, libraries, colleges etc. An endeavour to connect divergent and enriched milieu will ‘power – up’ a school’s ecosystem extensively. When students see live examples and stories of people who have seen trouble, struggle,and yet survived the odds, they believe in it more than any other theoretical lesson in books.
In general, there is inertia in coming back to normalcy. Parents feel stressed in gearing up for school; students also show signs of lethargy and teachers have been complaining about workload. That’s understandable since two years of work from home (WFH) has changed habits! However, everyone agrees that education cannot be imparted in silos; educators have to show an attitude of resilience, adaptability to change, and bravery. As it is, when it comes to our views on using mobiles, e- gadgets, discipline and working styles have undergone a huge transformation. We have found a newfound respect for technology and its young users, who have shown us the way towards digital transformation.
School leaders will take up to be pioneers in leading the change with fortitude. Covid has been a catalyst in digitalisation of education, but we have to be cautious about not falling back to the old order. For this, a comprehensive culture of learning and reflection will be a good idea. Changing the way we look at change will lead to a dynamic and open environment in academic institutions and ultimately will lead to better results. Let’s maintain that attitude for life!
Views expressed by Pooja Bose, Principal, Pacific World School, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
