-Aseem Saxena, Faculty of Commerce & Management, Indore.

During the COVID pandemic, many teachers lost their jobs, some are paid less salaries or are serving jobs that are endangered. Due to no school no fees, many schools had closed their doors forever. However, many schools in India are paying full salaries to the teaching community and are appointing new teachers to make learning possible beyond the school gates.

In this time of crisis, teachers had to become tech-friendly to impart knowledge to the students. The teachers who were excellent in their knowledge and had good classroom control had learned online teaching methodology and are successfully delivering their lectures. But for beginner teachers, starting a career after unlocking down of the cities are facing problems in delivering their lectures to their students through online teaching.

The concept of ABCD… will let you know the various problems faced by beginner teachers:

Afraid: Since beginner teachers are not familiar with the group of students allotted for teaching and in a way they afraid of dealing with them. Face to face teaching makes the teachers and students adjust more quickly. Unruly students will be constantly looking towards you to undermine your authority and will jump on any chance to point out your fault. You have to overcome your fear by converting it into action.

Balance: It is very difficult for beginners to maintain the balance between classroom management and self-management. There is a lot of work before and after the classes are taken. Online attendance, topics taught in the classroom, weekly diaries, online assignments, and their evaluation, makes them panic and the balance is disturbed.

Challenging: It is always challenging for beginners to engage the students particularly those that struggle to sit and focus and as a result, such students create indiscipline in the virtual classroom. Always keep in mind that students always test the teachers about their subject knowledge, patience, way of speaking, and many more things.  Sometimes, to receive positive response from colleagues and sharing of resources from them is also challenging.

Dissatisfaction:  Lack of proper feedback from students during the virtual classes makes them unhappy. This disinterest from the student’s side acts as negative feedback to the higher authorities of the school. They try to develop new skills and new things every day, if not implemented properly leads to frustration. Such dissatisfaction, if any, may hamper their bright career.

The probable solutions lie in the concept of PAATAL LOK

Preparation: As a beginner, the lesson plans should be well prepared. The preparation for the topic to be taught plays an important role in creating a positive impact on the mind of learners. Before entering a class, complete preparation wins half the class and rest of the class can be won by the presentation.

Adjust: Proper orientation for the beginner teachers to be given and to be introduced to all the staff by the school management. This can be done through online tools. This orientation will give confidence to the beginners. It will be highly appreciable if the senior teacher can enter the virtual class and introduce the beginners to the class.

Adopt: The concept of co-teacher to be adopted for the beginners, while taking online classes. A co-teacher from the same department should be present in the class and can give genuine feedback for improvement in the class. This concept should be adopted until the beginner settles down and gain confidence in taking the class independently. The teachers can share their expertise and ask beginners to join their online classes and learn from them. This activity will boost the morale of them.

Technology: A beginner should be well versed in technology. He/she should be having a good internet connection and a good laptop or desktop with a camera and audio output. Out of 60 minutes of a class, a beginner should try to utilize one-third of the time in teaching, the rest of the time to be utilized by the students. This activity will make you understand the students more. Regular exercise for neck, eyes, and shoulders will help the students to relax and they can again put their more concentration in learning. A beginner should try that students should take care of less screen time for the students.

Approach: The beginners should approach their students with full of energy and positivity. But avoid being more friendlier with the students. Otherwise, this approach will give more leverage to the students to be more open. The approach for the departmental meeting will help the beginners to understand the students, school culture, and many other things.

Love:  A beginner should always love the profession, he/she had selected for bread and butter. The more you love your profession, the more respect you will receive from your students, colleagues, and others. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. Work with your seniors and don’t be afraid of taking help from them, to learn things that you want to improve. Constant mentoring and suggestions from your senior colleagues will lead to the path of a successful career.

There is no doubt that TEACHING is a nerve-wreck and stressful career, but, there is no reason to doubt yourself. You are a competent and skilled educator and you will do all fine things. With a little perseverance and hard work, you will soon find yourself much more comfortable and competent in the most respectable profession across the world.

In the end, I would like to quote Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, “Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual. If people remember me as a good teacher, which will be the biggest honor for me.”

 ‘Teaching is a Profession by CHOICE …………………………not by Chance.’

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