Interview

Passion, Dedication and Expression are the key to be a successful teacher: Anuradha Mehta

 

Anuradha Mehta, Principal, Red Roses Public School has a long experience in the field of education. Her educational qualifications are Masters in Economics, Masters in Education, PhD. She tells us about the qualities that a Principal looks while hiring a teacher and much more in this exclusive Interview taken by Navnita Rajput, Reporter, EduAdvice.

 What are the challenges that a Principal faces?

 There are many challenges, starting from students, parents, teachers. Everywhere challenges are always there. The Best Principal is who can face those challenges and then able to remove them by their own ways. The Principal should be democratic, which is very important not an authoritative one. A democratic principal will have the ability to listen to everyone and then do whatever is required.

 What is the role of extracurricular activities?

  Extracurricular activities are very important. There are many students who are doing very well in Academics but they are not very good in sports or any other co-curricular activities. So, we should encourage them that they should not only be doing academics which many parents want that my child must be very good at studies but we have to teach students as well as parents that extra-curricular activities are equally important for the physical growth of the child. So, extra-curricular activities also be encouraged. Moreover, extra-curricular activities will help them grow mentally as well! Hands on experience are required everywhere and these students are doing so well. Experimental learning is very important like art integration, sports integration as it enhances their mental ability.

 How will the New Education Policy (NEP) of India be relevant in the current scenario of Education?

 I am very-very happy. I really want this to be adopted because NEP focuses on the holistic development of the child. The child is going to enjoy and will get equitable and inclusive education, which is very important now-a-days. It will provide multi-skill opportunities to them and by doing this emphasis should be on creativity and innovation. In today’s scenario, innovation is very important. Everywhere we see innovation and then we expect high scores. A child should be invited and encouraged to do all these innovations.

 How will the NEP 2020 benefit a child?

 5+3+3+4, a child now when admitting in Nursery, it is not that students learn ABCD and 1234 from basic only. It is the Play way method that the child should be made to learn. It is not that the child is picking up pen, pencil and start working on it. So, they have to be prepared for this Pre-School where they are just learning by playing. So, the play way method is very important that early childhood care and education, that is the foundation of learning. Hence, again experiential learning is very important in the beginning instead of picking up pen and pencil. The foundation literacy is also very important. We see that when a child goes in Class 3, (s)he is not very familiar with the subject at the moment and they should be knowing something more about it. So, the NEP has given 3 months schedule to the students and have told parents for before sending the child to Class 3, they should make them study and make the base of the child. After this 3 month course, then the child will go to Class 3. This is again one of the concepts of NEP that I liked. 

 How can vocational learning be beneficial?

Vocational Learning in class 6 will also give the child early exposure of learning something different apart from their academics. Also to add, students in class 9 can now choose their subjects, there will be nothing like science students have to take these subjects or those for humanities. They can now select mixed subjects.

 Education now-a-days is in the hands of capitalists or someone who is not related to the field. What do you think about this?

 It is somewhere, somehow it is correct but the main thing is that even if they are capitalists, then they want only profit from the school. They should feel that the Principals they are keeping, those should be very experienced and learned. Principals are the one who are going to run the school. Its not the management is running, it is the principal. 

 What can be the role of the Principal in running a school? Who can run the school properly - an educationist or a capitalist?

Principal should be experienced, very learned and educated properly to guide the management as well as the children how to run the school. School is not just profit earning machine for education sector, it is the temple for learning, where the children are coming and the teachers are teaching. Profits come automatically but they should not be concentrating on this. Their main aim should be education. I don’t approve of those capitalists training the schools. It is only the Principal or the management who have seen the growth since the beginning. People from the Education background are the ones to run the schools very well.

 Should Teachers be trained regularly?

Ans. – Definitely! Teachers should be trained on a regular  basis. CBSE is also conducting Capacity Building Programs (CPB) for teachers. If a teacher is not a trained teacher, will never be a successful teacher because she is the one who doesn’t know how to handle the students and how to teach. The teacher is the counsellor also. So, we have to see that the teacher is such who can take care of the children properly and they should be trained regularly. CBSE is telling that the teacher should get 50 hours of CPB. The only reason is that teachers should know life skills.

 Why do you feel that teachers should be good in life skills?

If a teacher is not good in life skills, how can (s)he teach the students about different skills that all are there. Even if the teacher is not a counsellor, (s)he has to take care of that part also. So, there are so many things that a teacher should be learning, its not only the subject but other things also.

 Indiscipline students destroy the environment of the school. What is the reason?

 This question is very close to the heart of every teacher and Principal because misbehaviour in schools is on top these days. Especially in this online thing, where cameras are turned off and students are sitting at their homes, just passing on their time. The main thing is that indiscipline is created when there are large classrooms, the number of students is too much, where a teacher is not able to handle the class. 

 What can be the solution for the same.

The teacher who is coming to the class (s)he should see that as soon as (s)he enters the classroom, has to take the child’s attention. His/her personality, way of teaching must be attractive for the child and grab the attention. This can only happen when (s)he knows the subject, is updated and has a smiling face with politeness. If a student asks a question, the teacher can reply to it and is not postponing it. This becomes a happy classroom, the students will definitely enjoy it and will not be indiscipline. 8 to 10 minutes is the time when the students can pay attention and the teacher in these minutes has to grab the student’s attention. If class is interesting, no one will misbehave.

 What do you look for when you hire teachers for schooling?

 Firstly, Commitment. When (s)he is coming to school, whether (s)he wants to work. If the teacher is really interested or is only that half-day school and (s)he is going to come, attend and go away. Its only the love for teaching is there. Secondly, experience matters. We have to see a demonstration on how (s)he is going to teach. If (s)he has knowledge and is unable to express it to the students, the teacher would be unable to handle the class.

 What advice would you give to a new teacher or anyone desirous to come to this field?

 Passion, it is very important for someone willing to come and teach the students. The teacher should have adequate knowledge of the subject. Along with that love for children is most important. Whether she is able to communicate properly, it is not that (s)he is coming to the class and start the chapter, it’s how you communicate with the children. What is the way of expression, the way of teaching the child, whether you have the smiling face or not? These are the things that are most important.

Click Here for More Interview