After a long pause to physical classes, it has finally resumed. Along with the conversation with Mr. Pravin Moktan, an academic director of Swostishree Gurukul, we get to know the “Back to school experiences, difficulties, and challenges.

  1. Students have got back to school after a long time. Has this affected their concentration level in their studies?
  • The last one and half years were wasted years, I would say, in terms of the teaching-learning process. The students were introduced to the escapist way of delivering any educational lessons. The online teaching was frustrating and unsatisfactory to the teachers and also to those students who did want to do a bit of actual learning. So, I think overall, everybody is happy to get back to school, and they are doing well now. Yes, getting back to school, they are all excited and well-concentrated in their studies.
  1. Does the school follow covid prevention protocols? If yes, how?
  • Yes, extensively. From the time students enter the school compounds, there are temperature guns to check their body temperatures, there are sanitizers on every floor and at the entrance to the school and everybody has to use that. Masks are mandatory, there are plenty of handwashing facilities available. Then, parents and guardians have been asked not to send the children to school if they show any signs or symptoms of illness and we are fortunate to have very spacious classrooms with a limited number of students. Hence, I can say that the school has been following all the needed protocols and the same applies to teachers as well.
  1. How difficult or easy has it been to implement the COVID-related safety measures and protocols in your school?
  • Having said all of the above, they are children, and with children nothing is easy. They are running and playing which makes it difficult for the masks but it is mandatory and teachers are there to take care of them. Teachers have to be always on their toes, they need to be after them and tell them to use sanitizers, wash hands, wear masks, and all. It is a battle for us.
  1. Do you personally think that physical classes are more effective for the personal growth of the students compared to online classes?
  • Yes, without a doubt! The online classes happened to be more like a formality to continue the education. If we look at the scenario, we have got an online class going on. Let me say, 25 students are supposed to be there, but we don’t know if they are there or not. None of the cameras would be on and when you ask them a question, more often they don’t respond. so, as far as effectiveness is concerned, physical classes are effective compared to online classes. I would say, hardly any teaching-learning took place, during this whole time.
  1. What are the changes the school is planning for 2022 classes?
  • If you talk about intellectual growth, maybe that didn’t stop, that is part of natural growing up. But academics took a big pause and if you are looking at 2022, everything depends on what happens over the next months with Omicron knocking at the door. So, who knows what happens in the next few months. So, the planning right now is extremely difficult. Because given the situation, we don’t know what to plan for. You never know, everything is so fluid at the moment.

 

  1. What changes and difficulties do you think the students are facing being back to school? How do you help them with that?
  • The students are absolutely happy to be back at school. So, that is not a problem at all. You know what, I think what the children most missed, apart from that they were happy, they didn’t have to attempt classes as such. Otherwise, they missed their friends, they missed socializing which is one of the most important aspects of school. They missed the physical activities that go on in school and all the games they play and running around the ground. That’s the fun part of the school, and they missed ECA and CCA activities, so all and all they are back with new energy and I don’t think it’s presented any sorts of problems to the teachers.
  1. Students have missed a lot of activities during covid. Do you have any plans to make up for them in any way?
  • Well, it’s very difficult to bring back the past. So, the best we can do is, work towards making optimum use of the present and plan for the future. The best thing to do is forget what happened, put it behind you because it was not very pleasant and there is nothing much you can do about what happened, really nothing. So, now the plan is to use the present and have a very optimistic look at the future.
  1. What are the different types of difficulties in the senior and junior years for the teachers? How is the school planning to make the situation easier for both?
  • Well, it’s like missing a complete year in growing up. I mean you are five years old, you suddenly find you are seven years old. Hand here you are trying to cope with what you missed. Now, how can you cope with that? It is the same with studies. Of course, try and grind two years of studies into one, but that would be one big task trying to do all that. The students in grade 10 do not have much of an option but to study hard. It all depends upon how much they can take really. With the juniors, they don’t have so much pressure and they can take things a bit more easily. So, it’s like the water flowing, and the water can flow, rather gently. However, with the seniors, it’s like a flood. Yes, it is a very stressful period for the seniors more than it is for the juniors. However, juniors have got time and hence it is not that critical for them.
  1. Are the seniors having extra classes or tuition to cover up the course?
  • Let me give you my take on extra classes and coaching. Let’s say, for some reason, you didn’t get to eat for a whole day, the next day, can you eat so much that you make up the hunger you felt the previous day? (the answer was “No”). exactly! Here is your answer to coaching and extra classes.
  1.  Do you think you can suggest something to the parents on how they can help their children be back to school?
  • For parents, I think, the best thing for them to do would be, to adopt a very understanding attitude with their children, realize what they went through, and are going through at the moment. That’s the first thing that the parents should do. If you don’t understand your child, you will lose your child. You see, most parents say, “look you have spent so much time, now you need to sit and catch up with the study.” And that’s when you lose your child. That’s just what you should not be doing. So, what I would suggest parents be doing is, not just provide academic support but logical support too. They need that. You see, when a child misses a natural step in the growing up process, which most of the children just did due to pandemics, they need support. It’s not just about learning and it’s not about passing exams and not just about academics. It’s also about growing up, and the two need to be handled together, side by side. Academics will suffer if a child’s psychology suffers if a child’s nature suffers if a child’s attitude suffers. So please understand and support your child’s growth, and talk to them. And the child will do whatever needs to be done himself/herself.