Teachers miss classrooms, turn tech-savvy, innovative

Anxious times have led to new teaching ways and techniques — this year has been a rocky ride for teachers. Today is Teacher's Day

The pandemic took a toll on everyone, including the education system. Teachers in the city have been experimenting with teaching virtually. Finding games, polls and innovative PowerPoint presentations and videos to explain concepts, teachers have been pushing themselves beyond boundaries.

On the occasion of Teacher’s Day, Metrolife interacted with some teachers about the tough ride that 2020 has been.

Premalatha K Reddy, math teacher with Bangalore International Academy, is impressed by how students in the fourth and fifth grade, are able to log in and log out of computers.

Explaining about classes, she says that the audio and video option for all participants are muted during classes. “This helps them to concentrate well. We also mute chats to avoid unnecessary interactions among students,” she says.

“We use Extra Marks programme to hold classes in which we hold polling (objective questions), and the students pay attention to class to participate in this,” she says. Students like answering questions on a whiteboard in screen sharing option.

Premalatha hopes two days of online classes will continue per week, even after schools reopen. “Meetings on Zoom will make it easier for teachers and parents too,” she says.

Sreelekha Suhas, computer science teacher at SJR Kengeri Public School, says teachers have had to relearn their jobs by updating their technical skills.

She used to take her students to the computer lab and make them do practicals of whatever was learnt theoretically. Now she uses MS Teams to teach online.

“The platform has interesting features which visually attract children. Interesting PowerPoint presentations and educational animated videos have replaced black boards and textbooks,” she says.

Students are provided with digital notes and recorded videos of all sessions, for reference.

‘Connect is not there’

Starting with recorded classes in May, teaching soon became virtual on Google Meet for students of Jyoti Nivas PU College. Marian Shirley, a biology teacher, found it challenging.

“While teaching, we are also learning to adapt to new techniques and be effective online,” she says.

Videos and presentations help in teaching, but ‘the connect’ is not there. “In college, there would be materials we used to explain concepts, they are pictures now. The touch and feel, hand-on experience is gone,” Shirley says.

Teaching online is easier that recording videos, as not everyone is well proficient with apps, she says. “There is a lot more research and effort in virtual classes. I randomly call out names, ask questions and give assignments, to make sure students are following.”

Shirley is mother to six-year-old Bianca, who attends online classes. “Often our classes clash. I have to make sure that she logs in and logs out of classes, and also doesn’t disturb while I’m teaching,” she says.

Sapna Satish teaches computer science for third and fourth grade students of Cambridge Public School. “Our summer holidays were used for training. We were made ready for all situations, be it about online videos or posting notes,” she says.

Challenges of online classes include lack of body language. “Earlier, we just had to prepare for classes, we didn’t have to build content for the classes. Work and research for teachers has increased by manifolds, to keep classes interesting,” she says.

‘Virtual classrooms not a permanent solution’

Pushpalatha R M, a Kannada and Science teacher for third grade students with a reputed school, says the environment of a classroom is more conductive than one’s home.

“Students are more relaxed and most of them have a casual attitude. Many students can be seen chatting in the chat box, retaining their attention can be difficult.”

During class, noise from different student’s homes can be distracting. “Virtual classrooms are not a permanent solution. In classrooms, students can be more imaginative and ask questions. Personal interactions with children is not happening,” she says.

But, Pushpalatha is happy that she is more tech and internet savvy. “From making PPTs to browsing for videos, there is a lot to be done. Teachers have pushed themselves to pick up new skills,” she says.

‘Miss physical interaction’

Teaching language online is challenging, says Smitha Chacko, department of English, St Joseph’s PU College, who started classes in June.

Teaching English online can be quite tedious but is a new experience, she says. “Language is all about expression; when teaching a poem or drama, one needs to express. When teaching about puns, metaphors or figures of speech, presentations do not always reach the student,” he says.

Not being able to see students and know if they are listening to the teacher is challenging. “Most students respond which makes me happy. I miss the physical interaction in classrooms,” she says.

Challenges faced

*Internet issues

*Loud conversations, distractions at homes

*Students chatting on chat log

*More work,research replace textbooks

*Students who are parents face challenges balancing classes