Learn Curve for Girls

You have won many awards for teaching could you talk about these?

I was awarded the “Best District Teacher” award   by   the Olympiad foundation for the year 2014-15. I have won the “Shiksha Gaurav” – “National Teachers Award” 2018 from CED Foundation New Delhi. I have won the top performing school educator award and the progressive school educator award 2019 from the CED Foundation. I have won the Asian Educational Award 2020 virtually on September 5^th 2020 for contribution to Educational Community.

Can you take us through your teaching career?

I started as a Lecturer in Stella Maris College in 1988. I was a Teacher in G. D. Matriculation School, Coimbatore from 1992-1996. I worked in Euro-Kids international pre-school, Chennai from August 2004 to April 2006. I then worked in Vales Billabong High International School, Chennai from June 2006 to 2008 and 2009- 2011. I worked at Dr. C.L. Metha Sishya Omr School from 2011 as senior teacher handling Physics, chemistry, Biology and EVS

for grades 6, 7, 8 and 9. I handled CHEMISTRY from grades 6 to 10 at DR.C.L. Mehta Sishya OMR School. I was the School Olympiad Co-ordinator for NSO, NCO, IMO, and IEO Examinations at Sishya Omr School from 2011. I worked in  Dr. C.L. Metha Sishya Omr School from June 2011 to September 7th 2016. Worked as senior co-ordinator and Head of the Department of Chemistry. I worked as the Centre Head at Babaji Vidhyashram OMR managing the Kindergarten section and acting vice principal taking care of academics and teacher related matters and documentation from November 14th 2016 to March 2018.  I was in charge of managing teacher observations, checking teacher lesson plans and teacher comments from grade 1 to grade 10. I was in charge of the Academic Documentation for the affiliation process. I was organising all the events of kindergarten and also reviewing all the major events of grade 1 to grade I worked as “PRIMARY HEAD” at AKG Public School from June 2018 to December 2018. I was in charge of checking question papers, comments of teachers in report cards, teacher observations, reviewing school events, conducting PTMs, whole school general administration. Joined VELS INTERNATIONAL School from February 2019 as Admin in charge and Science Subject Matrix Expert of the R and D divison of VELS GROUP OF SCHOOLS. I have enriched the Primary Science Curriculum based on the learning outcomes of Cambridge which is currently followed by kindle kids’ international school at Singapore. I am currently working as content developer for Science at TVS Educational Society from  December 13th 2021

Would you tell us about other career highlights?

I participated in the “Teachers Conference” 2013 conducted by Jane Good all International network and U.S. consulate General, Chennai on teacher’s involvement for Biodiversity conservation awareness. I participated and submitted a project in the workshop” I Can Make a Difference” conducted by Kuruvilla Jacob Foundation for promoting excellence in education in 2016. It was a proud moment when out of the 12 students sent from Dr. C. L.  Metha Sishya OMR School for ICSE board examination in the year 2016 four of my students secured A grade in Chemistry.

Could you talk about your own education?

I hold a B.Ed. and Cambridge International diploma for teachers and trainers. [CIDTT]. I have a M.Phil. in Bio-Chemistry from the University of Madras. I also hold an M.Sc. in Bio-Chemistry from the University of Madras and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Stella Maris College, Madras.

Could you talk about your teaching journey?

I have worked as a teacher for 23 years with the last three years in curriculum development. It has been very enriching for me to work as a teacher. It has been a very exciting journey. It has been very refreshing. I have been surrounded by youngsters full of enthusiasm and fresh, novel ideas. I typically research a lot for my teaching. I find it very refreshing to talk to the young with fresh and varied ideas. I had a lot of students who would come with a lot of interesting questions. This has helped improve my personal knowledge. It has helped me evolve into a better person.

Could you talk about the importance of keeping yourself up to date as a teacher through continuous reading?

Newspaper reading is very important for teaching. I am a science teacher. I teach biology and chemistry, also physics and environmental sciences. My basic degree is in biochemistry. The newspapers carry a lot of articles on fresh developments in the sciences. Google searches also yield a lot of science related articles. For a teacher today it is very important to stay upto date with newspaper and internet reading.

Could you talk about the technologies you use in the classroom?

The development of technology has helped the teachers. For instance, in the classroom when I talk of diverse organisms, I find it useful to show videos and PPTs on the subject to enhance the learning of students. How we use technology depends on the subject in concern. For Chemistry we need to work in the lab, for EVS you need local projects and case studies. In India, dissection is banned and I use a virtual lab to show students the internal structure of organisms. Technology is very useful in this instance.

How do you ensure students are not burdened by the information overload that the internet has become?

I first teach and explain the basic concept to the student. Then, I use technology to reinforce what I have already taught. At this second level I show students examples of the concept through videos, PPTs and give references of articles to read. I essentially use technology to recapitulate the concept I have already taught. For me the use and power of technology aids to teaching is that they help in recapitulating that which has been taught in the classroom.

As I explain a complex concept, I show an appropriate video side by side. This helps instil the concept in the class.

How do you locate videos to show to students?

I look for videos in biology and chemistry sites. I look for videos based on the grade level and also the concept I am teaching. The videos may not exactly correspond to the grade level and may have higher level information. But since I use science videos to supplement the information that I have already taught, even if the videos contain a little additional information it only stimulates the imagination of the child.  Students learn more this way and the additional information fascinates them.

How do you keep abreast of new technologies?

When I completed my studies there was no computer. As I was completing my Mphil the first computer entered India. I took a MS office course to learn computers. I learnt PPT for use in the classroom. In the pandemic time, use of zoom meetings became imperative. When I was designing the curriculum for a Singapore based school, I learnt to design google forms. I had used google forms extensively for this project.

What educational theories do you find useful?

Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism and Humanism are some theories I use in the classroom. Connectivism is the theory of our times, the 21^st century theory. It teaches us to use technology effectively to do our research and to teach. I do believe in student led learning and self-learning. The LAAN theory or Learning As A Network Theory is useful in teaching about knowledge management with technology enabled learning, with learner centric knowledge involvement. Learning theories can be an effective way to get through to the learner.

How do you learn new educational theories?

Going in for professional development is the best way to pick up learning theories. I have completed the Cambridge CIDTT where I learnt the latest educational theories. The schools I have worked in have conducted various workshops which cover new educational theories. Once you get a understanding of the educational theories at courses and workshops you can take them to the classroom to see what works.

Your message for other teachers?

Reading is very essential for teachers and google has made accessing knowledge very easy. It is imperative for teachers to do research on their subject.

Anthony J. D’Angelo  has said, “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”

Enter the classroom with E cubed – Energy, enthusiasm, and engagement with learners. It helps the students learn, and teaching helps keep the process of learning alive. Never think of teaching as a chore. It is important to learn, unlearn and relearn. 

J Krishnamurti has said, “There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.”