By Dr Ramesh Kumar Agarwal
Training of teachers is also very important in the sense that an untrained teacher may not be able to deliver the content in the desired manner and the entire exercise becomes futile. The modern pedagogy requires extensive training of the teachers so that the stated learning objectives are achieved as planned. This generation to which we belong is the generation which has seen the technical divide where the young generation helps the seniors to use modern gadgets so that they are not deprived of a living and they do not also deprive the learners due to their ignorance of using the modern teaching learning aids.
In simple words, training whether formal or informal is the need of the hour to carry on this noble profession and this was very clearly understood when Benjamin Franklin said “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”.
Teacher training is always a very important step of the success ladder of any educational institute. In today’s world where homes have become school, the same teacher training has given a leap to the entire teaching learning process. We know that the POS (point of sale) machines do not work if the link fails – even when we have debit and credit cards- they turn to be useless. Similarly the schools will fail to operate without adequate training of their teachers.
We are living in a period when we are open to criticisms as we are now actually delivering the subject not only to the students but also to the parents. Teachers are under constant surveillance by the parents during the online classes. Virtual classes topped by parental watch have made the entire teaching learning process subject to constant evaluation from all the stakeholders. Keeping this in mind, the schools need to upgrade their faculties and provide them with trainings so that the entire system works smoothly.
The NEP 2020 also envisages the same point and as it stresses on adequate hours of training for the teachers. Training will lead not only help to achieve the target of outcome based learning but also help the teachers to provide competency based learning to the learners. Training will benefit not only the teachers on an individual basis but also will uplift the image of the institution. Adequate and continuous training of the teachers is always desired as this will not only infuse fresh ideas among the seniors but also help the fresher’s to know the modalities of the system to be followed.
During the lockdown and even during the unlock phases various webinars are being conducted so that the training process is not stopped as training is inevitable. Several private and government bodies have conducted webinars to constantly motivate and upgrade the teachers. During this pandemic, apart from the various other warriors, the teachers also emerged as warriors who constantly kept the education system active and moving. The students did not have access to school building but education was constantly being delivered and rather delivered at its best.
NEP 2020 proposes for Continuous Professional Development of teachers in a planned and phased manner. As we plan for the holistic development of the students in a systematic manner in the same way CPD should be pre planned and executed well on time. Unplanned training sessions will increase the burden of the teachers and also be exasperating. In order to avoid such situations and feelings, planning of CPD is of utmost importance. The multi-disciplinary and integrated approach of the evolving curriculum needs adequate and timely training of the teachers or else the entire process will become futile. The modern pedagogy needs teachers to be updated at all times and as such continuous tutelage is needed constantly.
NEP further focuses on Early Childhood Care and Education under the able leadership of Special Joint Task Force of Ministries of HRD, HWF and Tribal Affairs. Under this approach the government plans to employ the potentials of the existing Aganwadi mothers. The extant resources to be converted as early childhood care givers and educators and they need to be reconditioned in terms of cognitive and meta-cognitive skills so that the desired learning outcomes be achieved.
All these policies lay emphasis on the need for training of teachers so that the future nation builders are not impacted negatively. Apart from the teachers belonging to rural set up, teachers linked to the urban areas also need to be trained perpetually for overall development of self as well as all the related stakeholders of the educational industry.
Methodical and structured training is the need of the hour as this will act as a catalyst and boost the entire educational scenario. Orderly and consistent training is of utmost priority as today we are running through an era of digital transformation. Training always provides a level of job satisfaction and the successful completion of training always helps us to acquire some new knowledge and skills and this increases our efficiency and effectiveness at work. In many cases refresher training helps us revive all our exiting knowledge which may have become superfluous with passage of time.
Teachers have been the true fighters during this pandemic, they are the true inspiration. Overnight we decided to shift to an entirely new paradigm and more importantly without any cues. Many of us in the urban set up were having laptops and other modern age, smart devices but our rural counterparts in many cases were still using key typing mobile phones. Still, most of us stood the test of time and till date are successful in delivering education to the children even if it is no match for classroom experience. We are not only giving them access to the scholastic areas but also enabling them to fight and swim across this situation along with us through various life skills. Same for us teachers also and let’s embrace the change!
Through the continuous process of up gradation through various trainings and webinars we train so that the future of the young generation is not at stake.
(Author is VP at a school in Nadia West Bengal)
