TRAIN THE TRAINERS
With school closed for due to the pandemic, teachers across the country have been forced to conduct classes online. While schools are investing in the necessary digital tools and platforms, teaching has undergone a massive shift. As a result, teacher re-skilling has emerged as an immediate need.
Teachers training is an on-going process. Schools must provide an eco-system for teachers to assimilate their new learnings. Along with physical or infrastructural investments, schools must allocate dedicated resources and adopt a train-the-trainer approach to make the learning lasting. Teacher’s competency can be evaluated at school level and reskilling needs identified, as every teacher will have his/her core competencies.
The National Education Policy 2020 has rightly focused on teacher training both in pedagogy and technical aspects and also proposed the creation of community or a hub where several adjoining schools can come together and share infrastructure.
Reskilling or capacity building programs have been few and far between for teachers. This at a time when significant advances are being made in subjects like Science, Math and Technology is entering the field as an aid to learning. Though the basic concepts may remain the same, the methodology has evolved. Teachers training and re-orientation programs will go a long way in bridging the gap and keeping teachers updated.
Another important aspect that can be addressed through re-skilling is equipping teachers to address the mental well-being of students. Being forced to stay indoors and the lack of peer-to-peer interaction will have a major impact on a child’s mental state. Once schools re-open, teachers will have to blend traditional and modern teaching methods and also ensure that students are able to cope with the new normal. For this, teachers will need all the help they can get to prepare themselves.