My journey as a teacher during the pandemic period…

One fine Sunday morning I got up ,and checked my cell phone when I came across one video send by one of my friend in the Whats app. The video was about novel coronavirus, from where it has come and how it has affected the people of other countries.I saw the video and went on to do my daily chores without understanding ,what was the video really about or what message it wanted to convey.

After having our breakfast me and my husband started planning for our summer vacation… Yes correct you read it right summer vacation. As both of us were working and our kid used to go to school, we didn’t have time to spend with each other, other than Sundays. That’s why we all were eagerly waiting for the summer vacations.

I was a teacher in a renowned school of Bengaluru . We were about to finish our academic year. Our syllabus was complete, our annual day programs were also over only the thing which we were left with, was the final exam. It was time to give the final revision to the kids, complete the final exam and bang on the door of summer vacations.

When ever teachers met each other they used to discuss about where they are going in this summer vacation whether the tickets are book or not, when they are coming back to Bengaluru bla bla bla…

We too booked our tickets according to our plan. We were very happy that after such a long time and so much hard work we are going to spent some time with each other.

Next day Monday morning, as usual we were back to our work. As exams were near teachers were busy in their correction work, some were busy in preparing question paper and worksheets. While others in completing revision.

It was seeming like the school was a big factory where we teachers were machines, running here and there through out the day to create the finest product of our country.

I too was busy giving revision to my students. In one of my class, while I was taking revision and asking questions to the students one of the student started discussing about the coronavirus and how it has spread in many countries. While others were telling, “Mam, you know it has come to Bengaluru also.”

After completing the class I came to the staff room, there too the topic of the discussion was same. It was nearly 2 pm ,suddenly we got message from our higher management that the school is going to be closed for the kids from tomorrow. By 3 pm it was end of the day for the kids and they all returned home. We teachers were clueless as what needs to be done next. By 4:30 pm it was end of the day for us and we returned home.

Next day we reached school. After prayer, parents were called to pick the books of their ward so that they can study at home. Everything had come to a stop. Most of the corporate employees were working from home, all the schools were closed for the students, some of the shops were also closed, there were less people and vehicles on the road. The city was under utter chaos, people were busy storing grocery at their home, while there were others who were fleeing to their villages.

Our work was still not complete. Meeting was held as to how we can promote students to the next standard without exam, how to allot grades to them etc. There was huge hustle and bustle among the teachers to complete the work as soon as possible, as there was a rumour that the school might get closed before the end of the academic year. We never looked back and completed all are work ,submitted them to the concerned authority and our school got closed at the mid of March 2020.

As soon as the school was closed lockdown was imposed in the country. Everything seemed to be so different. Our summer vacation plans all went in vein. Those who booked air ticket were not refunded also. Many people started to return to their native. Online grocery stores who promises you of doorstep delivery were seeming to be a big failures during this challenging time. But yes local grocery stores did fulfil our requirement.

However during this lockdown period the biggest challenge was to entertain our small kid. I was not ok about him to watch television and video throughout the day. So I started preparing some mouthwatering snacks everyday and my seven year old kid used to help me in the preparation. We came out with new craft ideas and also drawing some interesting pictures.

Anyhow the lockdown period was over and we were about to enter the month of July 2020 when our school decided to reopen. We were happy that after such a long time we were going out of our homes, but at the same time we were scared as well, of the virus.

The school held a meeting and we were told ,how we are going to take online classes from now on. We started preparing worksheets for the bridge course which was sent to the students through our school app. Slowly we were asked to prepare videos on the lessons accordingly, which was getting checked by our senior teachers and principal.

During this time I saw many teachers especially the old teachers to struggle with the new era of teaching i.e teaching with technology. They kept on running here and there to finish their work as well as to learn the new teaching formula.

We were told to download a particular app and start our online teaching. Which used to get monitored by other teachers and by our principle too. It was a great challenge as well as change for us. From classroom teaching to online teaching, from hard copy to soft copy, from question paper to google form etc….

Though it was a big shift for us, still we teachers stand with the great determination to transform each child of the country as the better citizen of tomorrow….

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery….” Mark Van Doren