Guruvani: 'Learning, not high marks, is the key'

What is the biggest professional challenge that you face in your role as a principal?There are many challenges; it is difficult to say which one is the biggest, as every challenge can turn big if not handled carefully. In general two challenges which draw my attention are as follows: There is a paradigm shift from learning to scoring high marks (90+aggregate) in last one to one and half decades. Anyone scoring less gets compared with high scorers and is made to feel inferior. We need to acknowledge that each child is different and has their own limitations. All stakeholders need to be educated on this issue so that they emphasise and encourage the students for learning. If learning is taken care of, everything else (marks, college admission) will follow.Secondly, children are overexposed to mobiles, computers, tablets and television. Therefore their sleep cycle gets disturbed. The blue light of these gadgets restrains the production of melatonin hormone which is responsible for regulating the sleep cycle. This has impacted the attention span of students in academics as well as affected their social, emotional and physiological development.Once a teacher, always a teacher. Do you agree?Yes, I agree. Teachers teach their students to dream with feet on the ground and eyes on the sky. They guide, help and mould the lives of students by encouraging them. Teachers never retire from their profession as they continue to teach and learn throughout their life.Success has become an obsession with people of all ages nowadays? Comment.Aiming for success and being obsessed with success are different. I believe that the former is healthy while the later lacks balance and control.What in your view is GenNext's biggest strength? Which are the key areas of improvement?The biggest strength of GenNext is that they are technology savvy, well informed, have good communication skills, and ambitious. To me, areas of improvement of the younger generation include handling criticism, adaptability, and collaboration.Given the diverse needs of today's youngsters, what emphasis do you put on teacher training?The younger generation is smarter, imaginative, and innovative and has access to the readily available information. To cater to their needs, teachers need to be updated in every aspect; be it content, technology, pedagogy or 21st century skills. Therefore training is important for learning, de-learning and re-learning. This also draws my attention to the saying “To teach Ramu maths, I need to know Ramu.” With their vast experience and wisdom how can the elderly contribute to students' all-round growth and development?By lending ears, spending quality time, providing solutions to problems, resolving inner conflicts and telling moral stories the elderly can continue to provide social, psychological, emotional and spiritual support for the development of children.What according to you is the role of media in education?Media is one of the pillars of democracy and plays an important role in bringing diverse cultures and communities closer. The media is a powerful tool in spreading awareness and educating people. It also sharpens the critical thinking skills of individuals.Tell us about your leisure activities and how you spend time with family and friends?My leisure activities include exercising, playing sports, trekking and camping. I visit various places and relatives with family and friends.