Guruvani: 'We should not be put on a pedestal'

What is the biggest professional challenge that you face in your role as principal?We have to understand that we are not only responsible for children in our school but have a higher calling: shaping the future of our nation through our children. How effectively we nurture our children is going to have an impact on the direction our nation takes. Therefore, we have to be mindful of this responsibility and help in imbibing right traits in children under our care.Second is the fast changing situation in technology which has an impact not only on education but also every aspect of our life and how we are future ready so that we are able to equip, guide and nurture our children.Once a teacher, always a teacher. Do you agree?I believe we should not always take our role as a teacher too seriously, because at times it unwittingly puts us on a pedestal, with the result that our children have difficulty in reaching out to us. Though I consider myself a teacher always, I like to get myself to a level where my students are able to interact with me on a level playing field, without any inhibitions.Success has become an obsession with people of all ages nowadays? Comment.Success is just a seven letter word, but how we define it creates favourable and not so favourable impressions. This is where we as teachers and role models play a critical role in shaping lives.Was Milkha Singh successful in winning a medal at Rome in Olympics in 1960? No.Was he successful in inspiring innumerable youngsters since his Olympic tryst? Emphatically yes.The desire to be successful is wired in our DNA but as beacons we need to define success for our children. To work hard, be wary of shortcuts and rise again and again on facing failure is how we need to show the path to success.What in your view is Gen next's biggest strength? Which are the key areas of improvement?The God of information, Google, is ubiquitous. This is both a boon and a bane, an area of strength and a challengeLet me explain, today's children are aware of every aspect of life and have many options available at the touch of a smart phone. Thus they are a lot smarter and aware. They are also tech savvy and save a lot of time through use of smart gadgets.However, since so much is available, it is easy to be distracted and also go down the wrong path. This is where we provide the right guidance.Also developing social skills by interacting with people, playing and physical activities are areas of improvement. I also feel that developing mental strength and coping with perceived failure also needs improvement.Given the diverse needs of today's youngsters, what emphasis do you put on teacher training?No amount of emphasis is enough. The field of education along with the mode of transfer of information is changing so rapidly that if there is no constant upgradation of teacher skills, the gap will become too wide. With the vast experience and wisdom how can the elderly contribute to students' all round growth and development?Elders have gained knowledge through experience and one who speaks from experience has tremendous effect on the listener. Thus workshops, one-on-one sessions and classroom interactions are effective methods of transferring knowledge based on experience.I also believe that the mere act of listening (and not hearing alone) to children's troubles has a therapeutic effect on them.What according to you is the role of media in education?The most drastic impact of technology has been on the media. It is an important tool of transferring information, knowledge and also helps in simplifying complex problems.If used effectively along with face-to-face interactions, it has the ability to change the field of education.How do you spend your spare time?Gardening, listening to music and spending quality time with my family are activities that I look forward to after investing most of my time as an administrator and teacher.Veera Pandey, principal, Vishwa Bharati Public School, Sector-28, Noida