Ensuring focus in children is difficult
Your most interesting moment as the principal of Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School and biggest challenges ?
The unconditional love from children is what keeps me going. The biggest challenge is making children study regularly. With so many distractions around, it has become hard for the students to focus on one thing. Students yearn to achieve more by investing less time and energy. A teacher has to keep students focused and keep motivating them.
Do you believe students should be labelled ‘mediocre’ or ‘average’? Have your come across a student who has excelled after being labelled as such and can you please tell us about him or her?
Measuring the calibre of every student with one yard stick (academic performance only) and labelling them or passing on derogatory remarks, demoralise children. The education system is changing and getting inclusive. Children get the opportunity to discover, fine tune and exhibit their extraordinary talents. It is the responsibility of parents, teachers and the school at large to help them understand their potential. Providing them with an encouraging environment acts like a booster for them.
What helps you identify a talented student or leadership material?
Providing opportunities through debates, declamation and group discussions can help. Giving them leadership roles and closely observing them help us to identify leadership material.
What should schools do to stop students from indulging in substance abuse ?
Spreading awareness among the students is the first and foremost step to be taken. Taking students to the slum areas, talking to the people and understanding their health status. Tracking the reasons for their weak health, mostly point towards substance abuse. Real life experiences can act like a strong deterrent for them. The school counsellor can discuss the case studies of certain people (with changed names) to help them understand the consequences of substance abuse.
One school community outreach project that you are proud of?
The NCC volunteers carried out a massive cleanliness drive and an awareness campaign against drug abuse, smoking followed by tree plantation in a slum area.
Initiatives schools should take to help students develop an interest in science, mathematics, humanities or research ?
To promote scientific skill development and innovations, the school has an Atal Tinkering Lab in addition to physics, chemistry, biology and computer labs, where the children are provided with latest gadgets (funded by Niti Aayog) and the school management (Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Trust). The school encourages students to work on the innovative ideas. Even the school alumni have come forward to contribute in bringing out the best in students. The school alumni Air Marshal Manvendra Singh has sponsored a trophy to be given to the best scientific talent in the school.