AjayKiranAggarwal
A true educator realise that they have to change for the benefit of students.
Change is inevitable and is the basic building block of progress. If there was to be no change at all, we would still be living in caves and hunting with primitive weapons, trying hard to survive. It is basic human nature to seek a better existence, and this endeavour is achieved by invoking change. Occasionally, change is also forced upon us by nature but the response and handling of this too remains the same as manmade change.
Although change is a natural part of life, it’s a constant struggle. And hence, it is one of the pathways that many are not comfortable to take. When we are expected to act or think in different ways, there is understandable resistance or guarded interaction.
The concept of change in education is not new. The teaching and learning process has transformed to a large extent over the years. The education system and its components are subject to regular and cyclical review and revision to keep up with the changing time.
Educators today are driven to constantly improve so that their students can achieve the best that they possibly can.
Learning is a continuous process and authentic learning immerses us in unique experiences.
We, as teachers, have to be flexible and adaptive. When we allow our students to become active learners, we have to accept that some things may not happen as we plan. Educators have to adapt new teaching practices even if it compels us to come out of our comfort zone.
In this process, teachers often struggle. But as it’s said, without a struggle there is rarely any progress. Hence, it’s imperative to keep up with the change and feel confident that great results will come out of it.
The recent shift in the national curriculum focuses on skill development. The reason behind change in the curriculum was a drive to emulate some of the world’s most successful school system which will lead to a fully inclusive society — a vision that guarantees the highest quality education for all regardless of learning or physical disability. The new education policy focuses on the unique capabilities of each student. It helps in recognizing, identifying and nurturing the qualities of each student with the help of parents and teachers for well-rounded development in academic and non-academic areas of life. The priority is given to foundational literacy and numeracy to the students. The new education aims to achieve this in all students.
The integration of technology has further transformed the education system and has upskilled educators to introduce new pedagogy methods. Transformation is about more than making incremental changes to instruction or layering technology on top of existing practices. Technology has not just made education more accessible to students, but has also made it more personalized, engaging, and relevant to students’ future. It has fundamentally reimagined education so that it works for all students more effectively, leading to deeper,richer learning.
When an educator is asked to consider change, it’s in the form of a learning theory, a new pedagogy, and a new technology, a different form of communication, a new way of thinking about situations, or an alternative decision-making process. That’s why embracing change is very important. Although you can’t predict the future, you can learn to navigate transitions, how to prioritize your teaching more effectively, and to become more resilient along the way.
Kiran Aggarwal, Cambridge Coordinator
