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Teaching Overcrowded Classes

January 12, 2022
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One of the things that help teachers to teach effectively is having classes of 15 up to 25 students; this number of pupils really facilitates the process of teaching and learning. But what if we have no other choice except having more than 40 students in one small class? Will be there any chance of success? Will students in this type of classes be able to excel and achieve well like their counterparts in classes with fewer students?

I am one of those several teachers who are facing the problem of overcrowded classes.

Before delving into this topic, let me first describe to you the nature of the atmosphere inside these classes as I personally experienced it. When a class for example has one hour of English from 9:00 to 10:00 I usually start the warm up at 09:07, which means that five to seven minutes are always wasted waiting for the crowd to gather; moreover, it always takes me other minutes just to awaken their English and make them ready for the lesson. Besides this, during the course I have to shout from time to time with my utmost to beg for silence, as you know too much talk and noise are hard to put up with especially that set of steps and activities need to be done. Another occasion where crowded classes appear uncontrollable is when conducting a group work activity, many teachers complain that just organizing the groups is a hard task to do and always say that the available time is not sufficient.

The above mentioned aspects of crowded classes constitute a real challenge in front of the idea of time management, as a teacher I believe that there are solutions; once you experience an issue or a problem certainly you will find ways out. Teachers should be talented enough to know how to deal with such classes and use their time wisely and effectively and try hard to bring to class interesting activities that quickly raise the interest of students, because in a class of more than 40 students all the time we find each two or four students are engaged in talks and matters that they did or are going to do, here the teacher needs to talk about things that are more exciting than students’ own concerns so as to diverge their attention to the lesson. Another tip might be helpful to overcome the problem of time is by adding some extra hours to these students in order to support them to study and learn more; simultaneously, this will prove to them that you really care about them and be sure that they will show you more respect and gratitude in return.

On the other hand, crowded classes aren’t that big and frightening problem. There are some advantages of teaching crowded classes. For example; teachers can organize outside school activities in which lot of students are needed, like doing voluntary work in other institutions and public spaces or assigning students to do presentations for public speaking club.

To sum up, when there is a will there is a way.

Teaching overcrowded classes is a challenge but at the same time a rewarding task, as it helps teachers to acquire new skills on how to manage classes like this, as well as having the chance to support and teach lot of students which is in itself a bless.

The Teacher, A Great Gift to the World!

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In the formal education system which most if not all parts of the world adopt in bringing up an individual with attitude and credible knowledge, there stands tall a great pillar. This pillar metaphysically pivots every angle of the world. It could be also seen as a god who has succeeded in creating world changers. The god is the teacher personified.

But it is quite unfortunate that most people do ignore what should be extremely appreciated and cherished. The social and academic respect that every teacher should enjoy could be seen to have steadily derailed in our contemporary society. The charisma they move along with and the privilege their children enjoy is no more. This is simply because the regard and respect doesn’t exist anymore. Her influence and power has waned off these days and is still waiting to explode in the fingers of ingrates. Do you see the impact of teachers globally? If no, painstakingly read in between the lines below.

A tall tree does not spring up by itself or on its own, someone has to cultivate it and develop it to maturity. So it is in this case, no great man was born great. Though he may be by fate of the future, there is still the need for someone to guide him through the way with instructions, tutorials and lectures in order to brighten up his memory.

Nelson Mandela who liberated his country from the apartheid regime; Wole Soyinka and chinua Achebe who attested to the apex of literature; Ngozi okonjo iweala who is a leading figure in global finance and economics; Dora akunyili whose intelligence and diligence saved the dear lives of thousands of Nigerians; including other distinguished Nigerians, Africans, Europeans, Asians and many more who have left footprints in the Sand of Times were all able to do so because someone impacted into them. Someone tutored them. Someone trained them. If it were not so their impact would not have been felt as it is in the world today.

Do these teachers need to be rewarded and recognized?

The answer is “YES”. They deserve it! Every respect should go to them because every farmer after cultivation looks up for a bountiful harvest. These teachers should be given incentives from time to time as it boosts their morale and encourages them to do more and perform efficiently.

Students on the other hand should learn and adopt the habit of paying proper attention to any teacher they find around their walls as this is the ultimate a student can offer to a teacher. In addition, giving the teacher all the respect and loyalty that is due is highly expected from every good student to a superb teacher.

Besides, the teachers should also keep improving on their profession especially in the area of its quality in order to have enough to disseminate to eager listening ears. Presently, the profession is witnessing a slight drop in the quality and authenticity it possesses due to the emergence of fakes. Let’s not forget in a hurry that “the hand that fed the poor during famine could equally receive a shed during rainfall”. My teacher remains a great gift to me, what about you?

Education Death Valley, Time to Create the Rain!

January 9, 2022
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“Education Death Valley” this sentence will eternally stay embed in my memory thanks to a man who poured most of his life to one goal “Restructuring the Educational System”, he is Sir Ken Robinson one of the prominent figures in this domain, he sheds the light on how school kills creativity and how our endeavour to produce outstanding students is merely a futile farce which its main goal is to dwindle our children’s creativity, to elude from a higher responsibility, squander many talents and bright minds with a distorted scheme which its main purpose is to dim these candles who could light this foggy world.

SirKenRobinson QuotesWe all agree that deep inside one of has there is a tacit agreement which says that the educational system vividly advocate to more work like a machine which follows laws and rules with a recurring system rather to indulge in unleashing creativity which should be the coveted goal, in one of Sir Ken Robinson’s lectures he gave a beautiful example on how school kills creativity.

A teacher asked her students to draw what ever they want and as usual the teacher started to ask what their drawing represent, the teacher came to a girl and asked her the usual question and the girl’s response was that she is drawing GOD the teacher was surprised and she said that nobody knows how God looks like and she said “They are going to know now”. This example shows how children think deep and how they are innocently rational.

Sir Ken Robinson said once that the failure of the educational system is symptomatic to our irresponsibility but there is always hope, he mentioned one of the beautiful things which i have ever heard, for those who don’t know what is the death valley is it’s a valley which exists in place where no one can survive in, but in an extraordinary phenomenon one day it rained in the valley the thing that made the valley green the day after as life came back to it, to some extent Sir Ken Robinson compared our educational system to this valley as even if this system is full of deadly trapes there is a chance that it may rain someday.

The Management Science of Schooling

January 2, 2022
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Every seed grows the way it is nurtured! Every child grows the way he/ she is gifted schooling with. If Schools are just places where the child learns the alphabet, the math or the science, schools would never hold such value. It is something beyond the subjects that the child learns, which actually gives the highly valued moral image for Schools. What exactly is that? A deep thought over the general life style & values in our nation would give us the answer.

Theoretically Schools help the child to learn the subjects, take up exams and understand the concepts surrounding us. But practically, in the process of implementing the theory, the child learns the magical word “Management”. How successful an individual is depends not on the profession he/she takes up, but on how the individual manages problems in whatever profession he/she takes up. Hence arises the importance of Management. Schools, knowingly or unknowingly teach this science of Management because of the vast routine that is being followed in schools systematically.

Irrespective of the size of the school, strength of the school, location of the school and various other important elements, one common factor amongst all schools is the demand of routine that needs to go on every day. The School gate needs to be open at the right time, the bell needs to ring at the exact time, the assembly needs to function promptly and properly, the time table needs to move on regularly without confusion, the notebooks need to be corrected promptly & properly, the intimations need to be conveyed well ahead, the examinations need to be conducted with discipline, on and on and on…..The list of routine work in schools is huge! But the interesting fact about this demand of routine is that, it is never ending! This demand of routine needs to be met out every single day the school functions. A small deviation in this routine would create huge levels of confusion and hence Schools give utmost concentration in meeting out this demand of routine.

This is the first and most prominent distinguishing factor between life at home & life at school. To make this difference prominent, to meet out the never ending demand of routine, the schools follow a strong system of managing everyday work. This Management gets registered in the subconscious mind of the child and happens to be the first & important practical knowledge acquired by the child as against any book learning. But the nature of lifestyle of children in our nation does not require this knowledge to be utilized at that age! Children are highly pampered & protected in our country. Hence the management science acquired in the subconscious mind comes to play when the child grows up to do things on his/her own! This is the reason why many of our first references are related to our school.

Accepting the fact that there is lot of Management related to Schooling, there needs to be yet another word related to this Management – Ethics! Every management needs to be ethical and any immorality in this process also gets registered in the child’s subconscious mind. If not immorality explicitly done, failure to give importance to ethics in Management is an equally.

A Stock Pile of Qualifications

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This is an experience I wish to share with regard to the education and the education system. Recently I met Rajesh, my ex-student, in a market place. Both us were very glad on meeting each other after a decade long time. Rajesh as a school student with very pleasing personality and sound family background. As a teacher and a motivator I could not resist myself in asking Rajesh as to what he was doing? To this question he very politely and silently replied that he is working as an MR (Medical Representative) in a leading Pharmaceutical company. This was with a surprise for me as I knew that Rajesh was not from any Science Background rather he was a Commerce student and so far as my knowledge and memory supported me he was pursuing his B.Ed. qualification a decade a go. Having known his present status I further wished to inquire his career line.

Rajesh once again maintaining his tone and politeness replied to me that, “Sir, after my B.Com., I completed my B.Ed. I joined a leading School as teacher and worked for 2 years, I was asked to pursue M.Ed. for my professional development which I completed while doing the job, as I was granted relaxation for attending my classes. After having produced my M.Ed. certificate to the Principal, I was promoted to be Head of Department of Commerce Faculty. I continued to work for further 2 years as HOD but by that time I surpassed many opportunities with better financial prospects. I couldn’t resist my self for such opportunities and joined a Corporate as a Mgt. Trainee for maintaining their PRO work. In the mean time I was given an opportunity to pursue MBA which I did it while continuing my job there. But I was not promoted as promised so I left the job and now am doing this job a MR since last 1 year.”

Rajesh is not different guy; he is just a regular person like any other having blessed by Mother Nature with all the organs as a complete human being. But Rajesh is now a person with many qualifications, he is a B.Com. Graduate having professional qualification like B.Ed. and M.Ed. and further added MBA to his bouquet of professional qualification. Having all these in his portfolio, he is working as an MR after 10 years of his Graduation.

As a teacher having personally known Rajesh and as a motivator, I felt for him that he is still in his struggle phase and in the bottom level of Management Chart as being only a MR in a company.

It is not Rajesh, rather many such equally blessed promising candidates fail to achieve a better career even after possessing better qualifications.

With no criticism to the Education System as I am also a part of it though working at a micro level, but a thought comes to mind that does this qualification really puts in some qualifying stuff into the candidates that enter the system of education. Are we really imparting education to make them independent and self reliant or rather we are making them dependent because of qualification?

With LPG (Liberalization, Globalization and Privatization) model working with its full effects (side effects as well) we have many university entering Indian System of Education and many in pipeline as they have realized that India is a good market for selling Certificates and Qualifications.

What I am trying to pass on a message here is that as a teacher it is our duty to make every student realize the worth of technical and non technical knowledge that they fetch in any of the qualification that they pursue. We as a teacher must try to make them aware the potentials of the qualification and the knowledge that they gain within the qualification.

To the students I convey that do not wait for the destination rather enjoy the journey as that is going to give satisfaction after reaching the destination. Meaning enjoy the journey of fetching the qualification and get the maximum of knowledge while in the process of attaining particular qualification. The certificate of qualification is merely an entry pass to a career or job but the knowledge within it is what is going to help you achieve your satisfaction in the career.

Also to my dear students and prospective candidate, a stock pile of qualification is not important but a worth while of knowledge and skill is more important.

It is worth mentioning the below diagram, where in one can easily understand the importance of the journey of seeking knowledge.

There is a need to change the EDUCATION SYSTEM where “Degrees” drain Creativity and Intelligence.

What needs to be focused here is the knowledge and the process of knowledge in seeking a qualification and not the certificate of qualification. The qualification or the certificate of qualification is mere a documentary proof of a candidate having attained that knowledge and skill.

One must not forget this basic principle that knowledge is more important the paper proof of it. Knowledge not only reflects from the document of qualification but rather should reflect from ones attitude, behaviour and transactional process. If this basic principle is maintained then we will have more productive people and population rather than stereo type unproductive educated unemployed.

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