I am a teacher in UP Govt. school. Most of the teachers of Parishidiya School are posted in rural area. There are a lot of challenges faced by residents of these area and they have to tackle it by own on day to day basis. We teachers are also facing many challenges. But as soon as, the topic of Govt. teachers come to discussion, everybody always try to point out only negative things. But we never feels demotivated by any such type of baseless allegation.
We teachers are engaged by the Govt. in such type of noble work of enlightening the student of rural area, who are deprived and really want knowledge to help themselves. So, I am really proud of to be part of Sarv/Samagra Siksha Abhiyan project of Government.
I always try to motivate the students and guardian to learn for their better future. The students and their parents are always supportive to me and most of them shows a lot of gratitude for our supportive activities. If we do small work for them, they appreciate it. But the guardian of rural area have their limitation to guide their children to study at home and have their some basic problems. Because of various reasons, they can’t supervise & motivate their child for study. Most of the guardian are demotivated for schooling due to some basic problems.
We always go to their home to motivate them to get registration of their child in school and also send their child regularly to school.
The outbreak of Covid -19 was started at the end of 2019 from China and it spread to India in early March 2020. The Covid-19 has been declared now as a pandemic by WHO. The nationwide 1st phase of lockdown declared by GoI on 24 March 2020 for 21 days to prevent this pandemic and this lockdown extended up to 31 May 2020 as preventive measures against Corona virus. Phase wise unlocking started from 1st June 2020. This period is very problematic period and we have to be safe and to perform our duties for nation building also.
This lockdown period has increased the nationwide problem of livelihood and worsen the condition of rural area too. Each and everybody, their associated activities have been freezed in this lockdown period and fear of corona prevail everywhere. But we teachers accept this challenging situation and tried to turn it in positive way.
This problematic lockdown period has also provided us opportunity to explore the new ideas of teaching by using information technology. Many students became aware of handling the mobile app and used it for learning purpose. They learn with joy and also curious to know much more. Nistha training provided by department becomes very much helpful to handle the situation and provide the quality education. Diksha app also helped a lot with learning material for teaching.
I am trying my best to coordinate online learning for students. I have contacted the student’s guardian and encourage them to engage their children in online learning. I had asked them to download the Video Conferencing app and WhatsApp for study purpose. Some of them told me that they were not able to download app. I have visited there home to convince to download app. Some of the guardian agreed to download zoom app and some denied to download it. Some of them asked me, “Our internet data will be consumed in video chatting and government should provide free data to us”. I faced some difficulties but few has started to use zoom app for study purpose by my effort. The student’s guardian are very much impressed that we are trying our best to teach their children in this situation also.
Students are so much enjoying this new learning method (zoom video and WhatsApp) that most of the time they ask the more work and submit earlier to other. In this online learning all the students are on the same virtual platform, so all can see other student’s interaction directly. This direct interaction with classmates encouraged them to learn from others also. I am trying to educate the students through zoom app, but most of them are not able to access the android gadget at fixed time. So I am teaching the students, providing the homework, videos and audio recording through sharing the content via WhatsApp group. Contacting the students when they required any clarification on any topic either individually or through chat in group. Few students are sometime also able to join through zoom app.
WhatsApp Teaching during Lockdown
One of the contest of “Meri Udan” by UP Basic Education Deptt. in collaboration with UNICEF has been continuously organized for students. In this contest a topic has been given to the students and students have to make some poster on it. The topic of the contest in June 2020 was “Mera Gaon” and most of the students present their ideas in form of model of ‘Naye Bharat ka Naya Gaon’ by sharing the picture in ours WhatsApp learning group.
Contest “Meri Udan- June,2020” “Naye Bharat ka Naya Gaon”
I am also facing some hurdle in online teaching. Most of the students are from remote rural areas and also from very poor economic background. Some of the student’s parent do not have android phone. Poor internet connectivity in rural area is also a very big problem. Some of the students are only able to access their parent’s android gadget only in late night or early morning. Students of Ist, 2nd and 3rd class are too small to handle the android gadget. Students of 4th and 5th are very good to use android gadget for online distance learning. They are very much energetic and curious to learn through this new type of learning method.
In this period we have also joined the webinar that’s very much exciting and encouraging us to interact directly with knowledgeable eminent persons. This type of workshop is very much helpful to us. In these virtual workshop loss of time in journey and physical harassment is negligible. The online training is very efficient idea and must be a continuous process in learning development.
Online Training and Interaction with Respected DM Sir
सिर्फ मैं ही नहीं, मेरे जैसे हजारो शिक्षक अपना शत प्रतिशत देने में लगे हुए है ताकि सामज में एक परिषदीय शिक्षक की छवि सुधर सके जो किन्ही भ्रामक कारणों से धूमिल हुई है. हमने अपने कार्य को हमेशा एक चुनौती के रूप में स्वीकार किया है और बिना हताश हुए निरंतर सार्थक प्रयत्न किया है | मुझे पूर्ण विश्वास है कि हमारे सतत प्रयास से एक दिन एक छोटा सा गाँव बदलेगा, विकास खंड बदलेगा, जनपद बदलेगा, हमारा प्रदेश बदलेगा और एक दिन हमारा पूरा भारत नवीन शिक्षित भारत मे बदल जाएगा और इस कार्य में हम शिक्षकों की एक महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका है. बिना गाँव को शिक्षित किये नवीन भारत की परिकल्पना मात्र एक कल्पना ही होगी. अतः मै अपने इस कार्य को पूर्ण करने में सतत प्रयत्नशील हूँ.
Neha Singh
Sonbhadra (UP)
9 comments to “Corona crisis has provided us an opportunity to explore the new ideas of teaching by using ICT : Neha Singh”
Sarwesh - July 1, 2020
Online teaching is very challenging work in rural area
It is great try.
Anurag ki aawaz - July 1, 2020
very nice and inspiring
great effort …..
Ashu - July 1, 2020
Great work
Unknown - July 1, 2020
I was always enrolled in government school and all my teachers enriched me…. Why most of the people are so negative about govt. school ?…. You are doing very nice noble job…. keep it up….
Kaushal kishor - July 2, 2020
Your article has sketched true picture of rural education system. There are lot of problems. Students are poor background and facing basic needs. They are Very curious about education but poverty dragged them backward.
You like teacher are continuously Lighting diya of education in them. You are proud for us. In this pandemic situation, you dedication and determination is encouraging those students who are last step of opportunity. You are also part of corona worrier. I salute you. Keep on doing such great work ����.
Unknown - July 2, 2020
You are always inspiring to the students and have done very commendable work in this pandemic time also….
Satyaveer Singh - July 2, 2020
Well done Neha…
Unknown - July 3, 2020
You are doing great job …well done neha….shandaar jabardast jindabaad.
Anonymous - July 3, 2020
This Corona phase was and is still a challenging one to deal with. But the teachers like Neha Singh and othershave proved themselves in this tough pandemic period which no one ever think of it in their dreams. These are the actual times, when students do need the support in their studies and in balancing mental health as well. I know, it won't be possible without the thanks giving hand from the govt. end but these are the teachers who shines like a 'Star' in such difficult situations. The task was not easy as you have to pass many hurdles especially when you have to work in a Rural area. But she gives the shadow of 'Rainbow' to the students and showcase many sides of a teacher within the given frame.
Thanks for your continuous dedication towards the betterment of the Rural Indian Education.
Best Regards
Talib Khan