Divya Bhatia has over 35 years of experience in education. She served Amity in various capacities, as a teacher, coordinator, vice principal and a principal for over 25 years. She is the recipient of the prestigious CBSE National Award for excellence in leadership and was one of the first teachers to receive advanced training under “The Intel Teach to the Future Programme” and was a master trainer to train other staff members in the use of computers. She was selected by Rotary International to travel to Norway as Member of a Group Study Exchange to study the system of education and teaching methods. Under her guidance the school was selected by British Council to form a cluster with five other schools in Delhi to work on environmental projects with four schools in England.
Amity International School believes that teaching is a selfless and noble act and the most precious treasures – knowledge, experiences, teachings and values should be infused in every child. Teachers make a tremendous impact in children’s lives, possibly surpassing the influence of their parents. Teachers need to be educators, psychologists, nurses, dreamers as well as practitioners.
The teaching-learning process must keep pace with the changing needs of the global ecosystem and provide an environment to nurture innovators, leaders, change-makers, and global citizens. Pedagogies need to be revisited to accomlish the thrust and impact we desire to deliver. The term ‘global engagement’ has become a norm. Entrepreneurial spirit and freedom of expression need to be encouraged. Students must be provided adequate freedom to navigate and explore the learning process as a pleasurable journey.
“We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded and by which one can stand on one’s feet,” said Swami Vivekananda. In today’s scenario, the teaching-learning process is buckling under the pressure of syllabi completion and scoring marks. There’s no time for exploratory learning and the joys of creativity. Learning and scoring are two distant ends and if we lose sight of this quintessential fact, we lose the battle.
The need of the hour is joyful learning. Positive emotions such as joy, pleasure and desire definitely stimulate learning. Teachers are important facilitators for bringing joy in learning as they play the role of inspiring and supportive mentors. When one watches a gifted performance on stage, one forgets time, space, the crowded hall, the discomfort of sitting and one identifies completely with the actor. Teaching is a performing art and effective teachers are like great actors who etch an indelible imprint on young minds.
Schools must embrace the strengths and talents that students bring with them into the classroom and move away from ‘one size fits all’ approach. By introducing conceptual learning, which discourages the mechanical process of memorizing, teachers can promote understanding and application-based learning process and steer students’ faculties. The introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP) is a gigantic step in this direction. Classroom participation, project work, communication, leadership skills and extracurricular activities must be brought to the fore-front, rather than targeting for a 3-hour exam.
By introducing conceptual learning, which discourages the mechanical process of memorizing, teachers can promote understanding and application based learning process and steer students’ faculties. The introduction of the NEP is a gigantic step in this direction
