Ritu Kochhar, Principal of M.D. International School, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh
Teacher’s Day is celebrated in memory of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnana, whose contribution in shaping India’s education sector remains unparalleled. His dedication and love for his students still inspire several generation of students to take up this humble profession. Mrs. Ritu Kochhar, the principal of M.D. International School, Bijnor talks to us about her sojourn as a teacher and her struggles during the pandemic period.
“As an educationist, I believe in empowering the facilitators and creating lineage which would benefit the future of our country. While we all understand how essential education is to shape our lives, it has also been a major problem in our country. There are several issues that the Indian education system is grappling with. Over the years, the comprehensive purpose of education has evolved. When I began my journey, education was more of books, lectures and exams. The students would sit in libraries for hours looking through books for content and material. They were supposed to memorize the factual information about the subject, and information was knowledge. Today, education is more about developing perspectives based on information as the content is already available to us at our finger tips through internet. Hence, the curriculum today is more focused on the development of perspectives by comparing, contrasting and discussing information.
Principals like me face challenges each day towards improving student achievement on campus. Every principal faces some big challenges like controlling student behavior, recruiting teachers and staff, promoting personalized learning, improving teaching effectiveness, student retention, parent support, and more.
Amongst the major challenges, I would like to mention some… such as Paperwork, Decision-making, Scheduling, Recruitment, Faculty Evaluation, Attendance & Discipline, Curriculum Design, Parental Involvement, Student Outcomes and Communication & Collaboration.
I strongly emphasize the need for continuous innovation in whatever we do. Serving as a teacher is more than knowing educational content, systematic planning, and instructing students. If there’s anyone who is in a position to bring positive change into the world every day, it’s a teacher. There is no telling what positive effect a teacher will have on someone’s life, especially a student’s. So be brave, stay passionate about your kids and your work, and don’t give up—ever.
