Ujjain: Covid 19 has completely disrupted the education system the world over. School education has been found wanting in terms of its preparedness to take the online route. In Ujjain the teachers are coping with the challenges posed by the corona outbreak by working from home (WFH). They are conducting online classes but the sudden need for adaptation to taking virtual classes is affecting the work life balance of teachers.
'' Being a mother of a 5-year-old child, I am finding it immensely hard to handle both my child and the online classes. I have to continuously keep a watch on her. At times the teaching gets affected and I forget something or other. Our current schedule creates a massive challenge for us, said Naina Khatri, a schoolteacher.
The lack of privacy or silent space to conduct classes is also a major concern. '' Managing professional and personal life simultaneously is a tough job. Ideally, there should be no disturbance around us when we are conducting online classes. But it is not possible from withing the confines of home,” said a teacher who requested anonymity.
The teaching hours have stretched during corona outbreak and the teachers are feeling down in terms of not getting due financial returns for extra work. '' Teaching often stretches beyond our usual working hours. We are not being paid for extra work that we do. We use to at least get Sundays for ourselves but now on Sundays we have to take doubt solving sessions. The teachers should be paid for all the competent and hard work that they are putting in amid corona outbreak,” said a teacher who does want to be named.
The technology itself is posing a challenge to many a teacher.
''I 45-year-old and as a teacher, I never imagined that I would have to face such a situation in my life. I am not handy with
technology and it is very difficult to use different software and juggle between various applications to conduct online classes. We are left with no alternative but to somehow manage for the sake of my students and ensure that the learning doesn’t gets compromised,'' said a concerned schoolteacher.
Teaching without a blackboard is another challenge especially for maths teachers. “Imagine teaching maths without a blackboard. I find it very challenging as a maths teacher. I am using alternatives to teach maths online but still haven't found the best one yet,” a maths teacher told Free Press.
Teachers who live in joint family are also finding it hard to fulfil their responsibilities. '' Being a part of a joint family, every other person at home keeps vying for my attention. But we also have to fulfill the role of teacher at the same time. At times the situation at homes become urgent so schools should also adopt flexible timetable,'' said Vanya Nayaka schoolteacher.
Online classes have taken a toll on teachers and they are only vying to go back to the classroom teaching. We are all concerned for our students and our kin so we are somehow taking online classes. It is better to face the challenges rather than being a patient of this dreaded virus. We only hope that the post Covid-19 situation will offer respite to everyone, soon. We are craving to get back to one to one teaching in classrooms,” said a schoolteacher, who requested anonymity.
