We have all heard of teacher apathy. We think about it as the attitude of the teacher who is absent from class most of the time, coming to school only to collect the salary, or the teacher who comes to class, but is not bothered whether anybody is learning anything. I saw teacher apathy directly in front of me and it was a very disturbing experience.
During the Hindi/Marathi period, I spend my time correcting stuff or writing my lesson plans at a corner in front of the 10th standard which acts as the staff room. I almost always see that there is no teacher in the 10th standard and the students are making a lot of noise and not really up to anything good.
On this particular day I asked the student who walked out of the class which subject the period is supposed to be and she told me Science. I looked at the Science teacher who was sitting next to me. She started telling; "I never take the class in 10th std, they are all over smart and spoilt. Shouldn't they be asking me questions about the portion which I am teaching? They ask me anything and everything. I took one class and asked them what a compound is and what an element is. They didn't even know that. If they don't have the basics, what am I supposed to teach. I cannot teach everything from the beginning, can I? I am CONFIDENT that they all are going to fail. So, I don't teach them. If I teach them, when they fail, everyone will tell me, you have taught them and still they all failed. Now, I don't teach them at all, so no one can tell me that I have taught them and still they failed."
I sat there with my jaw dropped to the floor.
After a few minutes she said "Teaching is not an easy job at all, it is very critical". Then she turned to me and asked "Why even after being an engineer you are teaching in a school?"
Me: I like teaching.
Her: You don't want to do job?
Me: I have done another job all this while and now I want to teach.
Her: Oh! So you are just like me.
Objectively speaking, if the teacher has to start teaching what is element and what is compound in 10th Grade, there is no way she can cram 4 years of Science in one year and get the students ready for their board exam. These students will fail. She is right about that. This teacher is in a tough situation. To rectify it, she has to make sure that the middle school Science teachers are doing their jobs well. But that may pit her against all those teachers, and the end result won't be beneficial to the students.
ReplyDeleteThe only way I see it is she can bring it to the attention of the Principal, who should make sure that the standards are maintained. That means a whole school of dedicated teachers.
It is a deep problem. A whole home and school environment system that these children are caught up in. Very unfortunate. Really, how do you solve it?
You know, that is why some countries have "vocational schools". At least these children can be taught skills they can make a living with.
When I read the last bit on your blog, I started laughing till I fell off my chair! There is no way you can be compared to that science teacher. Seriously, it is a pity that she still does not go ahead and teach the science class because there will be at least one or two students who are interested, and whose futures she can help direct.
ReplyDeleteSwagata, I agree with you, its not her problem. But I am also in the same situation, I have 13 year old 4th standard students who read and write in KG level. What I am trying to do is to remediate that and make sure that they move to 5th standard at least at 3rd or 4th std level. Just throwing up her hands and telling she cant do anything is what is the apathy I see. She indeed can do something to remediate and fix the gap if she tries. It might not get all the students to pass 10th, but will indeed make a difference to them.
ReplyDeleteThe only solution is to have committed teachers at all levels in the school, just like you have suggested. It is not as simple as it sounds. So who ever can do it, should do things like joining TFI and other organisations which work on the educational equity.
Beenu, Indeed I was wondering whether I should cry or laugh at the end.
ReplyDeleteAnyway in 10th std now they have assigned another teacher, who is indeed going to class and teaching.