SCHOOL INDUCTION DAY 1: RUINED EXPECTATIONS
According to H. L. Mencken, the best teacher of children, in brief, is one who is essentially child like. In order to teach children and conquer their hearts a teacher should essentially be one among them. Like a child a teacher should be curious enough to gather new things and knowledge from the surroundings and should be able to maintain good student teacher relationship.
As part of B.Ed curriculum, a five day school induction program has to be realised by the first semester student teachers of all B.Ed training colleges. January 4 to 9 are the days alloted to the students teacher of GCTE, Thycaud. The aim of this is to familiarise us with school environment, its functioning, teachers, staffs, students and the teaching learning process. With this regard myself and other six student teachers from GCTE Thycaud, opted the Govt.Girls HSS Peroorkada and the group include two student teachers from English department including myself and Ms. Kavya Dinesh; two student teachers, Ms.Kavya Sagar and Ms. Revathy B.R from Natural Science Department and three student teachers, Ms. Veena, Ms. Gayathri and Ms Chinju S. Nair from Hindi Department. The team leader of our group was Ms. Kavya Dinesh of English Department who prepared the attendance register in advance. The timing of the school is from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. We reached the school by 9:15 am and the classes began after a prayer and national pledge.
We then met the headmistress of the school Ms. Pushpa George.N and handed the attendance register after recording our morning attendance. Though we expected a cordial welcoming we were troubled by the unfriendly attitude of the teachers. We have to constantly request for admitting us to observe any two classes handled by the school teachers which is a mandatory part in the induction program. The teachers didnot gave responsible responses. Since it is the time of school reopening after the christmas holidays the teachers were busy distributing the answer sheets of christmas exam and discussig the question paper and therefore not taking classes for a week. They even blamed the GCTE college authorities for sending us at this time of the year and this was a heartbreaking moment for us. Apart from us the teacher trainees of St Thomas B.Ed training college were already engaging the classes and when we asked Ms. Kavitha, the english teacher of the school to allot portions for the three shared classes we were instructed to meet the student teachers of St.Thomas College.
We collected the datas regarding the various club activities of school by interacting with the students of class 9. Since the teachers were not coperating and staff rooms were empty almost all the time, we collected all details from the students during the interval and a free hour. It gave me the opportunity to acquaint with some children and to have an informal talk with them. We also learnt from the students about the breakfast and mid day meal program in the school.
During the lunch break students played batminton and carrom in the school auditorium. After the lunch break we approched the St thomas teacher trainee Ms. Arya of English department and she agreed to lend one hour, the next day for taking a shared class on the lesson "The Happiness Machine" from standard 9 English reader. Later myself and kavya discussed and prepared the lesson plan for the same. Then we met Ms. Bindu Sivadas, the principal of the school, conversed with her for some time and attained permission for capturing pictures with her and also of the school premises. Her attitude was friendly and her smile was the only solace of the first day induction program. At 3:30 pm after the national anthem the classes came to an end and we left the school after signing the attendance register. We went back home with regret and heavy hearts.
