TED-2019 (Teachers Effectiveness Development Programme) conducted at Don Bosco School, Siliguri on the 7th and 9th of September, 2019 by Fr. Babu Varghese SDB, reminded the teachers about the goals and aims of education, informed them about the teaching aids and resources available. Not only did he make the participants reflect on the mammoth problems gaping them in the face but provided ways to overcome those hurdles. It focussed on the significant role teachers can play in these fast-paced times by following the PIE (Planning, Implementation, Evaluation) method, Four Pillars of education suggested by UNESCO and the nine principles of Don Bosco’s preventive system of education.
The pleasant and friendly persona of the resource person glided the educators smoothly from problems to possibilities, from apprehensions to confident resolutions, taking them from expectations to responsibilities through interesting, meaningful and apt anecdotes as well as relevant quotes.
Without negating the significance of academic excellence, he highlighted the need for the all-round holistic growth and development of a child in a congenial and safe environment. He also emphasized the need for a collaborative effort to build a sense of self-esteem in a child and help him explore his unique and hidden talents and potentials.
He encouraged the teachers to strive and reach for the stars with their strength of purpose and indomitable will even if it means flying alone like an eagle or like a single sunbeam casting away shadows. We all have to stretch our means and look for tools and resources with passion and commitment.
He advised all to shift their focus from ‘what is’ to ‘what can be’; from efficiency to effectiveness; from ‘hard work’ to ‘smart work’; from, ‘doing things right’ to ‘ doing the right things’.
Since our vision is to have physically & mentally sound, emotionally balanced as well as psychologically and spiritually enlightened students and since we cannot give what we do not have, we need to update and upgrade ourselves and the motivating factor is that ‘the more we give, the more we receive.’
Finally, he exhorted the teachers to achieve their noble aims without being deterred by the hurdles and by being prepared to face the challenges of the changing times. Teaching, he said, is about touching lives, as we hold the power to mould the future of the world and change the course of history as we nurture the future citizens and world leaders.
Ms. Gulati Poonam