Know Your Teacher: “A successful educator is not flawless but one who learns from errors”

Akansha Babbar teaches Social Studies to classes VI-IX at Apeejay School, Noida. She joined the school in July 2017 and calls the past seven years a “tenure of extensive growth and incessant learning.” Talking about her association with Apeejay, she says, “I always aspired to teach at Apeejay as the school that transcends quality education and endorses children’s holistic development. I appreciate the opportunity bestowed by my seniors and veterans and I totally relish teaching, which helps chisel my skills and simultaneously foster a strong inclusive classroom environment for pupils.”

What got you interested in teaching? When did you begin your journey?

I love being around children and inspiring them to aim for the stars!

I believe teaching is more than just imparting knowledge. It’s also about instilling values and inspiring enthusiasm for learning. I am devoted to the idea that all students should have access to quality education and I’m determined to help them reach their full potential. I believe in the vitality of education in creating a better society. Teaching provides me with an opportunity to shape young minds and inspire the next generation to become productive, successful citizens.

I also firmly believe that teaching is one such profession where growth is unstoppable; the constant need to learn more each day keeps one on toes and succour in self-development.

As soon as I completed my BEd in 2014, I was lucky enough to be appointed as TGT SST and since then there was no going back.

How has hands-on learning through activities and experiments improved the experience in the classroom?

Hands-on learning provides a student with the opportunity to safely make mistakes and learn organically through trial and error. Rather than experimenting when a job is on the line, they can experiment with new ideas and satisfy curiosity at their own natural pace without worrying about distorting an important project. This allows them to practice their critical thinking skills and utilise the knowledge they’ve accumulated during their training programme. Humans naturally learn by making mistakes and determining how to either fix or avoid them, and the more the cycle is repeated, the better a student becomes at meeting those challenges without hesitation. In other words, practice makes one perfect!

How do you foster a positive relationship with your students?

I approach my class each day with a positive attitude. I believe if I am positive, it will inspire positivity in students. No one likes to be around someone who is always negative. Students, in time, will resent a teacher who is always negative. Second, building a trustworthy relationship with the students is paramount in fostering academic success. A trusting classroom with mutual respect is a thriving classroom complete with active, engaging learning opportunities.

What are some of the best Social Science careers?

Humanities and Social Science have flourished over time and promise abundant career opportunities in modern times. Humanities and Social Science is one of the fastest emerging disciplines in an exponentially dynamic national environment. Students who pass out from Humanities and Social Sciences become well-rounded professionals having an optimal blend of knowledge, skills, and competencies with a diverse understanding of human behaviour and interaction in political, economic, social, and cultural contexts.

Students pursuing specialisation programmes in the domain of Humanities and Social Science get jobs as Assistant Professor or Teacher, Research Analyst, Editor, Geologist, Museum Curator/Manager, Historian, Language Interpreter, Statistician, Oceanographic Manager, Linguistic Anthropologist, and Education Counsellor. The corporate world is hiring students from the field of Humanities and Social Sciences at attractive salary packages as the retention of professionals from this domain is higher in comparison to professionals from other domains.

What’s the mantra to become a successful teacher?

I believe that a good teacher can motivate students, bring out new talents, and instill a lifelong passion for learning. The teacher should be capable of making a positive impact on the lives of the students, and ensure they have access to quality education. My success lies in the success of my students by facilitating children to reach their full potential and guiding them in their pursuit of a successful future.

A successful teacher is not one who is flawless but one who learns from her errors. One who is empathetic, generous, and most importantly approachable, and acknowledges that every child is special in his or her own way. I aspire to be the same every day to create an impact that lasts a lifetime.