Know Your Teacher: ‘Greatest joy is seeing your student’s success’

She was born and brought up in Jalandhar and belongs to a family of educators, doctors, and engineers. Her list of accomplishments is long. She has done her MSc (Mathematics) and Bachelor in Education; she has qualified for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) as well as the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test.

In a candid interview, Jyoti Khanna, PRT Math, who teaches classes – classes II-VI – at Apeejay School, Model Town, said that she started teaching after completing her master’s and has been teaching this ‘noble profession’ since 2012.

When and how did you join Apeejay?

I started my career as a Maths teacher in 2012. However, I joined Apeejay School, Model Town, Jalandhar in 2021. After my marriage, I wanted to switch my job and when I came to know about the vacancy at Apeejay, I immediately applied and got selected after giving the interview. I have always wanted to work with people with having progressive mindset and professional approach. I feel blessed to be a part of the Apeejay family and to work under the leadership and guidance of such experienced and humble authorities (especially the principal sir and headmistress ma’am) who always lend a helping hand for the better adjustment of their staff.

How do you incorporate the latest developments into teaching Math?

As we all have experienced, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the teaching methods. All of us have used an online mode of teaching either through Zoom or Google Classroom. I believe technology has pushed Math teachers to discover online solutions and innovate. I too make use of it while teaching various Maths concepts.

For instance, by showing relevant videos through a projector, I enable my students to understand the concept of solid and plane shapes more effectively. It becomes easy for them to understand the sides/edges, corners/vertices, and faces of a given shape.

Moreover, I make use of Moodle (which is an excellent platform to facilitate learning) to upload worksheets at the end of every topic and classwork regularly which proves very beneficial for the absentees. I also share the links to the videos related to my topic with my students.

Math can be boring. How do you incorporate creativity and innovation into your lessons?

There are numerous ways that I generally follow to incorporate creativity and innovation in my lessons. For instance, I always introduce a new concept either by narrating a story (related to the concept) or by using relevant audio-visual aids (like projectors, placards, and concrete objects) to arouse curiosity among students. Various activities are planned and conducted to engage my students effectively in learning – to develop number sense and basic Maths operations, I draw hopscotch on the floor and provide the opportunity to students to play and learn. I also make sure to take my students to visit the Math lab once a week and show them the mathematics models for a better understanding of the concepts – students easily learn to read time by using a clock model.

What inspired you to become a teacher, and what do you enjoy most about teaching?

My teachers are my source of inspiration. I am very grateful to them for making me the person that I am today. One of the greatest joys of teaching is seeing the progress of your students. From when students understand a difficult concept, to helping children learn a new skill, seeing a child’s eyes light up after grasping a new piece of knowledge is priceless.

The most memorable experience as a teacher.

Four years back, I got a chance to teach my teacher’s child. I was his class in charge. I got to know about this when I met my teacher during PTM. It was such a surreal experience for us. It was such a joyful moment for us.

How do you manage work-life balance?

I start my day with meditation which creates positivity and gives me immense pleasure, strength, and energy to perform my duties and carry responsibilities efficiently throughout the whole day. Besides that, I always set time for different tasks and try my best to complete them within that time frame. I devote my time equally to my family and work commitments. Moreover, I always speak politely and deal nicely with everyone to build and maintain healthy relationships both at my workplace and at home.

What methods can be used to motivate underachievers?

Remedial classes are the best solution to motivate underachievers as they help them in learning at their own pace. Moreover, I believe a teacher should give individual attention to them and encourage them by praising them for their efforts. Teachers should boost confidence among them by creating classroom opportunities for friendly competition. Separate questions according to the level of the student can be given through consistent practice and a positive attitude. This can help students become proficient in Math.