Know Your Teacher: ‘Provide meaningful choices to encourage students to become active learners’

After completing her master’s degree in History and BEd, she decided to pursue teaching as a career – a journey that began almost 19 years back. She has been teaching Social Sciences since 2005 in Apeejay School, Rama Mandi to classes VI to X. I have been in this profession for almost 19 years.

“I joined the school on October 16, 2005. I saw the vacancy in the newspaper and applied for the post. For a student who is struggling in my class, I try to reduce classroom stress by avoiding rigid deadlines. I work with parents to find out the root of the problem. Parents may see behaviours at home that we aren’t seeing in school and vice-versa. I also think about techniques that worked in the previous years for dealing with some of my ‘difficult’ students, but stay open to new approaches,” Priya Rana said.

Excerpts from the interview.

How do you keep up with the latest developments and trends in your field, and how do you incorporate them into your teaching?

I allocate a fixed amount of time every day to stay up-to-date by reading relevant publications. I use social media which is an efficient way to stay abreast of teaching trends. I also follow thought leaders in my field and use their speeches to encourage my students.

How do you help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in your classroom?

To be critical thinkers, educators need to provide students with the strategies they need. We need to ask more than just surface-level questions. Questions to students must motivate them to dig up background knowledge. These should inspire them to make connections to real-world scenarios. These make learning more memorable and meaningful.

What strategies do you use for teaching?

I became a model problem solver for the students. I provide real-life contexts and don’t just give them the answer. I try and encourage students to come up with the answers on their own.

How do you integrate social and emotional learning into your curriculum?

To integrate social and emotional learning the students are taught about the ideas of democracy, equality, patriotism, and fraternity so that they don’t get corrupted by extreme ideologies of communalism, separatism, gender bias, and discrimination.

How do you incorporate creativity and innovation into your lessons? Benefits of it.

I prefer to give assignments that encourage students to come up with innovative solutions for problems. For the development of the overall skills of students, several testing methods are adopted some of these include presentations, role-play activities, and written quizzes to name a few. This is quite beneficial as it increases their understanding of the topic and encourages them to participate more actively in class discussions.

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I was inspired to become a teacher because teaching as a profession contributes to the development of the nation by imparting knowledge and creating human resources

–Priya Rana, Social Science teacher at Apeejay School, Rama Mandi

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How do you encourage students to be active learners and take ownership of their education?

I encourage students by providing meaningful choices. I try and create open-ended assignments and projects. I also, establish clear learning objectives. When students begin a new unit, they must know what to expect. In some cases, it may even be possible to allow students to design their individualised learning objectives.

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

I was inspired to become a teacher because teaching as a profession contributes to the development of the nation by imparting knowledge and creating human resources. To promote nationalism and induce the feeling of fraternity amongst students coming from diverse communities and cultures and to teach about the rights and responsibilities of a law-abiding citizen.

How do you assess student progress?

I use two methods for assessment. Formative assessment: This assessment tool measures day-to-day learning outcomes by using assignments like homework or quizzes to gauge student performance against learning goals. Second, summative assessment. This assessment tool measures cumulative knowledge and achievement through standardized tests, final exams, and more. Also, no special accommodation can substitute for patience, kindness, and flexibility.

What strategies do you use to help struggling students?

Struggling students need to practice thinking on their own therefore ask them questions and give them time to think. I teach them time management skills and encourage them to boost their confidence.