Ravinder Kumar Pandey
WHAT MAKES ME A PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPAL
I started my teaching career as a student of std XII to support my education in 1988 and since then have been passionately involved in teaching. Though I qualified for admissions to Engineering colleges in Karnataka, I took up pure Science as I always aspired to teach. Initially I did not get much support from my house to become a teacher as my father being a successful engineer wanted me also to become an engineer. Even after B.Sc, my father wanted me to do AMIE instead of B.Ed, but today he is a proud father who tells about his son to everybody. In all these years I have not stopped acquiring knowledge. I continue to learn and explore other subjects. The learnings I get help me in day-to-day administration and classroom teaching.
MY MISSION AS A PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPAL
In my personal view I am of the opinion that any title when conferred upon a person, increases his responsibility towards that field. He becomes more accountable. Titles are not for increasing the glamour of a person but it is an motivation to work more towards the cause. I have always been into training and development of teachers be it in our school, or anybody who ever has invited me. I feel being a Progressive Principal will increase the sphere of influence and will get me more opportunities to serve.
LEARNING BY DOING
I have motivated my teachers by doing it myself. I teach Physics, and my students admire the way I teach. I invite teachers to sit in my class and give me feedbacks. When they see me trying new ways they get inspired. I have guided students who have achieved INSPIRE awards, both at state and National level competitions.
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM
All subjects are inter-related and integrating them when teaching brings real learning. Like if I am to teach Phosphorous, to students, I would start the class with the thinking of the eastern and western philosophers and how their thinking led to the discovery of this element. Likewise many more examples can be coated.
INTEGRATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP INTO EDUCATION THROUGH FACULTY
BI have started an in-house resource centre in our school. Here the teachers are given opportunity to act as resource persons. They conduct workshops for the fellow teachers. I have seen a number of teachers who have now taken training as an profession. Many share they feel more secure now.
PROBLEM SOLVING & CRITICAL THINKING AMIDST THE FACULTY
I observe classes on regular basis. After observation, wherever I find, discussion and problem solving is necessary we meet over a cup of tea. The other day I was observing a class, where the teacher was telling the class that the sphere has one face. After her class we sat together where google guru told that the sphere has no face. We had a good interaction on this. I am sure when we have such discussions these pass on to the class as well.
GROUP WORK AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS AMIDST THE FACULTY
I have always used the heterogeneity of my learned friends to my advantage. Nobody can single handedly achieve everything, it is the group which does wonders. I always try to form groups for various events in the school. I also welcome teachers if they want to work in a particular group. The success of any event, is communication and focused work. These days communication has become more easy because of technology. We form various whatsapp groups and keep communicating and sharing our ideas.
UNDERSTANDING & ACTION BASED LEARNING
Rote learning upto certain levels is OK and in India, we have been using the same. Having told this, I don’t appreciate it at all levels. I spend time with teachers preparing teaching aids. I prefer working models to static models. I remember, how we were trying to demonstrate the concept of “Force on a current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field” where teachers expressed their helplessness saying most of the materials are not available to demonstrate, and then when we explored our lab we found ways of demonstrating the same. I got a call from a parent later on that he was amazed to see his son doing simple experiments at home, with whatever was available.
EDUCATION ACCENTUATING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SAFEGUARDING DEMOCRACY
I personally feel, that any child passing out of the school, must be able to express himself/herself without fear. Many times we don’t encourage this in students and feel that they are not being respectful, which is not always right. We need to teach our students how to fearlessly express themselves but at the same time maintain the decorum and dignity. It is important to note that the children must be taught, to express themselves through various mediums, be it drawing, painting, poems etc. When these children voice out their opinions, express their feelings, share their ideas, disagree with policies, that our democracy stands safeguarded.
DESIGN & DELIVERY OF A LEARNING ECOSYSTEM WHEREBY HIGHLY PERSONALIZED LEARNING ACCOUNTING IS DONE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL’S PERSONAL GOALS
I feel, when we provide some data to a child which is personal makes a huge difference. I had started a system where the books borrowed by the students from the library were recorded in the Students’ Dossier. The book reviews written by students were archived. The parents could also view this. It helped parents to understand the reading habits of the child. They got aware what the child wants to read. This is just one such example. We get the portfolios of the students prepared every year and it has come to my personal experience as to how much the children value them as it gives a sense of personal achievement and goes a long way in developing the personality of the child.
INTEGRATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS INTO THE DAILY CURRICULUM
I had a very active parent body the Aditya Birla Public School, Gulbarga. I was able to run career counselling programmes where the engineers, doctors, accountants interacted with the students. Now at DPS Agra, we are able to use the services of the various shoe factories, Airforce station, Paratroopers etc to give children first hand experience. Parents who are doctors help us with medical examination and first aid programmes
FUTURISTIC SELECTION OF SUBJECT CONTENT
I read a lot. This helps me to understand what is happening in other countries. Recently I was talking to parents and wanted their children to take up olympiad exams by various organisations. I discouraged them and asked them to prepare their children for examinations like P-SET, PISA etc. I am also planning to start orienting students towards these examinations.
LIFELONG LEARNING AND SOCIAL SKILLS OF FACULTY MEMBERS
I have been studying till date. I am at present doing my masters in Psychotherapy and Counselling. I have always enjoyed learning and don’t miss any opportunity to learn. I recommend the same to my faculty members and am happy to share the same with them. This has motivated a number of teachers have started their studies once again. These days success lies in networking and collaboration, and I always take time to communicate this among the teachers.
FACULTY ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION OF THEIR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS & PRODUCTIONS
We have the policy of giving activities they like or wish to learn. They train children on the same and their performance is evaluated at the end of the year. Apart from this appraisals are conducted. Deserving teachers are paid handsome incentives. We encourage teachers to be innovative in their approach. Our philosophy which we communicate among our teachers is that “If you are not making mistakes you are not working, it is only when you work, try out new things, you will make mistakes, and we are ready to accept the same”.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY TO FACULTY EMPOWERMENT
I personally feel the faculty needs to be empowered if results are to be achieved. I run a school with 4500 students and without empowering my faculty, I will not be able to run the school. Empowered faculty feels motivated and is ready to take the ownership.