Lockdown has unlocked many things and has given us the opportunity to explore ourselves and our community too!

It was unplanned; no stock of groceries, no stock of vegetables, no messages from household help or supplier of milk and life has suddenly paused.

We were better off at work as we had some basic plans in place before the lockdown was announced. However, we faced a lot of initial hurdles in the process as everything had to be done in a rush.

Hats off to the teaching fraternity and my colleagues for being spontaneous and courageous in tackling both the home and work scenarios efficiently. I appreciate all their efforts. Thanks to the school management for the support extended!

Lockdown has unlocked many things – Ideas, opinions, communication, emotions, confidence, priorities, childhood interests and the list goes on.

Laptops, phones, iPad’s, and headphones taking over the boards, papers, notebooks, and pink pens of our teaching community.

Most of us who are comfortable in proofreading or going through the hard copies of documents are now getting accustomed to the only option available – the soft copies of huge documents.

Adaptability is the mantra!

The entire world is looking for alternatives as it widens our scope of thinking. Getting the best work done in the best possible way with the resources available was a task. This pushed us to explore more accessible resources that could be useful. The feature of recording online discussions and sharing them with students was something new we figured out.

The present situation ensured that all family members stay together and help around. This also includes my extended family at work, where we help each other solve our queries and better the quality of resources being shared with the students. We have been equipped with new skills with the help of each other. Growth is evident.

This crisis also gave us the chance to closely look and consider the hard work of others. One word of appreciation spreads positivity and this is what we tell our students – “Do not miss a chance to appreciate someone with whom you are connected with; it makes you feel happy and others too.” Thanks to all the parents who have helped us continue our support to the students and for giving an encouraging feedback. The best motivation for any teacher is the responses of his/her students. It is good to see our students’ work virtually, as it reassures us that the hard work and time invested by the teachers is being utilized in a proper way. This period has re-emphasized the importance of following a routine and maintaining consistency.

It has given us the time to Self-Reflect. This has helped me set a few systems in place, at home as well as at work. We learn only when we think of ways to better ourselves. There is always scope to improve. This is a challenge thrown to us as a community, we are finding ways to sustain and we are all doing pretty well.

The best part is that we are staying connected yet maintaining social distancing, thanks to technology!

Ms. B. Kavitha

CAIE Incharge

Teach thy tongue to say, “I do not know”… I believe one should not stop there. Explore, take help and mostly manage to know the things that you do not know. Learning is a continuous process, it’s a ladder where there is no last step, this is what I follow, and this is what helps me enjoy my profession. I’ve been mentoring the Primary Students for more than 16 years now. From a primary teacher to a Program Coordinator and now as the Headmistress for the Primary Section, CHIREC has provided me opportunities that helped me amplify my abilities. Music, art, and dance are my passion. I read, I browse, I share, and I love to be in touch with the students.