SHARING AN INSPIRING AND EVENTFUL JOURNEY OF DR. SEEMA NEGI, - A PASSIONATE EDUCATIONIST, GLOBAL GOODWILL AMBASSADOR, EDULEADER, LIFE COACH AND DIRECTOR PRINCIPAL OF SANJEEVANI WORLD SCHOOL.
Togetherness; a beautiful journey
From the pen of an educator - Positivity amidst adversity
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा ग्रुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः । गुरुः साक्षात् परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ॥ A guru is gracefully bestowed upon, with the status above god.
The initial pandemic months kicked off; the wheels of lockdown were imposed. With the aftermath, the pandemic left us with, it was the time for a guru to show that omnipotent presence. Where doctors were fighting at the frontline, police, military, and paramilitary forces were engrossed in ensuring law and order is maintained. Banks, govt departments, and people who provide necessary, essentials services for our day-to-day life were working to ensure everyone is safe in their adobe. The question to ponder was, what roles do WE as educators need to play during these unprecedented times?
Are we not responsible for our students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental wellbeing? Parents are the cornerstone in shaping a child’s future. Just like a flower cannot bloom without its gardener. The care, the nurture, the attention the protection that it receives from its gardener cannot be compared to any other. Parents are the gardeners that is the role they play towards the children. Without them a child cannot bloom and grow. Parents Day was celebrated giving it a different splash of colours. Theatre performance was organised to make the parents feel special and build a stronger bond between school and parents. So, this is the culture percolated in our school system where we educators along with parents are the two strong institutions. There was no stopping post that to the handholding of parents-teacher-student. It was about time we stand for what we firmly believed in; PARENT-TEACHER-STUDENT CONNECT. We may not be the frontrunners for our nation, but we definitely are - for our students. While the wheels of lockdown were becoming stringent, we started our humble beginning with this noble thought that behind every child two institutions stand staunchly School and Home and we take pride in standing by it. Parents could no longer come or be called to school for whatsoever reason. All functioning from the school had come to a standstill. However, determined as we are, that too could not cease to exist. As we are aware today empathy is the topmost 21st-century skill, we started communicating with the parents, what they expect from the school in the present scenario?
Parents were made to feel special by giving them the opportunity to ‘Be a Teacher’ for a day. Parents conducted online classes and were given the liberty to choose a subject as per their choice and classes were allotted to them for the same.
It was all about making parents feel special. All celebrations came to a halt as repercussions of the pandemic. So, we decided to make birthday celebrations unique and extra special. Our teachers sent out birthday wishes to each child to make them feel loved and exceptionally different. Parents were delighted that their children were made to feel worthy and significant. It was the Principal as well as teachers sending out videos of birthday songs and wishes to each child on their birthday. This added another feat to the achievements of our school where we made it into The World Book of Records, UK for sending out maximum number of birthdays wishes.
In the midst of all of this, online teaching-learning was at its threshold and in its gestation period, is when we read another fear and worry on the faces of our parents. Learners across the globe weren’t willing to accept the change of virtual school easily. Some learners were disinterested, some novices were just too timid, some experts of technology who misused it, were all challenges that got parents burdened and made them sceptical towards the concept of ‘online schooling’. Each class had WhatsApp groups formed for respective classes to cater to the needs and concerns of the parents and every evening group settings would open for the same. To make each parent feel rest assured that we stand by them, we began our online classes with an expert talk on cyber crime and cyber bullying. We conducted expert talks for learners and students on advantages and benefits of online schooling and how it is going to be the normal new in the years to come. This drew them towards a new perspective that there are always new dimensions of academic-oriented learning, all that is required is a change in the perspective. What they gain is sharpening of skills; be it comprehending, reading, writing, critical thinking, rational thinking, numerical, and geometrical, and the list could be long. During the last few months, children have learned one of the best adversity management skills; from plan A to plan B, switching over mechanisms when need arise from regular school to digital platform. The ‘Samvedansheel Shanivaar’ was founded and introduced. Each teacher connected with parents on dedicated Saturdays. PTMs were conducted from a teachers’ home to a parents’ home. Together we along with parents worked for TalenteX@Megathon in setting up a The World Book of Records, UK. Our teachers laid evenings aside and dedicated that time to place facetime calls to parents discussing academic as well as non-academic concerns they have for their respective children.
The children were at home confined to the four walls; parents certainly did wonders with them, teaching them multiple skills, encouraging them to learn new skills, and keeping them motivated constantly before the regular teaching-learning process started. As an educationist, it was time for us to share some responsibilities and my TEAM along with me did the same, to the best of our abilities and potential. The ‘Teacher Task Force’ was formed. The team was dedicated to ensure that the equilibrium be maintained; we began with few hours of academics and beyond academics to not devoid our children from learning life skills. We encouraged our learners to begin their Gratitude journal. They were drawn to being thankful to parents first. Along with conducting technical training to understand the nuances of virtual world for our parents. We also provided them with Gyanoday sessions (Expert Talks) which catered to a positive mindset on how to change their setback into comeback. Our team extended their hands towards the well-being of every grandparent too. Grandparents’ day was celebrated with much pomp and galore through the virtual world.
The need of the hour was to let our children utilize their time well and not to fall into the deep dungeon of emptiness or boredom. Through interactive, student-centric virtual lively classrooms students were able to connect with both their teachers as well as friends that provided them with much-needed emotional fulfilment. We made SCREEN BUDDIES, and the buddies got connected through a face time call in the evening. And gradually the concentric circle increased from one screen buddy to multiple buddies and children enjoyed the friendly hour, online parties with friends, teachers and school counsellors.
The screens came alive with innovative ideas, augmented reality brought animals inside the school during the jungle safari. Videos, worksheets, activities with parental involvement strengthened the cognitive abilities.
When the schools resume, our focus would be not only on academics, but equally on the mental, social, emotional and physical health of our learners. At that time, we will look forward to commendable support from the parent fraternity and today we need to stand to support them. It’s time to introspect, are we as an adult ready for the adversities in life. Our children are facing it and deriving lifelong learning from this lockdown period.
The disaster driven digitalisation, not only changed the learning landscapes, but gave us an opportunity to step into the parent’s shoes, while they stepped into teachers. We are riding on the tide of culture of constant change and this process made the teachers to become lighthouse; Lighthouse to guide everyone equally without any biases and illuminate each and every life they come across.
The academic year was concluded with Achievement Day; achievement day is celebrated with lots of love and enthusiasm, this is the day when a child bids farewell to the previous class and step towards the new class and the new academic cycle begins.
Last, but not the least was the much awaited day for the team TEAM SANJEEVANI - APPRECIATION DAY a signature program by Sanjeevani World School, it’s an endeavour to celebrate our belief that we live by. We value each individuals contribution in our institution. It was an emotional voyage, when we made the family members of our TEAM realise how important is their daughter, daughter-in-law, wife, husband, son, mother & father are for Sanjeevani. We are not only connected to our TEAM, but to their FAMILIES too.That’s the beauty of human relations & our TEAM is our BIGGEST STRENGTH. Though the celebration was virtual, but the feelings, emotions & love were genuine & pious️.
The year long voyage of togetherness is all set to explore the unexplored and to write new success stories….
Dr. Seema Negi
Global Goodwill Ambassador,
Director Principal Sanjeevani World School, Life Coach
Bachelors in Sociology , Bachelors in Education Masters in Sociology, Masters in Education Post Graduate Diploma in Education M.Phil in Education, Ph.D in Education, D.Lit in Education
Leading Change Management from Harvard Business School.
Dr. Seema Negi is associated with many educational and social organisations, and contributes her time and efforts for the betterment of educational system and society. Her passion and thirst for learning and knowledge makes her who she is today.
She believes that every individual has something special about them whether visible or not. Having confidence in your art and leaving place for no self-doubt makes a person self-made. She is bestowed with many prestigious awards; Best Academic Leader, Bharat Vidya Shiromani, Jewel of India, Shiksha Bharti, Nari Shakti, Nation Builder Award from Rotary, Visionary Leader, Pride of India, Educational Icon 2018, Woman of Substance, Super Achiever Award, Humanity Award, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Professional Excellence award and many more. She is a true leader, she leads by example hence she is the EXAMPLE, for many to follow. She has won the prestigious title of Education Icon – Education Queen 2018, Ms. Role Model 2018, in an exclusive pageant only for educationist. She attends various conference, events & summits as speaker, moderator & panellist at national & International platforms. Learning, sharing, empowering and hand holding is what she believes in and she contributes her considerable amount of time for the same.
Empowering people through a perfect balance of curricular and co-curricular based learning & making a better tomorrow is what she desires to give back to society. What makes her stand out as an exceptional leader is her devotion towards social responsibilities. She has voluntarily offered her services and spends her valuable time lovingly with the underprivileged, homeless and the senior citizens. She is a member of Rotary Club of Mumbai West Coast and Social Ambassador of Indian Development Foundation. She stands by the maxim “I am because WE are”.
From more than two decades she is in the field of education, teaching is not just her passion, but it's an art, that she possess & believes that each child will be her best masterpiece.
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