Chennai: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has selected 39 teachers, including three from Tamil Nadu, for the CBSE Award to Teachers for 2019-20.
Among the 39, Chennai’s Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School Principal Shoba Raman, Dr S Deepa, science teacher, G.K Shetty Vivekananda Vidyalaya, and V. Bindhu, Principal, Hosur Public School, Karapalli hail from Tamil Nadu.
The teachers are ecstatic on receiving the honour. “As a chemistry teacher, I’ve always focused on making my classes interactive and filled with activities. Through my years as a teacher, I have realised that how students need to learn is what we should base our teaching on. The focus should remain on the student.” Shoba Raman was quoted as saying by The Hindu. She has been teaching for 29 years.
“Students are already under a lot of pressure. The onus is on us to make learning simple, experimental, fun, and interesting,” she added.
Teaching is something Dr S Deepa believes will bring about societal transformation. Been in the field of teaching for 21 years, she said, “For me, it is important that I work in tandem with parents, students, and all other stakeholders…Teaching should not just be restricted to subjects and marks.”
“For a subject like biology, I ensure that I get the content across in a simple manner. Beyond this, teachers should be approachable and guide students responsibly,” she added.
V. Bindhu feels her journey has just begun at 51. She sees her in the dual role of a principal and a pedagogical leader. She joined the school as a principal and has 23-year teaching experience.
“The award application was a gruelling process that required compilation of all the best practices implemented, the impact made on children, parents and all the stakeholders, including the community as a whole, she said.
Apart from teaching, Bindhu is also a CBSE resource person for the last 10 years. “The role of the principal is that of a leader. Children look up to the principal as not just a teacher and a problem-solver but as a counsellor to guide them through emotional issues, a mentor to guide them through career choices,” she said.
CBSE awards the best teachers and principals every year on September 5 — the Teachers Day. The winners will get a merit certificate and a cash prize of Rs 50,000.