Let us take a moment to step back into the dark days of the pandemic. It was shocking how academic institutions had to shut down their gates overnight in the wake of the obnoxious virus. What seemed like a short break soon turned into weeks and then months of uncertainty.
In a bid to avoid children’s formative years and education being compromised any further, academic institutions decided to begin classes digitally. Of course, digital devices like the phone and laptop on one hand and internet connection on the other made this possible. However, what truly kept everything together was the commitment of teachers who sat through first-of-its-kind digital sessions, ensuring that children learnt well while being inclusive of every child’s learning style, pace, and mental situation.
We at Delhi Public School Kangra, one of the top schools in Kangra, were also a part of this revolutionary knowledge dissemination structure. And though the period made us realise how technology can be of such great help to mankind, we also realised that technology can only be optimised for human use when it is backed by real humans – just the way teachers did in this case. So, in this blog post, let us delve further into the topic and discuss why teacher-student connection has become all the more important in today’s digital age.
A Unison of Human Connections and Online Learning:
When the schools reopened after the COVID pandemic, and students resumed their normal learning routine, various surveys were conducted to understand students’ feedback about their online learning experiences. Most students in different age groups reported a lack of engagement and interest in online classes.
Speaking to various students studying at our institute, we at the Delhi Public School Kangra were able to conclude that children did not mind taking online classes but were sceptical of doing so in the absence of a teacher. Adding further depth to the conversations with our students, we were able to derive that most children believed that online learning became more valuable with a teacher’s involvement as it encouraged dialogue, made room for question-and-answer sessions, and, most importantly, built interpersonal relationships between the teachers and their students.
Easing Out Information Overload:
Just like most things on this planet, digital mechanisms come with a fixed set of pros and cons as well. The most common one is information overload. The ongoing digital age hasn’t just made access to information easy but, at the same time, has opened multiple information streams. In the process, children are likely to suffer from a toxic information overload, leading to mental confusion and chaos.
This is where the presence of a learned professional who can help them differentiate right from wrong, important from less important, and accurate from misleading, becomes crucial. In the case of students, teachers play this role.
Room for Guidance and Mentorship:
We at Delhi Public School Kangra fully understand that the world’s digital stage has progressed massively. However, in terms of education, if there is one gap that digital mediums are unable to bridge and probably never will, it has to do with continuous guidance and solid mentorship.
After all, learning exposure isn’t the only prerequisite for children. What is equally important is knowledge retention and clarity of thought, which comes with receiving a patient ear and being shown empathy and understanding, something only a human, aka a teacher, can do for the students. Doesn’t this prove the timeless relevance of teachers in the digital age?
The Power of Human Touch Towards Achieving Customisation:
We cannot undermine the power digital instruction holds in making learning possible. However, one loophole that does not cease to exist has to do with a lack of personalisation that digital algorithms are unable to adjust to.
This is where a human tutor comes to the rescue by not just reading a child’s mental abilities but going deeper into their overall life dynamics in a bid to ensure that children learn well and the learning continues to remain lasting. Surely, it is an area where digital tools miss the bus.
Clarity on Ethical and Moral Grounds:
As a responsible educational institution, we at Delhi Public School Kangra have always been fixated on grooming children to not just do well academically but also beyond the boundaries of our school. We firmly believe that unless and until a child is prepared for the real world and learns to function ethically and morally, their holistic development cannot be considered complete.
However, in times when digital platforms are dominated by identity theft, misinformation, and misuse, expecting digital tools to cater to children’s ethical and moral learning needs is next to impossible. Here again, teachers step in to teach more than just academics, precisely what it is to be a person of good character.
The Teacher-Student Connection: A Constant in Changing Times:
If you have read so far, you can tell that though the education scenario has progressed to make digital learning indispensable, the same becomes valid and meaningful only with a teacher’s inclusion. At Delhi Public School Kangra, one of the top schools in Kangra, we have been utilising this approach, first during the pandemic and now in the post-pandemic era, to ensure that children learn beyond textbooks while thoroughly enjoying the process of learning.
After all, real learning happens not just through screens but through relationships, guidance, first-hand experiences, and, most importantly, the bond that exists between teachers and students. It is this connection that is timeless and really matters.
Want to experience it for yourself? We welcome you to visit us, interact with our community, and discover the difference that true mentorship makes.