The modern education is way different than what it used to be some decades back. What had already gone through a tremendous change in preceding years witnessed a sudden shift from last two years. A classroom where teachers would impart education, and develop a long term relationship with student, seems like a thing of past. Imagine the toddlers who were admitted to kindergarten just after covid struck; they are yet to attend their maiden class in person. Although on line education compensated the loss of time, but the relationship between a teacher and their students has almost evaporated.
These toddlers know their teachers as some digital entities who are no more than a voice and an image. In such a situation one doesn’t know what a teacher really means to these students. Those who have spent some years in school, but are now on this digital mode must be feeling a substantial change in relating to a teacher.
This would be a challenge for schools once in person classes are resumed. For now, the government has announced that there are no plans of opening up schools any time soon. For the authorities it is not wise to open schools when there are fears of a third wave. The tragic experiences of the second wave would never allow anyone to be complacent on this count.
One doesn’t know when it would be suitable to open the schools and return to the original mode of interaction. Till then teachers, apart from completing syllabus, must include new elements of interaction that contribute to the building up of a human relationship with students. Education is not just about finishing the contents of a prescribed book, but to strike a relationship with students. A teacher is a life long guide for a student and this must not be lost on us while we impart education through this digital medium.