I’m writing this at a seriously disturbed time in our country when Covid-19 has locked down our lives and the threat of this pandemic looms large over India and the world. Yes, it is difficult to keep children cooped up at home for over a month, even if it is for their own safety and wellbeing. I’m sure all that pent up energy is venting as boredom, restlessness, frustration and frayed tempers all around! But trying times are sent to challenge us to emerge as stronger human beings who are better adapted for survival.
To ease the situation, our DPST Team has taken on the exciting new venture into online Google Classes. This is a free user-friendly app and gives us scope to explore the learning platform without being dependent on any intermediary agency. Many institutions worldwide are also using Zoom, but this is only temporarily being offered free and would definitely want to access and control all our data, as well as require an intermediary agency to get started. DPS Tapi, however, is not interested in temporary measures. We intend, having started, to go on using Google Class to supplement actual classroom teaching, even after normalcy resumes. I must emphasise, that our already having interactive Class blogs, and also teachers trained in creating iBooks, Keynotes, iMovies and other learning content has largely facilitated the DPS Tapi venture into Google classes during this time of difficulty.
I’m sure the students are enjoying the novelty of interacting online with their teachers and attending school from home. They will surely enjoy returning to the campus and meeting their friends and teachers in person, when school finally reopens. They shouldn’t worry too much about where to write assignments. Let them use any rough notebook to practice writing answers. The teachers will post answer keys so that students can refer to these and correct their own answers. Students can also submit responses on Google forms in assignments where teachers have posted these forms. The main idea is to keep learning course content, so that the time spent in lockdown is used gainfully.
Please bear in mind, meanwhile, that teachers are coping with Internet speed and other technical issues when downloading apps, as they are using their personal resources to access Google classes and to create and upload content. They are also teaching “virtually” for the first time. So, please be patient with errors or shortcomings. I am happy to see students responding online with a lot of encouraging and appreciative feedback for their teachers. This is an exciting new learning experience for us all. I am sure, this teaching-learning experience will further strengthen the Learning Partnership between home and school. DPS Tapi is a small but close-knit family of students, parents and teachers and our strength lies in our unity. The fact that both teachers and parents are supportive and always caring for student welfare is a cheering thought to help us through difficult times.
Let us also pray that every member of our DPST family comes safely through this Covid-19 pandemic. I pray that our grandparents and other elderly family members remain in good health. I pray that those who have diabetes and other medical conditions all remain safe. I pray that those who require urgent treatment for urgent medical conditions receive timely help. Let us keep praying, thinking positive and hope for a complete return to safety and normal life again.
Dr. Sanjukta Sivakumar
Principal