The valiant government schoolteachers of India : A view from the ground

Giridhar, S. (2025) The valiant government schoolteachers of India : A view from the ground. In: Improving learning outcomes in schools : Understanding the challenge of quality in the Indian context. Routledge, London, pp. 1-17. ISBN 9781041123354

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Abstract

n a mammoth and complex public school system like ours, scale, distances, resource constraints, and the diverse backgrounds of children define the challenges for a government school. In these circumstances, it is very often the heroic teacher who can make all the difference to the children. Thousands of dedicated and competent teachers and many resourceful and courageous head teachers exist in this ecosystem. While the individual teacher is just an ordinary person, what makes them extraordinary is their commitment to every child and the belief that every child can learn. Such teachers invest continuously in their own self-development, and have only two questions for themselves at the end of every arduous day: ‘Am I teaching better?’ and ‘Is every child learning?’ In the same vein, the head teachers in our thousands of government schools must be seen as the CEOs of their schools. Their 360-degree responsibilities – motivating and leading their teachers, marketing their school’s achievements to the community, ensuring strong and enduring relationships with the community, wresting resources for the school from their educational supervisors, ensuring the safety, security and learning for their students – are nothing short of the demanding role of any CEO. This chapter tries to take a considered look at how such teachers sustain themselves over time. Does their motivation flag? Do the environment and circumstances overcome them after all? Does the system really care? How do our heroes find fresh founts of energy? The case studies are based on visits – observations and discussions – to 110 government schools and covering 275 teachers spread across the districts of Uttarkashi and Udhamsingh Nagar in Uttarakhand, Tonk and Sirohi in Rajasthan, and Yadgir district in Karnataka. These were a sample chosen from a larger pool of identified ‘good schools and teachers’ in these districts. The essence of the findings is that these teachers are heroes – they are ordinary people without expectation/hope of any recognition or reward who strive to do their best. They are true professionals who are committed to improving their skills and knowledge every day, and thereby dedicated to do their best for the children’s development and learning. These case studies are not constrained by any given framework. The stories by themselves generate an understanding of what makes ordinary people extraordinary teachers. These teachers can broadly be grouped under five categories. The first is the outstanding head teacher who is as resourceful and dynamic if not more than a CEO of any organisation. The second is the fine teacher who is so good because he or she is committed to a lifelong path of self-improvement and development – in true spirit, a reflective practitioner. The third category involves those whose work ethic is that they are committed to equity and quality in the classroom – they believe every child can learn. The fourth consists of teamwork heroes who are sincere team players and often create the good schools so because of the support and help these teachers provide each other; and (5) finally, there are some who defy all categories. They are fearless, they do not worry about consequences to themselves; they will go to any extent to overcome constraints to ensure their children get the best possible education in their school. Sadly, it is also evident that the system and administrators can be quite unmoved by them; partly because they have their own constraints and compulsions. Even among them one will find some heroes.

Item Type:	Book Section
Authors:	Giridhar, S.
Document Language:	Language English
Uncontrolled Keywords:	School Teacher, India
Subjects:	Social sciences Social sciences > Education Social sciences > Education > Schools & their activities; special education
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > School of Education
Full Text Status:	Restricted
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/6409
Publisher URL:

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