By the Casual Observer Team, Mr. Bhatt, Ms. Smitha, Mr. Mani and Mr. James

Hi there! The Casual Observer is delighted to bring you the Casual Observations segment for February, which brings back the highly requested teacher interview segment! We chose to interview teachers who we expected to give us varying perspectives, and evidently, we were not disappointed. Students always have preconceived notions about the lives and methods of our teachers. Perhaps this interview will make you reconsider those notions, perhaps it will further corroborate them. Read on to discover what some famous names on the NPSI Secondary School Campus (Smitha ma’am, Mani sir, James sir and Mr. Bhatt) have to say on behaviour, student life and what sense they make of it. 

In the many years that you have been a teacher, how well do you think you can read a child?

Mani sir: I think I have a fundamental disagreement with this question, I’m sorry I start like this. I don’t think you can “read” anyone. Because to read and to comprehend a person, it is in a way, trying to reduce their irreducible “otherness”. Each person is so individual in their own way, that we cannot really try and say that I understand you now, and there is nothing more to understand. 

James sir: There are individual differences in each child, but when you interact with them more, you come to understand them more. As experienced teachers, you learn to approach the child with relevance to their requirements. Every child, for us, is special, and they bring their own might to society. As teachers, we have to find out what they are special at, and help them grow in that. I’ve been teaching for 25 years, and I know that you definitely cannot make out what a student IS at first sight. The more you interact with them and the more time you spend with them, the better idea you get of them. 

What are three factors that affect a student’s performance?

Smitha ma’am: The learning environment has a huge impact on performance .The child should feel safe and comfortable and should be accepted by their peers, teachers, parents, whoever it may be. 

The child should also have a good attitude towards learning. They should not be forced into learning but rather learn for their wellbeing… Generally, coming into IB, you hear “I’m not taking this subject out of my choice, but my parents want me to pursue this field”. Such cases are difficult. 

The final one, I’d say, is the style of learning. Some students may find that they can assimilate the content in just one go after reading, some may need to write it and practice, especially in subjects like Math. There are just different approaches to learning; what works best depends on the student and the subject, and finding that makes a difference. 

Mr. Bhatt: I go with what the research says. The first and foremost factor is what we call the collective teacher efficacy, the idea that teachers can more positively impact the learning of their students if they work together. It boils down to a group of teachers believing in a particular child’s capacity. Secondly, the child’s own self-reflection. Going back and reflecting on what they have learnt during the day or over the week, and identifying the gaps where he or she should revise, or talk to a teacher to get some support- this kind of behaviour helps greatly. Thirdly, and quite crucially, is the set of external factors. For example, the home environment, how much support they get at home and from school, their relationships with those close to them, etc are all key factors.

What kind of student were you when you were younger?

Smitha ma’am: I was a very good student. I mean, I never really used to trouble my teachers. Throughout my student life, I have been very particular about my work. To be fair, we never had many distractions. Looking at the current environment, you have the internet, you have TV, you have every piece of information you could want. For us, we only had the book, so it made us quite responsible for our own work. 

James sir: I was restless, I was very restless. I slept very little, I remember, because it always felt like there was a lot to do in the morning. I was into EVERYTHING, and I often didn’t want to go home, not because the situation at home was bad, but because there was so much in the world to explore that I couldn’t take in from within four walls. I was a very outdoor person of course. I was also naughty, I was cheeky, I was one of THOSE kids.

There’s an African proverb that translates to “It takes a village to raise a child”. To what extent do you think that this applies to a child’s behaviour?

Mani sir: I think it applies a lot, and unfortunately, our villages are disappearing, both figuratively and literally. I have seen firsthand, especially regarding early childhood development, that if there is influence from extended family members like grandparents, the child starts speaking faster, they are more prone to become bilingual, tend to be more expressive, creative, etc, as compared to those in nucleated families. It is a bit of a shame, you know, that in many migrant families that are removed from their roots for temporary or permanent reasons, the kids don’t have that kind of support structure, the “village” if you will.

Mr. Bhatt: Let me take a step back and try to analyse the proverb. Of course, the child goes to school to get educated, and there are parents at home who provide support for the child’s education, and to help them get wherever they want to go. But in saying that, the society in which the child is living also has a role to play. The interaction with other kids and adults around the student has a great impact on shaping the child as well. In that sense, of course I agree with the proverb. 

In general, what do you think most students can do to improve their behaviour?

Smitha ma’am: They have to feel responsible for their own learning. If you feel that whatever you are committed to you want to master, then the behaviour and dedication will come with it.

Mani sir: I think they should stay curious and be empathetic. By staying curious, they will always be open to learning more. And being empathetic allows one to take into account another person’s view, which goes a long way in helping a student be kinder to others.

James sir:  It all starts with self-discipline. It can be as simple as starting your day by making your bed. Or getting ready to go to school in a proper fashion, on time. All these things help a child’s behaviour, and help them to get mentally stronger as well.

Mr. Bhatt: I always expect students to behave positively. This includes listening to teachers, seeking guidance wherever required, making every effort to reach their potential, and crucially, being humble and sincere in whatever they are doing. 

Is there really a difference between the behaviour of boys and girls? 

Mani sir: Not really, I mean, everyone works for incentives right? There are things that we like, and things that we don’t. At an early stage, enculturation kind of pushes away an individual’s incentives, but at the end of the day, we all work for incentives. So when you boil it down to that, everybody behaves in a certain way to attain what makes them happy, which means that, in that sense, there is no difference between boys and girls.

James sir: It will be difficult for me to classify this gender-wise, but in general, if you were to take a sample of boys and girls, the boys tend to be more physical, more exuberant, more in-your-face. The girls tend to be more organized, more respectful, more disciplined. As a father, I would prefer to have a daughter (laughter). 

What we found most interesting to see was that most teachers have similar views on what shapes a child and the impacts a good environment has, especially at a young age. Often students forget that teachers were in our shoes (albeit in a different era) not too long ago and that they understand us and our struggles. Furthermore, while a lot of the core beliefs of the teachers we interviewed boiled down to similar ideas, the teachers’ views did diverge in the answers to the more personal questions. What conclusions did YOU interpret from our Teacher Interview? We’d love to hear your thoughts @thecasualobservernpsi.