A mentor to teachers and staff members, Sh Anjani Kumar Dubey - Vice Principal of ABS International School
Posted On: 2021-06-10 17:04
A mentor to teachers and staff members, Sh Anjani Kumar Dubey - Vice Principal of ABS International School, is an active member within the community and makes himself available 24X7 for his staff, parents and students for any support.
Question 1. Please let us know more about your journey, how and from where you started?
My educational journey has been marked by many incredible teachers and (equally incredible) experiences. I am very fortunate to have been a student to some of the greatest teachers. The next years of my life, (as far as my quest was concerned), was composed of many great and influential teachers such as Mr. Ramanuj Mishra, my 10th grade math teacher, Mr D.B. Singh my 10th grade science teacher and over all Mr Rajiv Ranjan Pandey, my computer teacher. “Mr. M.P Singh” my history teacher taught with great passion and love for history, He had the ability to take a dry historical event and make it fascinating filled with learning and humor. I graduated high school in 1995 and started college in 1997. In the continuation of my journey I completed my graduation in 2003. I completed my graduation in 2001 and got a master's degree in computer science in 2004. After this I started teaching as a computer science teacher in a CBSE school. In 2010 I did MCA. I cannot assume that life will be successful for me or even that I will achieve a level beyond that of an average student, but I can work hard and guarantee that whatever future lies ahead for me will be one which I can be proud of and which truly makes me happy.
Question 2. Being a Change-maker, how can you contribute towards the betterment of the community of Teachers and Principals?
I believe the answer to real education/school transformation is strong, authentic community connections and actions. When families, community groups, business and schools band together to support learning, young people achieve more in school, stay in school longer, and enjoy the experience more.
Question 3. What kind of support would you like to provide to teachers and fellow educators?
Answering their queries related to career advancement on Forum., Mentoring and guiding fellow educators., Organising webinars or workshop for community., Sharing your thoughts through blog or write-ups.
Question 4. Please mention some of your skills that can help community members.
Established and maintained a learning climate that is conducive for optimum student performance. Endeavoured to keep the superintendent informed of the school’s various activities, operations and engagements. Authored and maintained highest standards of student conduct and strictly adhered to due process when presiding our adjudication sessions. Reviewed and evaluated processes and frameworks of the school’s administration. Consciously navigated the political landscape of the school community while maintaining objectivity and focus on attaining top notch performance of students.
Question 5. The transition from an individual contributor to a leadership role must have required specific skills, what skills do you think are critical for teachers for such transition? Were there any challenges as well, If yes then how did you overcome those challenges?
Teaching is getting more and more complex and challenging these days. The patience level of students is decreasing while rudeness, argumentation, disobedience, and short temper is on the rise. One of the critical challenges of the twenty first century is to address issues of value-based education in curriculum as well as recognizing the role of teachers/lecturers as facilitators of changes in education curriculum. There should be collaboration between the policy makers and the teaching force to ensure efficient and effective implementation of the policy prescriptions. Any policies that ignore the teachers is likely to fail. The teacher exposed to continuous professional development and encouraged to be a researcher (Action Researcher) in a more flexible, cooperative adaptable, and participatory manner.
Question 6. How would you describe your leadership style?
I think my strengths as a leader are effective delegation and communication. So my leadership style takes advantage of those strengths. I always try to delegate tasks to whoever is best-equipped to perform well in the task, and I try to communicate clearly about what needs to be done, and why. This eliminates back-and-forth, mistakes, and needing to re-do tasks. Taking more time to communicate effectively at the beginning of the project, and delegating properly, both end up saving time as a project advances.
Question 7. What advice would you give to a new teacher?
The advice that I would give to a new teacher is to have passion, empathy for the students, solid knowledge of the subject area. Establish a daily routine your kids can handle. Leave room for some student decision-making, but be careful to not overwhelm. As a new teacher, you want to maintain an air of professionalism, competence, and expertise, but there's a lesson in those words for everyone in class. It's simply this: I'm a lifelong learner and you, students, should be as well.
Question 8. What would be your ideal school environment, and how would you encourage that kind of culture?
An ideal school environment embraces the idea that ALL students can learn. An ideal school environment works to build safe learning spaces for students. An ideal school environment attracts teachers who are knowledgeable, care about student learning, and adapt their instruction to meet the needs of their learners An ideal school environment tires to be nimble and adjust as the needs of students shift. An ideal school environment works hard to make the curriculum relevant to the lives of students. An ideal school environment works hard to develop authentic measures for assessing student learning. An ideal school environment recognizes that student success is a complex idea and measuring it must be accomplished with many tools. An ideal school environment is led by people who value others, their voice and need for choice. An ideal school environment embraces the idea that all students can learn and it works up to build safe learning spaces for students. We hire teachers who are knowledgeable, care about student learning, and adapt our instruction to meet the needs of these young learners
Question 9. How would you develop an inclusive environment in your school?
Inclusion is about how we structure our schools, our classrooms and our lessons so that all our students learn and participate together. An inclusive classroom is one that creates a supportive environment for all learners, including those with learning differences and one that can also challenge and engage gifted and talented learners by building a more responsive learning environment. Inclusivity also means respecting people from all backgrounds and cultures. By teaching our students the importance of this we can create a much more tolerant and understanding environment, not just in the classroom and school but also in wider society.
Question 10. As the position of a Principal requires intense time management, how do you organize your day to meet the plethora of requirements and commitments required as the School Principal?
I will make decisions about what is most important for the current school year, and then I focus on those goals all year long. "Setting firm, appropriate priorities and truly following those priorities leads to a less stressful year. If I don't keep a strong resolve about my priorities, those goals can be subterfuge. l will prefer to focus on the big picture by formulating general plans and leaving the details of implementation to subordinates. The secretary or an assistant principal often is “in charge” of gathering data for reports, payroll, and procedures, as well as reading and responding to the principal’s e-mail. Another high priority for Sprinkle is getting into classrooms. "I will block out an hour each morning for classroom walkthroughs," I feel it is imperative for students and teachers to see their principal in the classroom as much as possible." I would not make it into every class each day, but I do cover a large part of our campus. I keep this time sacred. I do not allow unscheduled appointments or phone calls to interfere.
Question 11. What is your opinion on the use of technology in classrooms? Were there any challenges that you faced in integrating technology?
Technology is a ubiquitous part of children's lives. It is transparent. Most homes have connected computers or Internet-enabled devices. As prices of technology drop, computers and digital devices may replace television as we know it. Now, walk into a classroom. Are there computers and if so, how are they being used? Are they being used at all? Technology has revolutionized the way we think, work, and play. Technology, when integrated into the curriculum, revolutionizes the learning process. More and more studies show that technology integration in the curriculum improves students' learning processes and outcomes. Teachers who recognize computers as problem-solving tools change the way they teach. They move from a behavioral approach to a more constructivist approach. Technology and interactive multimedia are more conducive to project-based learning. Students are engaged in their learning using these powerful tools, and can become creators and critics instead of just consumers.
Question 12. Do you feel there are any gaps in the present education system? If so, how do you feel one can fill those gaps?
In the world of education, there is “learning gap” all the time. In general, learning gaps are compounding, which can be troublesome for students beginning to fall behind. But, it's not always easy to identify. As learning is based on building blocks, students are always challenged to expand on topics over time and apply them to new concepts as they progress. Learning that is achieved at one grade level serves as the foundation on which the understanding of more complex ideas and concepts is built. This learning structure grows throughout a student's academic career, with new skills developing from the skills the student has already mastered. Not every student learns at the same pace, though – which is why what starts out as a small learning gap can eventually become a more serious problem. As every student has a unique learning style and pace, a private tutor is able to adjust the level of instruction towards an individual student's needs – something that just isn't possible in a group classroom environment. Students often feel uncomfortable speaking up in class, especially when they know they're falling behind. For this reason, a skilled educator offering personalized instruction is one of the best ways to approach learning gaps.
Question 13. Would you like to share any specific message to the community of teachers and principals?
Teachers truly are the backbone of society. They are role models to children, offer guidance and dedication and give young people the power of education. Because of teachers, countries are able to further develop socially and economically. Great principals lead effective schools. Under their leadership, teachers thrive, students engage with core content and school administrative functions run smoothly. Conventional wisdom recognizes the value of school principals, and research backs it up.
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