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Gryffindor / Biology and History student / INF-TJ

Never Sometimes Always - Chapter One

Violet remembers the day she first saw him.

He came into the shop when she was with another customer – Mr. Dively. He was currently telling her all of his plans for his first trip to Disney World. He says the trip is for his daughters but Mr. Dively’s animated voice and flamboyant gestures say otherwise. There was a whole schedule made and he made sure that Violet knew the entire thing, insisting that if anything were to happen in their little village of Cheshire West and Chester, she would know what he’s doing at that moment before she rang him. She’s not sure what he’s expecting to happen, but she listens anyway.

He walks in just as the photos of matching outfits came out. (“Just in case one of the little ones got lost, you know?”).

He’s with Anne, a regular at the shop. He was wearing casual trackie bottoms. They were blue with a red stripe down both sides of the leg. They probably still cost more than all of Violet’s textbooks combined. He has on a plain white t-shirt, something she can likely afford, and some trainers with tall grey socks. There were shades perched high on his head, hidden by the abundance of curls that adorned his head and an annoyed expression on his face. She hopes he’s nicer than he looks at the moment.

I lay on my floor crying again… shaking. Searching for inner strength and coming up empty. My eyes burned and my mouth was dry as I sucked on air that seemed to keep getting thicker and harder to breathe. I tried to leave again but ended up leaning my forehead against the door, feeling defeated and wishing the Grim Reaper would come for me in all his silky, black glory. ~ Nathan Daniels

A classroom is a microcosm of the universe, and it's a great place to instill habits that will benefit kids throughout their lives. Coming together is the beginning, and staying together is progress, as Henry Ford properly stated.

 As per research conducted by boarding schools in Pune ,students must become accustomed to working in groups in order to be successful. It is true that learning can only be meaningful when the process is tailored to the learner's needs, goals, and strengths.

 Indeed, the current educational system's focus has evolved from a teacher-centric approach, in which the instructor is the primary holder and diffuser of knowledge, to a more student-centric approach, in which each student is at the center. 

That does not, however, imply that learners should be isolated from their peers and professors. Individual goals should be understood early in a student's life and can be furthered and strengthened through collaboration and involvement. 

Learners can critically understand their own thinking in connection to the environment around them in order to become tomorrow's problem solvers.

Another survey done by schools in Mumbai  as a result, implementing a collaborative learning strategy may assist teachers in instilling life skills and critical thinking skills in students.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

Collaborative learning is a method of learning in which two or more people work together to grasp a common topic and finish a common activity. To complete the mission, they rely on one other's resources, expertise, and talents. 

There is shared accountability for tasks and failures if any exist. They work separately on various parameters and review each other's work in order to increase output quality.

In a classroom ecosystem, a student with a question could approach their peers first before approaching the teacher. The goal of such an exercise is not to keep teachers out of students' learning processes but to encourage them to rely on their community's collective expertise. 

This would inspire a pupil to recognize and admire their neighbor's inventiveness, as well as give them due to recognition. 

Teachers could assign pupils difficult assignments in the classroom and ask them to work together as a group. Students could see their assignments and ideas being questioned, giving them the chance to think through the gaps.

HOW TO COLLABORATE IN A CLASS

Phenomenon-based learning is a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning that shifts the emphasis away from particular subjects and toward phenomena, issues, and events such as energy, media, and technology. 

Learning theories could lead to superficial knowledge. Learning, on the other hand, can help to raise responsible citizens when life behaviors are framed within a pedagogical framework.

A teacher could give a group of students an inter-disciplinary topic to present on, such as the source of drinking and washing water in their location. Students would be able to work both alone and collaboratively as a result of this.

 Within the team, discussion and collaboration would aid in the development of communication skills. Furthermore, the advantages of phenomenon-based learning are not limited to collective learning; constructivist approaches and inquiry-based learning are also beneficial.

Hands-on activities can also assist pupils in learning in groups. Sharing equipment and other components may also aid in the development of a sense of sharing resources in real life. 

Because students' connection with classmates outside of the classroom would not be limited to academics, school excursions might aid collaborative learning initiatives.

BENEFITS OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

DIVERSITY IS CELEBRATED

A small group of students can be culturally and socially diverse, and collaborative learning projects can help learners broaden their horizons as they learn from their classmates. Students can also compare their lives and values to those of their peers, learning to accept diversity without being judgmental.

DEVELOPMENT OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Students must learn to work with a variety of people and relate to their peers in a group endeavor such that the project at hand benefits from their controlled engagement.

COMMUNICATION AND SELF-ASSURANCE

Collaborative learning projects can help kids build confidence and self-esteem at a young age, as well as improve their sense of responsibility at work. The challenge of presenting their ideas, defending them, and cooperating with others to broaden their views necessitates excellent communication skills, which are aided by these activities.

FOLLOW TIPS FROM YOUR PEERS

People have a wide range of abilities, passions, and information. When a question is addressed in a small collaborative group, various kids may have different solutions, and children may learn new things from one another while also understanding other points of view.

DEVELOP A SENSE OF TRUST

Students must collaborate in order to attain a common goal. They can work together without trusting each other, but they must learn to trust each other in order to collaborate effectively and achieve a common goal.

BOOST YOUR SELF-ASSURANCE

Students receive more assistance and so acquire confidence when they work in a group. Collaborative learning can assist shy pupils in more freely expressing themselves.

It is not difficult to establish a collaborative learning culture. The technique does not require a lot of resources, and evaluating collaborative learning work is not difficult. To carry it out, a teacher must be willing and have an open mind. 

Furthermore, the availability of technology facilitates collaboration. Students can communicate with one another using social media or a learning management system. 

Teaching is a very delicate work that should be done with very seriousness and sincerity. Teachers are the foundational pillars of society. They lay the fundamental foundation for the proper upbringing of the child along with their parents. 

AS per research conducted by schools in Mumbai a child's educational journey starts at home, but for the appropriate guidance and good elite growth, parents send their child to school under the surveillance of teachers who uphold the responsibility for proper care and development of every child. 

It's human psychology that a person gets affected more by the person he spends time with the most. And in the case of students, around six to seven hours are spent with teachers; they share one-fourth of the day in school in the presence of teachers and other fellow students. 

So a teacher's impact is as significant as parents', and this impact will shape every child's future. So this makes teaching one of the highly regarded and valuable tasks with due responsibilities and workload.

 Another survey done by schools in Bangalore shows that ,every strong personality with great success in their life must have a teacher or a mentor that had guided them towards the path of success, shown them the actual value of life, the bitter truths, and had saved or warned them about the dig holes and speed breakers in their path of success and excellence.

 The importance of teachers is equal to God because it's the teachers who defined the almighty, who makes us aware of the presence of God.

Teaching has different stages. 

One of the difficult phases of teaching includes the initial stage of primary education. The kindergarten students are tiny children who need proper care and love.

 Teaching the preceding section requires special attention, and considering the current scenario, the pandemic has forced schools to use the online option to continue the learning and growth of students. 

It is tough to teach kindergarten students because children of this age group can't even sit. Still, their attention span is significantly less, and you need many tactics to keep them engaged. 

The problem teachers encounter while teaching kindergarten is that children of this age don't know the basics. If you are not able to clear their basics, they are going to suffer their entire life. Teaching kindergarten is actually a huge responsibility in that way and a difficult task. 

Their minds wander very quickly due to a lack of concentration power, and they are always in the mood to play. It is even more difficult for teachers to think of such activities in online mode. Most of the children of this age are not even trained for sanitation and other essential life skills. 

When they feel bored, they will start drinking water or go to the washroom, wasting a lot of time, and this may frustrate a teacher. The kindergartens don't have any social skills. 

They tend to throw tantrums when they don't get the relevant attention, and things don't go their way. If you are taking sessions by muting them or asking them to turn off the video, most probably, they will not pay any attention to you or may sleep.

Guidelines to be followed for better communication 

Online is for higher grade students who are able to comprehend and have better understanding abilities. They have the proper growth and higher development of brain cells which helps them to understand the concepts in a lucid and straightforward manner. 

At the same time, primary students are not able to know without the presence of teachers in real life. 

As most of the classes are hosted by zoom nowadays, teachers must be in touch with the kinder's parents or guardians for help. While in an ongoing class, they sit with their kid and assist their kid with endless activities and learning.

For teachers, Zoom is about to be your new best friend! It is so important for your students to see you, hear your voice, and bond with you and their classmates. 

Don't let it intimidate you. Have a virtual snack time where kinders join you for a snack and a read-aloud. You can do this whole group or in small groups of 5-6 students per day.

Be interactive with students in a funny way or arrange some interesting events like Play Pictionary, Play charades, Show-and-tell, Directed drawings, dancing parties, and birthday parties. 

They like these kinds of activities very much. During these events and activities, the teacher should interact with every child and try to have better communication. Parents also should make the child engaged during the online classes.

Conclusion

It's rightly said, whatever be the advancement in technology occurs, they can't replace a teacher. The bond shared between a student and teacher can't be engulfed through technology.