Educationalist Dr. Maithili Tambe, CEO of The Academy School (TAS) in Pune, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the education sector with Education Post’s Prabhav Anand. She further talks about the importance of mental health support, navigating the digital world, and balancing technology with traditional values. “A balance of both technology and traditional teaching is necessary. Sensitizing and promoting responsible use of technology is important.”
In today’s society, students often face significant pressure from various sources, including parents, peers, and societal expectations. How do you perceive the impact of these pressures on students’ overall well-being, and what are some common challenges students encounter in dealing with these expectations?
So today, students face a lot of pressure from different parents, peers, and society. This pressure, which is not a new phenomenon, has increased due to greater exposure. It’s crucial to understand that this pressure can lead to stress and anxiety in students, often causing them to withdraw and stop communicating. As parents and educators, we need to balance our expectations with an understanding of what the child is going through. Open communication is key. Students should feel heard and be able to discuss their concerns and challenges without fear of judgment. In my experience as an educator, I believe that addressing these challenges should start with training parents and teachers. We need to ask ourselves: Are we open to communication? Are we approachable? When students see that we are open to communicating freely and without judgment, they will start talking to us. This approach has been beneficial in my school. Remember, the change starts with us. As adults, we need to model the behavior we want to see in our students.
The expectations of parents and the society at large on students by parents and society can be overwhelming and often shape their choices and actions. Could you share your insights on why these expectations exist and the ways in which they influence students’ lives, both academically and personally?
Parents’ expectations are often deeply rooted in societal norms and cultural traditions. For instance, in India, there’s a common trend where if one child in a family becomes an engineer or a doctor, there’s an unspoken expectation that the other children will follow the same path. This is akin to the saying “When one sheep goes in one direction, the flock of sheep follows it.” This kind of culture is prevalent in India, and it’s not uncommon to see families where multiple generations have pursued the same professions. However, it’s important to note that there’s been a significant shift in this mindset over the years. As I interact with parents, I’ve noticed a progressive change in their thinking.
Parents are becoming more open to understanding their children’s interests and are willing to support them in pursuing diverse career paths. They are beginning to realize that the world of careers is not limited to traditional professions like being a doctor or an engineer. There are countless career options available in today’s society, each with its own set of required skills. As educators and schools, we have a crucial role to play in this changing landscape. We need to ensure that we are equipping our students with the skills they need for the careers they aspire to. This includes not only academic skills but also soft skills like communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving. By doing so, we can help our students navigate the pressures of societal expectations and carve out their unique paths.
The IIT JEE exam is often over-romanticized in India and carries immense societal expectations. Students, sometimes, take extreme measures if they are unable to clear this exam. Why do you think the IIT JEE exam is given such significance and reverence in Indian society?
I feel that these exams are good. I’m not going to say that it’s bad. It is good. But only for those children who have an interest in those fields. It’s like a culture that has developed in India slowly making IIT JEE a huge deal because, there’s a thought process in society that if you clear these examinations, you will get into top colleges. If you get into top colleges, you’ll have a better career or a good job and then you’ll have a settled life. So that kind of thinking we have in India, but I feel that we should always look at what the child’s interest is. That is more important for us. And, again, at my school, we are exposing the children to as much as many careers are there in this world. So we have experts in that field coming and speaking with the children so that they also understand their position.
In many educational systems, students often find themselves uncertain about their career choices, leading to potential wrong decisions. When students make a misstep or face failure due to these uncertainties, what support systems and guidance should be in place to help them navigate these challenges effectively? How can educators and parents contribute to helping students rebound from setbacks and make informed decisions about their future paths?
What we do at TAS (The Academy School) is that we’ve been planning a program for our children, where we give career counseling at school as well. Wherein, our career counseling starts with exposure to different careers, whereas we are also coming up with a program where career counseling is going to start right, from fifth grade onwards. Why fifth grade? The reason for starting in fifth grade is to involve parents in the process. Choosing a career path requires everyone’s agreement. If parents are not convinced, they might be disappointed with the child’s choice. So, at schools, I feel that we should have a very good career counseling program, which will help the children to decide on what they really want to do or what are they good at.
Seeking help for mental health concerns feels daunting. How can one overcome the stigma associated with mental health issues and approach counseling or therapy services on campus? What resources are available, and how can they reach out for support without feeling judged or embarrassed?
As mentioned earlier, we completely ensure open communication with our students. If a student is hesitant to speak with a parent or teacher, we have a psychologist available 24/7. This psychologist observes classes and students, and if a teacher raises concerns about a student, the psychologist observes the student, calls them in, and discusses the problem.
The psychologist is professionally trained to communicate with children. We believe that a teacher can be an effective counselor, so we are training our teachers to counsel students. To maintain confidentiality, we’ve placed boxes on every floor that are only accessible to the counselor and the principal. They open these boxes weekly or monthly to check for any notes from students and then take appropriate action.
How can students manage their academic pressure and maintain a healthy work-life balance without feeling overwhelmed? What strategies can they use to cope with the stress of exams, assignments, and other academic responsibilities while also taking care of their mental well-being?
There should be a balance in their academics and also in the hobbies that they like to do. They should have a nice balance. For that, they should be having a nice schedule. They should have good time management. And as a school, we also need to teach them what time management is. How can they practice time management? How can they work on their schedules? They need to understand to complete those tasks on their schedules and for that discipline has to come in. Discipline is the most important thing in a student’s life. They also have to rest because when you rest, you reproduce your brain cells. And it helps you improve. You need good sleep and hobbies to produce happy hormones that help with work.
In the era of social media, students are exposed to various influences. How can schools help students navigate the digital world responsibly and promote positive online behavior? What digital literacy initiatives can be implemented to address this challenge in educational institutions?
Schools can conduct sessions on cybersecurity, a practice we follow at our school. The repetition of these sessions is crucial to make cybersecurity a habit in a student’s life. Students need to be made aware of right and wrong on social media, as people can easily get influenced.
Schools and parents must work together to prevent students from getting carried away with social crises. The recent mobile phone ban in Delhi schools is a good approach, but sensitizing children is more important than imposing rules. Children are at an age where they are prone to mischief, but making them understand what is good and bad is more crucial. Rules are good, but making students more responsible towards social media is important.
India is witnessing rapid technological advancement. How can schools prepare students to embrace technology while preserving essential human values and social skills? What is your approach to balancing technology and traditional values in the education system?
Technology can be used in education and daily schooling. There are various ways to use technology in school. However, traditional teaching methodologies are also important. The approach should be to use technology in a beneficial and traditional way. For example, project-based learning can involve technology and research through books. Research can be done online, but opening a book also provides valuable knowledge. Balancing these criteria is essential.
In the digital era, AI and ML have transformed the education sector. What are your thoughts on using these technologies alongside traditional education systems, considering the significant shift in teaching methodologies?
There can be a balance of both. It is not that you should not use technology at all, or not only teach traditionally. There should be a nice balance of both. I would say sensitizing and making them responsibly use of this responsible use of social or technology is also important. Sensitizing children and teachers with it is the most important way we can go ahead with it.
 in Pune, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the education sector with Education Post’s Prabhav Anand.){kind=link}