SYNERGY FOR CHANGE IN SCHOOL



SYNERGY FOR CHANGE IN SCHOOL
           
Fr Paul Lelen Haokip
            Students in schools look up to the Principal, Headmistress and Teachers as role models. They either are edified or scandalized by their teachers. Expectations of children are high in this 21st century educational environment. They want quality education coupled with conversant personality from their mentors. Good to remember what Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Teaching is involving students in the matter being taught.
            To have changed often is to have grown. The ‘change’ I am writing is not about spineless personality that changes according to wind and tide. The ‘change’ I write is ‘change that can being synergy’ rather than individual effort. Synergy is the combined power of a group of things or persons working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately. Synergy is harvest of many talents towards producing a common goal. This synergy can be gathered amongst teachers and students. Synergy sheds “I” mentality and moves towards “We” philosophy. More heads are better than one theory is applied here. It promotes networking culture and communitarian success against individualistic mind-set.
            We can take signals from Basic Operation Principles offered in “The Art of Connecting” by Claire Raines and Lara Ewing:
(a)   There is always a bridge: This is a belief that we can find common grounds with all people, no matter how different they are from us. This mind-set leads us to connect with others.
(b)   Curiosity is a key: People, especially those who come from different background we have not experienced, should fascinate us. It is impossible to be both curious and judgmental at the same time. “Curiosity is the universal resource state,” says Hector.
(c)   What you assume is what you get: We ought to approach each person, no matter how they differ, expecting the best. Go into every interaction with anticipation and eagerness, asking yourself, “I wonder what I can learn from this person, meeting?” This kind of positive expectation contributes to successful outcomes of meetings and interactions with students and others.
(d)   Each individual is a culture: Just as every head is a world in itself. So also every child, person is filled with his or her cultural background, temperament, likes-dislikes, dos-don’ts, etc. Therefore, we are all different and each of us is a culture. Be ready to discover and imbibe. Learn from others and connect the good for better result.
            I often tell my students, “You all are 10 years younger than me, so you should be 10 times smarter than me.” This is a challenge and an encouragement. Every teacher has to consider every student as a masterpiece, an original creation without duplication. To harness the potential and the hidden quality of a student is the profound task of a teacher. It is not optional but ‘the primary’ task of a teacher. Else, that teacher is not fit to be called ‘teacher’.  
            To be a teacher is to see what normal people don’t see in a student. This discovery brings change in the life of a student augmenting confident personality. Encouraging the change and supporting to its full bloom is a noble endeavour. Teachers, be the change you want to see in others. Synergy can bring change with yourself and amongst your colleagues. Students will follow you.
            Terry Gross said, “The whole world is filled with stories waiting to be told.” For you teachers, each student is a world waiting for someone to listen to, to tell his or her story. Each child is filled with family tension, personal challenges and academic requirements. Learn to listen and know them. You will be able to bring in more fruitful academic performance and interpersonal formation when you and your student connect well. This is synergy. Be a great listener and not a great frightening teacher. Synergy is connecting you and your students; it is connecting students with their potentials for a better communitarian outcome. You can begin. If not you, who will initiate? If not now, when? 
(The writer can be reached at:  paulhowkeep@yahoo.co.in/paullelenhaokip@gmail.com/https://paullelenhaokip.blogspot.com/)

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