Should a PhD Mathematics be teaching primary class students?
I met a very bright and intelligent professor recently.
Let’s simply call the person “Prof”
The Prof had great credentials – a PhD from a top notch institute and a faculty at one of the most premier institutes in India.
The Prof had a school going girl and shared on how most of the school teachers were not really able to explain concepts to primary school students.
The Prof now spent some time with the girl regularly and was beginning to see the difference in her results.
I realised there was a need to have professionals like Prof in schools as well.
Would people of Prof’s caliber would be willing to walk away from the high status college job and dedicate the same time in a primary school?
I couldn’t muster enough courage to ask that question.
I am sure it would have been a difficult one for the Prof.
I could think of the emotions my wife Nitika went through when she decided to teach Science to school students.
She’s an M.Sc Biotechnology, had taught a couple of years in college and then left the same to start a family and later on involved herself in business pursuits.
Four years back she decided to get back to teaching and found it difficult to get into a college after such a long break.
She began teaching school students and currently teaches a few students of International Boards (IB and IGCSE).
It’s possibly not as fulfilling to teach school students with her qualification.
My heart goes out to Nitika and the Prof – both highly qualified and intelligent individuals.
I believe it is to do with our society.
We’ve always looked upto college professors with more respect than school teachers.
This needs to change.
What’s your take – do we need more qualified professionals for the foundation years?
If yes, how do we bring about this change?
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