Online classes have their bane. While the teachers are slogging all the more, some parents feel that they should not pay the fee for this academic year, doomed by Covid-19. Is it fair, asks Enakshi? An exclusive for Different Truths.

It has been more than a week since I started with the online classes. It is a nice experience, but somewhere the entire idea of work-from-home has blurred the line between leisure and work. While the work-from-office meant that we all were spared from the other additional chores of the house, work-from-home implies that all chores have to be done whether you ask for them or not. Cleaning, dusting, mopping, cooking, washing, watering plants and adjusting with the new routine — all of these will soon become our habits. However, much we whine or detest the idea of working overtime, the extra effort in the times of Covid-19 is definitely not going to be rewarded in a grand ceremony.

While the work-from-office meant that we all were spared from the other additional chores of the house, work-from-home implies that all chores have to be done whether you ask for them or not…. However, much we whine or detest the idea of working overtime, the extra effort in the times of Covid-19 is definitely not going to be rewarded in a grand ceremony.

While the parents are complaining on social media and in the interviews about the ineffectiveness of the online classes because of the connectivity issues and the lack of sufficient gadgets in the house, they are not understanding the excess workload that is taking a toll on the teachers as well. Even the advertisement companies are not forgetting to salute the effort of all those who are diligently managing their houses without the house help. For instance, Dominos is offering 50% off on Cheese Pizza to all the superheroes, who have successfully completed 50 days of dishwashing, cooking and cleaning! My heart goes out to all the people who are stranded in the ocean of responsibilities with no buoy in sight! I, too, am sailing in the same boat. The sails are wearing off, the deck is crowded with boxes (read work) and the motor in the cabin refuses to start in the first go. In other words, the energy is wearing off, the workload has snatched away the free-time and the stress refuses to go.

You might be wondering what work does a teacher have to do when it comes to online teaching, isn’t it? Well, for starters, we have to learn the technology! We have to be aware of software that we are using, we need to know how to operate it and more so, we need to ensure that our students are comfortable and secure, while we are using the software. Secondly, all the teaching that was earlier done either on a whiteboard (smart board) or blackboard, is now being done in the form of presentations, flipcharts, videos and long monologues. This has doubled the effort, for the preparation takes more time than delivery. Sadly, the target/objectives are never achieved. Despite speaking incessantly for hours, the students either miss out on the lecture or claim that their audio malfunctioned. Try speaking continuously for three hours and then I will ask you if you find this job easy! Sharing of documents/worksheets/assignments has become such a bane of our lives. Half of the students do not receive the shared material and the parents blame us for our connectivity issues. How hard it has become for us to explain it to the parents that their wifi is not the best in the city; the problem can also be because of the connectivity issue at their end! Our leaves have been taken away, our meetings are held on weekends, we are paying extra to buy additional gadgets like Pen Boards and Digipads. While we juggle between housework and schoolwork, the parents, quite literally, have shaken the burden of engaging their children off their backs.

Despite speaking incessantly for hours, the students either miss out on the lecture or claim that their audio malfunctioned. Try speaking continuously for three hours and then I will ask you if you find this job easy! Sharing of documents/worksheets/assignments has become such a bane of our lives. Half of the students do not receive the shared material and the parents blame us for our connectivity issues. How hard it has become for us to explain it to the parents that their wifi is not the best in the city

As teachers, we try hard to ensure that all the students are able to hear us via the audio/video call. We spend the allotted time repeating concepts umpteen number of times. As a matter of fact, we end up losing a lot of time unlike in the physical setting where students generally understand the topic well. Juggling between positioning the mic correctly and making the class interactive, we end up straining our tonsils and at the end, are not even sure if the class has come to fruition. We have been spending time making models, designing experiments in order to enable the children to learn properly.

It is impossible for us to gauge responses from the students and check if what they write is correct. It is impossible for us to check the authenticity of the excuses they give during the class. One of the biggest problems that the teachers are facing is the presence of the parents in the same room as the students. They engage in brattles and forget that their voice disturbs the mood of the classroom.

While the parents are being the armchair critics and squabbling on social media about how they should be exempted from paying the fee for this academic year, I fail to understand their notions. The ‘factory shift’ might have reduced the number of working hours but still, the effort is being made to prepare and deliver quality content. Disrespecting the teachers just because they are teaching from their homes and are not in the school premises doesn’t make sense.

While the parents are being the armchair critics and squabbling on social media about how they should be exempted from paying the fee for this academic year, I fail to understand their notions. The ‘factory shift’ might have reduced the number of working hours but still, the effort is being made to prepare and deliver quality content. Disrespecting the teachers just because they are teaching from their homes and are not in the school premises doesn’t make sense. They are also making an effort to help your children use time wisely and efficiently. Exemption from paying the fee is an illogical claim as the teachers should not be denied the salary they deserve. I know that the majority will disagree with me but they should realise the importance of education in these tough times. It takes time to adjust to change. When people make an effort to accommodate a new routine in their lifestyle, their endeavour should be appreciated and acknowledged.

Photo from the Internet