KOLKATA: Two months into the system of online classes, most institutions are now introducing disciplinary actions considering the unprecedented situation the pandemic has landed students and teachers in. South City International School awarded “zero” to a student in class test because he switched off the webcam during the online exams despite being warned by the teacher.
Heritage School principal Seema Sapru said that pranks and even some amount of indiscipline are part of kids. “We urge teachers to be as much empathetic as they can. But they must understand the technology well and outsmart the students. So we are asking teachers to check on individual students and ask them to respond to questions and, thus, make the class as much interactive as much possible.”
All schools are asking for leave letters whenever a child misses a class. The “compulsory attendance per class” and a host of other regulations have helped students take academics more seriously and the propensity to bunk is much less these days, the heads of schools said.
“If a child is absent for an online class for a valid reason, parents will send a letter as they would have done in a normal situation, citing the reason for the child’s absence,” said Rupkatha Sarkar, principal, La Martiniere for Girls. Her school has made uniforms compulsory for online classes. “Learning cannot be without discipline,” Sarkar said. He added that they did make exceptions in extraordinary situations, such as one needing quarantine.
Gems Akademia International School director Hilda Peacock said, “We are very strict about absenteeism. We immediately send warning letters to parents, reminding them of the attendance requirements.”
The same policy goes for South City International School. Principal John Bagul said, “The subject teacher is in touch with the parents on WhatsApp groups. She informs them about their wards’ absence over e-mails as well.” “For dance and music, we don’t insist on attendance. But a line has to be drawn for curriculum classes,” he said.
Till Class V, kids are obedient and don’t need to be disciplined much, he felt. “But classes VI, VII and VIII are the most difficult. That’s where the webcam comes in. The teacher can see when kids are being naughty. They are simply sent out of the class and the parents are duly informed,” Bagul said.
Heritage School principal Seema Sapru said that pranks and even some amount of indiscipline are part of kids. “We urge teachers to be as much empathetic as they can. But they must understand the technology well and outsmart the students. So we are asking teachers to check on individual students and ask them to respond to questions and, thus, make the class as much interactive as much possible.”
All schools are asking for leave letters whenever a child misses a class. The “compulsory attendance per class” and a host of other regulations have helped students take academics more seriously and the propensity to bunk is much less these days, the heads of schools said.
“If a child is absent for an online class for a valid reason, parents will send a letter as they would have done in a normal situation, citing the reason for the child’s absence,” said Rupkatha Sarkar, principal, La Martiniere for Girls. Her school has made uniforms compulsory for online classes. “Learning cannot be without discipline,” Sarkar said. He added that they did make exceptions in extraordinary situations, such as one needing quarantine.
Gems Akademia International School director Hilda Peacock said, “We are very strict about absenteeism. We immediately send warning letters to parents, reminding them of the attendance requirements.”
The same policy goes for South City International School. Principal John Bagul said, “The subject teacher is in touch with the parents on WhatsApp groups. She informs them about their wards’ absence over e-mails as well.” “For dance and music, we don’t insist on attendance. But a line has to be drawn for curriculum classes,” he said.
Till Class V, kids are obedient and don’t need to be disciplined much, he felt. “But classes VI, VII and VIII are the most difficult. That’s where the webcam comes in. The teacher can see when kids are being naughty. They are simply sent out of the class and the parents are duly informed,” Bagul said.
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