Honoring Lockdown in India: Experience of an Indian Teacher

Honoring Lockdown in India: Experience of an Indian Teacher

Dr. Keshab Chandra Mandal, Ph. D.

E-Mail: mandalkeshab2013@gmail.com

22^nd March (2020) being Sunday was a normal holiday in school. But the day was considered as double holiday by a large section of people because the West Bengal Government had already declared holiday in all educational institutions from 16^th March to 31^st March and further it was extended till 15^th April due to the epidemic of coronavirus. It was a complete new experience to us, the teaching community and to the other government employees. The students were also puzzled as what to be done. Before they could understand fully the situation, the private tutors forbade all tuitions. So without students the teachers starting feeling bored; on the other hand, with schools or colleges or universities closed down, and no private tuitions the students suddenly feeling alienated. The working parents who could not see their children for long time in the morning had not option but to stay back at home and spend time with children.

The level of joy and excitement of the primary-school-going children knew no bound as they had the opportunity to spend lots of tension free time with their parents. Similar feeling was also experienced by majority of parents, except those who have second family and extramarital affairs. However, that is not the question here. I will tell you about how I spend my time and days during lockdown.

As there is no compulsory work of livelihood i.e. school, so I got ample time to concentrate on my own works that I like most and have been doing since last 20 years. Except teaching in a school and performing the duty of a Head Master I have been doing research and writing articles and research papers for various newspapers, magazines, journals, seminars and conferences. Another role as a father is to teach my son who is a Class X student now. Though he has private tutors for subjects except English, I help him in his studies. I did not give English tuition to him because to be very frank, I have little confidence in the contemporary young English Teachers who mainly are the product of the Bengal’s Education during the Left Front Government where students had the opportunity to learn English only from Class V in Government High Schools. My own experience of teaching English in lower classes from Class V-X and sometimes upto XII level till 2015 is so horrible that except a very few number of students all were very weak in English. However, I should say that I teach my son English subject. I also taught my daughter the subject up to Class XII. O.K. no more discussion and sharing of personal teaching experience. Now I will go step by step of my daily experience during a completely new environment.  

6.12 P.M. 12.4.2020

to be continued........