Teacher Spotlight - Ms. Leena Pravinkumar Jain - 

Meet Ms. Leena Jain in August 2020 Teacher Spotlight series, a science teacher (M.Sc, B.Ed)  having a versatile personality, passionate for knowledge, nature and art lover. Ms Leena has special affection for animals and owner of 3 Feline. She is a bibliophile, music crazy, loves to explore and travel.

• Name: Ms. Leena Pravinkumar Jain 
• School Name: Madhusudan Global School
• Email: jainleena87@gmail.com
• City: Mumbai
• Designation: Graduate Teacher (Secondary)

Tell us about yourself – Your overall experience in education field, National / International experiences, variety of work you have done in the education field.

My name is Ms. Leena Jain and academically I am M.Sc, B.Ed and working as a Science teacher for secondary section. I am associated with the world of education as a teacher and in other multiple roles since long time. 

Now that I have become a skilled teacher I not only teach Science but include the best way to teach technology and use of various ICT tools in Teaching Learning process. Recently I got associated with Universal Teacher’s Academy (UTA), a not-for-profit organisation with an objective to impart various ICT skills amongst teachers and student teachers, nationally and internationally as a speaker and Resource Person for webinars on various topics. Have also been a speaker for CIET - NCERT for Webinar on ICT tools exploration.  In the past, I have worked with various NGO’s and also volunteered at NSS for 2 years during my post-graduation course where we conducted many social service programs. I engaged in various scientific workshops and also organised activities related to the same during my college days. I participated in various competitions at State levels to represent my institution where I studied. I have been a part of Students Council and Leader of my house during my B.Ed and took responsibility and organised the programs for college by working closely with the management.

How did you choose the field of education?

I am passionate about teaching ever since my childhood days where I used to gather my friends and become a teacher and used to teach whatever I learnt in school. Then I started living my passion by becoming a tutor from the moment my own teacher discovered this teaching quality in me and handed me a bunch of students in my early days of college. At this time my tuition teacher was my inspiration. As I chose the stream of Science after my SSC board from St. Isabel’s Convent School and at that time our family was going through rough financial situation so I thought of giving tuitions along with completing my education and began exploring as a teacher. Later my student’s results started improving and parents approached me with the positive feedback, where I got motivated and decided to opt my career in the field of teaching. Soon after completing my graduation from Siddharth College, I was then looking to take up professional educational courses to become a skilled teacher but I had also another thought of exploring the career opportunities before settling to one. That time it was difficult for a child to get proper career guidance back in 2009 looking at more completion and less availability of flexible options in taking up any career courses. So, I got corporate offers and without giving second thought I set on exploring the corporate world. I worked for various job roles in corporate field for 5 years, but it couldn’t dominate my passion for teaching and still I have continued giving tuition’s along with my work. Then finally I decided to pursue my Post-Graduation in Science to further explore my career in teaching. After post-graduation from the Institute of Science, I was working to pursue my Bachelor of Education and struggled a lot to get through as I decided that I would do it on my own expenses and never collected enough by the time, I was ready to do it, and the structure of B. Ed changed from 1 year to 2 years. While studying B. Ed, I got associated with Achiever’s Tutorials where I taught SSC, CBSE and ICSE Board not only Science but also Social Studies, English and Mathematics too. I utilised all techniques I learnt in my classes where I was teaching and then I began discovering new side of me. Where some people take up teaching as job alternative, I was so passionate and motivated that I wanted to explore more and more and improved myself at every learning stages. I applied Psychology to study students‘ behaviour and applied Organisational Management and other topics to overcome challenges faced at work.

What would you like to mention for your greatest achievements in field of education? Which gives you a sense of satisfaction?

As a teacher I always consider my achievement in my students’ progress. Nothing is greater for a teacher to have her students’ content with the way she teaches and impart knowledge and seeing them reach the heights of success in life. They are like my second family.

I feel satisfied when my students and their parents are happy and admire my way of teaching.

I feel I am on my way of achievement and very soon I will be there :)

How has the education system changed as per your view since you were a student yourself?

To be very precise, earlier education was teacher centered and now it has become child centered. But earlier moral values were seen in students more which lack now-a-days in children and parents as well. Now a days teachers in educational institutes are exploited too in the terms of workload, salary and self-respect. Education has now become more of business where all are competing with one another. The source of education has changed from conventional classroom system to virtual which made students and parents to adopt over various virtual modes. It is a quite a drastic change we have gone through from our time of being student to now, but as it is said that change is a part of process and change is for good. And as now government has adopted new education policy too in 2020, I feel it will be lessened the burden of students and knowledge will serve its purpose.

What are the qualities you think an individual should possess to be a good teacher or work in field of education?

I feel as a good teacher one should be excellent listener, confident about her/himself, should possess excellent communication skills. A good teacher inspires and motivates the learner by bringing the best out of them. She/ he should have love for learning and learner and must maintain the level of respect between both to blend together. Patience should not lack in good teacher, after all it is well said proverb that “A true teacher will always carry their patience with them”.

How do you handle discipline problems? What is the most difficult aspect of discipline for you?

When it comes to discipline, it is simply an ‘action and reaction’ formula or ‘give and take’ relationship. If you ‘give’ respect then you will ‘take’ it too, just like your actions will decide the reactions on you. If I seek discipline then I have to be disciplined myself and then impart it among others. Discipline should be followed irrespective of position or designation or age. ‘Punishment’ is not a solution, one must include more of moral values and discussions.

If you were to change 1-2 things in our Indian education system, what would be those & why?

Firstly, I would change the ‘business system’ followed by educational institutes where the needy is deprived of good education. Secondly, the exploitation and corruption happening in the field of education should be stopped. Also reach for technology is lacking in rural and remote areas where the students have to struggle for even basic education, so I wish to make it accessible in remote areas where everyone could get a learning opportunity.

What is your philosophy of teaching?

As it is said “teaching is a profession which creates all other profession, teaching is a noble profession”. It should not just be about mere degree a learner gets, but it should be about the experience a learner takes from the various phases of her/his course. Learner spends most of its time with teacher and sometimes make teacher as her/his role model too. So, myself as a teacher will assure that a learner brings out best of themselves, as every learner is unique in their own way.

What is your suggestions or guidance for today’s parents in shaping up children’s personality? Especially in this Online or computer age.

Ever since the education system has evolved the parents and students have become flexible with learning process. My suggestion to the parents in this online and computer age is just be open with your children, do more and more discussions. Instead of being authoritative parent, be as their friend more, as students need someone who will listen and understand them. In this age, students get more attracted towards the digital platform, so parent should be one who knows their children better than anyone else. There should not be a communication gap, make them self-reliable and responsible for their own acts. Parents should encourage their children to face challenges instead of discouraging them in any situation.

What are the three most important strengths you possess that will make you a successful teacher? Also any weakness in you which you want to improve upon?

The most important strengths I possess are time-management, creativity and including innovative techniques in my teaching –learning process. I develop a quick connection with students. I believe in learning from the students more.

My weakness is my practical and sincere attitude towards my work which make me intolerant to bare any injustice on unrealistic situations making my personality to highlight as bold, blunt and straight forward person.

 If you had not been a teacher or not associated with education field, what would you have been and why?

Ever since my childhood I desired to become a teacher, nothing else came to my mind then. Yes I admired astronaut and wish to be one and teach about space sciences, but I am teaching science what else could be better than this that I am living my dream already.

 What do you want to accomplish in your profession in next 5 years?

In next 5 years, I wish to grow up professionally to the higher position and designation where I could speak for the rights of teacher and students together. I wish to start my own institution where needy could be helped. I want to be a change maker in this span of time where I could bring educational reforms for betterment of the society and country.

 Any other things you would like to share about yourself, your profession, your hobbies, your views?

I am proud of myself as a teacher. During this struggle to become a teacher, I have developed tolerance and patience for challenging situations. I have moulded myself in various ways and have developed this versatile personality which obviously wouldn’t have been possible without my family, they have travelled a long way with my ups and downs in career and supported me in each situation. My hobbies played important role in my life, I included music, travel, art and nature as a process of meditation and whenever I feel low I start applying this therapy.

 How would you rate our website yayskool.com especially this teacher spotlight program? 

I would rate yayskool.com 5 out of 5, you people are doing an amazing job by spotlighting a teacher and acknowledging their efforts. While writing this interview, I got opportunity to reminisce and express myself and appreciate my profession and I am thankful to team Yayskool :)