Interview with Monica Sharma Principal PML SD Public School Sector 32, Chandigarh:
What is unique about your school?
We endeavour to provide a fertile ground for the young minds that come to us, to grow and evolve as well-integrated personalities, focused and committed to shine brilliantly in any walk of life they choose. The school is very well known for its excellence in commerce and provides students ample opportunities to participate in sports and other co-curricular activities, thus stimulating their competency for success and leadership in the emerging creative economic world.
What according to you is the ideal school environment and how do you encourage it?
According to me, an ideal school environment is where the management is open, encouraging and innovative. The faculty is empowered and involved in decision making process, where in academic freedom, tolerance and experimentation caters to the intellectual ambitions of students.
How do you see the teacher’s role in the learning process?
A teacher plays a vital role in learning process. Teaching driven by a passion helps to have a natural impact on young minds. A teacher can always help by motivating the students and involve them to think critically. A teacher is a mentor, guide and ideal for them. In today’s technologically driven world, teachers can be a great help creating memorable academic experience thus personalizing learning, to students interests, passion, strength and needs.
What strategies have been adopted to ensure each student and parent is engaged with the school?
Our school involves parents and students for both positive and negative reasons. We keep on updating the parents through mobile app about every activity taking place in the school. They are made core members in various committees of decision making. Parents are also involved in certain NSS activities & school functions which help students to become critically engaged citizens, dedicated to solving problems & contributing to the public good.
The personal safety of students and staff is crucial. What steps have you taken to ensure the same?
The personal safety of students and staff is surely vital these days. Keeping this in view, female attendants are accompanying students on buses. Besides this tracking system has also been initiated with detailed descriptions of destinations. A total of 85 cameras are installed 24 x 7 in school campus for surveillance. Teachers and students are well trained with disaster management skills.
Given the competitive environment, how do you help students deal with the pressure?
Keeping in mind, the competitive environment, we help students to deal with the pressure by organizing stress releasing seminars, workshop. Teachers are also updated with latest information through online forums, workshops and professional journals. We have appointed a counsellor to deal with individual problems of the students, parents and teachers. Frequently excursions are being organized for the students which help them to move out of stress.