'A Residential School Should Have An Anti-drug Committee'
What are the key factors which define a good residential school?
Key factors that define a residential school are providing holistic education, promoting self-discipline and self-dependence, improving peer relationship, generating respect, and encouraging service to community.
How does being in a residential school change the overall personality of a child?
Definitely, a residential school routine changes the overall personality of a child. They become strong emotionally, decisive, trained in life skills, social and interactive.
In your experience, does staying away from home have any impact on the child psychology and how does it change the behaviour of the child?
It does have an impact on the behaviour of a child but that is an exceptional case for every effort is made to seal the vacuum otherwise the parents’ expectations from a residential school will remain unfulfilled. The boarders are always well behaved because of the values that they are taught and the collaborative learning that they receive.
What are the key factors which should be evaluated in deciding residential schools?
Key factors, which should be evaluated in deciding a residential school are: infrastructure, adherence to anti-bullying policy, strict discipline, no entry to toxicants, management, faculty enrichment programmes, family background of the boarders and academic progress graph.
A huge debate is on the illegal use of drugs in schools, how do you ensure that the children are shielded from the influence of these in a residential school?
A residential school should have an anti-drug committee with the principal as the supreme head along with representatives from the faculty and students’ council. When students are given responsibilities they become accountable.
How do you engage the parents in the lives of the students for better bonding and respect for each other?
As stated earlier, parents and teachers meet during the induction. Orientation programmes provide the best opportunity to share and offer suggestions for the positive handling of their wards. Besides that we invite parents during school functions and also as it’s a home away from home we take every effort to make the meetings informal whereby we open doors for free discussion. This has improved mutual bonding and respect for each other.
How has technology helped in overall engagement and education delivery in schools?
Technology plays a very important role in 21st-century education. Students are tech-savvy and so expect the same from their tutors. Audio-visual teaching makes learning interesting. The World Wide Web today is easily accessible. It’s the knowledge box for all types of queries. Our school is a Wi-Fi campus and students seek the benefits of the same. Whatsoever, all these are mere facilitators to the teachers as their role can never be replaced even by the digital boards.
What are the various challenges faced by principals in a residential school?
Various challenges that are frequently faced by residential schools are:
i. Developing academic excellence.
ii. Raising high standards of behaviour
iii. Sensible use of technology e.g. Internet and smart phones
iv. Whole school participation in co-curricular activities including games and sports.
v. Improving reading habits for all children.
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