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Ed Leader – Jacob P. Ajith Mathews, The Choice School, Kochi

Education is an integral part of a child’s upbringing. We, at Curious Times, have made it our aim to ensure that we also play an active role in imparting the right knowledge to all the Curious children. As such, we also are trying to ensure that we are always in touch with the leaders in education today and learning from them. After all, it is important to learn from the best.

So, today, we present to you a one-on-one conversation with Jacob P. Ajith Mathews. He is the Principal of The Choice School, Kochi. The school’s vision is to provide a happy, caring and stimulating environment where children will recognize and achieve their fullest potential, so that they make their best contribution to society.

When did you decide to step into the world of education? What motivated you to become an Educator? I started as an educator in 1995; my parents were teachers themselves too. It was the call to make children happy at school and the power of catching pupils young and right to make them think and be positive was what motivated me. Additionally, my mentor Principals – Mr. Abishai whom I met at St. Paul’s School, Refinery Township, Begusarai, Bihar and Dr. PC Thomas of Good Shepherd International School, Ooty, Tamil Nadu, really inspired me as well.

Share some of the challenges you have faced in your career journey. How did you convert those challenges into the pillars of success? Some challenges I have faced include, winning the confidence of students, peers and leaders, the challenge of embracing the need to support co-curricular activities, as well as, the challenge of keeping up-to-date with matters in education. But hard work and focused efforts to be at your best in all that we need to do can go a long way on the journey towards attaining excellence. Moreover, it is also important to have the motivation and need to explore new things and be a willing learner to support programmes that bring smiles to children. We should also be engaged in activities that stimulate the brain whilst being faithful at reading widely. All this have helped me become accepted as a teacher with a heart, warm towards students and colleagues. I was initially given the opportunity to be a House Master to lead a House (Winter) and I worked closely with students to lift the winner’s trophy. Then, I became Head of Middle School in 2002 and then, later, Director of Activities in 2008.

What are the changes have you observed over the years in the field of education? Are you happy with these changes? A powerful engagement shaping one’s thoughts and attitudes towards fine living, the choice of subjects as per one’s interest and the connection between theory and the real world – all these make learning exciting and purposeful.

What changes would you like to see in the field of Education? What role can the various stakeholders like the government, teachers, students and parents play in this? There should be more effort to engage students in learning life skills and also to make sports and games part of school education supported by good infrastructure. All stakeholders need to come together to understand what life is all about and to give credit to all fields of life that spell growth and progress celebrating the art of living.

Share your message with the aspiring teachers and leaders of tomorrow. Each teacher has something valuable to offer to the community of learners. Let us stand true to ourselves to be happy and fulfilled in our thoughts and actions. The nation requires committed, knowledgeable, wise, inspirational teachers. A teacher should show the way to positive living by embracing such oneself.

Share your message for your and Curious Times students. Enjoy your life with responsible learning and application. Your application of knowledge starts from home and with oneself. Be the change to effect good citizenship. Your attitude to life matters. Be curious to live well.

Jacob P. Ajith Mathews, Principal

The Choice School, Kochi

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