My Expressions

Ed Leader – Mrs Gurdeep Kaur, Shri Harshad C Valia International School, Mumbai

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 try 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 Mrs Gurdeep Kaur. She is the Principal of Shri Harshad C Valia International School. It is the best CBSE English medium co-educational school located in Andheri (W.), Mumbai, Maharashtra. Their goal is to provide value-driven education based on the best of the National Curriculum in a safe and conducive environment.

When did you decide to step into the world of education? What motivated you to become an Educator? I belong to the Defence fraternity. After completing my post-graduation in Nutrition, Dietetics and Business Management, I shifted to a different state in the country. Here I happened to get an opportunity to teach the secondary section in a CBSE School. Inspiring feedback from a very dynamic principal, students and the immense acquired joy after teaching directed me towards Teaching Learning.

Share some of the challenges you have faced in your career journey. How did you convert those challenges into the pillars of success? I am confident that challenges always come your way to polish you and chisel you to make you a finer person. Being transferred every couple of years was not easy, neither on the professional front or the personal front. I followed the mantra that I believe in “Give your best wherever you are and in whatever you do”. My travels all over the country ended up as an enriching experience for me and that is what makes me what I am today.

What are the changes have you observed over the years in the field of education? Are you happy with these changes? I am really happy that we have reached a place where teachers are taught now not to be “the sage on the stage” but a guide by the side. We are now talking about being teachers being lifelong learners and exploring ever new and innovative ways to reach the learners. I am extremely happy with the NEP 2020, because, If not anything, at least we have begun to change the thought process.

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? I would say Community connect is the keyword. We cannot and should not function in isolation. Moreover, educating the parents and taking them along, as well as collaborating with them should be taken seriously. Application-based teaching with the help of various industries and internships should become a norm.

Share your message with the aspiring teachers and leaders of tomorrow. Be a teacher because you want to make a difference. Every teacher is also a leader and needs to create situations where he or she is not required for the learning process and the students or the team can take the lead.

Share your message for your and Curious Times students. Life is a huge canvas, choose the colours you desire and make a unique painting that would be your signature style.

Mrs Gurdeep Kaur, Principal

Shri Harshad C Valia International School, Mumbai

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