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Ed Leader – Rachel Ignatius, The Choice School, Thiruvalla

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 Rachel Ignatius. She is the Principal of The Choice School, Thiruvalla. 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 came into this profession by chance at the age of 26. But it is by CHOICE that I choose to be in this profession. I have enjoyed every moment of the past 26 years and I truly believe I get paid for what I enjoy doing the most. It was by God’s grace and the goodwill and mentorship of a good friend that I came into this profession. I see the Lord’s hands in her.

Share some of the challenges you have faced in your career journey. How did you convert those challenges into the pillars of success? Every day is a challenge in a new way. Once we manage the challenge successfully, we are able to look back with a sense of achievement and learning. All teachers across the world will be contributors to change in some way or the other. The past two years have been the most challenging times. This has been a time of unlearning, relearning, adapting and implementing the best methods of technology-aided education. The Virtual Classroom has become a way of life. Staying safe and healthy was the biggest challenge this year. This was where we had to change and adapt. We had to think of the possibility of turning this crisis into an opportunity. We had to face something that we never imagined could happen even in our worst dreams. Having to start all over again, take baby steps and completely changing the plans, events and curriculum. We saw a paradigm shift in the attitude of our teachers and students, as we found confidence, positivity and creativity in every task or activity assigned to them. It has been months of discovery, exploration, fun and at the same time some serious learning

What are the changes have you observed over the years in the field of education? Are you happy with these changes? A lot of positive changes have come about in the field of education. It will continue to keep changing and at a much faster pace in the coming years. All of us need to be ready for the rapid changes. A few positive changes I have observed over the years are:
1. Experiential Learning has become the order of the day.
2. Teachers have become facilitators.
3. Technology has taken over in a big way
4. Students and teachers are always connected.
5. AI is being introduced.
6. Media content is shared willingly
7. Information is everywhere and free availability of content
8. Online classes
9. Chalkboards are being replaced by smart boards

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? Education is a lifelong process and not something that stops after school. Everyone has a role to play in this. There is a long way for us to go and grow in this field.
Humanism needs to be given a lot of attention and importance. We need to give equal respect to all subjects. Let’s empower our teachers and together celebrate our positives and grow stronger rather than treat the world as a competitive field all the time. These are times when we especially need to give each other the emotional support required.

Share your message with the aspiring teachers and leaders of tomorrow. As an academician, I realize that the students look up to us all the time. We need to be able to inspire the future generation and be able to guide and mentor them. What the world, the society, the family needs at the moment is a generation who will grow up with an attitude of gratitude. We should be able to nurture the right values along with the knowledge skills they acquire in school. Character building is the need of the hour.

Share your message for your and Curious Times students. Dear Students, you have adapted and have successfully completed 17 months of online education which was totally unheard of even two years back. Let’s hope and pray that the world heals fast and we get back to our normal routine.

Determination plays a huge role in our life. Always be determined on what you want and work thoroughly to reach your goal. You have a big responsibility to make the world better. An attitude of gratitude will make you a better person. God bless you!!!

Rachel Ignatius, Principal

The Choice School, Thiruvalla

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