IKON
Anand Kumar, 42, best known for his Super 30 programme, For the last 14 years, Kumar has been tutoring students from underprivileged sections for IIT-JEE entrance examinations. He has been tutoring them free of cost. Born in Patna and attended a Hindi-medium school where he developed an interest in Mathematics.. He had secured a place at the Cambridge University but because of his financial condition, he could not take admission. To support the family, his mother had started selling papads. Kumar used to assist her in the evening.. Just to read foreign journals, he used to travel to Varanasi on Fridays and study in the Central Library, BHU and return to Patna on Monday mornings. He started his own institute, the Ramanujan School of Mathematics in 1992. In three years, the crowd of students grew from two students to 500.
It is said that a poor student who wanted to take coaching for IIT-JEE came to him but had no money to pay. It was then the idea for Super 30 came to him.
Every year, his institute, the Ramanujan School of Mathematics conducts a test to select top 30 students from economically backward sections. He tutors and provides them accommodation for a year.
What is the Job all about?
This is one profession that can really ignite the minds of youth – and this is the crying need of the hour, especially in Goa. Our youth in Goa seem to have lost direction, both in terms of values and ambition. The only way the torch can be lit again, is when teachers educate the students with passion, zeal and commitment.
Can you go for it?
The Nation and Goa needs teachers with Passion/Commitment. Therefore, if you feel you have the Zeal to help Youth to understand their subjects as also values, then you would do very well in this field.
Is there a future in this field?
There is going to be an explosion in education in India, now that the Right to Education Act has been actioned. Under this law, all children up to the age of 14 must compulsorily attend school. Besides, at the higher levels as well, there is a tremendous dearth of ‘Good’ teachers. So again, there is a great scope for people in the teaching profession.
Where to Begin in Goa?
In Goa
You need to decide at what level you want to teach. Once you are clear about that, then you could pursue studies accordingly:
There are four levels of teachers:
Kindergarten/Montessori Teachers
Primary School Teachers
Secondary School Teachers
Higher Secondary Teachers
Kindergarten/Montessori teachers
These teachers primarily look after the little children at Nursery/Kindergarten level. You must basically love the little ones; because they have to be really brought up with a lot of TLC (Tender Loving Care). You must enjoy literally becoming like a little child, i.e. playing with them, rolling in the grass with them, etc.
Nirmala Institute of Education http://www.nirmala-institute.com/aboutAltinho, Panjim, Pre-school Teacher Education Course.
Outside Goa.
The K.G. Teachers Program conducted by St. Margaret’s Training College at Byculla, Mumbai, is well rated.
Primary School Teachers
Again, after 10 + 2, you could join the District Institute of Educational Training (DIET), http://www.diet-goa.gov.in Porvorim. The DIET offers a Diploma Program (D.Ed.). This is a two year Program and you could opt to learn the English Medium or the Marathi medium.
St. Joseph Vaz Institute of Education Cortalim offers a Diploma in Elementary education after (D.EI.Ed) after 10+2 – 2 year program
Secondary School Teachers
After Graduation, you must do your Bachelor of Education degree (B.Ed) 2-year Program. Here you have to decide the subject you would like to teach. Therefore, if you have decided to teach English, then necessarily you would require taking English at your graduation level. Some of you may want to teach Science or Maths or Languages; so accordingly you have to graduate in that subject, be it B.Sc. or B.A.
In Goa, there are three B.Ed. Colleges:
Nirmala Education Institute situated at Altinho, Panjim,
Goa College of Education at Ponda, and
E.S. College of Education at Farmagudi.
Higher Secondary Schools:
For this, you need to do Masters Degree plus B.Ed. However, if you go for the M.Phil. or Ph.D. program you stand a chance to be the Headmaster/Head Mistress or Principal, as the case may be; naturally, with adequate experience.
You must remember, however, that at this level students tend to be more boisterous than in the early years. Therefore, you must have the ability to control such students.
Employment avenues
In all the categories, there are a number of employment avenues in all parts of Goa. So, if you keep track of vacancies in the Newspapers, it is not that difficult to get a job.
In Kindergarten schools, trained teachers with few years’ experience tend to begin their own Nursery School. The costs of setting up such a place are not too high.
Monies
At the Kindergarten level, the salaries are not very attractive; unless the School is catering for children in specially built premises, with all Modern Equipment and amenities. Private Schools with basic amenities, the salary would be around Rs. 2500/- to Rs. 7000/-p.m. However in the better equipped Schools the salary would be between Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 15,000/- p.m.
Most of the Schools in Goa are State-aided schools and, therefore, salaries are the same as those paid by the Government. They range from Rs. 15,000/- p.m. and upwards, based on qualifications and experience.
Please do not be satisfied with just acquiring a Degree/Diploma – try and enhance your CV by doing online learning programs (with a certificate) of programs relevant to your choice of career. Your chances of employment will be much better than just a plain degree/diploma.
Please check this website under other details for places you can learn online. Also try and develop your confidence by doing a public speaking training program with people like Toast Masters International.
For government jobs: please check : http://www.employment-newspaper.com/