Letters of Appreciation- Bethany High School, Sarjapur

by Bethany Institutions | Oct 17, 2023 | Bethany General, High School

Dear Bethany management, HOD primary department and Class teacher Aneesha Ma’am.

I would like to convey my appreciation for  Aneesha Ma’am, Class teacher of Junior 1-A. My Son, Aritrik Nandan is very happy with her teaching techniques. Aneesha  Ma’am makes the concepts clear with ease. She also uses different ways to engage children and keep them interested in the subject. Students are given an opportunity to create questions in PPT and ask those to their classmates, at the end of each topic. This makes it more fun and interesting for the kids.

My interaction with her has been very fruitful every time I got a chance to speak to her. She takes feedback in the right spirit and tries her best to implement the same wherever it’s possible.

She is very collaborative and supportive and listens to children and parents patiently. Once I discussed with her the 3rd Language, which is not very clear to me and she spent time clearing my doubts without any resentment, although that was eventually not required. But it clearly symbolizes the willingness to help and go an extra mile if required for her students as well as parents.

In these pandemic times, it really matters a lot to have such helpful and supportive teachers. I am grateful to  Aneesha Ma’am for her sincere efforts in preparing our children for their bright future ahead.

It’s incomplete if I did not say something about the Bridging Course. It helps my kid , he was a bit scared to interact with Ma’am , but in this course one-to-one interaction helps him a lot to improve his self confidence.

To end the note, I would like to convey my sincere thanks to all the teachers who have themselves been struggling with the mix of online-offline models of teaching without ever complaining, just to ensure kids are comfortable and are understanding in the same manner as they would have in offline school.
Pls convey my gratitude to all the teachers of class Junior-1

Thanks & Regards
Sudipta Nandan
Mother of Aritrik Nandan (Jr-1 ,Sarjapur)

“Specific Learning Difficulty” by Ms. Savitha Raja

by Bethany Institutions | Sep 1, 2023 | Bethany General, High School

D. H. Lawrence ‘The misunderstood Genius’ reminds me of children with a specific learning difficulty.

As a lecturer in English Language and Literature I was so immersed in that world, contentment knew no bounds. I would prepare hard for each lecture and would pour my heart into the attempts to touch my students and rouse in them the same zeal and passion for these subjects as I was. As always life moved on and personal priorities took over professional pursuits. Time rolled on….and life presented an opportunity where I could pause and take an objective assessment of where I wanted to be. Soon found myself in the world of special education.

As special educator for children with specific learning difficulty has been a short journey with long lasting experience. I felt a sense of achievement when a child in the mainstream could interpret a literary piece differently. Now although the child cannot put it on paper it is a sense of fulfilment when a child with specific learning difficulty is also able to interpret differently. As a special educator, have walked some ways with the children in understanding their specific learning difficulties. Bethany High School fosters a happy environment for learning and enriching students with varied learning issues. They are children with average or above average IQ, who are neither ‘lazy’ nor ‘disinterested’. And with complaints such as illegible handwriting, poor spelling, unable to copy from the black board, limited vocabulary, unable to read due to inefficient visual memory, difficulty pronouncing words leading to poor comprehension. Our students require more individualised and intense remedial programme.

Among other skills, what I personally found challenging was to make them understand that writing is also a form of communication and unless they write, another has no window to their thinking. Their writing becomes so restricted and hence it is difficult to appreciate their ideas and thoughts. The fear of incorrect spellings limits their expression, due to deficits in recall, retention or phonological processing. As an educator we ought to encourage writing with ample practice and instil confidence in them and look at ‘writing’ as a way of self-expression.

Yet another challenge that I have come across has been in the area of ‘following instructions’. It was often intriguing how they couldn’t understand or follow simple instructions. The difficulty lies in their short-working memory capacity and slow processing speed.

Instruction could be tailored to the child’s specific needs and eye contact should be made along with explicit instruction are some of the ways.

I am at this juncture where I am truly motivated to make that ‘leap’ and value those small but significant changes in them and for myself. It’s a revelation/self-revival. From measuring success in terms of marks and grades to achieving reading, comprehension, spelling and writing skills is an important milestone in my journey with them. Am grateful to Bethany for giving me this opportunity and allowed me grow from within. The school has taken greater responsibility in providing support services and well-structured learning environment towards inclusiveness.  It should be every special educator’s goal to imbue confidence in them to brave society and lead an inclusive life.

Savitha Raja
Special Educator – LEAP
Bethany High, Bangalore

“Being in Bethany” by Anna Jacob

by Bethany Institutions | Aug 9, 2023 | Bethany General, High School

As a parent, I had been associated with Bethany over several years and could think of no better place for my children to be nurtured. But would I live up to the high benchmarks set by my child’s teachers? Would I be a misfit after a sabbatical from the corporate world?

A thousand questions swarmed my mind and doubts niggled every waking moment as the big day approached. I felt like I was venturing into unchartered waters, when I decided to take the plunge and join Bethany as a teacher. But, after the Teacher’s Orientation, all the trepidation vanished like dew on a bright sunlit morning.

The warm and friendly colleagues, the ever-approachable Headmistress and management made sure every new teacher felt welcome and at home.  And before I knew it, here I was looking back over three years that passed by in a whirl of academics and activities and events that filled up our calendar.

A thoughtful gesture, a kind act of encouragement, a word of caution have all played a significant role in shaping me into what I aspire to be at Bethany. There have been highs and lows, there have been times of doubt, worry and anxiety, but with each new morning, there has always been the promise of a better day ahead.

The best gifts that are the ones given unexpectedly- –the warmth of a child’s love, the comfort of lasting friendships that help navigate difficult times, the appreciation of parents, the grace of trust….. –and I savour these moments that have filled my days.

As I look back, I realize that I took a leap of faith and I am glad I found a safe landing place here at Bethany.

And as a new phase begins, I know that Bethany will always be like the favorite book that one reads and re-reads and where meandering thoughts find solace and a safe abode.

Anna Jacob

Teacher
Bethany High Sarjapur