Full Circle, by Charu Mathur, Pune
Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, raised in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and currently residing in Pune, Maharashtra, Charu is passionate about sharing her experience and knowledge with her peers in the education fraternity.
(Note: names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals mentioned in this story.)
“I am now almost 50 years of age, and haven't touched a computer in my life! How can I even begin to teach on-line?” lamented Madhavi, her voice tinged with desperation.
The first session of all my training programs, where I motivate and cajole teachers to adopt technology and establish on-line classrooms, never ceases to amaze me. The pandemic had heightened the insecurity of many teachers, especially the older ones. Schools were looking for online alternatives to conduct classes, and there were rumors that teachers would be required to use technology tools for teaching … or quit!
I could empathize with what Madhavi was feeling– the roles had changed, but the situation was the same. Back in 2011, the technology sessions that I attended at Northern Kentucky University as part of a scholarship program gave me sleepless nights. Typing on the computer, one key at a time, was a herculean task! If I concentrated on the keys, I would forget what I had to type.
My son became my long-distance tutor. He took perverse joy in teaching me, though. He would tell me to operate a certain set of keys, and viola– the entire page would be deleted and set me to tears. Of course, after a while he would tell me how to recover it, but by then I had lost my appetite, and sleep.
Cathy, our tech head at the university, was the one who led me through these trying times, with a lot of patience, and understanding. So I could see myself in Madhavi. Over a period of a few days, I saw her gain confidence and understanding of what I was teaching.
At the end of the workshop, I told her, “I’m happily surprised to see the change in your skills.”
What she said next was something that convinced me that perseverance, fortitude, and a little ingenuity are all you need to overcome adversity.
“Till late in the night, my daughter taught me the basics of computer operations. During your sessions, my husband used one of the ear-phones and listened to what you were teaching, made notes and made me understand the technology integration part. I could not fail, with their efforts,” she shared.
Life had come full circle.
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(This story was prepared for an “Imagine Another World” online storytelling workshop held December 16, 2020.)
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