The Mystery Factor unveiled!

“You can't touch it, but it affects how you feel. You can't see it, but it's there when you look at yourself in the mirror. You can't hear it, but it's there every time you talk about yourself. What is this important but “mysterious” thing?”

This month's Afternoons With TTF on February 17, 2011 at 515 Army Base Workshop School, unlocked more than just this mysterious factor. Mary Thomas,Head -Training and Teacher support,(who has headed a school at Jeddah and has years of experience as a trainer), helped teachers to open up feelings and free their attitudes on an often neglected area called ' Self esteem'. 515 Base Workshop School were perfect hosts to the 44 teachers from 8 neighboring schools.

The session started with an interesting ice breaker activity where the participants where asked to make new acquaintances and pen down a few positive things about themselves. A small task, but it did set everyone thinking for a while. The participants later shared their own definitions about self esteem, as well as their experiences. Classroom as well as  personal. Mary gave the afternoon an emotional touch by sharing a slice of her own school life and how an incident from her student life had left a deep and lasting impression. Her positive outlook,however had helped her to take that up as a challenge and move on to become a more compassionate and sensitive teacher. However,as she said not many students are able to do that and just grow up to be victims of depression, loneliness and aggression.

The session addressed issues linked to a number of self defeating behaviours,like quitting and bullying, that students display regularly and that have become a challenge for teachers. Teachers voiced the need to make their classrooms more accommodating, sensitive and positive environments for their students. They came forward to share their own experiences both as students and as educators.

Some truly touching narrations and outpourings. A good mix of humour and thought provoking ideas came forth both from the participants and the presenter.

Posted by Gazal Misra, Coordinator, Training & Teacher Support, TTF Bangalore