As a teacher,

Have you ever run out of creative ideas to teach a lesson?

Would you love to seek the support or learn from teachers outside of your school?

Have you felt the desire to share your ideas so teachers across the country can benefit?

Class Saathi is not just a reservoir of educational content but is also the perfect tool for a PLN for teachers.

In the context of education today, it is pivotal for teachers to have a creative approach in classrooms. Also, unlike other professionals, teachers are expected to ‘perform’ from day 1. Being in a room filled with curious, inquisitive minds leaves them with little or no room for a slip-up.

All of this makes it cardinal for teachers to have all the necessary support from their peers and ample opportunities for a Continuous Professional Development (CPD).

But given that teachers are not just responsible for classroom instruction and management but also juggle an overwhelming number of activities that include curriculum development, syllabus completion, parent relations, student counselling, day-to-day school operations, test preparation and administration, extra and co-curricular activities, department and state duties, it becomes nearly impossible for them to regularly engage in any physical professional development activities like attending trainings, workshops, going on school visits etc.

What will really help teachers then is having access to a platform that allows them to communicate and collaborate with their colleagues and peers from anywhere, at any time. And this is exactly what a Professional Learning Network (PLN) allows, with the use of technology.

The Class Saathi mobile app acts as PLN by allowing teachers to access resources in the form of quizzes created by other teachers from anywhere in the country. Each teacher can share their ideas and resources through this platform.

Teachers can communicate their ideas about how and when to use a particular quiz or share their learning/experience of using it in the comments section provided for each resource.

The more the no. of likes and shares a particular quiz receives not just increases its credibility as a good resource but also allows its creator to earn points.

At the end of each week and month, the teacher with the maximum points, earns the title of ‘Teacher of the week/month’ which would also boost the urge for the teachers to be more competent.

This reward incentivizes teachers to create and share more relevant and useful content. The ability to openly and freely communicate with their peers who may possibly be in a similar situation, gives teachers the much-required moral support.

It helps them build great connections outside of their school, provides them with the ideas and inspiration to try new things with their students. All of this can have a lasting, positive impact on the teaching and learning within a classroom.

Class Saathi, thus, with the use of minimal technology and infrastructure, offers the possibility of reducing spatial and time constraints in connecting a diverse group of educators who can support each other’s professional development.