I am pretty sure most teachers (especially primary teachers serving in remote schools) are bogged down with too many works and responsibilities. I, for instance teach seven periods a day without even a single off period. If my job is only to teach, that doesn't give me much problem but when one has to shoulder other responsibilities as well, that's when the workload hits you hard and rack your nerves!!
Like any other body or office, we do have to sit for reviews and meetings, and that's another time when the issue of shortage of teachers booms in and disrupts the normalcy of the school routine. That's because when all the teachers sit for a meeting, the classes and children are left on their own, creating chaos and uproar. Unlike in the high and secondary schools where only the H OD's meet to discuss issues or anything, its a different scenario in the primary schools, especially in the remote schools. E.g. we are seven teachers in the schools including the principal, so for any kind of meeting or review, all of us have to sit together. And what do we do with our classes? Of course!!! We keep them engaged !!!
I am the class teacher of Pre-Primary (PP). So when we had our first meeting of the year on 26th March, 2016, I screened them an educative movie, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" with clear instructions that I will be in the office and that I am going to check on them from time to time.
When I did check, it was to find that all were engrossed in the movie, no fights and quarrels which usually happens when kids are left on their in the class.
