“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, Whispering ‘it will be happier’…” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson
None of us imagined 2020 to be the year it turned out to be. The gamut of emotions we felt varied from isolation, fear, helplessness, and confusion, to hope for a safer world. The month of March brought with it empty classrooms, silent hallways, lonely playgrounds, and countless challenges for the educators across the country.
Nearly every teacher struggled with – How do we switch to an online mode of teaching overnight? Our teaching and learning materials are at school, how will we manage without them? Will our learners know how to navigate online classrooms? And what on earth is Zoom?
Unfortunately, this lead to several teachers leaving the profession. For instance, many teachers reported quitting their jobs because of lack of digital skills or the right equipment and infrastructure to conduct virtual classes. Many could not endure the stress and loneliness of teaching online. Schools struggled to pay salaries. As a result, a significant number lost their jobs because schools struggled to pay salaries.
'Stories of 'Jugaad'
2020 exposed the many deficiencies and inequities in our education system. Meanwhile, the stories of hope and innovation kept us going. We saw several examples of teachers who used jugaads (hacks) to make sure learning doesn’t stop for their students. It showed how crucial skills like resilience, creativity, and problem-solving are for today’s educators. We recognized that along with digital literacy skills like motivation, growth mindset, innovation and perseverance, are imperative for teachers.
Our Inception
With this understanding and a dream of a future where every child is learning with bold, innovative teachers; we started Tomorrowsmith Foundation in August 2020. Within a few months of our inception, we have made significant leaps–from research and development partnerships to skill training collaborations.
None of this would have been possible without the belief and encouragement of our supporters and the hard work of our interns, volunteers, and staff. A BIG THANK YOU for trusting us!
Our Commitment to You
To teachers, as you envision what your 2021 will look like, think of Tomorrowsmith Foundation as your co-explorer—someone who is looking for ways to empower and support you as you navigate through your teaching journey. In 2021, we wish for you, noisy classrooms buzzing with activity and questions from curious minds.
It’s impossible to say exactly what this year will bring, but we tread ahead with confidence and with many lessons we learnt last year – willingness to learn, kindness, compassion, perseverance, and resilience — for 2020 was an excellent teacher albeit a tough one.
Onward and upward!
Rashmi Sharma
Founder & CEO
#2021 #hope #qualityeducationforall #tomorrowsmith