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Back to school with nervous excitement across the UAE
KT gets a feel of the first day of school for thousands of Indian students in the new academic year
It was back to school for thousands of students across the UAE as the yellow buses were back on the roads once again. Smiles, tears, nervousness and excited faces dotted classrooms as a new academic year got underway at Indian curriculum schools after the spring break.
At the JSS School in Al Safa, Dubai, it was the turn of primary school students on Monday to meet their new class teachers. For Monica Thakkar, a teacher at the school, the first day of school is always exciting.
“From their faces, we can sense the nervousness because they don’t know what their teacher would be like. I like keeping a light atmosphere in class because a teacher has to be a good listener if the students have to let go of their anxiety. We have to bring a smile on their face from the very first sentence,” said Thakkar.
Sharing a memorable incident from the first day, she said, “There is a special education needs child in my class and when I gave him a welcome note and letter, I told him to write his name. He wrote his name and he left a note saying he was so happy to see me. It’s these little moments which put a smile on our face.”
Earlier in the morning, students assembled inside the school auditorium and met their new teachers. Schools across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi have started welcoming students since April 1 with some of the larger schools using staggered opening dates to ease the pressure on school infrastructure.
Saiqa Sayed, assistant supervisor and class teacher for Grade 1 at The Kindergarten Starters in Dubai, said, “The students take time to adjust to a new environment. Sometimes, they miss their old teacher and we have to give them love and affection. It’s usually harder for students who are joining as new admission from other schools since they have to make new friends.”
Teachers usually host orientation sessions with parents and children to show them around the campus.
“When a student moves from kindergarten to Grade 1, the school hours are extended and parents end up worrying about their children’s food habits. Sometimes, the parents give us instructions about particular problems like slow eating or small things which may be different about their kid. We as teachers try and make sure each concern is addressed in the best possible way to put the parents at ease too.”
For students, the first day is always a time to meet old friends and meet new ones.
Waiting for his school bus in Bur Dubai, Aduved Adhyavardhu, grade 4 student, said he was happy to go back to school.
“I am excited to go back to school after the short break. Going to a new grade gives me a happy feeling. I will also meet my new school teacher and hopefully make some new friends too,” he said.
Some schools are scheduled to open next week, depending on the curriculum and school calendar.
muaz@khaleejtimes.com
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