Teachers' Pet

We have already seen how an ERP solution can improve efficiency and deal with numerous challenges of school administration. We also know how students and parents benefit from a good ERP solution. Now let’s take a look at what’s in store for the teaching staff – how can the teachers realize the full potential of an ERP solution.

With the environment getting more challenging day-by-day, teachers have come to be loaded with several responsibilities like student management, attendance management, carrying out assessments, assigning home task, guiding projects, filling in report cards, interacting with parents, maintaining records, taking remedial action, preparing students for competitions, organizing events, and even maintaining and decorating the classroom! Phew!!! As if teaching 30-40 students and being answerable for their performance is not enough!

Well, the good news is that a good ERP can take away the burden of many of the administration related chores from the teachers. Here’s how…

• Attendance: Bye-bye attendance registers! By using advanced technology like bio-metrics or smart cards, attendance can be automatically recorded and updated in the records.
• Time-Tables: Preparing time-tables and assigning substitute teachers is one of the most tiring and mind boggling jobs. But not anymore! With time-table management software in place, preparing, changing and intimating students and teachers is real easy and quick!
• Assignments: While assigning homework and projects, making sure that every child has noted the same correctly is another unproductive chore. Same is the case with messages for parents, circulars and notices. Teachers can post homework, resource material, notices, messages, etc. online in their free time, without hampering the class. They can also ensure that the parents are aware of the homework, revision sheets, projects, upcoming events, etc. and cannot complain about not being informed later on.
• Assessments and Grading: Online assessments and grading is another valuable and handy tool for teachers that saves time, energy and also resources. Teachers can also publish the marks, apart from recording feedback. Graphical analysis facility makes it easier to identify poor performers and mentor them in the concerned areas.
• Exam Management: Examination time is stressful even for the teachers. There are various responsibilities that require time and efforts like preparing the exam date sheet, setting question papers, taking care of the seating, paper correction, grading, report preparation, etc. The exammanagement module can lighten the burden of most of these tasks.
• Communication: Now, communication and notifications no longer pose a challenge. Instant text messages and e-mails are just a click away.
• Interaction and Creativity: There are so many ways of engaging students and encouraging creativity. Blogs, open forums, video conferencing, online resources, smart class material… you name it and you can get it! Interacting and discussing with peers both within and outside the institution can be facilitated for sharing of expertise and further learning. Many ERPs also allow seamless integration of third party applications like smart classes, training sessions, etc.
• Lesson Planning: Preparing in advance is the key to effective teaching and class management. Lesson plan modules allow teachers to prepare, modify and store lesson plans and resources for a world-class teaching experience. Some ERPs can also be integrated with Google Docs, making it possible to prepare study material offline and then upload it into the system.

A school ERP system not only minimizes paperwork for teachers, it also helps them to use their time constructively. Teachers get a hang of the latest technology, and can use it effectively to foster a conducive learning environment for students. And when it comes to creativity, the possibilities are endless...