Going An Extra Mile To Teach Students English

Mrs. Sunila Athley- Principal, Amity International School, Ghaziabad

Mrs. Sunila Athley, the winner of CBSE National Teachers Award 2019 by Hon’ble HRD Minister, is a role model to many aspiring teachers. She is the Principal of ‘Amity International School, Ghaziabad’, who has been on a spree to educate the kids of our nation since 2011. Teaching English is not just her subject but a passion that has kept her connected for the past 48 years. During her teaching endeavor, she has evolved admirably in the past 25 years. She did her Graduation & PG (English) from Fergusson College, Pune University, and emerged as a Gold Medalist & MHRD scholarship holder there. She has remained University topper while completing the degree of M.Phil from School of Advance Liberal Studies, Indore University and had been the 1st batch of B.Ed. in IGNOU.  She vividly remembers the words by her professor of Phonetics in Phonetics in Fergusson College, Pune – Dr. Gokhale, “We are not British, so don’t speak like a Britisher.  Take pride in being an Indian speaker of English because India makes up the largest community of English speakers in the world.”

She has widely devised techniques to improve the 4 linguistic skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing through student friendly activities; making them improve their vocabulary, grammar and creative writing.

She has always taken extra efforts to teach her students for whom English was the second / this language. When she looks back to that time today, it only fills her with much pride and pleasure seeing her students speak confidently on national and international platforms. She has always discovered innovative activities, events and reading strategies to enhance the language skills of students through debates, recitations and public speaking. She profoundly reflects, “The results for the subject have been ‘cent percent’ all these years and the school average has never gone below 82 percent.”

She adds, “I am aware that though English is the language of opportunity with open doors for higher education and employment, an Indian child should also be rooted to his native language and the national language.”

Her diverse work experience varies from being the Principal of Delhi Police Public School, New Delhi, a Member of National Progressive School Conference, and the Lead Collaborator School for Hub of Learning, Life Member of Bharat Scouts & Guides and Member of Sahodaya Schools Complex (Ghaziabad). She has taught at Army School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Amity International School, Girls Degree College, Mhow, Delhi Public School, Noida. And has been the CNS & CS for CBSE Board Exams, and the Curriculum framework member for Teacher Training Modules for NIOS, CUSB-Gaya.

She is deeply inspired by his father – Col. K Sivaprasad, who was a unique educationist in the Army uniform. He had been awarded with the Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India and honorary nominated member by the Governor of Maharashtra to the Shivaji University, Kohlapur for his exemplary service. Mrs. Sunila Athley is the recipient of Inspiring Climate School Award-2019 (National Green Mentor), IDA Awards Education 2019 in K-12 Education Category and National School Award 2019 for Best schools promoting cultural activities. She has also been honored with the prestigious CBSE Teachers Award 2018-19.

She doesn’t believe that struggles in life, both personal and professional are insurmountable; they are stepping stones to learning.

Mrs. Sunila Athley has been applauded with ‘India Education Awards 2019’ by Blindwink and ‘Indian Didactics Association Award for Excellence in Education and Training’ and ‘Teacher Honour by Hindi Vikas Manch, New Delhi’ in 2017. She is the one who never hesitates in taking decisions from her heart, and also believes in calculated risk taking for the welfare and enhancement of her fraternity. She claims that education is a dynamic domain and in today’s time India is going through remarkable changes in school education with the national curriculum framework just around the corner.

She adds, “The CBSE too is committed to bringing in a new curriculum, innovative pedagogy and student centric assessment pattern to make learning joyful, stress-free and experiential.”

Her list of achievements incorporates being the Paper setter for CSB (Central Selection Board), AWES (Army Welfare Education Society), undertaking workshops for middle and upper level management employees in corporate & MNCs for soft-skill training, enhancement of language skills, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and preparing blue-print for Bengal Police for starting senior secondary school on the lines of Delhi Police Public School, New Delhi.

A true Indian with a culturally diverse family, Mrs. Sunila Athley respects the citizens of India who speak different languages and follow different traditions. Being secular and having no particular preference for any faith or ideology, she views us all as true nationalist to the core. She has done her schooling from Sainik School (Satara), Loreto Convent (Ranchi), KV (Pune) & Convent of Jesus & Mary (Pune).

She reflects that a three generation defense background has given her the opportunity to travel across the length and breadth of the country, making her realize that there is no other place which is as enigmatic and people as warm and vibrant as India.

Her international experience incorporates visiting Melbourne, Australia with CBSE delegation as Master trainers of CCE to understand the Australian education model, visiting Slovenia & Switzerland to initiate school exchange programmes. She has trained students and faculty for – Model United Nations, YRoNS (Young Researchers of Natural Sciences), IRIS (International Research in Science), Odyssey of Mind, etc. and has been the paper presenter at Rits Super Global Forum-2017 & 2018 in Japan.

Her several leadership accolades define her leadership competency, which includes 3 Consecutive years CBSE National toppers in class-X & XII and Grand Gold at INESPO, Netherlands (2017). She has also been the Global finalist at KWHS-2019 (Wharton). Her extra-ordinary services as the principal of Amity International School, Ghaziabad, has made her school to be included in Top-50 schools to receive ATL Grant. This highly educated educationist has also been applauded for Paper presentation by students at Indian Science Congress 2018-19, Regional & National CBSE Toppers and exemplary school average. She has also been appreciated by Governors of Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman Nicobar Islands for promoting heritage studies. And she has also been appreciated for being one of the teachers presenting scientific papers at NTSC for the past 5 years.