Reflections from Emerging Literacies Session - 18th July 2026

Quick recap: Chapter 2
Sandeep Dutt led a book discussion session on Yuval Noah Harari’s “21 Lessons for the 21st Century,” focusing on the future of work and automation. He explained how artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming jobs, noting that while some traditional roles will be automated, new human-AI collaboration opportunities will emerge, particularly in healthcare and creative fields. Sandeep Dutt emphasised the importance of developing character and citizenship skills rather than just the traditional 4Cs (critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication), arguing that character is fundamental for success in the changing job market. The session included technical improvements to the meeting format, removing registration requirements and waiting rooms to make it easier for participants to join, and Sandeep Dutt announced that future sessions would continue this more open access approach. 

Dolly Chandoke - Jodhamal Public School, Jammu
"Work: When You Grow Up, You Might Not Have a Job," made me think deeply about how rapidly technology is changing our lives. Harari explains that artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics are no longer replacing only physical labour but are increasingly capable of performing cognitive and creative tasks as well. This could fundamentally reshape the job market in the coming decades. 

One of the most striking ideas in this chapter is that the future of work is uncertain. Unlike previous technological revolutions, AI may replace many jobs faster than new ones are created, making continuous learning and adaptability essential. This challenged my belief that education alone guarantees lifelong job security. Instead, Harari emphasises the importance of developing skills such as critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to learn new things throughout life.

Sahar Banu, Sunbeam School Ballia
Technology is changing the way we live and work. Some jobs may change or even disappear, but people are always more important than jobs. We should help people learn new skills and grow with changing times. Every person deserves care, respect, and equal opportunities. Machines can do many tasks, but they cannot replace kindness, creativity, or human values. Real progress is not just about better technology; it is about making life better for everyone.

When You Grow Up, You Might Not Have A Job

 

Masterclass for Emerging Literacies

To discuss the future of work and AI’s impact on jobs.

Key Takeaways

• AI’s Threat to Jobs: AI’s ability to hack human biology (emotions, decisions) and its non-human advantages (connectivity, updatability) threaten even creative and cognitive roles, not just physical ones.

• The “Useless Class”: A new class of people may emerge who are economically redundant, not just from job loss but from a lack of emotional stamina to cope with constant retraining and career volatility.

• The Human Edge: Jobs requiring complex motor skills, empathy (e.g., nursing, caregiving), and dealing with unforeseen scenarios are more resistant to automation.

• New Session Format: The session is now a direct-link meeting with no registration, simplifying access. Recordings and notes are on the My Good School YouTube channel.

Topics

New Session Format

• Access: Direct-link meeting, no registration required.

• Rationale: To simplify access and focus on engagement over data collection.

• Resources:

  • Recordings & Notes: My Good School YouTube channel.

  • Weekly Newsletter: GSI.in.

  • Certificates: Available for ₹3000 via separate registration.

The Future of Work (Chapter 2: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century)

• The Automation Debate:

  • Pessimistic View: Automation will create mass economic redundancy.

  • Optimistic View: Automation will create more jobs, as in past industrial revolutions.

• AI’s New Capabilities:

  • Hacking Humans: AI is learning to understand and manipulate human emotions and decisions by analysing biochemical patterns (facial expressions, voice, body odour).

  • Non-Human Advantages:

    • Connectivity: All AI units can be linked into a single network, enabling perfect coordination and communication.

    • Updatability: The entire network can be updated instantly with new information (e.g., traffic laws, medical research).

• The “Useless Class”:

  • Problem: New AI-related jobs (e.g., data analysts) require high expertise, leaving unskilled workers behind.

  • Analogy: The 19th-century wagon driver became a taxi driver, but the horse was pushed out of the job market entirely.

  • Emotional Toll: Constant retraining and career volatility can lead to a “global epidemic of stress,” creating a class of people lacking the emotional stamina to cope.

Human-AI Collaboration & Competition

• Collaboration: Humans can service and leverage AI, creating new roles (e.g., drone maintenance, data analysis).

• Competition: AI’s rapid learning and creativity are surpassing human capabilities.

  • AlphaZero Example: In 2017, Google’s AlphaZero program learned chess from scratch in 4 hours and defeated Stockfish 8, the world’s computer chess champion.

  • Implication: AI is already demonstrating creativity that judges in human tournaments suspect is computer-generated.

Educational Framework: 4 C’s + 2 C’s

• Traditional 4 C’s: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication.

• Proposed 2 C’s: Character and Citizenship.

• Rationale: The 4 C’s are tools for building Character (perseverance, resilience, honesty) and Citizenship (engaging with diverse values for sustainability). Without these foundational qualities, the 4 C’s are ineffective.

Next Steps

• All Participants: Reflect on the key statements shared in the WhatsApp group and post comments.

• All Participants: Review the session recording and notes on the My Good School YouTube channel.

• All Participants: Join the next session on Saturday, August 1, at the bookmark shared in the WhatsApp group.

Heart Versus Mind - मंजुला सागर

 Reflection – Lesson 9: 

"Heart Versus Mind" आज के सत्र में अध्याय पढ़ते समय ऐसा लगा जैसे मैं पुस्तक नहीं, बल्कि अपने जीवन के कुछ पुराने पन्ने पढ़ रही हूँ। किशोरावस्था की कई यादें आँखों के सामने आ गईं। वह उम्र, जब भावनाएँ बहुत गहरी होती हैं, लेकिन उन्हें समझने की समझ अभी विकसित हो रही होती है। कई बार मैंने केवल दिल की बात मानकर फैसले लिए—कभी किसी की बातों में आकर, कभी गुस्से में, कभी अपनी तुलना दूसरों से करके। बाद में एहसास हुआ कि उन निर्णयों ने मुझे दुख, निराशा और पछतावा दिया। वहीं कुछ अवसर ऐसे भी आए जब मैंने केवल दिमाग की सुनी और अपनी भावनाओं को दबा दिया। उन फैसलों में सही तर्क तो था, लेकिन मन को सुकून नहीं मिला।

आज जब मैं एक शिक्षक के रूप में बच्चों के बीच खड़ी होती हूँ, तो महसूस करती हूँ कि मेरी कक्षा में भी कई बच्चे ऐसे ही मानसिक और भावनात्मक संघर्षों से गुजर रहे होंगे। किसी बच्चे की शरारत, चुप्पी, गुस्सा या पढ़ाई में रुचि न लेना शायद उसकी ज़िद नहीं, बल्कि उसके मन की कोई अनकही पीड़ा हो सकती है। यदि उस समय मैं केवल नियमों के आधार पर निर्णय लूँ, तो शायद मैं उसके मन तक कभी नहीं पहुँच सकती। रोमा माथुर की ये कहानी ने हमें बहुत प्रभावित किया जिसका  उद्देश्य दिल और दिमाग दोनों के बीच संतुलन को दर्शाता है।

इस अध्याय ने मुझे यह सिखाया कि एक अच्छा शिक्षक वह नहीं जो केवल सही उत्तर सिखाए, बल्कि वह है जो बच्चे के गलत रास्ते पर चलने से पहले उसका हाथ पकड़ ले। कभी-कभी एक डाँट बच्चे को चुप करा देती है, लेकिन एक स्नेहभरी बातचीत उसका पूरा जीवन बदल सकती है।

अब मैं चाहती हूँ कि मेरी कक्षा ऐसी हो जहाँ बच्चों को केवल पढ़ाया न जाए, बल्कि उन्हें समझा भी जाए। जहाँ वे बिना डर के अपनी गलतियाँ स्वीकार कर सकें, अपने मन की बात कह सकें और यह विश्वास रख सकें कि उनका शिक्षक उन्हें जज नहीं करेगा, बल्कि सही दिशा दिखाएगा।

मेरे अपने जीवन की गलतियाँ अब मेरे लिए बोझ नहीं हैं, बल्कि वे मुझे याद दिलाती हैं कि हर बच्चा दूसरा अवसर पाने का हकदार है। यदि मैं अपने अनुभवों से किसी एक बच्चे का जीवन बेहतर बना सकूँ, तो यही मेरे शिक्षक होने की सबसे बड़ी सफलता होगी। यही इस अध्याय से मिली मेरी सबसे गहरी सीख है।

मंजुला सागर 

सनबीम ग्रामीण स्कूल

मुस्कान, संवेदनशीलता और संतुलित शिक्षण की प्रेरक सीख - सनबीम ग्रामीण स्कूल

मुस्कान की शक्ति

हँसना कितना ज़रूरी है, इस पर सब कुछ निर्भर नहीं है, लेकिन इस अध्याय से यह सीखने को मिला कि एक सच्ची मुस्कान केवल चेहरे की सुंदरता नहीं, बल्कि व्यक्तित्व की सबसे बड़ी ताकत होती है। रोमा ने हर परिस्थिति में धैर्य, विनम्रता और सकारात्मक व्यवहार बनाए रखा। रात की कठिन ड्यूटी और थकान के बावजूद उसने अपने कर्तव्य का पालन पूरी ईमानदारी और सम्मान के साथ किया।

एक शिक्षक के रूप में यह कहानी हमें प्रेरित करती है कि हमारी मुस्कान, मधुर वाणी और सकारात्मक व्यवहार विद्यार्थियों के मन में विश्वास और अपनापन पैदा करते हैं। पढ़ाई केवल पुस्तकों तक सीमित नहीं होती, बल्कि हमारे व्यवहार और संस्कार भी बच्चों के जीवन पर गहरा प्रभाव डालते हैं।

इस अध्याय ने मुझे यह महसूस कराया कि सफलता केवल ज्ञान से नहीं, बल्कि अच्छे व्यवहार, धैर्य, सहानुभूति और सेवा-भाव से भी प्राप्त होती है। यदि हम हर व्यक्ति के साथ सम्मानपूर्वक और मुस्कुराकर बात करें, तो कठिन परिस्थितियाँ भी सरल बन सकती हैं। यही गुण एक श्रेष्ठ शिक्षक और एक अच्छे इंसान की पहचान है।

सुनीता त्रिपाठी

SMILES vs FROWNS

"एक मुस्कान वहाँ रोशनी कर देती है, जहाँ हजारों शब्द भी असर नहीं कर पाते।"

जीवन में हर व्यक्ति कठिनाइयों से गुजरता है। कुछ लोग उन कठिनाइयों के बीच भी मुस्कुराना चुनते हैं, जबकि कुछ छोटी-छोटी बातों पर उदास होकर अपना और दूसरों का दिन भी भारी बना देते हैं। मुस्कान केवल चेहरे की सुंदरता नहीं, बल्कि मन की शक्ति और सकारात्मक सोच का परिचय है।

जब हम किसी को सच्चे मन से मुस्कुराकर देखते हैं, तो वह मुस्कान सामने वाले के दिल तक पहुँचती है। यह बिना कुछ कहे अपनापन, विश्वास और प्रेम का संदेश देती है।

ऐसा हमने कई बार अपनी कक्षा में महसूस किया है। जब बच्चों को कोई भी टॉपिक अच्छे से समझ में आता है, तो वे प्रश्नों का उत्तर खुशी से देते हैं। वहीं दूसरी तरफ, जब कोई ऐसा टॉपिक आ जाता है, जिसे बच्चों को समझने में कठिनाई होती है, तो वे उत्तर देने में स्वयं को असमर्थ पाते हैं। नाम लेकर बुलाने पर भी वे उत्तर नहीं देते और स्वयं को दुखी महसूस करने लगते हैं।

उस समय बच्चों के उदास चेहरे देखकर हम कई बार अपना विषय या पूछा गया प्रश्न बदल देते हैं, ताकि बच्चा उत्तर दे और स्वयं को प्रसन्न महसूस करे। क्योंकि एक शिक्षक की मुस्कान बच्चों में आत्मविश्वास जगाती है, माता-पिता की मुस्कान बच्चों को सुरक्षा का एहसास कराती है, और एक मित्र की मुस्कान कठिन समय में भी उम्मीद की किरण बन जाती है।

इसलिए हमें यह याद रखना चाहिए कि मुस्कान कोई खर्च नहीं माँगती, लेकिन इसका मूल्य अनमोल होता है। आइए, हम अपने जीवन में मुस्कान को आदत बनाएँ, क्योंकि—

"मुस्कान बाँटने से कभी कम नहीं होती, बल्कि हर चेहरे पर खुशियों की नई किरण जगा देती है।"
गुलाबी

                                                            एक संवेदनशील, धैर्यवान शिक्षक

आज के सेशन में यह बताया गया कि एक प्रभावी शिक्षक वही होता है, जो विद्यार्थियों के साथ विश्वास, सम्मान और अपनत्व का संबंध स्थापित करता है। जब शिक्षक बच्चों की भावनाओं को समझते हैं, उनकी बात ध्यान से सुनते हैं और उन्हें प्रोत्साहित करते हैं, तब सीखना अधिक सहज और आनंददायक बन जाता है।

सकारात्मक विचार, व्यवहार और भावनात्मक जुड़ाव विद्यार्थियों के आत्मविश्वास, सीखने की रुचि तथा समग्र विकास को बढ़ाते हैं। प्रत्येक बच्चा अपनी क्षमता और विशेषताओं के साथ अद्वितीय होता है। एक शिक्षक का दायित्व केवल पढ़ाना ही नहीं, बल्कि विद्यार्थियों की भावनाओं, रुचियों और आवश्यकताओं को समझकर उनसे आत्मीय संबंध स्थापित करना भी है।

जब शिक्षक बच्चों का उत्साहवर्धन करते हैं, उनकी बात ध्यान से सुनते हैं और उन्हें सीखने के लिए प्रेरित करते हैं, तब उनका आत्मविश्वास बढ़ता है और वे बेहतर प्रदर्शन करते हैं।

यह सेशन हमें यह याद दिलाता है कि शिक्षा का उद्देश्य केवल ज्ञान देना नहीं, बल्कि बच्चों के व्यक्तित्व का समग्र विकास करना भी है।
सनबीम ग्रामीण स्कूल
ममता

आज के अध्याय Heart VS Mind (हृदय बनाम मस्तिष्क) से हमने यह सीखा कि एक शिक्षक का कार्य केवल विद्यार्थियों को विषय का ज्ञान देना नहीं, बल्कि उनकी भावनाओं, आवश्यकताओं और मानसिक स्थिति को समझना भी है।

किशोरावस्था के विद्यार्थियों के साथ संवेदनशील, धैर्यपूर्ण और सहानुभूतिपूर्ण व्यवहार करना अत्यंत आवश्यक है। एक प्रभावी शिक्षक वह है, जो हृदय और मस्तिष्क दोनों के बीच संतुलन बनाए रखता है तथा सही निर्णय लेने के साथ-साथ विद्यार्थियों के प्रति प्रेम, सम्मान और विश्वास का भाव भी बनाए रखता है।

इससे विद्यार्थियों में आत्मसम्मान बढ़ता है और वे खुलकर अपनी बात करने के लिए प्रेरित होते हैं। एक शिक्षक के रूप में हमारी यह जिम्मेदारी होती है कि हम कक्षा में सकारात्मक, सुरक्षित और सहयोगात्मक वातावरण बनाने का प्रयास करें।
मनोज कुमार
सनबीम ग्रामीण स्कूल

संवेदनशील शिक्षा और विवेकपूर्ण जीवन का संतुलन - सुनीता त्रिपाठी

आज की चर्चा ने मुझे यह एहसास कराया कि हर बच्चे की कहानी उसकी पढ़ाई से कहीं बड़ी होती है। कई बार जो व्यवहार हमें अनुशासनहीनता लगता है, उसके पीछे भावनात्मक उलझन, असमंजस या सही मार्गदर्शन की कमी छिपी होती है। एक शिक्षक का दायित्व केवल नियमों का पालन करवाना नहीं, बल्कि बच्चों को समझना भी है। जब शिक्षक विश्वास, धैर्य और संवेदनशीलता के साथ बच्चों का साथ देते हैं, तब वे न केवल अच्छे विद्यार्थी, बल्कि अच्छे इंसान भी बनाते हैं।

यह चर्चा मेरे लिए आत्ममंथन का अवसर रही। अब मैं अपने विद्यार्थियों को केवल उनकी उपस्थितियों या गलतियों से नहीं, बल्कि उनकी परिस्थितियों और संभावनाओं के आधार पर समझने का प्रयास करूँगी। मेरा विश्वास और भी मजबूत हुआ है कि एक शिक्षक का सबसे बड़ा गुण बच्चों के मन तक पहुँचना है, क्योंकि वहीं से वास्तविक शिक्षा की शुरुआत होती है।

जीवन में कई ऐसे क्षण आते हैं, जब दिल कुछ और कहता है और दिमाग कुछ और। दिल भावनाओं, प्रेम, करुणा और रिश्तों की ओर खींचता है, जबकि दिमाग सोच-समझकर सही निर्णय लेने की प्रेरणा देता है।

सच्ची सफलता तभी मिलती है, जब दिल की संवेदनशीलता और दिमाग की समझ साथ-साथ चलें। केवल भावनाओं में बह जाना या केवल तर्क पर चलना—दोनों ही हमें अधूरा बना सकते हैं।

कभी-कभी जीवन हमें ऐसे मोड़ पर लाकर खड़ा कर देता है, जहाँ दिल रिश्तों को बचाना चाहता है और दिमाग सही निर्णय लेने की सलाह देता है। उस पल का संघर्ष हमें भीतर से बहुत कुछ सिखाता है। जीवन की असली सुंदरता तब है, जब दिमाग सही दिशा दिखाए और दिल उस राह पर इंसानियत, करुणा और प्रेम के साथ चलना सिखाए।

दिल से जुड़े रहिए, लेकिन निर्णय विवेक से लीजिए, क्योंकि सही निर्णय वही होता है, जिसमें दिमाग की समझ और दिल की संवेदना—दोनों शामिल हों। यही संतुलन हमारे व्यक्तित्व को सुंदर बनाता है और हमारे जीवन को सार्थक।

सनबीम ग्रामीण स्कूल

सुनीता त्रिपाठी

My Reflection for the Emerging Literacies Session 18th July 2026

Emerging Literacies Masterclass is hosted every Saturday at 5:30 PM by Sandeep Dutt.

The world has moved from a set menu to a buffet menu. Today, there are countless options before us in all the spaces, be it education, careers, technology, and life itself. But the future does not belong to those who have the most options. It belongs to those who can evaluate, prioritise, and make wise choices. 

In a world of abundance, the ability to choose well is more valuable than the abundance of choices itself. Critical thinking, self-awareness, decision-making, discernment, and adaptability are no longer optional; these are essential life skills.

- Khushi Kumari, Lotus Petal Foundation 

Quick Recap:

The Saturday Emerging Literacy Masterclass, led by Sandeep, focused on a group reading and discussion of Yuval NoahHarari’ss book “21 Lessons for the 21st Century,” specifically the chapter on the crisis of liberalism. Sandeep recapped the previous session and shared updates on the Learning Forward Retreat. The discussion explored the challenges facing the liberal story, including the rise of nationalism, the role of technology, and the concept of a “liberal buffet” where countries pick and choose elements of liberalism. Panellists Gurdeep and Khushi shared their reflections, with Khushi asking about the phrase “people vote with their feet.” Sandeep emphasised the importance of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and character in preparing students for the future. The session also highlighted the programs under the Good School Alliance, including the Teachers Academy and the Emerging Literacy Project. Dr Deep Khare praised the initiative, emphasising the value of comprehension and reading for understanding. The conversation ended with a reminder about the resources available on the My Good School YouTube channel.

A Good School, Twice Defined

A note of gratitude from Nidhi, who attended the Learning Forward Retreat, 19-21 July 2026, at My Good School’s Joy of Learning Studio in Dehradun.

A school occupies a singular place in one’s life—not once, but twice. The first time, you are the one groggily rising before dawn, gulping down a glass of milk, and racing toward the gates of learning. The second time, you are the one rousing another, urging that same glass of milk down a reluctant throat, and shepherding them toward those same gates. It is in the space between these two experiences that the true measure of a Good School comes into focus.

I recently had the privilege of attending an immersive two-day workshop hosted by Learning Forward India Foundation, where a colleague and I sat—quite literally—in circle time once again, engaged in deep reading, discussion, and reflection. The question posed to us was deceptively simple, yet formidable in its scope: What makes a school good? Guiding these conversations was Mr Sandeep Dutt, ably supported throughout by his colleagues Kunal and Sneha.

The insights I gathered over those two days could easily fill a book and perhaps one day they will. For now, I offer this distilled reflection.

A truly good school is one unburdened by prejudice, artificial ceilings, or narrow thinking. It is a space that nurtures agency, champions self-directed learning, and opens multiple pathways to growth, through service, sport, skill, and scholarship; shaping individuals who feel genuinely whole. None of this is possible without sustained collaboration among teachers, support staff, management, parents, and students; it is this collective engagement that makes education a holistic, living experience.

As an educator, the workshop brought me back to the heart of my purpose: to spark curiosity, welcome questions, and mentor each individual in my care as the unique person they are. Above all, it reaffirmed a truth that should be self-evident—every single person is already a 10 out of 10, with limitless capacity to go further still.

My heartfelt thanks to Mr Sandeep Dutt and his team, Kunal and Sneha, for their thoughtful guidance throughout the workshop; to Learning Forward India Foundation for conceiving and organising such a meaningful experience; and to my school, Doon International School, for allowing me to attend.

Regards,

Nidhi Verma

Potato Crisps at the Learning Forward Retreat 19-21 July 2026

Kratika and Sakshi from DPS Abu Road joined us for the Learning Forward Retreat, and their imaginary character goes to My Good School and grows up to become a scientist. He finds his way through school, negotiating between Service, Skill, Sport and Study - the 4S framework his school offers him.

Cheeselings at the Learning Forward Retreat 19-21 July 2026

Presentation by Nidhi and Saumya from the Doon International School at Dehradun

Attending the My Good School Capacity Building Programme was an enriching and thought-provoking experience. 

The sessions inspired me to look beyond academics and understand that education is about nurturing values, character, empathy, and responsible citizenship.

The two-day programme offered practical ideas and meaningful discussions that encouraged self-reflection and reinforced the importance of creating happy, inclusive, and value-based learning environments. I came away with renewed motivation to implement these learnings in my classroom and contribute positively to my school community.

A heartfelt thank you to Mr Sandeep Dutt for his inspiring vision, insightful guidance, and unwavering commitment to transforming education. His words encouraged us to become educators who shape lives, not just teach subjects.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr Kunal for his constant support, excellent coordination, and encouragement throughout the programme. His dedication ensured a smooth and engaging learning experience for all participants.

I am truly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to putting these valuable lessons into practice. Together, we can build schools that inspire every child to learn, grow, and become compassionate global citizens.

Saumya Shankhdhar

Reflection on Good School Alliance Training 19-21 July 2026

Letter from Sakshi Sharma to Sandeep Dutt

Dear Sir, 

I would like to share my reflection on the Good School Alliance Training, which was a truly enriching and inspiring learning experience. The training helped me understand what truly makes a school “good.” I learned that a good school is not just about academic excellence but about building strong relationships, creating a positive learning environment, and ensuring the holistic development of every student. It also made me reflect on the changes that schools should adopt to become better learning communities.

One of the most valuable learnings for me was the importance of connecting with fellow educators. Earlier, my interactions with colleagues were mostly limited to discussing the curriculum and lesson plans. During this training, I learned the value of meaningful conversations, collaboration, and building professional relationships that help us learn, grow, and support one another.

Reading “My Good School” was another significant part of this journey. After my school and college years, I had almost stopped reading books. This training motivated me to read again, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The book deepened my understanding of the roles of teachers, mentors, and principals, and highlighted the importance of building strong, trusting relationships with students to make learning more meaningful.

As I read the book, I was happy to notice that many of the practices and values it describes are already reflected in my school through its association with the Good School Alliance. The leadership qualities of an effective principal mentioned in the book closely resemble those of our Principal, making the concepts even more relatable and inspiring.

Overall, this training has motivated me to become a better educator, strengthen my relationships with students and colleagues, and continue my journey of learning and self-improvement. Most importantly, it has rekindled my interest in reading, and I look forward to exploring more books that will help me grow both personally and professionally.

Thank you for providing such a meaningful and inspiring learning experience.

Regards,

Sakshi Sharma

TGT Science

Delhi Public School, Abu Road

Taking my Learning Forward - thank you note from Kratika

Reflection on “My Good School”

Dear Sir, 

Thank you for conducting such an insightful and thought-provoking workshop on “My Good School”. The session was much more than a discussion about a book—it was an opportunity to reflect on the true purpose of education and the role each one of us plays in shaping young minds.

One of my biggest takeaways was the idea that a good school is not defined merely by academic excellence, but by the values it nurtures, the relationships it builds, and the environment it creates for every learner. The emphasis on kindness, gratitude, responsibility, and character-building resonated deeply with me.

The workshop also encouraged me to introspect on my own teaching practices. It reminded me that as educators, we are not just facilitators of knowledge but mentors who inspire curiosity, empathy, and lifelong learning. Small, intentional actions in the classroom can have a lasting impact on students’
lives.

I truly appreciate the interactive nature of the session and the practical insights shared. It has motivated me to consciously incorporate the principles of “My Good School” into my daily teaching, helping create a classroom culture where students feel valued, respected, and encouraged to become responsible citizens.

Thank you once again for your guidance and for inspiring us to strive towards making our schools places where every child can truly flourish.

Warm regards,

Kratika Singhal
DPS Abu Road

Thinking Beyond Labels: Lessons from the Liberal Set Menu - Sangeeta Singh

My Reflection (18th July 2026 at 5:30 PM)

21 Lessons for the 21st Century (The Liberal Set Menu)

Today's masterclass with Sandeep Sir was truly thought-provoking. The discussion challenged us to look beyond labels such as liberal and conservative and understand that ideologies are often interconnected rather than isolated. The idea of the "Liberal Set Menu" was especially insightful, as it showed how values such as free markets, democracy, individual freedom, gender equality, and global cooperation have traditionally evolved together.

One takeaway that stayed with me was that, in today's world, many people selectively accept only the parts of an ideology that suit them while rejecting the rest. This made me reflect on the importance of critical thinking, maintaining a balanced perspective, and making informed decisions rather than blindly following popular narratives.

As an educator, I believe our responsibility is not to shape students' opinions but to equip them with the ability to question, analyse, and think independently. Today's session reminded me that true education develops open-minded and responsible citizens who can understand complexity rather than seek simplistic answers.

Sangeeta Singh

Academic Head (VI–VIII)

Sunbeam School, Mau

What Does It take to Make Happy Teachers?

It started with one question: what does it actually take to make a teacher happy?

Years ago, in “Health is Wealth,” I wrote about something that stuck with me since school — how my teachers never seemed to take a sick day. A headache, a fever, a body ache — perfectly valid reasons to stay home — and yet they showed up, grave-faced, every single day. I used to think it was discipline. 

I now think it was more of a necessity. Nobody had built them a safety net that made rest feel safe. That question sat with me through the years. And the longer I sat with it, the more I realised we’d been asking the wrong question all along.

The training exists. The teacher doesn’t.

India has started taking teacher training seriously. NEP 2020 now requires every teacher to complete 50 hours of Continuous Professional Development per year — covering classroom methods, subject knowledge, digital tools, and values. Boards like CBSE and KVS have built entire frameworks around it. On paper, this is progress. Professional development is finally a policy priority, not an afterthought. But here’s what we found once we actually sat in the room with teachers for the last 40 years!

Schools aren’t investing in teachers. They’re investing in teaching. 

There’s a lesson plan, but no health plan for them. A classroom management framework, but no retirement plan. We ask teachers to master differentiated instruction while paying many of them below-average wages a month — wages that leave little room to save, let alone plan for the future. Studies on private school teachers in India have found the majority reporting high stress, and lower pay consistently comes up as one of the sharpest predictors of it.

You can’t build resilience on top of financial anxiety.

That’s not a training gap. That’s a foundational gap.

It’s Maslow’s pyramid, basically, except we’ve been asking teachers to leap straight to self-actualisation — reflective practice, 21st-century pedagogy, STEM integration — while skipping the base entirely: safety, stability, health, belonging. Professional development, as it’s currently designed, assumes the base is already there. In most Indian schools, it isn’t. So we started somewhere else.

The Literacy Project for Educators isn’t a classroom-skills programme. It’s Financial Literacy, Food Literacy, and Emerging Literacies (including AI) — built for teachers, first and foremost people, second professionals. Not a one-day workshop where people show up, clap, and forget. We follow up. There’s a webinar every week. We are hosting events in four schools in Chapter 1 of our outreach program, including two that taught me more than any planning document could — at Ballia and Jammu. We didn’t arrive with ten posters, twenty banners, or a convoy of cars.  

Made possible by people who choose to stand behind us without being asked twice: Dr. Kr. Arun Singh of Sunbeam School Ballia, Nandan Kuthiala and Arati Kuthiala of Jodhamal Public School, Amit Bajla of Taurian World School, Pradip Burman and Indira Burman of Gyan Anant Vidyalaya. We thank each one of these wonderful patrons and their teams for standing by us.

Our partners, the Association of Mutual Funds in India and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, who backed the financial and food literacy components with real institutional weight and provided their resources with open hearts. 

None of this was ever about filling a bank account. It was about giving something back to the people who’ve spent their careers giving to everyone else’s children first. And slowly, city by city, we’re watching it work.

Teachers walk out with a plan for their own money, a clearer sense of what they’re eating and why it matters, and a little more comfort with the tools reshaping their classrooms. Happy teachers — or well on their way to becoming that.

Chapter 2 starts now.

If you’re a GSA school, my question to you is the same one I started with: what does it take for your teachers to be happy? Are you ready to actually invest in them — not just their lesson plans, but their lives?

There’s no cost of training. No transaction. Just a school willing to open its doors and a teacher’s staffroom that could use a little more hope in it. 

We’re going into Chapter 2 of this project, and we’d love to have you on board. The question is yours now.

- Kunal Rajpurohit, Manager at the Learning Forward India Foundation, you can reach out to him at KR@LearningForward.org.in

The Retreat was a treat!

Over three days of The Learning Forward Retreat, I had the opportunity to spend time with teachers and educators from different schools from different backgrounds and experiences, we were brought together by three simple ideas 3Rs

Reading, Reflection, and Relationships

Our journey began with reading the book, Is Your Child Ready to Face the World? during the YES Workshop, we explored chapters on humility, honesty, goals and other values. Every teacher had a different story to tell and reflected on their years of teaching and listening to these experiences made me realise that a book is never read in the same way by two people as they had their teaching reflections, and i had reflections from my student life, The discussions encouraged me to pause and ask questions like, do my actions match my values?

Coming to the second day, it was dedicated to reflection where we all worked together to create flip charts based on our learning from the book and being together, it may sound like a simple activity, but what stood out to me was seeing teachers become students again. We spent time deciding how to present our ideas, discussing colours, drawings, words, and layouts.

I had fun watching experienced educators carefully sketching, colouring, and debating which illustration would best match a sentence. It reminded me that creativity doesn't belong only to children, sometimes adults just need the opportunity to use it again. We listened to one another, and built on each other's ideas. We didn’t do reflection alone but together.

The final day was about relationships, we visited Aasraa Trust, a shelter home for underprivileged children. It was a chance to connect with people whose lives are very different from ours. Spending time with the children reminded me that everyone carries struggles we cannot immediately see yet despite those challenges, they welcomed us with warmth, curiosity and joy.

The retreat also helped me build relationships with the educators around me. Whether it was chatting over lunch, exchanging ideas after a session, and thats how every conversation added a new perspective and every person had something valuable to teach.

As I look back on these three days, I realise that the three Rs are deeply connected. Reading opened my mind,  reflection helped me understand what I had learned, and relationships gave those lessons a human meaning.

- Sneha, The English Book Depot