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

Introduction to Emerging Literacies and "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" by Yuval Noah Harari

Webinar summary for Literacy Project for Educators (07/04/2026)

Sandeep Dutt led an introductory session on the Emerging Literacies Program, focusing on Yuval Noah Harari’s book 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. The session commenced with a summary of the morning’s financial and food literacy workshops held in Ballia as part of a nationwide initiative by the Good Schools Alliance under the Learning Forward India Foundation. Dutt explained that the Emerging Literacies Program aims to prepare teachers for future challenges by emphasising communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking skills rather than traditional academic subjects.

The group read and discussed the book’s introduction, covering topics including technological change, political shifts, the nature of truth in the digital age, and the impact of emerging technologies on society. The session concluded with plans to continue reading the book chapter by chapter in future meetings. Participants were invited to join a WhatsApp group for ongoing discussions.

 

Who is Right?

I was reading the final chapter of The Courage to Be Happy by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, when my son, who was watching True Detective on Netflix, paused the serial and said, "Listen to this dialogue. Rust Cohle, a character in the series, says, “I think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution.”

He continued, "The problem with people is that they are too self-aware.”

We know we will die. 

We worry about the future. 

We regret the past. 

We compare ourselves with others. 

“That's why human beings suffer."

I smiled, and he looked at me curiously. I read aloud from the book I was reading: "The world is simple, and life is too. Keeping it simple is difficult." I said, "Isn't life simple? It's the meaning we attach to it that makes it complicated. 

Take this example. Someone criticizes me. The criticism is the event. 

Then my mind starts creating stories: 

'They hate me.' Everyone thinks I am incompetent.' 'I am not good enough.' The event was simple. The interpretation became complicated." 

"That's not simple," he interrupted. "People get hurt." 

"Yes," I replied, "people do get hurt. Pain is real." I continued, "A dog gets wet in the rain and moves on. A human gets wet in the rain and thinks: 'Why does this always happen to me?' 'My day is ruined.' 'Nothing ever works out.' The rain is the same. The experience becomes different because of the meaning we give to it." 

He immediately replied, "That's exactly what the dialogue means when it says consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution. 

“Animals don't think like that. Humans do. Consciousness causes suffering." After saying that, he returned to watching his serial. 

As I returned to my book, I realised that perhaps the philosopher and the character in the serial were asking the same question but arriving at different answers. 

The character in the serial sees consciousness as the source of suffering. The philosopher in the book sees consciousness as the source of freedom. A few minutes later, I withdrew to my book, and he withdrew to his serial. 

Yet, in our own ways, both of us were thinking about the same thing—human consciousness. So, who is right? 

Perhaps both are. Consciousness gives us the ability to suffer, but it also gives us the ability to rise above suffering. It can trap us in fear, but it can also help us choose courage. It can make us anxious about life, but it can also help us find meaning in it. Perhaps happiness begins when we find the courage to use our consciousness not to dwell on fear, but to choose love, and to choose life. 

The world is simple. Life is too. Keeping it simple is difficult. 

As we wrapped up The Courage to Be Happy in our Masterclass, I realised that the most meaningful learning often happens outside the pages of a book—in conversations, in questions, and sometimes in an unexpected dialogue between a mother reading a book and a son watching a serial. The book may have ended, but the reflection continues.

- Gurdeep Kaur

The Teacher’s Role: Beyond Academics

Learning Forward Saturday

To discuss teacher empathy and student support using the book Wanted Back-bencher Last-ranker Teacher by Kavita Ghosh, chapter 4, “Affection vs. Rejection.” Chapter 4 of the book 

Key Takeaways

• Empathy is the core challenge: The real work is reaching the vulnerable child behind disobedient behaviour, not just teaching the curriculum.

• Prioritise relationships over academics: The sequence is Relationship → Reflection → Reading. A strong teacher-student bond is the prerequisite for effective learning.

• Teachers must be counsellors: They are often the primary emotional support for students and parents facing crises, requiring strong character and peer support.

• A school is a community: It must function as a supportive “village” where staff, parents, and even suppliers collaborate to ensure every child’s well-being.

Topics

The Teacher’s Role: Beyond Academics

• Sunita’s reflection on comforting new students highlighted the teacher’s role as a “third mother” providing emotional security.

• This emotional security is the foundation for learning, as it allows students to feel safe and overcome initial fear.

Case Study: Teacher Roma & Student Crises

• The group read a chapter from “Affection vs. Rejection” about teacher Roma's support for students during family crises.

• Ankush’s Parents’ Divorce:

  • Roma provided emotional support to Ankush’s mother, Maya Verma, during a parent-teacher meeting.

  • She advised Maya against moving to avoid adding more trauma to the children’s lives.

  • When Ankush refused to use his father’s name on his passport, Roma explained that a parent’s marital issues are separate from their love for a child.

• Surya’s Parental Separation:

  • Surya’s assignment on “losing something valuable” revealed the deep trauma of his parents’ separation and his subsequent estrangement from his sister.

  • Roma felt helpless, but counsellor Uttara advised her that her role was to listen and be a supportive presence, while respecting personal boundaries.

Discussion: Empathy, Support, & Community

• Empathy as a Prerequisite: Roma’s ability to empathise with Maya Verma was rooted in her own past experience supporting a friend (Suman) through a similar family crisis.

• The “Village” Model: Brinda shared an example of a school community (teachers, bus driver, uniform supplier) collaborating to provide a scholarship student with free resources, demonstrating a collective commitment to supporting the student.

• Peer Support is Essential: Sandeep stressed that teachers must support each other, acting as colleagues and counsellors, especially in schools without dedicated staff counsellors.

Learning Forward Community Resources

• Sandeep shared community resources to extend this supportive environment:

  • Newsletter: gsi.in (Monday, 7 AM)

  • YouTube Channel: 10,000+ subscribers

  • LinkedIn Page: 10,000+ followers

  • Blog: 35 million+ views

• Goal: Reach 10 million people by empowering attendees to be ambassadors for this philosophy in their own staff rooms.

Next Steps

• Attendees:

  • Subscribe to the gsi.in newsletter for weekly insights.

  • Share th "Affection vs. Rejection” philosophy in staff rooms to foster a supportive culture.

  • Invite colleagues to the next “Learning Forward Saturday" session.
    
    

• Fathom AI notes

Program Relaunch & Book Reading

Learning Forward Saturday February 14, 2026  •  56 mins Action Items  Share WhatsApp no and email in the Learning Forward Saturday group for submissions. Harshita Dalawat Collect teachers’ Chapter 1 reflections; publish on www.happyteacher.in Harshita Dalawat Download chat log w/ names and schools Harshita Dalawat Meeting Summary  Hosts: Brinda Ghosh and Sandeep Dutt To launch a book reading on teacher development and assign the first reflection. Key Takeaways New Book: Launched a monthly book reading using Wanted Back-bencher  & Last-ranker Teacher to explore teacher development. Program Goal: Shift the teacher paradigm from “perfect” to “relatable” by focusing on reading, reflection, and relationships, rather than just training. First Assignment: Teachers must submit a reflection on “What goes into the making of a teacher?” by next Saturday. Resource Hub: www.happyteacher.in It is the central portal for all program content, including session recordings and participant reflections. Topics Program Relaunch & Book Reading Context: The “Staff Leadership Development” program was relaunched to address low school participation, focusing on a new model. New Model: A monthly book club using Wanted Backbencher & LastRanker Teacher to drive teacher development. Rationale: The book’s depth is proven by its having been read with teachers 5 times and by its sales of ~1,000 copies. Format: One chapter per month → discussion → reflection assignment. Program Philosophy: Focus: Reading, reflection, and building relationships. Goal: Shift the teacher paradigm from “perfect” to “relatable.” Output: Create open educational resources (OERs) on happyteacher.in. Chapter 1: Conventional vs. Contemporary Management Theme: The conflict between conventional and contemporary school management, sparked by a CEO’s ad for an “unconventional” teacher. Core Concept: The “backbencher” is an idiom for the “last child in the class”—the one who needs the most engagement. Teacher’s Role: Be smarter than the smartest child to ensure everyone is involved. Engagement Tactic (from book): Teacher Roma disguises herself as a bison or plays basketball with students to build rapport. First Assignment: Reflection Prompt: “What goes into the making of a teacher?” Format: Flexible, allowing for diverse expression: Video Blog post Graphic/image Submission: Method: WhatsApp or email to Harshita Dalawat. File Type: Word document is preferred. Group Posting: Reflections can also be posted directly in the “Learning Forward Saturday” WhatsApp group. Support: Harshita Dalawat is the program coordinator, managing submissions, publishing, and certification. Next Steps All Teachers: Submit a reflection on “What goes into the making of a teacher?” by next Saturday. Post the name and school in the chat for attendance. Harshita Dalawat: Share WhatsApp number and email in the group chat. Collect and organise all reflection submissions.

Why We Return to Teachers

 

Masterclass with Sandeep Dutt

To introduce the book The Courage to be Happy by Ishiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, and its core themes.

Key Takeaways

• New Book Study: The group is starting The Courage to be Happy, the sequel to The Courage to be Disliked, to explore Alfred Adler’s psychology of happiness.

• Book’s Premise: The book opens with a teacher (Harshita) who, after three years, is disillusioned with Adler’s ideas, finding them impractical in the real world.

• Core Conflict: The teacher’s main struggle is with Adler’s “no praise, no rebuke” principle, which she feels led to an unruly class and forced her to revert to traditional discipline.

• Central Theme: The philosopher’s response is that the teacher’s problem stems from a misunderstanding of Adler’s concept of “love,” which is presented as the ultimate test of courage.

Topics

Book Introduction: The Courage to be Happy

• Context: The sequel to The Courage to be Disliked, this book continues the dialogue between a Philosopher (Sandeep Dutt) and a Youth (Harshita Dalawat).

• Goal: To find “true contentment” by exploring Adler’s psychology, which the book’s authors claim was 100 years ahead of its time.

• Key Adlerian Concepts from Book 1:

  • All problems are interpersonal.

  • Freedom is being disliked.

  • Happiness is a choice in the “here and now.”

The Teacher’s Dilemma

• The Youth (Harshita): Now a teacher, she is disillusioned with Adler’s ideas after three years of trying to apply them in a classroom.

• Core Problem: The “no praise, no rebuke” principle, which she followed faithfully, resulted in an “unruly class.”

• Result: She felt forced to abandon Adler’s methods and revert to traditional discipline (rebuke, punishment), viewing Adler’s philosophy as “quackery” and “empty idealism.”

The Philosopher’s Response

• Adler’s Ideas as a Prescription: The philosopher compares Adler’s ideas to “eyeglass lenses”—a tool that can broaden vision for some but may not be a universal fit.

• The “Stairway of Understanding”: The philosopher argues that the teacher has not yet found the correct path to understanding Adler.

• The “Biggest Choice in Life”: The philosopher identifies the teacher’s core issue as a failure to make this choice, which is defined as “love.”

  • Adler’s “Love”: Not a simple emotion, but “the harshest and most courage-testing task of all.”

  • Happiness as a Journey: It requires continuous effort, not a magical, one-time event.

Discussion: Why We Return to Teachers

• Initial Responses: Participants cited reasons like clearing doubts, seeking advice, or sharing success.

• Philosopher’s Correction: These are secondary reasons. The primary, unspoken motivation is “love.”

  • Rationale: Love is the pure, powerful bond that attracts students to a true teacher, distinguishing it from a transactional relationship with a tutor.

  • Connection to Adler: This bond of love is the fundamental principle of Adler’s philosophy.

Next Steps

• All Participants:

  • Read The Courage to be Happy for the next session.

  • Reflect on the concept of “love” in the teacher-student relationship.

• Diana L Kahmei:

  • Recruit a teacher to join the Masterclass.

• Minakshi Prasad:

  • Confirm Sunday meeting details with Vikram.