PYDS Learning Academy attends the Learning Forward Retreat

PYDS Learning Academy is a GSA Special Project. The academy operates as a co-educational, CBSE-affiliated senior secondary school providing free education, meals, and medical support.

Learning Forward Retreat creates meaningful experiences that inspire and connect. Let us help you bring your vision to life. Discover why it all begins with the courage to read.

From Struggle to Concept : Implementing Manu Kapur's Productive Failure for Class 3 Division - Debika Laha

As a Class 3 Mathematics teacher, I aimed to move beyond the traditional 'direct instruction' approach for teaching Division. This case study details my classroom application of Manu Kapur's Productive Failure (PF) framework, where I intentionally allowed students to struggle with complex division problems before teaching the standard method. My goal was to investigate whether this initial, guided struggle could lead to deeper conceptual understanding and improved retention of division concepts among my Class 3 students.

Introduction and Objective

This research details the application of Productive Failure (PF) in a Class 3 Math class, aiming to move students beyond rote procedure to a deep conceptual understanding of division as equal sharing and grouping. The core objective was to allow students to generate and explore their own representations and solution methods for a division problem before receiving formal instruction.

Phase 1: Exploration and Productive Failure

I began the first phase by challenging my students with a complex problem designed to activate their prior knowledge (like addition and multiplication) and expose the inherent need for a new concept.

 Step 1: I presented my students with a word problem: "We have 36 candies. Share them equally among 6 friends. How many candies does each friend get?" I gave them absolutely no instruction on the standard division method, urging them to use any math they knew to solve it.

Step 2: As my students worked in small groups, I observed them struggling to find an efficient solution. Most resorted to time-consuming methods like drawing 36 objects and distributing them one by one, or using long lists of repeated subtraction (e.g., 36−6=30, 30−6=24, and so on). This clear inefficiency and the occasional errors served as the productive failure—it highlighted the limits of their current methods and successfully generated internal discussion and curiosity.

Phase 2: Consolidation and Conceptual Mastery

Following the phase of productive struggle, my instruction phase was dedicated to organising their student-generated ideas into a formal, efficient, standard concept.

Step 3: I facilitated a class discussion where groups shared their different (and often incorrect or slow) solution methods. Crucially, I focused the discussion on the process—how they tried to make equal groups or how many times they subtracted 6—without correcting their final answers. This reflection helped the students recognise that all their generated methods pointed toward the same underlying idea: splitting a whole into equal parts.

Step 4: I then formally introduced the Division (÷) concept. By directly linking the student-generated repeated subtraction lists to the formal division procedure, and their multiplication trial-and-error attempts to division's inverse relationship (6×6=36 ⟹ 36÷6=6). I consolidated their diverse, failed methods into a single, efficient and established method. This approach ensured my students understood why division works, not just how to do it.

Step 5: Finally, for the post-task assessment, I presented a transfer problem with a different structure (a 'grouping' problem): "We have 40 apples to put into bags. If each bag holds 8 apples, how many bags do we need?" I found that my students accurately and efficiently applied the new division concept, demonstrating superior conceptual understanding and transfer. The clear and uniform improvement shown in the student data table validated my use of the Productive Failure approach.

Student Performance Summary

To quantify the impact of the Productive Failure technique, I measured my students' performance across two phases.

The results showed a consistent improvement across the sample group:

Initial Struggle: Many students are demonstrating significant inefficiency (time-consuming drawing or long lists of repeated subtraction) or errors.

Post-Instruction Mastery: Students accurately and efficiently applied the new division concept, demonstrating superior conceptual understanding.

Improvement Metrics: The improvement varied between students. For example, students like Raghav and Virat, who initially struggled more, showed a better understanding of the concept, demonstrating the potent effect of the initial struggle in preparing them for the formal concept. Students who scored higher initially, like Manaswi and Innaya, still showed solid growth.

Observation and Analysis

My observations and the quantitative data confirmed the efficiency of the Productive Failure approach. Initially, my students struggled significantly, reverting to slow, error-prone counting and subtraction methods. However, the peer collaboration phase was crucial, which made them realise the shared challenge and the inadequacy of their self-generated methods. It clearly shows a marked improvement, indicating that the initial struggle was indeed productive. The students who struggled the most (e.g., Raghav and Virat) showed the largest point improvement, suggesting that the cognitive effort required during the initial failure effectively prepared them to grasp the formal concept when I presented it. The process successfully nurtured active participation, curiosity, and confidence in tackling complex mathematical problems.

Conclusion

This case study strongly affirms that implementing Productive Failure in my Class 3 Math class allowed my students to construct knowledge through personal experience and guided reflection, rather than passive reception. The intentional design of the division lesson ensured that the initial cognitive struggle created a strong foundation and a need for the actual solution. Ultimately, the use of PF shifted the lesson from rote memorisation to a deep conceptual sense-making of division, proving that initial failure can be a powerful catalyst for effective and long-lasting learning outcomes.

Debika Laha

Sunbeam School, Lahartara

Do learners work alone or together in small groups? - Swati Tripathi

Learners can benefit from both individual and group work, depending on the learning goals and objectives.

a) Individual Work:

- Promotes deep, focused processing and metacognition

- Builds automaticity and fluency for basic skills

- Facilitates reliable assessment of individual learners

b) Group Work:

- Produces elaboration and multiple perspectives

- Enables distributed cognition and complex problem-solving

- Develops communication, collaboration, and social problem-solving skills

When to Use Each:

- Individual work for:

    - Remembering and understanding basic concepts

    - Building foundational skills

    - Assessing individual knowledge

- Group work for:

    - Applying, analysing, synthesising, and evaluating complex information

    - Developing teamwork, leadership, and communication skills

    - Encouraging creativity and social learning

Designing Effective Tasks:

- Consider complexity, positive interdependence, and accountability

- Use scaffolds like worked examples, sentence starters, and graphic organisers

- Assign roles and rotate them regularly

Assessment Approaches:

- Formative: exit slips, quizzes, and teacher observation

- Summative: group artefacts and individual tests/portfolios

- Use rubrics to assess content understanding and collaboration skills

By intentionally combining individual and group work, teachers can leverage the strengths of both approaches to support learner growth and development.

How do we facilitate their problem-solving process 

We facilitate problem-solving by structuring the process, modelling strategies, scaffolding with prompts, encouraging collaboration, and guiding reflection.

Without removing the productive struggle that fosters growth in learners.

Swati Tripathi 

Sunbeam Gramin School

🎨 Impressions That Inspire: A Thursday of Thought and Fire 🎶

🎯 Purpose with a Pulse: Why We Gathered, What We Gained

As part of our ongoing Thoughtful Thursday series, this session explored Impressionism across literature, visual art, and music. The aim was to inspire educators to weave these forms together, deepening students' emotional and sensory engagement and allowing creativity to flow freely.

✨Golden Glows and Gentle Flows: What Impressionism Bestows

• Impressionism is all about evoking feelings, not dictating meaning—letting images, sounds, and words speak softly and suggestively.
• Art captures fleeting light and motion; literature paints with moods and metaphors; music stirs emotion through tone and silence.
• Integration of art forms makes learning holistic and heartfelt.
• Avoid giving detailed instructions—give students space to feel, interpret, and express themselves.
• The arts become a doorway to personal understanding and more profound empathy.

📖 Stories in Shadows: When Words Paint and Meanings Drift

• Impressionist literature avoids clear-cut narratives, instead using imagery and mood to allow readers their own interpretations.
• Authors like Virginia Woolf, Joseph Conrad, and R.S. Thomas paint with words, letting moments linger like mist.
• Example: In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, nature is used not only as a backdrop but also as a metaphor for internal turmoil.
• Why it matters: This approach cultivates empathy and imagination, encouraging students to explore inner landscapes.

🖌️ Brushes and Breezes: Art that Catches the Light

• Born from a desire to break away from rigidity, Impressionist painting captures the essence of a moment rather than its details.
• Hallmarks include:
• Loose brushwork
• Outdoor painting (en plein air)
• Bright, expressive colour palettes
• Artists like Monet and Van Gogh invite us to feel the moment, not just see it.
• Why it matters: It teaches students to observe the world more intimately, appreciating subtle shifts in mood and light.

🎼 Echoes in the Air: Music that Moves the Mood

• Impressionist music, like the works of Eric Satie, speaks through mood rather than melody.
• Satie's Gymnopédie was shared as an example: simple yet emotionally profound.
• Introduced the idea of "colour" in music, relating to tone and timbre.
• Why it matters: Encourages students to listen beyond notes—to the feel of sound, building more profound auditory sensitivity.

🎭 When Arts Align: Weaving Wonder Through Every Line

• Blending literature, visual art, and music creates a multidimensional learning experience.
• Effective integration tips:
• Avoid rigid instructions
• Sensitise students to the "why"
• Let expression lead the way
• Why it matters: Students develop creativity, interpretation skills, and emotional intelligence through cross-modal exploration.

 🌱 Steps to Bloom: What Comes Next, and How We'll Grow

• Delve deeper into the "colour" of music in upcoming sessions
• Teachers to experiment with Impressionist-inspired integrated activities in classrooms
• Continue the momentum with weekly Thoughtful Thursdays to build a strong foundation in arts integration

We hope you enjoyed our creative journey through Impressionism in art, literature, and music. Let the colours, sounds, and stories inspire you—and don't forget to share your reflections and thoughts in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you!

The Trust Quotient: Masterclass Saturday 4th January 2025

Chapter 8: The Trust Quotient from Shomie Das: A Man Who Saw Tomorrow by Naga Tummala:

Understanding Trust in Leadership

1. How does the chapter define the concept of "The Trust Quotient"? How do you interpret its significance in Shomie Das's leadership style?
2. What specific actions or traits demonstrated by Shomie Das in this chapter helped him build Trust among his peers, students, and staff?

Impact of Trust on Education

3. Why is Trust considered a foundational element in education, as emphasized in this chapter? How do you see this playing out in modern educational institutions?
4. Reflect on an instance from the chapter where Trust was pivotal in resolving a challenge. How might the outcome have differed without Trust?

Personal Connections to Trust

5. Have you experienced or observed a situation where Trust between a leader and their team led to success? How does it compare to the examples provided in this chapter?
6. How do you personally build Trust in your relationships or work environment? Are there any lessons from Shomie Das's approach that you can apply?

Balancing Trust with Authority

7. The chapter discusses the balance between authority and Trust. How did Shomie Das navigate this balance effectively?
8. In your view, how can a leader avoid being perceived as either too authoritative or too lenient while building Trust?

Lessons from Shomie Das's Legacy

9. What does this chapter teach us about the long-term impact of cultivating Trust within a community?
10. How can Shomie Das's approach to trust inspire educational leaders or individuals striving to make a difference in their fields today?

Critical Thinking and Personal Growth

11. Are there any moments in the chapter that challenged your existing beliefs about Trust and leadership? If so, how?
12. Reflecting on your "trust quotient," what steps can you take to enhance it personally or professionally?

These questions encourage the teachers to delve deeper into the chapter's themes of Trust, leadership, and community building while connecting them to their own experiences and insights.

Summary of Chapter 8: The Trust Quotient from Shomie Das: A Man Who Saw Tomorrow by Naga Tummala

This chapter delves into Shomie Das's exceptional ability to build and sustain Trust as the cornerstone of his leadership and influence in the educational landscape. It explores how he fostered a culture of mutual respect, transparency, and accountability within the institutions he served.

Takeaways from Chapter 8: The Trust Quotient

1. Trust is the Foundation of Leadership

   • A leader's ability to build Trust is critical to creating a positive, collaborative environment. Trust fosters respect, loyalty, and a sense of shared purpose.

2. Leading by Example

   • Shomie Das demonstrated that integrity, empathy, and consistent actions are essential to earning Trust. Leadership is not about demanding Trust but about inspiring it through behaviour.

3. Trust is Reciprocal

   • Building trust requires a two-way commitment. Leaders must trust their team as they expect to be trusted in return. This mutual respect enhances relationships and fosters a sense of community.

4. Empowerment Through Trust

   • By trusting others with responsibilities and valuing their input, Shomie Das empowered his colleagues, students, and staff, leading to innovation and a culture of collaboration.

5. Trust in Conflict Resolution

   • Handling conflicts with sensitivity, fairness, and transparency is vital for maintaining Trust. Shomie Das showed that even tricky decisions could be accepted with honesty and empathy.

6. Long-Term Impact of Trust

   • The trust quotient has a ripple effect, enabling institutions and communities to thrive over time. Trust builds strong, enduring foundations for growth and success.

7. Relevance Beyond Education

   • The principles of Trust discussed in this chapter are universally applicable, making them valuable for leaders in all fields, not just education.

8. Trust Enables Risk-Taking and Innovation

   • When people trust their leader and the systems in place, they feel more confident taking risks and exploring new ideas, which fosters growth and creativity.

9. Authenticity Matters

   • Genuine care, honesty, and humility are key to cultivating Trust. Pretentious or insincere actions undermine relationships and organizational culture.

10. Leadership is a Relationship

    • The chapter reinforces that outstanding leadership is not transactional but relational, rooted in Trust, mutual respect, and shared values.

These takeaways provide actionable insights into the significance of Trust in creating strong, effective, and sustainable leadership.

Next week - Chapter 9: Ten on Ten

I am looking forward to seeing your thoughtful reflections!      

Email your reflections to Manisha at mk@learningforward.org.in or post them as comments below!

If you wish to share any thoughts or other material via WhatsApp, DM 8378978971.

At the service of our beautiful Teachers

Dear Happy Teachers

Well into the first month of 2022, I thought we should note how you are doing and what we can do to help serve you better?

Last few months, I have personally been focussing on building the My Good School ecosystem, the website and the app. I hope you have had an opportunity to access the same? It would help if you did this ASAP, as #HappyTeachers have built #MyGoodSchool.

In our history of LFIN, 2021 was perhaps the most critical year, with the LFIN Academy being established, with a great leadership team with Monisha Datta at the helm, as on date we are signing up teachers for the 2022 Joy Of Learning Cohort, please email LFIN@ebd.in if you wish to sign up. We will host our online sessions on the third Saturday of the month and follow up with Connect>Communicate>Collaborate>Create monthly cycle.

Coming soon is a Well-Being Program for Teachers. If you would like to join the faculty as a Coach, get in touch with LF@ebd.in and find out how to establish yourself as a coach/mentor, there is no sign-up fee for the Well-Being Program Training; hosted courtesy Christa Campsall for My Inside Guide.
Please visit www.LFIN.Academy and explore the fantastic opportunity, experience the joy of learning with our selection of PLP Programs.

With you, for you, always!

Sandeep Dutt
At the service of our beautiful Teachers,
www.LFIN.Academy

Thoughtfulness and Understanding - Swabhi Parmar

Being kind and thoughtful means making ourselves aware of the needs and feelings of others and

then taking action to help them. It means taking the time to stop thinking about ourselves, to put the spotlight on somebody else's needs. Sometimes we can't do anything to solve somebody's particular problem but just the act of showing concern and compassion can help to comfort them and make a difference. For example, your friend might be worried or sad about something that is happening at home. Even though you cannot solve that problem you can spend some time listening to your friend's worries and supporting them as much as possible. This is pure thoughtfulness. This also means thinking for others before yourself. 

When a friend gets sick or a local family falls on hard times, grown-ups should know what to do. They should send flowers, make cards for them, cook their favourite dishes to cheer their mood. We must get our kids involved in these projects. They will find out how good it feels to brighten someone's day. This is also a great opportunity to talk about being on the other side of the good-karma equation—ask them whether they remember when someone did something nice for them and how it made them feel. Being thoughtful not only means taking care of someone but it is also taking care and being sensitive towards the environment and nature. Thoughtfulness stands on the foundation of understanding. If you understand someone or something then the half problem is solved immediately. 

Understanding is one of the most important values as it lays a strong foundation of every value like patience, tolerance, hope, friendship, cooperation, love etc. In my thoughts understanding someone is an art and that art comes from love, emotions and strong relationships. When you know yourself well you know others well and when you know others well then you know yourself well. This is a fact that if the person is in a tough situation and having the same emotional condition like us, we can understand that person's situation completely and then when he or she helps us to solve the problem then it creates a new relationship bond and a very good level of understanding. It makes every relationship peaceful and happy while lack of understanding leads to confusions and doubts. Both the values i.e; Thoughtfulness and Understanding has the power to change the world of every possible living being on this planet. So we should be thoughtful and understand everybody to create a better world.

Swabhi Parmar

The Fabindia School

spr@fabindiaschools.in

Sunil Kant Munjal "I am passionate about Education...

Episode #32: Sandeep Dutt in conversation with Sunil Kant Munjal, one of the founder promoters of the Hero Group, an Indian automotive manufacturing group that has evolved from being the world's largest bicycle-maker to the largest two-wheeler maker. Sunil is a business promoter, an institution builder, a social entrepreneur and angel investor. He shares why we need to learn and unlearn, how the environment needs to be created for better learning outcomes, the idea of holistic learning and the use of technology. He shares his love for arts and culture, how we need to use our learning from the rich civilisation of the past to build a legacy of learning with liberal art at the core.

Listen to the podcast

More about Sunil

Mr Sunil Kant Munjal is one of the founder promoters of the Hero Group, India’s premier automotive manufacturing group that has evolved from being the world’s largest bicycle-maker to the largest two-wheeler maker. He is the Chairman of Hero Enterprise, with interests in insurance distribution, steel-making, real estate and corporate training. He has made strategic investments in several areas ranging from e-commerce to hospitality. He also supports start-ups on digital learning, community transportation, healthcare, women empowerment and education.

He chairs the board that runs the Doon School and sits on the boards of the IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA), ISB, and SRCC. He has co-founded BML Munjal University (BMU) and is President of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. He has also served as president of the CII and AIMA; been a member of Prime Minister’s Council on Trade & Industry and was on government task forces that prepared the ground for India’s banking and insurance reforms.

Mr Munjal has set up the Serendipity Arts Foundation which aims to revive patronage in the arts; he is also President of the Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam which supports performing arts across North India.

Freedom and Peace - Shivani Rao

The real value of anything can only be understood by those who have earned it or who have

sacrificed their lives for it. Everyone will give different meanings of freedom. This is so because everyone has a different opinion about freedom. For some, freedom means the freedom of going anywhere they like, for some it means to speak up from themselves, and for some, it is liberty of doing anything they like. Freedom truly means giving equal opportunity to everyone for liberty and pursuit of happiness.

In a free environment without any limitations, children practice and learn the most important skills of life. They learn how to create their own activities, solve their own problems, make friends, negotiate with peers, deal with bullies, and manage their emotions. Also, we need to consider that they do not go for false practice. While giving freedom to kids we need to consider that they never violate and misuse their rights.

Freedom is the foundation on which peace is built. You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom. Peace means presence of: good, open, positive communication; social connections; necessities and support for school success. Peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. Peaceful behavior sometimes results from a peaceful inner disposition. Peaceful heart is a key to create a better world.

Shivani Rao

The Fabindia School

sro@fabindiaschools.in

Honesty and Respect - Punita Chouhan

Honesty is being sincere, truthful and frank. It helps us to be trustworthy and get lots of respect in life because honest people are really trusted by others. These people are always respected in their family and society. Honesty is the most remarkable expression of self-respect and other-respect, without any concessions to self-deception or other- deception.

Honesty is the foundation for our daily interaction with friends, students and other people. Whenever we talk with them, they feel happy and secure because it also shows a part of our good and clean character, so honesty helps to develop quality property in behaviour. Honesty is the quality of communicating and acting truthfully. As we share with students, the daily schedule may be in the class, in the playground, in the activities, in the examination time and at result time. It helps children to be stronger, better and independent people. It creates a feeling of joy and goodwill in one’s heart. For improving interest in these values, stories and plays are very helpful sources for us. This promise is about the choices we make and how we treat others. Acting with honesty is a very important part of being an honest person. We must always remember to tell the truth no matter how hard it is. We must also be respectful towards others, ourselves and property around us. To show we are always following this promise we must always listen in class, follow instructions the first of being asked and show respect to school by looking after our environment. Honest people never lie, cheat or steal. An honest person is a genius, fair with everyone, sincere with work, always speaks truth and loyalty. Honesty is a feeling of pride, self-worth and character. Some people who are known for their honesty like: - Martin Luther, Cochise, Barbara Jordan, Confucius, Raja Harishchandra and Mahatma Gandhi etc. These people always live in the heart of people. Punita Chouhan The Fabindia School

Express Your Appreciation For Your Teachers

Learning Forward India Foundation

Section 8 not-for-profit company

We grow the capacity of your people to improve student achievement and transform your school into a culture of trust and collaboration in less time with fewer resources.

Learning Forward India Professional Learning Program - Focuses on building professional learning communities. The program leverages the best in adult learning, research on organisational change, and practical experience to create capacity for sustained improvements in educators. #HappyTeachers

Mr RP Devgan, our Chairman, leads the growth of the Foundation and himself helps mentor and train Educators all over the country. He will be delighted to have you connect with him to strengthen the mission of the LFIN Foundation. You can share your time, your resources and even money to strengthen the Foundation.

We are committed to building a sustainable organisation for Happy Teachers and will value your professional capital, at no stage will you feel that this is pro bono, our association assures you of transparency and equity, we value every individual who cares to help schools deliver better. We have a committed set of advisors from all over the world, with 400+ years of total experience. 
www.LearningForward.Org.IN

Yes, we will much appreciate your contributions, it only takes Rs.1100.00 for one teacher to experience the Joy of Learning.

Express your love for your teachers.
Secure Payment Link:

https://pages.razorpay.com/pl_EFPo9acTpd1sVy/view

Thank you

#HappyTeachers

Just Rs 1100.00 for Happy Teachers

Support your Teachers
We grow the capacity of your people to improve student achievement and transform your school into a culture of trust and collaboration in less time with fewer resources.

You can share your time, your resources and even money to strengthen the Foundation. The Learning Forward India Foundation is committed to building a sustainable organisation for Happy Teachers and values your professional capital. our association assures you of transparency and promises to help schools deliver better, please partner us.

Use the opportunity to contribute to the Professional Learning Program for teachers. A small gift of Rs 1100/- will help one teacher experience the Joy Of Learning, and attend as many as 11 training sessions.

LEARNING FORWARD INDIA FOUNDATION

 #HappyTeachers build #MyGoodSchool

Pic Courtesy Nehar Parmar for The Fabindia School

Future of School Education - Long-lasting success in professional learning needs a ‘culture of learning,’ and this is where I feel that if teachers do not take charge of their knowledge, there is no future. The teachers need to discover themselves; they need to learn more methods; they need to share more and overcome the lack of professional learning. It is high time for the PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) to take charge. You too can support your teams to design the Future of Learning – which could be a focus on the level of the classroom and transformation in organisational culture.

DoGAMing is a wonderful self-reflection concept

Excited about the coming Sunday!

"The DoGAMers are again going to discuss the good being done by the members.
This Sunday's webinar is going to be special with me interviewing Sandeep Dutt.
His mission statement #HappyTeachers. Something which is dear to me.

DoGAMing is a wonderful self-reflection concept started by Manoj Kabre.
Aparna Athreya Weaves the tales gracefully of the people she interviews and Anand DoGAMer binds us all with technology." Kesar Patel

So looking forward to this Webinar and the learning that it will bring with it!
#kesarwritez #kesarwrites #webinar #DoGAMe https://buff.ly/3agqt5r

Learning Forward India Foundation

Schools can't become the best places for students to learn and grow unless we make them the best place for teachers to work and grow.

Everyone has a story about a teacher who made an impact. Whether that teacher ignited a passion, discovered a strength or recognized a need, students carry the memory close to their hearts long after they leave the classroom. 

'The things you say and do have a lasting impact on the people you serve. As a qualitative researcher, I can support that statement with data. I have interviewed hundreds of people about the teachers they remember, and I am always amazed by the clear memories former students carry for decades. Even more amazing are the ways a teacher’s words or actions continue to impact their lives.' - Julie Schmidt Hasson

Learning Forward India Foundation

Section 8 not-for-profit company

We grow the capacity of your people to improve student achievement and transform your school into a culture of trust and collaboration in less time with fewer resources.

The Foundation works for school transformation with an emphasis on culture as a service. We'll design a plan that meets your unique needs and improves teaching and learning in your system. When teachers experience the joy of learning, you are assured of better learning outcomes for the students. We do this by involving all the stakeholders - Teachers, Students, Parents and the Management.

Learning Forward India Professional Learning Program - Focuses on building professional learning communities. The program leverages the best in adult learning, research on organisational change, and practical experience to create capacity for sustained improvements in educators. #HappyTeachers

My Good School - We help our partner schools to work for the personal and social development of an individual by offering an environment where experiential learning is made possible through activities beyond just study. The program helps measure the improvement in student learning at school. Our digital portfolio is the game-changer and works to deliver a tailor-made school experience for every individual. #MyGoodSchool

Our work with The Fabindia School has been widely acclaimed all over the world, we have had the opportunity to be invited to Finland, Singapore, USA and other places to tell the story of school culture transformation.

The Foundation website www.SchoolEducation.com will further help showcase our scope of work; the Learning Academy Blog www.BrewingKnowledge.com shares how teachers experience the joy of learning.

Partner us for helping teachers deliver better learning outcomes, send us an email <LF@ebd.in> and help build learning communities.

- Sandeep Dutt

As School Improvement Coach, he focuses on school transformation with an emphasis on culture as a service. With over 30 years of experience as a trainer and mentor, Sandeep has been involved with schools across the country and worked with teachers and students all over the world. Read more...www.SandeepDutt.com

#HappyTeachers for school culture transformation

Learning Forward India Foundation

Section 8 not-for-profit company

We grow the capacity of your people to improve student achievement and transform your school into a culture of trust and collaboration in less time with fewer resources.

The Foundation works for school transformation with an emphasis on culture as a service. We'll design a plan that meets your unique needs and improves teaching and learning in your system. Our focus is on governance, training and learning:

Governance: 

Schools Can Change -  Upgrading or setting up a school, we closely work with the client organisation, to further the vision and mission of the promoters. We assist the school in finding and mentoring the right people to help build a good leadership team. #SchoolsCanChange

Training: 

Learning Forward India Professional Learning Program - Focuses on building professional learning communities. The program leverages the best in adult learning, research on organisational change, and practical experience to create capacity for sustained improvements in educators. #HappyTeachers

Learning: 

My Good School - We help our partner schools to work for the personal and social development of an individual by offering an environment where experiential learning is made possible through activities beyond just study. The program helps measure the improvement in student learning at school. Our digital portfolio is the gamechanger and works to deliver a tailormade school experience for every individual.  #MyGoodSchool

Mr RP Devgan our Chairman, leads the growth of the Foundation and himself helps mentor and train Educators all over the country. He will be delighted to have you connect with him to strengthen the mission of the LFIN Foundation. You can share your time, your resources and even money to strengthen the Foundation. We are committed to building sustainable organisation for Happy Teachers and will value your professional capital, at no stage will you feel that this is pro bono, our association assures you of transparency and equity, we value every individual who cares to help schools deliver better. We have a committed set of advisors from all over the world, with 300+ years of total experience. 

Learning Forward India Foundation

www.LearningForward.Org.IN
Rajinder Pal Devgan, Chairman

Email rpdevgan@gmail.com

Get the Job you will love!

JOB TITLE: FUNDRAISING ASSISTANT 

Reports To: National Director

Direct Reports:               None 

MUST BE:

RESIDENT OF NEW DELHI

NOT MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF AGE

WORK EXPERIENCE AND SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD ESSENTIAL

SALARY NEGOTIABLE AND GOOD INCENTIVES WILL BE PROVIDED

MAIN AIM

COORDINATE INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES AND MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF DONOR CARE AND SERVICE TO ACHIEVE AGREED INCOME TARGETS

Summary of the role:

The post will be responsible for the key areas of: fundraising, marketing and other out reach activities within India. The incumbent will work closely with the Delhi based National Director and the National team as well as liaise with the London based Fund Raising team and the Trustees of the Foundation to ensure coordination of activity, policy and strategy.

The role has overall responsibility for the key areas of:

1. Work closely with the National Director, to set and meet the country’s annual objectives with particular regard to the Developing Partnerships, QA and Extending the Award pathways.
2. Design, develop and implement the fundraising plan, particularly to support the Development Plan 2010-13; developing and facilitating of best practice in the India and in helping key and established Partners with resources to fulfill their plans.
3. Actively contribute to Award Management and development activity within the country.
4. Maintain and develop effective and productive relationships with key delivery partnership organisations, 
5. Proactively provide operational advice and pastoral care support to YES Centres, IOs and emerging National alliance partners in the social and corporate sector as required.

Proactively develop and supporting key Gold Award holders throughout the country and follow up work with the Award volunteers and youth representatives.

KEY OBJECTIVES

• Coordinate income generation activities and maintain a high level of donor care and service to achieve agreed income targets. 
• Produce and coordinate fundraising events. 
• Coordinate fundraising research and information management systems. 
• Assist with the development of Fundraising strategy, policy and budget. 
• Support and maintain volunteers (as appropriate).
  RESPONSIBLE TO: Communications Manager         RESPONSIBLE FOR: Volunteers assisting on above key objectives.
  Working within the parameters of IAYP strategy, and with support and guidance from the  Partnerships and the support of volunteers.

The Fundraising Assistant will:

1. COORDINATE INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES AND MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF DONOR CARE AND SERVICE TO ACHIEVE AGREED INCOME TARGETS

1.1  Coordinate activity across all areas of fundraising including events, sponsored events, youth groups, schools, clubs and friends. 

1.2  Coordinate responses to enquiries and requests for information in good time with attention to the types of communication appropriate for the range of donors involved. 

1.3  Provide a point of contact for support to groups and volunteer speakers and coordinate activity and response as appropriate. 

1.4  Produce Fundraising content for inclusion in promotional material, including  activity updates, the web and external literature. 

1.5  Assist with preparation of presentation materials for events, talks and meetings, representing IAYP when necessary. 

1.6  Maintain and update the fundraising and partners updates on www.iayp.in 

2. PRODUCE AND COORDINATE FUNDRAISING EVENTS

2.1  Coordinate the logistics (including simple budgets), promotion and delivery of IAYP India’s existing Fundraising events: the Annual Award Ceremony, Projects and Events.

2.2  Coordinate volunteer recruitment, support volunteer training and volunteer communications strategies in relation to coordinating events. 

2.3  With support from Communications, coordinate PR strategies for promotion of these events. 

2.4  Support the logistical delivery of major Donor events as appropriate as part of the wider fundraising team. 

2.5  Coordinate IAYP’ s attendance at other events to support profile raising activity, including recruiting and managing remote volunteer coordination of The Award Progrmme’s presence at national events. 

2.6  Identify and develop opportunities for cross-team collaboration and income generation activities at events. 

2.7  Identify and develop new fundraising event opportunities and activities as appropriate. 

3. COORDINATE FUNDRAISING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

3.1  Undertake regular research and analysis into trends, opportunities and issues affecting fundraising. 

3.2  Compile reports and implement systems to ensure dissemination of this information within IAYP where appropriate, to inform development of strategy, policy and budget . 

3.3  Maintain donor files in line with procedures and legal obligations. 

3.4  Maintain and update  database records. 

4. ASSIST WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUNDRAISING STRATEGY, POLICY AND BUDGET

4.1  Play an active part in developing the Fundraising strategy, policy and budget in collaboration with the Communications and Programme Managers. 

4.2  Provide monthly financial information about income targets, to identify any budget issues arising. 

4.3  Undertake quarterly financial analysis of Fundraising income to support financial reporting by Communications and Programme Managers.

5. PROVIDE SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION TO FUNDRAISING VOLUNTEERS

5.1 Assist the business Partnerships to identify appropriate areas for volunteer support.

5.2  Assist the Communications & Programme Managers with volunteer recruitment. 

5.3  Provide coaching and support to office based fundraising volunteers to complete identified projects. 

6. UNDERTAKE OTHER TASKS AS AGREED WITH THE NAA TEAM OF THE AWARD PROGRAMME FOUNDATION IN INDIA

6.1  Provide occasional back up to staff as appropriate. 

6.2  This list of duties is not exhaustive. The post holder may be required to carry out other duties as directed by the National Director within the responsibilities of the post. 

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS

• Working in partnership with the Corporate & Award operator initiatives, a minimum increase of 50% in Fundraising income in the first year, with a focus on developing events related income from existing events. 
• Working in partnership with the Corporate & Business Partners, to minimum increase in Fundraising income of 100% over the next three years 
• Development of an active alumni network with an annual programme of talks and events being undertaken by volunteers by end of first year and a clear progress map for future years 
• Implementation of systems that lead to a solid body of research and analysis of internal & external Fundraising trends and performance to inform future strategy and policy development by end of first year, and future development aims mapped and recorded 
• A high standard of donor care and service to be evident at all times with a focus on relationship building with key donors. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR THE FUNDRAISING ASSISTANT

E = Essential D = Desirable

Experience of providing high standards of support in a donor or customer service environment E 

Excellent written and verbal communication skills E 

Experience of drafting letters and other correspondence E 

Experience of using a fundraising approach that places respect for the donor at its core D 

Experience of giving presentations and preparing presentation materials using PowerPoint D

PRODUCE AND COORDINATE FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Experience of coordinating events E 

Experience of maintaining simple budgets in order to manage events expenditure E 

A willingness to undertake occasional travel to events and to work at weekends and on public holidays in order to attend events  E

Involvement with delivering PR campaigns to promote events D 

Experience of using social media to support PR and fundraising activity D 

An appetite to develop the fundraising potential of existing events D

COORDINATE FUNDRAISING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Experience and enjoyment of undertaking research and compiling reports E 

Experience of maintaining current, organised systems and files E 

Attention to detail E

ASSIST WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUNDRAISING STRATEGY, POLICY AND BUDGET

Experience of analysing data and presenting conclusions in a logical way E 

Experience of providing financial reports to reflect Return on Investment D 

An appetite to develop the income from business and partner sources D

PROVIDE SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION TO FUNDRAISING VOLUNTEERS

Experience of supervising paid or unpaid support E 

QUALIFICATIONS/KNOWLEDGE

Educated to A level or equivalent E 

Experience of working in an office environment E 

Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and the internet E 

Experience of using online content management systems D

GENERAL

Experience of using databases, preferably Access based E 

Experience of working successfully as part of a team with people at all levels (internal and external) E

Well organised, able to plan and prioritise work within defined parameters E 

Driving licence (occasional travel for fundraising events and other purposes is required) E 

Experience of working in the charity sector D

COMMITMENT
Empathy with The Award Progamme’s aims and objectives E

BACKGROUND TO THE POST OF FUNDRAISING ASSISTANT

A busy and effective team,  The Award Programme Foundation has raised over Rupees Three Crores over the years, with Rupees One being raised through sources, in the very recent past. During the year Fundraising products, activities and partnerships have been consolidated and developed, paving the way for an increase in income into the future.

Email your intent to The Communications Manager at the address ai@iayp.in