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.

 

The Open School, by Kartik, Founder, Driveway Devi

 

On a recent airport transfer, as I debated between reading my book or getting some work done on the laptop, I couldn’t help overhear stray bits of my Uber driver’s phone conversation. Things didn’t seem alright and I organically proceeded to ask him if something was the matter. 

Neither did I read a word of my book, nor did any work; like most of us I had assumed that in either activity, would be a judicious use of the time the longish drive would take – instead I ended up talking to the Uber driver for the entire hour and a quarter my intra-city journey lasted.

The minutes hardly called attention to themselves. Though that wasn’t the reward, that I’d been able to traverse a most unpleasant commute without glancing at my watch. Far from it. What this interaction did gift me, as I quickly realized settling into my seat aboard the flight, was the kind of insight, and knowledge, that years of academic study couldn’t have; compressed, authentic, from the horse’s mouth, in a fraction of the time!

This bounty of newly gathered wisdom around small-town Uttar Pradesh and migrant workforce in the national capital, their lives, struggles and modest triumphs, their hopes, fears, dreams and aspirations, their forsaken native lives, sacrificed family members, this gentleman’s wages and survival-mode existence, his ‘education’ that had falsified the promise of prosperity – each word out of his mouth encapsulated an India that I wasn’t ever a part of, and was unlikely to be – more significantly, his was a microcosm of a dismal epic-sized reality, one, astonishingly kept veiled, secret, a closely hidden & protected recipe that served and serviced only a waver-thin minority.

I digress, since this isn’t intended as a socio-political rant. That I’d gained so much, from such little time, and zero effort, got me to thinking. What I’d always known, practiced half my life then forgotten somewhere along my bigger journey, hit me like a ton of bricks. 

The Subjective Past: A Narrative of “Me Now”

Masterclass with Sandeep Dutt

To explore Adlerian psychology’s concepts of empathy, teleology, and the subjective nature of the past.

Key Takeaways

• Empathy is a Skill, Not Sympathy: Empathy is the active skill of imagining another’s life to understand their perspective, distinct from passive agreement (sympathy).

• Teleology Over Aetiology: Behaviour is driven by present goals, not past causes. The past is a tool used to justify current choices, not a determinant of them.

• The Past Is Subjective: Memory is a narrative constructed to affirm one’s “self now.” This explains why people recall strict teachers with gratitude (to affirm their current success) or resentment (to justify current dissatisfaction).

• Respect Is Contagious: Educators must model respect as an equal to students. This practice, like courage, spreads and builds a foundation for all relationships.

Topics

Empathy vs. Sympathy

• The session began by defining empathy as an active skill rather than a passive feeling.

• Empathy: The skill of imagining another’s life to understand their perspective.

  • Example: To understand a student who doesn’t study, imagine their specific life circumstances (age, home, friends) to grasp their motivations.

• Sympathy: Passive agreement with another’s opinions or feelings.

• Actionable Insight: Educators must “dive in” and show concern for students’ concerns, interacting with them as equals to build respect.

Teleology: The Power of Present Goals

• Adlerian psychology’s core principle is teleology—the idea that human behaviour is driven by present goals rather than past causes.

• Contrast:

  • Teleology (Future-focused): We act to achieve goals.

  • Aetiology (Past-focused): We are determined by past events.

• Example: A person with a “dark personality” isn’t a victim of a bad home environment (aetiology). They chose that personality to achieve the goal of avoiding hurt (teleology).

The Subjective Past: A Narrative of “Me Now”

• The past is a subjective narrative constructed to affirm one’s “self now.”

• Mechanism: To justify current choices, people select events from the past and assign meaning to them, while ignoring or erasing contradictory events.

• Example: A man bitten by a dog initially recalled only the attack, which supported his view of a dangerous world. When his worldview shifted to a safer one, he recalled being helped by a stranger, creating a new, affirming narrative.

• Application to Education: This explains why students recall strict teachers differently:

  • Gratitude: To affirm their current success.

  • Resentment: To justify current dissatisfaction.

History as a Manipulated Narrative

• The group discussed how this subjective principle applies to collective history.

• Insight: History is a “grand story” manipulated by those in power to legitimise their rule.

• Examples:

  • NCERT textbooks are periodically rewritten to reflect current political sentiment.

  • British history curricula often omit colonialism.

• Conclusion: The past, both personal and collective, is a tool for the present, not an objective reality.

Next Steps

• Priyanka Rathore: Share handwritten notes from the session in the WhatsApp group for collective reflection.

• All Participants: Review the session recording and notes before the next meeting.

• All Participants: The next masterclass is scheduled for March 7, 2026.

Fathom AI Notes, read with due care.

War vs Peace - Smriti Tiwari

Let me ask you a question—if you had a choice, would you choose war or peace? It sounds like an easy choice, right? We all want peace. But if we look at history, the world has seen more wars than lasting peace. So why does war still exist? And why is peace so difficult to achieve?

The Reality of War

War is often fought in the name of power, land, and ideologies. But what does it really bring?

• Lives lost – Families are shattered, innocent people suffer, and soldiers never return home.

• Destruction of nations – Cities turn to rubble, economies collapse, and generations are left struggling.

• Hatred and division – Even after wars end, wounds remain—both physical and emotional.

Think about the World Wars, the countless battles in history, and even conflicts happening today. Have they ever truly solved problems? Or have they only created more suffering?

The Strength of Peace

Some people believe peace is a sign of weakness. But true strength lies in choosing peace over war.

• Nations grow when they invest in education, healthcare, and innovation instead of weapons.

• People thrive when they focus on cooperation instead of conflict.

• The world moves forward when we unite to fight real issues like poverty, climate change, and disease.

Great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King Jr. proved that peaceful resistance can bring real change. They didn’t pick up weapons, yet they changed the world.

What Can We Do?

Now, you might wonder—I’m just a student. What can I do? But peace starts with small actions.

• Choosing understanding over anger in our daily lives.

• Spreading kindness instead of conflict in our communities.

• Believing that even one person can make a difference.

Conclusion

So, war or peace—which one should define our future? The answer is clear. War destroys, but peace builds. War divides, but peace unites.

It’s up to us to choose a world of progress, unity, and harmony. Because only through peace can we create a future worth living for.

Smriti Tiwari
Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Human Body - Urvish Singh

History: According to modern biology and evolutionary theory, we evolved from creatures similar to chimpanzees about 5 to 10 million years ago. About 3 million years ago, we started walking upright, but the brain was not much developed. 

Latest genetic studies indicate that we may have originated from a group of people in eastern and southern Africa about 150,000 years ago.

Our body consists of about 724 trillion cells, as we have a highly developed organ system consisting of 78 organs in which 5 are vital for survival, which is as follows heart, liver, kidney, lungs and brain. Like other mammals, we are sensitive towards our surroundings and caring. 

Urvish Singh 

The Fabindia School, Bali

ush@fabindiaschools.in

Fabindians Radio History Channel

 The first show by Kusum Sharma for Radio Fabindians

Rani Laxmi Bai - Kusum Sharma

History Channel Episode #1; Kusum Sharma shares the story of Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi; 19 November 1828 – 18 June 1858), was an Indian queen of the Maratha princely state of Jhansi in North India currently present in Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh, India. She was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for Indian nationalists. In the show, Kusum, passionate social studies teacher shares the story for her students and the community simply and eloquently.

The official radio station of The Fabindia School; lessons, stories and media for the community. The Fabindia School's mission is to provide access to high-quality education for boys and girls at the rural level using English as the medium of instruction. The school views primary education as a major stepping stone towards social mobility, equality and employment opportunities. Since its inception, the school has been committed to encouraging education for girls. A co-ed private school for pre-school through Class XII, located in Bali Rajasthan, the school champions innovation in learning.

Listen on Google, Apple, Spotify, Radio Public, Pocket Cast, Breaker

The Great Depression & World War Two - Investment of Bloodshed - Udita Gangwani

Foreword 

A timeline of events that occurred through the course of the Great Depression and World War 2 written based on the home front (Canada).

I chose to create a family of that time and follow them through the span of the twenty years. The family has varied backgrounds and connections which allow the characters to be impacted by the majority of events taking place during the 30's and 40's. The story is written in the form of excerpts from a girl's journal, which talks about the key events that occurred during the time of hardship.

THE BENEDIKT FAMILY

The Benedikt Family is a German family living in Canada with two boys (Conrad and Christof) and one daughter (Evelyn). The mother is a Japanese Canadian (Aina) that married a German. They family is well settled in the 1920’s and are blessed with success and prosperity. Also, the father (Alekzander) has a younger brother who is a businessman in Germany, his brother Gustaf visits Canada once every two years. Both brothers grew up in Canada and hold strong ties with Canada, especially Alekzander who fought for Canada in WW1. This family experiences the Great Depression and WW2 in extreme measures.     

Evelyn Cornelia Benedikt ( June 29, 1921)

9 years of age

Born in Toronto, Canada

Goes to school

Loves watching movies

Christoph Benedikt ( May 1, 1919 )

11 years of age

Born in Toronto, Canada

Goes to school

Reflection of his father ( Alekzander )