Showing posts with label holistic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holistic. Show all posts

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Cambridge Chronicles: Masterclass Saturday February 22 2025


Chapter 15 Cambridge Chronicles: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow by Naga Tummala

Q1. Many school systems focus on structured curricula, leaving little room for real-world learning. How can we balance academic rigor with experiential learning to provide a holistic education?

Q2. A student in your class often becomes discouraged when facing setbacks, seeing them as failures rather than learning opportunities. Inspired by Shomie’s resilience when confronted with challenges (such as being mistaken for a spy), how would you guide this student to develop a growth mindset and view obstacles as stepping stones to success?

Q3. Shomie fondly recalls one-on-one interactions with supervisors and Nobel laureates. How can we, as teachers, foster more meaningful mentor-mentee relationships with our students to support their academic and personal growth?

Q4. If your students were given opportunities to step outside the classroom for hands-on learning, what specific real-world tasks or internships would you introduce to help them develop independence, problem-solving skills, and adaptability?

Gurdeep Kaur
Ambassador 
The Teacher’s Academy

We warmly welcome the author Naga Prasada Tummala:

“To build a school is to build a civilisation; with technology, a school can be accessible anywhere, anytime.” Quote from the Linkedin Profile of Naga Tummala

This motto underscores the visionary approach of Naga Tummala, the co-founder and CEO of Coschool www.coschool.ai, a generative AI-powered, comprehensive learning system that empowers schools.
Naga’s journey in education began over 30 years ago as the co-founder and chairman of the People Combine group, which founded Oakridge International Schools. He is also one of the co-founders of FICCI ARISE and a key strategic brand behind its rise to significance. People Combine was acclaimed as one of India’s top 15 workplaces in 2019 by Great Places to Work and The Economic Times and was recognised among India’s top 10 for working women in 2016 and 2017 by Avatar and Working Mother Group. In 2019, its divestment from Oakridge set a precedent as India’s largest FDI in education. As a socially conscious individual, Naga pledged to donate one-third of his net worth to philanthropy.

 

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Please note that registration is required to attend the weekly masterclass on Saturdays at 5:30 PM. Only registered teachers will receive the webinar link via email.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

ScooNews Global Educators Fest 2024


It was a truly enlightening experience for me to recently have the 
honour of attending the ScooNews Global Educators Fest 2024 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. 
Visionary educators and innovators from throughout the nation attended the event with the shared goal of influencing the direction of education.

Key Takeaways:


Holistic Development: The conference reminded us that our responsibilities go beyond the classroom, from teaching school subjects to moral education, interpersonal skills, and social skills.


Focus on Vocational Education: Educators led a masterful track on vocational education that was incredibly informative. Their talks about closing the knowledge gap between academia and business offered insightful viewpointsThe seminar emphasized practical skills and real-world experience.


Leadership and Partnership: Meeting innovative thinkers and school administrators from different backgrounds confirmed my belief that an intellectually vibrant community of educators and thinkers can do wonders for the overall welfare of Indian education. 


Reading as a PedagogyStorybook reading is disregarded mainly by parents and the school. Reading fosters connections between the LSRW and is crucial to children's development. Reading and reflecting help students learn more effectively; reflection is essential to overall growth.

 

Jaipur's warm welcome and dynamic culture gave the conference a special touch. A well-planned educational product exhibition with friends, sharing a great supper with other teachers who quickly became close friends, and rushing to lecture rooms reminiscent of our college days! 


I'm happy to be part of ScooNews for putting together such an influential event, and I'm looking forward to using the information I gained to improve my teaching-learning community! 


I thank Mr. Sandeep Dutt for allowing me to participate in #SGEF24.

- Manisha Khanna

GSA Principal

 

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

What Makes A School? - Paul Puthvenveetil Variath

I would look at schools as holistic well-being centres where children are taught how they wish to learn, addressing not only academic needs but also mental health, physical fitness, and social development. This approach fosters a healthy and balanced lifestyle, personalised teacher-student solid learning, fostering strong teacher-student relationships and a sense of community. 

Schools must be cultural exchange centres, connecting students globally through virtual classrooms and exchange programs promoting a deep understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. Teachers play a pivotal role in the moulding of children into responsible citizens. I can summarise what a classroom should look like with the following analogy. 

In a garden, seeds are planted carefully, providing the right conditions for growing. Similarly, in a child-friendly classroom, educators plant the seeds of curiosity and love for learning. The environment is nurturing and conducive to the natural growth of each child's inquisitive mind. Just as plants thrive in sunlight, children flourish in an atmosphere of positive reinforcement.

Recognition, praise, and rewards act as the sunlight that encourages their intellectual and emotional growth. A garden is where diverse flowers bloom, each with a unique colour and fragrance.

A child-friendly classroom cultivates various interests and talents, allowing each child to bloom in their own way. Just as solid roots support plants, supportive relationships between teachers, students, and peers form the foundation of a child-friendly classroom. These roots provide stability and nourishment for emotional and social well-being. Gardens experience different seasons, each contributing to the life cycle of plants. 

Classrooms embrace changing "seasons" of learning, incorporating diverse activities, themes, and approaches that keep education dynamic and engaging. Just as a garden yields a harvest, the classroom aims to cultivate students' unique strengths and contributions to a rich harvest of knowledge. Teachers, Parents, and Students, like eager gardeners, participate in the joyous process of reaping the rewards of their learning efforts. In a garden, weeds can hinder the growth of plants. So it is in a child-friendly classroom. 

Teachers work to identify and eliminate obstacles to learning, creating a space where children can thrive without unnecessary hindrances. Like fertiliser enhances soil fertility, a positive classroom environment acts as the nourishment that fuels a child's academic and personal growth. Encouraging positivity and mutual respect creates a fertile ground for learning. A diverse garden is visually appealing and ecologically rich. Similarly, a child-friendly classroom celebrates diversity, recognising each student's strengths and contributions and creating a vibrant and inclusive learning community.

PAUL PUTHENVEETIL VARIATH
ADDITIONAL DIRECTOR-QCR&D
Email:qcghead@sunbeamschools.co.in

The Masterclass 2024 opened on the 7th day of January 2024, and this is the maiden Reflection by Paul.


REFLECTION - Food for thought!

Word Association: List 5 words that come to your mind when hearing the word, school? (Building, books, admin, teachers, work, students, learning, break, competitions, exams.)

If the school is the body, then the admin, buildings and rules are the bones, and the people (teachers, students and others) are the flesh and blood.

So, can we say that the School is a Community, Place of Work, Place of Learning, Sharing and Conscious Engagement… a mini version of the play of life with everyone involved playing their role?

If yes, can we say that the lead of each person’s role in the school is, in some ways, in their hands by how they fulfil their role?

How does that make you feel? (Liberated? Renewed? Burdened? Responsible? Afraid? Excited? Curious?)

Monday, November 1, 2021

My Good School Dil Se, Episode 2: Billabong Thane

Listen to the wonderful story of the Billabong High International School Thane

My Good School Season 1, Episode 2 - 'Dil Se' means from the heart! "My Good School Podcast - Dil Se" is about the stories that explain how schools can achieve significantly better teaching standards, foster a sense of community, and help students reach their fullest potential. My Good School Community shares how they connect, communicate, collaborate and create an environment where the joy of learning is brought to life. 

Dr Ashok Pandey, the show host and Director Ahlcon Group of Schools, speaks with the stakeholders at Billabong High International School Thane: Mr Sudhir Goenka, Trustee/Management; Ms Kalyani Chaudhuri, Principal; Ms Sanika Joshi, Teacher; Rehan Singh, school student; Ayonnya Bhattacharya. ex-student; and Ms. Prajakta Patil, parent. All the stakeholders share their personal experiences and what goes into the making of a good school.

Established in 2006, Billabong Thane celebrates 15 glorious years of responsibly creating 21st-century learners and empathetic future citizens by imparting knowledge that ensures young minds' holistic growth and development. A school where children feel at home; Where EQ precedes IQ; Teachers are facilitators, life-long mentors, and their students often remain their "kids";  and Where we unite to ideate, innovate and improvise. The school works to create a bond of trust and belonging.

Billabong is a vertical school, where the Principal sits on the second floor, and the school ten storeys, wherein the show host quips that 'the sky's the limit!'. Kalyani walks up and down the building all day long to ensure that she connects with the children and stands tall as a school leader who works to empower every teacher at school. She considers herself the luckiest person every morning and is always excited to touch the lives of all the people - the children, staff and stakeholders. She refers to the school as a temple of learning and shares why she feels on top of the world. 

Rehan, a school student, shares his ten plus years at school; he gives all credit to his teachers for their pure love and making every child happy without any expectations. His one-minute speech '...limelight makes me nervous, he would like to thank the people he values most in his life...no matter when he fell they did not let him down.

Sanika again shares her transformation in 11 years; she has grown professional and spiritually. The teacher-taught relationship is full of happiness, and she shares how the thank you book records the joy of learning on the campus.

Ayonnya recalls her relationship with teachers and how they prepared her as a person of high percentile to contribute to society. She shares the bond of friendship, activities, drama, and being the first batch at the school who had an entire decade of school experience, offered her the opportunity to grow up to be a kind and compassionate person. When she was unwell for an extended period, the teachers went beyond the call of duty to help her. The parents of the school are active learning partners and appreciate how the students lead; collaboration between stakeholders.

They have a well-knit parent and teacher body who collaborate to make Billabong a good school.

A passionate Billabong fan thus writes:

"Amidst the din and bustle of a busy street
We have a school where minds and hearts meet.
Uncles, aunties, teachers and friends
Make BHIS a happy place to attend.
Austere but gentle, strict but kind-
This is where rules and liberty lie intertwined.
Oh, Billabong is where we love to go!
Because it helps us explore as we grow.
Here we learn the core values of life,
To continue serving as we strive.
Here we learn to wipe away tears
For ours is a school that genuinely cares."

Website: billabongthane.com

Streaming on Vurbl.Com

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

RP Devgan: Draft NEP 2019

Draft Education Policy 2019

Finally, there is a deep concern for falling numbers among Science Research Scholars.

In a Nation where the majority of students studying Science at the Secondary level study it with no passion or love for it but just because certain careers demand it.No wonder there is a shortage of Research Scholars, it is inevitable. We have to change the way Science is taught at the Middle School level.

To make students curious and excited Science has to be taken from the Classrooms to the laboratories and Outdoors. At present, it is all theory and no application. By the time Children reach the Higher Secondary level, there should be a fair amount of students who show a passion for it, passion enough to commit themselves for Higher studies and eventually Research.

If Education is to have any chance of giving to the Society intelligent, compassionate and considerate human beings then the thousands of Institutes thriving on Tuitions must go, be banned. Kota is a great example as are the Major Private Institutions preparing students for IITs and Medical Colleges. These Institutions have started targetting children from Class 6 by offering them Scholarships.

It's just the opposite of holistic education a child needs. It's dose after dose, day in and day out of theory in packed classrooms. Children don't get to see the light of day.No reading, no exercise but just making a beeline to qualify for the entrance examination. We have started producing neurotic Children who have no childhood. Many children who cannot take the pressure and stress get into a depression and the thought of failure drives some to suicide.

It's about time the Government does something to stop this tuition racket and its mercenaries running it.

Mr Rajinder Pal Devgan, Chairman of Learning Forward India. 
Email rpdevgan@gmail.com

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