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.

Me Too? No Thank You!

A term I first became aware of whilst studying advertising & marketing, decades before its more mainstream interpretation, symbolising sexual harassment in recent parlance. Most marketers invest a lot of time & effort in liberating their brands from the forgettable trap of ‘yet another generic’ and try to cast, or recast, their labels as noticeable, memorable, clutter-breaking icons. Examples that spring to mind include Colgate, Xerox & Maggi, which have dominated collective consciousness to the extent that it has made it almost impossible for other brands to find a place!

 

The analogies we can draw from this realm of ad & marketing, juxtaposed with us human individuals, and the benefits that can be derived are staggering. Which individual wouldn’t want to be as distinctly top-of-mind recall for a critical mass of people in the same way as Colgate!

 

In an age of cloning, sameness, and a desperate need to belong and be accepted, more and more individuals are conforming. Either to family, society, cohorts and peer groups, sometimes compromising certain ideals, at other times, refashioning their beliefs to fit in with the popular majority. 

 

How then is an individual to truly stand out, stand apart, make an impact, and not be entirely swallowed by and lost in the mire of me-tooness? By applying certain marketing fundamentals.

 

On some prior occasions when I have suggested this, and I even use a few of these tools to great effect (If I may say so myself) in my psychological counselling sessions, I have been accused of robbing some of the authenticity from a deep & inward self-reflective excavation to unearth one’s true purpose. I appreciate that concern. My submission however, is that given a scenario in which, for the most part, there is no journey taking place at all, inward, outward, explorative, introspective; at least through what I am suggesting, a young person can build an ‘outward’ differentiated brand-identity for the self – and who knows, through that process, even stumble upon some genuine insights!

 

Which brings me to the simple tool I’d like to share in and through this little write-up. It is essentially a mildly revised version of a fairly standardised and commonplace Marketing Exercise called a SWOT Analysis – adapted by me to better suit a human individual rather than an inanimate brand.

Driveway Devi Life-Guidance Counselling Client SWOT-ANALYSIS

Let us begin with a basic SWOT Analysis of the Self. SWOT, as you might know, elaborates on Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats. To help you get started, I am sharing a SWOT analysis of myself in the table below:

Strengths	Communication Skills	Empathy	People’s Skills
Weaknesses	Erratic Mental Health/Moods	Erratic Physical Health	Tendency To Procrastinate
Opprtunities	Social-Emotional Learning Curricula at Schools	Therapeutic Communications Programs at Corporations	Mental Health Content
Threats	Deficit of Will/Time at Schools, Colleges, Corporations	Artificial Intelligence	Established Players

Conclusions:

1. Partnering with a well-regarded, allied organisation that will boost the national profile
2. Tapping into networks of alma mater, clubs and other individuals I’m friendly with
3. Greater focus on steady medication, diet & exercise for longevity & stability of physical & mental health
4. Advocacy of AI-related deficits in the realm of Mental Health & Social Emotional Learning
5. Proprietary Annual Property that becomes synonymous with Mental-Health + DD + Kartik 

You will notice that in the above sample of my own SWOT Analysis, I have written 3 Strengths, 3 Weaknesses, 3 Opportunities and 3 Threats. I have then carefully analysed these findings and written a 5 Point Conclusion, with specific Steps to best capitalise on the Strengths & Opportunities whilst mitigating the negative impact of the Weaknesses & Threats. 

Kartik Bajoria – Founder, Driveway Devi Life Guidance

Member Good Schools Alliance

Wisdom Mandli by Project FUEL

Hindi Wisdom Mandli Presentation by Learning Forward India Foundation

Building a Wise World

Learning Forward Saturday at 3:00 PM at The Teachers Academy, brought to you by Project FUEL.

"Wisdom Mandli" is an initiative under 

Project FUEL (Forward the Understanding of Every Life Lesson) is designed to collect ecological and lived wisdom from rural communities, specifically to document 1 million life lessons. 

Core Mission & Methodology

Founded in 2009 by Deepak Ramola, the project is built on the philosophy that every person's life experience is a valuable classroom. 

• Life Lessons as Education: The project uses a unique "Harvest-Play-Present" methodology to gather wisdom through intergenerational conversations and turn it into tangible tools, such as games, films, and school curricula.
• Global Impact: As of 2026, the initiative has worked across 5 continents, impacting over 20 million people—ranging from Syrian refugees in Europe to the Maasai tribe in Tanzania and students in Afghanistan.
• Institutional Adoption: Its methodology is recognised as a top 100 global innovation in education and has been adopted by the education boards of cities like Antwerp, Belgium. 

Key Initiatives

• World Wisdom Map: A digital repository that maps human wisdom from every country, allowing users to explore life lessons by geography and theme.
• Wise Wall Project: A rural community art initiative that transforms villages into outdoor galleries of wisdom by painting life lessons on local walls.
• FUEL Fellowship: An immersive program for leaders and storytellers to learn the art of documenting and teaching life lessons using the project's methodology.
• The Wise Child Program: A school-based curriculum designed to foster well-being and emotional intelligence in children through shared wisdom. 

• AI-generated introduction about Project FUEL, read with care.
• 
  Join us every Saturday at 3:00 PM. GSA members contribute Rs 10,000 annually for the WFSG (Whole Faculty Study Group), empowering faculty and fostering professional growth and confidence.
  
  Discover more at: www.DilJeeto.com

#HappyTeachers #JoyOfLearning 
The Teachers Academy

Moral Behaviour & Systemic Hipocracy

Brewing Knowledge Friday hosted by The English Book Depot

Discuss moral behaviour and the complexities of intelligence.

Key Takeaways

• Moral Action Gap: A gap exists between knowing what is right and doing it. People often choose conventional transgressions (e.g., stealing an eraser) over moral ones (e.g., wearing pyjamas to school) to avoid social disapproval.

• IQ vs. Success: The group debated the role of IQ in success, contrasting the book's view that IQ is a strong predictor with the argument that EQ (emotional intelligence) is equally vital for understanding people and the world's needs.

• Systemic Hypocrisy: School systems often undermine stated values. For example, sharing stationery is punished as a failure to be prepared, while competitive success is praised, creating a conflict between taught principles and enforced rules.

• IQ Test Limitations: IQ tests are not a fixed measure of intelligence. Scores reflect motivation, anxiety, and compliance, not just ability, and can be culturally biased, making them an unreliable sole metric for success.

Topics

Moral Behaviour & Systemic Hypocrisy

• The book defines responsible behaviour as the ability to make and act on decisions concerning others' welfare.

• Factors influencing moral action:

  • Awareness: Interpreting social cues and feeling empathy.

  • Reasoning: Knowing the right action to take.

  • Decision: Weighing personal costs/benefits against moral reasoning.

• The "High-Cost" Conflict: High-cost helping (e.g., anonymous donation) creates a conflict between personal desires and moral duty, which is resolved through reasoning.

• The "Should vs. Would" Gap: A study found children know what they should do but often choose a conventional transgression (e.g., wearing pyjamas) over a moral one (e.g., hitting a classmate) to avoid social disapproval.

• Systemic Hypocrisy in Schools: School environments often discourage the moral behaviour they claim to value.

  • Example (Maira): Sharing stationery is punished as a failure to be prepared, not praised as an act of generosity.

  • Example (Book): Helping a peer with homework is labelled "cheating," and competitive success is praised at the expense of others.

• Proposed Solution: Open dialogue between students and teachers in a trusting environment to discuss these complexities and allow students to develop their own moral sense.

The Intelligence Debate

• Measuring Intelligence: Creating a fair intelligence test is difficult because it must be culture-neutral, class-neutral, and literacy-independent. Most tests measure knowledge, not pure ability.

• The Bell Curve Controversy: A 1994 book claimed IQ is a stronger predictor of poverty than environmental factors.

  • Criticism: Correlation does not imply causation. Poverty can cause low IQ scores by creating deprived environments.

  • Moral Concern: Such claims fuel discriminatory movements like eugenics, which seeks to control reproduction to "improve" a population's average IQ.

• IQ vs. Success Debate:

  • Minakshi: Success requires both IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence) for understanding people and the world's needs.

  • Maira: An obsession with IQ limits creative fields (art, dance) and pressures students to conform to narrow academic standards.

  • Akansha (via chat): Some teachers equate IQ with being a top-ranker, leading them to neglect average students.

• IQ Test Limitations: An IQ score is not a fixed property. It reflects:

  • Ability to solve specific problem types.

  • Motivation and anxiety during the test.

  • Compliance and obedience.

  • Inherent measurement error.

• Defining Intelligence:

  • "G" Factor: The theory that intelligence is a single, general factor influencing all abilities.

  • Multidimensional View: Intelligence has multiple, distinct aspects (e.g., Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences).

Next Steps

• All: Reflect on personal experiences with the "should vs. would" gap in moral decisions.

• All: Consider how school systems can better align their practices with stated moral values.

• All: Continue the discussion on the definition and measurement of intelligence next Friday.

Productive Failure: Discovering Strength Through Struggle and Learning - Sunbeam Gramin School

Productive Failure, a book written by Manu Kapur, is the foundation of the Masterclass we attend every Saturday in Sandeep Dutt Sir’s session. In these classes, we learn how to focus on the physical and mental development of children.

Every child possesses a unique kind of intelligence and hidden skill. When we choose our field of work based on our abilities and interests, we not only find happiness but also experience deep soul satisfaction. That’s why it is essential to identify our strengths and interests before deciding the direction of our career.

Productive Failure is an instructional approach where learners tackle complex problems without immediate guidance. This method encourages exploration, experimentation, and learning from failure. By accepting failure as a natural part of the learning journey, individuals develop critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and creativity.

Through repeated attempts and feedback, learners gradually improve their understanding, leading to deeper knowledge and better performance. This approach fosters resilience, adaptability, and innovation—essential traits for facing real-world challenges.

Swati Tripathi

Sunbeam Gramin School

Productive Failure is a book written by Manu Kapur, which we study in the Masterclass with Sandeep Dutt Sir every Saturday. In these sessions, we learn how to focus on the mental and physical development of children along with their academic studies.

Productive Failure is a situation where failure becomes an opportunity to learn and grow. This concept teaches us that failure should not be seen as something negative, but rather as a valuable learning experience. Through repeated efforts and constructive feedback, we can continue to improve and move forward.

Some important aspects of Productive Failure include:

• Providing learning opportunities

• Experimenting with innovation

• Flexibility and patience

• Self-reflection

This concept helps us see failure as a stepping stone to success rather than an obstacle. By embracing failure and learning from it, we can develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and resilience.

Ravi Prakash
Sunbeam Gramin School

Emotional Intelligence - RP Devgan

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage one's emotions. It also involves recognising the feelings of others with compassion. Most children today are unprepared to face the challenges they encounter and give up far too easily. This results from the environment in which they grow up, their exposure to social media, peer influence, and feelings of insecurity.

To be emotionally strong, one must confront occasional failures and setbacks. Those who rise above the odds succeed in life. How does one cultivate emotional intelligence? 

Participating in team games, project-based activities, and solving problems together helps build self-esteem. Team games and activities are essential because they teach us to cooperate, plan, and share ideas. In the event of a match loss or setback, the team comes together to strategise on overcoming weaknesses. The sense of togetherness fosters strong relationships, providing a feeling of security while helping to combat challenges.

Sportspersons are generally emotionally intense because they have learned how to cope with losing. Failure is a great teacher. Losing a match or being unsuccessful is not the end of the world. One must be tough and resilient to get up once again and overcome the odds. This teaches us to manage our emotions both in victory and defeat, and emphasises respecting others' feelings.

Compassion, humility, kindness, and helpfulness are the virtues of an emotionally intense person. In today's world, where people tend to be self-centred, relationships and friendships play a crucial role in building confidence and a sense of security. These life skills help to develop emotional strength and prepare one for any setbacks.

RP Devgan is the Chairman of the Learning Forward India Foundation and a lifelong teacher with experience leading schools worldwide. He advises schools and serves on the board of a residential school in India.