Taking my Learning Forward - thank you note from Kratika

Reflection on “My Good School”

Dear Sir, 

Thank you for conducting such an insightful and thought-provoking workshop on “My Good School”. The session was much more than a discussion about a book—it was an opportunity to reflect on the true purpose of education and the role each one of us plays in shaping young minds.

One of my biggest takeaways was the idea that a good school is not defined merely by academic excellence, but by the values it nurtures, the relationships it builds, and the environment it creates for every learner. The emphasis on kindness, gratitude, responsibility, and character-building resonated deeply with me.

The workshop also encouraged me to introspect on my own teaching practices. It reminded me that as educators, we are not just facilitators of knowledge but mentors who inspire curiosity, empathy, and lifelong learning. Small, intentional actions in the classroom can have a lasting impact on students’
lives.

I truly appreciate the interactive nature of the session and the practical insights shared. It has motivated me to consciously incorporate the principles of “My Good School” into my daily teaching, helping create a classroom culture where students feel valued, respected, and encouraged to become responsible citizens.

Thank you once again for your guidance and for inspiring us to strive towards making our schools places where every child can truly flourish.

Warm regards,

Kratika Singhal
DPS Abu Road

Educational Activities and Learning Experiences

Learning Forward Saturday

Reviewing educational findings and planning new teaching strategies.

Key Takeaways

• Shift from feedback to "feedforward" to guide students on how to improve their work, not just mark it wrong.
• Systematically teach reading using two methods: phonics (sound-symbol association) and sight reading (recognising whole words like "the").
• Move beyond copying to foster creativity by having students compose original stories, even from pictures, to demonstrate proper application of learning.
• Launch "Wisdom Mandali" next year, a teacher-led initiative to share stories and lead sessions, with Neelashi M in a supporting role.

Topics

The Problem: Ineffective Feedback & Reading Instruction

The session began with a review of prior findings on effective teaching.

Ineffective Feedback:

Current practice (e.g., Saroj's) is real-time correction during class.

Drawback: This creates idle time for students while they wait for the teacher, reducing productive learning.

Ineffective Reading Instruction:

The group identified a need to move beyond simple decoding.

Rationale: Reading comprehension requires more than just sounding out words; it involves understanding context and meaning.

The Solution: "Feedforward" & Systematic Reading Instruction

"Feedforward" for Improvement:

Brinda introduced "feedforward" as a more effective alternative to simple feedback.

Principle: Guides students on how to correct mistakes and improve work, rather than just identifying errors.

Implementation: Use rubrics to set clear expectations and empower students to self-correct.

Systematic Reading Instruction:

Brinda outlined a two-pronged approach for compelling reading:

Phonics: Reinforce sound-symbol association (e.g., the letter 'A' makes the 'ah' sound).

Sight Reading: Teach students to recognise high-frequency words as whole units (e.g., 'the') to build fluency.

Action: HP will lead a dedicated teacher training session on these methods.

Application: Fostering Creativity & Engagement

Writing Beyond Copying:

A key recommendation is to move beyond copying exercises to give students opportunities to compose their own texts and express ideas.

Rationale: Original composition is the ultimate test of applied learning.

Creative Storytelling:

Gulabee's "market" activity showed how open-ended questions can spark student stories.

Brinda's Suggestion: Provide broad prompts (e.g., "Write a story about this picture") instead of leading questions to encourage greater imagination.

Thematic Learning:

Sunita Tripathi requested new, time-efficient ideas for small classes.

Brinda's Suggestion: Use a single theme (e.g., "Winter Season") for 10–15 days to integrate activities across subjects (English, Science, Math) and maximise learning time.

Future Initiative: "Wisdom Mandali"

Neelashi M announced a new initiative for the upcoming year: "Wisdom Mandali."

• Purpose: A teacher-led forum for sharing stories and leading sessions.
• Role: Neelashi M will provide background support, empowering teachers to take the lead.

Next Steps

Minakshi: Send adolescent mapping printing work to Neelashi M.

Brinda: Plan and lead a dedicated teacher training session on phonics and sight reading.

Neelashi M: Plan a future session with HP to provide teachers with concrete, implementable pedagogical methods and samples.

Learning Forward Saturday

Lesson Planning Strategy - hosted on Friday the 31st of October 2025!

Neelashi and Minakshi discussed various teaching activities and lesson planning strategies, focusing on incorporating games, memory exercises, and interactive methods to engage students and improve learning outcomes. They emphasised the importance of structured lesson plans that accommodate different subjects and activities while considering students' learning styles and needs.  the importance of structured lesson plans that accommodate different subjects and activities while considering students' learning styles and needs. The conversation ended with plans for teachers to develop lesson plans in groups, with a focus on incorporating Hindi language instruction and coordinating activities for implementation.

Next steps

• Lalita, Sakshi, and Rahima: Submit two items to Neelashi - finger ring and original storybook
• Lalita: Start creating lesson plan for the coming week
• All three teachers : Create lesson plans for five days covering Hindi, Math, English, Activities, and Games
• Minakshi ji: Send picture of Lalita's lesson plan to Neelashi and post it on the group for documentation
• All three teachers: Exchange and review each other's lesson plans
• Lalita: Decide which story to tell and prepare questions in advance, including critical thinking questions
• Lalita and Sakshi: Use Rahima's activities in their classes
• Sakshi: Prepare materials for counting activities before class
• Rahima: Prepare questions using internet resources for introducing the number 1 concept
• All three teachers: Decide together when to send completed lesson plans to Neelashi by tomorrow

Summary

Word Association Game Discussion

Neelashi and Minakshi discussed a game activity involving word association and memory, where participants were asked to recall words related to a theme. Minakshi clarified that the game involved recalling nouns and verbs, while Neelashi explained the rules and encouraged participants to focus and maintain a steady heart rate. They also discussed the importance of a structured lesson plan, with Neelashi emphasizing the need to improve plans based on past experiences and the specific needs of different subjects and activities.

Lesson Planning and Implementation Strategies

The meeting focused on lesson planning and implementation strategies for the upcoming week. Neelashi and Minakshi discussed the importance of creating detailed lesson plans that incorporate activities for body coordination, reading, math, and English, as well as incorporating games and drawing. They emphasised the need to observe students' learning styles to tailor teaching methods effectively. Minakshi and Neelashi also addressed the importance of implementing lesson plans consistently and reflecting on their effectiveness to improve future planning.

Game-Based Teaching Strategy Discussion

Minakshi and Neelashi discussed plans for a teaching session, focusing on using games and activities to engage students. They decided to divide the teachers into groups and have them develop lesson plans, with an emphasis on incorporating Hindi language instruction. Neelashi suggested that Meenakshi would circulate among the teachers to provide support and gather feedback. The session was scheduled to last 10-15 minutes, with plans to reconvene later.

Lesson Plan Progress and Challenges

Neelashi and Minakshi discussed the progress of a lesson plan, with Arthur noting that while it would be beneficial in the long run, the current implementation was challenging due to the participants being "raw" to the process. Arthur mentioned being occupied with work related to the Anvil Day function, which Neelashi confirmed was not a problem.

Art Corner Lesson Planning Discussion

मीनाक्षी and Neelashi discussed plans for an art corner and lesson activities. They agreed to review a lesson plan with Lalitha and discuss potential improvements. Neelashi requested that Minakshi send a picture of the lesson plan to the group for documentation purposes. They also briefly touched on ticket availability and a new experience related to a project.

Lesson Planning and Teaching Strategies

Neelashi and Minakshi discussed lesson planning and teaching strategies, focusing on incorporating activities and questions to enhance student engagement and comprehension. Arthur was tasked with preparing and presenting a lesson plan, which Neelashi emphasized should include critical thinking-based questions and factual content. They also discussed the use of visual aids and interactive methods to teach numbers and counting, with Neelashi suggesting the use of internet resources for additional support. The conversation ended with Neelashi asking Minakshi to coordinate with other teachers to finalise the lesson plan and activities, with a plan to review them before implementation.

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Freedom & Peace - Innovators BHIS

     Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding. - Albert Einstein

 In a class of forty students, Jia always stood out from the rest as she was far ahead of her classmates in regards to academics. She would always keep herself immersed in books as if she had no other friends. She was excellent in her performances in all the subjects. She had hoards of knowledge on any topic as she was a voracious reader. Only one thing made her shrink into her cocoon and that was if she was asked to speak or give vent to her thoughts. She would shy away from that within seconds….never wanting to speak up! This shying away into her shell worried her class teacher a lot. The teacher would always think about ways to make her express herself, most of the time wondering why such an exceptionally intelligent child would be cocooned in her shell! She decided to take one to one interactive session with her class so that she could make Jia speak up. As decided, she informed the class that they would have an interactive session on a particular day and that they should be ready to speak on something that they haven’t spoken to anyone else about.

In the allotted class, the teacher was there on time as she had an agenda on her mind. Finally, it was Jia’s turn. This shy teenager somehow walked up to the teacher’s desk and sat on the chair with her head lowered. As the teacher gently asked her to speak on what she wanted to share, there were tears rolling down her cheeks…she very discreetly shared that her parents were never at peace with each other. After repeated nasty fights at home, they had finally decided to part ways She was extremely perplexed as to who she would be with….she wanted to be with both! The teacher comforted her as much as she could and explained that adults had the freedom to make their choices in life. Jia, while wiping away her tears, owned up to her teacher that she was feeling a lot relieved by being able to speak her heart out. She thanked her teacher. She suddenly felt that she was freed from the clutches of her sorrows and dilemmas. This day of opening her heart out to her teacher and her feeling of freedom from her brought her inexplicable peace! She slowly started mingling freely with her classmates and felt happy, free and at peace as would any other girl of her age.

Innovators @ Billabong High International School, Thane

-Vaishali Phatak, Smita Bobhate, Bhumi Punjabi, Krishnakshi RaviShankor.