Reflections: Masterclass - Saturday 30th November 2024

Chapter 3: Not Another Brick In The Wall

Quick recap

The meeting focused on discussing the structure of an upcoming book, welcoming new team members, and exploring educational philosophies centred on student-centric approaches and the importance of reflection. The team delved into the teachings of renowned educator Shomie Das, emphasizing the significance of creating nurturing environments for students and the role of effective school leadership. They also discussed communication strategies, including using WhatsApp groups and social media for learning opportunities, and planned to share chapter summaries on www.HappyTeacher.in to encourage engagement and reflection.

Next steps

Here are the essential action items from the meeting:

Gurdeep will prepare reflection questions for the chapter and send them to Sandeep Dutt.

Sandeep Dutt will write a chapter summary and post it on happyteacher.in.

If teachers missed the session or didn't have the book, they should read the chapter summary on "Happy Teacher."

Teachers are to send reflections on the chapter after reading the summary.

Teachers are to share relevant pictures related to the chapter topic in the WhatsApp group for discussion.

Teachers should focus on interactions and conversations in the WhatsApp group rather than just sharing greetings.

Summary

Book Structure, Reflection, and AI

In the meeting, Sandeep Dutt and Gurdeep discussed the upcoming book and its structure, focusing on the importance of reflection and AI. They also discussed the need for bilingual conversations to accommodate participants from different regions. Sandeep Dutt introduced Minakshi, who will manage the Afzal Khan Foundation and the Arthur Foot Academy. We need to focus on the teacher's blog and then proceed to read the book, intending to complete a chapter. We discussed the use of WhatsApp for community structure and the transition from Telegram.

New Members and School Partnerships

Sandeep Dutt welcomed new members to the team, including Sneha Singh from Sunbeam Bhagwanpur, Minakshi Prasad from Arthur Foot Academy, and Jugiv Singh. Sandeep expressed the team's commitment to the philosophy of inclusion and the goal of improving partnerships with schools. He also mentioned a forthcoming visit to Sun City and Shangrila, where he will host a school function. The team also welcomed Sunbeam School Sarnath to the group.

Treehouse in Education: Reflections and Philosophy

In the meeting, Gurdeep discussed the last chapter's reflections, focusing on whether education should be student-centric or teacher-centric and the need for a treehouse in education. He shared his thoughts on how a treehouse could provide a magical space for holistic development, including physical, cognitive, and emotional growth. Sandeep Dutt then read a comment from Suman about the importance of a treehouse in education, emphasizing its role in fostering a special bond between students and nature. The team then discussed the chapter, with Jugjiv reading from it and highlighting the importance of the child being at the centre of education, a philosophy that Shomie, the distinguished gentleman they were discussing, firmly believed in.

Shomie Das' Educational Philosophy Discussed

Jugjiv discussed the educational philosophy of Shomie Das, a renowned educator. Shomie believed in each child's comfort and individuality, centring his approach around these principles. He rejected traditional methods of discipline, such as humiliation, and instead focused on creating a safe and nurturing environment for students. Shomie's recruitment criteria for teachers also reflected his emphasis on the importance of character and genuine concern for students. He believed that a teacher's role was not just to impart knowledge but to create good citizens.

Student-Centric Teaching and Leadership

Sandeep Dutt and Jugjiv discussed the importance of student-centric teaching and leadership. Sandeep shared the story of Shomie Das, who grew from a teacher to a headmaster in three places, emphasizing the difference between teaching in a classroom and leading a school. He also highlighted the importance of a teacher's ability to see potential in students, using examples of former students who succeeded in their careers. Jugjiv agreed with Sandeep's points and suggested some edits to the text.

Principal's Role in Child-Centered Environment

Sandeep Dutt discussed the importance of appointing a principal who is well-versed in their subject and has a good reputation in the classroom. He emphasized the need for a child-centred environment where the principal can make time for children and create a nurturing atmosphere. Sandeep also highlighted the significance of the principal's involvement in the school's daily activities, such as playing games with children and ensuring their safety. He shared an example of a principal who adopted a rickshaw as his desk to move around the school and interact with children. Sandeep also discussed the importance of separating administrative responsibilities from academic delivery and how the principal should ensure the school's safety and cleanliness. He concluded by emphasizing that a good administrator should be present at the school gate to ensure children's safety and well-being.

Sandeep's Experiences With Shomie

Sandeep Dutt shared his experiences and insights about his time under the mentorship of Shomi, also known as Captain Bajaj. He highlighted the importance of experiential learning, connecting with children outside the classroom, and the significance of outdoor activities for children. He also shared a story about a challenging trek experience with Shomi, emphasizing the importance of leadership, decision-making, and maintaining morale under pressure. The group agreed to continue the discussion, with only a few pages left in the book.

Shomie Das's Education Impact and Legacy

Sandeep Dutt discussed the significant role of Shomie Das in developing high-quality and globally comparable schools. He praised Shomi's unique balance of traditional values, forward-thinking approach, and commitment to creating a safe learning environment. Sandeep also mentioned Shomi's induction into the Hall of Fame of Indian Education and his receipt of the Education World Lifetime Achievement in Education Leadership Award. The team decided to post a summary of each chapter on Happy Teacher.in, rather than asking questions, to encourage reflection and engagement. They also considered sharing pictures related to the chapter for further discussion.

Enhancing Communication With Whatsapp Groups

Sandeep Dutt and Gurdeep discussed using WhatsApp groups to communicate and share information. They agreed that the WhatsApp group should be a platform for conversations and sharing and be used more frequently. Sandeep also highlighted the importance of social media in learning opportunities and encouraged the use of technology for learning. The conversation ended with Sandeep promising to post details on a link to happyteacher.in blog in the next half an hour.

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Power Women of India - Venu Agrahari Dhingra

Politics, by its very nature, is controversial, and when a woman takes part in it, she becomes controversy's favourite child. 

"Power Women - India's Political Winners" chooses to focus on the upsides of women in politics and highlights the excellence the women leaders have achieved in Indian Politics with their grit, guts, and glory.

Women, unlike men, work harder more sincerely to make a mark in politics with the boldness of her inner Goddess  "Durga".

These women protagonists have come from all walks of life - some with legacy and some without it - but they reached the highest echelons of Indian Politics and became the President,  Prime Minister, Speakers, Chief Ministers, Union Ministers and Members of Parliament.

This book narrates the inspirational stories of these torchbearers - 16 women political leaders of India, retracing the hard work they have to put into every field of life, especially politics. Indian democracy,  the biggest in the world, has given equal chances to men and women from all walks of life to make their mark in politics for the nation. The women mentioned here made their mark in their own inspirational ways, working for the country and their gender. 

Highlighting the achievements of the country's women leaders also paves the way for inspiring more women to join the country's mainstream politics. It covers 16 women politicians across decades and different parties, past and present, who entwine together to weave a womanhood fabric. The 'Durga' aspect of each woman is a common thread, which these remarkable women have in them and used with brilliance to move ahead in life and outshine in the political world. The information collected has been a year's work of research and dedication. Some of them have been written about posthumously. This book is a culmination of deep introspective analysis from various online and offline media.

My tryst with politics began with being born in a politico-business family. My father was the Mayor of Allahabad (now PrayagRaj) and Member of Parliament twice from Banda and Allahabad. While growing up in a house frequented by many stalwarts of Indian politics, including three former Prime Ministers of the country -  Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shri VP Singh and Shri Chandra Shekhar, it was the women in politics who intrigued me the most. Whenever I accompanied my father to a rally, one thing that struck me was the plight and fate of my gender and what the female politicians did to make a change. I closely observed that women politicians worked harder because politics has traditionally been male-dominated and still is in many countries. The voices of women leaders resonated with me, and I believed that I could be an agent of change too. Seeing them overcome prejudice and voice their opinions fearlessly in the world's most prominent democracy seat inspired me to reflect on Women Politicians in India.

The book is available on Amazon.com, Kindle, and The English Book Depot.
Price Rs. 500.00 

John Martyn - An Incredible Journey

I am passionate about Education... Episode #100
Learning Forward Podcast By Sandeep Dutt

Learning Forward Podcast
You will love the stories shared by our happy teachers and passionate educators. We grow your people's capacity to improve student achievement and transform your school into a culture of trust and collaboration in less time with fewer resources. Each person in your school contributes to the culture of your school. School culture is built on the actions and interactions of the people. You make your school stronger by adding value to others and making others feel valued.

Releasing on Saturday the 23rd of October 2021
Episode #100: Sandeep Dutt pays tribute to John Martyn, who inspired and enriched the lives of the children from the rural areas near Dehradun. Martyn was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1958, and 1983 Padma Shri, from the Government of India for his notable contributions to the establishment of The Doon School. 

At the John Martyn Memorial Trust, we strive to inspire, invigorate educate and delight our children and prepare them for the future

In 1935, John Martyn accompanied Arthur Foot to India to establish the teaching staff of The Doon School, a newly opened boarding school for Indian boys. Martyn was at Doon for 31 years, thus becoming one of the longest-serving schoolmasters in the school's history. After he died in 1984, his wife Mady Martyn wrote a book about him entitled Martyn Sahib, the story of John Martyn of the Doon School.

In his honour, his wife and Martyn's friends set up John Martyn Memorial Trust in a village at the foothills of the Himalayas called Salagaon. The trust runs a school for underprivileged children and provides free education to over 150 children. The past 37 years have been an incredible journey as the school witnessed the lives of many disadvantaged children transforming because of quality primary education.

Since its inception, JMMS has grown from 25 students in a tent to 175 students in 7 classes from Nursery to grade 5. Most of these children are first-generation learners in their families. Apart from teaching, Martyn was very keen on mountaineering; in this podcast, Nibbrati Rathore of Learning Forward speaks with Parineeta Negi, the torchbearer of John Martyn Memorial School and is a proponent of John Martyn's vision. Parineeta Negi brings with her vast experience of teaching. She headed schools and has worked with NGOs like SIDH. Currently, she is the Principal of John Martyn Memorial School.

For more about the John Martyn Memorial School:

https://jmms.edu.in/