How we learn, freedom and self-realisation

Brewing Knowledge Friday - July 4th 2025

We discussed brain structure, function, and learning processes and read about freedom and self-realisation.

Key Takeaways

• The human brain has evolved over millions of years, with specialised modules for different functions

• Neural plasticity allows humans to learn non-innate skills through explicit instruction and practice

• Schools are designed for teaching "secondary abilities" or non-innate skills, but learning can be made more meaningful and enjoyable.

• The story of the Merchant and Parrot illustrates how attachment to talents/comforts can be a form of imprisonment

Topics

Brain Structure and Function

• The brain consists of ~100 billion neurons that transmit information via electrochemical reactions

• Different brain regions specialise in functions such as visual processing, language, and memory.

• The Hippocampus plays a crucial role in forming new memories and exhibits adult neurogenesis

• No single "control center" exists; brain uses parallel distributed processing

Evolution and Learning

• Human brains evolved for hunter-gatherer challenges but now face modern environments

• "Folk" knowledge in physics, biology, and psychology develops naturally in children

• Humans have a unique ability to learn non-innate skills and pass knowledge across generations

• Neural plasticity allows for learning a wide range of skills not evolved for (e.g. reading, math)

Implications for Education

• Schools teach "biological secondary abilities" requiring explicit instruction

• Current educational approaches are often painful/unsuccessful for many students

• Opportunity exists to tailor teaching methods to brain function and child development

• The goal should be to make learning more meaningful and enjoyable

Merchant and Parrot Story

• Parrot in captivity sends a message to free parrots via merchant

• Free parrot feigns death upon hearing message

• Captive parrot mimics this to gain freedom from its cage

• Moral: Attachment to talents/comforts can be a form of self-imposed captivity

Next Steps

• Participants to reflect on brain function and learning concepts discussed

• Read more from the suggested resources if interested

• The next session on July 11th will cover Chapter 2: "How Learning Happens"

• Manisha to frame and share reflection questions in the WhatsApp group

• Recording and notes to be available on www.happyteacher.in within 24 hours

Productive Failure: A Student’s Perspective- Sunbeam School Varuna

Introduction

In the work of educational researcher Manu Kapur, the concept of Productive Failure challenges the belief that students should always aim to get the correct answer right away. Instead, Kapur suggests that failing in the early stages of a task—when it is meaningful and structured—can actually lead to stronger

understanding and deeper learning. This approach encourages us to view mistakes not as setbacks, but as powerful learning tools.

The Traditional Approach to Learning

In most classrooms, success is usually defined by how quickly and accurately a student arrives at the correct answer. Students are often:

- Taught formulas and methods before trying to solve problems.

- Encouraged to memorize procedures.

- Praised for speed and discouraged from making errors.

- Evaluated mainly through tests and grades.

While this system works for some, I’ve often found that it doesn’t leave room for real exploration or questioning. Personally, I remember struggling with math problems in class—especially when I didn’t understand the method right away. I used to feel like I was just “bad at it,” but in reality, I needed more time to try, fail, and truly make sense of the problem.

The Concept of Productive Failure

Manu Kapur’s research introduces Productive Failure as a learning design where students are given a complex problem before being taught the solution. They are encouraged to:

- Attempt different strategies.

- Work in groups to explore ideas.

- Make mistakes and discuss them.

- Reflect on what didn’t work and why.

What’s powerful about this is that the struggle isn’t wasted—it prepares the brain to absorb the correct concept more meaningfully during instruction. For example, in a science class, instead of being told how an electric circuit works, students might first try to light a bulb using wires and a battery on their own. Even if they fail, the confusion they experience will help them pay closer attention when the teacher later explains the concept.

My Personal Experience with Productive Failure

One of the best examples of Productive Failure in my own experience was during a group project in school where we had to build a simple water filtration system. We were not given instructions—we had to figure it out ourselves. Our first attempt was a complete failure: the water remained muddy, and our structure collapsed. At first, it felt frustrating and embarrassing. But when we discussed what went wrong and researched better materials, we ended up building a working model. That success felt much more satisfying than if we had been handed the steps in the beginning. Through that failure, I not only learned about water filtration—I learned how to think critically, collaborate, and persist. These are skills that don’t come from just getting the right answer the first time.

The Teacher’s Role in Productive Failure

Just like in Kavita Ghosh’s book Wanted Backbenchers and Last Ranker Teacher, where she encourages teachers to see beyond grades and labels, Kapur’s idea also asks educators to take a more open and supportive role. Teachers should:

- Let students attempt challenging problems before teaching them solutions.

- Create a classroom culture where mistakes are accepted and even celebrated.

- Guide students to reflect on their thinking processes.

- Encourage perseverance and resilience rather than just perfection.

Conclusion

Productive Failure turns the fear of failure into a powerful learning experience. Manu Kapur shows us that it’s okay to struggle—in fact, it’s necessary. As a student, I’ve realised that the moments I learned the most were not the ones where I succeeded right away, but the ones where I failed, reflected, and tried again. If more classrooms adopted this mindset, learning could become more engaging, less stressful, and much more meaningful for everyone. Failure, when guided well, doesn’t stop learning—it deepens it.

Sunbeam School Varuna PLC

Faizan Ahmad

Amit Mittal 

Isha Hora Chopra

Mohd. Imran

                         

Transformative Learning: Strategies for Success

Reflection questions based on Chapter 5: Performance Scores Must Be Honest and Chapter 6: People, Scores and Outcomes from My Good School by Sandeep Dutt:

Chapter 5: Performance Scores Must Be Honest

1. How can we ensure student assessments reflect their understanding and growth rather than just test-taking ability?
   (Consider both academic and personal development perspectives.)

2. How does honest feedback, both given and received, influence the learning culture in a school?
   (Reflect on the role of trust and transparency in your teaching or learning environment.)

Chapter 6: People Scores and Outcomes

3. How can we better measure a student's contribution to the school community beyond academic grades?
   (Think about leadership, collaboration, empathy, and service.)

4. What changes can we make in our schools to shift the focus from competition to character and community development?
   (Reflect on how success is currently defined and how it could be reimagined.)

📚 My Good School Reading Session Summary

🌿 A Special Session at Khan Farm

The recent reading session was uniquely held at Khan Farm, near Rajaji National Park, offering a serene and natural setting for a meaningful gathering. The session was designed for our Special Schools and brought together participants from various regions.

The virtual meeting ran smoothly thanks to a smooth technical setup and strong coordination. The peaceful surroundings and collaborative spirit made the session memorable, highlighting the power of learning in harmony with nature.

📖 Chapter Discussion: Reflections on Chapters 5 and 6

The main body of the session was focused on Chapters 5 and 6: Performance Scores Must be Honest and People Scores and Outcomes from the reading material.
Key discussion points included:

• Self-Care and Love: A highlight was the importance of nurturing the self—connecting body, mind, and soul.

• Teacher Reflections: Sandeep Dutt encouraged teachers to reflect on their challenges and share personal stories to build mutual understanding.

• Work-life balance: This theme emerged as a crucial takeaway, emphasizing emotional well-being and balance in professional and personal spheres.

⚖️ Balancing Act: Challenges in Education

The session moved into more profound reflections around the daily struggles teachers face:

• Peer Pressure and Burnout: Discussed as everyday stressors among educators.

• Work-Life Balance: Reiterated by Seema Khare, who introduced the idea of a "Tipping Point", stressing the need to maintain harmony to prevent burnout.

• Group consensus formed around the importance of self-awareness, mindfulness, and time management.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Self-care is not a luxury—educators need to be effective.

• Building positive connections within oneself enhances professional capability.

• Regular reflections help personal growth and create a culture of empathy and openness in schools.

• Staying connected helps maintain momentum and mutual support among educators.

🏁 Closing & Gratitude

The session concluded with a warm thank you from My Good School Retreat.
Sandeep Dutt and Manisha stressed the importance of:

• Staying connected through WhatsApp groups and other digital platforms.

• Continuing open dialogue around well-being and personal development.

I request everyone to share their learning outcomes by posting a reflection below the post or emailing it to mk@learningforward.org.in. Your thoughts and insights will be valuable to the community! I look forward to applying these strategies and growing through such learning opportunities.

Session highlights

Meeting ID

Supratim Kar Co Founder Edtree.IN shares his story

Learning Forward Saturday Podcast

In today’s episode, Supratim Kar shares his experience with the education system, how the traditional methods need remodelling to suit the altering dynamics of the education system, the learner-centric education system is the newfound method and how it is reshaping the pedagogy, how to enable the learners to take their learning forward, how to translate learning into something quantifiable and how to make it actionable, how children should be assessed and the basics of assessment, his experience with Learning Forward India Foundation and much more.

He is a passionate writer and has authored a memoir on behalf of India’s leading IT luminary, which helped shape the IT Industry in its formative years. A voracious reader, he loves classical music and spends his spare time sharing his thoughts with the world at large through his blog.

Learning Forward Station on Vurbl.Com
https://vurbl.com/station/learning-forward/

You will love the stories shared by our happy teachers and passionate educators. We grow the capacity of your people 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.

Vurbl app for ios at the app store and that Android will be releasing soon!

Change Creation Process - 5 Steps for Schools

System for Building Innovative Schools and Increasing Student Learning

~ Focus must be on creating the right leadership, vision, culture, and relationships in school to support and sustain the Change Creation system.

CHANGE CREATION PROCESS

The School Board and the Management support the principal in creating an environment that nurtures excellence, trust, risk-taking, and creativity.

~Faculty and staff develop meaningful relationships, build collaboration and action teams for solving priority learning issues, and share findings across the school toward becoming an authentic learning community

~Members see the big learning improvement picture, create shared values and vision, and empower and inspire each other.

~Where all personnel are committed to learning, sharing, and relearning to improve learning for all students.

~Where time and preparation are provided to help everyone understand the essentials of change, share them collectively, and execute them effectively to create learning innovations.

Schools follow a general cycle of work over the course of the school year - within this general cycle, a Change Creation system is needed to build a Change Creation process. 

A five-step process starts with the creation of Action Teams

1 - The Faculty and Leaders identify student learning needs and for action teams

2- Each Action Team creates action plans

3 - Implement inquiry cycles to change practice and improve student learning

4 - Action Team and the Faculty impact is assessed, and evaluate the effect on teacher practice and student learning

5- Share results and best practices across the school and apply lessons learned

We’ll design a plan that meets your unique needs and improves teaching and learning in your school.

Schools Can Change: A Step-by-Step Change Creation System for Building Innovative Schools and Increasing Student Learning by Carlene U. Murphy, Dale W. Lick, and Karl H. Clauset . Available from The English Book Depot, you can order online www.ebdbooks.com 

Schools Can Change - The Indian Experience

This document provides a step-by-step, systemic approach to the change creation process. We are certain this work will be of invaluable help for school transformation. 

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Learning Forward India Academy
Sandeep Dutt, School Coach and the Founder Learning Forward India partners Karl Clauset of National Centre for School Change, for school culture transformation in India.  

Genuine effective school improvement requires leaders and teachers to be part of a broad-based, creative change system that focuses on generating improved teacher practices for enhancing student learning.