How To Build Every Individual's Self-esteem

Brewing Knowledge Fridays (05/02/2025): Sandeep and Manisha discussed the importance of Friday sessions and Sandeep's book "My Good School," which celebrates children's strengths and achievements in education. They emphasised the need to shift from rote learning to more active and meaningful learning methods, stressing the importance of empowering students with critical thinking skills and life lessons. The discussion also covered the significance of self-dedication, collaboration, and contribution in education and the importance of building a professional culture in schools and preparing for upcoming reading sessions.

Next steps

• Minakshi to train teachers on meaningful learning, associative learning, and active learning techniques.

• Manisha will share the knowledge pyramid graphic with all participants in the WhatsApp group.

• All participants must type one word they absorbed from the session in the chat box.

• All participants must present their school names in the chat box.

• Manisha or Minakshi will insist that participants share what they learned from the WhatsApp Brewing Knowledge group session.

• All teachers should consider implementing rewards for identity discovery, collaboration, and contribution at their school's annual day.

Summary

Friday Sessions and "My Good School

Sandeep and Manisha discussed the importance of the Friday sessions and the significance of the book "My Good School" by Sandeep. Manisha emphasised that the book is close to their hearts and helps them connect with their experiences. Sandeep then began reading the chapter "Annual Day at School" from the book, explaining the method of reading and using a reading sheet. He also mentioned that the book is interconnected with his other writings and that the chapter they were reading was first published years ago.

Celebrating Children's Strengths and Achievements

Sandeep emphasised the importance of celebrating children's strengths and achievements, notably through annual events like the annual day at school. He highlighted the significance of showcasing creativity, connecting with the community, and building self-esteem in children. Sandeep also stressed the need to involve all stakeholders in these events, including parents and alumni. He suggested that schools should provide opportunities for children to excel in various areas, such as service, skill, study, and sport, and that these achievements should be recognised and celebrated.

Celebrating Children's Successes Throughout the Year

Sandeep discussed the importance of celebrating children's successes throughout the year, not just during events. He emphasised that every teacher should find a reason to celebrate one child each day. Minakshi expressed her school's enthusiasm for learning English, despite not fully understanding the content. Sandeep also mentioned the role of music in their activities.

Empowering Young Minds Through Knowledge

Sandeep discussed the importance of knowledge acquisition in education, emphasising the need to move beyond mere information sharing. He highlighted the need for a shift from rote learning to meaningful, associative, and active learning methods. Sandeep also stressed the importance of empowering young people with thinking abilities and life skills. He encouraged teachers to adopt these new learning methods and recognise the power of knowledge in shaping future generations.

Empowering Students Through Active Learning

Sandeep discussed the importance of individual growth and vision in education. He emphasised the need for schools to change and empower students to think analytically, rather than just processing data. Sandeep also highlighted the need for schools to move away from rote learning and towards more active learning. He used the example of the Fab India School to illustrate these points, noting that the school had faced resistance to efforts to improve teaching performance and was now moving towards more active learning.

Emphasising Self-Dedication and Collaborative Learning

Sandeep discussed the importance of self-dedication, collaboration, and contribution in education. He suggested that schools reward students for these qualities, rather than just academic achievements. Sandeep also emphasised the need for a structured learning program to help teachers become self-directed and collaborative learners. He highlighted the importance of building a professional culture in a school, which is a complex and slow process. Sandeep also stressed the significance of collaborative learning and knowledge assimilation, and encouraged thinking about life lessons and soft skills students should learn in school.

Upcoming Reading Session Discussion

Sandeep led a discussion on the upcoming reading session, scheduled for the 9th of May. He emphasised the importance of cross-referencing and asked for any questions about the reading material. Sandeep also encouraged participants to share their schools in the chat box to better understand the group's composition. The conversation ended with Sandeep asking participants to type a word they remembered from the session in the chat box.

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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?)

Honesty and Respect - Sharmila Vijayvargi

In simple words, honesty means being truthful to oneself and everyone. Respect means the way of treating others. Both these values are essential in all kinds of relationships and it becomes a part of every individual's.life. Coming to the life of an educator, who shares the longest time with any child, the two values, honesty and respect play a major role in the growth and development of a child.

Every child needs to be explained the meaning of these two words since the beginning. Being honest will help the child to raise his voice against any wrong thing happening around him. Further, the child should also be explained that if he doesn't like someone talking to him rudely with disrespect then, he should also not reciprocate the same as respect is a two-way quality: what you give is what you get. Educators should explain to the students that honesty brings respect and rewards. Being honest and respectful towards others and himself are qualities of a successful leader.

Sharmila Vijayvargi

The Fabindia School

Fruits Of Patience - Nikita Rajpurohit

Patience is one of the most valuable virtues of life. The power of patience helps you empower your life leading to wisdom and success. Success breeds happiness and happiness is the product of hard work and patience. To cultivate patience is to gain the refined sense of confidence, so that you may have a remedy for every trouble, solution to the problems and courage for sorrows of life. Patience is not just a trait, but it’s a skill that needs to be developed. Thus, developing a good deal of patience is leading a satisfying life.

Patience must be made as one of the pillars of life, as a good amount of patience is the highway to a successful and peaceful life. If you show patience, you can gain new skills and improve your talents. Thus, you can direct yourself towards the achievement of your goals and objectives. It helps you control your impulsive decisions while it aids you greatly to deal with stressful situations and emotional ups and downs effectively. It also helps you become tolerant allowing you to keep empathy at others. The more you are patient, the more you are tolerant of others which earns you respect from them.

It must be borne in mind that there is no shortcut to success, but success is achieved through discipline, hard work and patience. Obstacles come your way and you will have to face challenges. You need to face fears and failures by virtue of self-confidence and patience. All that needs to be done is to stay motivated against all odds. There are lots of examples of great scientists, entrepreneurs and business people in whose lives patience has played a large role. They did not let the circumstances break them at all, but kept moving forward is focused on what they wanted to achieve while expanding new possibilities. It’s their power of patience, the virtue of tolerance towards environmental conditions and open-mindedness that has enabled them to be successful. At this point, the words of Napoleon Hill are worth mentioning, “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”

The power of patience is one of the major components of success. If you develop patience, It brings rich rewards, such as personal growth, increasing the ability to gain more insights and understanding, it builds a strong character leading you to a peaceful life. 

We should continually remind ourselves of a saying, "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet"

- Nikita Rajpurohit

The Fabindia School

nrt@fabindiaschools.in