Making Thinking Visible - Bharti Rao

Life as a teacher begins when we realize that we are learners. Learning is a lifelong process

which continues until the end. The period of COVID -19 has given ample opportunities to the Educators to enrich themselves in many ways through webinars, workshops, personal development programs and training. This experiential learning has brought a great change in them and also helped them to bring in a transition in their kids too. 

  

Transition in Kids from ‘I can’t do it!’ to be proactive that ‘I can do !’ is necessary. For this it is necessary for students to think why they are stuck and what should they do to get out of this? For this, they need to learn to think about their own thinking. This can only be possible with the proper guidance from elders. Teaching reading to students will help to make thinking visible. 

How can students’ thinking be made visible? This can be made visible by reflecting on our thoughts. Reflecting and thinking are a powerful tool which helps a student to overcome obstacles, be more resilient and successful. Educators should organize activities and give a text to them to read. After reading the text the student needs to relate it with any instance similar to it. 

Then he needs to think and answer the questions so the best ways to think is by reading, listening, questioning and documenting. This helps a student to make his thinking visible and understand his learning. Some examples of to think visible are field trips, learning through theatre,   engaging activities, exploring etc. 

Courtesy:  Re-Orienting English Curriculum by U Catapult

Bharti Rao

The Fabindia School

bro@fabindiaschools.in

Honesty and Respect: Urmila Rathore

The yearly examinations were going on and children had come to take their exams after preparations and were very curious to give. On one unusual day(as it turned out later), after the morning assembly, it was announced by the Principal Ma'am that today's examination would be discharged as soon as early. Lockdown was announced by the government in view of the increasing transition of COVID-19.

While the children were taking their exam in the examination hall, I got the information that the remaining examinations will be given by the students from their home, which was surprising to me as to how this would be possible?

After that, Principal ma'am called an assembly again and the students were told that the papers of the remaining three exams shall be given from home and that they should check the answer book after completion. Whatever marks they get, shall be sent to their respective subject teachers.

In this way, the students were given papers and were instructed by the Principal Ma'am that they should give them with honesty and trust, and not cheat(rather with themselves) in any way.

After this, a staff meeting was called by Ma'am and told that we have to trust our students and this is the right time to know the student-teacher relationship. It was also said that the marks updated by the students will be compared with that of their half-yearly marks to reassure their authenticity and then prepare the results.

Even after reaching home, the same thing was coming in my mind that will the children be able to follow these instructions? Is it appropriate to give papers at home like this? Or will the parents of the children take it in a positive way? And many such other questions.

Two days later, students started sending their marks on WhatsApp. Five to six days later almost all the students took the examinations, checked the answer sheets and sent their marks. As we had decided in the past that their marks will be matched with the marks of the half-yearly examination so we followed the same and in fact, these marks were around their half-yearly scores!

The students did their work with all their dedication, faith and honesty and it was on this basis that their result was prepared. Everyone's report cards were downloaded from Fedena and uploaded to the next class.

This work-ethic was possible because of the integrity of the students, the directions of the Principal ma'am and the trust of the teachers. Thus, it set a unique example of honesty and mutual respect.

This experience has a major lesson in itself. We can only win through difficult situations if the virtues of cooperation and honesty are performed. At the same time, trust and respect for each other take us to infinite heights.

Urmila Rathore

The Fabindia School