Introducing Productive Failure - opening session for the Saturday Masterclass for 2025-26

What if failure isn't the opposite of success but the very path to it?

This Saturday, we're not just reading a book —  

We're challenging a mindset.

Join us for a thought-provoking Masterclass as we dive into Dr Manu Kapur's groundbreaking work:  

📘 Productive Failure: Unlocking Deeper Learning Through the Science of Failing

Whether you're an educator, a leader, or a lifelong learner —  

This session will shift how you approach challenges, growth, and learning.

Let's move from fearing failure to harnessing it.  

💬 We're ready to fail better.  

Are you?

About Manu Kapur, summarised using AI

Manu is the Director of the Singapore-ETH Center and a Professor of Learning Sciences at ETH Zurich, where he also leads The Future Learning Initiative. Previously, he was a Professor at the Education University of Hong Kong and held positions at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. With a background in mechanical engineering, he has a strong passion for mathematics, having taught it at the college level and led Singapore’s team at the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Manu holds multiple degrees including a PhD in the science of learning from Columbia University, where he also earned a Master of Science in Applied Statistics and a Master of Education from NIE, Singapore. He focuses on enhancing human learning through his theory of Productive Failure, aimed at improving mathematical education. His research has influenced Singapore’s national mathematics curriculum and garnered extensive media attention, securing around US$13m in funding.

He has directed significant educational programs, received visiting professorships worldwide, and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Additionally, Manu has served as an associate editor for leading journals in the learning and cognitive sciences.

Session recording available on our YouTube Channel @MyGoodSchool

Happiness and Tolerance: Usman Gani

If we were to further reflect, we would understand that our happiness is always dependent on something so we are always in the process of seeking or striving for happiness. So for example, “If I get a promotion then I will be happy”, “If my children score good marks then I will be happy”, If I get my dream car then I will be happy”, if I get admission in this the university then I will happy” all these are conditional statements talking about a time in the future so we are always postponing our happiness. The constant striving, struggling, wanting, achieving, planning, regretting, disappointments, anticipation all these lead to stress.

Our brains are designed for happiness. In the brain, there are caregiving systems in place for eye contact, touch and vocalizations to let others know we are trustworthy and secure.

Training our brain through attention and awareness exercises takes it possible for us to think in a happier, more optimistic, and more resilient way.

Tolerance literally means tolerance; tolerance is the ability to tolerate behaviours and opinions other than one. Tolerance consists of a sense of coexistence. Tolerance in a positive sense means accepting and respecting the existence of those thoughts, opinions or religions etc. even if its views/opinions/religion is different from yours.

Everyone likes a tolerant person. Nobody likes being intolerant. Being tolerant is difficult, but not impossible. In case of any kind of tension, we should show tolerance. This will not increase the matter and the atmosphere will remain normal.

Like – Tolerance is not weakness: - Many people understand the meaning of tolerance as weakness. This will be called their fault. Many people are eager to answer brick with stone. This does not end, but increases. A round of accusation begins. Silent tension arises and the heat and tension of inexplicable prevalence in the environment. Only through tolerance can the atmosphere be relaxed and normalized.

Usman Gani

The Fabindia School, Bali

ugi4fab@gmail.com

Honesty and Respect - Adapters SHS

Honesty Earns Respect

Honesty and respect are like two pillars of a strong relationship. What were to happen if lying was the norm?

There would be no trust among people. Patients would not be able to trust their doctors, passengers would not be able to trust their drivers, a child would not feel the same trust and security towards his/her parents and no two individuals would be able to build a beautiful relationship if honesty and respect do not form their foundation.

Honesty means believing in oneself and everything that one represents, however, dishonesty may mislead us from our beliefs and values. Life continues to teach us lessons in every twist and turn of this journey that we embark, it may be trivial incidents or moments in our lives that somehow go unnoticed but they always have a way to show us the right path. Such an incident that taught four college friends about the importance of earning respect through honesty.

Riya, Anu, Sweta and Pari were a tightly knit team of thriving, blooming and fun-loving group of college friends. They were, however, the ‘’Noted’’ set of girls in their university who were known as the ‘’trouble makers.’’ There wasn’t a day where one of them was not summoned by their University Dean for their daily dose of confrontation where the girls were quick to come up with valid and factual excuses. The entire University staff along with the other students were tired of their everyday shenanigans.

 The first semester of their second year in the University was to begin the next day when Pari came up with the idea of skipping their first paper. The others were keen on agreeing with her and in fact, Anu came up with a ‘’valid reason,’’ for their absence the next day. She told her friends that they would state the idea of being held back due to a tyre puncture. The four girls satisfied with this excuse, head out for a long drive not worried about the consequence of their carelessness.

The next day, as expected, the girls were asked to meet the Dean after their morning prayer. Knowing that these girls would surely have an excuse, yet the Dean asked them to explain the reason for their absence. On hearing their ‘’unfortunate incident’’ about the previous day, the Dean did not react as expected. He seemed to be calm and collected, he simply asked them to sit for their exam, but to their surprise, in separate classrooms.  The girls received their question papers and were shocked to see the questions.

Question1. Where exactly did your car get punctured?

Question2. Which tyre of your car get punctured?

Question3. At exactly what hour of the day did it get punctured?

As expected the four girls had different answers to the same the situation that they claimed to have stopped them from coming to the University. This made them realize how the Dean had taught them a valuable lesson about being honest not only with others but also with oneself. Honesty in itself earns the respect of many hearts.

- Shraddha Dewan <shraddhadewan425@gmail.com>  for Adapters at Sacred Heart School Siliguri

Sustainability is about simple understandings

School education should not just be about strategy but also about content. As rightly said, a strategy can only help in the process of communication. Content, on the other hand, is about introducing concepts and building knowledge through them to create new knowledge. Resources that enable learning to take place, a technology that motivates the young learner to engage in her learning through collaboration and school architecture that uses space as an instrument for creating a conducive environment for learning. Needless to say that the learner should be an integral part of it all.

The year in the life of a school is very structured and predefined into terms or semesters. We know when assessments will take place, when and how feedback will is provided, what are the instruments for reporting, yet time appears to be the single biggest luxury in the life of all the stakeholders.

It is quite paradoxical when the whole school apparatus is geared to provide a learning experience for the pupils, then how is it that the recipient is so stressed for time. What then is the core need that needs to be addressed? Good grades, recognition, better admissions, are all tangible benefits. What about intangible benefits of education? Ability to remain motivated, manage time, acquiring problem-solving skills, entrepreneurial skills, conflict resolution etc. are skills that somehow get left out in our schooling system. Would it be ambitious of me to state that if we were to invest a little time in developing intangible benefits that we could add more value to the tangible?

Schools must learn to break down the traditional silos that they work in to work more collaboratively to make education more sustainable. If the system does not help in building trust amongst all stakeholders, distribute adequate time between teaching and testing, provide opportunities for knowledge creation and management through reflection then it cannot be termed sustainable.

Sapna Yadav has extensive experience of over 20 years of facilitating students unleash their academic potential. 

At Samaskaara, Mrs. Yadav channels her experience to provide customized Learning Frameworks to students; equipping them with 21st-century skills, to develop their profiles and this allows them the freedom to plan their academic and personal growth. Under her guidance, her students have secured admissions in various reputed colleges such as Yale University, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania in the USA, McGill University, University of Toronto, UBC, the University of Waterloo in Canada, HKU and HKUST in Hong Kong to name a few. You can connect with Sapana by Email sapna@samaskaara.in or Phone 9818108908.

Late for class - India woos foreign colleges as population clock ticks

Late for class - India woos foreign colleges as population clock ticks | Business Standard

India's ministry of human resources and development is trying to issue what is in effect an executive order, which would leapfrog a bill stuck in parliament since 2010, one casualty of a legislative logjam that has paralysed Indian policymaking over the last two years.

Despite scepticism from many institutions that India will be able to change its game with elections looming by next May, some foreign universities are keen to push ahead with campuses.

"A campus in India has always been our vision and that is our plan," said Guru Ghosh, the vice-president for outreach and international affairs at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, known as Virginia Tech.

It is due to launch a research centre near Chennai in spring 2014 and hopes to set up a campus within 3-5 years if the rules change, Ghosh said.

Under the proposed rules, non-profit foreign universities in the top 400 worldwide would be able to open campuses. The rules need a final sign-off from the law ministry, which will take up to three months, according to R.P. Sisodia, joint secretary for higher education at the Ministry of Human Resources and Development.

Students to USA, be cautious

After more than 2 years of media reports, US Authorities finally act and order closure of University of Northern Virginia… leaving Indian students searching for answers…
by Ravi Lochan Singh

In March 2011 itself, The Chronicle of Higher Education in an article Little-Known Colleges Exploit and covering the Tri-Valley  University  Scam wrote… More than 30 students are squeezed into a classroom at the University of Northern Virginia, located in a series of office buildings in the suburbs of Washington. Soft drinks have been provided, along […]

Read more of this post

http://ravilochansingh.com/2013/07/26/after-more-than-2-years-of-media-reports-us-authorities-finally-act-and-order-closure-of-university-of-northern-virginia-leaving-indian-students-searching-for-answers/

Raw Deal for Vocational Studies in DU

NEW DELHI: Despite the emphasis laid on participation in co-curricular activities by exam boards and schools, having one as subject does more harm than good when it comes to Delhi University admissions. Students who count any vocational or non-academic subject in their best-of-fours are either refused admission or discouraged to try via forbiddingly high cutoffs.

"I called about half-a-dozen colleges to ask if they'll allow me to include physical education in my best four subjects but they refused. I was making the cut for some courses at Lakshmi Bai, Bharti and Bhim Rao Ambedkar but only if I counted physical education," said a candidate who finally took admission in English at Sri Aurobindo College.

"Some colleges are accepting such students but by deducting large chunks of marks. One college is deducting 10% from the aggregate for students who've included mass media in their best-of-four," said another student. The university has left it to the colleges to decide.

At Hansraj College, however, only those candidates who have added "informatics practices" are being allowed. Apparently, the decision to allow this subject was taken after candidates who've included it in their aggregates were admitted into one of the courses, possibly due to an "oversight" as one teacher puts it. "How is creative writing a lesser 'vocational subject' for a candidate for English while informatics practices is considered an academic subject?" asks a parent whose daughter was denied admission for this reason.

"The stepmotherly treatment of vocational subjects is an ongoing problem with DU admissions," said a teacher. "The students say if their school or board had made them aware of this, they would never have opted for it. Yet, there is no coordination between DU and CBSE on this and no attempt to redress the problem."

Read more in The Times of India

Will Delhi University’s 4-year BTech make an engineer? IITs not sure

Will Delhi University’s 4-year BTech make an engineer? IITs not sure 
DU has converted a batch of six courses -computer science, electronics, instrumentation, psychological science, food technology and polymer science - that were earlier BSc or BA to BTech. Since the curricula for all subjects were revised to fit into the FYUP pattern, the syllabi for these courses were also changed. And to given an example of how there has been no compromise on the engineering aspect, teachers point out that the electronics course, for instance, closely follows the one at Delhi Technological University.

Going gets tough for state board students

Going gets tough for state board students - Indian Express

Despite scoring 90 per cent in Class XII, Vinod Rawat from Palwal district in Haryana has been running from pillar to post hoping to get admission in Delhi University.

A student of the Haryana Board, Rawat has not received his marksheet yet, making admission in DU an uphill task.

Courses reopen in third list, drop in science cutoffs

Courses reopen in third list, drop in science cutoffs - The Times of India

The third cutoff list, released on Wednesday, offered hope for those seeking admissions in popular courses as seats in commerce, economics, English, physics and chemistry, among others are still going free at several North Campus colleges. There are a few pleasant surprises. Cutoff for English at Hindu has dropped from 96.5%-98% to 93.5%-94.5%; political science has reopened at Kirori Mal; English in several colleges including Ramjas and Gargi; and cutoffs for science subjects have dropped significantly. 

Some colleges flouting norms, admits DU

Hindustan Times - 5 hours ago

Going gets tough for state board students

Indian Express - 5 hours ago

Delhi University also open for those with 80%

Times of India - 4 hours ago

The Award and the Universities

The Award: Equipping young people with skills for life

The Award is an exciting self-development programme for 14-25 year olds worldwide, which equips them with life skills to make a difference to themselves and their communities.

Introduced first in the UK, the Award is now available in over 125 countries. More than 750,000 young people are now taking part in the programme, including college and university students from 630 institutions.

Offering individuals the chance to develop their skills, the Award is popular with students looking to improve their chances in the job market, and with good reason. In a recent survey employers ranked the Award as the most valuable extra-curricular activity when it came to skills for employment.

The Award: Benefits to students
Balancing your studies and, for many, a part-time job or voluntary work, can be hard enough without joining a club or society. But taking part in the Award programme allows you to build in your existing activities, and get recognised for them.

Split into four sections, Skills, Physical Recreation, Service and Adventurous Journey, the Award is tailored to each individual. For each section, you get to choose what you want to do, which means you can tie in your activities with your study.

You may be involved in voluntary work, for example. This work comes under the Service section of the Award. Or perhaps you’ve taken up a sport. Any physical activities that you are already involved in can be put towards your Award.

The Award is a life changing experience that enables you to:

· Learn new skills to add to your CV; team work, communication and problem solving, skills which employers find valuable

· Complete the Award alongside your studies and other commitments – fit it in around your time

· Make a difference to your community through volunteering and impress employers with your commitment to helping others

· Build your confidence - try something new

· Make lasting friendships

“The Award ensures you ALWAYS have something to talk about in interviews,” says Alex Murphy, University of Melbourne Gold Award Participant and Board Member of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Victoria.

“It guarantees life experience, teamwork and commitment - all things employers look for.”

“The Award recognises young people for the list of extra-curricular and voluntary activities to which they give their time. It’s often tough to balance school or college with activities, but Gaisce (the Award in Ireland) makes it easier. I think it’s because at the end of it you have a something that rewards you for all the work you put in!” says University of Limerick student Aoife Finnerty.

The Award and Institutions

The Award is also beneficial to institutions themselves, not least as a way to ensure students have a positive learning experience. The Award can:

· Add value to learning by integrating a programme that offers practical experience and builds confidence

· Help an institution build relationships with local businesses and the wider community

· Make you an institution of choice for students looking for more than just a qualification

· Build a team of student volunteers who go on to become Award leaders themselves who promote the Award and the institution

In Irish universities, the Award (Gaisce) is making a big difference to students and to institutions themselves.

“Gaisce – The President’s Award - is the most prestigious Award for young people in Ireland and is well respected internationally, says Student Development Co-ordinator Aidan Healy.

“We looked at how we could encourage learning outside the classroom and how we could engage with the community around us,” he explains.

“I had done the Award myself and thought it would be a great way to get students interested in activities outside the classroom. The fact that the Award is already set up nationwide was also a benefit to us, as with limited resources starting from scratch could have taken us a long time. It made sense for us to link up with a programme that is already well established and geared up to supporting those who wish to run it. Anyone at the university can oversee the process, from academics to support staff."

Students completing the Award at the University are also attracting publicity.

“The Award is generating positive publicity for the University and its students. There are times when the media can only focus on negative stories about student behaviour. Having positive coverage about students who are involved in good causes helps to change people’s attitudes and, therefore, build better relations in the community.”

In India, the Award is being used to engage students more with society, and to help build their skills for life. An Open Award Centre has been set up specifically for university students to focus on skills development and vocational training. The Centre offers students a programme for mass media, communication, visual arts and other skills. This Centre will bring together 10,000 students from independent colleges in New Delhi to complete the Award, individuals who would have previously been disengaged with society.

The International Award: A positive learning experience

At Egerton University, located in Njoro 200 km from Nairobi, the Award is helping young people make a difference in their communities. Award participants are teaching in primary and secondary schools, providing information on HIV/AIDS and taking part in outreach work to support parents. They are also fundraising to help send three children from primary schools they’ve visited on to secondary education.

“Participating in the Award Programme has been a powerful experience. Since joining the Programme, campus life has been fun and organized. It has instilled discipline and motivation to studies and other activities. There is the joy of participating in an activity and achieving what you set,” explains John Paul Kibet, Award holder and Unit Leader at Egerton University.

“Though some things are not fun, the spirit of perseverance developed after attending expeditions and physical recreation comes in handy. More still, becoming an Award Leader and seeing participants through the programme feels comforting. It gives one the opportunity to pass on the knowledge to someone else. I cannot tell how I would be if I did not join the Award, but I bet it would not have been as good as now”.

Good citizens

In Australia, institutions can see the value the Award brings to their students, their institution and to their community.

“The activities that Deakin students undertake to obtain their Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award, will enhance, enrich and supplement the graduate attributes that students gain during their course of study,” explain Andrew Giles, Executive Officer to the Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University and David Essex, Director of Student Life, Deakin University.

“Deakin University is keen to ensure that all Deakin students maximise their opportunities to participate in programs of activities that will enrich their educational experience and enhance their graduate attributes – the Gold Award is such a programme.”

To find out more about the Award and how you can take part as a student or an institution, contact:

Sandeep Dutt
National Director
International Award for Young People, India
sandeep.dutt@iayp.in
Call +91 11 64662720
http://www.iayp.in/

Information courtesy : Communications Team, International Award office London