17 MENTOR OFFERS YOU
a Unique Opportunity to be Part of Study Experience
THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
BRING YOUR WORDS TO LIFE!
With Mentor Magazine, we publish writing and support sharing knowledge that is underrepresented in traditional academic publishing. We connect you with your community of teachers, educators, principals, scholars and provide the Express | Enlighten capacity for high-impact publishing. Mentor aims to build a critical 'bridge' between the educators We areConcept looking for enthusiastic educators, individuals who Positive are passionate about education and want to be a part of this bridge-building process by contributing to the Editorial Committee with their ideas for topics and issues that should feature in the magazine.
Research
Share with us your best practices about the following:
If1. you to becuriosity part ofinthe How wish to cultivate yourEditorial classroomCommittee write to 2. Are Student-Centered Learning Environment the Schools of Future? kalpa@lxl.in 3. Change management through empathy
and we’ll print it in Mentor! *
BRING YOUR WORDS TO LIFE! You can also send articles under following categories: School Pedagogy | Governance | Leadership | Innovation
We thank our contributor Ms. Sonia Verma for her informative write up
writers’ choice - Change Management Through Emapthy Word Limit: 1300under Words | Email: info@lxl.in Submission Deadline: 5th June 2019 E-mail Subject: “Mentor SHARE WITH US YOURMagazine” BEST PRACTICES MENTOR SUBSCRIPTION:
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:
Numbers 2 Years (24 1. Are studentsSUBSCRIPTION building knowledge and skills for the MENTOR of Copies Issues + 6 modern world through deeper learning? To subscribe to Mentor please contact: Complimentary) 2. How do you build persistence in students? Address: #175, 2nd Cross, Lower Palace Orchards, Bengaluru 560 003 1 INR 1000/3. How can school systems be more organised, so E-mail: info@lxl.in | Website: www.lxl.in | Phone: +91 90191 11110 teachers grow as professionals and contribute 2 INR 1750/better?
3 Years (36 Issues + 6 Complimentary) INR 1500/INR 2500/-
+6 Years (36 Issues 6 INR34000/INR+5500/Word Limit: 1300 Words | Email: info@lxl.in 2 Years (24 Issues 5 Numbers of Copies Complimentary)*Prices Inclusive of Postal Complimentary) Charges Submission Deadline: 5th September 2019 E-mail Subject: “Mentor Magazine” 1 INR 1000/INR 1500/2
INR 1750/INR 2500/To subscribe to Mentor Magazine please contact: 5 INR 4000/INR–5500/Address: #175, 2nd Cross, Lower Palace Orchards, Bengaluru 560 003 *Prices Inclusive of Postal Charges *Subject to Editorial Discretion
*Subject to Editorial Discretion
Let t
Vol. 13 | Issue 03 | August 2019 | info@lxl.in
r ito
from the Ed er
Contents
03 Mentor Thoughts
Letter from the Editor..............................................03 What’s Trending.......................................................04 Sultan Speaks..........................................................05
06 Pedagogy
Sex Education in Indian Schools Vol. II ..............06 The East-West Education Divide..........................09 Authentic Teaching Material.................................12
15 Governance
The Current State of Society Education and Schooling..................................................................15
18 Cover Story
National Education Policy - 2019.........................18
24 Leadership
Change Management Through Emapthy...........24 Re-Mapping Reflection ..........................................27
30 Innovation Moving Towards Sustainable Holistic Learning 30 Enhancing Students’ Communication Skills in English.......................................................................33
All Rights Reserved 2016 EduMedia Publications Pvt. Ltd.
Publisher & Owner: Syed Sultan Ahmed Editor: Kalpa Kartik | Sub Editor: Aditi Dharmadhikari Content Developer: Farah Javid Layouts & Design: Zayd Muhamed Production: Praveen U M, Sathish C, Guna V Printer: Elegant Printing Notice: the contributions in Mentor Magazine are solely the views of the author and are in no manner to be directly associated with the views of the editorial team or LXL Ideas. Authors/contributors are responsible for the authenticity of information they provide in the article. The publishers do not accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication. By submitting letters/emails or other publication materials to Mentor Magazine the author/contributor agrees that it is the property of Mentor Magazine. All communication to Mentor Magazine must be made in writing. No other sort of communication will be accepted. All decisions regarding publishing of a contribution is the prerogative of the publisher and editorial team of Mentor Magazine. Mentor Magazine is owned and published by EduMedia Publications Pvt. Ltd. for and on behalf of Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts and forums in Bengaluru City.
www.lxl.in
A
school is considered to be the mouthpiece of a society, and its teaching methods must reflect the revolutionary advancements that are constantly reconstructing it. We live in exciting times, and in order to help the young generation successfully align its intellectual, physical, moral, emotional and aesthetic personalities with the numerous demands and challenges of the present, we must create an educational paradigm that is innovative, stimulating, insightful, dialogic and conscious of the mammoth role it has to play in the life of a student. With each new session, with each new term comes a brainstorming session or meeting, seeking new initiatives and innovations; a meeting of the school leaders and the staff. It is only natural that processes get streamlined in light of the changes. The paradigm shifts seen necessary for growth can be seen being brought about in the National Education Policy 2019 – focusing on building a vibrant, highquality and equitable public education. The policy is “founded on the guiding goals of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability” – a significant step forward in bringing the focus from equality to equity, and ensuring the standards of education. This month, the Mentor cover story covers the reflections of educators on NEP and other topics such as writing reflections as a rewarding pedagogical method, concerns over staff stress, the benefits of global digital education, material design for a language course and the might of the Adolescence Education Program. However, no amount of innovative teaching practices and facilities can realise their purpose, if they are not weaved effectively into a strong, dynamic teaching pedagogy. Children today have access to boundless information via the internet, and thus, the pedagogies designed must contain enough rigour and depth to challenge their intellectual capacities and encourage their spirit of inquiry. Approaches such as the blended learning and flipped classrooms combine online learning and classroom discussions to construct a personalised learning experience. As educators, ask yourself – are you doing justice to your students by letting them go out into the world without this vital education?
Kalpa Kartik Editor 3 | Mentor | August 2019
What’s Trending
HOW DO YOU
ENSURE THAT THE TEACHERS IN YOUR SCHOOL FOLLOW THE Cognitive Activation Instruction Methodology
TO
TEACH?
I
n our institution, teachers of each cluster brainstorm collaboratively in order to design pedagogical practices, keeping in mind the interests and the affinities of the children in the classroom. Peer/buddy learning is a practice very much prevalent in our classrooms. The indefatigable faculty makes sure to pair students in a manner wherein one works well with the details, while the other prefers to think about the big picture. Soma Mukhopadhyay Principal, Bhavan Junior, Chandigarh.
T
he teachers at The BSS School implement the Cognitive Activation Instruction Methodology by way of setting research-oriented projects for all levels of learning, creating experimental platforms by giving the students various tools for making models and incorporating novel ideas into reality with lateral thinking. They have the opportunity to mentor juniors and peers with their own level of expertise, since they are constantly exposed to smart audio-visual methods of learning in the classroom with critical questionnaires. Dr. Sunita Sen Principal, The BSS School, Kolkata.
C
ognitive Activation is, in essence, about teaching students strategies that encourage them to think more deeply in order to find solutions and to focus on the method they use to reach the answer, rather than simply focusing on the answer itself. In our campus, we are giving them the chance to think with ‘Why?’ questions; asking imaginary questions and giving them situations to resolve on their own. We believe that this is a basic need of education in the present world. Pallavi Chandra Branch Head, NLK Public School, Kanpur
www.lxl.in
4 | Mentor | August 2019
Giffoni
Sultan Speaks
A FESTIVAL THAT TEACHES THE WORLD TO OPEN ITS HEART FOR CHILDREN & FILMS in the event, or are participating in it or just being kind to visitors and accommodating their sounds and movement. Unless you experience the event at Giffoni, you will never get an idea of what it is like to see an entire town come together to celebrate children and cinema.
I
spent a week in the month of July at the Giffoni International Kids Film Festival and it turned out to be one of the most amazing, fun and learning experiences I have had. Giffoni thrives on traditions and a sense of community that is unmatched in the world of events and children. The festival, in its 49th edition, is one of the world’s biggest and most famous children’s festivals. It is legendary in the film festival circuits as it has the largest child jury; this year, there were 6,200 child jurors in different age categories who had come together from over 50 countries. Some of the biggest film premiers, stars and events are associated with Giffoni. Giffoni is a small town in the south of Italy, close to the Amalfi Coast. The town is so small that it can barely hold a few hundred people. Yet, every year, the entire town comes together for 10 days to celebrate children and cinema. www.lxl.in
Giffoni is a partner of the International Kids Film Festival - IKFF, that we organised last year. Four students who were a part of the IKFF 2019 child jury represented India & IKFF as Giffoni 2019 jurors. They had the most amazing time living with families and experiencing what is clearly one of the most unique children’s events on the planet. The town is so small that it does not even have a big enough hotel to host the international delegates, so the neighbouring big town Salerno plays host to the international delegates and guests. Everyone literally opens up their houses to host guests. 300 families from Giffoni, Salerno and the neighbouring towns hosted the child jury that had come from across the world. The entire family goes out of their way to take care of these children who live with them, eat with them and participate in the event with them. This is not just an event that is organised by a team of people, it is an entire community that comes together to make it happen. The town centre doubles up as the festival venue where children’s parties happen. Some key streets of the town are closed down to enable street markets, street plays, street events to take place. Everyone in the town is involved
The week I spent at Giffoni left me awestruck with the hospitality and the involvement of the community. I tried to figure out how this could be possible maybe because the event has been happening for 49 years, almost every parent today would have participated in the event when they were kids. Or maybe it is just that they value the idea of encouraging children and making them more creative by exposing them to the art of film and cinema. Or maybe there are just really nice people in Giffoni, a rarity on our planet these days. Whatever the reason, Giffoni is one memorable experience that I will truly treasure.
Syed Sultan Ahmed MD & Chief Learner @ LXL 5 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy
SEX EDUCATION IN INDIAN SCHOOLS VOL. II Is our Approach Outdated?
Editor’s note: In the first volume of Sex Education in Indian Schools, we elaborated on whether sex education should be a part of the school curriculum, its importance in the curriculum and the steps taken to introduce this subject in school.
game; even the most liberal of us have not been able to understand that educating our students on sex education is not an obligatory job, but a mandatory one. Sex education or education about sex should be a primary responsibility for all schools and colleges in the present time.
In this volume, we explore the ways in which schools can implement the AEP or Adolescent Education Programme, as well as the outcomes of the programme and feedback from stakeholders.
Steps Taken to Introduce this Subject in School
Introduction
T
he word “sex” is still a taboo word and not used very openly in our society. The other connotation associated to this single syllable word is ‘dirty’ thereby limiting it to an act of sin, or something to be ashamed of. We, as educators, need to up our
www.lxl.in
for teachers — educate them first as to why AEP is important. 2.
Selected teachers can be sent for AEP training who, in turn, can educate the remaining staff.
3.
Employ or engage external agencies to create awareness amongst the students.
4.
Use technology, by way of animation and songs to teach about puberty, menstrual cycles and safe sex.
5.
Turn Biology classes into a source of information — one needs a really empathetic teacher for this.
Some ways in which schools can implement the programme are listed below:
6.
Use theatre for expression of angst related to hormonal changes, emotional issues etc.
1.
7.
Have the School Counsellor educate students.
Schools need to plan in advance regarding the Adolescence Education Programme, with a focus on the development of a broad understanding of the subject. The various modes to implement sex education can be varied and innovative.
Develop training programmes
6 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy 8.
Put up suggestion boxes/help boxes in the washroom blocks for girls and boys.
9.
Rope in a local NGO which is working for girl education or making low-cost sanitary napkins.
All the above approaches to educate students are tried and tested methods in schools, all over the country and world. The only difference lies in the approach. Western countries struggle less probably because they are more open about the needs of the younger generation and are less hesitant around discussions involving sex. Having said this, it does not mean that students in western countries are getting better instructions about sex education in comparison to their eastern counterparts. Statistics belie the fact that despite the openness in western societies about sex, there are higher or comparative numbers of cases of teenage pregnancies.
The Outcome Programmes
of
Such
The outcome of these practices would be tremendous; girls and boys would understand that the changes they are going through during puberty are normal and natural. One of the biggest sources of stress and even depression in teenagers stems from not understanding that the changes in their bodies and emotions are normal, and that things will balance out after a few years. They blame themselves for all of their mistakes and awkwardness without realising that everyone is going through the same thing.
• Boys and girls know that they should speak up when they face sexual abuse and
www.lxl.in
harassment. It is time that children know how to recognise unsafe touch and speak up against it immediately.
The list of benefits of sex education can go on, but succinctly put, it is a basic right to live a healthy life, as nature intended
• Boys and girls know the risks involved in having sex, amidst growing peer pressure to engage in it. • Girls and boys learn about the facts of life from an accurate, supportive source, instead of from pornography. Wouldn’t you rather they prefer that the learnt about the biology from a trusted source, rather than from street myths and easilydownloadable mobile content? • Most of all, boys and girls gain a lot of confidence by knowing the facts. Knowledge leads to confidence, and confident kids perform better in life. Knowledge is not the culprit that leads to bad behavior – in fact, knowledge coupled with a strong value system leads to healthy, well-adapted youth who know how and when to draw their own boundaries.
Educating Parents Towards the Approach of Sex Education Parents are the first influential group of people a child meets after his birth, and they make a lifelong impact on the development of children.
A home where there is freedom of expression, a democratic exchange of ideas will encourage boys and girls of adolescent age to share openly with their parents about the changes happening in their bodies. From this sharing and acceptance will arise the child’s confidence in sharing more about his/her sexuality, related emotional issues, and peer discussions around this subject and so on. Unfortunately, in the best, most liberal households, things do not happen this way. The gap between ‘what should’ and ‘what actually is’ happens to be quite wide. Schools can work out programmes which involve both the parents and the child. It is important to note that in such programmes, the involvement of both the father and the mother is required. Only then can it be successful and effective. External agencies, a trained resource person and third-party interventions can work wonders.
Relevant Research
Statistics
and
A study was conducted in collaboration with UNICEF and the Population Council India about adolescents (between 10-19 years, comprising nearly 250 million) between 2002-2013. The study went into great detail about what adolescents face; lack of education, child labour, substance abuse, malnutrition, child sexual abuse and lack of understanding of sexual and reproductive health. •
Only 45% of young men and 28% of young women have comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its prevention. The same goes for testing facilities’ availability in the country
•
Less than 20% children of 7 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy both genders have knowledge about other sexually transmitted diseases. •
8% of all surveyed young women are unaware of contraception and protection.
encourage students to put their queries in anonymously. The teacher can lead the discussion thereafter, without taking names. • For specific issues, they may be asked to write names which the teacher can forward to the school counsellor. This will protect the privacy of the students.
•
62% of rural women have barely outgrown childhood themselves.
•
Maternal mortality is highest among ages 15-24 in young women.
Conclusion
Knowledge about reproductive cycles is very poor, leading to poor menstrual hygiene and reproductive tract infection.
The list of benefits of sex education can go on, but succinctly put, it is a basic right to live a healthy life, as nature intended.
•
Nearly 50% of boys and girls, Let’s understand the might of the each, face sexual abuse in their Adolescent Education Programme (AEP) – a policy already in place in young lives. India – and ensure that it gets fully The above data taken from UNICEF- implemented and not brushed aside, PCI survey, Ministry of Women for the safety of our children. and Child Development, Journal of As educators, ask yourself – are you Psychiatry speaks volumes. doing justice to your students by ‘Try It Out’ In Your Own letting them go out into the world Classroom without this vital education? •
•
Teachers can put up a thoughtbox in the classroom and
Ms. Ipsita Choudhary M.Sc. (Sociology & Anthropology), M.A. (English), B.Ed, DLP (Guidance & Counseling) is an educational professional with over twentynine years of proven ability to create and monitor policies and practices that promote a safe learning environment; ensuring a school culture that encourages continuous improvement for teachers and students. Holding a senior educational administrative position in the educational corporate setup of Ambuja Cement Ltd (Lafarge-Holcim). Instrumental in the development of conducive environments that encourage open communication with colleagues, students and parents; creation and implementation of innovative lesson plans, class instructions, best practices and student assessments in conjunction with the best in the new-age education world. She is also a passionate blogger and writer.
ipsita9@rediffmail.com
www.lxl.in
8 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy
THE EAST-WEST EDUCATION DIVIDE And How Digitisation Can Bridge the Gap
Introduction
W
hile in India, a 7th class student is busy racking his brains to solve and calculate a sum, in the United States, this is done by the student using a calculator. While a child in the Eastern countries is mugging up and doing his or her homework, a child of the same age group in the West is exploring the internet. ‘Vasudev Kutumbakam’ would be a balanced approach — only if the true meaning of globalisation were to be realised. To become a developed country, it is important to be at par with the developed ones not only in science and technology, but also in education and knowledge. Students are the future of any nation, so to make a nation strong, the pillars of education must be strong enough to prepare them to face any challenge in life.
The Idea Education
of
Global
We are all in the teaching-learning www.lxl.in
process and if one is open to ideas, if one keeps the mind free and is ready to receive, then global education is practically possible.
aroused a range of responses, from deep fears that Australia would be overrun, to the view that a closer involvement with Asia is not only inevitable but should also be welcomed for the opportunities it provides (Walker & Ingleson 1989).’ (ibid)
To become a developed country, it is important to be at par with the developed ones not only in science and technology, but also in education and knowledge
‘Australia is an increasingly popular country for students who are choosing to study abroad. Currently, Australia is the third most popular destination for international students in the English-speaking world, behind the United States and the UK . In some countries, Australia is the most popular choice for international study.’
Governments in Australia are trying to develop closer working relationships within the AsiaPacific region — to see themselves as part of Asia.
‘The Australian Government’s flagship New Colombo Plan education program will support 890 Australian undergraduate students to study and undertake work placements in India in 2017. In its third year, India remains once again one of the most popular destinations for Australian students.’
‘From the beginning of European settlement, Australia’s geographical proximity to Asia has attracted much comment. The suggestion that Australia might have an Asian future has always
Japan
and
Singapore,
too,
9 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy encourage international students to come and join their universities. This is what more countries in the East need to do — provide good locations, a variety of subjects and more opportunities. But first and foremost, we need good educators; educators who are not only masters of the subject, but who are adept at the latest digital technologies that enhance and boost not only the educator, but also the educated. Moving toward a more digitally literate future is the need of the hour. ‘SEATTLE — With the growing influx of Asian students into Western universities, the battle for superiority between Eastern and Western education has resurfaced and intensified over the past few years. Staunch defenders of Western education maintain that it is because of the West’s exclusive ability to produce successful professionals that many East Asian parents opt to send their children to Western countries. There are stark differences between the two educational approaches. Consequently, each of the distinct characteristics of Eastern and Western education are vital in shaping personalities and outlooks of students.
www.lxl.in
One of the biggest points of contrast between the two approaches is how students see their role in their own learning. We, as educators, have to see to it that the learning provided to the students is par excellence so that the student can see and enjoy their role in the learning process. Education and studying abroad is a global phenomenon which has multiple benefits — from helping you find a good job to improving your social life. It is a challenge, ‘It may seem a strange point to start off on, but it should be said that studying abroad isn’t necessarily easy. There are unique challenges that come with going overseas to study, but that’s all part of the fun and the experience.’
gadgets. This is perhaps the only way to lift ourselves up.
Here are some steps that could be undertaken: •
It is very important that all schools are digitally upgraded, have smart classes and organise teacher-training sessions from time to time. ‘Dell Aarambh’ is one such program that organises workshops in various schools of India.
•
Technology has its price. Nothing is easily available and digital gadgets are often costly, sometimes exuberant, so installing them in each and every school is not practically possible. The government should help the schools to establish the digital labs. Mr Narendra Modi is making deliberate efforts to make the nation digitally strong.
•
Exporting digital gadgets may take a toll, thereby hindering the whole process. Manufacturing technology within the country will be helpful in boosting the economy.
•
There should be special arrangements to send the educators abroad for exposure and for training
It is as much about learning about a new culture as it is about topquality education.
Initiating Digitisation in the East U.S., Canada, Australia and Europe are of course education destinations, but the question is — why would one prefer to come to the east? If we want to increase the number of students coming to east then the quality of education has to go up, and that, too, through digital
10 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy teachers and the students. We, as teachers in the east, will have to come out of the traditional ways and adapt to the new educational techniques. We will have to see education in a new light and perspective, only then can global education will be meaningful.
sessions, along with better incentives. •
Practicality in action, rather than just words, will help go a long way.
Exploring The Benefits of Digitisation So you’re thinking of creating a paperless organisation. People understand what it means for a company to go paperless, but leaders need reasons to understand why a company would do so. Many projects become very complex if done properly, and outsourcing to a professional service provider like Aptara can save time, money and frustration. Below are some reasons why a business should go paperless •
It improves efficiency and productivity.
•
You have more information, which allows you to make better decisions, and technological tools to make your work easier.
•
When used intelligently, the digitisation of business can lead to a significant increase in productivity and can reduce some costs.
Other than these, the list is endless. It is easy to access and carry, enhances security, enhances information www.lxl.in
preservation, saves space, one stays competitive, and it is environmentally-friendly.
It will be a total digital transformation of the east if the educators are digitally aware, which will help them, as well as the students. All the platforms in the world will be at the same level, and global education will then just be a matter of a click away.
Try It Out In Your Own Classroom It goes without saying that that digitisation has had a great impact on each and every person. A newborn may not know how to drink milk from the bottle but definitely knows how to put on the mobile screen. Practically every house has at least one mobile, so why not make the best of it? Learn from it and serve the nation by helping students to uplift themselves digitally.
Conclusion To attract more international students towards the east and to boost the economy of the eastern nations, it goes without saying that more opportunities should be provided, more educational sites should be explored and educators should be given special training to be digitally smart, so that they can give the best to the international students; they will then look forward to coming to the east for education and the gap existing between the East and West will reduce. The benefits of global digital education will be widely recognised by both the educators and the students in a number of ways, and this will boost the self-esteem of the
Dr. Reena Walia is the Principal of Zenith Public School, Jalandhar, Punjab, which teaches students from Nursery to 10th grade. Having an artistic bent of mind, she is fond of reading and writing. She has a B.Sc(N.M), M.A(English), B.Ed, M.Ed, M.Phil (English), and a PhD (English). She describes herself as a ‘cheerful, positive, friendly, Godfearing, and hardworking person’. She also runs a social organisation called “Bachpan Pratinishtha”, an organization that takes care of the health and education of kids. reena_walia@yahoo.com
11 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy
AUTHENTIC TEACHING MATERIAL How to Incorporate It Into The Rural Classroom
Introduction
O
ne of the key challenges faced by teachers in rural schools is the lack of English teaching materials to aid them in the classroom. Besides this, teachers find it difficult to establish situations in class that would promote communication in the target language. This article focuses on strategies of incorporating and implementing some ideas on communicative skills for creating an English language environment in the classroom. The basic objective is to enable the learner to talk freely and confidently using English in a non-threatening environment.
The Language Teaching Pattern Used Widely in Rural Schools Teachers teaching English in rural schools across the country basically follow a set pattern, which is outlined below: a) Teacher introduces the language item to the Learner. www.lxl.in
learner’s receptacle with facts is propositional knowledge, where learners know that something is true. They may score 100% in a grammar test, but they just can’t use the language to communicate.
Teachers should be equipped with supplementary language teaching materials along with the textbook to enhance the linguistic competence of the students
Learners are not involved in interaction when they are not exposed to a lot of language in real-life situations and, thus, they never develop the ability to speak a sentence on their own without errors.
b) Teacher explains the language item to the Learner. c) Teacher checks that the Learner understands. d) Teacher provides the Learner with structured practice.
Common Problems Faced By English Teachers in Rural Areas Teachers in rural schools are beset with some common problems when it comes to teaching English. •
There are single-teacher schools with too many pupils, or there are many nonspecialised teachers. Many teachers have a poor grasp of English themselves.
•
Pupils are victims of extreme economic deprivation, inadequate nutrition and
e) Teacher summarises what the Learner has learnt. f) Teacher introduces another language item to the Learner, and so on. (The Primary English Teacher’s Companion, WBBPE) This
structured
filling
of
the
12 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy healthcare. Some pupils may only come to school when food is provided. Teachers are not educated about how to address the needs of these underprivileged children. •
Every teacher must have the ability and resources to bring the curriculum to life and make learning meaningful. The only resource that teachers have is the textbook, which they bring to class.
•
Other impediments in infrastructure are the lack of classroom aids and the nonavailability of computer and library resources.
•
The Annual Status of Education (ASER) reports that even though the number of rural students attending schools is rising, more than half of the students in 5th grade are unable to read a second-grade textbook and are not able to solve simple mathematical problems.
mind the target audience they aim at.
language and its use in its own community”(Widdowson, 1990).
If children are exposed to things which they cannot relate to in their immediate surroundings, they are culturally inappropriate and fail to aid in long-term memory and acquisition. To cite an example: when it comes to vocabulary, if rural students are taught food items like sausage, pizza, croissant and pasta in a lesson, they’ll fail to comprehend and use the word in real life situations. But if these words are replaced with common words like chapati, khichdi, papad and even a low-frequency word as ‘jaggery’ which they could relate to, it would help them in real-life communication.
In designing or choosing their own materials, teachers will have more freedom to decide on the most appropriate material for his or her classroom after analysing the background and language level of his learners. In that way, the “onesize-fits-all” approach of most commercial material could be done away with, enabling both teacher and student to work in unison according to their focus and the learning requirements.
Designing Te x t b o o k s Differently for Rural Areas
Material for rural schools should be differently designed from urban and semi-urban schools, as most of the students are first-generation learners whose parents are, in most cases, illiterate. The material thus The Need for Good needs to be focused on specific learning objectives, according to Authentic Materials to Aid the needs of these children, in order the Textbooks to equip them with better linguistic knowledge. Authentic materials can Material design is the hallmark only achieve this by bringing the real of any language course. Material world into the classroom. Authentic should be selected and included materials give “an exposure to real for a language course keeping in
Some Examples of Authentic Teaching Materials Teachers can ask their students to find out information about the place they live (village, town, etc). They can list the landmarks on the route they take from home to reach their school and later showcase them in a pictorial representation. A lot of grammar and vocabulary would be rehearsed through this activity. Students can be encouraged to take pictures of their town / village’s best known points of interest; something that is special to their native place, something that they are proud of. Simple speaking activities centring on the picture can be modelled by the teacher, to be followed by the students to describe why they think it is an important capture.
Neelam is a contributor from a Dell Aarambh School
www.lxl.in
13 | Mentor | August 2019
Pedagogy Visual aids are also very versatile authentic materials which can be used at any level. Teachers can exploit the immense potential of a picture for any purpose he or she chooses to target. Children in rural areas do not get much access to visual printed material, and teachers can bridge the gap by bringing in relevant cutouts from newspapers, brochures, and magazines.
A good learner-friendly atmosphere, that motivates the learner to learn and perform, needs to be created in our rural schools
Stories are also very useful materials to be used for the rural schools as they are easily available and adaptable. Teachers could start with cumulo-repetitive stories and then introduce ones with complex structures. Cumulorepetitive stories are those which involve a lot of repetition in them and ‘adds’ one extra character or
element, and then another, as the story progresses. These stories are fun as they are highly predictable the pupils can guess the language style and the way the story will develop.
Conclusion Supplementary materials should be designed in such a way as to incorporate a series of activities that would allow students to practice and reinforce the target language or skill. Most lessons in the textbook do not include discussion questions, communicative tasks or higher order thinking skills (HOTS). Thus, teachers need to fill in this gap by supplementing the course book with authentic material which would have controlled, semi-controlled to free activities to develop both propositional and procedural knowledge. ‘The success of second-language teachers is ultimately measured by how well students have learned to communicate in the second language’ (Robinett). Robinett emphasizes that students’ ability to learn the target language is the end-goal of the teaching-learning process and that teachers need to create an environment which is conducive for learning. Authentic supplementary materials are a major prerequisite for creating such an environment in the classroom.
Mr. Arindam Sengupta is a teacher of ESL in Hare School, Kolkata. An Alumnus of the Texas Intensive English Program in Austin (USA), he’s also a practising teacher-trainer and material developer. He has consulted on course books at the State level and on developing resources and supplementary materials for use in classrooms for young learners and teens. He has a passion for striving towards continuing professional development by updating his teaching skills through e-courses, conducting workshops on ESL and delivering talks in conferences and seminars on ELT, both nationally and internationally. He also won the prestigious Award for Professional Development from the TESOL International Association for his presentation at the 49th Annual Convention held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2015. mailarinsg@gmail.com
www.lxl.in
14 | Mentor | August 2019
Governance
THE CURRENT STATE OF SOCIETY EDUCATION AND SCHOOLING Why Stakeholders Need to Step Up & Voice Their Views
Introduction
G
one are the days when the school was the sole functional agency for educating society. The advent of technology has revolutionised the accessibility of knowledge-related resources; versatile, personalised instructional methods are now only a click away from any citizen. The four walls of the classroom are no more the exclusive boundaries for knowledge acquisition. The only thing that differentiates other sources of learning from schooling is that they do not adhere to any normative standards; they thrive mainly on the principles of marketing. Subtler aspects of educating a child, such as the transmission of culture, values, and norms of society — which are at the very crux of society education — remain mute or largely dysfunctional in parallel sources of learning, say online learning. For the same reason, the status of www.lxl.in
schooling as the cardinal agency of society education will never be camouflaged, however huge the impact of technology-related resources on educating the society might be.
The primary beneficiaries of education and schooling are students and their parents; society, at large, is rather an indirect beneficiary
The Importance of Reevaluating Society Education & Schooling Regularly
This is indispensable because of the ineluctable functional interdependence of any educational system with all other subsystems (economic, political, family system, communities etc.) of the society. Education is expected to respond to and resonate with the needs of society. If school is not producing the manpower which is instrumental in meeting the needs (say, socio-economic) of society, it loses its relevance as an agent of society education. The contribution of the school in the advancement of the nation can be assured only by periodic evaluation. Primarily, the periodic evaluation sensitises the schooling system about the needs of society. At the same time, the process of evaluation — if it is one-sided — can never serve the intended purpose. To be precise, society education cannot be estimated or quantified only on the basis of one or two indices of evaluation, such as how much schooling is adding 15 | Mentor | August 2019
Governance to the workforce of society. Right now, this is the kind of evaluation in vogue; it defeats the very definition and purpose of society education. There are certain other indices which help to determine whether a particular society is being educated in the right sense. The wellbeing of the citizens, their mental health, sense of commitment, social awareness, commitment to social harmony and tolerance are some of the indices for evaluating whether schooling is contributing towards the realities of social life. Commercialisation of education cancels out any possibility for viewing society as a whole. In that case, what is the scope of ‘whole child education’?
How Re-evaluating Social Education & Schooling Benefits Schools & School Systems The practice of periodic evaluation not only helps to assess the effectiveness of the current way of functioning, but it also has the power to resolve many issues faced inside and outside the classroom. It can refine the existing strategies and help in periodically upgrading educators. For instance, the outdated method of dealing with students through corporal punishment has been largely replaced by more effective, scientifically-proved strategies. Educational psychology has revolutionised the basic texture of teacher-student interaction. Evaluation gives the impetus to change by revealing the shortcomings of current practices.
that 53% of students coming out of Indian colleges are not job-ready.
How helpful is it to educators and students? At the micro level, the periodic evaluation based on indices that commiserate well with the needs of society helps a particular institution to view itself objectively, and empowers it to propel towards excellence. This, too, depends on how the head of the institution interprets the outcomes of the evaluation and uses it for planning the future. Collectively reflecting on the outcomes of evaluation must proceed through the stages of brainstorming, planning and implementation for the purpose of rectification. The evaluation process, if it probes into the needs of all stakeholders (students, parents etc.), will serve as a cogent source of information, which will contribute towards the academic as well as non-academic advancement of the institution.
Feedback Stakeholders
From
The primary beneficiaries of education and schooling are students and their parents; society, at large, is rather an indirect beneficiary. Of the stakeholders, students for whom the system
is fundamentally designed are more or less passive receptors. But when combined with parental involvement, the students’ partnership becomes more alive and conspicuous. Parental involvement is an area which has not yet grabbed adequate attention in the reform movements of Indian education despite the fact that student performance, well-being, school adjustment has a significant association with the quality of parental educational involvement (Kerr et al., 2010; Ule et al., 2015). Parents can be sensitised about this and the teaching faculty must be given adequate training to ameliorate parental participation. Working with parents through intermittent, purposeful communication is a powerful tool for fostering academic motivation. Similarly, the climate of school must welcome community participation and the participation of various departments of governments (e.g. Department of Health) and that of NGOs as well. A culture of readiness, not only for delivering service, but for receiving as well, from the respective domains of various sects of society must be inculcated inside the school. Mutual sharing for collective welfare should be the norm.
Speaking from a wider perspective, certain reform movements can be triggered only by evaluation. The recently released ASER report is noteworthy in this regard; it has put the entire teaching community in the dock. It questions the credibility of the society education orchestrated by the current schooling system. Similarly, the Niti Ayog report says www.lxl.in
16 | Mentor | August 2019
Governance think about the present schooling system? Measures to transform the education are taking place on a war footing in developing countries like India. But do we all have the feeling that system is still lagging behind, especially when compared to the international standards? What is the decelerating factor in the forward movement of our education system? Absence of quality teaching or effective teacher-student relationships? The mismatch between the socioeconomic needs of society and educational objectives? Or is it inequality (real or imaginary) that permeating almost all the aspects of the system?
Relevant Research
Statistics
and
The prime stakeholders of any education system are parents but there isn’t any formulated structure or policy for their involvement in education. The parental educational involvement is not something that must be confined to the mandatory PTA meetings. Moreover, research reveals disparity in the nature of involvement institutions entertain.
The practice of periodic evaluation can refine the existing strategies and help in periodically upgrading educators
Recently, I conducted a survey among different educational institutions of Thrissur district of Kerala state, which reveals this fact. The cause of the www.lxl.in
difference can be traced to the kind of involvement the school administration and teaching faculty is promoting. Parental involvement in various educational and school activities of private institutions was better than that of government and government-aided institutions. On probing into the reason, we came to know that the quality of teacher-parent interaction was high in those institutions, and they had a definite structure and predetermined norms regarding the kind of involvement they want to promote from parents for the allround development of their wards. The graphical representation of the data is given below:
Conclusion The fact remains that schools will never lose their status as the cardinal agency of social education. Given this, dear reader, what do you
Or is it our addiction to the western ways of educating our society, though 68 years have passed since the British left our country? Dear reader, you are a stakeholder — and you cannot remain silent.
Dr. Jeny Rapheal her qualifications include a PhD in Psychology from Bharathiar University; an M. Sc .(Mathematics) from Calicut University; and a B. Ed. from Calicut University. She has 19 years experience in the field of teaching. She has published more than 20 research papers in various national and international journals, and has had 42 articles published in various reputed magazines to her credit. jenyrapheal@gmail.com 17 | Mentor | August 2019
Cover Story
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY - 2019 The Educator Community Shares Its Thoughts
INTRODUCTION
T
he Draft National Education Policy 2019 has finally been tabled and is open for suggestions and reviews from the people of India to make it more robust. It envisions an India-centred education system, that contributes directly to transforming our nation sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by providing high-quality education to all. Farah Javid, Content Developer of Mentor magazine, has collated opinions from several members of the education community across India and the Middle East and Dr Shweta Gaur, Research at LXL Ideas, and Aditi Dharmadhikari, Sub-editor of Mentor, have co-written this piece, which explores the intricacies of and reactions to the draft. The policy has made several recommendations that were long-awaited. Like any other policy, it is aspirational in nature and
www.lxl.in
There is an urgent need to reform the education system, and the draft National Education Policy 2019 paves the way for this transformation
visualises the path for education in India in the coming decades. The NEP has suggested many progressive steps for ensuring the happiness and learning of the child. For the past 30 years, education in India was guided by three important pillars i.e. equity in education, access to education and finally quality in education. However, the past policies have been limited addressing issues related to ‘Accountability’. With the draft NEP-2019 clearly address-
ing and acknowledging the issue of a learning crisis in classrooms, ‘quality of education’ has been substantiated with ample support of two more pillars i.e. ‘accountability’ and ‘affordability’. The draft NEP-2019 is envisaged to be learner-centred, learning-centric and, institutional-centric approach. “The 1986 National Policy on education took into cognisance what was happening 20 years ago, and what could be anticipated in the next two decades,” Dr. Chetan Singai, Chief Consultant, Technical Secretariat, Committee to Draft the National Education Policy-2019 to MHRD and Deputy Director at Ramaiyah Public Policy Center. “Similarly, this draft policy is also influenced by what has happened in the past, and what is expected by 2030-2042. It is envisaged as vision document, which has been put into the public domain for feedback of the concerned stakeholders. An appropriate action plan needs to be evolved, which is under consideration, and needs 18 | Mentor | August 2019
Cover Story
to be finalized by the concerned ministry.” As far as assessments go, he says they are envisioning each school complex to become semi-autonomous in their processes, with national and state regulatory mechanisms to monitor these, with the core principle of empowering the schools. “From a policy viewpoint, a massive change in teacher education is being suggested, and qualified teachers could also take care of assessments,” he reasons. “It took us almost 24-26 months to formulate this draft,” he recalls the process. “The members of the committee, especially Dr. Kasturirangan and the members of the committee were visiting schools and anganwadis. For instance, they went to several remote schools in Assam to see the teaching-learning conditions firsthand and found that even the toilets weren’t in basic working condition. They also reached out to and consulted with a lot of people working in the education sector in the country. There was a strong www.lxl.in
intention to understand what was happening on the ground and the challenges therein.” Some of the recommendations that have made this draft NEP-2019 are really unique for instance, policy points related to the Early Childhood Education (starting from the age of three years), the strong emphasis on teacher development, governance and administration of education institutes, integration of technology and education, pedagogy, curriculum, adaptive assessment and integration of vocational education.
development in the early years on one side, and a plethora of resources being just a click away on the other side, it’s imperative that a careful balance be maintained between the two. This will ensure that the developmental needs of the children are addressed, there are qualified and trained teachers and a high standard of pedagogy is developed; all of it simultaneously.”
Here is a breakdown of some of the salient features of the draft policy, with different educators’ responses to each of them.
“It is gratifying to note that the Education Policy talks about guidelines for parents before the school-going years of the child and aspires to equip the children with the required knowledge and necessary skills with specific focus on language (reading) and numerical skills, from a very early age. The structure of the curriculum would have its basis in cognitive development and socio-economic growth at all stages.” These views have been shared by
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION The Criticality of Brain Development in the Early Years “Education today has redefined itself. Academics and Education are no longer synonymous, but each occupies a very different paradigm. With the theory of maximum brain
On Providing Ongoing Support to Families with Younger Children
19 | Mentor | August 2019
Cover Story Mrs. Shikha Banerjee, Principal, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Kanpur.
ENSURING FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY The Importance of this Point & How It Benefits Students “Any platform of learning, built on solid principles, would evidently hold its reservoir of knowledge with efficacy. The present day education’s platform labels these principles as foundational literacy and numeracy, which play an inevitable role in the process of education. The basic knowledge of reading and writing, and numerical calculations does not just prepare students for situations in their immediate reality, it also prepares them for a life-long journey. Therefore, the lack of such a foundational base in schools today is an issue that needs undivided attention at the earliest. Students, who lag behind in some way or the other in the classroom find it difficult to cope up because of their poor command over foundational literacy and numeracy. Thus, the phenomenon of dropouts in schools indicates the absence of strong foundational literacy as a significant cause. Addressing this would enable a more substantial educational process, and, in the longer run, would be beneficial for the country’s human resource capital. The National Education Policy of 2019 rightly estimates the power of the fourfold intervention in this regard, taking into consideration the collaborative effort of the students, teachers, parents, and the community. Since the foundation of education of any kind largely depends upon a learner’s ability to read and write, and to perform basic numerical functions, learners from various spheres, especially those who identify as first-generwww.lxl.in
ation learners from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, must be of utmost concern for us as educators.
•
• The policy has made several recommendations that were long-awaited. Like any other policy, it is also aspirational in nature and visualises the path for education in India in the coming decades
The NEP 2019 aptly focuses on appropriate curricular emphasis, multi-stimulus classroom intervention, technically-sound teaching aids, language libraries, community volunteering, teacher-student ratio, health and nutrition of the children, notions of “Each one, Teach one” and many other factors that would eventually contribute towards the realisation of the task at hand.”
•
•
The content is based on the needs of the urban and semi-urban population; most of the illustrations are beyond the imagination of rural students. Poverty and a lack of resources compel parents to withdraw their children and have them gain employment in cottage industries. The quality of teachers recruited for villages and the infrastructure available is not persuasive. Only mid-day meals are not enough for retention of students; rather, making the learning interesting and useful is more important. That can be done by preparing a separate curriculum for them, which includes thinking skills, skill-based education, where local tools can be used. Also providing them with entrepreneurship skills, through cooperative movements, to generate some income through after-school activities would be useful.”
Steps to Ensure the Retention of Girl Students
These views have been shared by Dr. Madhav Deo Saraswat, Principal, The Scindia School, Fort Gwalior.
“Retaining girl students is relatively more difficult, unless some social evils like dowry and child marriage are banned.
UNIVERSAL ACCESS & RETENTION IN SCHOOLS
•
The Current Challenges in Retaining Students in School “It’s very surprising that even after almost seven decades, policymakers are still trying to work on retaining students for middle, and even elementary, education. The challenges identified are as follows: • Education content is not child-friendly as it advocates rote learning, which students find boring.
•
•
Some extra scholarships and extra help for the marriage of an educated girl can be effective, as most people think that finding a match for an educated girl is difficult, as the groom would demand more dowry. A remedial policy for dropouts through proper counselling and incentive-based education is the need of the hour. The role of NGO’s and counsellors can be effective to guide and persuade the students, especially first-generation learners from disadvantaged socio-economic 20 | Mentor | August 2019
Cover Story •
•
•
backgrounds. Students may become a useful resource for their parents, if they are taught the latest techniques in agriculture and allied activities. Various different models of schools eg. evening school, hostel facility and open schooling can prove to be meaningful. Girls may be provided special education based on vocational inclinations, as well as health and nutrition education.”
These views have been shared by Mr. A.P. Sharma, Principal of Birla Public School,Doha Qatar
TEACHERS AT THE CENTRE The Significance of this Step “The very philosophy of considering teachers as being at the very heart of the education process, and the intention to ensure academic and professional support continuously to teachers can cre-
www.lxl.in
ate a motivating environment and culture. This will see our country surge ahead in the field of education and excellence.”
Creating Conducive Working Conditions for Teacher Development
•
“The focus of this draft NEP is to rebuild the prestige of the teaching profession which was once prevalent in our country, back when the Guru was given a status much above God himself. This is going to be accomplished by ensuring the following: •
The quality of teacher education must be brought at par with other professional qualifications. The intake of teachers will be from the cream of the students – the truly excellent students from the rural and urban areas who want to pursue teaching as their passion will be recruited. Spurious private institutions offering teacher education for a cost will be scrapped. Since these institutions constitute a whopping 92% of the total
•
colleges, alternate arrangements of ensuring that this gap is fulfilled by quality institutions will be taken. While ensuring housing for rural teachers and addressing the issues of teacher transfers will assure stability for teachers, the policy is planning for the cognitive development and perspective building of teachers. The creation of vibrant teaching communities through school complexes will develop the 21st century skills of collaborative learning, problem-solving and team-building and help them synergise their knowledge of content and pedagogy to create an empowering culture. This is continuous professional development where the learning happens every day from each other, through discourses and discussions. Teachers given the opportunity to get involved in the governance of the schools and school complexes is, again, a welcoming gesture as it will build a sense of ownership in them.”
21 | Mentor | August 2019
Cover Story
On Giving Teachers More Autonomy in Choosing the Finer Aspects of Pedagogy “This will provide opportunities for the teacher to choose the most effective mode of teaching students and, thus, lead to better learning outcomes in students. Teachers provided with continuous professional development in areas that would enhance self-improvement would ensure they remain updated with the latest innovations in their profession; this is exactly what the student community needs right now.” These views have been shared by Mrs. Sugandhi Vishwanathan, Principal, Aklavya International School, Pondicherry.
HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION
LIBERAL
How Imaginative & Flexible Curricula Encourages Critical Thinking & Creative Abilities www.lxl.in
“If the school curriculum and pedagogy encourage holistic development of our children and help them to develop critical thinking, creativity, a scientific temper, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, ethics, and social responsibility, then our education system must provide creative and collaborative activities in our classrooms, and should make learning deeper and experiential. The new Education Policy gives students greater flexibility in the choice of subjects; physical education, art education, and vocational crafts are going to be incorporated throughout the school curriculum. The curriculum should be made rich by including a higher range of topics and concepts, and children should have an option to select what they really want to learn, at any particular stage. The curriculum must be progressive in the sense that constant revision of the curriculum must take place, with details and indication of modifications and updates, about which students, teachers
and schools can be electronically notified. Critical thinking, in this context, should be seen as a social learning process promoting logical thinking based on intellectual traditions, analytic philosophy, natural science, and pragmatism. Teachers and Education Agencies must develop teaching–learning materials that promote critical thinking. Assessment, too, should depend on questions that assess critical thinking.”
How can liberal education reach a wider base? “A paradigm shift in the way the teachers are trained, before and during their service, can empower them to transact such a rich and diversified high-quality liberal curriculum. They should be encouraged to use modern analytic tools to evaluate students’ creative responses. These are the two essential action plans to be implemented for the greater success of the NEP.” These views have been shared by 22 | Mentor | August 2019
Cover Story
Teachers training must help teachers to comprehend the various aspects of critical thinking as a social learning process. They should also understand various intellectual traditions, philosophy and logic viz. natural science, pragmatism, and critical theory. Promoting critical thinking in the classroom r equires planning lessons f or C T, developing learning materials that promote CT, formulating questions to assess critical thinking, and evolving a methodology for teaching for Critical Thinking.
Dr. Subhash Nair, Principal of Shantiniketan Indian School, who is the Secretary of the CBSE Gulf Sahodaya for 2019-20.
CONCLUSION Over the last few decades, there has been a shift in the understanding of education — from being an enabler for life, to being a provider of livelihood. In this mad race for earning a decent livelihood, education was made synonymous with academic scores. This led to an overarching emphasis on rote learning, and there was no space provided for developing thinking and emotional skills in students. This trend was somewhat addressed through the Yashpal Committee Report and NCF 2005, but was not enough to bring about the desired change, as the criteria to assess the students’ knowledge was still very rudimentary.
Foundational, Preparatory, Middle and High Stages have been proposed in the policy to create a more comprehensive approach for holistic child development. Along with recommending continuum of education from age 3 to 18 years coming into the purview of RTE (earlier it was 6 to 14 years), the policy has tried to address the problem of quality of education by giving due importance to teachers as well. If the NEP recommendations are accepted, there is a fair chance of schools having good teachers, who are adequately trained to nurture young minds. But all these efforts will be fruitful only when the age-old criteria to assess the students are also challenged and a new methodology is brought in its place.
The Draft NEP 2019 is a visionary document, which followed in its true sense will foster mental and economic well-being of the coming generations. However, there are several challenges which need to Draft NEP 2019 has given a man- be overcome to make this become date to the various states of the a reality. nation to frame the curriculum in accordance with their own unique It is not very difficult to bring a new cultural ethos. Along with that, the generation of teachers who are NEP has also given autonomy to the tech-enabled, but the policy has schools as an institution to develop no recommendation as to how to its own assessment methods. The NEP 2019 has actually understood the challenge and addressed it by strongly pitching for adaptive assessment.
www.lxl.in
develop the technological skills of existing senior teachers. The idea of bringing technology into classrooms and education to be tech-enabled and developing the Personalised Adaptive Learning Model (even by 2023) seems to be too far-fetched, keeping in mind the status of technology penetration in Indian schools. The draft NEP 2019 has also laid emphasis on the nature of Board exams. It has been suggested that a system of exam which will assess the core concepts and higher-order skills and critical thinking in each subject be put into place. By supporting teachers and providing them with a conducive academic environment, the policy has ensured there is greater involvement of teachers in student learning and development. Embedding the whole process with technology will ensure greater accountability of the institution, and the teachers towards the students. There is an urgent need to reform the education system, and the draft National Education Policy 2019 paves the way for this transformation. Now, it is the political will and intent which will decide to what extent the future generations will follow this path.
23 | Mentor | August 2019
Leadership
CHANGE MANAGEMENT THROUGH EMPATHY
Introduction
be effective in this scenario.
ith each new session, with each new term, comes a brainstorming session or meeting seeking new initiatives and innovations — a meeting of the school leaders, a meeting of the staff. There are new entrants, new notifications from the board and there are some changes in the portfolio of responsibilities. In light of the changes, processes start getting streamlined.
The Importance of Empathy
W
Change is inevitable and necessary, but there may be bigger transformations required for growth than anticipated, leading to resistance from some members. Many might not understand the need for the change or who exactly is behind it and they might be unsure of their own roles in the new environment. The change cannot www.lxl.in
One of the most important interpersonal skills that one can have is empathy, because it can help you connect with people very easily. If we need to bring about organisational change, the key is empathy. Heritage schools, which have existed for many decades, have only grown to their positions through innovation and managing change. They may have seen many seasons of change, but the teachers and leaders carried the ethos of the school in their stride; those who could not do so, fell out of the system. The first step towards bringing about the change is to identify who is resisting the change and why. The principal needs to
take a systems perspective that recognises the teachers’ attitude and behaviour within the context of the social norms of the school. Whether it is an upcoming school, a new system or a 70-year-old saga, the change has to be accepted and managed. New upcoming schools with state-of-the-art infrastructure, a young, enthusiastic workforce, and modern curriculum designs give tough competition to schools with a legacy of several decades. There is solid competition and, therefore, change is the need of the hour. Developing an empathetic approach is perhaps the most significant effort one can make towards accepting change.
Barriers in Implementing Change 24 | Mentor | August 2019
Leadership One of the major reasons for resisting change would be past experiences. Only those leaders who understand the fear or the thought process of their team can get them to understand and affect the change; put yourself in their shoes.
• •
One of the most important interpersonal skills that one can have is empathy, because it can help you connect with people very easily. If we need to bring about organisational change, the key is empathy
The concept of an individual and the mental model of an organisation has to be perceived by the principal who wishes to affect change. The staff may actually feel threatened in a number of ways. They may see change as a threat to their expertise, proven abilities or to their power relationship.
Understanding the Need for Change
Begin at the Top of the Organisation
Such a school, in today’s time, has to rethink, re-strategise and upgrade its systems, so that it can better meet the demands of the stakeholders and thrive amidst the modern state-of-the-art schools coming up.
Leaders know that even though organisational change begins at one single point, it must catch on like wildfire to be successful.
The flow of change is either upward to downward or vice-versa. Some outer agency may be the initiators of the change; to help the staff effectively deal with the change — empathise and affect the change.
www.lxl.in
The only way a leader can execute his vision for the change is to understand the gnawing fear in the minds of the team members. Common causes of concern for a teacher would include questions such as: • •
•
Is my job safe? What else will I need to learn? Will somebody else be better than me in the changed scenario of expectations and judgement bar? Will my post be re-allocated to someone more techsavvy?
That is where empathy comes in. It is the management that has to imbue confidence in its leader; the principal, in turn, has to do the same with her team and, thus, lead the change. She should be strong and decisive. Define the rules, decide the action and not just a statement, as per the rules! How can such a person empathise with the concerns of her team? She may not be the change agent, but she definitely is the medium of change. She may herself be insecure. Who will alleviate her fears? Empathise with the leader — she must know that she has support; only then can she affect change.
Why the change? Will it mean cuts?
25 | Mentor | August 2019
Leadership
Change is inevitable and necessary, but there may be bigger transformations required for growth than anticipated, leading to resistance from some members
One needs to understand that any change faces resistance at first, and is then eventually affected and managed effectively. Ultimately, the driving force behind any change is personal change. Change that is preceded by empathy is more likely to be absorbed and implemented. Transparency should be the culture of the organisation. If the staff knows the outcome and why it is required, then there will never be resistance. Ultimately, one has to spark innovation through empathy.
Conclusion Accepting Change at the Top of the Organisation Usually the operating procedures are in place in the school and organisation, and any fiddling with them also means that if change is being affected from the lower end to the upper end, one may be inviting the heaven’s fury. The case of a new entrant — sure, secure and learned — may ruffle some feathers in the senior team. The key, again, is empathy. Get into the shoes of the seniors who have been icons of establishing the ethos of the school, who will probably wonder why one should ‘fix something that is not broken’. www.lxl.in
Once you recognise the emotions in others, their perspectives become clearer. Find out why a particular change is required. To be able to empathise, put aside your viewpoint and validate the perspective of the change; a little bit of self-analysis also helps. Listen with your ears, eyes and instincts. Examine yourself. Ask what someone else would do in a similar situation. Use the heart in your head, and use the brain in your heart. The change will be managed. Do not judge the change if you do not understand the reasons.
Mrs. Sonia Verma An Edupreneur with extensive experience in teaching English at all levels in school for the past three decades. From an elementary teacher, she has evolved and grown to the present post of the Vice Principal in a 79-year-old CBSE school in Ludhiana. She believes in leading by example, and organisation, analysis and presentation are her forte. She has an M.A.( English), M.Ed from Punjab University, Chandigarh, and a diploma in School Leadership from School of Educators, Meerut. She has received several awards for speaking, writing and teaching in her journey as an educator. soniasverma@gmail.com 26 | Mentor | August 2019
Leadership
RE-MAPPING RELFECTION
S
Introduction
R
eflection is a polyphony of echoes and associations. It is the interior design of an individual’s thought, which lends to the dynamic process of metacognition. It hinges upon the winning combination of the 3A’s – Association, Analysis and Articulation. I am tempted to quote the Indian poet-philosopher Swami Vivekananda and his glowing words which encompass the horizon of ‘association’ in navigating the cognitive terrains:
“The rain drop from the sky: If it is caught in hands, it is pure enough for drinking. If it falls in a gutter, its value drops so much that it can’t be used even for washing the feet. If it falls on a hot surface, it perishes. If it falls on a lotus leaf, it shines like a pearl and finally, if it falls on oyster, it becomes a pearl. The drop is the same, but its existence & worth depend on with whom it associates.” www.lxl.in
- Source(s) of a problem(s)/ situation(s) [ASK: what is the genesis of a problem/situation?]
Reflection compels an inquiring mind to recall and register a fascinating array of relationships.
L
- Latitude of thinking [ASK: Am I able to explore diversity and complexity?]
A
- Art of argumentation [ASK: What is my line of argument and counter-argument?]
N Exploring a Strategy Called ‘SLANTED’ Reflection compels an inquiring mind to recall and register a fascinating array of relationships. I will define ‘reflection’ as a wondrous process to capture the pulses of multi-hued thoughts. It is a valuable critical tool to navigate the beauty of robustness a text offers. I propose a strategy called ‘SLANTED’ which can be defined through six dimensions:
- Nuances of meaning [ASK: How is meaning shaped by context, intent, audience, style and structure?]
T
- Testimony in trial [ASK: What is the validity/reliability of my evidence? How relevant and wellchosen?]
E
- Experiential learning of a knowledge seeker [ASK: How do I learn through intra/interdisciplinarity?]
D
- Developing a sense of style 27 | Mentor | August 2019
Leadership [ASK: How do I enhance clarity, coherence, precision and lucidity of expression?]
How does SLANTED work? Let me furnish an example. Ask your students to watch the delightful advert ‘Humne Tumko Dekha Tumne Humko Dekha Comedy’ on Youtube. It plays on themes of nostalgia with the soundtrack, while the visuals depict people seeing themselves reflected in mirrors as they were in childhood, in the past - an unexpected twist. Here are two samples of reflection:
Sample A Nostalgia spilling over the brim! Who does not like to feel the rosy ripples of childhood! Nostalgia is an offering to El Dorado. Nostalgia, I come to seek you. Nostalgia is a spectre which haunts. Is man not nostalgia personified? I love to retrace the unhurried pace of fleetfooted time. What does the teacher comment? “Rhetorical ripples only. Good as an aspiring wordsmith. However, where are your entry points into thoughtfulness and analysis?”
www.lxl.in
allusion.
In short, the taxonomy of SLANTED aims at unlatching the gates of introspection to embrace the surge of ideas an individual mind produces
Sample B Who does not like to go back to the past? The past which is lost, the past which enchants, the past which is magical. It reminds me of those come-of-age novels where protagonists would pour out long chunks of retrospective narration. It is fascinating to examine how personal memory is a way of knowing and how it impacts the system of knowledge; selfknowledge, to be precise. Language, also has a vital role in creating a ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ (Coleridge) through sense stimuli and structural stimuli. The interpolation of a peppy Bollywood number into this video is a cultural
The world of advert plays with the mind and the senses to create impressions. The allusion to the hypothetical past, where characters make us believe the impossible, would invite observations from ideological theorists, neuroscientists and psycho-culturalists. To separate the past from the present is to sort the wheat from the chaff. The video reminds me of my Bio class when we discussed how the human brain deconstructs images. What intrigues me is the role of the sub-consciousness, how desires are compartmentalised and time acts as a paradox in a simulated, cybernetic space. The role of imagination to accentuate reality is again a salient one. This video reminds me of Salvador Dali’s Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of Voltaire in creating two possible images before the viewers. Mirror Images! Also, Sylvia Plath and her poetry of self-obsession. What is hilarious is the conclusion of the advert. Since childhood you have been drinking this brand of bottled mineral water to stay ever-young. Either Evian or no water! That’s a false dilemma!
28 | Mentor | August 2019
Leadership would be a contructivist’s position? William Gibson will interest you!
What does the teacher comment? The following observations can be made, where the teacher provides what I would call ‘thoughtful uplifts’: •
Written in a thoughtful yet analytical vein with approaches - intra and interdisciplinary.
•
Your observation encodes a web of ideas.
•
Personal voice is clear and natural enough to create an experiential ethos.
•
You mentioned ideological theorists. Check out the ideological premises of deconstruction, Lacanian psychoanalysis and Foucaultian historiography to examine the ways identities are shaped, imposed, subverted and constructed.
•
You rightly mentioned Sylvia Plath and the extended metaphor. Look up Czeslaw Milosz’s ‘Annalena’, especially the eloquent lines:
‘To whom do we tell what happened on the Earth, for whom do we place everywhere huge Mirrors in the hope that they will be filled up And will stay so?’ Find out: Why does Azar Nafisi’s ‘Reading Lolita in Tehran’ begin with this epigraph? You mentioned Coleridge. Read up on George Saunders’ ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’. Find out the concept of ‘a transitional realm’ in Tibetan tradition to understand memory and imagination. •
•
You mentioned personal memory. Examine the implications of personal memory vis-a-vis cultural memory. Amitav Ghosh’s ‘The Shadow Lines’ is suggested. Think up: How do the devices in the advert create a realvirtual interface? How is the self ‘represented’? What
www.lxl.in
•
Check out these few books for your extended inquiry: ‘The Power of Your Subconscious Mind’ by Joseph Murphy, ‘The Brain’ by David Eagleman, “The Tell-Tale Brain by V.S. Ramachandran and ‘Total Freedom’ by Jiddu Krishnamurti.
imperative to contest the twin dangers – the power of groupthink and what Prof. Hariari identifies as ‘the knowledge illusion’. Reflection is a sprawling canvas to catch the rhythm of flowing ideas and dovetail them into a pulsating tapestry which students (read: knowledge-seekers) can hold up to their intellectual glory and humility.
Conclusion When I spoke about the virtues of reflection in class, one of my students, her eyes flashed with new-found insights, bubbles up: ‘Reflections are footprints on the landscape of thoughts! Aren’t they excited, exuberant?’ I said ‘wow’ to myself! Another student, sombre and serious, poses a rhetorical question: ‘Do you wish the flare of your ideas to go up in flames?’ We had a wonderful discussion and the central claim of the class was that reflection is a cognitive anchor. True! In retrospect, if reflection is your forte, you will be thrilled to develop yourself as a patient and acute listener of your ‘ideas’, fresh, throbbing and ever-widening. My central contention is to make reflection an integral part of teaching and learning. Students will be richly benefitted if writing down reflections becomes a consistent part of their learning. They can discover their critical potential. Teachers play a big role in providing ‘thoughtful uplifts’ to foster further inquiry and research. Writing reflections is a rewarding pedagogical method committed to incubating ideas, kindling mindfulness, honing analytical ingenuity, challenging patterns of individual beliefs and constructing a pluralistic ethos by being alive to the zeitgeist.
Mr. Sudeep Ghosh
is ToK Coordinator and faculty in the English department at the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad (India). His pedagogical articles, poems, research papers, translations and art criticisms have appeared in national and international journals. Aesthetica Magazine (UK), Le Dame Art Gallery (UK), The Canadian Literature (University of British Columbia, Canada), Wasafiri (Open University, London), Teacher Plus (India), The Indian Literature (Sahitya Akademy, India), Penguin (India), to name a few. sudeepmailsu@gmail.com
In short, the taxonomy of SLANTED aims at unlatching the gates of introspection to embrace the surge of ideas an individual mind produces. Reflection is 29 | Mentor | August 2019
Innovation
MOVING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE HOLISTIC LEARNING Re-Envisioning Educational Practices in Schools
Introduction
T
he evolution of education in India since independence has been nothing short of remarkable — from 24.29 million students in 1950-51 to over 260 million in 2018. Initially, education, besides serving an intellectual function, also contributed to the nation’s attempts to emerge as self-sufficient. As Indian society progressed, education also experienced an overhaul. With the emergence of globalisation, it wasn’t enough to focus on a child’s linear educational journey anymore; it became equally important to nurture the deeper aspects of her/his being in order to mould her/him into a responsible citizen contributing meaningfully to the wider community.
The Educational Philosophy Behind Rukmini Devi Public School The vision that guided me when I www.lxl.in
laid the foundation for Rukmini Devi Public School back in 1986, under the patronage of Seth Pokhar Mal Educational Society, was a simple yet powerful one — ‘excellence in education’. I wished to establish an institution that would, through futuristic educational practices, enable the students to build strong cognitive, physical, aesthetic and moral foundations for themselves. This would also empower them to become successful professional leaders and lifelong learners. In tune with the contemporary advancements in the field of education, it would also familiarise the students with the nuances of a shared global culture, by offering them numerous international opportunities that would bring them at par with their foreign counterparts.
Implementing Learning Practice
Holistic
A school is considered to be the mouthpiece of a society, and its teaching methods must reflect the revolutionary advancements that are constantly reconstructing it The educational philosophy outlined above eschews the traditional ‘chalk and talk’ pedagogy and embraces a more progressive and holistic outlook that makes it more effective, relevant and purposeful. A student raised in such an open, flexible and experiential environment would then emerge as a well-rounded, deeply reflective individual, inspired by limitless curiosity, determination and empathy to transform the
30 | Mentor | August 2019
Innovation
COSMOPOLITANISM
CONFIDENCE CREATIVITY
COURAGEOUSNESS
CULTURE
12 C’s of RDPS
12 C’s of RDPS CLARITY
CURIOSITY
CONSTRUCTIVISM
COMPETENCE COMMANDERSHIP
CALMNESS
world into a better place. Such a perspective that champions the intrinsic value of education and the possibilities it offers embodies the principle beliefs of the other institutions under the Seth Pokhar Mal Educational Society. This transcendental educational paradigm is new, inclusive and interdisciplinary in nature. However, it would lose its value if it is practiced in a didactic fashion. Schools should be cheerful learning spaces offering students stimulating academic and cocurricular diets through various enriching pursuits. It is important to capitalise on opportunities beyond the confines of the textbook and classroom, to encourage students to engage in personal explorations and to connect their curriculum with their daily lives.
It deftly combines national with global perspectives, theoretical knowledge with practical application, and value education with life skills. It offers a wholesome curriculum that successfully meets the present and future needs of the students. This is accomplished by cultivating 12 essential skills: •
Confidence
•
Creativity
•
Clarity
•
Calmness
•
Competence
•
Courageousness
•
Culture
•
Cosmopolitanism
Rukmini Devi Public School’s ACT Approach
•
Communication
•
Constructivism
For instance, the school programme of Rukmini Devi Public School follows a unique ACT (Attitudes, Communication and Thinking Skills) approach that empowers modern education to move beyond cognitive levels to nourish the attitudes, emotions, values and talents of the students.
•
Commandership
•
Curiosity
www.lxl.in
-
COMMUNI CATION
These skills are mapped under 5 domains, viz., cognitive, moral, social, aesthetic and physical. The students strengthen these by participating in competitions, workshops, projects, educational
visits, campaigns and visual and performing arts. Sports, too, form an essential part of the curriculum, and the students undertaking them not only gain strength, agility and good health, but also cherish important qualities such as teamwork, humility, discipline, willpower, leadership and endurance. There is a vast range of sports available in our school, such as volleyball, basketball, kho-kho, table tennis, cricket and badminton, skating and athletic track, all coached by a highly experienced faculty member. I firmly believe that such creative outlets are pivotal to the holistic development of students as they allow them to discover their innate potential and channelize it in useful ways.
The Evolving Demands of the 21st Century The 21st century society is one in constant flux, with the forces of globalisation and internationalism constantly reshaping the communities. The dynamics of such a society has blurred the linguistic, cultural and national boundaries. It is imperative for schools to acknowledge this 31 | Mentor | August 2019
Innovation in their curriculum, so as to prepare students to live and work in an integrated world and contribute to its welfare. One of the methods to accomplish this is through multicultural exchange programmes, that allow students to interact with their peers from other countries, explore their history and culture and broaden their horizons. For example, the exchange programme at RDPS, since 1998, has encouraged students to form lasting bonds with students and teachers from prestigious schools across the world. The school also facilitates several collaborative research projects and snail mail programmes that offer its students and their foreign friends stimulating platforms to engage in a meaningful dialogue.
The New Wave of Technological Innovations in Education The dramatic influx of technology in mainstream education has introduced a new wave of innovative practices in teaching and learning. With the aid of educational tools and IT software, teaching has become more interactive and profoundly multisensory. At RDPS, the EduTech facility is not a customary prop — rather, it is a vital limb. Provisions such as smart e-classrooms, 3D Lab, educational software, and CAT (Computer Aided Teaching), CAL (Computer Aided Learning) and CAA (Computer Aided Assessment) rooms allow the students to gain a deeper insight into areas that often go unnoted in a traditional classroom environment.
The Importance of a Strong, Dynamic Pedagogy However, no amount of innovative teaching practices and facilities can realise their purpose if they are not weaved effectively into a strong, dynamic teaching pedagogy. Children today have www.lxl.in
access to boundless information via the internet, and thus, the pedagogies designed must contain enough rigour and depth to challenge their intellectual capacities and encourage their spirit of inquiry. Approaches such as the blended learning and flipped classroom combine online learning and classroom discussions to construct a personalized learning experience for the students. Intensive skill-based programmes must complement these studentcentric pedagogies to empower the students to explore and deepen their knowledge. At RDPS, we have introduced a MentorMentee programme that allows the students to reimagine the horizons of their intellectual and creative geniuses by bringing them into contact with the vast experience of their teachers.
No amount of innovative teaching practices and facilities can realise their purpose if they are not weaved effectively into a strong, dynamic teaching pedagogy
Conclusion A school is considered to be the mouthpiece of a society, and its teaching methods must reflect the revolutionary advancements that are constantly reconstructing it. We live in exciting times, and in order to help the young generation successfully align its intellectual, physical, moral, emotional and aesthetic personalities with the numerous demands and challenges, we must create an educational paradigm that is
innovative, stimulating, insightful, dialogic and conscious of the mammoth role it has to play in the life of a student.
Mr. K. C. Garg is the founder of Seth Pokhar Mal Educational Society (Regd.), established in 1986, and operates several institutes of repute under the name “Rukmini Devi”. Through its concrete efforts, the society has created institutions of international brand that impart quality education right from kindergarten stage to His perseverance has inspired the “Rukmini Devi” family to grow from a small kindergarten to a conglomerate of institutes, offering infrastructure of international standard and education at an affordable price. Mr. K C Garg is presently holding the position of President, Seth Pokhar Mal Educational Society and always looks out to make the art of Mathematics more appealing and attractive to students. garg_kc@hotmail.com
32 | Mentor | August 2019
Innovation
ENHANCING STUDENTS’ COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS IN ENGLISH Methods For Day-to-Day Classroom Activities Introduction
a give-and-take exchange that consists of elements such as:
B
eing able to effectively communicate in the English language is a pivotal skill for every student in today’s day and age. It is a necessity to improve communication skills in English due to the advancements in digital media, the evolving career landscapes and greater competition in colleges and workplaces. The success of the teachinglearning process depends on the teacher’s knowledge, and the teacher’s ability to transfer the same to the students. Communication plays a vital role in the transfer of knowledge between students and teacher. Furthermore, the process is facilitated by the verbal communication that not only helps in the sharing of knowledge, but also creates an amicable environment to facilitate the sharing of ideas/opinions/ feelings between the teacher and the students
Effective Classroom Teaching Methods an English Teacher Can Adopt Following these methods will help you to create the speakers and writers of tomorrow by posing challenges to your students to think critically, listen actively and work together. 1. Show short English films that model English conversation skills. Your students foundational www.lxl.in
can learn elements
the of
•
Body Language
•
Eye Contact
•
Summarising
•
Paraphrasing
•
Responding
2. Reinforce active listening of English prose passages and poetic extracts. Active listening means understand, rather than reply.
Communication isn’t just about speaking; it’s also about listening
conversing by watching films or videos. When the interaction is taking place in these films or videos, pause it and ask questions such as, “What is the message the listener sending by crossing his arms? What else can you tell by observing the expressions and body language of both people in the conversation?” Conversation is one of the most basic and essential communication skills. It enables people to share thoughts, opinions, and ideas, and receive them, in turn. Although it may appear simple on the surface, effective conversations include
to
Reinforce means building good listening skills by encouraging students to practice, asking clarifying questions to fully understand the speaker’s intended message. Communication isn’t just about speaking; it’s also about listening. Teachers can help their students to develop listening skills by reading a selected text passages and poetic extracts aloud, and then having the class discuss and reflect on the content. 3. Give ample scope for group discussions, presentations and assignments, in order to improve communication skills in English. Team-building exercises benefit the students in the following ways: •
To sharpen both oral and written communication skills.
•
It offers students the chance to work in small groups.
•
It reduces the pressure of allotted activity. 33 | Mentor | August 2019
Innovation •
It gives them an opportunity to debate, take turns in the group, and work together towards a common goal.
4. Ask open-ended questions to improve communication skills. Open-ended questions require a response that goes beyond a sentence or two; they play a vital role for inspiring discussion and demonstrating that there are multiple ways to perceive and answer a question. You set a timer for short, informal conversations and you can challenge students to use open-ended questions. For example: you show your students how much more information they can obtain by asking a simple question such as, “What did you like best about the poem or lesson?” rather than simply, “Did you like the poem or lesson?” 5. Assign tasks and activities that foster critical thinking in English. Another task-based method for improving students’ communication skills is through critical thinking exercises. These can be done verbally or through written assignments that give students the chance to answer the given questions creatively, using their own words and expressions. For example: get a beginning line or an end line on which the communication is based. It will provide scope for critical thinking activities and games. 6. Provide reflective learning opportunities in English. Record the students’ reading of selected texts or videotape the group presentations. It is an excellent method for assessing their communication strengths and weaknesses, as students can reflect on their oral performance in small groups. Ask the students to critique each others’ performances as well; this will help to develop an attitude of constructive criticism. www.lxl.in
7. Grab the teachable moments in English. Whatever the age group you are teaching English to, try to capitalise on the day-to-day happenings in the classroom environment. For example: If a student answers a question in a different and complicated way, you just ask that student to rephrase what she/ he said, or challenge the class to ask for more clarifications on the question. While conducting such an activity in the class, if an unfamiliar word pops up in a text or on a film, pause the class to provide time for the search of a new word in the dictionary. 8. Use technology to develop communication skills in English. From audiobooks to apps, there is a multitude of technological resources that we can use for the improvement of the students’ communication skills. Students can listen to or read along with audiobooks to hear how the speaker pronounces and enunciates different words or phrases.
The Objectives Achieved Through These 8 Methods of Communication Skills 1. They help to learn more from teachers. 2. They help the students to develop openness and amiability towards others. 3. They help in career development of the students. 4. They help in enhancement of teamwork and collaborative attitudes. 5. They help to develop professionalism in the students. 6. They help the students to gain importance of social networking. 7. They help the students to improve their presence of mind and enhance memory.
Mrs. Swati Jaydeep Khaire who has an M.A. (English Literature), M.A. (Education), M.A. (Marathi), Mumbai University and a B.Ed. (Methods of Teaching English and Geography), Mumbai University. She also has a Diploma in School Management with research study, Yashwantrao Chavan University, and a Certificate Course in French Language, Mumbai University. An active participant with British Council, she has, in the past, been the Chief Moderator for English Higher level for Maharashtra State Board, Mumbai Division, a translator for Maharashtra State Board and a part of various investigation committees for the same. She has also been a Master Trainer for various teacher training sessions and seminars.
swathikhaire35@gmail.com
34 | Mentor | August 2019
EXCLUSIVE OFFER
FILM FESTIVAL
CHILDREN’S
WORLD’S LARGEST
For Mentor Readers to host IKFF!
BRING THE
WORLD’S LARGEST
TM
CHILDREN’S
FILM FESTIVAL
TO YOUR SCHOOL
The International Kids Film Festival (IKFF) is a unique film festival hosted by schools that provides an opportunity for students to WATCH the best of international children’s films, LEARN from film-making masterclasses and MAKE films to participate in the world’s largest student film-making competition.
To avail this exclusive offer, call us before 31st Aug 2019 -- ikff.in | ikff@lxl.in | +91 90191 11110
POSTAL REGN NO: KA\BGW- 1635\2018-2020 RNI NO. KARENG\2008\26567 PUBLISHED ON 28TH OF PREVIOUS MONTH. POSTED AT BANGALORE PSO BG 560026 OB 3RD, 6TH & 10TH OF EVERY MONTH TOTAL 36 PAGES (INCLUDING COVER PAGES) TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT LICENSE NO: WPP - 114