Mentor - India - Vol. 13 Issue 09

VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 09 | FEBRUARY 2020 | ₹40

Mr. Syed Razvi Chairperson Imamiya Mission School, Leh Ladakh

BRING YOUR

WORDS TO LIFE Share with us your best practices about the following: 1. The Curriculum tells you “What” not “How”. The "How" is the artistry in education. Elaborate.

2. How do happy teachers lead to more conducive learning environments and better learning outcomes?

3. What are the approaches that schools adopt to teach tolerance to children? and we'll publish it in Mentor!*

Word Limit: 1300 Words Email: info@lxl.in Submission Deadline: 5th March 2020 E-mail Subject: “Mentor Magazine”

Contents

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Mentor Thoughts Letter from the Editor

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What’s Trending

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Sultan Speaks

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Affects Learning

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Language Learners in Rural Classrooms

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Teaching Strategy for English

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Pedagogy How School Architecture

Leadership Our Mahatma

Middle Leaders

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All Rights Reserved ���� EduMedia Publications Pvt. Ltd. Publisher & Owner: Syed Sultan Ahmed Editor: Kalpa Kartik Sub Editor: Devina Wallang Content Developer: Farah Javid Layouts : OneAndOnlyDesign.in Production: Praveen U. M., Sathish C., Guna V. Printer: Elegant Printing

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Cover Story Democratic Leadership

Governance Parent Involvement in Education

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Approach Instead of Punishment

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Adopting a Problem-Solving

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Innovation Preparing Students for the Future

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Curriculum

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Heuristic Learning

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.

Editorial Committee: Ismat Ahmed, Amrita Burman, Jawairia Saleem, Jaya Narayan, Leena Satuluri, Manjula Raman, Prsahant Muley, Pria Pillai, Rama Krishnamurthy, Sandhya Nair, Shahista Ismail, Skand Bali, Stella Punita Swapnali Deore, Vijayam Kartha, Dr. Shweta Gaur & Aaparjita Dasgupta

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letter editor

from the

In this issue of Mentor, the cover story school – Imamiya Mission School, Leh Ladakh – focuses on building the quality leadership of educators by training them holistically. The shift from traditional leadership which revolves around the Principal to the teachers and administrative staff is central in this institution. The teachers at Imamiya Mission School always look at a subject or topic outside academics so that students can develop a broad vision in their life. It is also their firm belief to make leadership a broad network within the institution.

A school is a temple of knowledge; knowledge and discipline go hand-in-hand, and without discipline, it is impossible to attain knowledge. There is no doubt that discipline is essential in a school. Generally, discipline is the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour using punishment to correct disobedience.

However, instead of punishment, when a problem-solving approach to discipline is used in every sphere of life, it helps to achieve success. Children usually profit from the direction given by their parents both at home and at school on discipline.

Besides ‘How School Architecture Affects Learning’, this month, Mentor also explores ‘Teaching Strategy for English Language Learners in Rural Classrooms’, ‘Parent Involvement in Education’, ‘Preparing Students for the Future’, ‘Heuristic Learning Curriculum’, ‘Middle Leaders as a Path to Complete Leadership’ and ‘Discovering a Gandhi in All of Us for a Better World’.

The legacy of Gandhi is difficult to define but something which is permanently edged in the hearts and minds of millions across the world; this is a reminder of the fact that every human being irrespective of gender, religious faith, linguistic and ethnic origins is equal and worthy of respect.

Lastly, a school’s high-quality performance shows strong and enterprising middle leaders supported by the senior leadership team. It is vital that a leader patiently listens to the students, parents and teachers to take prompt and right decisions based on the various circumstances while displaying an empathetic approach accordingly. Middle leaders are therefore, the connecting thread between the learners and the teachers who frame the curricular and co-curricular nucleus that inspires the students.

Furthermore, new approaches to learning often means creating new models to enable implementation of ideas and the discipline to see them through.

Today, schools require professionals designing collaborative spaces that address new challenges in design.

Designing collaborative learning spaces to suit different learning styles is challenging mainly because although students learn best with peers, a controlled environment for individual work is also needed. The aim of maximising learning is not to make the school very ‘hi-tech’, but to make it useable and adaptable for the future. A design which allows for curiosity, creativity, connectivity, and collaboration among students and teachers is an inviting, exciting, and inspiring environment for learning. Such schools provide resources and support to the learning; they are the schools of the future!

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Kalpa Kartik

Editor

Our Contributors Monica Vincent

Syed Razvi

Principal Jewish Girl’s School, Kolkata

Chairperson Imamiya Mission School, Leh Ladakh

Dr. Anita Verma

Dr. Pooja Singh

Founder Principal Swaminarayan Vidyapith Karamsad & Shanti Asiatic School, Ahmedabad

Joint Director Saint Edmund’s School, Jaipur

Dr. Kalavathi Tiwari

Avnita Bir

Vice Principal Jain International Residential School, Bangalore

Director-Principal R.N. Podar School, Mumbai

Jayan Philip Dr. Raj Sangwaan

Teacher Neev Academy, Bangalore

Principal Arya College of Education, Haryana

Shibanti Bhowmik

Principal Abu Dhabi Indian School, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi

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Sultan Speaks

TikTok: Get Involved!

Have you heard of TikTok? Do you know of its influence?

TikTok ranked as the topmost downloaded app. 41 per cent of TikTok users are aged between 16 to 24. TikTok has been downloaded more than half a billion times in India alone.

In 2019, YouTube reported two billion logged-in viewers every month, resulting in more than one billion hours of video being watched every day. The total number of people who use YouTube – 1,300,000,000. 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute! Almost 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day.

In an average month, 8 out of 10, 18-49-year-olds watch YouTube.

Imagine the influence these platforms are having on our kids! If these platforms are influential, ever wondered who are the influencers?

There was a time when content was created by authors, writers, journalists, playwrights, editors, etc. They came from a place of knowledge and understanding along with educational background and grounding.

Theirs were the mainstream professions that not many ventured into, and it needed a certain skill set to write.

The training to write was given to almost everyone going to school and college, but the ones who got published were one in a million.

Creating Video/Film, on the other hand, was even more difficult and exclusive. There were professional courses across the world that taught generations what good film making was and how to produce this enigmatic art form.

This led to generations of legendary filmmakers, film stars, musicians, etc.

The bottom line is that the opportunity to create content was limited to a select few. One needed to be very adept in the art, and to an extent lucky, to get published, printed or featured in film.

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TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc. have changed this aspect of our world on its head. Today anybody and everybody can create content. You don’t need any qualification or certification to create content. The skill sets required don’t matter; the equipment required – a mobile phone, that is affordable and readily available to everyone. What’s more? There is an audience for all and any kind of content that is being produced. Now to all this, add the fact that there is no censorship of any sort to filter this content before it gets published. Today, anyone can create any content, publish it, and make it available to anyone, anywhere in the world.

This scenario has led to a unique challenge where most adults, teachers and educators have no clue who children follow on social media platforms and who are their influencers. So, we are living in a world where we know our children are being influenced and we have no idea who is influencing them.

Being present on some of these platforms and following some of the influencers that kids are raving about is an integral part of being an educator today. Being on TikTok and understanding the influencers is a part of your job as an educator!

Syed Sultan Ahmed MD & Chief Learner @ LXL Ideas

What’s Trending

Education performs two functions which appear to be contradictory to each other.

On the one hand, education is the most important instrument of socialisation – helping individuals internalise the structures and processes of society, thus, enabling them to contribute to society’s wellbeing. On the other hand, education also develops in an individual the capacity for critical thinking, for questioning existing structures, and for the generation of alternatives.

If these were the guiding principles of our education system, looking at today’s world and incidents, why has the system not been able to build individuals who would work towards social harmony? What is it that educators need to do differently to mould students as messengers of peace in the future?

As an educator, I find myself in a dilemma looking at the present situation of affairs in the country. We must think about the kind of values the education system and society are inculcating during the formative years of a child.

Schools must take the lead in this. Schools should endeavour to provide their students with competent instruction to empower them and before that, an ethical and logical way of thinking. Students must be responsible, competent and equipped with a reasonable attitude to express their mind and not through the biased “so-called heart”. Political thought should not be imposed on students. Narratives related to social, economic and political issues must be included in the syllabus at the middle school level. Future voters must know the rationale before they exercise their right to speak and vote.

A. P. SHARMA Principal Birla Public School, Doha

Unfortunately, in a country like India, a significant percentage of teachers have chosen the teaching profession not out of passion, but out of lack of choices. How can teachers create a developed society with this attitude?

Resistance towards accepting changes is creating a vast, but, weapon-less literate workforce which won't be able to fight in today's competitive age given that organisations have to keep pace with fleeting trends and preferences of crystallising the global market. Nurturing the roots of education, i.e. the teachers will surely develop a tree bearing the real fruits of success.

ANU BHATIA Principal St. Edmunds School, Jaipur

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Pedagogy

How School Architecture Affects Learning Designing Schools of the Future Dr. Anita Verma

“We shape our buildings and afterwards, our buildings shape us.” – Winston Churchill That education today is evolving is an understatement! It is so very different from what it used to be even ten years ago. Today, our students are digital natives and much more aware of what is happening around them.

Educators, therefore, need to continually evolve their methods of teaching to deal with the challenges of contemporary classrooms. Whether it is about a student not faring well in a particular subject or making the classroom environment more engaging, or addressing the challenge of inclusive education, each of these issues need our attention and creative energy. Each impacts the productive time spent on the overall development of students as well as educators in our school spaces. While designing an effective curriculum in schools is essential, so is the design of the rooms we learn in. Most schools are very static places with stereo-typed classrooms which are hardly suitable for the evolving education of today. These designs have the power to impact students’ well-being and motivation – either for better or for worse.

ARCHITECTURE AND LEARNING

As an architect, you design for the present with an awareness of the past for a future which is essentially unknown.

- Norman Foster

Widespread research confirms that architecture and all aspects of design have a significant effect on the well-being of children in their formative years at school. Factors like natural light, noise levels, temperature, air quality and classroom orientation have an important bearing on our learning levels. A recent study undertaken by the University of Salford and UK architects has shown that well-designed classrooms can improve the academic performance of primary students by 25%.

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Light, bright and airy learning environments for students go a long way in promoting learning. The overall layout and interior design aspects of the classroom – including the use of colour – create an environment that is either stimulating or not. Natural light is ideal for classroom environments. According to a study cited in Science Direct, students in classrooms with big windows and daylight achieve 20% faster progress in reading and maths. Fluorescent lights are not only unattractive but worse, they interfere with student learning. In particular, students with autism or sensitive hearing might find the buzzing of fluorescents distracting.

In a detailed study by Building and Environment, it was observed that good air quality and comfortable room temperatures improve student progress by as much as 28%. Classrooms decorated with plants enhance the quality of air and brighten up the room. The same study revealed that a balanced layout with wall displays and perhaps an accent wall could increase student progress by 23%.

The stereotypical classroom has had the same design for decades with a teacher-centric approach – both of which are hardly inspiring. Learning is greatly enhanced if teachers and students plan together and understand how space can be better utilised. Rearranging the classroom design with its rows of desks into informal group configurations is one of the simplest ways to have a positive learning outcome. The students’ sense of ownership of their classroom tremendously increases their ability to learn.

Research by Steelcase confirms that rearranging rows of desks into grouped configurations improves the following aspects of learning: - Active involvement and ability to engage in preferred learning methods - Feeling comfortable to participate and collaborate - Opportunity to engage and get class feedback - Allowing physical movement - Focus building - Stimulation and creation of an enriching experience The Steelcase study quoted 30% more engagement and active learning in class by both students and teachers alike after having new desk configurations over the old, standard traditional rows.

Pedagogy IF YOU CAN SEE THE FUTURE, YOU CAN BUILD IT At the start of this millennium, I was fortunate to be a part of the visioning team that nurtured the nascent Swaminarayan Vidyapith (SV) inspired by the lofty vision of the great spiritual guru, HDH Pramukh Swami. This fully-residential, international level K-12 school for girls at Karamsad in Gujarat, set up in 2001, aimed to provide meaningful and relevant education for girls coming from all across the globe. As its Founder Principal, my task for creating thoughtful designs and using education spaces was as challenging as providing an excellent curriculum, great leadership and inspirational teaching.

DISTINCT FEATURES OF SV

Architecture is not about space, but about time.

A lot of research went into the making of SV. The educators and the architects worked in close collaboration to provide an excellent learning ambience blended with deep-rooted, Indian spiritual wisdom together with the dynamism and progressive outlook of the modern 21st century. A few notable features include: The Vedic Mandal style of architecture with a large central core area that can be used for multiple activities.

Classrooms are activity centres wrapped with parikrama (corridors), and then connected to the cosmos to realise the real world. Accordingly, one door of the classroom leads to the exterior for practical and experiential learning (vidyaman kriya). Cooperative learning (sanyukta kriya) involving two or three classes is planned in the entrance foyer. The counselling centre and rear side lawns at one end provide space and ambience for reflection and introspection. Modular Classrooms of 23 feet square polygons face all directions, guaranteeing aeration and cross ventilation. The area between two polygonal modular classrooms is utilised for sanyukta kriya as it has ample space for inspiration, interaction, presentation and display. The length of the Modular Classroom has been carefully calculated as this distance is ideal for the teacher’s sound to be heard in the class without echo or reverberations. Walls between two classrooms are 18 inches wide with an air gap of 4.5 inches – this serves the dual purpose of keeping heat and outside noise away.

The Art Studio is designed to provide space for parallel learning. While some students eagerly draw and paint on their easels, others dance merrily with the raindrops in an open space and yet, a third group recites poems on the monsoon! All this in one covered, ventilated foyer!

The auditorium side walls are furnished with coir floor mats (an excellent heat and sound insulator). This is an example of providing audio acoustics most economically.

This was coated with natural urea to make it fire retardant as well. The coir mats made with trapezium pieces also help to baffle the sound. As the air and light source is only from one direction, the tapering walls give a fan effect with the throttled wind.

Use of waffle slab was another cost-effective solution to prevent the sound of jumping/dancing students on the first floor, transmitting to those on the ground floor.

Besides, the building complies with all safety norms. It is earthquake resistant, and the large entrances on all four directions ensure that if required, the entire building can be evacuated in no time!

Easy access to digital communication for individuals, peers or group purposes; sound recording facilities in the auditorium; a specialised life skill lab that allows for a plethora of activities; a world-class gymnasium; an outdoor weather station which enabled students to note and record critical parameters; sophisticated information centre with separate sections for books, documentation, digital library and collaborative work by mentors; separate working space for facilitators as well as a conference room for discussions, are some examples of the design thinking that has gone into the creation of Swaminarayan Vidyapith.

MAKING THE BEST USE OF AVAILABLE SPACES

There are 360 degrees, why stick to only one? Not all educators are in a position to rebuild their school or build anew. Yet, they can easily design, get perspectives from different sides and renovate, keeping a few essentials in focus. After all, designers use multiple tools to solve complex problems and promote positivity everywhere.

The design world is, indeed, limitless!

So why not design in education too?

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Pedagogy Teachers should be aware that they play a very integral role in the development of both – the children and the school itself. They can design such an atmosphere that children want to go back to school the next day. They design the feeling of belonging and familiarity, a sense of trust and inclusiveness. Students do not see the world through the same lens as adults. No wonder, effective teachers look at each aspect of classroom and design from their students’ point of view.

• What is it like to sit where students sit and work for long hours?

• Can they see what they need to from where they are seated?

• Are there any distractions?

• Is the room too cluttered?

• Is it too busy or too dull?

It is well known that students learn in different ways.

Educators can maximise classroom learning by providing various types of workspaces to suit all learners, such as: • A classroom library section • A common area – maybe around a large table for class discussions or a rug on the floor • A computer workstation • Desk or room dividers for independent, focused work • Tables and chairs for a small group, collaborative work • Movable desks and chairs which can be easily used for different settings The aim of maximising learning is not to make the school very ‘hi-tech’, but to make it useable and adaptable for the future.

CHALLENGES IN DESIGNING A SPACE THAT FACILITATES OPTIMUM LEARNING

If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.

New approaches to learning often mean creating new models to enable implementation of the ideas. Today, schools require professionals designing collaborative spaces that address new challenges in design. Designing collaborative learning spaces to suit different learning styles is challenging mainly because although students learn best with peers, a controlled environment for individual work is also needed.

A flexible design which provides various options is essential. The optics or a contemporary look is also a necessary asset for any school. The bigger the challenge, the bigger is the opportunity for growth.

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A design which allows for curiosity, creativity, connectivity, and collaboration among students and teachers is an inviting, exciting, and inspiring environment for learning.

Such schools provide resources and support to the learning; they are the schools of the future!

CONCLUSION Children are like sponges; they assimilate everything from their surroundings. They are curious learners and can understand and express from a very early age, primarily by observation and interaction with their environment.

Students spend large chunks of time in school.

Somewhere burdened by the current educational system, their curiosity wanes. Our ongoing schooling is designed to fulfil the needs of the Industrial Age with compliant workers, rigid structure and defined guidelines. Today, it is imperative to build in decision making, creativity, collaborative and leadership skills in our students. This will be possible only if we allow them to collaborate, explore, experiment, design, create, play and learn in the process. And for this, the use of thoughtfully-designed learning spaces is essential.

It is time for all stakeholders in education to ponder: • What is an inviting, inspiring and inclusive school environment?

• Are our classrooms welcoming and warm to boost student morale?

• Do they encourage creativity?

• How do the different aspects of the classroom design affect students’ learning?

• Do educators welcome student involvement in designing their environment?

Sometimes overcoming a challenge is as simple as changing the way you think about it.

Designing for collaborative learning spaces can completely transform any school and make it much more inviting and inclusive. That is the need of today. Are we ready?

References https://www.dezeen.com/2013/01/02/poor-school-design-can-affect-learning-says-new-study/ https://www.new-learn.info/packages/clear/thermal/buildings/building_fabric/elements/cavities_and_air_spaces.html https://www.connectingelements.com/our-blog/how-classroom-design-affects-learning https://specadsystems.com/blog/%E2%80%8Bdesigning-collaborative-spaces-schools-creatively/ How Architecture Affects Learning by Jill Berkowicz & Ann Myers / Education Week-Leadership360 /April 5, 2018

Pedagogy

Teaching Strategy for English Language Learners in Rural Classrooms An Experiential Confirmation for an Effective Task-Based Approach Dr. Kalavathi Tiwari

“Teaching is the wellspring of all professions. Thou shalt demonstrate and project the joy of learning.” - Vickie Gills We, teachers of English as a second/foreign language, endeavour to project before the students the global demand of learning English since the language occupies a dominant position in almost all fields especially in the field of education, customer care & human resource, international relations, media, communication, and travel & tourism. Thousands of words and phrases are being added to the English dictionary every year as a result of the advancements in Science and Technology. Teaching can make our life busy as a bee if we are committed and dedicated.

A good teacher makes his/her classes involving meaningful, exciting and authentic activities for every objective to reach the goal.

TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING (TBLT): ITS PIONEERS The pioneers of Task-based Language Teaching methodology are David Nunan, M.H. Long, P. Skehan, Rod Ellis, Willis, J. M. Norris and Van den Branden. TBLT started in the 1970s, and since then, TBLT has been acknowledged and discussed commonly. Task-based Language Teaching has its origins in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and is a subcategory of it. With the rise of the TBLT approach, different interpretations were given with regard to what exactly a task is (Willis, 1996; Long, 1985; Breen, 1987). At the same time, different proposals for task-based syllabuses were also made (e.g. Breen, 1984; Prabhu, 1984; Long & Crookes, 1992). In addition to all these efforts, a project known as ‘Communication Teaching Project’ was launched by Dr. N. S. Prabhu who was working with the Regional Institute of English (RIE) located in Bangalore, South India. He took five years from 1979 to 1984 to complete this project. He also made TBLT a popular methodology in India.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ON TASK-BASED APPROACH According to Gong Yafu & Luo Shaoxi (2003), a language can be acquired by its learners only if they are provided with ample opportunities to expose themselves to plenty of language input and output and its authentic utilisation.

This is feasible only with task-based language teaching approach since in task-based language teaching, variety of tasks are adapted and to accomplish the tasks, students need to apply the language which they had learnt previously. According to Ellis (2003, 2004), the use of tasks will not only develop the speaking and writing skills of the students, but also give them a clear and purposeful context for the learning of grammar.

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Pedagogy COMPONENTS OF A TASK There are mainly six components of a task. Nunan (1989) describes them as Input, Goals, Activities, Setting, Teacher’s Role and Student’s Role. TBLT suggests a few activities to teach oral communication skills. For example, extempore, cues, group discussion, oral presentation, problem-solving communication activities (giving and asking for clear directions and instructions), jigsaw activities, information transfer, etc. In spite of the efforts taken by English teachers to teach language skills in educational institutions, the students are very poor both in oral and writing skills.

THE FINDINGS The reports of Aspiring Minds, an Employability Evaluation and Certification Company, one of the world's leading assessment companies and National Spoken English Skills (NSES) state that only 6.8% and 2.9% engineers respectively show their ability to speak or respond spontaneously. Engineering students in metro cities possess speaking skills better than in non-metros.

It is justified that a strong foundation has to be laid in communication skills for children right from the school level – especially in rural schools – so that when they pursue their higher studies, they will be confident enough to converse freely.

It is obvious from the findings that there is a need for change in the teaching methodology of languages, especially in the Indian context.

NEED FOR AN AMENDMENT IN ELT IN INDIA Reviewing the literature of Task-based Approach (TBA) and my experiential authentications which are mentioned below, it could be concluded that TBA is the most effective and fruitful strategy for students to acquire language skills at the school level.

EXPERIENTIAL AUTHENTICATIONS The author of this article conducted a few Case Studies with students of schools and colleges located in rural places. The purpose of the study is to explore and investigate – if oral skills of rural students (of grade VI-VIII) are enhanced by applying Task-based Instruction (published in an International Journal OIIRJ-JHSS August 2018, Special issue 2), if oral skills among students of a rural engineering college are improved after adopting TBA (published in an International Journal IJELL Jan. 2015 issue), and if writing skills of the students of a rural engineering college are enhanced after adopting TBA (published in an International Journal Scholar critic, August 2014 issue). A research paper on the topic ‘Task-based Approach to Teaching English as a Second Language’ is also published in Research Spectrum, a National Journal volume 2 issue Jan – June 2011.

CONCLUSION The findings of the case studies mentioned above are on par with those of Tareq Mitib Murad (2009), Massoud Rahimpour (1999), and Ahamadian (2010) and have given rise to various pedagogical implications like teaching methodology, designing syllabus and developing material in teaching English as a second language.

With these implications, students will inevitably obtain competency in communicative English.

It is hoped that the present article would motivate the teachers of English to adopt TBA in their English language classroom and inspire curriculum designers to include plenty of tasks in prescribed English textbooks for students so that teachers of English can conduct activities without spending much time in designing the material.

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Leadership

Our Mahatma

Discovering a Gandhi in All of Us for a Better World Mr. Jayan Philip

Children are inquisitive, curious, attention-seeking, and on the run always. Their minds wander, and so do their thoughts. Books open them to a world of unknown imagination and unparallel visualisation of objects, creatures and islands in the midst of oceans, mountains on the moon and unchartered territories under the oceans. Books also give them a view of global icons in business, sporting heroes, pathways & trendsetters, the victor & the vanquished, the past which defined them, and the present which terms them. A world of fantasy and ecstasy awaits them in their dreams every day.

MAKING HISTORY As a child steps into a school, he/she is creating history for him/her and the society at large, because his/her thoughts and actions can later impact everybody in and around him/her.

Sometimes, children at a very tender age – for example, 17 years in the case of Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg at 19 – can catch the world’s attention and appreciation for the cause they stand and fight for.

THE FATHER OF THE NATION A book can give wings to any child or adult as it did to Gandhi in ‘Unto the Last’ by John Ruskin. The Time Magazine’s person of the year and our ‘Father of the Nation’ today, is adored, researched, eulogised and cherished in every country or at the world stage. Unfortunately, he is admonished by some who do not understand the essence of goodness, sacrifice, peace, freedom and religious tolerance in a civilised world.

The first and foremost attribute of Gandhi, which cannot be forgotten or erased from history books is honesty. He was outspoken, open-minded, fought tooth and nail against social injustices, wanted every human being to be treated with respect and dignity, and above all, he wanted India to be free from the bondage of imperialism.

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Leadership AN APOSTLE OF PEACE The Educational inspector of Rajkot, Mr. Giles, was visiting the Albert school where Gandhi was a student. The class was having a spelling test when Mr. Giles entered the class.

He misspelt the word kettle. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi refused to correct the misspelt word in spite of the teacher nudging him.

The young Mohania as his parents called him, and later our Mahatma refused to budge. Here, the student was the teacher in terms of the principles he had to uphold professionally and personally.

In all walks of life, honesty and integrity, which are the best of all moral values, should be interwoven into the moral fabric of an individual. They should form the nucleus of the core values and be the cornerstone of any educational institution – be it the university or the primary school – because a child’s surroundings introduce him/her to the world and the school, becomes his/her second home. This is where he builds his character and conviction, which after many years down the lane would define, characterise and differentiate him from the rest.

Gandhi, as a child, lawyer, reformer, crusader and leader, changed the destiny of our nation not only through compassion but via brutal honesty and humility amidst adversity or victory.

It is natural for any of us to be distracted in class as the natural world has many attractions for us. Some of them include the moving clouds and the mesmerising orange shades of sunset, raindrops falling on the leaves and dripping down to the sands below, small puddles of water forming ponds and lakes on the ground, or even a naughty squirrel cruising at a super speed on the treetops to taste a mango or guava which is tempting him/her. Once a child climbed a tree taking with him tiny bits and pieces of clothes because he wanted to bandage the small pecks on the guavas with these cloth pieces which had been pecked by the birds. This boy later grew up to be our Mahatma.

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He was passionate about nature and sincerely concerned even about the smallest of all creatures because he regarded them as gifts from God.

THE GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHY

The Gandhian thought is humanistic and optimistic in nature and action, with the welfare of the masses, and with no distinctions based on caste, colour, creed, gender or religion.

Not many know that Gandhi was also a teacher for some time in the Valmiki Colony, Delhi in 1946. He was conscientious, very particular about being punctual as a small clock would be tied around his waist always, and he chided students if they didn’t take a bath before studies.

As a resident of Valmiki Colony, he was shocked to find that most elders were illiterate and took the pain of teaching basic English and Hindi to children.

During the ‘Second Round Table Conference’ 1932 in London, many English men and women had gathered to catch a glimpse of Gandhi and children had flocked around him being baffled and surprised with his dhoti and the shawl. They presented him with oranges which he gladly accepted with a smile; this was captured on camera, and the world has not forgotten.

The modestly dressed, most sought after and cynosure of all eyes was Gandhi.

The simplicity and modesty of a man who is worshipped today and, in the yesteryears, was a sharp contrast to the pomp and splendour of the royal palace when Gandhi and the King of England came face-to-face.

There are many attributes in his character, which cannot be summarised in words. Still, if forced to, it can be the word impactful because his character resonated with action and reverberated amongst the masses. He was the captain of the ship in the midst of stormy sea called the ‘Indian Freedom Movement’.

Leadership A MAN OF MINIMALISM, SUSTAINABILITY AND DIVERSITY Gandhi firmly believed and promoted secularism which is being questioned and threatened today as the human and nationalistic values which define us cannot be taken away or infringed upon. He spoke about the Ten Commandments of the Bible, made sure that Hindus and Muslims prayed together, and pleaded against partition which many might argue was a blessing in disguise but is often open for debate. It is also a fact that millions suffered in their land and migrated due to partition and the pain of that catastrophe still lingers on even today. Though Gandhi did not speak much about ecological sustainability, his practices and modest lifestyle in spite of being well renowned truly reflected moderation. It was perfectly blended with nature in terms of minimum usage of commodities and avoidance of luxury and opulence.

Cultural diversity and religious plurality were and are the two distinct features in the kaleidoscopic mosaic of India, which Gandhi understood and promoted through his teachings and work. Perhaps, our children in schools and beyond their classrooms should imbibe the fact that ‘unity in diversity’ is not a slogan or tagline, but the ethos, essence and assimilation of our country. In 1921, while writing in the ‘Young India’, he said, “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any. I refuse to live in other people’s house as an interloper, a beggar or a slave.”

India recently gifted a 193 solar panels park to the United Nations (one each to all the 193 member states of the UN) aptly named the ‘Gandhi Panels’ as part of our sustainability initiative. It is this context that we need to critically analyse the truth in Gandhi’s words, “the world has enough for our needs but not our greed”. Today, Gandhi’s words are not just apt but have become true and authentic as the world faces a major catastrophe called ‘Climate Change’, which is threatening the very existence of our planet. As the world becomes smaller and interconnected electronically and logistically, we must heed Gandhi’s words and focus on tackling the detrimental challenges of unchecked consumption, irrational industrial production catering to business lobbies and multinational companies with utter disregard for environmental laws. Gandhi had warned us of the dangers of industrialisation, which has today has made our air polluted affecting the lungs of millions, destroyed some major water systems and decreased soil yields drastically.

He was crystal clear about the need for developing our villages and Khadi industries since they formed the primary source of livelihood for millions. Khadi, as an alternative, assumes importance today as many are ignorant of the fact that the fashion industry after oil is the worst polluter.

Behind the glitz and glamour of the innumerable fashion

styles and brands, there lies a murky underbelly of cloistered factories who exploit the poor breadwinners of many families and make them work in inhuman conditions. Khadi, a village product produced with the craftsmanship of the hardworking villager and the spinning wheel, for decades had an obedient servant called Gandhi. The need for inclusiveness was stressed and practised many times by Gandhi, and this holds much relevance today as the bridge between the poor and rich is widening across the world and India which is the largest democratic nation in the world.

Inclusivity needs to taken up in every area of learning in our schools as it develops confidence, character and composure as Gandhi had.

The legacy of Gandhi is difficult to define but something which is permanently edged in the hearts and minds of millions across the world; a reminder of the fact that every human being irrespective of gender, religious faith, linguistic and ethnic origins is equal and worthy of respect.

There are many quotes and sayings about Gandhi, but this one by Albert Einstein is unforgettable to the world,

“Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

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Leadership EDUCATION AND GANDHI In a world ridden with a plethora of problems socially and politically, which are challenging marginalised communities, the doctrines of Gandhi are a vital tool not just to assess development or improvements, but to be followed democratically to fulfil the aspirations of multitudes who are always at the receiving end.

An educator, today, needs to take into consideration that the child in front of him/her should one day be the transformative agent of change to the society in term of leadership at different levels. There are many attributes which we can learn from Gandhi’s discipline and forward-thinking.

Kindness to Animals Animal welfare was a top priority for him. “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way it treats its animals” was one of his statements which later found universal acceptance. There are two sides of the debate today as to whether animals should be slaughtered for food, but the fundamental underlying question is – aren’t we moving towards an age where our children may not know or see an elephant, a tiger or a dolphin, to mention a few? This is because their natural habitats are lost due to man’s exploitation.

Animal Conservation is gaining momentum and Gandhi would have loved to see animals being respected and accepted as an integral part of our lives.

Gandhi was completely against discrimination of any kind, and the country should have classrooms which would foster unity in diversity. In the Sabarmati Ashram, he wanted all resources to be shared, and the dignity of manual labour was stressed and respected.

Some of the small deeds which Gandhi practised can be emulated by educators today.

Resourceful and Thoughtful Gandhi never wasted paper. He scribbled on the back of envelopes and kept notes. Today we live or are on the verge of an incomparable environmental catastrophe which is a risk to our very existence and the survival of our planet.

Resources need to be managed carefully and sustainably.

The lesser the number of papers used or consumed in schools – as in everywhere – means lesser number of trees cut and more green cover.

Secular and Open-Minded He was truly secular as he respected all religions. Gandhi at a young age was impressed with the Jain philosophy of Ahimsa, read the Bhagwad Gita, Holy Quran and the Bible which was given to him by a vegetarian friend in London.

He was very much influenced by the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ and accepted the Buddhist concept or teaching of non-violence as his duty and the main weapon of our freedom struggle. Today, our classrooms are diverse in terms of the linguistic and religious backgrounds of our children which is also a clear example of religious tolerance.

Punctuality and Patience At all times, Gandhi was very punctual and tried to be. He used to be upset if he was not on time. Punctuality is essential for the teacher and the student.

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Servant Leadership Finally, nothing is more important and crucial than leadership in schools. The leadership traits have to be in line with societal development and transformative changes in the lives of each individual who would become a World Citizen in thought and action. Our classrooms are places of collaboration and exploration where equality and integrity are practised with grit, honour and grace. Gandhi had the grit to differ with the British and showed to the world that might is not right when it comes to truth and justice. People’s aspiration for freedom can be attained amidst adversity and oppression with fearlessness, patience and determination. Gandhi was a true leader; he practised what he preached and always cared for his team, whether it was in the four ashrams he established or the struggles he led. Gandhi always led from the front, never compromising on his ideals and principles.

Leadership

Middle Leaders

A Path to Complete Leadership Ms. Shibanti Bhowmik

Middle leaders hold the prime role to achieve precision in the school leadership. However, their role in many cases is under-researched.

Who, exactly, are middle leaders? The Head of the Departments, Grade Coordinators, Lead Teachers, SENCO, Social Workers, Counsellors, Curriculum and Activity Coordinators are generally called as middle leaders.

ROLE OF MIDDLE LEADERS Middle leaders are the connecting thread between the learners and the teachers who frame the curricular and co-curricular nucleus that aspire students.

As Helen Guntur rightly said, “leadership is about the location of entrepreneurial behaviours in the role and task of senior and middle management post holders.” This statement is precise and appropriate to the present context where the domain of education is undergoing a paradigm shift. Today, the nature of the job executed by teacher leaders are challenging as the core responsibility for planning and implementing the curriculum, mentoring and monitoring, imparting values and mapping students’ holistic progress belong to them. The school principal holds the pivotal role and accountability as a whole, for the core aspects and the other designations for their respective subjects or cohorts.

The success of a school’s high-quality performance shows strong and enterprising middle leaders supported by the senior leadership team.

In most of the schools, it has been observed that qualified and skillful teachers are promoted as middle leaders. These teachers recognise even the fine requirements for various standards that ensure quality education. This clearly highlights that refined middle leaders are the steppingstone to achieve success. The school administration, with prompt vision, ensures to update the middle leaders’ professional leadership skills that are compatible with the 21st-century learning skills and competencies through advanced and continuous training sessions. Thus, the middle leaders and teachers will pave the way to accountability, autonomy and professionalism towards their work, and various innovative approaches for the whole school.

A CRUCIAL LINK IN THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP CHAIN There are several factors that make an effective middle leader. These are mentioned below: Passion for Teaching and Learning A middle leader should be committed, dedicated and an enthusiastic teacher who evolves as an effective leader. A passionate leader will display more creative and critical-thinking skills. They ensure an effective teaching and learning environment for the students to achieve successful learning outcomes.

Be Open-Minded and Lead Changes A middle leader must be tolerant and receptive to new ideas and experiences to be a strong collaborator. The leader must have the rationality and readiness to face challenges and take dynamic decisions that are crucial for the growth of the institution.

Willingness to Enhance and Innovate A leader must always be self-reflective to introspect on his/her actions to enhance the outcomes. He/she should be a change in the purpose of leadership and sustain the direction of the changes introduced.

Be a Good Communicator and Listener This is an essential characteristic of a leader. Leaders possess clarity of thoughts and expression to convey their ideas.

It is vital that a leader patiently listens to the students, parents and teachers to take a prompt and right decision based on the various circumstances while displaying an empathetic approach accordingly.

A Culture of Teamwork A 21st-century leader must be a good team player and establish a strong relationship between the school and the community to realise and implement the vision of the school.

Willingness to Learn from Others A leader of this century must be proactive and interactive by sharing successful strategies often practised in teaching and learning with other middle leaders. This enables them to collaborate and provide robust innovations for steady progress in the future of education.

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Cover Story

Democratic Leadership Holistically Shaping the World

There has been plenty of debate and research over the aspects that attribute to a thriving school. What makes a school successful? What are the key factors that distinguish effective from the least effective schools? With multiple paradigms for school operations, how can we judge if a school model is effective? In this story, we travel to Leh Ladakh through the vivid words of Mr. Syed Razvi – Chairperson of Imamiya Mission School – who provides crucial answers to these pertinent questions.

Using the ‘Five Factor Theory’ based on research by celebrated international authors and educators – David Miller Sadker and Karen R. Zittleman, Mr. Syed Razvi brings to life the story of Imamiya Mission School, Leh Ladakh, based on the five common characteristics that effective schools seem to share.

QUALITY LEADERSHIP Is quality leadership integral to the success of your school?

Leadership is considered one of the essential qualities of human beings to make effective teams. Leadership makes school a better place to inculcate education. Quality leadership is always a desirable characteristic to run a society effectively. It is also vital for the success of any institution. At Imamiya Mission School, we focus on building the quality leadership of educators by training them holistically. There are various winter events, where teachers are provided with the opportunity for intercultural exposure and interaction with different educators across the country. The shift from traditional leadership which revolves around the Principal to the teachers and administrative staff is central in our institution.

Our firm belief is to make leadership a broad network within the institution.

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Cover Story What is the form of leadership your school follows?

Ladakh, being a unique region of the country, struggles to get exposure from the rest of the world. The people of Ladakh are considered introverts and to get them to speak about any issue, is an arduous task. Today’s education requires schools to holistically shape students and educators for the world. We, at Imamiya Mission School, are continuously trying to make educators and administrative staff achieve leadership qualities. Two of our favourite practices which help promote leadership skills are: Distributive Democracy It has always been the primary motive of our organisation to make people work through the distribution of responsibility.

Teacher-Student Relationship The second, the most significant effort by the organisation is to work on the teacher-student relationship. This is achieved through the regular interaction of parents and educators, thus enabling a better understanding of students and helping teachers take the role of inspiring leaders in the life of their students.

Describe the outcomes of practising quality leadership Training and mentoring of our academicians and administrative staff have made a profound effect on their development. The different kinds of workshops conducted during winter vacation have ensured our educators are more interactive, and it has helped them articulate their thoughts effectively. It has also developed their confidence level. The most immediate change that has been observed is a positive change in the attitude of teachers. Our teachers are focusing on being more creative and innovative in their teaching methods. Secondly, there’s quality distributive leadership as academicians try to solve the problems of students efficiently. Handling the issues of students has made the student-teacher relationship more open and nurturing.

The academicians at Imamiya Mission School consciously use creative methods to teach their students. While desirable pressure leads to positive results, sometimes, the amount of pressure negatively impacts the creativity of the workforce. As a leader, I have realised how and when to place weight on my expectations of the team.

One of the great achievements of expecting quality results from the workforce is that the ambition of each team member rises, and their potential to achieve their goals also increases.

Having been in this field for many years, I have observed that positive encouragement and inspiring leadership can help the workforce achieve their targets effectively.

HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FROM THE WORKFORCE Should a leader have high expectations from his/her workforce?

It is natural for human beings to have high expectations when they put their effort into anything. As a leader, I always feel that the team should give their best performance. Higher expectations from the workforce help maintain the seriousness of the people involved.

Being the head of the school means juggling with daily things to do while maintaining the broad vision of the institution. To ensure this balance, I, as a leader, always set high expectations from my workforce. Higher expectations also drive people to complete their tasks with zeal and enthusiasm.

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Cover Story How can a mismatch between the expectations of a teacher and the school management be resolved?

The common mismatch between the teachers and the expectation of the school lies in the discrepancy of interests between the individuals and the school; there are times when the interests of teachers do not match the interests of the organisation. One such example includes a teacher that had once wanted to take his class students for a tour of a particular religious organisation. The idea seemed a little unproductive as the students were very small to understand such concepts. These kinds of problems were resolved by making changes and keenly observing the implementation of ideas.

Secondly, a mismatch is felt when a particular agenda of the school does not inspire an educator, and he/she cannot implement it effectively. These kinds of problem are resolved by multiple interactions with teachers where the management tries to convince the teachers that the idea is progressive and in line with the organisation’s primary vision.

What are the parameters to judge the success of your school?

The success of a school can be determined from various factors that lead to the holistic development of students and educators. Our motive is to shape a personality according to his/her innate nature, and that for us is one of the most significant achievements.

Another parameter to judge a school’s success includes core academic results. At Imamiya Mission School, we always strive to clear the basic concepts of every subject from the early years of our students.

Other than core studies, another critical achievement of our institution is imparting spiritual education using innovative storytelling, community work, and the like – which helps students later in life. There is a profound example of an ex-student coming to me and expressing the importance of this life skill and how it is tremendously helping him. This parameter is very dear to me because we always need more nice people in the world.

How does your school enable teachers to reach their highest potential?

As an organisation that imparts education to young minds, we try to develop new methods of evaluating teachers. The world is changing every second, and it is imperative that we also change with time. As our school is situated within the Himalayas, we have very less exposure to the outside world. To work on the professional development of teachers has always been a challenge. Now that the technological boom has blossomed in every corner of the world, we are taking complete advantage of it. Our teachers are enabled with different technological innovations. Teachers are also trained through School Cinema and various workshops which help them build skills and grow with time. The winter programme that is tied with different schools of the country helps us understand the pros and cons of teaching in other schools, aids our teachers to develop personally and enhances the professional quality of our educators.

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SCREENING STUDENT DEVELOPMENT REGULARLY How does your school screen student development regularly?

Students are the key elements of a school. At Imamiya, the whole system of education revolves around the holistic development of students. We try to understand a growing mind through thick and thin. Our school screens students on these four parameters: Core Academics – Evaluating students based on tests, projects, academic knowledge, write-ups, weekly quiz, craft, projects, etc.

Sports – Every student at Imamiya Mission School participates in sports, which allows them to release stress and helps them learn at different levels.

Co-curricular Activities – This includes different activities like participation in plays, recitations, etc. along with community outreach and understanding one’s surroundings.

Parents and Administrative Meet – The last parameter, which is considered essential and the key to developing children, includes effective parent and educator interaction.

Cover Story

What are your best practices that have improved student performance?

Our institution is always ready to inculcate new methods to improve students’ performance. We have several tried and tested successful techniques. As an organisation, we keep learning new things and growing.

One of the best practices which we have is the introduction of School Cinema in the curriculum. It has immensely improved our students’ learning capabilities and social-emotional skills. The quality time spent during School Cinema hours has positively impacted our students.

Another best practice is creating stories out of books.

Creating plays out of lessons and making students live the life of books has helped them excitingly gain knowledge. It also instills leadership qualities in students.

The last practice which I find noteworthy is making students environmentally sensitive. We try to make trips and tours to national parks, river banks, etc. I believe teaching sensitivity towards the environment makes them better humans.

Our teachers always look at a subject or topic outside academics so that students can develop a broad vision in their life.

The other part of our activities pays attention to developing life skills like public speaking, interpersonal skills, empathy, critical thinking, nurturing and polishing hobbies, etc. Furthermore, to imbibe teamwork, we organise group activities like working on recycling projects, helping people during a crisis like the Leh flood, and many more.

How do you assess the individual skill sets of students beyond academics?

Academics are, no doubt, an essential part of a student’s life. Our organisation puts heavy emphasis on imparting theoretical and practical knowledge. Other than academics, we try to shape a student’s personality with the help of various activities. These activities are categorised into two main parts.

What are your school’s assessment measures to compare student performance nationally and internationally?

Our school runs according to the state board of education. It is knowledge-intensive. We also use assessments such as national level quiz, Olympiads, etc. Being a tourist destination, students at Imamiya Mission School have regular interactions with scholars and educators from around the world.

The first part deals with the intra-personal development of students. Being one of the least populated areas of the country, our classrooms are not crowded. This makes it easy for educators to pay attention to every individual.

This helps students grow and become more progressive. All these measures are used to assess students at the end of the academic session. We also give students tasks like questionnaires, experience sharing through essay writing, speeches, etc.

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Cover Story Describe some of the problem areas of learning at the classroom level that has been successfully identified and resolved Our organisation started in the early eighties. At that time, quality education was a luxury for most people in this part of the world. We have gone through many challenges – starting from infrastructure to quality educators; we struggled in every sphere to reach where we are today. In spite of the hard work, we are still working on our challenges.

One of the significant challenges in our classroom used to be non-interactive and shy students. The one-way flow of knowledge was creating a void in the system.

We worked on every student through informal interaction of senior and junior students, counselling, etc. We also dealt with any problem on the home front. Our educators interacted and made close-knit connections with the parents as well. Also, our school used to face plenty of unhealthy competition amongst students.

Owing to the technological boom and greater awareness, we have successfully transformed the energy of the students from competing with others to competing with themselves.

What are some of the 21st-Century skills being addressed by your school curriculum?

Skills required in today’s time are entirely different from the olden days. We provide our students and teachers with digital literacy and encourage our students to learn to code. We also help our students understand the cons of the digital era. Our parents are being educated about the right and best ways to use a computer, as well as the importance of healthy and productive screen time.

We also try to teach financial literacy to our students.

We want our students to gain exposure to practical work, and therefore, we encourage them to visit factories. As our school is located within a tourism hotspot, we also teach entrepreneurship to students.

Furthermore, we educate our students to be environment-friendly. Living in the Himalayas, we realise this need. In a world where bulk production is booming, we try to address the ill effects caused to the environment because of the excessive exploitation of nature. As part of the 21st-century skills, we teach our students to be minimalistic and use fewer resources.

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Cover Story CLEAR GOALS AND DIRECTION FOR THE SCHOOL What are your focus areas and goals for your school?

• Inculcate learning practices in students • Shape each personality according to their surrounding environment • Shift our focus according to the need of the hour • Impart quality education with life skills as the primary motive • Focus on community outreach • Create a healthy competitive environment that favours every student’s mental and physical development • Build a technical education centre to help students with technical skills How does a school leader bring together every stakeholder to accomplish goals?

As a leader, I try and build a happy and healthy environment where everyone can use their mind and reach their full potential. In our school, every goal starts with an idea. Brainstorming for ideas is the responsibility of all stakeholders. These very ideas are then implemented to achieve a broad vision of the school successfully.

I also assign an assignment of choice to every individual. It helps build confidence and courage to lead a team. Every stakeholder is a leader for the part they are working on.

The key to bind people together is to give them courage and appreciate their efforts.

Treating every individual equally helps to accomplish the goal effectively. As a leader, it is vital to know the difference in the opinions of stakeholders. I always encourage people who hold different views to work together and cherish their differences.

SAFETY AND STRUCTURE What are the parameters you use to consider your school a safe school?

We firmly believe that providing a safe environment is something which we have to earn. It is daily hard work.

Safety, in terms of physical as well as mental, is provided in our school. With the continuous efforts of our teachers and administrative staff, we have never faced any major safety-related issue.

Since this area has a low population and a pinch of tribal culture, everyone is conscious of their surroundings, and they genuinely care for each other. One person’s problem is the concern of everyone else around. This helps to maintain a strong safety net for the students.

UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE SCHOOL Describe some unique achievements of the school stemming from having addressed these parameters Many kinds of accomplishments which are considered easily achievable in other parts of the world are difficult to achieve and unique in their way in Ladakh. Being geographically challenged, during the pre-digital era, even getting a book which is additional to the prescribed syllabus was considered a significant achievement. In this era of the internet, we are making sure that our stakeholders adopt a healthy approach to the use of the internet. The biggest challenge we face is in the adoption of technology by older people in society.

This is still work in progress, but every change in this direction is an accomplishment.

The rate of educated women since the birth of the institution is rising continuously, and this, we consider as our most significant achievement.

A SUCCESS STORY OF THE SCHOOL Our school, as an institution, is pious and has created a wave of progressive thoughts and made our society enthusiastic. One of the success stories which make me proud of being a leader of this school is the rise in the number of educated women since the birth of the institution.

During the eighties, when the school started, the percentage of educated women in and around the surrounding areas was negligible. Today, our women have equal participation in every aspect of life. Women are joining every kind of occupation, and their roles as mothers have also created a positive change in the behaviour of their kids.

There was a time when educated teachers or tutors were not available. Today, when mothers teach their kids at home, it makes us very proud.

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Governance

Parent Involvement in Education Its Enduring Importance Dr. Raj Sangwaan

Children profit from the direction given by their parents both at home and at school. A parent’s outlook towards instruction can tremendously influence how children perform, yet, it is essential to pinpoint the correct equalisation of school association. A report called ‘A New Wave of Evidence’ from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory states, "when schools, families, and local gatherings cooperate to help learning, kids will in general improve in school, remain in school longer, and like school more." As school spending plans are cut, class size increases and cultural burdens cause issues in the study hall, a parental contribution can either be significant assistance or a substantial obstruction to the instructive procedure. Parents who go to their kid's study hall to assist can serve as an additional pair of hands and eyes for exhausted educators. While parents can help ensure the wellbeing of children in schools, an excessive number of grown-ups in the study hall can still meddle with conventional techniques, get nosy in school strategies and even take away from learning.

ADVANTAGE: BETTER OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS In the decade it took to arrange ‘Another Wave of Evidence’, scientists found that schools with included parents get higher scores, join up with more significant-level projects and have significant participation, more grounded social aptitudes and better conduct. This was genuine and with little respect to pay or foundation.

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Governance

Research has likewise discovered that schools with reliable network support perform better in general and have lower dropout rates and more great projects.

DISADVANTAGE: SOME PARENTS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE LOOP Numerous schools lead a solid push for parental inclusion through the PTA, boards or volunteering. While this can be advantageous to the school, it can leave a few parents feeling distanced on the off chance that they can't be associated with a conventional way because of work routines or different conditions. Schools must impart that coming in during the day isn't always the best way to help.

Ensuring the home is conducive for learning and holding your youngster to sensible desires are approaches too; in fact, these are more important. Parents who can't go to meetings ought to have the chance to talk with teachers on the telephone or by email, so they know about the educator’s objectives, the structure of the classes and their youngster's advancement in classes.

ADVANTAGE: POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS Parental contribution at school can help construct positive collaborations amongst parents and children, and parents and teachers. Parents will have a better understanding of what their youngster's day looks like, which can then improve family communication.

It can likewise enhance the connections between parents and educators. The instructor can show signs of an improved comprehension of individualities, social foundation and difficulties a family faces just like their excellent qualities. Parents may better comprehend the instructor's desires and the problematic elements that educators deal with in class.

Becoming acquainted with one another can clear up such dissatisfactions as how an educator handles order or why a parent is discontent with the measure of schoolwork being doled out to his/her kid.

DISADVANTAGE: HELICOPTER PARENTING A few parents are far too involved. They are at school so much that they become a distraction for their youngster, or their kid's buddies and teachers. Remember that school is a position of learning just as a working environment. Educators would prefer not to have parents who are having a loud discussion or one that is too relax, or be put in a position where they have to condemn an underperformer who isn't adhering to directions since he/she needs to converse with his/her mother. Being excessively included can prompt the parent to step in now and then to manage issues the youngster should deal with. Additionally, not all teachers are comfortable with a parent volunteer in class. Parents need to understand that they can help the school without fundamentally being in the room.

CONCLUSION In today’s world, parents are often associated with their youngster's instruction. While these parents bring exclusive information and experience about their youngster, they may not have the right disposition expected to work productively with students in a study hall condition.

A few parents are of tremendous help to a number of students, while other parents' activities may choke out their own youngster's endeavours or those of an unpractised instructor.

Younger kids especially, are eager and keen to see their folks in a volunteer job, and it may uplift their spirits and views towards the school.

It is essential to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of parental inclusion in schools on an individual premise. On average, by being increasingly associated with their youngster's school, parents can give significant commitments to the instructive procedure.

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Governance

Adopting a Problem-Solving Approach Instead of Punishment Rethinking School Discipline Mrs. Monica Vincent The school is a temple of knowledge; knowledge and discipline go hand-in-hand, and without discipline it is impossible to attain knowledge. There is no doubt that discipline is essential in school. Generally, discipline is the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour using punishment to correct disobedience. Discipline helps to achieve success in life and stories of all successful people will always include the importance of discipline.

DISCIPLINE IN THE LARGER SPHERE OF LIFE Discipline is to be observed not merely in school, colleges and offices, but in every sphere of life. In the first place, there should be discipline in every family. In every family, a child should be taught to observe regularity in their conduct and to obey their superiors. Although we may believe in freedom and democracy, no organisation can grow and work without somebody to give a command. This habit of obedience should be cultivated from childhood.

Discipline, like charity, begins at home.

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Governance Children and subordinates have a duty to observe rules and regulations, so have parents and guardians who gave commands. Everyone should be given some responsibility and allowed some freedom. We can have discipline only when there is cooperation. However, if rules are reasonable, adults and children will enjoy freedom in obedience.

We need to be warm, kind and friendly – but never familiar. Raise eyebrows, but never our voice.

THE ESSENCE OF DISCIPLINE The importance of discipline can be observed in our daily life. For example, a simple act of discipline can change the way we look at daily travel. Imagine a bus arriving on a busy bus stop, hasty passengers crowd the front of the bus causing a delay. Instead, imagine if everyone stood in a queue, would that not cause less chaos and save time?

The rules of discipline are not meant to be superimposed but are meant to be a matter of simple common sense. On the road of a busy city, if everyone observes very simple traffic rules, there will be orderly movement.

Discipline, therefore, means thinking of oneself and others.

It is a matter of habit, but all habits are rooted in character.

As the Dalai Lama said,

“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then, is not an act but a habit.”

Apart from these disciplinary methods, we can adopt an effective problem-solving approach. In no way can there be any punishment imposed. We can help the child to be disciplined without hurting his self-respect.

EFFECTIVE APPROACHES TO ENSURE DISCIPLINE IN OUR SCHOOL The first approach employs the power of reading especially when a student is disobedient after repeated counselling. The misbehaved student should be sent to the library for the rest of the day with a task to read one of 10 books (books which are applicable to his/her age). The books are given to him/her and the student is to provide a synopsis of the book before departure. This act of reading a book, in most cases, is boring for a restless student because he/she is separated from the class.

However, it gives the student ample time to introspect on his/her behaviour, a chance for self-reflection and self-realisation. Additionally, it helps the student develop the habit of reading. We often use this approach in our school with great success.

The next approach employs the impact of perspective while encouraging leadership qualities. We ask misbehaved students from senior classes to teach a subject of their choice to a junior class. They are given

We must realise that society is like a long chain in which we are all links. This is true in every aspect of our daily life as much as of battles and governmental administration.

DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOL Discipline in school is the most critical part of the school administration. To maintain rules and regulations, we need to identify students who are indiscipline. In general, we follow certain decorum.

Firstly, we stay in contact with the parents of the misbehaved student. We focus on our student’s expectations without harping on academic achievements or lack thereof.

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Governance

direction and guidance to complete their task but need to submit a report where they must sincerely answer questions like – “Did the class behave properly?” “Did the class actively participate?” “Did the class live up to their expectations?” “Did they face any problem in conducting the class?” This approach is an eyeopener for misbehaved students because they realise how difficult the teacher’s job becomes to teach a subject while maintaining class decorum. This change of perspective causes these students to realise the impact of the disturbance they cause in their own class – depriving themselves and the rest of the students of effective teaching. Discipline, if maintained in each classroom, can be effective in the whole school premises.

find that reading extracts from the lives of great men help motivate and inspire our students. Simultaneously, regular yoga classes calm restless students thereby, enhancing their focus and concentration. Yoga and meditation can also be used as corrective measures. For example, we ask students to meditate for 10-15 minutes whenever they misbehave, so as to calm their minds before they are sent back to their class. Another approach to calm them is to send them to the Prayer Hall.

This enables introspection and leads to self-reflection while their respect for God and the serene environment ensures they don’t misbehave immediately. The level of success is often influenced by the level of discipline and perseverance in a person.

A mistake that teachers often make is to discourage restless or playful students which then, reinstates the students’ dissatisfaction with school and studies. Instead, we should encourage these students to focus on co-curricular activities where their talents might shine. They should not be discarded; they must be encouraged to participate in all school activities like sports, singing, dancing or drawing. They should not be identified as back benchers; they must be given opportunities to take the front seat when it comes to school activities and they must assume more responsibility. This would give them a sense of acceptance in the school. In most cases, it is observed that these misbehaved students do not fare well in academics.

However, if we all have a positive attitude towards them, they will understand the importance of being a good person with good values and this outweighs academic excellence.

Education teaches us that if a person leads a disciplined life with good behaviour, they will do their best in all spheres of life.

Just as Abraham Lincoln said,

The influence of mindfulness and meditation is growing in education so that our students grow up with the right mindset. We encourage this approach through morning assemblies and yoga classes. Morning assemblies are the best time of the day to capture their young minds, and we

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“Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.”

Innovation

Preparing Students for the Future An Organic Process Dr. Pooja Singh

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion.”

The future is uncertain and unpredictable and, as said by one of the futurists, Ray Kurzweil, “we won’t experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century – it will be more like 20,000 years of progress at today’s rate.”

Imagine the amount of input needed by teachers and the students to mentally prepare themselves for such a big leap. Teaching has always been synonymous with making a child literate, but in the present scenario, we prefer not only to make them literate but also to make them aware.

The significant ongoing changes from being just learners to being the decision-makers about what to learn and how to learn will herald the education world.

It would take it by storm, and unsurmountable changes and unthinkable situations would be dealt with. The World Economic Forum strictly highlights the staggering gap between what people learn and what they need.

THE FOUR C’S DETERMINING THE FUTURE The solution to this unseen blizzard would be opening our arms to it, and welcoming the changes. ‘Becoming what is expected’ would be the tagline for the future. The 4 C’s would play a pivotal role in determining a student’s future.

They are: • Collaboration and Teamwork • Creativity and Imagination • Communication • Critical Thinking

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Innovation KEY FEATURES TO CONSIDER WHILE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE Some key features to be kept in mind when preparing our resources for the unseen are: 1. Today, students resonate with being smart and tech-savvy, as compared to the teachers teaching them. Make use of this capacity to its full potential.

2. The teacher-student concept is rapidly vanishing. With the advent of new-age technology and most modern apps, the student feels free to sit back at home and facilitate himself/herself – so where does a teacher stand? The role may be mitigated; however, the revival is there by facilitating them in understanding the concept, by putting it in action, by involving them not only as listeners – but as grown-ups, having their own mind to question with. The more the questions, the merrier!

3. Spiking their curiosity, their inquisitiveness and imagination by current issues, with more of a practical approach.

4. As teachers, parents, and even as humans, we notice that patience in today’s world is dwindling. We are ready to fight over the smallest, or the pettiest of issues. Teaching students about failure has become a necessity. They may or may not find success, but failure is something that we all experience at some point or the other. Instil in them the values that failure would allow them to perform the same task in a better way that will enable them to overcome the defects and set them on the path of success.

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Innovation 5. Rather than thinking of problem-cropping, they have to take a solution-oriented approach.

6. The focus of teachers should now move from testing the students to placing them on the trajectory of employability.

Great personalities are made not by birth, but by the choices they make.

7. As teachers, we should try to cultivate their attitude; an attitude which allows them to be laborious. A habit of continuous working will percolate down to the significant levels, making everything else fall into place.

8. Respect their individuality; every child is a hub of talent. Explore their passion, as that is the only mantra for success.

Make sure that they do it out of love, and not because they’ve been pushed down the lane. This passion of theirs would allow them to persist through failure, criticism, rejections and even formidable pressure.

According to Sir Ken Robinson,

“Rather than working on the industrial concept of producing standardised products in the field of education, we need to apply the agricultural concept.

As farmers are aware about their produce, we, as educators, should be aware about which child of ours needs which type of conditioning. Once we have provided them with the apt amount of nourishment, it wouldn’t take time to see them growing into trees bearing the best of fruits. It is definitely an organic process.”

CONCLUSION As individuals belonging to the 21st century, we are in a state of utter confusion about our youngsters. Working on assumptions or trial and error methods, we try to boost the success rate in our children.

Because one child was brought up well in certain conditions does not mean that we put everyone in the same mould.

We forget to understand that if God has made us so different from each other, he must have definitely thought that every individual has to be raised differently. Every child is creative, and it is our duty to enable them to tap into this creativity.

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Innovation

Heuristic Learning Curriculum Transcending Boundaries and School Systems Ms. Avnita Bir Versatility, creativity and an innovative mindset have been the hallmark of the team of educators at R. N. Podar School.

With its rich experience of providing relevant and meaningful education, the school has, yet again, sought to rethink education from a fresh perspective.

This time, we are involving the most important stakeholder – the child – in the creative process. For the first time, a school is preparing itself to be 'kids-ready.' We are perhaps the first and only school that believes that instead of preparing children for school, the school has to prepare itself for the kids. While doing so, the adults in the building, including the Principal, have tried to discover the little child within themselves.

We acknowledge that when we talk about investing in our children, we tend to push the thought too far and start to think of young children as commodities to “invest” in for future dividends. Consequently, we increasingly run the danger of 'losing the child in childhood'.

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Innovation

THE HEURISTIC LEARNING CURRICULUM

THE WHAT?

With this thought in mind, and against the backdrop of an existing high school that had established itself among the country's progressive and trusted schools, the Heuristic Learning Centre was set up to fill a significant gap that we saw in our school system. It was time for us to take off our blinders and see the world through the eyes of young children. A change in perspective that would allow us to understand and nurture their unique abilities. Thus, the Heuristic Learning Curriculum (HLC) has been designed and curated to provide a world-class education that promises to transform the youngest members of our population into global citizens.

Through our enhanced curriculum, we wish to approach learning from a different perspective; one that prioritises the emotional, mental and physical wellbeing of the child. This dynamic approach allows us to focus on building the discipline and competencies that are required to foster the “leaders of tomorrow”.

THE WHY?

With an emphasis on fundamentals such as language, numbers and environmental sciences, we wish to create an enriching learning experience. Through interaction, appropriate use of technology, experiential learning, collaborative projects, art, music, sports, outdoor activities and more, children will learn to empathise, adapt and thrive.

The question that any educator is most often asked is, "which education board is the best?" Instead of the more relevant question, "which school will be the best fit for my child?" With the advent of the international boards in the country, the question regarding the choice of boards/schools/curricula etc. has confounded most parents. And quite rightly so. The lack of informed decisions has often resulted in many parents making the wrong choice.

The goal is to enable children to develop well-balanced personalities, through an interplay of academics, sports and extra-curricular, so they are better equipped to identify their strengths and work on their weaknesses. Without compromising on content, we aim to create a happy environment for our children. We hope to nurture self-aware, young adults with the ability to tackle the challenges that will unquestionably arise through life.

The HLC being offered by R. N. Podar School transcends all limitations of boards, curricula, school systems, classrooms and textbooks. Hence, the eternal dilemma of “which board to choose” is avoided.

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Innovation FOR WHO? This wholesome experience has been designed for a niche audience that understands the importance of a curriculum that is relevant and responsive. With a day school setup that engages children for longer periods of time, the traditional concept of homework will be replaced by a separate time allotted to encourage reflective self-learning that complements regular classes.

THE DESIGN A tree says, "my strength is TRUST." The hands-on, experiential, Heuristic Learning Curriculum has been hugely inspired by trees. Every classroom nestles against the lush green trees that surround the building.

The huge peepal tree that embraces the building from the outside and the trees on the pillars inside the classrooms resonate; both are emphasising the strong foundation of compassion, empathy, kindness, trust, courage and wisdom around which the curriculum is built.

Trees whose roots are deep and hence inspire fearlessness and support symbolise, in a way, the unshakeable values that we want to build in our children.

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Each classroom has been inspired by and named after these trees, providing shade, support and a strong foundation.

CREATING "MY SCHOOL" When creating our school, we want to be able to continually experiment with and modify the learning environment to take advantage of children's natural curiosity. Quality education is about nurturing strong, meaningful relationships that support learning. "When you look at the faces of the teachers, the children, the way they connect with each other, the compassion they radiate for each other, they can see the world they want to create together. Our school should be a model of this world. How every member of the school emotionally responds to a situation, the energy of the school, how everyone feels in the school while they are there, that one word you can think of to describe your feelings, will define your school. That one word will become the personality of every child, and when the child carries that home, he/she creates that feeling at home. A ripple effect of the energy radiating from our school will be created. And that will help to create a world that the world is looking for. Everyone is talking about the new world they want. We are going to be creating it."

Inspired by the above powerful message from Sister Shivani from the Brahma Kumaris Movement, we are on a mission to create such a school, and thereby create a world of compassion, kindness, empathy, courage and wisdom.

TIPS FOR SCHOOLS As we prepare ourselves and our children for a new world in which unprecedented and unpredictable change is creating new 'normals’, schools and educators will be forced to get out of their comfort zones. With Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing enabling us to personalise learning for our students, and new-age technology making the learning experience more immersive, a new window of opportunity has opened up for schools that want to reinvent themselves. The good news is that the years of experience of working with children and understanding their needs is the most valuable wealth schools have accumulated, which can now, with the help of technology, be put to optimal use. It is at the intersection of teachers, schools, technology and enterprise that education innovation happens. The future has to be embraced with excitement and not fear.

Building a strong inner core is at the heart of education.

Never before has education policy, practice and the child been more at sync. Education boards have recognised and acknowledged the need for change in thought process and are driving change from the top.

There are green shoots we can see around us. Let us nourish and nurture them to become the strong-rooted trees that they are meant to be.

never

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TRADITIONAL LEARNING

ONE HELPS YOU MAKE A

THE OTHER HELPS YOU MAKE A

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