Mentor august 2015 volume 9 issue 3 issuu

CONTENT

Mentor, August 2015 Volume 9, Issue 3

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A Go for the Best

Freedom for Learners

Mentor Conclave focuses on the best practices across the globe…

Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed, MD, EduMedia India Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru

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Responsibility works wonders…

Capt. (IN) Alokesh Sen, Principal, Birla Public School Vidya Niketan, Pilani

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Creating a Balance

Higher Influences

Imparting value-based education...

Integrating value education as a part of life skills...

Dr. Ali Khwaja, Founder & Chairman, Banjara Academy, Bengaluru

Publisher and Owner Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed

Ms. Mukta Nain, Principal, Birla High School, Kolkata

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The Rehan Swim

The Rainbow Club

Catch me if you can...

Fueling the brain during exams with the right food is important...

Mr. Rehan Poncha, Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, Bengaluru

Professor M.M. Pant, Founder: LMP Education Trust, Gurgaon

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Grooming and Etiquette

Bonding with Parents

The more closely you resemble people’s perception of a leader, the more likely they are to accept you as their leader…

Ms. Susan Tripathi, Founder, Simfrost Consulting, Mumbai

A sincere desire to bond with parents…..

Ms. Sheetal Sharma, Former Director, Public Schools, DAV Group, New Delhi

34 English Along!

A strong hold over English enables the child to express their ideas, views and feelings…

Editor-in-Chief Dr. Vidya Shetty Compiled by Ms. Deepti P. Ms. Sulagna Biswas Designed by Mr. Harpreet Singh Production Mr. Praveen U.M. Mr. Sathish C. Ms. Guna V. Printed by Mr. Manoj Printed at Elegant Printing Works # 74, South End Road, Basavangudi, Bengaluru - 560 004.

Ph: +91 80 26615507 Published at # 175, 2nd Cross, Lower Palace Orchards, Bengaluru - 560 003, India.

NOTICE: As an author/contributor you are responsible for the authenticity of the information you provide in your article. The publishers do not accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication. By submitting letters/emails or other publication materials to Mentor Magazine you agree they are 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 an article 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.

Source for a few pictures - Internet

A Venture of

Dr. Vidya Shetty, Editor-in-Chief, Mentor Magazine, Bengaluru

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SULTAN SPEAKS

A GO FOR THE BEST Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed, MD, EduMedia India Pvt. Ltd. I recollect a very insightful learning that I gathered eight years ago when we at EduMedia set out to add value to educational leadership in India. We were not sure what would be the right format to work in this space. The original idea was to conduct workshops on Leadership for school principals. This idea came naturally to us as we were one of the pioneers of organised life skills learning in India.

To gain clarity I did what I know best; travelled across India and met up with school leaders and principals. I would have met over 200 odd principals over a period of a year trying to get an insight into their world. These meetings gave us vital understanding of the world of school leaders. The backgrounds they come from, the challenges they face, their aspirations and so on.

Some facts were startling too. For instance, in a country as diverse and as large as ours, there were schools that did not have even a single institution dedicated to creating school leaders. Even today we hardly have any decent institutions that offer leadership education. Another learning was the disconnect between the principals and their world. Principals lived in glass cabins isolated from the real world around them. The ones who wanted to learn did not know where to look and the others were oblivious that they needed to learn. Another interesting observation was that schools are centers of learning and what is very funny is that centers of learning do not learn from each other. There is very little sharing of learnings or experiences that happens between schools. For someone like me who works from the outside with schools I see how schools are all at different levels of evolution and they are all trying to rediscover the wheel for themselves.

Armed with this learning we got back to the drawing board and came up with the principal direction of Mentor -a platform that enables sharing of best practices in schools.

We started off with the print magazine 8 years ago and 4 years later followed it up with the Mentor Conclave. Over the years the Mentor Conclave has become a benchmark for educators to come together and learn. A couple of years ago we initiated the Mentor Journal, an opportunity for researchers and Practioners to share their learnings with the edutopia.

The ones who wanted to learn did not know where to look and the others were oblivious of the fact that they needed to learn Coming 1st & 2nd of December, 2015 India’s most prestigious institution IISc will play host to one of the most respected educational conferences the Mentor Conclave 2015.

This year the Mentor Journal will be released as part of the conclave and selected papers get an opportunity to be presented at the Conclave. I invite you to share your experiences by submitting a research / experience paper for the journal. It is a great opportunity to showcase the wonderful work you do as educators from across the globe.

Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed, MD, EduMedia India Pvt. Ltd. sultan@edumedia.in

HAVE YOUR SAY

FREEDOM FOR LEARNERS Capt. (IN) Alokesh Sen (Ret’d), has been in the field of education in general and school education in particular for the last 33 years. He has served as the Principal of several frontline schools of the country like Sainik School in Tamil Nadu, The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet and is currently the Principal of the reputed Birla Public School Vidya Niketan, Pilani. Mr. Sen’s forte is training, particularly training the teachers and students in the area of team building. He is an avid reader and writes regularly for magazines, dealing particularly with school education.

In this article to MENTOR, Mr. Sen talks about learner’s freedom, advantages of it, ways to implement it and says, “It is the need of the hour to put learner’s autonomy on the top priority.”

In the context of education, the terms freedom, liberty, independence, autonomy and plethora of other synonymous nouns get suffixed with the word ‘student’. From the very day I got perched in the chair of the head of an educational institute, a school, I started realizing that the concept of ‘students’ independence’, which is more popularly known as ‘student autonomy’, remains confined to the papers or theoretical verbatim and dissertations. Every school worth its name claims to have a learnercentric atmosphere in the school and even texts for advertisements of schools ensure the presence of impressive sounding terms from the English lexis ‘learner autonomy’, but more than often it is on the back burner.

National Curriculum Framework (NCF) has also very clearly and categorically directed us to ensure learner’s freedom in schools but there is no second thought on the fact

that a lot of ground needs to be covered in this arena. As the head of a school, I always kept children’s autonomy or freedom as one of my top priorities and my efforts came to fruition in varying degrees. Based on my experience I would like to share my views on the importance of learners’ freedom and how to percolate it through the school system.

The concept of student freedom is embedded in the general concept of freedom. Our constitution ensures freedom of individuals in different domains. The same analogy can be extrapolated to the school context where in absence of rightful freedom, the individual motivation of the student decreases and many of them lose interest in educational activities. They become apathetic to school and it creates obstacles in their way of realizing their full potential despite managing impressive grades in exams. If we, the educators, fail to make our students feel respected and valued as individuals, their desperation gets manifested in their ‘who cares’ attitude to their studies as well as the teachers and school in general. It can even lead to their delinquent behaviour.

There can be no second opinion that by allowing learners to have some choice and control, we can make positive effect on their self-perception leading to enhanced selfesteem. It not only boosts their motivation

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August 2015

and enthusiasm but also emotional stability and safety and broadens their mental horizons. Increased autonomy ensures increased happiness quotient. By scuttling the freedom of students we make them conformists and blunt their originality.

We aim to produce assertive, independent thinkers who can take decisions and lead.

Greater freedom undoubtedly is the key to this and that is the point our National Curriculum Framework (NCF) designers have assiduously tried to bring home. Kohn has very rightly said that the way a child learns how to make decisions is by making decisions.

By giving maximum freedom in education context does not at all mean that we have to let our students loose or lead to chaotic atmosphere. What I am suggesting is not to make our students submissive and orderlies.

Teachers surely need to be the leaders and guides to students, but by giving more autonomy they have to make them feel selfmotivated and prepare them for a lifetime of independent and innovative thought.

Instead of teaching them what to think we need to teach them how to think.

All said and done, the question is how we, the teachers, can give more liberty to the students in the school context. A trained and motivated teacher with average commonsense can invent hundreds of ways to make students feel independent or autonomous. Nevertheless, here are some ideas which I tried out in the schools I headed and had perceptible results.

First of all, teachers must realize that the

main aim of teaching is not to help students getting good grades only. The real aim is to prepare them for life, equip them with the ability to think for themselves. We have to teach them to be leaders, team players and individuals, not how to devour the content and vomit it out on the papers in exam. A teacher must give multiple assignments to students and give them the freedom to choose the ones they like. It sounds simple but entails some hard work and tactfulness on the part of the teacher. Teachers must learn to treat their students as individuals and treat them with love and respect. The opposite of this can lead to lost confidence and resentment. Students should not be pressurized to succeed as per school’s standards or teacher’s expectations but to their own potential and individuality.

Teachers must ensure participation of the students in activities like framing the class rules, decoration of classroom, seating arrangement and nature of assignments and so on. There should be maximum communication between the teacher and students. Students must be made to become more assertive and feel free to share what they feel like, without any reservations. More communication means more mutual respect and more feeling of freedom amongst the learners. Students must feel that the teachers are very receptive to their ideas and suggestions.

Giving more responsibility to students in class and school matters always works wonders in giving the students a feeling of freedom or authority. Teachers have to think out of the box to expand the scope of giving authority or responsibility to the students. We have to go beyond the school or class captaincies. In my school, I always insist upon forming a large prefectorial board of students. There can be a school prefect for every area or aspect in the school campus from security to mess.

Ideally, every student in the school should have one area of responsibility, independent or in a team, and he must have a say in the administration of that domain. The feeling gets manifested in their conduct and their sense of belongingness to the school and motivation level gets a discernible boost.

On the surface, the word responsibility might

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connote restraint to some of the readers and a sort of check on the freedom of learners.

But it is just the other way round. Sense of responsibility gives the learners sense of autonomy and my experiments with it have always yielded expected positive results.

Making students responsible for the morning assemblies and important activities and functions, even organizing annual day celebration of the school gives much needed doze of autonomy to the students.

Most of the important functions in our school are organized by our students. The All India Debate and Model United Nations are two of the major activities conducted in my school in which teachers have minuscule role. The students run the show and they have always come out with flying colours and made the entire school proud.

After accomplishing a task on their own they feel important, self confident and highly motivated to participate in all the school matters with a sense of pride and a sense of belongingness. The liberty or autonomy provided to the students goes a long way in cultivating a sense of connection with the school which plays a crucial role in the achievement the goals a school aims at.

Some teachers feel that only the students of senior classes can be given some autonomy but my experimentations in many schools have proved it beyond any doubt that even primary section students can be given a lot of autonomy rather sense of autonomy if we think a bit innovatively. In my present

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school which is a fully residential school, the students of even junior sections are involved in decision making. They decide their routine on Sundays and holidays. They are involved in even deciding the menu. They have the freedom to choose topics for assembly speeches. Teachers once motivated and sensitized to the importance of granting freedom to learners can come out with hundreds of ways to give the children a sense of freedom or autonomy.

There can be no second opinion that by allowing learners to have some choice and control, we can make positive effect on their selfperception leading to enhanced self-esteem My advocacy of more student freedom does not at all mean that students should be given the complete control of teaching-learning process. What I suggest is the maximum reasonable involvement of students with tactfulness to avoid them becoming apathetic to teaching learning activities.

Fundamentally we all seem to support this idea of increased student freedom but we are found wanting in implementing it wholeheartedly. It is the need of the hour to put learner’s autonomy on the top priority. I would like to conclude with John Dewey’s popular quote “The self is not something that is ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.” How true!!!

alokeshsen@yahoo.co.in

August 2015

COME INTO MY PARLOUR

HIGHER INFLUENCES A counsellor and life skills coach, who loves all human beings alike and is an incorrigible learner, is Dr. Ali Khwaja, Founder and Chairman of Banjara Academy, Bengaluru. He nurtures and motivates over 250 volunteers to give free services in 10 hospitals and Banjara counselling centres. Dr. Ali Khwaja, in this piece to MENTOR, talks about the importance of establishing value oriented environs for children so that they learn the importance of morals and values in order to develop a blemish free life and a clear conscience.

For many years schools and colleges used to have classes on religious or moral education, where either a particular faith was taught or general principles of morality were expounded through parables, stories with morals and books containing sermons.

Recent generations of students were found to be totally lacking in interest and attention and thankfully most managements realized it.

Lately some activity or audio-visual based lessons have been evolved to subtly bring in the concept of values and principles rather than focusing on morals. Some of these lessons rightly emphasize on the benefits of leading a blemish-free and clear conscience life, rather than doing good for the sake of getting rewards in the hereafter. With these techniques, generally developed by private organizations and sold to educational institutions, the interest and involvement of children has picked up significantly. One example is of “School Cinema” which explains the significance of values through short video movies.

In modern environs children do need to understand and explore certain important aspects and many schools are becoming aware of their significance. The topics that could be covered when giving value education to students are:

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• Honesty and integrity • Kindness • Sticking together as a family and supporting each other • Fairness • Taking into account each family member’s feelings (both positive and negative) • Cooperation and thoughtfulness • Reliability • Good manners • Responsibility • How to treat people worse off than you • The importance of education • Kindness to helpless animals • Acceptable behaviour and consequences of certain actions • How to respond to people more important/rich/ famous than you • How important each family member is • Eating healthy food and looking after our bodies • Respect for authority

If explained well, these issues can help a growing child to understand how quality of his life can be improved. The driving force should be the benefit to the individual and not a vague concept of doing well to others and gaining heaven or Moksha. Most educators who have worked with these concepts in a sensitive way have found tremendous success and long term benefits.

Living with Principles and values Principles are like lighthouses. They govern human growth and happiness. They are interwoven into the fabric of every civilized society throughout history and compromise the roots of every family and institution that have endured and prospered. Principle is the changeless core, inner source of security, guidance, wisdom and power. The degree to which people in a society recognize and live in harmony with principles and values will help them move forward towards perfection.

Values are core beliefs which guide and motivate our attitudes and behaviour. They are the guidelines for human conduct. Values are ideas, beliefs, norms and principles which shape our priorities and guide us in deciding what is valuable. They are standards of life.

Principles and values are standards by which particular actions are judged good and desirable. Placing an ideal of perfection above our own personal convenience and interests expands our personality and opens it to wider and higher influences. Values are generally consistent across various

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situations. Principles and values are learnt from culture, religion, literature and personal examples. Values are the guidelines for human conduct and behaviour that are proven to have enduring effects. Principles and values give meaning and strength to a person’s character and it is often reflected by one’s own attitudes, judgement, decisions, preferences, relationships and behaviour, by occupying a significant place in one’s life. (Dr. S. Ignacimuthu, SJ, former Vice-Chancellor of Madras and Bharathiar University, in “Skills and Qualities for Effective Life”)

Placing an ideal of perfection above our own personal convenience and interests expands our personality and opens it to wider and higher influences Generate a Debate for Better Learning A case study was evolved in Europe using a person called Heinz, who could not afford to buy the medicine that would save his dying wife. Lawrence Kohlberg and many other psychologists narrated that story of poor Heinz’s agony. In the story Heinz appeals to the pharmacist who refuses to help him.

The question that was put to students was, should he steal the drug, and why or why not? When the policeman discovers the thief and learns all the details of the case, should

August 2015

he arrest Heinz and why or why not?

These types of case studies have been used to help students understand and justify different possible courses of action.

According to Kohlberg, whether they feel Heinz should steal the drug or not, the reasons people give indicate their stage of moral reasoning. ‘Yes, he should steal it, because otherwise God will punish him for letting his wife die’. ‘No, he should not steal, because stealing is against the law’. ‘Yes he should steal, because he loves his wife and cannot live without her’. ‘No, he should not steal, because then he will go to jail’.

Such case studies show that young children mostly reason pre-conventionally, older

children and adults conventionally and a very few people post-conventionally. Jyotsna Vasudev and Raymond Hummel interviewed a large number of children and adults in Jaipur, Calcutta and Delhi on the Heinz story and discovered that many Indians possess different moral principles than Kohlberg had considered. These include the sacredness of all life (not only human), the idea of ahimsa and the feeling that some social issues are greater than individual lives. This last idea led one of Vasudev’s participants to say, ‘Forget Heinz in Europe, just come to India and you are speaking of the same thing with 60 per cent of the people living below the poverty line…..Heinz’s story is being repeated all around us all the time with wives dying, with

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children dying and there is no money to save them…..So….yes, ok, steal the drug, but it does not make any difference on a larger scale.’

…it is imperative that value education should conform to the culture and beliefs of the children, which are obviously fed to them through their elders Hence it is imperative that value education should conform to the culture and beliefs of the children, which are obviously fed to them through their elders. India being such a large country, the same values and attitude will not apply in every region. Being sensitive to such factors, educators need to ensure that they adhere to the common issues that are acceptable to all.

After WHO propounded the 10 important Life Skills essential to lead a fulfilling life, many schools and some colleges have adapted the training of life skills into their time-table. Students are benefiting significantly by learning life skills at a practical level. The next step could be to include Value Education as a part of Life Skills, so that students get the notion that they are being given sermons on morals.

The journey in this much-needed area has just begun. There is a long way to go. If all educators would accept and acknowledge that value education is as essential, or perhaps more essential, than other subjects that children study, we will be able to constantly evolve better and more effective(and fun also!) techniques to educate children towards enriching their lives.

alikhwaja50@gmail.com

COVER STORY

CREATING A BALANCE Established in the pre-independence era, Birla High School, Kolkata aims to impart learning that blends the traditional with the modern, the aesthetic with the scientific. Birla High School symbolizes a resurgent spirit which marks the activities of the school. The management and teachers continually ensure that all students are able to keep themselves abreast of recent technological advancement and global trends without losing touch of their roots. In this exclusive piece, MENTOR brings Ms. Mukta Nain, the Principal of Birla High School, Kolkata, talks about the school and its rich legacy.

The Vision

Niwas Birla.

The vision statement of Birla High School is “Freeing the Mind” - freeing of everything, curricular, co-curricular and knowledge.

The mind should be ready to take in more ideas and also a lot of knowledge. The mind should be free of gender bias, should be able to constantly accept new things or changes around. The school takes special measures to ensure that these values are imbibed into the students. For example, to sensitize students about gender bias, workshops are conducted regularly and a lot of co-curricular activities are carried out.

In SA2 also off-beat activities are done, for the children. “Pick a Cue” is one such activity planned this year, to give children a handson experience of the jobs and non-gas cooking is also taught to the boys.

The Birla Way

Tracing the Legacy Shri. Laxmi Niwas Birla, in 1941, founded a school called Hindi High School, on the ideals of nationalism, which had both Hindi medium and English medium schools. In 1997, the name of the school was changed to Birla High School to match-up to the cosmopolitan spirit of the school. Birla High School, from then, has been a complete English Medium School. The school is now run by Vidya Mandir Society, headed by Mr. Sudarshan Kumar Birla, son of Shri. Laxmi

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Birla High School strongly believes in preserving Indian culture and heritage.

All Indian festivals are celebrated during the assembly, with a special programme.

Irrespective of whether it is a Hindu festival or a Muslim festival or a Christian festival, all the festivals are celebrated in the school.

All programmes of the school begin with “Saraswathi Vandana”. Saraswathi Pooja is celebrated in a big way in the school. Even though the board encourages schools to teach foreign languages like German and French, Birla High School has been teaching Sanskrit for 75 years.

The school has a Heritage Club which collects vintage articles like Old Camera, Radio, Lanterns, old Indian coins and stamps.

These collectibles are exhibited in an annual exhibition. Students are taken on heritage

August 2015

trips to the many colonial buildings in Kolkata.

A Teacher’s Role The teaching standards are going a bit low because teaching as a profession is not the first choice these days, for most people.

Birla High School is very careful about the selection of teachers. All the vacancies are advertised and teachers are selected through a selection panel after a demo class. Teachers are selected after very strict scrutiny. There is a lot of accountability for the teachers of Birla High School because the structure of the school is very well tiered and teacher performance is closely monitored.

Teachers are paid well in Birla High School.

The Laxmi Niwas Birla Debate is a signature event conducted by Birla High School. This event is being held by the school for the past 16 years Teachers Day is very splendidly celebrated in Birla High School. Programmes like Panel discussion, talks by renowned educationists are held followed by a huge prize distribution ceremony. Teachers are given awards like 100% attendance, Best Teacher, for implementing technology in teaching, contribution towards co-curricular activities.

Recently “Best Class Teacher” award was introduced because a class teacher plays the most important role. All the awards comprise cash prize, a trophy and a certificate and teachers look forward to this celebration.

The role of teachers is very important in Birla High School as the school blends traditional teaching with technology. The school has Tablets, Smart Boards and Interactive classrooms.

Class 7 students have each been given a Tablet and teachers are trained to use the Tablets in teaching. This is a pilot project started this year and subjects like Biology and Geography are taught using tablets. With

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the aid of Tablets it is more of an inquirybased teaching-learning. Students are encouraged to ask / enquire about a subject / topic and the teacher answers the queries.

The school also has a software application in place where teachers can enter marks and attendance. The teaching standards of Birla High School are very high and the results of class 10 and 12, for the last four years, have been 100%. The school management encourages and gives a lot of importance to co-curricular activities but they make sure that every teacher is accountable for their performance. Birla High School is probably the only school where there is an online evaluation system of teachers. Students from class 6 to class 12 evaluate their teachers, using this online system, on various aspects like punctuality of the teacher, individual attention and care given to students, student understanding and so on. The final report of this evaluation is shared with the teachers with the intention of helping them to improve themselves, wherever required.

Awards given on Teachers Day are based on these reports and because of this system the accountability is tremendous. The school also has a “Buddy Observation” of teachers where teachers review and give feedback about each other, after observing on various parameters. New teachers are reviewed by the more experienced teachers.

Birla High School also has the facility of special

educators, from KG to class 8. Children are assessed by a professional outside agency and based on their report they are admitted under the special category. The school follows all the board norms like the option to drop third language or opting out of Math and so on.

Birla High School is one large happy family where there is no scope for petty politics, relationship between the management, administration, teachers, support staff, students and the parents is very good…

Collaborating with Parents The school has been very fortunate in this regard and the parents of our students are very co-operative and understanding.

The school has psychological counsellors and they conduct workshops for parents regularly. These sessions focus on issues like how to help children with studies without overdoing it, how to balance academics and leisure time without losing emphasis on either, how to keep a tab on the child’s activities outside of school and so on.

The Birla Debate The Laxmi Niwas Birla Debate is a signature event conducted by Birla High School. This event is being held by the school for the past

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16 years. This debate is held every year on the 11th of July which is the Founder’s Day of the school. Initially the debate was a national level event held in various cities like Delhi, Pune and Mumbai but now it is only held in Kolkata. The best of the schools participate in this 2-day event – one day prelims and one day finals. The topics for the debate are chosen by neutral moderators and given out to the participants only a day before the event. Some of the interesting topics of the past are Euthanasia – is it justified and should it be made legal? Elections in India are a periodic entertainment package, should internet be subjected to scrutiny? Would colonial India be preferable to corrupt India? Winners are given laptops and cash prize and runners-up are awarded iPads and cash prize.

The Birla way in Academics and Non – Academics We strive to achieve excellence and have been able to do so continuously because our management is very good. Our secretary General, Ms. Rita Luthra, oversees all the schools and colleges of the S.K. Birla Group.

As the Principal, I get a lot of support from the management, be it day-to-day activities, any minor or major problems. The school has a very clear system of administration. The administration of the school is not entirely resting on me as the Principal. Instead as the Principal I am given a team of coordinators to assist me in administrative matters. The coordinators are the point of control of day-today activities of their areas.

Besides this the school also has an examination coordinator, art, craft and music coordinator. Birla High School is one large happy family where there is no scope for petty politics, relationship between the management, administration, teachers, support staff, students and the parents is very good and also the staff attrition rate is extremely low.

All these factors bring in a lot of stability and consistency and help the school to achieve excellence year after year. Even

August 2015

in non-academic areas, the management encourages and supports me to experiment on new things.

Budgets are not very tight and are allotted in the beginning of the academic year which helps in good planning and work towards excellence. Like the saying “Little drops of water make a mighty ocean”, everybody involved with the school put in their 100% in achieving excellence. The school has won many awards and accolades which include Indian Education Award for Outstanding Boys School, Mother Teresa Award for Excellence, International School Award from the British Council and the school was ranked 4th by the Times of India. All these are proof of my school’s excellence.

every year on the 31st of July and 1st of August. This two day fiesta includes quiz by Barry O’Brien, Fashion Show, Group Dance, Band Performances and Jamming.

Students of Birla High School, through the Nature Club, take part in a lot of activities conducted by local NGOs to create awareness about global warming, environment protection and the likes.

Students are also involved in a huge project named “Save the Tiger”. The school has won the CBSE award for their “No Noise” initiative carried out with cooperation from the local police. The students stand outside the school gate with banners that say “No Honking” and vehicle drivers who do so are penalised by the policemen.

Global Connect

Alumnus

The school conducts cultural exchange programmes with United Kingdom through the British Council, with Germany through Bosch grant and with China. In this programme, students work on particular projects, for example Birla High School in its exchange programme with Germany did a project on “Carbon Foot Prints”. Other than the predominant projects which students work upon facilities are provided to learn art, craft, international languages and yoga, which is a huge hit with foreign students. In order to boost the inter-cultural learning and understanding, students of the programme are put-up with the host families, during their stay. Birla High School is also noted for its school festival Odyssey, which takes place

There is no lack of laurels when I talk about Birla High School. A plethora of talented individuals have been a part of this school’s glory in its yesteryears. To begin with there is S. K. Birla who is the Founder’s son a renowned industrialist. Then there is Mr. Aditya Birla; Mr. R. D. Goenka, another eminent industrialist of the Goenka group who is also a part of our rich alumnus. Another shinning gem is Mr. B. K. Gravar, there is also the famous drummer named Mr. Sangit Chatterjee to name a few.

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The Alumni Association of Birla High School plays a huge active role. They meet every January and alumni from all over the world fly down for this meet. They conduct blood donation drives and also have adopted

a local government school. The alumni association has bought bicycles for the students of this school and the furniture, which is not required at Birla High School is given to this school.

Extensive Career Counselling Programme This is a real highlight of the school. It is a two day event which originated around 2-3 years back and is usually conducted around the mid of August every year. This career counselling program is conducted by trained professionals who are hired solely for this purpose from external agencies.

Psychometric tests are conducted for grade 9th and 10th. Based on these test results

Our sessions focus on issues like how to help children with studies without overdoing it, how to balance academics and leisure time‌ the students are guided and counselled to choose the streams for grade 11 and 12 respectively.

This extensive program showcases all possible career options to the students and these career options are not always conventional or stereotypical. Offbeat career options are also put forward so that creativity, sports

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and performing arts are not left unattended.

Owing to this many students have also been inspired to take up professions which are not really conventional in its nature.

The facilitators also conduct sessions with the parents where they try and persuade the parents to understand that a child should only take up subjects that suit them the best; where their interest lies. Parents should never force their wards to take up subjects against their wishes because this in turn makes the child become apathetic towards his/her studies majorly affecting the scorecard.

In Conclusion Birla High School acts as the wind beneath the children’s wings making their every wish a reality. It is a school of legacy and continues to transform with every passing day in order to provide their children the best in education.

Set-up in a salubrious campus with state-of the-art infrastructure, the school facilitates every child to grow into a responsible and global individual. The school strictly believes that teachers have multifaceted roles to play, as they not only educate the child but also inculcate moral values in them. Hence teachers are handpicked because the school sincerely believes that in a teacher’s hand lies the success of the school.

muktanain@gmail.com

DID YOU KNOW?

On the occasion of India’s 67th Independence Day here are some interesting facts you would like to know: The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan Mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.

The 2011 Kumbh Mela was the largest gathering of people with over 75 million pilgrims. The gathering was so huge that the crowd was visible from space.

Bandra Worli Sealink has steel wires equal to the earth’s circumference: It took a total of 2, 57, 00,000 man hours for completion and also weighs as much as 50,000 African elephants; a true engineering and architectural marvel.

At an altitude of 2,444 meters, the Chail Cricket Ground in Chail, Himachal Pradesh, is the highest in the world. It was built in 1893 and is a part of the Chail Military School.

Water on the moon was discovered by India: In September 2009, India’s ISRO Chandrayaan- 1 using its Moon Mineralogy Mapper detected water on the moon for the first time.

A floating post office: India has the largest postal network in the world with over 1, 55,015 post offices. A single post office on an average serves a population of 7,175 people. The floating post office in Dal Lake, Srinagar, was inaugurated in August 2011.

India has never evaded any country in her last 1, 00,000 years of history.

During independence India had 1100 languages. Today, we have only around 880 languages.

India has no national language. According to Article 343 of the constitution, Hindi is the official language of India.

We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made. - Albert Einstein

Source: Internet

ries or to us sto Do write uld add o c t tes tha r anecdo to all ou t though d @ n a fo in e t lu va il us a can ma r send lives You ne.net o zi a g a rm to ditor”, n E e e m ers to “Th tt le r u o e,#175, in y Magazin MENTOR Lower Palace ss, 2nd Cro luru - 03. s, Benga rd a h Orc 8899 7 3 9 37 Ph: +91 9

CELEBRITY SPEAK

THE REHAN SWIM Rehan Poncha is one of India’s finest athletes. An Olympian Swimmer and Arjuna Awardee, Rehan began swimming in Mumbai at the age of 7 and moved to Bengaluru at the age of 13, to continue his training. Rehan’s been an icon in Indian swimming, competing at the most prestigious championships including the Beijing Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the Asian Indoor Games. He has a long list of wins to his name internationally. He has been a multiple Gold Medallist at the Malaysian, Singapore and Hong Kong Open, a Gold Medallist at the Asian Indoor Games and a Silver Medallist at the Asian Swimming Championships.

In this piece to MENTOR, Rehan Poncha, the poster boy of Indian Swimming talks about being motivated, always striving to be the best and doing what he does best in his life. He also talks about his endeavours and varied experiences which ultimately shaped him to be what he is today!

Ever since I can remember, I have been this super competitive athlete, always wanting to win and be the best, daring to make sacrifices and to have the spotlight on me, to excel in whatever I chose to do.

As a child I suffered from bronchitis and the doctors advised my parents to get me to start swimming as remedy for the illness. So at 7, I began lessons at the Willingdon Sports Club, and given my procilvity to compete, it was only natural that I was soon craving competition, shifting to NSCI and then Otters Club, with my parents looking for the best possible programme to guide my talent. Over the next couple of years, I began picking up my first serious medals in swimming - with two golds at the National Championships at the age of 11. At that point, the best programmes in Indian Swimming were in Bengaluru, and I knew I would need access to coaches there to move levels. In 1999, my parents made massive sacrifices, shifting from Mumbai where they had a full life to Bengaluru and I spent the next 13 years training, chasing my dreams, competing and winning.

My achievements and accolades in the pool grew as I matured as an athlete. Most international events were amazing experiences, not just for the medals I won but also because it feels extra special going out and racing, knowing your swimming

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for your national flag. You are with a team that travels abroad and its fun spending time with teammates and coaches outside of regular training. It’s important to have fun, because people rarely succeed unless they also enjoy what they are doing.

A good coach can make an athlete believe in what he can be, set goals bigger than he can dream of, show him the road and give him the courage to walk it, with him by his side Every win was special, but the memory of a few landmark events, still gives me goosebumps and makes me want to get back in the pool and race again - such as qualifying for the Beijing Olympics and being able to represent my flag at the most prestigius sporting event ever, with my parents in the audience; Or being awarded the Best Overall Athlete at the 2002 and 2007 editions of the National Games after some really special races with several record times for the country.

I was deeply self motivated and never really had a mentor, but I did have a fantastic team of coaches, and unbelivable support from my parents and few really close friends who helped me stay on track when things seemed

August 2015

impossible to achieve.Even when you are in a seemingly individual sport, it is always your support sysytem, your team, your coaches, who are doing their jobs, that make it possble for you to go out there and do what you do best. I absolutely believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum potential. Over the years in training, I have had the opportunity to work with some outstanding people and these are the people and these are the friendships, that inspire me to go out there and do better than my best.

hours of training. So a lot of sportsmen, once retired, feel like they are at a loose end with their future. They invest so much in terms of time and money as well, that once their sport is done, they feel lost.

Everyone has something good to offer, be it advice to improve your mental strength or even technical prowess in your sport. Through

As it happened I visited the golf course that week and all it took was one day at this sport for me to get so completely

my career, I drew on that. I would make it a point, for instance, to watch, learn and adapt into my own swimming, tips I got from watching other swimmers, champions or otherwise.

hooked that not only did I not miss competition and winning so much but it had me feeling like the seven year old, who now just had to be the best in this sport too!

Today, in my coaching sessions with competitive swimmers, I remind them that results and rewards always come. Sometimes it takes a little time to show, but if there is patience and dedication to your dreams, it always comes through.

Competitive sport is gruelling. It takes

Two years into the sport, I have won in club tournaments in Mumbai and Pune, and hopefully by next year I will be competing on the amateur circuit.Someday I hope I will be playing professional golf too - Right now it is the biggest goal I have set for myself!

I train with coach Justin Parsons at the Butch

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I had a similar experience the week after I decided to take a break from the pool. A week into my break, I started waking up with panic attacks with regards to what my future held. If I was not swimming, I did not really know what to do.

Two years from its inception, I can proudly say that at SwimSmart we work with some of the country’s best swimmers.

From club and team clinics to one-on-one workshops, I engage with some really talented kids and sometimes they remind me of me.

Harmon School of Golf in Dubai. Training for competitive sport is expensive and Golf is certainly no exception if you choose to pursue it fully. Training, equipment and travel costs are always high and since I had decided to pursue this competitively, I had to figure out a way to support this dream.

Since swimming is what I know best, I decided to start my brand of SwimSmart clinics offering competitive training to swimmers across the country. It also helped me get over missing the pool so much, and to share my skills and all that I have learnt swimming at the highest levels and training with some of the best coaches in the world and to be the mentor I never had, someone who had been there and done that, for swimmers on the same journey.

I enjoy teaching. Ever since I was old enough to, I would spend some time working with the younger swimmers in my team In Bengaluru.

I would coach a batch of kids before I got into the pool to train myself, as a hobby. I always had a dream of starting a swimming academy of my own as well, someday.

There is no better feeling than inspiring a child to strive for the best, to learn the value of patience, hard work and determination, the lessons of sport that carry through to life.

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All my swimming life, I felt that if I had a mentor when I was younger, to guide me through tough races or stressful situation, I could have done a lot better. When I spend time with swimmers, guiding them in the pool or sharing tips of dryland work or helping build them up mentally to perform and be the best they can be, I feel I miss my swimming just a little less, knowing that I am adding value to the careers of swimmers today and also giving back to Indian sport.

A coach plays such a huge role in an athlete’s life. All my coaches had a huge impact, be it positive or negative. I can tell you from experience that everything a coach tells an athlete sticks with him and has a lasting effect. A good coach can make an athlete believe in what he can be, set goals bigger than he can dream of, show him the road and give him the courage to walk it, with him by his side. A bad coach can do equal damage. This is why I am extremely careful when I engage with my swimmers or when I speak at a college or corporate house.

My swimmers connect with me after their races, telling me how they did, and sometimesI get sent pictures of their medals and wins, and that to me is so fulfilling and spe-

You can never really control what your competition does and only have control over your effort and goals

August 2015

cial. I truly appreciate the bond that a coach and an athlete share. I have had some really sweet moments as well, where my swimmers have done sketches of me being coach, or made lucky charms for my golf! One gifted me a calendar full of Batman pictures (and I love Batman).

Some of my learnings 1. Race Yourself: I am always asked by parents and swimmers what they need to do to beat everyone else, to be the best! A lot of athletes get very focussed on competitors and struggle to deal with excess pressure because they make the sport more about beating an individual rather than bettering themselves.

And this is what I always try to get across to my swimmers or ahletes from other sports at a motivational session, that your greatest rivalry always has to be with yourself. You can never really control what your competition does, and only have control over your effort and goals.

I have always found it easier to deal with the pressures of self-improvement rather than pressure from another’s competition and managing your mental state of mind, helps performance improve.

2. Love what you do: When I am speaking to a broader audience at a corporate talk where there are not too many athletes present, I also touch upon the fact that you have to choose your goals and set your dreams in such a way that you can see yourself working really hard at achieving them!

Everyone loves the idea of being successful but if you can actually visualise also passionately loving all the hard work, the struggle and sacrifice that goes into achieving those dreams, then you can be convinced that you have chosen your goal well. This happens when you love what you do so much, that it stops feeling like you’re working.

3. It is ok to be different: For the younger audience, I always keep it simple and tell them that it is alright to not fit in, to not be the coolest in school! Be the one that peo-

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ple ridicule for setting that impossible dream, be stupid enough to not accept failure and then go out and get it with all your heart!

Swimming took me to countries all over the world through competitions, helped me achieve so much and also helped gain the adulation of many. Today, when I walk into a workshop or a talk, an event sometimes, I am invited to pose with fans or little kids for pictures and give autographs. It feels really really special, but also serves as a reminder that the sacrifices made along the way – giving up dates, late nights, junk food that may have invited jokes at one time, are now the very reason for the adulation I receive. This reminder of who I am helps me pick myself up on my bad days and keeps me so motivated, always striving to be the best I can possibly be at whatever I choose to do in my life!

Sometimes it takes a little time to show, but if there is patience and dedication to your dreams, it always comes through

Before ending, I think I would like to leave my readers with this message - a little story from one of my favourite movies - Catch Me If You Can. The hero’s father goes up on stage for an award and in his acceptance speech he tells a story of two little mice who were thrown into a bucket of cream and could not get out. One mouse gave up and quickly drowned. The other kept moving to stay afloat and eventually ran so hard that he churned that cream into butter, climbed on to a ball of cream, and jumped out alive .

I tell all my students this story and remind them that they always have a choice, to be the mouse that overcame his struggles and got out alive and a winner or the one that quickly gave up and drowned! Dream big, wake up to your dreams every morning.

I have been doing the same for the last 20 years and I think it is worked out for me pretty well so far! I hope it does so, for you too.

rehanponcha@gmail.com

LIKE A BYTE

THE RAINBOW CLUB Professor M. M. Pant is pursuing pedagogy, technology tools and curricula for educating for the future. He has a special interest in encouraging self-learning and leveraging social media and bringing the Tablets, mobile and other handhelds into the classroom where they have been traditionally banned in a framework named “Learning 221: Learning for the 2nd Decade of the 21st Century.”

He has been the former Pro-Vice Chancellor, IGNOU and on the faculty of IIT, Kanpur and Faculty- University of Western Ontario, Canada. Prof. Pant is the founder of the LMP Education Trust, an organisation that promotes new age learning and supports underprivileged learners.

In this piece to MENTOR, Professor M.M. Pant, shares his fascinating ideas of establishing a ‘rainbow club’ which he feels will be soon adopted by leading progressive schools owing to its futuristic approach which will “make India the centre of the planet in the coming decades.”

The emphasis of our education system has been mainly on ‘academic’ subjects taught in the classroom and the learning is assessed by means of examinations which really demonstrate the ability of a student ‘to be able to state what is in the book, without looking at the book’. Even for admission to professional programmes, such as engineering, medicine or law there is no assessment of aptitude, passion or interest in the profession. An exception is architect and design programmes, where an assessment of the relevant aptitude is made. I have often said that all board examination results should have a statutory warning stating that “the marks achieved by the candidate have no correlation with the real abilities of the candidate and any correlation that exists is purely incidental and not intentional.”

When knowledge and physical resources were scarce and not easily accessible, this was perhaps an acceptable model. But in today’s information abundant society where information is literally at the fingertips with mobile access devices and sensors connected to the internet, we are moving towards a situation of an internet of things, perhaps an internet of everything. Ordinarily extra-curricular activities supplement this ‘ bookish’ knowledge, but the recent rapid developments and reasonable projections into the future suggest that the extra-curriculum component

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needs

a

fundamental

transformation.

We are suggesting here a bouquet of seven extra-curricular programmes that will help prepare our youth for success in the future.

We propose to name it “The Rainbow Club” and hope that the model will be adopted speedily by leading progressive schools. These ideas are triggered by the Homebrew Computer Club which was an early computer hobbyist group from mid1970s to mid-1980s in the Silicon Valley and several computer entrepreneurs emerged from its ranks, including the founders of Apple Inc. The Homebrew Computer Club has been called “the crucible for an entire industry.” I hope that it will not be a pipe dream to imagine that this chain of “Rainbow Clubs” will trigger unprecedented innovation and creativity and unleash

August 2015

energies which would make India the centre of the planet in the coming decades.

The question is why is this most critical for India?

India has a very large young population, which is seen by many as the ‘demographic dividend’. Researchers on IQ know that statistically about 2.2% of the population have an IQ of over 130 and about 0.1% have an IQ over 145, who are labelled as highly gifted. That means we have lakhs of extremely gifted and talented promising children whose genius is nipped in the bud by over emphasis of rote learning within the classroom and meaningless and unreliable assessments at the end of the academic session.

Many thought leaders of the west are aware of this and long ago Lord McCaulay in an open declaration to the British Parliament marshalled the intellectual genius of India against itself. About 55 years ago, the U.S. did it again by creating IIT Kanpur. A former director of IIT Kanpur always said that “the day a student joins IIT Kanpur, on that day his soul migrates to the U.S.A. And four years later his body follows.” Thomas Friedman in his famous book: “The world is flat” referred to the same phenomenon by using the metaphor of a pipe of cognitive talent that filled at Delhi and emptied in the Silicon Valley.

More recently there is a joke doing the rounds on the internet that the some concerned U.S. citizens raised the question as to why companies such as Microsoft were hiring Indians rather than local U.S. citizens to lead them. The answer they received was that if they did not do so, India would have created Microsoft, Apple, Google and Facebook and exactly that is why we need these Rainbow Clubs to act as crucibles of innovation for tomorrow.

The seven arcs of the Rainbow Club are:

1. An SBC (Single Board Computer) Products Club

The most famous in this series is the credit card sized Raspberry Pi which was created to stimulate interest in computing amongst school children. Raspberry Pi is a dynamic

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microcontroller that is capable of just about anything a computer is. It runs with the Python programming language and is a great way to learn about hardware hacking and coding.

Information on many projects that can be done with it is available at Instructables.

The Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is the second generation Raspberry Pi, made available in February 2015. Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. It is intended for anyone making interactive projects. Many similar products are available giving a large choice of hardware and accessories to build exciting computer projects.

2. A ‘Coding for All’ Club

In September 2014, UK became the first country in the world to accept and adopt the policy that all children including from key stage 1 to key stage 4 must learn coding a computer. It is accepted by progressive thought leaders that in future knowing computer coding would be an essential competence, much like English and Maths is today. In fact I have suggested a formula for success in future which will be E+MC2, similar to the Einstein’s famous equation E=MC2 For young children the Scratch from MIT is a very useful tool and for the grown up, Python can be adopted. Also unlike the UK we are not suggesting compulsion, but an

Important element of extracurricular activities is to foster co-operative, collaborative and social learning, which gets ignored in the traditional classroom model

opportunity should be provided for all those who are keen and interested, to learn coding.

Once some children see the value and usefulness of this skill, more will want to join.

course there are national championships on their way to preparing for the WRO. Drones are robots that fly and can have a huge impact on the way we deliver products and services.

3. An Apps Development Club ( all major platforms)

6. Digital Fabrication and 3D Printing Club

The success of the Indian IT industry was based on services and there were very few products. With the proliferation of mobile devices and development of mobile Apps; India has the potential to become the hub of mobile computing.

Apps for the Android can be easily made with tools like AppInventor or a SDK such as Eclipse. For the iOS platform; Apple has just released the Swift programming language manual. Microsoft would of course liberally support any initiatives by Schools for developing Windows Apps.

4. Game Development Club

This club should include multi-media, animation, augmented, virtual reality and motion sensors so that gaming becomes a joyous ride without any interruption. All young people and some older ones as well enjoy playing games. Some games like ‘angry birds’ have millions of followers, and many traditional games beginning from Chess to Solitaire have Apps to play them on mobiles and tablets. But the young move very quickly from just players of games to designers, creators and developers of games. The availability of products and software development kits with augmented reality, virtual reality and motion sensors, means that entirely new games landscapes and scenarios can be created.

On the horizon is Microsoft’s hololens that combines holographic projection onto the field of vision. The potential is almost unimaginable.

5. Drones and Robotics Club

In fact the World Robotics Olympiad of 2016 will be held for the first time in India and clubs such as these would have a great opportunity to encourage their members to participate in the WRO 2016. Of

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The old engineering method of assembling from components that were made separately is now gradually giving way to the new method of ‘additive manufacturing’.

The prices of the 3D printers that enable this are gradually moving to realm of affordability by the education system, and often is almost at the level of a hobbyist. There are many websites which allow for ideas to be shared and actually support a ‘making’ community that can make amazingly new products. The pace of progress is so rapid that there is already talk of 4D printers.

7. A Persuasive Communication and Public Speaking Club

The ability to effectively communicate, especially in a multi-cultural context becomes a sine qua non in an information abundant globally connected society.

Visual communication, including preparing infographics, non-verbal communication, and of course effective verbal communication can all be improved by systematic knowledge of the principles and constant practice. The weaving of a narrative in the raw data helps, as does a sense of humour.

These Clubs will help develop the

August 2015

following attributes in their members:

• Curiosity • A questioning mind • A Scientific temper (this is a constitutional requirement) • Mathematical thinking (computer based maths of Conrad Wolfram and mathematical modelling and simulation) • A Learning Disposition: developing a selfdirected autonomous learner • A thinking and logical mind • A tinkerer and maker mind-set • Appropriate values for living into the 22nd century

With the proliferation of mobile devices and development of mobile Apps; India has the potential to become the hub of mobile computing Operationalizing the ideas:

All of the above would be organised in the context of modern and emerging technologies. So in the physical space available at the YID clubs there would be lots of resources, both software and hardware.

Members will be provided drones, robots and 3D printers to explore. They will also be encouraged to create mobile apps and explore the internet of things. With these basic ideas, their natural combinations and evolution would follow. To make this a crucible for the new innovative economy, we have to create a new entrepreneurial model for their creation and rapid expansion.

The clubs would be supported by a strong central unit headquartered at a suitable place, which will support the club and its members with the required knowledge base.

It will have an ‘observatory’ where observers will keep track of latest developments in allied areas and share it with the community. It will run a 24x7 helpdesk to support all the members as well as the entrepreneurs who are running the YIDCs. This central unit will keep the fold together, draw up plans and schedules that can be supplemented by the other clubs and

25

make a thriving and vibrant community of thinkers, tinkerers and makers. The central group itself will have access to experts and mentors from all over the world who are interested in pitching in. A pilot can begin with about say 25 centres, in the 4 metros and an additional 21 smaller cities. That would be a good size to seed the idea and then every quarter more can be added.

In conclusion: There was a time when only the classroom was important. So much so that the sixth education commission (1964-1966) headed

by Dr. D.S. Kothari had as its theme “The destiny of India is being shaped in its classrooms”.

Fifty years from then the classroom and rigid academic disciplines are seen as constraining and there seems to be an agreement that we need to move upwards in the hierarchy of Bloom’s Taxonomy from mere remembering to understanding, applying, analysing and evaluating to creativity. A very recent initiative by Finland whose schooling is considered perhaps the best in the world is moving from rigid subject based approach to a more integrated and comprehensive phenomenon based approach. So maybe begin with questions like “why the sky is blue?” or “why is the rainbow like a bow?” and then bring together the knowledge from a variety of topics to understand the phenomenon; in other words, the blending of traditional classroom learning and extra-curricular activities.

Over the past centuries, there have been several examples where opposing concepts or ideas have been reconciled or integrated. For quite some time, electricity and magnetism were seen as different until Maxwell conceived electro-magnetism as the unifying phenomenon; similarly for wave particle duality, until Einstein gave his mass energy equivalence, we thought of conservation of mass and conservation of energy as two different principles, with matter taking several forms as could energy. Another important element of extracurriculum activities is to foster co-operative, collaborative and social learning, which gets ignored in the traditional classroom model.

mmpant@gmail.com

FEATURE

GROOMING AND ETIQUETTE Ms. Susan Tripathi is an MBA in HR with 15 years’ experience in Human Resources management roles; diverse areas of resourcing, organization development, HR interventions, culture integration, performance and compensation management and organization brand building through HR. Ms. Triparthi, in this piece to MENTOR, writes about Personal Grooming and Etiquette for School Heads.

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe quotes “behaviour is the mirror in which everyone shows their image” While all of us are very particular of our image, of what others perceive us to be, how often do we attempt to make the smallest mannerism into a habit. To me, grooming begins by being a responsible citizen, having a helpful nature, not talking too loud, having the patience to bear with the traffic and not honking one’s car continuously, not smoking in public places. Today, with people thriving in the global competitive space, personal grooming and etiquette is of utmost importance at all levels, across all industries.

As the head of an institute or as the Principal of a school, there are some key components that you would need to work on to help you be successful in your role. These are:

Health: The first step towards your personal grooming is being healthy. A healthy body and mind are the keys to a successful and

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an accomplished living. When your body is nourished and your mind is in control, you are able to glide through the toughest weathers and find solutions to the most complex challenges. Your entire persona and charisma displayed, an alert mind, making assertive decisions is because of a rejuvenated body and mind. To combat situations arising out of globalization, competition, recession, one has to be strong and well equipped internally. This could only be achieved through good eating habits and developing and maintaining a daily exercise regime be it an hour’s walk, yoga, swimming or a work out in a gym. Beginning your day by dedicating this one hour for yourself would be the secret of your cheerful disposition.

The best way to curb negative vibrations felt is by cutting it short when it begins in one’s mind and moving towards a positive thought Attitude: The second step towards your personal grooming and etiquette is having and displaying a positive attitude. It is said that “success” is 99% hard work and 1% attitude.

But this 1% is of the greatest importance, without which any achievement is incomplete. Many mannerisms, looks and behaviours project an impression of authority and poise. Every one of us is humane and hence we all have an inner guru who continuously keeps talking to us. Depending on our present state of mind; owing to our health, situations experienced, dealings with people around, many-a-times we hear and feel a lot of positive or negative vibrations within ourselves. The best way to curb negative vibrations felt is by cutting it short when it begins

August 2015

in one’s mind and moving towards a positive thought. When we feel the positive vibrations, our day goes very well, we are able to bring out the best proposals, design the best plans and highly motivate our people. The same goes vice versa in times of negative vibrations felt. It is a ripple effect, the more positive vibes you spread, the more positive vibes move on and the entire environment is energized with positivity. An organization where people are treated well and treat each other well tends to be more successful than others. If you have a positive attitude, it will portray in all your interactions had with all your stakeholders, be it your superiors (management), your colleagues (Vice Principals), your peers (teachers), your students, the parents and other vendor connects.

Knowledge: Though the leader of an institution would have the necessary educational and professional qualifications and prior experience to be inducted into the role, continuous efforts have to be made to keep oneself abreast and updated of all the recent happenings. This can be achieved through constant reading and networking. You could start by subscribing to various journals, periodicals, magazines, books and subscribe to e-books on the internet; avail membership in organizations/associations where you could meet and network with like-minded professionals; attend workshops and seminars. You would have to keep yourself updated on all the legislative and statutory changes announced by the legislation to ensure quick implementation in your institute. In this way

27

by being well read and updated on all accounts, you would be in a better position to mentor, monitor and guide your team in their performances and interact with the students and parents much more confidently.

Actions: Your actions speak louder than words. You need to practice what you preach. People all around respect and imbibe the qualities of their leaders who have thrived by “walking their talk.� While dealing with your management, colleagues, peers, students, parents (your stakeholders) you have to exhibit complete professionalism, openness and trust. In meetings or any interactions, care should be taken that the conversation is not monopolized, there is no showing off, being rude, bossing around people, being argumentative, inducing gossip, making fun of others, not listening.

The more you reach and connect with your team, students and parents, mentor and guide them in the right spirit, the more will they accept you as the leader and help you in your journey of building a world class institute. Once you have their commitment, the acceptance levels of all your plans will be high and the achievement is for sure.

Grooming: Grooming is an overall practice, a habit and not just the way you dress or look. Grooming and etiquette go hand in hand. There are ways of using certain phrases; fluency in English shows your professionalism. If you have a positive attitude, are appropriately dressed, able to communicate assertively using your body language confi-

a trustful dialogue and not in open, introducing new team members to the existing team, pronouncing and writing names correctly. Take care of etiquette in your letter / e-mail writing, while communicating in the assembly or any school gathering, in your dealings with your stakeholders, in your guest relations, at social events, in negotiations. dently like your posture, eye contact or nodding your head, have a through knowledge of your subject and have a complete understanding and use of the required etiquette, you sure are well equipped to turn around any situation. It is also important to maintain a neat and pleasant personality with neatly done hair, no body odour, well maintained teeth and manicured nails. Until recent times grooming was regarded as a value addition or a secondary facet. But in today’s times, it is a very important part of every corporate culture and image, be it any Industry.

The more you reach and connect with your team, students and parents, mentor and guide them in the right spirit, the more will they accept you as the leader….

Importance of packaging is very high even for the best quality product. The best quality product may not sustain if it is not packaged properly. Packaging helps the buyers to recognize, remember the product and give it a chance. Likewise, this same rule applies to one becoming or surviving as the head of an institute. Your overall image is how you package your entire self and present to your stakeholders. There is an old saying, “If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck, it is a duck.”

Your attire, your grooming, your speech, your actions and your etiquette is very important. The more closely you resemble people’s perception of a leader, the more likely they are to accept you as their leader.

Etiquette: Etiquette is the rule governing socially acceptable behaviour. The globalization of businesses in India has vastly improved manners at work, but there is still much to be desired. Every work place is unique in its own way, but the basic social rules which make people comfortable with each other remain same. You would need to practice the basic courtesies at work such as having a cheerful disposition, standing up to greet people, opening the door and letting your guest enter first, having a warm hand shake, maintaining comfortable proximity, avoiding personal questions, correcting a person through

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info@mentormagazine.net

August 2015

HALL OF WISDOM

BONDING WITH PARENTS Ms. Sheetal Sharma has been working in the field of education for over forty years. A well-known educationist and author of 17 children’s books, she is an alumnus of Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University. She has set-up a school from scratch, in Chandigarh and she also has the rich experience of developing an activity oriented curriculum and self-learning innovative material for the Training Institute for Pre-school teachers of DAV group. Ms. Sharma has also written short story books for children with the primary aim of stimulating children’s love for books and reviving their reading habits. She also writes for educational magazines and newspapers.

In this piece to MENTOR, Ms. Sheetal Sharma, writes about parent-school bonding and says, “Vibrant communication is like a magic clasp binding the parents and the school together, both working as co-partners for the betterment of the child.”

At the end of the school day, after the children had left the classroom, I glanced around the room and felt satisfied to see that the ‘Row Monitors’ had done a good job. Everything was in place in the classroom.

Children had closed their desktops, placed the chairs in position and ensured that the floor was free from litter. ‘Good children!’ I said to myself. Feeling happy and relieved, I stretched myself, picked up my bag and stepped outside the classroom.

I noticed a child standing alone close to the classroom door. He had joined the school late and that day was his first day. He was looking somewhat upset. Before I could say anything to the child, he came closer to me and said shyly, ‘Ma’am, you have not given me the ‘Blue Card’. I was taken aback by what he said. ‘How does he know about the ‘Blue Card’, Wondered I. ‘Ma’am, when Neeru didi brings the card home to mummy and papa they clap for her. Mummy told me that I will also get the ‘Blue Card’ when I go to school.’

The ‘Blue Card’ was an old tradition in our school. The class teacher handed over this ‘Blue Card’ to each child on the last Friday of every alternate month. This 4’X3’ card carried a hand written brief message communicating some positive things about the child.

The children as well as the parents looked forward to this ‘Blue Card’. Many times when parents came to pick up their

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children they talked with the concerned teacher about the message on the ‘Blue Card’, or while leaving their children inside the gate, they smilingly thanked the concerned teacher for helping them discover positive attributes of their children.

We as Principals need to sensitize ourselves about their needs and evolve as many strategies as we can to reach out to them The ‘Blue Card’ gave the opening line of a dialogue, followed by organised meetings where each one, the parent and the teacher, exchanged their knowledge about the child. This exchange became a bonding factor between the school and the parents.

It was a connecting link between the two.

I do not know how many students after leaving the school had kept those ‘Blue Cards’ as souvenirs, some or just a few or none. But for sure, some had retained its pleasant memories. That is why, once in a while when I came across an old student, he said with a twinkle in his eyes, “Ma’am you remember what you wrote ------” At such times ‘Blue Card’ became a source of reliving the past , reviving its pleasant memories . I felt, despite the passage of time the bond existed.

Today, after decades when I look back and reflect upon the ‘Blue Card’, I feel it was a good connect. This unique way of communication, beginning with a positive note worked like a magic clasp bonding us all together – the school, the students, the parents and even the alumni.

The connect, especially between the parents and the school goes a long way in effectively achieving their common goal – child’s holistic development. A vibrant communication between the two sets the ball rolling.

How to Connect?

In this age of technology, schools have moved beyond the ‘Blue Card’ mode of connectivity. They have many modern communication tools to make rapport with parents. A school cannot connect with diverse groups of parents with one type of communication mode. For this reason our school values both: modern ways as well as traditional ways to connect with our parents.

Tech Savvy Connectivity

The digital age has opened up myriad ways of communicating with parents by providing various tools of communication. These tools cut across space and time barriers. This is a great relief for the very, very busy parents, who are not able to come to the school to know all that should be known by them as co-partners in the education of their child. But now technology has enhanced the reach of schools.

Communication can reach parents, anytime, anywhere through different modes and tools.

School Website: It is a well-accepted tool to provide information on the various aspects of the school. I found that inclusion of vibrant images, audio and video made the site more appealing. I also felt that provision of a section in the site on talks on the subjects that interest the parents enhances bonding - talks on disciplining the child, fostering his thinking skills, enhancing 30 www.mentormagazine.net

his emotional competency, etc. And of course parents’ portal is a valuable connect between the two – the school and the parents. I also found that interactive site which allows for responses is certainly more engaging. Needless to say provision of a bilingual website has a greater reach.

SMS / voice mail, e-mail / video chat: They are all useful tools to stay connected with parents. But accessibility of variety of communication tools does not necessarily lead to effective communication. For me, judicious choice of the communication tool was of prime concern and so was the language of the content.

Understanding the professional preoccupation of parents and their sensitivity, my effort was to convey short, clear, focussed messages, using language that would not offend or provoke them. My guiding factors for selecting a communication tool were: • What is the objective of the communication?

• What is the content of the communication?

• Who is the target group?

• Does the message need instant delivery or do I want parents to go through the message at their leisure?

Innovative communication apps: Many new apps for smart phones are available now. They help parents keep in touch with the school on daily basis.

These apps were not available when I was heading the school.But now I find many schools using them. Parents feel happy and secure knowing that school is just a touch away.

Having a Facebook page for the school is helpful for wider connect and it is a good way to publicize the school’s high points, innovations.

Blog is another forum for schools to put across their views on various matters.

August 2015

Connecting the Traditional Way: Technology based communication is not of help to those parents who do not have access to internet and also to those who are not tech savvy or those who are not very comfortable with the language of communication. For this reason, we planned alternative communication channels to connect with diverse group of parents.

School is a miniature version of society at large where in students from different economic backgrounds, cast hierarchy order, family literacy level, different faiths come to acquire knowledge. Irrespective of all these differences, all the parents are interested in the academic achievement of their children. All parents have the same need, the same hope – a bright future for their child. But the marginalised group of parents, despite their keenness feels hesitant to bond. We as Principals need to sensitize ourselves about their needs and evolve as many strategies as we can to reach out to them. I found that some of the traditional ways connected better as they provided face to face interaction.

Some of the traditional ways to connect are: • Welcome Day Communication: This was the day for the ‘new’ parents, the parents whose children had been admitted in the current session. It was celebrated a day before the commencement of the session.

The prime objective was to make parents feel special and welcomed. We all looked forward to this day with great excitement and worked for it with great passion. The teachers, the students assisted by the helpers took great joy in giving a welcome look to the event place. Buntings were put up; art work of children was displayed.

Entry points were decorated with colorful rangoli, pictures of leaders representing diverse groups of parents were put up. This was done to express a sense of ‘harmony’ and ‘oneness’. The school orchestra team also stood in readiness to serenade the guests. Children stood in a row to handover welcome cards to the parents.

And in all this ‘hungama’ what was my role? I find it difficult to explain because

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everything was team work; all planning was done collectively and implemented amicably, each one clear about his role.

Only one job was solely under my charge - to prepare the Head Boy and the Head Girl to address the new parents. The trio – me and the two students would do several rehearsals to ensure children’s power packed delivery. There were some other interesting aspects of this day, like an ‘old’ parent sharing his experience about the school, an alumnus (if available) telling an interesting incident about his school days.

Welcome day was a day of celebrations, a day of creating a friendly turf for the diverse group of parents, a day to begin bonding.

‘Aware’ group of parents looked forward to this day as eagerly as we did. But this feeling was not shared by the marginalised groups of parents. They hesitated to be a part of this day. We knew that connectivity would benefit their children in the long run.

So we did not want them to miss this special day. We made extra efforts to motivate them to come to the school. For example, we arranged a pick up van for them to reach the school. Schools can evolve other strategies to achieve this objective.

Two other measures that we practised in our school to enhance bonding needs mentioning:

• Focussed Group: This was a group of parents with expertise in their respective fields - technocrats, bureaucrats, doctors, media persons, engineers, architects and so on. The parent group members met as and when required to lend support or to give suggestions in their area of expertise for the betterment of the school. This was another way of bonding. It had a positive impact on the children of Focused Group parents.

• Culture Group: There was another group of parent volunteers who helped us to plan activities showcasing different cultures of the country. Some, who could give more time, even helped us to organise the cultural events. We found this also a good way of bonding and connecting with parents.

Besides above, schools have some other channels of communication also such as: • School diary • Parent - Teacher Meet • School Newsletter Schools have various tools and modes of connectivity. It is good to ensure that all diverse groups of parents benefit by it.

Creating Bonhomie

‘The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people (sic)’: Theodore Roosevelt. The statement has a resonance

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in school environs too where creating bonhomie, strengthening the connect and the bond is of utmost importance.

My ‘Blue Card’ communication had taught me early in my career that a positive dialogue is successful in creating a feeling of bonhomie. I had also learnt that while conveying a negative remark I need to choose my words carefully and express the message in a manner that does not hurt the listener or sour the relationship.

This I had clearly understood as a teacher.

Soon after assuming the charge of a Principal, the first thing I learnt was: listening to parents is more important than talking, especially at times when they are stressed out and worried about their child. At that point of time they need the assurance, ‘You are being heard and listened to.’ This key message gives them solace and strengthens the bond.

Choose words carefully when expressing something unpalatable... speak in a calm voice and a soothing tone My next lesson that I found useful in dealing with parents of varied temperaments and emotions was: Winning an argument with parents is not worth it. It costs you their good will.

With the passage of time as I engaged with

August 2015

greater number of parents my awareness about communication glitches enhanced.

I learnt many more lessons that helped me to deal appropriately with hazardous situations, the potential threats to bonhomie.

Some suggestions helpful in maintaining a friendly communication turf are:

Carrying a feeling of inadequacy to the conversation table makes you an inefficient, negative and snappy communicator. Value yourself as an individual. Perk up your self-esteem. Feel good about your strengths, but not arrogant.

• Make yourself accessible. Notify the days of the week and the timings for interaction.

• Keep doors open in moments of crisis.

Listen carefully and empathetically.

Make brief comments to express your interest in what the parent is saying. Don’t allow unnecessary calls and messages as they put off the speaker.

• Allow parents to express their disappointment or dissatisfaction at appropriate forums. Listen to their feelings with equanimity instead of getting provoked and jumping to justify yourself.

• Encourage them to give views on present practices and also the suggestions for further improvements.

• Value their opinion and acknowledge with gratitude.

• Do not assume the school is perfect.

Believe in further improvement • Take criticism positively and not feel

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threatened by it.

• Acknowledge difference in views and agree to disagree amicably.

• Avoid asserting, but do not relent on issues that deal with school’s core beliefs.

• When things seem to be getting heated up take charge of your emotions • Choose words carefully when expressing something unpalatable.

Speak in a calm voice and a soothing tone.

• Courteous tone, a welcome smile and relaxed atmosphere encourage communication.

• Pay attention to non –verbal communication. Avoid fidgeting with mobile or expressions of discomfort or impatience.

• Do not let language be the barrier while communicating with parents of marginalised groups.

If you want parents to connect, if you want them to be co-partners in their child’s education, avoid communication void.

Invite parents in groups. Talk about matters of common interest over a cup of coffee. If you have a sincere desire to bond with parents, do your homework well and review your interpersonal skills, your coffee meet will definitely be fruitful. Think about it. Go ahead. Kudos!

ssblessings@gmail.com

POST SCRIPTUM

ENGLISH ALONG! When it comes to study of English and through it build a solid reading programme for children at schools, schools consider it a big challenge. I am sure all my fellow Principals across the country will agree with me when I say that Language and Literacy are central to our ability to understand, interpret and communicate about the world and with each other. Poor language skills in a classroom make us watch helplessly at the child who is brimming with ideas but is caught up with language blocks.

A strong English policy at school is a must.

It is through the study of this language that we develop a child’s abilities to listen, to speak, read and write for varied purposes.

A strong hold over language enables the child to express their ideas, views and feelings. The moment a child learns to express him creatively and imaginatively, s/he becomes enthusiastic when it comes to reading. These are children who grow to be critical readers of stories, poetry and drama, as well as non-fiction and media texts.

Students gain an understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Children use their knowledge, skills and understanding in speaking and writing across a range of different situations.

So what should be the objective of a good English language policy at school? The policy must focus on: • So what should be the objective of a good English language policy at school? The policy must focus on: • Enabling children to speak clearly and audibly in ways which take account of their listeners; • Encouraging children to listen with concentration in order to be able to identify the main points of what they have heard; • Enabling children to adapt their speech to a wide range of circumstances and demands; • Developing children’s abilities to reflect on their own and others’ contributions and the language used; 34 www.mentormagazine.net

Our principle objective should be to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in English and their ability to generalise these skills in other areas of learning. The beginning for this is from the selection of text books for children at school which is not only age appropriate and grade, but also has pieces that sustain their interest in learning and acquiring the language. We need to encourage our English teachers to use a range of resources ranging from dictionaries, thesaurus and word banks to support their work. ICT can be used to the maximum, wherein English lessons are facilitated using multimedia to study how words and images are combined to convey meaning.

English cannot be taught and learnt in isolation. English teachers need to encourage fellow teachers and children to use and apply their learning in other areas of the curriculum. As teachers and Principals we are aware that all children in the classroom are not at the same level of learning the language, hence lessons also need to be taught through differentiated group work.

I would like to in the next month’s issue take forward this thought and write about how English as a language is essential for other subjects too. My focus would be on how English is planned both discretely and as a vehicle for learning in other areas e.g., the teaching of report writing for use in science.

vidya@edumedia.in