Mentor Magazine, August 2016; Volume 10, Issue 3 by Mentor Magazine

CONTENTs

August 2016 | Volume 10 Issue 03

Mentor Thoughts

COVER STORY

Book Review Page - 04 I Love Mondays

Sultan Speaks Page - 05 Be the voice....

Mentor Thoughts Page - 34 Trust…

Pedagogy

Creative Movement in Education Page - 06 The mind-body connection…

Building Language - Role of Parents and Teachers Page - 09

Under one Roof

Blending mainstream and special learning..

Active partners in communication…

School Leadership

EQUBE in Education Page - 18

Moving from Life Skills to Life Education...

The Silver Lining Page - 22

Mentoring and post-secondary leadership...

School Governance

Principal- The New CFO Page - 25

Financial Literacy for the School Principal...

Gaining perspective through team-building activities Page - 28

The cooperative work environment...

Innovation

Digital Citizens Page - 31

New Avatar of Education...

22 31

Publisher & Owner: Syed Sultan Ahmed Editor-in-Chief: Kalpa Kartik Associate Editor: Yashika Begwani Designed by: Harpreet Singh Production: Praveen U.M., Sathish C., Guna V. Printed by: 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

BOOK REVIEW

I LOVE MONDAYS Ms Mala Mary Martina

Did you know that 81% of the people in the world hate their Mondays? Did you know that the next generation of careers also called the yellow-collar careers require a new set of skills and attitudes? Did you know that careers in Design, Art, Humanities, Innovation and Technology will dominate in the future? The leaders of tomorrow will be dominated by yellow-collar workers with a fresh perspective and a creative outlook. MENTOR was present at the book launch and shares an account of ‘I Love Mondays’, a well-researched book on new-age careers by author Ms Mala Mary Martina. In a country like India, where 47.3% of the population is below the age of 21, it is typical that educational institutes help children make informed career choices. Gone are the days of aptitude tests or motivational talks on careers. Gone are the days where one needs to be just an engineer or a doctor. Gone are the days where the society or parents decide what their child must do in future! While we come across terms like experiential learning, very often, it may be interesting to explore experiential career choices which might benefit the upcoming generations. The author of the book Ms Mala Mary Martina is also the CEO of ‘I Love Mondays’, an organization that helps teenagers identify careers they love. She is a serial entrepreneur, a TEDx speaker and an education architect. In her book ‘I Love Mondays’, she shares excerpts from the lives of 45 Yellow-Collar celebrities and what they did to make it to the top. What are Yellow Collar Careers? A yellow collar worker trades his/her competence for money

as opposed to a blue-collar and white-collar worker who traded their time or educational qualification for money. Yellowcollar careers are the next generation of careers, after blue-collar and white-collar jobs, where individuals possess multidisciplinary skills coupled with a specialization in one or more skills. In other words, they blend sets of unique skills to learn better, think better, communicate better and do more! A simple example of a yellow-collar worker would be a musician who can sing, compose, edit sound, write lyrics, communicate effectively, market himself/herself, network and even design his/her own album cover. Mala compiles three years of intensive research in the upcoming yellow-collar career space and shares excerpts from her interactions with the aces in the industry like Dr A. R Rahman, Anil Kumble, Santosh Sivan, Niranjan Iyengar and many more. She also highlights some startling and interesting facts from the yellowcollar industry in the form of infographics.

What is unique about the book? While this ‘artistic book’ brings out real life experiences, struggles and tips from industry experts for close to 45 yellowcollar careers, it also has ‘scribble’ spaces for ‘do it yourself’ lessons and activities that may interest the readers. The future of the world will be dominated by right-brained individuals, because everything that the left brain does, can also be done by machines. The author emphasizes that the world no longer needs people with high computational or numerical skills; nor does the world need people with fantastic memories to hoard knowledge. We need people who can think, analyze, question, innovate and grow! Their yardstick of success is not a regular salary that is credited at the end of each month, nor is it a conventionally safe nineto-five job! The new generation wants to live a life of purpose, challenge and meaning. In a nutshell, the author believes, “We anyway have to THINK Why not think BIG We anyway have to WORK Why not do what we LOVE” martina@ilovemodays.in

SULTAN SPEAKS

BE THE VOICE I am writing this article from the beautiful skiing town of Shymbulak situated close to Almaty in Kazakhstan. This mountain town boasts of some of the best ice-sporting facilities in the world and its athletes are among the best in the winter games discipline. The infrastructure support and encouragement that is given to athletes is quite remarkable, no wonder Kazakhstan has some world class athletes even in regular sports like tennis, cycling, weightlifting etc. It was not just the sporting infrastructure in the city that is praiseworthy, what caught my attention was the fact that the city of Almaty boasted of some of the best music schools of the world, several theatres dedicated to children, activity centers made exclusively for children to pursue hobbies like dancing and arts, museums to encourage curiosity in science and history in addition to the innumerable parks that were spread across the city. Growing up in a city like that would be an amazing experience for children while they have spaces to do a lot of things after school and to pursue hobbies which are normally expensive but are being funded by the state. What is commendable, is that Kazakhstan got its independence from the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1991 and is just a 25-year-old nation. Yet the manner in which the government has gone about focusing on the future of the nation is quite remarkable. This made me think about what we do in India. We have given up on the state for any support to bring up our children, hence the mushrooming of private schools and educational institutions. Our country is still in a state of slumber and overall development of children

is not even a priority. This has resulted in parents believing that the entire onus of overall development of children lies with the school and they expect all facilities to be provided by the school. Facilities come with a price and more the facilities provided, higher the expenses. This has resulted in majority of our children not having access to sporting activities, art or cultural facilities as their parents cannot afford it! Growing up in a city like that would be an amazing experience for children while they have spaces to do a lot of things after schoolâ&#x20AC;Ś being funded by the state. Schools are compensating for the failure of our government by providing facilities to children. Parents who can afford high fees are happy to find selfish solutions only for their children. What happens to the hundreds of other children is not even remotely on their minds! We have created a culture where we do not engage with the government and raise our concerns. Schools and parents are happy finding band-aid solutions by building

private infrastructure. Holistic development of a child happens in three places at home, in school and in the society. No matter what facilities a school provides, they will never be able to compensate for the lack of infrastructure in our societies. Schools need to come together and raise their voices against this. Token gestures like prayers, assembly speeches etc. are not enough. What we need is teaching activism to children, encouraging them to debate and participate in mock conferences of the local democracy for it is all of this, that will go a long way in building the nation. Most revolutions across the world germinate from educational institutions with the seeds sown in schools. How long are we going to keep the real world out of our schools and keep teaching our children vague concepts? By filling the gaps of sub-standard facilities, schools are encouraging corruption and government apathy. Will schools ever be the voice and encourage activism among children?

Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed, Managing Director, LXL Ideas sultan@lxl.in

PEDAGOGY

CREATIVE MOVEMENT IN EDUCATION Ms Preeti Sunderajan

Ms Preeti Sunderajan is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, teacher, educator and entrepreneur. Her performing career spans over 30 years with professional training in Bharatnatyam, Contemporary dance, Chhau, Folk Theatre and Kalaripayattu. She has performed at several prestigious festivals across India, USA, UK and Australia. She has worked with 1500 artists covering roles in Public Relations, artist management, production and has trained corporates in soft skill development before she became an entrepreneur to start Shiri Dance Company with an aim to create neo- classical pieces of work and research in the area of body movement and learning. She joined FitKids, Bengaluru in 2014 as CEO of GAIT (Grooming Artistic Innovation and Talent), which is the pioneer of creative movement in education.

Imagine a birthday party of a three-year-old with lots of colour, balloons, laughter, wails, music and movement. At one such joyous occasion, Rheaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother first noticed that her child needed some additional attention. While all children jumped and danced to the music, Rhea remained seated at the back with her gaze downward. It was as if she just was not letting the music move her. Her mother noticed this pattern at several occasions where Rhea preferred being in the background, nearly invisible. The objective of putting her in a creative movement class was to increase her social skills with increased interactions. The impact and the change was evident within a few months. Rhea became more confident, outgoing, fun-loving and social. She also got comfortable with herself, made friends easily and started dancing at parties. This was 13 years ago. Today, Rhea is a classical dancer, basketball player and enjoys creative writing.

There could be several reasons why Rhea did not participate in any dancing activity at parties. This could include lack of confidence, limited movement vocabulary, difficulty in body and movement control, poor self-image, or fear of being judged. Creative movement deals with these attributes either directly or indirectly. The fundamental principle is mindbody connection. Movement sessions are ideal environments for learning in multiple ways. It can help one understand the relationship of their body with space and time and make deeper connections by enhancing learning capacities. By adding aesthetics and meaning to movement we make it a means of self expression thus bringing about a mind-body connect. The medium of performing arts is a wonderful form of expression where the performer is able to make connections between arts, culture, life and society.

She understands the deeper meaning of performing arts and its impact on child development. In this piece for MENTOR, Ms Sunderajan sheds light on the need for an effective creative movement in education in India.

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August 2016 How do we use performing arts to move beyond the scope of mere entertainment then? For us to make connections between movement, dance forms, learning and expression we have to understand the process of creation versus the end result (which in the case of dance will be a dance performance). It is important to understand and mediate a process that bridges performing arts and self development. The essence of Indian performing arts is the ability to tell stories through ones eyes, face, gestures and body. In other words, it is the ability to multi task with different body parts and perform better, using complex rhythmic patterns. All this leads to a good performance but if we remove the technical aspect we would be able to see a larger impact on the personality of the performer. Few questions that come to my mind are:

Creative movement then becomes a bridge to facilitate children to become comfortable with their body and in turn with who they are

How do we break this down? How do we move from imitation to innovation? This can be broken down if we give more importance to the process of creation versus the end result. While creating a piece of art we use skills like visualisation, articulation of thoughts and ideas, communication using the body as a medium of expression, creative thinking, presence of mind, team work and most importantly creativity. Allowing

the child to use the medium of dance has a transformational impact since it is not restricted to memorising only. This I found was the crux of creative movement and its impact on the child’s personality. Some of the ways that Creative Movement makes an impact are: • Self-Esteem: Helps develop a positive self-concept in an atmosphere that allows for free thinking • Communication & Expression: Creates a scaffolding for developing emotional maturity by guiding the child for better expression, deeper understanding, acceptance and controling feelings and emotions • Social Skills: Helps the child imbibe values, social attitudes and manners important in his/ her socio-cultural context. They learn to share ideas, collaborate and wait for their turn • Creativity: Pushes children to become independent thinkers and develop creative thinking by providing opportunities for self-exploration, improvisation and ongoing experimentation. Children find new ways to move by taking risks and by exploring various possibilities which aids problem solving.

These essential life skills are required today more than academic excellence in order for us to stay grounded, deal with and excel in the dynamic society. These skills cannot be taught but have to be experienced and nurtured from a very young age. Creative movement then becomes a bridge to facilitate children to become comfortable with their body and in turn with who they are. Movement is an integral part of learning. Research shows that learning and cognitive development go hand in hand. So if we look at movement and add the creative aspect to it then we are enhancing meta-cognitive aspects of thinking. “Think about Thinking” is a concept that I learnt from Mediated Learning Experience. This method mediates such that children begin to constantly think about thinking. This method of facilitation is critical for a child to understand. When this is done while using movement to create, the child is empowered in many different ways. S/he has to think in order to create, find meaning for these ideas and then transcend through his/her actions. This also lays the foundation for body-mind connect and critical thinking.

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In order for this change to happen in a child the atmosphere we create becomes very important to give an impetus to learning through creative movement. The atmosphere should be free of judgment, where no answer is right or wrong, it should ensure that the process is given far more importance than the end result. A curriculum framework needs to be developed which will give the child a clear pathway where success can be seen at shorter intervals. This will allow us to have clear objectives and outcomes.

Creativity comes when there are limited inputs and you are required to come up with unlimited outcomes. This capacitates thinking as a general way of living

It is important as parents and educators that we create the same atmosphere of learning and enrichment at all times for

the child. Some of the simple ways we can create this are: Open-ended questions: At the end of an activity it is important to ask open-ended questions which allows the child to think. These are typically questions like ‘Why, What, Where, When and How’. As adults we are very enthusiastic about giving the right answer. Instead when a child has done a task take a step back and enquire about what they did. A simple activity could be playing a track of music and asking them to move in a manner they wish with their eyes closed. Then ask them why they moved the way they did. What was the intention of the movement? What did they feel? How else would they have liked to do the activity? Praise the process not the result : Often we love to praise the child who has given us the right answer instead step back and look at how children are arriving at their answers. This gives room for thinking and analysing about the process. Give any task with a few obstacles. Once they have finished it, talk to them about

how they went about finishing the task. What strategies they used and if it really worked for them. Do not get worried about right or wrong answers- When children are trying something they want to usually please the adult. This does not allow them to take risks and fail. Give activities that allow the child to come up with multiple ways of arriving at a solution. A simple example would be move from Point A to Point B but do not crawl or use your feet to move. Children are at first confused but instantly find several ways to use their bodies to move. This simple activity allows the child to take risks and not be bothered if they fail. Perspectives- When we look at responses from children from different perspectives, we realise it all “depends” on how they perceive it. Give a child an abstract piece of art and turn it around after each response. You can see how each response is different and how it all depends on where the child is looking at it. Creativity comes when there are limited inputs and you are required to come up with unlimited outcomes. This capacitates thinking as a general way of living. Expression of creative ideas is a beautiful outcome of this process. We can make correlations with essential skills required for holistic child development in an inclusive way using the framework of performing arts. Creative movement in education provides the means to enhance one’s inner potential in a world where the outcomes are largely academically driven. It makes learning a way of life and enables the child to think, reason and understand better the world around him/her. preeti.sunderajan@fitkids.co.in

August 2016

BUILDING LANGUAGE ROLE OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS Ms Sowmya Menon

Ms Sowmya Menon is the Co-founder and Director at FiVE, Bengaluru, which offers solutions in therapy for children with special needs with a holistic approach involving family in the therapeutic process. She holds a specialization degree in speech, hearing and language from Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai and has worked as a consultant, therapist and trainer for parents and professionals in the past. With an experience of over fifteen years, especially with children, she shares her thoughts on language development in children with MENTOR. Ms Menon specifically sheds light on the involvement of teachers and parents in the language and speech development process and guides the readers to the correct approach for sound and language development.

What is Language? Hindi, Tamil, English? These are vernacular languages, in other words, native languages of certain regions. Language in the true sense is a system that our brain uses to understand things around us and make sense of the information we constantly receive, by giving it symbols (speech/print/pictures/gestures etc.). This is further strengthened by adding social rules to the symbols. It helps us combine these symbols and reveals the effectiveness and usage of those symbols appropriately to communicate or express ourselves. Speech is simply the spoken form of this expression. Language has four components. The ‘phonological component’rules for combining sounds (phonetics) to form words, the ‘semantic component’-the meaning of these words, the ‘syntactic component’-rules that help us combine words into sentences, and the ‘pragmatic component’-rules for language usage. Language learning begins from early infancy by listening to

and observing the immediate world around. The process of developing language involves repetitive learning that occurs through constant interaction. As children grow and experience the world around them, they need good role models and hence parents and teachers serve as the best models for them. When in the Cocoon Infants and toddlers start communicating right from birth. They use cries, sounds, actions, eye gaze and facial expressions. However, they only realize the meaningfulness of this communication when the parent responds to it. Gradually, they learn how to use these forms of communication to gather attention and have an effect on people and then begin to send messages intentionally. Each time, parents respond to these messages, they are initiating interaction which is the first step towards language development. Parental influence is constant for the child and hence the most influential too. Since they are closest to the child, parents have a series of opportunities to create an environment where children can learn while they grow up. They are the primary role models for the child before he steps into the outside world. While the initial years involve playing with children, parents must understand and value this playtime as well. Keep these interactions fun, as you want your child to look forward to it

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development. However, buying lots of books for your child may not be enough. Parents must be active partners and make reading and storytelling interactive and fun (use props, voice modulation, masks etc.). Positive feedback goes a long way in encouraging your child, but not bribe!

and not move away because it may be too challenging for them. Parents should regularly engage in verbal interaction during every day routines. It is important to follow your child’s lead. If you talk about what interests your child, he is more likely to pay attention and learn a new word.

Narration and storytelling are critical foundation skills that must be developed before reading

It is not just how much you talk to your child but how you do so and the quality of the words you use and the experiences the child has with those words to help him/her relate to them and make connections likewise. This helps strengthen the neural impressions in his brain so that he can pull out (remember) and use that information at a later time. Below are a few ways which can aid language development: • Slowly introduce new and exciting words that fit into his current interests. The child’s brain needs time to process information and by

bombarding them with too much, the brain is unable to make focused connections to help the child understand what he just saw (truck, red, sand, big, fast, question). • Be clear in your speech and use the right intonations so that your toddler begins to pay attention to how speech can be altered to switch between a statement and a question. • Avoid using baby talk with your toddler. Also avoid asking too many questions. • Provide your feedback and interpret what they are seeing and doing instead. • Be sensitive to your child’s learning needs and do not constantly test your child. Books and stories play a very crucial role in language

One common misconception is that if parents use non-verbal communication only, the child will not pick up speech at all. Using actions, gestures, facial expressions along with speech helps your child connect words with what it means and the social usage of the same. Pointing is a great tool too. It helps your child focus on what you want to highlight and also for the child to use in later years. The Growing Years Teachers are the next most significant people in the toddler’s life. A school is the next world that the child enters into. What s/he learns thereafter, is largely determined by their environment and more importantly by the people who prepare and influence this environment- the teachers. However, often the focus is on “what” they are taught and the content of the lessons rather than the child and his/her learning “process”.

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Early language development has a direct influence on the child’s early literacy development. Also, research strongly states that the quality (not just the number of words in his vocabulary) determines his reading and writing proficiency in the later years. Some children may need more time to acquire the knowledge and skills expected of them since not all children learn in the same way, at the same time or at the same rate. Learning is an individual process. Toddlers must be encouraged to observe, interpret, think, analyze and use information to make logical decisions to solve problems. Teachers must engage in direct conversations with children and make classroom activities meaningful by syncing the children’s daily experiences with the curriculum. This can be done during the course of the day and not necessarily at a specific time. They must provide as many opportunities as possible for children to showcase their areas of strength in an individual capacity. Narration and storytelling are critical foundation skills that must be developed before reading.

Early use of books must focus more on the pictures and the emotions attached to the words rather than just reading the story verbatim. Teachers should introduce new and unfamiliar words and repeat the same words in a variety of sentences throughout the book. This helps children make connections between the words and the context. Encourage them to think (predict what will happen next, why someone is sad, what alternate end is possible). Use props and voice modulation to keep it fun. Encourage children to participate by pausing and waiting. Allow time for questions and to make comments. Make the session interactive and include every child in some small way or the other.

Toddlers must be encouraged to observe, interpret, think, analyze and use information to make logical decisions to problem solve

The strength of students within a classroom often makes it challenging for the teachers to focus on adequate language learning opportunities. Setting up small groups within the classroom and using peer groups to encourage and learn from one another has proven significantly effective. Teachers must encourage children to explore new and learnt words on a daily basis.

trigger curiosity and the inner drive to absorb new information. Using lots of visual aids without cluttering the space helps reinforce what is being taught and gives the child time to go back, relook and revise in a space that he is comfortable with. The Correct Approach Language development is a very complex process. The ‘nativist theory’ states that infants have an inborn natural drive and desire to make sense of the world and use language as a tool for the same. The ‘social-learning theory’ states that children imitate language patterns they hear by watching and listening to the models (people around them) and they repeat those that are positively reinforced (smile and cheers). The ‘interactionist theory’ states that children develop language owing to their strong desire to communicate with others. All of these explanations are important and we need to use a combination of all approaches for better understanding and to provide toddlers with a positive learning environment so that they grow into independent thinkers and learners.

During these early years, it is important to focus on a child’s diverse learning needs. Set the learning environment (classroom) with learning material that is enriching with learning opportunities that will sowmyamenon.sp@gmail.com

COVER STORY

UNDER ONE ROOF Mrs Noni Khullar

“A journey from the first letter (where all learning begins), to the vast and infinite source of all knowledge brings us to the name Akshar,” says Mrs Noni Khullar, Principal and Co-founder of Akshar School Kolkata. “On 18th June, 1998, we opened Akshar the first inclusive school in Kolkata that would recognize and provide children with special needs, their right to be included in the mainstream. We were going to initiate a change where a school was not the priority of the mainstream children but also the prerogative of the special ones. We were going to merge the so far divorced worlds of the special and mainstream children. There was complete clarity in our goals and our vision. A vision shared by each member of the Managing Committee and each teacher in the institution when we opened the doors of Akshar. Today, each member of Akshar goes that extra mile to establish his/her footprint in the scheme of things and finally in the larger picture one is awarded with an orchestration of sounds without a discordant note. Akshar is a fine mosaic of human endeavour, an institution inculcating sound humane values with a spirit that is unconquerable,” adds the proud Principal. MENTOR delves deeper into the world of inclusive education and tries to unfold the vision and the journey of Mrs Noni Khullar, Principal, Akshar School Kolkata. Personal Take us through your early life, your childhood and the times that you were growing up. I remember having a very simple and happy childhood. Schooldays were fun and I

cannot ever remember being stressed over my education, unlike what I notice in most students today. Perhaps we led simpler lives and there was beauty in this simplicity(laughs). I participated in most activities,

whether it was on stage or on the field. I was in the school basketball team and I was an avid reader. I went through my education without any stress. There was not much homework. Teaching was good, the syllabus was not large as compared to what it is today. However, it was primarily rote learning from the textbook and if we knew the text back to back, we would do well. One did not have to think out of the box in those times to stand out. Things have drastically changed today. I remember doing reference work in college and putting together class notes at the National Library, going through volumes of books and spending hours pouring over innumerable books to get a six-page answer! It was a task and perhaps an experience by itself. However, the best time was when I

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completed my B.Ed in Special Education and then my B.Ed in Mainstream Education. I was passionate about Special Education and could completely relate to the subject!

We were going to merge the so far divorced worlds of the special and mainstream children. What directed you into entering the field of education and into having a school like Akshar? I was inclined towards children with special needs and started volunteering at the age of 18 at the Indian Institute Of Cerebral Palsy (IICP). I enjoyed going there and as time passed by, I got more involved with the IICP. I realized that ours is a segregated world where children with special needs are completely moved away from the mainstream children. However, given my experience, I have known some extremely intelligent children, among the ones belonging to the special needs category. Ultimately any education boils down to being socially adaptive. This social

integration of individuals, I feel is extremely important and these special children have all the skills- the right attitude and the aptitude to be social mainstream individuals. It is only that little push that they require. Both my husband and I believed that it is the right of children with mild to moderate disabilities to study in a mainstream school and to be included in the mainstream society. We knew a lady with a heart for the same cause who had an experience of having taught in a mainstream school for over 30 years from primary to secondary education and had established a main stream school. What a brilliant partnership! Mr Khullarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s(my husband) unfailing support, Ms Neena Singhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience and my experience in the field of Special Education. That was the birth of Akshar, a school where children with additional needs would study alongside mainstream children, a school where all children would be challenged to work to the best of their ability to reach their full potential, a school where the smallest of successes would be applauded, where the average child would be given the required confidence and opportunity. A core goal being to lead the children to their very best.

Take us through the journey. Ups and downs; highs and lows; challenges.. When we started Akshar, we wondered whether parents of mainstream children would make the choice of sending their children to an inclusive school. But that did not daunt us- we knew we were doing the correct thing. We knew that the recipients of the benefit of an inclusive school would not only be confined to those children with special needs but also for the mainstream children. Children would learn from the lesser-abled and observe how they strive to achieve their goals despite limitations. They would grow up to be sensitive young children with sound humane values. The challenge for Akshar at the outset was getting parents of the mainstream children to admit their child into an inclusive school. Some questioned the concept and wondered whether their childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education would be compromised. We started with a total of seventy children till class II. Today, we are a full grown school with ten batches of students having appeared for the ICSE and our first batch of students will appear for ISC in 2017. The challenge still remains with the handful of parents, but the victory today is that a lot more parents of mainstream children would like to admit their children to Akshar because of the values inculcated in an inclusive environment. Challenges faced at work. Balancing work and family life It has been very easy balancing both for me personally. My husband, Mr Deepak Khullar has been my pillar of strength. He has encouraged me throughout, motivating me continuously.

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It is together that we decided to open Akshar. We both travelled to the U.K. to understand their model on inclusion and went to various schools. My in-laws have also been extremely supportive. I have three children and with the help of my family, I pulled through my personal and professional with ease. My children were studying in Ms Neena Singhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Montessori and I started the Special Education department in her school itself. Challenges for having an inclusive school (special needs and mainstream) pitted against so many other mainstream schools of the city? We were very clear from the beginning that when we open a school, each child will have his/ her own identity, hence we started with very small classrooms to accommodate each child as a separate identity. Each child comes with his/her own strengths, weaknesses and passion. It is important to nurture all of this and deal with each oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uniqueness. We pull the strengths up and deal with the weaknesses gradually and help him/her work on it by building confidence. Moreover, ICSE gives us innumerable facilities that can be utilised

by the schools. For example, if a child is dyslexic and wants to discontinue the second language s/he has the option to drop the subject. A child who is unable to write due to a physical disability is provided a writer and there are so many more facilities.

Children would learn from the lesser-abled and observe how they strive to achieve their goals despite limitations. They would grow up to be sensitive young children with sound humane values

Tell us more about inclusive educationâ&#x20AC;Ś An inclusive education institute is one where children with special needs and mainstream students learn together. There are teachers who are qualified for mainstream teaching ie. B Ed, TTC and Montessori trained teachers as well as Special Educators, Student Counsellors all of which form the staff members of the school. Together they partner in the development of children with special needs.

We have one Special Educator for every six children with special needs. When we talk of children with special needs they fall into various academic levels. In the primary school, the children with special needs are in the classroom with their mainstream peers. The special educator and the mainstream teacher work together at the planning stage to ensure that they are included at each step (as far as possible) and in all co-curricular activities. As they reach middle school, there are different challenges. It is time to make them more independent in their daily life activities. Pre-vocational training takes precedence with functional academics. The goal is to make them self-dependant. In consultation with their parents, we try to plan their vocation and by the age of 21 we hope to have make them socially mainstream, confident young adults. We need to keep in mind that there is a lot of incidental learning which happens with children. We may not realise what they have picked up, but they do and they do so quite remarkably. Leadership Is there a challenge for parents of mainstream students to get their children admitted into an Inclusive School? When we opened the doors of Akshar in 1998, the concept of Inclusive Education was new. Quite naturally parents of mainstream children were apprehensive of the quality of education imparted to their children. Some questioned the concept. We have had 10 batches of students who have appeared for I.C.S.E with impeccable results. Our first batch of students for I.S.C will appear in 2017. The challenge still remains with a handful of parents but the victory today is that a lot more mainstream parents would like to admit their

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August 2016 teachers and parents in our dealings. Furthermore, there is also a behaviour modification program that we follow for children with special needs. Children with special needs also need to be reprimanded for misbehaviour. The dealings with such children vary.

children to Akshar because of the values inculcated in an inclusive environment. We remember a gentleman from the Army background coming to us saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;Madam, we learn compassion and humanity much later in life, however thanks to your school my children have picked these values so easily and seamlessly.â&#x20AC;? The bigger challenge now is that we are inundated with too many applications for children with special needs and we can only take a certain percentage. We need a lot more inclusive schools.

We think our mainstream children will grow up to be very sensitive and rather compassionate with high values who have known students with challenges and are friends with them

What do you do to upgrade your skills? I believe learning is a lifelong process. I encourage that for my teachers and students too. I attend several conferences and workshops to keep myself updated. Sometimes I even attend workshops with similar themes for a second time, after

years, keeping in mind changing times. It is also important to read continuously. We teachers have formed a reading club in our school. We exchange information on things read which enhances our self-growth and teaching. We have been inviting scholars to our school to learn from and hence upgrade our teaching methods. We also have student and teacher exchange programs abroad, which enhances the spirit of global learning. Also, as a Principal you need to network with likeminded people and learn. Governance For an inclusive school like yours where there are students with diverse needs, how does one maintain a standard in governance, in teaching and grooming students. How are the differences dealt with and a standard maintained? We have a host of coordinators and it is important to have regular meetings with them to ensure the standard of Akshar is maintained. Having said that, self-discipline needs to be nurtured in students. It is a core value. We try not to reprimand a child in front of his/her peers. The cause of their behaviour is understood and dealt with individually. We do not punish or send a student outside the classroom. Again, transparency is important. We are very transparent with students,

How are teachers appointed in a school like yours? When appointing teachers we first introduce the philosophy of our school. It is important for us to know whether they are sensitive to the nature of our cause. They are asked to spend a day or two in school and see if they would be comfortable to join the Akshar family. We do not have high expectations. Nothing that a true teacher cannot live upto. We look into their past experience and ask for a demonstration class. We do not rush into employing teachers. They must be challenged enough and ready to go the extra mile. How would you groom teachers/ staff to become leaders of tomorrow? Workshops and conferences must be attended regularly. Meetings with smaller groups of teachers is important. Teacher introspection is done to see how they fared in the previous year and what was their involvement in the school. We believe that every day is a day to make decisions and to create opportunities for our children now and in the future. Who and what we are today is the result of countless choices that have been made, or were not made in the past. Sometimes, we may not even witness the results of our actions. Workshops like Quality Circle Time conducted by Jenny Mosley, Global Trends and Best Practices in Education by Scholastic India, Workshop

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you and your key takeaways as a school leader from it. Beautiful Child by Tory Hayden. A teacher can make all the difference in a student’s life.

on Theatre Education in School conducted by The American Centre, Dyslexia – D.A.R.E to Win, a conference organized by Breaking Through Dyslexia, have worked extremely well in terms of skills upgradation for teachers. Teachers have a free voice to request for workshops that they may want to attend. We must praise our teachers. It is their sheer motivation to learn more that keeps them closely affiliated to Akshar.

We have 520 students managed by 60 teachers. The ratio is 1:8.

What are the challenges in terms of funding for an inclusive school like Akshar? We have 520 students managed by 60 teachers. The ratio is 1:8. The school is run by The Rajpal Khullar Memorial Trust and is a non-profit organisation. The funds are used to upgrade the facilities in the school. Tell us about a recent book you read or a recent film that inspired

What are the key challenges that you go through as a Principal/ School Leader and how would you overcome those? There are challenges we face everyday varying in degree. However, the three primary challenges are: • Keeping abreast with the developing world and therefore equipping the mainstream children with those skills which will help them in the near future. • The second challenge is the inability to admit every child with disability into ONE Akshar. • Lastly, the constant worry as to what further opportunities will be provided to these young adults once they have left Akshar. As a school we have too many children with special needs seeking admission and not all can be accommodated. An inclusive School needs to maintain a ratio between mainstream and special needs’ children. It hurts us to refuse applications and we wonder, “Where will they go?” However, we are looking at having an afternoon session with young adults with disabilities providing them vocational training so that we can accommodate more children at the higher secondary level. Innovation How do you/ the school meet the current needs of students with different kinds of needs? Does technology come to the rescue in any form? There are many audio-visual aids nowadays like smart boards

etc. Akshar is also following the changing technological trends. For example, there is Mindspark, a Math programme for smart Mathematics learning. Our teachers are also trained to use audio-visual aids in the classroom. We also do TED talks for children. Dr.Sugata Mitra’s SOLE programme is used extensively. We are still a very board and chalk school where we feel the student teacher interaction is so much more alive. The library still remains a hub and the AV room is used judiciously. Is the school infrastructure designed differently to meet demands of students with special needs? Our infrastructure over the years has developed in order to meet the needs of our special children. For example, our bus has a hydraulic lift for wheel bound children. We also have elevators for children with disabilities and those on wheelchairs. However, these facilities are accessible to these children specifically. What are the key values that a school/ institute must instill in students especially in an inclusive school environment? Respect the ability of the other. Every child cannot excel in every aspect. Teachers must respect this and so must students. Learn to listen to the other person. Different perspectives bring different lessons. Learn to absorb beyond your space. Ponder, think, observe and reflect on things. Do not rush. Compete with your own ability. It gives a lot of satisfaction. Learn to reach to solutions and complain less. Extend a helping hand to people in need. What is that one strong belief you have and what is the message you would like to give to fellow

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August 2016 educators/ institutions in the making? Our mission of opening an inclusive school wherein children with special needs are part of a mainstream school has become a successful reality. It has been eighteen years and our belief has only grown stronger. The message to fellow educationists is not to feel daunted by the idea of inclusion. There is an old Chinese proverb that states: “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” Hence, each one of us must be part of the movement. We have a successful model in place and we all at Akshar would be more than happy to share this model. We need many more truly inclusive schools! Life is the mother of learning. How do you learn from Life? Learning is a lifelong process through everyday experiences. We have a lot to learn from special children and also their parents. They surmount innumerable difficulties and obstacles. Some of them being segregation, acceptance and dignity. Yet they move on. Their smile first thing in the morning to the cheerful goodbye at the end of the day, looking at their spirit and our own troubles look less Herculean. We have a lot to learn from them.

tête-à-tête

QUICK

MENTOR in conversation with Mrs Noni Khullar 1. I would describe education as…. Acquiring knowledge, not just knowing. Education is unlocking a world of potential. 2. Three key takeaways from your experience at the exchange programme in London? Teaching should be relevant, authentic and valuable to each child. 3. What are the things you feel teachers in an inclusive school require to keep up with changing times? It is important to lower the barriers of segregation, but not to lower the bar of teaching or eliminate challenge even for a child with special needs. Prepare them to deal with the real world outside the walls of school. 4. What are the four important life skills that a student must be taught in school to prepare for the world outside school?

5. Akshar Won the Best Disciplined School Award last year in one of the school competitions. Discipline in students is important because… It will help them balance life demands in the future 6. Give us one technological advancement in recent times that you think has changed the way in which children learn. Why is it important? 1. Web based research- We still use libraries, but so much of our research and learning is now web-based. What used to take hours in the library to find, we find instantly within seconds! 2. iPads are such adaptable and powerful tools for teaching and learning. 7. Your biggest learning from life has been... To be part of the solution, not add to the problem.

• Thinking • Communication • Manners • Learning to deal with success / failure.

Image courtesy - Mr Kamal Bhatia

khullar.noni@gmail.com

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

EQUBE IN EDUCATION Dr Kalpana Sampath

Dr Kalpana Sampath has been working as a coach, trainer, development artiste and education management consultant for the last 23 years, helping individuals and organizations focus on excellence by clarifying their vision and values. She holds a doctorate in Social Psychology and has been actively involved with corporate organizations and has also worked with children exploring life education. She facilitates growth and empowerment in individuals and organizations based on the ‘Evolutionary Leadership Model’, using the concept of vision value alignment for deep change. She leads Education for Integrating Life (EFIL Educational Services Pvt Ltd), Bengaluru, dedicated to life education through the concept of evolutionary leadership into the education sector.

In the era of consciousness, the need of the hour is to have an effective foundational life education curriculum. This article brings out the effort of developing, running and research on building an effective life education program called EQUBE. This curriculum is aligned to the requirements and development cycles of the students from fifth to tenth grade. The central aim of any education program must be to leave behind students who are empowered, value-based citizens with a clear vision and an ability to learn and nurture their facilitative connect to life and the society at large. Therefore, it is important to build a framework that helps connect the dots of learning. Educators and leaders must understand the current scenario and help in bridging this disconnect so that the end result is a set of empowered individuals who are ready to fight life battles. Importance of Life Education When we experience India today, in terms of the extent of unrest, competition, suicides, aggression, discord, confusions and so on, there is a finger pointing towards what education is doing about all this? How much is it contributing to all this? What role has it played in enabling us to address and evolve from all these current social issues? Where has education left us after we adopted the present educational system nearly six decades ago? The frequency of asking these questions has significantly increased in the last decade as

seen in the educational forums and conferences. What is it that we have missed in education? ‘It is important to know what one is capable of It is even more important to know what one is using one’s capabilities for’ (Sampath 2003). While our education system has focussed on developing our capabilities, not enough has been done to develop the ability to make decisions on where it has to be used that will leave behind a peaceful, happy, nurturing world. Building capabilities and competencies in the form of

In this article to MENTOR, Dr Sampath shares valuable excerpts from her research published on the impact of a life education and empowered program called EQUBE among school students.

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August 2016 subjects is focussed much more than the lessons required for life. Equal amount of time is not invested in building the deeper level of enquiry process that will help integrate life.

Life education instils an understanding of the knowledge while life skill brings in various methodologies to obtain the knowledge Educational institutions, initially conducted value education and moral science programs to address life through stories and lessons. Over a period of time, most class discussions got replaced with text books, lots of English, questions and answers, making it preachy and dogmatic. The next entrant to connect life was the ‘Life Skills Program” which aimed at enabling the students in building the skills required for managing life. Yet, it did not address the foundational elements of making choices in life. They were failing to set a clear process of enquiry into the foundational elements of life and choices that the students and adults make day-in and day-out. With the emergence of the ‘era of consciousness’ (Sampath, Kalpana et al 2006) in the last decade and half, the challenge and need to enquire has become predominant in children. The research on indigo children (Carroll and Tober 1999) indicates the behaviour traits and the implications of the same. They look for a greater connect to life, better enquiry process with choice making, ease of process understanding, well laid out templates and hands-on workbooks rather than lengthy notes to read and grasp.

The need of the hour therefore is to run a curriculum and process that will address the next generation at a foundational level. It has to be life education and not just life skills. Life education is more holistic, enabling better integration of life skills through addressing the foundational principles of being a human. Life education facilitates the ability to be context sensitive. It aims at facilitating the deepest level of discrimination and enables the person to be appropriate to a given context. Life education instils an understanding of the knowledge while life skill brings in various methodologies to obtain the knowledge. Knowledge is likely to leave behind several insights in an individual which later become pearls of wisdom when integrated into life. ‘Life education’ also teaches one to work at a cause level. The learning from life and the beliefs that one makes in life governs the behaviour of the person. It shows a path to handle issues in life at a ‘belief’ level rather than ‘behaviour’ level. Behaviour is only a representation of the beliefs that govern them (Sampath, 1999, 2006). Life education will help the child in looking at life more holistically in a way that will enhance the

quality of life based on the choices they make. EQUBE (Enabling Evolutionary Excellence): It is important to address the formative years of a child’s growth and hence children from the fifth to tenth grade were targeted after which the children must be connected to build their social organizational and social entrepreneurial skills. The Evolutionary Excellence Model (Sampath, 1998) captures the essence of the same. This concept has emerged out of a belief that all human beings innately move on the path of excellence. The movement towards excellence requires four critical corner stones – vision, values, learning and excellence. • Vision provides a sense of direction to life - where to go? • Values determine the choice or the path taken to move towards the vision. • Learning makes the journey continuous by enabling clarity at every stage. The journey towards excellence is an ongoing process and therefore excellence is not a destination but the milestones that are achieved in the journey. To connect these four

(Source: Evolutionary Excellence model, 1998, Arpitha Associates Pvt Ltd)

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cornerstones there are six bridges that are processes that have to be followed on an ongoing basis. These are:– • Experiential learning through multi-sensory learning aids. • Active participation in the classroom processes with experience sharing. • Role plays, group discussions, behavioural games • Process of self-enquiry using parables and learning from real life. • Deeper levels of reflection and introspection • Multiple art forms for selfexpression.

life education while also understanding its implications. This helps the students as they feel involved in the learning process along with a facilitator who serves as a guide for them rather than an instructor.

Children must be involved in the process of imparting life education. The two important ways of involving children within this process are:

Work with cause As adults, to bring in change, one needs to work with that which causes the behaviour rather than behaviour itself. Every human being has coded themselves with millions of conclusions that turn into beliefs which govern the behaviour. While some of these beliefs are known, some are unknown and still they continue to govern the behaviour (Sampath 1999). For children, it is essential to intervene at the coding level and give them the understanding of the process itself. Then, they have a higher possibility of sowing the right seeds and knowing how to weed out the unwanted plants.

Facilitate – No prescription Children from the consciousness era are largely conscious and explorative in their learning. ‘The Past cannot teach the present about the responses to the Future’ (Sampath, 2008) It is important to facilitate the enquiring mind in order to understand the implication of the choices one makes in life. Hence, teachers must act as facilitators while they explore the various alternatives in imparting

Life education is more holistic, enabling better integration of life skills through addressing the foundational principles of being a human

Storytelling In grade V, the aim is to impart that life is nothing but a string of stories with learning attached to it. The children get to understand that every event in their life is a story by itself and they have the choice to draw their learning’s from each of those stories. It also introduces the possibility of multiple perspectives to them, and understanding values from facilitative and restrictive perspective. Hence, storytelling is an important aspect to life education. Values and Beliefs In grade VI children learn that the lessons they pick up from the stories move on to become conclusions and further to become beliefs. At this stage therefore, it is important to facilitate learning through experiential processes of roleplay and sharing so that these further move on to become stronger in the form of values and beliefs. These role plays must work on beliefs relating to self-esteem, teamwork, gender bias, holistic health and so on. 5W and 1H In grade VII having learnt to locate their beliefs in the previous year, the children move on to learn to learn. This is the stage of realization that mindful learning leaves behind a wise person. Using the 5W-1H, they learn to explore and connect to subjects and to life. It is important to ask questions like What, Why, Where, Who and When and How. This gives the 12-yearolds a new perspective to look at their subject learning from an evolution-in-life perspective rather than from an examination perspective. Vision Value Assessment The learning from grades V, VI, and VII about life needs to now get streamlined to dealing

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August 2016 with ‘VISION’ formulation. The children must learn the distinction between goals, mission, and vision. The children must take a vision-value assessment using VVI (VisionValue Instrument) and identify the extent of imbalance in the same. This gives them a purpose behind their existence and they need to find it. The sooner they find out, the more the time they have to achieve their vision. They learn that career is only a means towards vision. They also understand the connect between career and the societal needs fulfilment process. Achievement Grade IX is a sequel to grade VIII. Having understood the power of vision, they now understand the values that go into achieving that vision. This year, the children learn five critical orientations in moving towards excellence like Achievement, Relationship, Leadership, Learning and Nurturing Orientation. Children are introduced to the feedback process. A 360-degree feedback from their peers, family, teachers, and friends helps them gain a sense of achievement. Children learn through understanding the implications created in the society from the imbalances in the values. Social Action When the students come to grade X they must internalize the learning and provide healthy cross linkages among various institutions like the family, school and community. This Social Action Project (SAP) is a possibility for each of the student of grade X to know that s/he can make a difference to some place or someone in their life. Each student must be encouraged to

think out of the box and also to connect their lessons to social scenarios and life itself. The end goal is to nurture individuals with a vision to see a better, evolved and compassionate society. These touch upon the emotional, thinking and social skills of individuals. Life education must involve a combination of the below: • Learning from parables; stories and ability to connect to life • Self-awareness; ability to handle emotions; ability to receive feedback and focus on improvement and gender sensitivity • Vision and goals and its implication to life • Values, beliefs and behaviour connection to life and society • Orientation towards change and ability to learn to learn • Ability to handle situations and attitude towards facing life challenges • Ability to solve problems and implication of win – win in life • Ability to convert a problem into an opportunity to learn Conclusion Long years of research have led to the above conclusions and as educators, I feel it is important

for us to impact the perspectives of students about life positively in terms of their maturity levels; alignment in thinking; level of self - focus and introspection; understanding of self and environment connect; ability to handle hurdles and receive feedback; understanding of value conflict and conflict resolution and a positive outlook towards life. Life education must leave behind students who are empowered, value based citizens with a clear vision and an ability to learn and nurture their facilitative connect to life and society. More than life skills, life education needs to be structured, given equal importance in the curriculum and should be treated as main stream education. The accountability of the educationists lies in creating education that can enable students to learn to learn and integrate learning into all aspects of life easily. References Carroll, Lee & Tober, Jan. 1999. The Indigo Children, Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc Sampath, Kalpana & Sampath, J.M. 2006. The changing face of human capital in the era of consciousness - development path forward for HR. Paper presented at NHRD conference, India. Sampath, J.M. 2008. Inaugural address at the Parents meet. Shishya school. Hosur, Tamil Nadu

kalpana@arpitha.com

THE SILVER LINING Mr Adarsh Khandelwal

Mr Adarsh Khandelwal, is the Co-founder, Collegify, a college consulting firm for education overseas, based in Kolkata. With a mind to explore multiple business strategies for his dream venture, he began his research at a very young age and soon after completing his education in Kolkata, founded his venture. Reading books on marketing and successful business startups, browsing the internet to get introduced to global business charts are all that keep him going. “There is no such strategy or formula to their evaluations in order to become a successful entrepreneur. One has to carve one’s own path and take the road not taken. An entrepreneur doesn’t inherit qualities, he develops them”, says Mr Khandelwal. In this article for MENTOR, he emphasizes the roles and responsibilities of a dedicated mentor and guide for high school students.

As high school students, children are excited at the prospect of entering college the following year. However, they soon realise that the transition is not that easy– in fact it is steeper than we would like it to be. It becomes very difficult to decide on a career path. ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ The question might seem easy but the correct answer to it, is not. Watching classmates discuss about variety of options might open a plethora of choices for children but ultimately may not suit the individual concerned. Perplexing suggestions from relatives are of no help in clearing cluttered minds. What Next? For many young adults, choosing which direction to take after high school may feel like an insurmountable task. Should I pursue further studies? Which institute should I opt for? Which course is right for me? Should I take some time out? When it comes to choosing your career, the old maxim ‘know thyself’ is the key. Taking the time to carefully assess your interests, aptitudes and personality type

goes a long way in identifying your potential. Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, a career mismatch can be incredibly counterproductive, so it is time to take a good look into the mirror. This is exactly where proper mentoring can help. “Just as the federal government can see something like health care as a basic need, mentoring should be that, too,” said David Shapiro, the CEO of The National Mentoring Partnership, a founding partner of America’s Promise Alliance that, among other things, advocates for federal funding. “Having consistent support, outside home is essential.” Experts emphasize that mentorship entails much more than offering compassion to a child; mentors serve a range of needs, from ensuring access to food and other basic resources to setting academic expectations. A mentor is a person or friend who guides a less experienced person by building trust and modelling positive behaviours. An effective mentor understands that his or her role is to be dependable, engaged, authentic, and tuned into the needs of the mentee. So in this regard anyone you feel comfortable talking to and who has a fair idea about the educational scenario can be your mentor– be it a teacher, relative or neighbour. However, with their expertise in the field, professional mentors generally succeed in providing more effective guidance to students.

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August 2016

The End of the Tunnel Given that our adult life is about creating an identity, it is not confounding for one to wonder where to hold — rather, which part of ourselves to project — when it comes to putting our best foot forward to the rest of the world. Through times of turbulence or tumult, having the right kind of mentor can be the silver lining and the light at the end of the tunnel. Nowadays, most high schools offer some form of career guidance service but sometimes they do not prove to be as effective as expected. This is usually because schools do not hire separate mentors or career counsellors to guide the students. However, having a one-to-one mentor can prove to be very crucial for a student at this age. Often teachers and faculty members find it difficult to interact with students about their lives outside the classroom. But in most cases, students can easily share with their mentors what they cannot with their teachers. By having a mentor, students could potentially gain more knowledge about colleges and universities and this could help them make wiser decisions about their career path. According to a 2011 study by the Institute of Higher Education Policy, mentoring for students helps them feel more connected and engaged on campus,

ultimately improving students’ outcomes.

According to a 2011 study by the Institute of Higher Education Policy, mentoring for students helps them feel more connected and engaged on campus, ultimately improving students’ outcomes

Mentors have a different role than teachers or parents, as they can easily push pupils to become agents of their own educational trajectories and destinies. Strong mentorship programs will help the students develop the confidence, self-esteem and skills they need to be successful in school and in life. Schools and educational institutions should appoint mentors since that would help forge stronger links for students in career and employment programs thus enabling them to take full advantage of the working and learning opportunities available in the province and abroad. Children may lack motivation or a guide who would push them; they cannot look up to anybody because they are on the same level as someone else. The lack of

academic advisors and mentors is a problem faced across the country by students of different backgrounds. Many high school students are eligible for college but they either do not attend or attend a less demanding postsecondary institution. Their problems are twofold—either (1) they lack the counselling and support structures necessary to apply to college, or (2) they lack the counselling and support structures that enable them to apply to the kind of institution for which they should aspire. Both problems are tragic. Proper mentoring in high school should help with a one-on-one support in order to navigate the application processes of higher education, visit college campuses, take the right courses, and meet deadlines. It is not possible for one person to efficiently cater to the needs of all the students of an organization and that is where the role of a high school mentor comes into the picture. For children to feel secure and comfortable in any group, they need to agree on certain ‘Ground Rules’. The rules should include: 1. Confidentiality between the mentor and the mentee. As they say, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” It is important to ensure sensitive issues or conversations do not go beyond boundaries. 2. Respect perspectives- There are no right or wrong answers. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion. Respect also means avoiding disrespectful language. 3. Listen to what is being said. Only one person talks at a time and the others listen actively. Everyone is expected to contribute to lead to a healthy discussion. 4. Participation for each member is a mandate. It is important for both the mentee/s and the mentor to actively participate

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so that the discussion may yield fruit. Finding the Guide Looking for a mentor should not be difficult. Professionals these days are actively pursuing mentoring to advance their careers. The school can also take a look at its alumni as students who have graduated from the same school, who possess a good understanding of the ways of the institution and thus can relate to the mindset of the students very easily. A good mentor should be willing to share his/ her skills, knowledge and expertise and accept the mentee where they currently are in their professional development. S/he should understand that good mentoring requires time and commitment and thus should be willing to continually share information and their ongoing support with the mentee. A good mentor exhibits the personal attributes it takes to be successful in the field. By showing the mentee what it takes to be productive and successful, they are demonstrating specific behaviours and actions required to succeed in the field. Mentors usually take a career assessment test in which one has to answer a series of questions designed to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the student. These tests also consider different personality types for each individual. Personality assessment helps the mentor identify careers which would make good use of his talents. While career tests should not be the main source of decision making, one can use them as a tool to decide what career might match the student’s interests. Mentors generally write a list of possible careers that match the student’s interests and capabilities. The next step involves thorough research on

the prospective career options and creating a profile for each, including job description, salary, educational requirements and job outlook. A realistic look at the practical scenario will help the student to narrow down the options and look for a career with growth opportunities. While it is important to pick a career that will stimulate one’s mind, it is also important to be practical about the job market. Once the career path is decided, the mentor will start guiding the student to apply to colleges of his potential– including application deadlines, tuition fees and length of study– where he can work towards turning his dream into a reality. Following are the key elements frequently found in schoolbased mentoring programs: 1. The program operates within the school campus. It may result from a school-community partnership or developed as a stand-alone school service. Such programs are usually housed at the school site, with adults and youth meeting in various campus locations and the program making use of school facilities and administrative space. 2. Mentoring relationships must meet for the duration of the school year. However, another good time for maintaining this relationship are the summer months or the summer break which can be fruitfully utilized especially for high school students who would be venturing out soon.

3. Mentors from the alumni or externals may be referred by teachers, counsellors, and other school staff. Parents may also request for mentors for their children, however it is best if school personnel initiate the program. 4. School-based mentoring is not simply a tutoring program, nor is it as unstructured as community-based mentoring. School-based programs must reside somewhere in between these two models. Mentoring matches are encouraged to view the development of a trusting, mutually satisfying relationship as the primary goal of their time spent together. Restricted to the campus setting, matches are encouraged to engage in some structured activities, often around classroom- or homework-related topics. Concluding Thoughts Savitz-Romer, the education lecturer at Harvard, advocates for training principals to better utilize their counselors, in part by explicitly evaluating school performance based on student outcomes—and not simply based on tests, but on postsecondary plans. “Schools are primarily seen as places of academic instruction,” she said. “The more we hold schools accountable for post secondary outcomes, the more they will work on their own systems of preparation.” She envisions a world in which every high school has a post secondary leadership team, one with the same resources as instructional teams to mentor and guide student.

adarsh@collegify.com

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE

PRINCIPAL- THE NEW CFO Ms Ritu Huriya

Ms Ritu Huriya is currently serving as the Principal in L P Savani Vidyabhavan, Ahmedabad. An educator and passionate learner herself, Ms Huriya, has been in the education space for over twenty five years. She is pursuing her Doctorate in School Management and has been actively involved in curriculum designing of her school as well. “The role of the Principal has changed drastically over the last few years and I see this drift in focus in her role from academic excellence only, to almost every function of the institution today,”, she says and captures the essence and importance of financial management in the role of a Principal in the below article for MENTOR.

The financial scenario of this world is changing at a very fast pace. The standard of living has improved due to which the cost of living has increased drastically. Expenses are increasing and everyone seems to have a choice in opting for their respective financial services. In the past generations only cash was used for all kinds of monetary transactions which is rarely the case now. The scenario is changing today and there are several options for money transactions, however, most of us are unaware about this and continue to follow age-old methods for transactions. Highly educated people are also often unaware of various financial basics. With finances playing a major role in any organization, institute or life itself, one must have a sound knowledge of their financial assets and procedures so that the same may trickle down to the organization as well.

Changing role of the Principal A school principal is a spokesperson and face of the school. S/he is in direct contact with parents, students and others stakeholders of the school. A school principal is well aware of the current requirements of the school since s/he manages all day-to-day activities of a school. In the past, a Principal was given the responsibility to ensure academic excellence of the institute only, while most other functions were managed externally. However, with a change in scenario and the changing mode of leadership, the principal today, must oversee the institution from a wider perspective encompassing staff retention, budgeting, financial management and revenue generation, among others. Academic excellence Staff recruitment Parent participation Co curricular activities External influence Building & facilities Revenue generation

Under the Principal’s purview in the past

The K-12 landscape is transforming rapidly today, with increasing demands from all stakeholders. Therefore, the Principal of today must be given the independence to play an active role in financial planning,

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accounting, analysis, action etc. for the institute. Furthermore, financial literacy forms the basis for budgeting requirements and for financial maintenance. Academic relevance

Staff retention

Parent activism

Competition

Influence of internet

Infrastucture & facilites

Revenue generation

Under the Principal’s purview today

Financial literacy empowers the school principal to approach the management and make decisions related to allocation of resources which includes knowledge technology, power, material, people, time & money. This would prove to be fruitful since the principal truly knows the school and its requirements. A responsible school principal should work with others in such a way that it satisfies the needs the students, parents, staff members and community at large.

Financial Literacy empowers the school principal to approach the management and make decisions related to allocation of resources which includes knowledge technology, power, material, people, time and money

activities are in place and according to the decided schedule. But today, the roles and responsibilities of school principals is changing and in order to be better managers and better leaders, they must also take up the responsibility of financial management. So, what is the need for this change? A school principal is the head of the school and has to consult with all stakeholders for the financial decisions of the school. In most cases s/he may not be a decision maker and cannot make any changes is the school environment according to the requirements and changing circumstances due to inadequate knowledge around the areas consulting finances. If a school principal is not given financial independence s/he is no longer able to see himself / herself as the authority figure and the role is reduced to a coordinator or mediator. At the school level, the principal is a single person responsible for managing the school and the hierarchy looks somewhat like the below: Education Minister

Director General at state level

DEO at city level

School principal

Head of departments in the school

Teacher

So far, the school principal was a manager whose role in the school was to ensure that academics and co-curricular

Students

Given the responsibility of Financial Management, the Principal’s area of work is broadened and the resources can be distributed properly. Outlined below is a simple approach, called the KASH approach for the Principal to gradually take up the role of an acting CFO. K- Knowledge • Start reading personal finance sections by experts • Take up an online course on Financial Management • Know your personal ‘current state’ and ‘desired state’ A- Attitude • Have a positive approach towards money: ‘Talk the talk’ • Ask your self: Is it a ‘need’ or a ‘want’? • Dig deeper S- Skills • Household budget: Make it, Follow it ! • Assign all your finances; don’t leave a penny unassigned • Use apps and online tools H- Habits • Pay judiciously: Expenses= Earning-Savings • Review household budget regularly • Paying bills on time The principal knows about the requirements for improvement in the infrastructure of the school since s/he is in direct contact with parents, teachers and students. Moreover, s/he also well understands about the resources required for the improvement in academic standards. A basic knowledge of financial budgeting can help the principal make wiser decisions to provide the students and learners with the latest technology for enhancement

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August 2016 Roles Redefined The empowered Principal has larger sets of responsibilities and must be able to take up the following roles: • Mentor and guide the team • Get involved in personal and professional financial planning • Be a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in school • Enhance KASH (Knowledge, Attitude, Skills and Habits) in children of learning. Providing all these requires financial management which can be managed easily by the Principal. Creative Thinking The school principal is aware of various requirements of different age groups of students of different grades. S/he must therefore allocate funds in the financial budget for the resources which could be used for the development of creative thinking in students. A school Principal can contribute significantly to maintain a good learning environment with the help of available resources.

One must have a sound knowledge of their financial assets and procedures so that the same may trickle down to the organization as well

milestone for development. Staff -Development A school principal also knows about the requirements of the teaching and non-teaching staff. S/he is an instructional leader managing the technical core of the school, the whole process of teaching and learning and manages both curriculum and human resources. How does one manage the HR Department or Administration without basic financial literacy? It is imperative for a school Principal to know the detailed procedures of planning and budgeting. Apart from this, a school principal is also responsible to create the best learning environment with minimum resources and financial literacy would only aid this.

Every coin has two sides. While basic knowledge and financial literacy is important with the changing role of the principal, excessive involvement in this area may lead to a distraction from core areas for the Principal. A Principal has to manage academics, teacher performance, student discipline, examination and evaluation system and must integrate a basic sense of personal and professional financial management into his/ her domain. A school Principal’s suggestions for improvement in the working of a school must be taken into account. This must be accompanied by an expert opinion in finance which will help in budgeting and financial management. Financial literacy has become an important part of all job profiles and it has to be inculcated right from the school level.

Sports and Recreation The school Principal is well aware of the various sports activities which are necessary for physical development of children. S/he keeps some space in the financial planning for the physical education of students since this is an important

huria_ritu@yahoo.co.in

GAINING PERSPECTIVE THROUGH TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES Ms Urmila Ghildiyal

Ms Urmila Ghidiyal is a passionate educator cum in-service trainer at Faculty Development and Research Centre, Army Welfare Education Society, Delhi. She has been in the field of education for more than a decade serving in various capacities. She firmly believes that the success of a school depends on the motivated teaching and nonteaching staff of the school. She believes that a principal plays an important role in bringing the team together. In this interesting article for MENTOR, Ms Ghildiyal emphasizes the relevance of off-sites and team building activities to keep the team of teachers motivated.

Most teachers start their career with enthusiasm and zeal, but as time passes, they tend to feel more helpless, overworked, exhausted and bored. What happens to them? What is the reason behind this feeling? Is it true for all teachers? What can a school management or a school leader do about it? These are few questions that need immediate attention by administrators and educational institutions. It is fair to say that being a teacher in today’s world is a huge challenge. Teachers have always carried great responsibilities on their shoulders. Their major responsibility is nation building by shaping the behaviour and future of students. An image of a good teacher is being patient, resilient, passionate, committed, affectionate and so on. Besides

this, today’s children also demand different ways of dealing with them. All this makes teaching even more challenging as a profession. Changing school culture is increasingly recognized as a critical element in schools to meet various demands of modern day in which the school is run effectively and where students and teachers interact with each other. The most important human resource that enables any educational institution to achieve its vision, mission and core values is its teachers. The success of schools depends on their ability to build effective teachers. There is growing evidence that a significant part of these challenges faced by educational institutes today can be overcome if teachers work in collaboration with each other. Therefore, progressive and effective schools invest in two major aspects – Developing Team Spirit and Motivating faculty/staff members. Engaging students in learning to the best of their abilities depends on highly effective team of motivated school leaders, faculty and staff members. Teacher morale, faculty cohesiveness and school climate all have a greater impact on a student’s learning than any other factor. Productive teamwork brings enthusiasm, energy and motivation for the team. However, just like

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August 2016

teaching, working in teams does not come easily nor does it follow a predictable recipe. Every individual is a unique personality, differences exist and hence it is important to understand and appreciate each other in a team. Management theory has evolved over the years from emphasizing on competitive work environment to the development of cooperative ones. This has resulted in making ‘team building’ a buzz word in the corporate world, which is now percolating down to the education sector too. Team building activities can be a powerful way to unite a group by developing its members’ group skills, communication skills and bonding; nurturing strengths and addressing weaknesses. However, it is important for team building exercises to be well-planned and be carried out strategically. School leaders need to spend time thinking about their team’s current strengths and weaknesses in order provide effective team building exercises. Both outbound and in-house team building activities provide ample opportunities to learn essential collaborative skills while helping fellow teachers, develop trust in each other and each other’s abilities. These activities go a long way to achieving better workplace relationships that further have

a positive impact on school processes and goals. Let us take a closer look at advantages of exposing teachers and staff to such creative and meaningful exercises which are often time consuming and expensive. Improves productivity– Often the main aim of team building activities is to improve productivity of staff members. Collaborative nature of work challenges teachers to work together more effectively. As teachers and staff learn to work together more effectively they are able to work more efficiently. Further, in real school situations less time has to be spent correcting errors and work can be divided according to team members’ abilities, reducing repetitive or overlapping work. Works as an energizer- Team building exercises and activities bring back enthusiasm in people and make them lively. They help team members unleash the child within them that wants to express, connect and explore with others in the group. Builds interdependence and trust- Effective team building needs to happen continuously for teachers to be successful. It needs to be part of the school culture. Enjoyable, fun activities enable teachers to get to know each other, create a better understanding of each other and break down walls of mistrust by encouraging people to focus

on what they have in common rather than their differences. Laughter based activities help teachers to let go of their inhibitions and relax. Laughing together, thinking together, worrying together helps in building a strong connect among people. Since, they have built a trusted relationship with their colleagues, they get motivated to come to school happily and with energy which is transferred to students in various ways. Team building activities improve relationships and develop bonding among colleagues.

Progressive and effective schools invest in two major aspects – Developing Team Spirit and Motivating faculty/staff members

Fosters problem solving– In general team building activities involve solving a problem collectively. The problem solving skills that teachers learn in simulation are later carried to the workplace. It helps in developing structured ways to solve real problems in a collaborative manner. Increases motivation- Motivation is a complex, but very important aspect of teacher efficacy and professionalism. It has to do more with the teachers’ attitude to work than mere monitory incentives. Team building activities can increase motivation levels of teachers and staff in various ways. Events designed to help teachers grow and develop new skills indicates that the school cares for them. As a result, the teams reciprocate in the same manner

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help them in future.

by being dedicated in their assigned roles. The success in working together in a team makes people more confident which boosts their motivation. They also gain trust in their colleagues and feel their work as a team will be recognized and appreciated. Motivation is the key to keeping teaching staff focused and feel worthy. Improves morale and leadership skills- Taking groups outside office helps them break down political and personal barriers. This eliminates distractions at the workplace. Thus, school leaders can incorporate strategies to develop team spirit in their standard training curriculum. It has been observed that during such activities unexpected leaders emerge in groups while their innate ability to lead is exhibited. The principals can identify hidden talents and abilities of teachers and accordingly delegate duties to them.

Effective communication- Poor communication lies at the root of many issues in schools. It can lead to mistakes, quality problems, conflict, missed deadlines, and lost opportunities. The critical factor of teamwork success is that all the team efforts are directed towards the same clear goalsthe team goals. This relies heavily on good communication in the team and the harmony among members. Increased collaboration- One of the most important benefits of a well-planned team building activity is greater collaboration between teachers and staff members. Collaboration is about being aware of the abilities and capabilities of each member, trusting them for their experience and being able to get access to that colleague when required. Enjoyable activities build strong relationships among teachers beyond day to day roles that will

9. Encourages creativity– When schools organize team-building tasks for teachers, they provide an opportunity to them to use their imaginations and lateral thinking as they come up with creative and mind boggling ideas. This also sends the message across that creativity is welcome at the workplace too. Principals are responsible for making schools a great place to work in and they play an integral role in team-building and keeping teachers in high spirits in order to facilitate the effective functioning of the school as an organization. Indeed, the key role of the principal is leading the staff and shaping an environment in which teachers can put in their best foot forward. Teachers feel motivated when principals avoid ‘professional myopia’ and when teachers do not work in an uncompromising context. The school leader can organize a celebration of special events for teachers and staff as their birthdays and anniversaries to make them special. It is often found that people come closer when they interact and share their views about work or informal activities. To conclude, I would say that the success of a school lies in the success of each individual working towards creating a learning environment for our future leaders- our children. This would happen when schools would provide a culture of collaboration, cooperation, teamwork, trust, interdependence and other aspects that motivate teachers and staff. ‘Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.’

urmilghildy11@gmail.com

INNOVATION

DIGITAL CITIZENS Dr Madhuri Parti

Dr. N.Madhuri Parti is a visionary and futuristic educationist. She has a vast experience in setting schools, has started and led various schools and played a vital role in the evolution of learning experiences for many students. With an experience of over two decades, she has been associated with Educomp and Shri Ram New Horizons as a Group Director. She is presently spearheading Lakshmipat Singhania Education Foundation, Gurgaon and has been actively involved in building learning environments, developing out of the box curriculum and promoting hands on learning. Proud recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence in Education Award, she has brought a paradigm shift in the learning framework and executed the 21st century learning methodology, which includes collaborative learning adding creativity, innovation and honing the critical thinking and problem solving skills of students. She is focused on producing creative and innovative thinkers and this is what Dr Parti highlights in this piece to MENTOR.

Technology is an integral part of our lives today. Starting from social networking to weather forecasting, we all seem to be using it on a daily basis now. Integration of technology into our current system is the need of the hour for our education system. The Global Community Schools, leaders and teachers need to be early adopters. However, a significant body of research has also made it clear that most teachers have been slow in transforming the way they teach, despite the influx of new technology. There remains limited evidence to show that technology and online learning are improving the learning outcomes for most students. Academicians and parents alike have expressed concerns about digital distraction, ways in which unequal access to end use of technology might widen the achievement gap and much more. Our children are at an advantage where they experience other cultures

and develop skills in a closely connected world. They are better prepared to be productive and compassionate citizens in an increasingly global economy. They are able to improve their communication skills, collaborate effectively and be ready for multicultural workspaces. We, as educators must realize that by using technology as a means of imparting education we are becoming a part of the fast-growing global community where people are learning from experiences rather than books, where knowledge is being imparted as a living process and not merely a learning process. In order to integrate technology into our day-to-day learning experiences we need to empower four pillars i.e. teachers, students, parents and school management, the most crucial being the teachers. When we think of a teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roles and responsibilities, tasks like planning instruction,

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them. Technology friendly teachers are a powerful tool for education and will have the following benefits: • Promote and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness • Engage students in exploring and solving real life issues from the digital world • Promote collaborative learning and conceptualization of solutions to problems. delivering instruction, assessing student learning and managing the classroom environment can be pictured. These are the typical images we get about a teacher and her responsibilities. In this second decade of the 21st century, is it time to reconsider the roles and responsibilities of teachers, specifically in terms of technology and its usage? Say Hello to the Future! In the future there will be an increasing emphasis on a Teacher’s Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) marked by an integration of knowledge in all three key components: technology, pedagogy and content. Technology-integrated learning and conceptualization will continue playing a crucial role. Teacher-related factors such as confidence, attitudes toward technology integration, and willingness to undertake challenges in incorporating technology usage for student learning are hallmarks of this century’s best teachers. It is becoming imperative to integrate information literacy and technology skills into regular curriculum. Such skills are essential for effective functioning in today’s knowledge society. Effective integration of

technology into the classroom depends on teachers who have the knowledge of how to use technology to meet instructional goals. Exemplary technology-friendly teachers often have greater personal technology skills, welcome open-ended learning activities and see technology less as an add-on or as electronic drill sheet, and more as an integral component of a learning plan.

Exemplary technology-using teachers often have greater personal technology skills, allowing for openended learning activities

We need to work on changing the competencies of our teachers; we also constantly need to work on upskilling of the profession and providing them with possibilities for differentiation and individualization. Likewise, it is important for teachers to have ample access to technology so that conversion of material and modules into the electronic format does not become a hindrance and challenge for

Teachers will need to design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments. This will involve developing technology enriched learning environments that would enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, and EDUCAUSE have crafted a definition of “personalized learning” that rests on four pillars: • Each student must have a “learner profile” that documents his/her strengths, weaknesses, preferences and goals; • Each student should pursue an individualized learning path that encourages him or her to set and manage personal academic goals; • The students must follow the “competency based progression” that focuses on their ability to demonstrate mastery of a topic, rather than seat time; and, • Learning environments should be flexible and structured in ways that support their individual goals.

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August 2016 How does technology support this vision? The only answer to this is BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). BYOD helps in the following ways: • Allows teachers and software to deliver personalized content and lessons to students, while allowing students to learn at their own pace and ability level • Helps students to become technologically skilled and literate and thus better prepared for modern workplaces • Empowers students to do more complex and creative work by allowing them to use digital and online applications and tools • Improves the administration and management of schools and classrooms by making it easier to gather information on what students know and have done • Improves communication among students, teachers, and parents Keeping the strength in the mind, students must fit their curriculum around their interest and here is how this may be done: • Take part in learning and ask how we can impact the community or the society with the knowledge gained. • Give them choices on how to showcase their knowledge. • Let them be creative and innovative instead of telling them what to do. Our world today needs more innovative problem, solvers, so why not start in schools. • Give them a problem to solve, ask them to support their work with knowledge and let them develop a plan to solve the problem in any way they see fit. When we remove guidelines they will go beyond our expectations.

• Start using skype in the classrooms to collaborate with students and teachers from other parts of the world. • Let them present their work to all the stakeholders directly and also publish it on Youtube, iTunes, and platforms like Cyber fair (globalschool.net).

With the added advantage of knowledge at one’s disposal, it has become absolutely important for the teacher to get the latest pedagogy in the class room. By bringing in social and economical issues of global concern on social media, we also make students digital citizens.

Our children are at an advantage where they experience other cultures and develop skills in a closely connected world

Gaming and gamification should be our next target. Gamification is a controversial topic that focuses on using game thinking and game mechanics to turn an otherwise mundane task into something engaging and perhaps even competitive. It involves implementing methods used in the development of games, but applying them to a real world scenario, such as a classroom.

Using the flipped classroom technique wherein teachers Pod cast the lessons for children to hear it and stay updated is a great way to arouse curiosity sparks leading to high involvement and high engagement levels on the consecutive day. This helps in the understanding and assimilation of the lesson far better than the regular way. Using social media channels like Twitter and Facebook gives wider range of audience and opinions to the students. Thus, meeting all the challenges of 21st century i.e. collaboration, communication and creative thinking. It is time that our teachers engage and integrate technology wherever feasible.

Obviously, the classroom is primarily about learning, but engaging and motivating students can be a challenge and a bored student is far less likely to learn what the teacher is trying to teach. Perhaps gamifying the classroom might be a way to improve their engagement, productivity and enthusiasm for what the teacher has to say. We are gradually changing the role of a teacher from an instructor or facilitator to a researcher. We are looking forward for the day when being a researcher is a normal part of classroom practice! madhuriparti@gmail.com

MENTOR THOUGHTS

TRUST

Ms Kalpa Kartik, Editor-in-Chief MENTOR

Trust is the basis on which the foundation of school is built. A toddler’s parents leave their child at the school gate believing that the teacher will care for their ward. Through primary, middle and high school parents entrust their wards to the school and teacher for their development in learning, playing and flourishing in any other talent that they possess.

A school’s success lies in its ability to foster its role in community on the basis of the shared responsibility between school, teacher, parent and child. Why, then, do many schools struggle with this? Parents question teacher ability and have misgivings about school administration. Teachers mistrust school authority while feeling the need to test and question students rather than trusting their innate need to learn. Schools that have overcome such struggle and introduced path breaking concepts are those where the leadership has committed to and executed a culture of trust- believing in good people to espouse that value. From the perspective of educational researchers, the level of trust in a school is difficult to measure, far be it to connect to concrete outcomes such as teacher retention, parent involvement, or student

performance on standardized tests. While it may be clear, intuitively, that trust “matters,” questions about why and how are not easily addressed.

Relationships among teachers and principals, in particular, are being held out as important indicators of a school’s performance

What most educators already know to be true is that the quality of the relationships within a school community makes a difference. “In schools that are improving, where trust and cooperative adult efforts are strong, students feel safe, sense that teachers care about them, and experience greater academic challenge. In contrast, in schools with flat or declining test scores, teachers are more

likely to state that they do not trust one another” (Sebring & Bryk, 2000). Relationships among teachers and principals, in particular, are being held out as important indicators of a school’s performance. For a school community to work well, it must achieve agreement in each role and relationship, clearly understanding personal obligations and expectations of others. Perhaps the greatest obstacle that schools experiencing a lack of trust must overcome, however, is their past. Identifying specific causes of mistrust in the school and making a sincere commitment to address them is the first and probably most important step. With the new academic year setting in, we at MENTOR, trust you will allow us to share with the community what’s worked for you and what’s not and help build a generation of people that learn and enjoy school.

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