ScooNews - March 2018 - Digital Edition by ScooNews

Children must be taught how to think, not what to think

Volume 2 Issue 8 March 2018 CHANGING TEACHERS’ LIVES EVERYDAY, EVERY WAY!

Margaret Mead

STRAIGHT

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TALK

Editor Nichola Pais Deputy Editor Parvathy Jayakrishnan Assistant Editor Anjana Deepak Reporter Ashima Sharma, Anuj Kr. Website Team Vaibhav Ramchandani, Pranav Sharma, Ojas Godatwar, Gaurang Mandhana Art Direction Rexsu Cherry Design CP Sharma Editorial Advisor Dr Swati Popat Vats, President, Podar Education

Nichola Pais

Time to Do!

Network & President- Early Childhood Association India

Meenakshi Uberoi, Education Evangelist, Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer and founder, De Pedagogics

Anand Kumar, Founder, Super 30 programme Dr Neeta Bali, Director - Principal and Head of School at G D Goenka World School, Noida

Nishi Misra, Principal, Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Gwalior Geeta Dharmarajan, Founder & President, Katha Dr Jagpreet Singh, Headmaster, The Punjab Public School, Nabha

Sandeep Dutt, Founder & Chairman, Learning Forward India

Lt Gen SH Kulkarni (Retd), Director, Mayo College Pics Pressfoto Pixabay, Shutterstock Cover Design ATLT Inc Founder & CEO Ravi Santlani Vice President Operations Vinay K Singh Vice President PR Vanya Bhandari Manager-Sales & Marketing Virendra Kashyap Asst Manager Back Office Jaspreet Kaur EDITORIAL OFFICE EduPulse Media Pvt Ltd, J-3, Jhalana Institutional Area, Second Floor, Jaipur 302004 India Email: editor@scoonews.com RNI No. RAJENG01042 FOR ALL SALES QUERIES Virendra Kashyap +91-98875-33310 sales@scoonews.com FOR SUBSCRIPTION +91-72405-17913 subscribe@scoonews.com

f women in education are to stop being the silent majority, it’s not just time to speak up or shout out – it’s time to do! It means no more looking at a career in education as one of the less attractive options on the list, or worse, a ‘time pass till marriage’ choice, as Dr Swati Popat Vats so unerringly puts it! Among other things, it requires sharpening of skills, getting more educated, having confidence in oneself and not feeling guilty for being ambitious, as the vibrant Yvette Lee points out. It requires ridding ourselves of complacency in the professional space, as Karuna Yadav advises, and aspiring for constant learning and self-development, as Supriti Chauhan says. Most of all, it requires whipping off our own blinkers. Too many women lull themselves into believing that we are perfectly satisfied with the professional choices we make. Often, we haven’t even really made our decisions ourselves. Like Bhakti Varma points out, women continue to make choices which are below their potential, for non-professional reasons. The solution does not lie in fighting against family and society but instead in family and society supporting a woman’s decisions by sharing responsibilities of home and child-rearing. When women are seen as equals professionally, at home and in society, they will walk their own path to success. Women educators who have held minimal power in educational systems, which are organized in hierarchical ways, will perhaps then find their voice and play their part in creating the institutional structures and policies that impact education and affect lives. Encouraging women to take up leadership positions in education - and giving them the training they require – would allow them the real opportunity to share perspectives, power and decision-making. On Women’s Day 2018, as we hurtle through the 21st century, is that still too much for ask for?

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March 2018

CONTENTS

14 COVER Women Educators Becoming Empowered, Enabling Change Female educators rising to positions of leadership would bring about greater gender equity and inclusiveness, both in education and life at large

52 Special: How well equipped are your...

TRENDING: Experts at Davos discuss the future of education

EVENT ROUNDUP: 10 global insights...

Rethinking Education Reform Punjab (Pakistan): An education lesson for developing countries

40 INITIATIVE Parents, thou shall not...

EVENT ROUND-UP: Highlights of the ECA Annual International Conference

48 Dr Swati Popat Vats sheds light on the anti-spanking #IWillNot movement, which aims to end parental violence against children

TECH FOCUS: Immersive Learning A ‘Real Brain’ solution for delivery of education

March 2018

YOURS TRULY ECE IMPORTANCE Early Childhood Education never receives the kind of importance it needs in our country. ScooNews did a good job of sharing the true reasons why we need to give our children the best in their early years. I loved to read about Early Childhood Education in other countries as well in your issue. Thank you, ScooNews! Shreya Chinnappa, Bangalore

INTERESTING READ Dr Swati Popat Vats is truly a power house when it comes to early childhood education. All her accolades and achievements are truly inspirational. Her article in your magazine on ‘Brain based kindergartens that play and learn’ was a very interesting read. Aloke Kulkarni, Pune

TRAINING REQUIREMENT I truly believe that there are many in the field of education, who are doing their best to bring about disruption in education. But we need more dedicated personnel in this field to teach our children and improve the quality of education provided in some of the schools. Hope through the light that you shine through your magazine, importance is given to teacher training and it is made mandatory in the country. Aditya Bhaskaran, Mangalore

STAYING RELEVANT ScooNews is the best magazine that I have come across which covers topics on education and much more. Reading your magazine helps me stay up to date with the latest trends in education. I think the layout and pictures in your magazine are so attractive and definitely add value to it. Keep up the good work, team ScooNews! Meghna Naidu, Hyderabad

with the view expressed in Straight Talk about how children play and learn. As mentioned, we adults need to help foster an environment that helps their innate curiosity blossom. Play is indeed no waste of time but a chance for children to discover and learn through cause and effect. We need to be aware that our own fear, disapproval and absence do not hinder a child’s innate inclination to play and learn. Madhavi Rai, Mumbai

CONVINCING NEEDED I read with interest the recent news that education up to intermediate level will be made free in Uttar Pradesh. The Yogi Adityanath government is touted to make an announcement in this regard soon. The government is said to be very keen on increasing children’s enrolment in school. In fact, they will reportedly come down heavily on parents who do not send their children to schools. They intend making parents understand that children need to go to school, by explaining to them that education is the most important factor. Without going to school, they will neither develop nor get proper employment. It is definitely important to rope parents into this dialogue and persuade them of the significance of education. Once parents are convinced of the benefits of education, there will be no need for the threat of taking action against errant parents, to increase school enrolment. Naveen Kapur, Bhopal

COLLECTOR’S ITEM The February 2018 issue on Early Childhood Education is a collectors’ item. So much information packed in just 70+ pages. I congratulate you all on the excellent work. Neha Raghuvanshi, Delhi

ACTIVE PLAY

PLAYFUL LEARNING As a parent and an educator, I do agree

on the rise, everybody is quick to point fingers at possible causes. I would suggest that before looking at anything, we should look at the time given to active play. Whether it’s in organized sports or on a playground playtime can help prevent many health problems. Some of the articles in your February 2018 issue also highlight this. Kudos for the excellent content on Early Childhood Care & Education! This is relevant not only for educators but parents as well. AD Ramareddy, Hyderabad

With childhood health problems like obesity, bronchitis, and heart disease

CHILDREN’S FUTURE Kids can’t vote but we can vote for them. I agree with the views presented by Dr Swati Popat in the story titled “The economic advantage of investing in ECE”. I specially agree with this statement from the article “Parents, teachers, the government – all the stakeholders in the future of our children – we go about it on a trial-by-fire basis, learning each time as the child grows up.” Parents and educators need to be trained on this aspect to ensure the child grows into a wholesome adult. The government must also do some active work on this front. Kamala Negi Deo, Patna

NOMINATION GUIDELINES Could you please let me know when the nominations for the Teacher Warrior Awards for 2018 start? Also share the detailed guidelines. I would like to nominate an educator who (I believe) fits the Teacher Warriors profile. Namrata Gill, Chandigarh

TRENDING BENEFITS The “Trending” news section in your monthly magazine makes it easier for educators like me to keep track of breaking stories and trending topics of interest. The Internet can sometimes be too expansive for technologically challenged people like me. This is where your monthly news digest helps. Rajeshwari Raisingha, Bangalore

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March 2018

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TRENDING

Experts at Davos discuss the future of education

At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the future of education was discussed by various experts. They said it is going to look very different a few years from now with AI and Automation taking over and making manual and repetitive jobs obsolete. Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, China’s e-commerce giant said, “If we do not change the way we teach, 30 years from now, we’re going to be in trouble”. The knowledge-based approach of “200 years ago”, would "fail our kids", who would never be able to compete with machines. Children should be taught “soft skills” like independent thinking, values and team-work, he said. “Anything that is routine or repetitive will be automated,” said Minouche Shafik, Director of the London School of Economics, in a session on Saving Economic Globalization from Itself. She also spoke of the importance of “the soft skills, creative skills. Research skills, the ability to find information, synthesise it, make something of it. It’s no accident that the people who voted for populist parties around the world are people with by-and-large low levels of education. It’s not because they’re stupid, it’s because they’re smart. They’ve figured out this system will not be in their favour.” “Education is what breaks down cycles of poverty and oppression,” said Sinead Burke, an Irish small person and activist who was speaking at a session on Fostering Inclusivity.

Fabiola Gianotti is a particle physicist and the Director General of CERN. The woman in charge of the Large Hadron Collider as well as other Big Science projects, says music is as important as maths. “We need to break the cultural silos. Too often people put science and the humanities, or science and the arts, in different silos. They are the highest expression of the curiosity and creativity of humanity,” she said in a session on education. “For me, I was a very curious child, I wanted to answer the big questions of how the universe works. My humanities and my music studies have contributed to what I am today as a scientist as much as my physics studies.” Science studies got a nod from Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who spoke of the importance of education in equipping his country for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “I don’t do a lot of coding as Prime Minister, but understanding how algorithms work, understanding the science is so important,” he said. Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist and founder of the Malala Fund said, “I’m giving up my days of school because I want to highlight that the education of girls and women is so important.” She described meeting a Syrian refugee girl, and asking her what she wanted to be. “She said, I want to be an architect, because on the day that she left Syria, she saw her country destroyed and devastated. She wants to be an architect to rebuild her country.”

March 2018

Hairstyles & self-esteem Leigha Bishop a pre-K teacher instils confidence in her young 4-year-old student August Burroughs by copying her hairdo. She told the girl "Your hair is so cute. I am going to do my hair just like that tomorrow, so don't be mad when I show up to school and my hair looks like yours". “Kids need to know that they have the ability to inspire teachers, too ... we want to teach our kids that they have the power to inspire anybody,” the 29-year-old teacher at Lakeview Elementary School in Sugar Land, Texas said. Her photo with the child has been retweeted 42,000 times. When August saw her teacher have the same hairstyle in school the next day her jaw dropped. All the other kids at school also noticed the similarity in the hairstyle. August now tells her mother Evarista Burroughs to make her hair pretty so Ms. Bishop likes it. The little girl looks upto her teacher. “August is the youngest of five girls," Burroughs added. "Having someone that pays attention to just her is so awesome, especially because all five girls have very different hair. They have a bond, which I’m sure she has with the other children too, but Ms. Bishop has a way of connecting with each of them," Evarista added. Leigha Bishop says, “We need to be advocating for our little girls and saying to little black girls that you should love yourself because you can do what I’m doing, what Maya Angelou is doing, what Michelle Obama is doing," she said. "We have a voice, we have a say and we have a heart.” University of Seoul has a new chair-professor Irina Bokova, a Bulgarian national and former director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will join Kyung Hee University in Seoul as a chair-professor and head of its arts and humanities faculty starting next month. As chair-professor and honorary chancellor of Humanities College, the former UNESCO chief will give regular lectures to students and will participate in seminars and forums with a focus on a variety of global development and civic issues, according to the university. She has extensive experience as a diplomat, having served as the first Secretary of State for European Integration and an ambassador to France and Monaco. She was the first woman to become a UNESCO director-general and has just ended her two consecutive four-year terms at UNESCO in November. Irina will be awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Peace Studies. She has been invited to the university to share her experience and expertise in key world issues ranging from peace and multiculturalism to globalization.

Top 10 finalists revealed for Global Teacher Prize In its fourth consecutive year, the top 10 finalists for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2018 was announced by Bill Gates who paid a powerful tribute to the work done by teachers around the world. In a special video message announcing the top ten finalists, philanthropist Bill Gates said, “When you think about what drives progress and improvement in the world, education is like a master switch—one that opens up all sorts of opportunities for individuals and societies. And research has shown that having a great teacher can be the most important factor that determines whether students get a great education.”

Finalists were selected based on a rigorous set of criteria, including their proven effectiveness in inspiring students and helping them learn. Just as important, these teachers are leaders who have innovated in the classroom and mentored their colleagues. They have demonstrated the kind of collaboration—teachers and schools working together—that can give all students the opportunity to get a great education. The 10 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize 2018 are: • Nurten Akku? a pre-school teacher and principal at Ayvac?k Pre-School, Samsun, Turkey; • Marjorie Brown, who teaches history at Roedean School, Johannesburg, South Africa; • Luis Miguel Bermudez Gutierrez, a social science teacher at the Colegio Gerardo Paredes IED, Bogotá, Colombia; • Jesus Insilada, who teaches English and creative writing at Caninguan National High School in Lambunao, Iloilo, Philippines; • Glenn Lee, an engineering and technology teacher from Waialua High & Intermediate School, Waialua, Hawaii, United States; • Diego Mahfouz Faria Lima, director of Darcy Ribeiro Municipal School, in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; • Koen Timmers, a lecturer at PXL university college in Hasselt and a computer science teacher at CVO De Verdieping school in HeusdenZolder, Belgium;

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Eddie Woo, a mathematics teacher from Cherrybrook Technology High School, Sydney, Australia; • Andria Zafirakou, an art and textiles teacher from Alperton Community School, Brent, London, United Kingdom; • Barbara Anna Zielonka, an English teacher at Nannestad High School, Norway. Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation and the Global Teacher Prize, said: “I want to congratulate the top 10 finalists who have made it through from such a huge number of talented and dedicated teachers. I hope their stories will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and also shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over the world every day. The thousands of nominations and applications we received from every corner of the planet is testimony to the achievements of teachers and the enormous impact they have on all of our lives.” These 10 finalists were chosen from among 30,000 nominations and applications from 173 countries around the world. The Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society. The winner of the $1 million prize will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai on Sunday 18 March 2018.

March 2018

TRENDING

Connect learning with interdependent thinking, says Sci educator Science educator Jaya Ramchandani, speaking at the D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas at Kala Academy, Panaji, opined that there was a need for schools and institutes to connect conventional learning with interdependent learning. Calling for a change in the education system, she pointed out, “Schools are a great social space but teachers need to be infused with more life to be more creative. Also, learning environments of classrooms need to change to both indoor and outdoor. The process starts

RISE gets Rs.1 lakh crore in Budget 2018

by investigating what changes will suit a particular school.” Ramchandani, who has taught in China and will soon be joining an institution in Japan, maintained the need for schools to make more interesting lesson plans. Sharing an example from her own personal experience, she revealed that when teaching the electromagnetic spectrum she got the students to start off by investigating the history of discoveries of the electromagnetic spectrum. More teachers need to incorporate his-

Revitalizing Infrastructure in School Education (RISE) has been allocated Rs.1.38 lakh crore for 201819 for health, education and social security. The education related highlights of this year's budget include: Improvement of quality of teachers. The government will launch an integrated BEd programme. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a new programme Diksha under which

March 2018

tory into designing lesson plans of other subjects to help students make the connection of why that subject is relevant, she stated. “We need to make children interdependent instead of dependent. This is because things in reality exist in interdependence,” she pointed out. Calling for those investing in schools and spaces in learning to invest in experimentation, she vouched it would lead to even more solutions. Schools need to do their own research and reach their own conclusions, she summarised.

13 lakh untrained teachers will be getting formal training. The government aims to move from blackboard to digital board in schools by 2022, as part of the revitalizing of school infrastructure. Additionally, the government will identify 1000 B-Tech students each year and provide them means to pursue PHDs in IITs and IISc. One government medical college will be ensured for every three parliamentary constituencies by upgrading 24 district-level colleges. By 2022, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal people will have 'Ekalavya' schools at par with Navodaya Vidyalas. Two new schools of planning and architecture will also be set up including 18 more in IITs and NIITs. Education will be treated holistically from pre-nursery to class XII?.

University of Seoul has a new chairprofessor

Irina Bokova, a Bulgarian national and former director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will join Kyung Hee University in Seoul as a chair-professor and head of its arts and humanities faculty starting next month. As chair-professor and honorary chancellor of Humanities College, the former UNESCO chief will give regular lectures to students and will participate in seminars and forums with a focus on a variety of global development and civic issues, according to the university. She has extensive experience as a diplomat, having served as the first Secretary of State for European Integration and an ambassador to France and Monaco. She was the first woman to become a UNESCO director-general and has just ended her two consecutive four-year terms at UNESCO in November. Irina will be awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Peace Studies. She has been invited to the university to share her experience and expertise in key world issues ranging from peace and multiculturalism to globalization.

Happiness and not grades will count at this school “It’s our view that happiness . . . is the foundation on which great lives and great achievements are built,” opines The Riverbend School cofounder Vivek Reddy. This theory sees them turning the traditional model upside down – or is it right-side up? - as they create a modern new school in rural India which focusses on cultivating happy students and compassionate people.The new school to be built near Chennai, India will have everything from a tree-filled meditation room, to an ideation lab, and a test kitchen – everything but a traditional classroom. Teaching children how to be happy is the primary goal, followed by learning skills. Preparing for standardized tests is not part of the curriculum. Architect Danish Kurani, who has designed the school campus, informs that the format of villages helps foster stronger relationships; hence the layout of the campus will mimic this arrangement. A central common space lined by academic rings, recreation space in the next concentric ring, housing, and fields where the students can farm comprise the plan. Students will be taught how to live a happier life using philosophy from resources like the Vedas, ancient Hindu texts. Explains co-founder Kiran Reddy, “In an Eastern philosophy, you tend to believe that you control happiness through your mind–in how you perceive things, so you can disconnect the environment from your happiness. Ideally, that’s what we want to teach the kids.”With no standard curriculum, students can decide what they want to learn themselves. All learning will be pursued through experience. The campus will include “chat labs” for collaboration, labs for physical prototyping or digital creation, rooms that can be used as galleries or for presentations, recording, music, art, and dance studios, and a retail storefront where students can run businesses. The faculty will coach and mentor the students, enabling them to learn to think independently. The focus will be on teaching students how to learn about a subject or skill that interests them, and exposing them to a broad range of subjects.

Wangchuk’s alternative ed school needs Rs.2.4 cr to start A year ago, Sonam Wangchuk had teed off a campaign to support the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL) in Ladakh. He had appealed for help to raise half the initial target of Rs.14 crore, which would be needed to start the first school of the HIAL alternative university. Of the Rs.7 crore target over Rs.4.6 crore has been raised via contributions from over 1000 individuals and corporate donations. The Milaap crowdfunding page to raise donations was earlier supposed to close on January 26. However, there is a shortfall of over Rs.2.2 crore, due to which the page has been extended by almost two months. Wangchuk hopes to reach the Rs.14 crore target through CSR activities. He aims to raise Rs.150 crore by 2020 for the ambitious HIAL Alter native University. Sonam has been actively engaged in educational reforms in the Ladakh region for the past 25 years. Widely known across the world for his invention of the Ice Stupa artificial glaciers, he even won the prestigious Rolex Award Enterprise in Hollywood in November 2016 for the same. He contributed the Rs.1 crore prize money that came with the award towards the university project. HIAL aims to disrupt conventional thinking, be relevant to people's lives, and encourage handson learning via practical application of knowledge. At HIAL students will spend more than two thirds of the time in real life applications outdoors. “The School of Sustainable Tourism will run actual hotels and homestays and ice parks, School of Sustainable Architecture will build the university itself and the School of Applied Ecology will focus on the restoration of the valley damaged by effects of climate change,” Sonam had explained. The HIAL team has started recruiting for key positions and is preparing to start the first batch of Diploma in Integrated Mountain Development this summer.

March 2018

Armani comes to school! Taimei Elementary School in Tokyo’s Ginza, known as the most fashionable neighbourhood in the Japanese capital, has redesigned its uniforms to being sleek and stylish by none other than the famous designer ‘Armani’, the Italian luxury brand. According to reports, this could set parents back by more than 80,000 Yen (over $730) which would be three times higher than the present uniform cost. This is being seen to be too pricey for a state-funded school. School uniforms are widely worn in Japan to develop a sense of school identity and avoid the burden of adolescent fashion -- not add to it. Though it is not compulsory to purchase the new uniform it could create embarrassment for students whose families can't afford it, some commentators said. Adopting an Armani uniform is like saying "no to poor people" or that "only those children who take pride in Armani should come," wrote well-known education personality Naoki Ogi, also known as Ogi-Mama, on his blog. Opposition lawmaker Manabu Terada raised the issue at a meeting of the Lower House Budget Committee in Japan's Diet, noting that the uniform was more expensive than some business suits for adults. Government ministers agreed that some families may not be able to afford the new clothing. Education Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that the school should have discussed the matter with parents first and that his ministry would look into taking steps to avoid any "excessive" burden on parents, Kyodo News Agency reported. The English-language Asahi Shimbun news site reported that when the education board asked whether plans for a new uniform could be scrapped, Wada told them that the old uniform was no longer being produced. The Armani design is scheduled to be introduced in April. At a news conference on Friday, Wada said that he chose Armani because the brand operated a boutique near the school and because it would fit Taimei's identity as a "school of Ginza." Wada said that the controversy surrounding the choice had not changed his belief that the cost of the new uniforms was worth it, according to news agency reports. This has brought unwanted attention to the school which has a history that dates back to the 19th century and is just a few blocks away from Tokyo’s most expensive real estate.

School education set for massive improvement The government has put in place a number of initiatives to improve quality in education. The centrally sponsored schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), support the States and UTs on several interventions to improve quality, including regular in-service teachers’ training, induction training for newly recruited teachers, training on ICT Component, Inclusive Education, Gender Sensitization and Adolescent Education. Subject specific, need based and relevant in-service teacher training to elementary and secondary teachers for their professional development, is the focus of these schemes. Additionally, interventions like motivation and awareness programmes, and remedial teaching are also supported to improve quality of school education at secondary level. Interventions such as Science fair/ Exhibition and Talent Search at district level; mathematics and science kits to schools, visit of students to higher institution and learning enhancement of students have also approved. The expeditious recruitment and redeployment of teachers and implementation of norms of the RTE Act 2009 with the States and UTs at various forums is being implemented. Advisories have also been issued to States and UTs to implement the norms of the RTE Act and for redeployment of teachers to ensure that all school teachers should spend adequate time serving in rural areas through a transparent policy. In addition, the government has initiated a number of steps to make school education qualitative, such as Shagun portal to create a repository of best practices in school education and to monitor the implementation of SSA; Swachh Vidyalaya Campaign for the provisions of separate toilets for girls and boys in every school; Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat to ensure that students of classes I & II are able to read with comprehension as well as basic numeracy skills; and Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan to motivate children of the age- group of 6-18 years in study of Science, Mathematics and technology.

March 2018

COVER STORY Nichola Pais editor@scoonews.com

had a number of great teachers and the ones that really were the strongest influences on me were women. They were really, really smart and interesting women.”

WOMEN EDUCATORS

BECOMING EMPOWERED, ENABLING CHANGE

With no disrespect to any of the wonderful male teachers out there, most would agree with multiple Oscarwinning actress Meryl Streep’s acknowledgment. The debate over the role that the gender of a teacher plays in efficiency, will probably never be put to rest! However, if we are to go by the findings of a study (Basow, 1995), students perceived women teachers to be more sensitive and considerate of student ideas, while male instructors were considered as being more knowledgeable. Female teachers were seen to have the edge, with the study suggesting that girls share a better relationship with female teachers than with male teachers. Boys reported fairly similar relationships with both.

The good news Research conducted by two economists from Texas A&M University reported that female students do even better than their male counterparts when they are taught by female teachers. An analysis of standardized test scores of over 14,000 middle school students in South Korea showed that when taught by a woman, girls’ scores on average were almost 10% higher than boys’.

Female educators rising to positions of leadership would bring about greater gender equity and inclusiveness, both in education and life at large

March 2018

It was deduced that the gender of a teacher influences the way in which he/she interacts and communicates with his or her students. The difference between knowing and teaching lies in communication in the classroom. The idea of women being better teachers than men could lie in the general perception that female teachers are more empathetic and encourage equal participation and creative expression. The percentage of women teachers in schools in India has been increasing steadily in recent years. From 43.46% in 2008-09, it rose to 44.83% in 2009-10 and 45.51% in 2010-11. The shift had started in the 1990s, when the government-launched Operation Blackboard saw the reservation of 50% of jobs in schools for women. What’s more, this

‘femininization’ in the teaching fraternity is a worldwide phenomenon. However, that is not exactly reason to cheer. As The Learning Curve, the newsletter from the Azim Premji Foundation points out, while Indian women join the school teaching profession in large numbers, they tend to be concentrated in primary school teaching and rarely rise to positions of authority and leadership. It is important to create greater equity in the school teaching profession, which would have positive consequences for women teachers and also for the way young children are socialized into adult roles.

…And the not-so-good news A research project undertaken by S. Indumathi and and Indira Vijaysimha had proved what we knew all along – that between male and female teachers, the former spent their after-school hours indulging in sports, leisure activities and socialising with friends. Female teachers caught up on housework. Female teachers become skilled at multi-tasking, cooking, cleaning and supervising their own children’s homework even as they complete their corrections and preparations for the next day’s lesson. Naturally they are left with barely - if any - bandwidth for professional development activities. Not surprisingly, very few women achieve leadership positions in education. Apart from the private all-girls’ schools, it is not common to find women as school principals. Due to family responsibilities women rarely have the time to develop their skills or augment their qualifications to prepare for managerial positions. Most start and end their careers as classroom teachers, with a few variations in the age-group of the students or the subjects that they teach. This reality ends up undermining female teachers’ authority in the classroom. Additionally, it reinforces traditional masculinity and femininity with men engaged in leadership and women in nurturing roles. Determined efforts need to be made to recruit women into high school teaching and to also make primary school teaching attractive to men. Sensitising of male and female teachers would help reduce conventional gender stereotypes in the classroom.

Additionally, women must be encouraged to take up leadership positons in education and given the training they require. These measures would bring about greater gender equity in the teaching profession and enable the younger generation to gain a more inclusive view of the roles of men and women in education, and in life.

Role of Teachers As stated by Dr Sandra Stacki in Women Teachers Empowered in India: Teacher Training Through A Gender Lens (UNICEF), it is through teachers that the ideology, values, and culture of a nation, state, and its people flow. Likewise, it is through teachers’ lack of knowledge, misjudgements and biases that misinformation and constricted learning behaviours also percolate down to students. Calls for educational reform must therefore emphasize the education and empowerment of teachers that includes the real opportunity for them to share perspectives, power and decision-making. Gender equity is a key area in which all teachers must be educated. Among international agencies and donors, Education For All (EFA) reform efforts have specifically targeted girls and women calling for the elimination of gender gaps in access, learning and retention. Numerous programmes have also been initiated that either focus entirely on females or make a special effort to ensure their inclusion.

However, the education of girls in strongly patriarchal countries will not result in empowered women who will participate in critical decision making. This would happen only if teachers are empowered supporters of gender equity. Women teachers must serve as positive role models. Despite being frontline participants and key to successful quality schooling, teachers are invariably a silent majority. Not only are they generally excluded from policy-making, governance and management, but also from day-to-day instructional strategies and decision making. It is an unfortunate fact that teachers, especially in less developed countries, have held minimal power in educational systems which are organized in hierarchical ways. Thus, women teachers have been largely unable to participate in decision-making and have little or no voice in creating the institutional structures and policies that affect their lives, both within and out of school, and also determine the success of their students.

Taking Charge We opened our pages to some of India’s women educators, for their views on whether women have a greater role to play in education than they currently essay. Do women also need to step up to positions of power and shape the future of education and India? The responses were enlightening…

March 2018

COVER STORY

“WE NEED MORE WOMEN IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR” Dr Swati Popat Vats, President Podar Education Network Women are blessed with empathy and intelligence that makes them the best fit to play a greater role in the education system of our country. Currently we do have women working as teachers and principals but we should have more women leading in the private sector especially in private schools. Only a handful of women lead school chains and that needs to change. Women need to work within a life-career balance and ensure that their career in education is not hijacked due to lack of support services when they travel for work or during their pregnancy and post birth. They also need to bring about sensitivity based education practices and help education move away from a ‘dominant, aggressive, punitive based’ learning system to a more liberal, independent, thinking and empowering style of education. Many girls have to convince their family when they choose a career in education, especially early childhood education, as being an educator is not a career that people respect. Don’t get me wrong, teachers to a large extent may be respected, but the career of teaching is not acceptable to many families. Most fathers and husbands are comfortable with it and ‘allow it’ because it has many holidays, working hours are comfortable, and there are fewer males in the work place! There are almost 80% women in the education sector but the problem is that most of them do not choose a career in education! It is their second, third and sometimes a ‘time pass till marriage’ choice! This has to change. Women need to understand the importance of making a difference in education and that will only happen when we integrate it in our culture and in the way we talk about a career in education to our children. Women need to use their intuition and gut feeling combined with educational qualifications to effect an overhauling of our ‘Macaulay based’ education system. Most women shy away from leading a school/education company, because it involves longer hours, more stress, and excellent people skills. This has to stop, and more women should start embracing powerful, decision-making positions in this field to effect a lasting change that will impact our future. Happy Women’s Day, may our tribe in Education increase!

March 2018

“WOMEN’S UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENT PSYCHOLOGY ENABLES BETTER POLICIES” Rajeshree Shihag, Principal, The Fabindia School More girls come to school if their teacher is a woman; cultural barriers still exist which seriously impedes their development. When parents know there is a female teacher they are easily convinced to send their girls to school. It is said that if we educate a man, we educate a man only, but if we educate a woman, we educate the whole family, the whole of nation. This highlights the importance of female education. That is how we will be able to address the burning issue of women empowerment. The other very alarming concerns of the society; violence in schools can be taken care of by the warm, loving, caring and understanding heart of a mother, in the form of a teacher. It is a fact, that women are built different than men by nature, they have the extra supremacy to recognize and mould the early warning signs of disruptive behaviour of a child. A society that shows greater concern for the rights of the weaker strata of its society — including women — will be less likely to initiate violence, while economic and social development are strongly elevated when women enter the marketplace, according to the report from the RAND National Security Research Division, a non-profitable organisation. Educational leadership requires skill, passion, and perseverance, and these in light with understanding students, women understand the psychology of students must better. Hence it gives them a better idea in formulating policies or taking key decisions.

“We need to sharpen our skills, not feel guilty”

The presence of a significant amount of women teachers particularly in kindergarten and primary levels is seen in our educational system and many others around the world. However the percentage of female teachers in higher secondary, graduate and post graduate courses keeps decreasing. One of the reasons for this is low female education and literacy rates. On the other hand many reports of the UN say that the presence of women teachers has a positive effect on the education of women and girls. In countries where girl child education is a challenge, the lack of female teachers has been identified as one of the main barriers to equality in education. In today's world when our MDGs and development is focused on girl child education and the concept of Education for All, the involvement of female teachers becomes extremely important. The involvement of women should not only be at teaching level but it should also be at policy making level. It is about time that women stand-up and acquire positions of power and contribute towards making various policies including those in education. Various researches done in corporates, with a higher representation of women at the most senior levels, say that these organisations deliver stronger organizational and financial performance as well as they have better governance. Needless to say, if this is applied in the field of education, the results will be the same. Beside this, having more women in power positions means that the number of female students enrolled and studying will increase. Also policies made or changes in existing policies will be more female student-friendly further facilitating education of girls/women. It will lead to more gender-parity, increased understanding towards student issues especially those of female students, more gender sensitive approaches in dealing with issues related to education and also finer issues like sexuality, violence, discrimination, patriarchal ideas etc.

Yvette Lee, Counsellor & Social Worker, Mahatma Education Society

The onus to do so is right now on us. We, as women should aspire to be in such roles, we need to sharpen our skills, get more educated, have confidence in ourselves and not feel guilty for being ambitious and over-achievers. And to the small group of men who support us... may many more join your clan!

“TIME FOR WOMEN TO LEAD EDUCATIONAL REFORM” It is said ‘Educate a woman, educate a family’, I would further say, ‘Empower women educators, empower a nation’. Today, it is more imperative than before for women to lead from the front because they have mastered the balancing act so beautifully over the years, overcoming varied obstacles like gender bias, lack of equal opportunities, rigid mind-sets that nothing seems impossible for them to achieve. This mind-set is what the nation needs where true leaders are displaying grit, honesty, excellence and humanity. Thus, time for women educators to not only lead schools but lead educational reforms, dictate new educational policies and develop more research-based programs to upscale the quality of education across length and breadth of India! We, women need to get more determined about our desires and ambitions to develop high-level education. We should think beyond boundaries so we should aim for the sky for the world to bow to our wishes. Therefore, having a deep desire to touch lives primarily, is more important for one to render an impact. Always connect, communicate and collaborate with like-minded people because a team always challenges and helps you deliver.

Kavita Sanghvi, Varkey Teacher Ambassador, Teach SDG’s Ambassador

Likewise, try to diversify your talents, explore new dimensions of thinking and working because a constant learner will always bring in new ideas, perceptions and be more accepting of other people’s ideas. These attributes will keep bringing in educational reforms which cater to the present and future needs of the students. As technology and innovations seep in every day making the world more globally connected, so will education need dynamic individuals who mould themselves continuously to the transformation and who better to be plugged in than today’s women.

March 2018

COVER STORY “THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY IN THE PROFESSIONAL SPACE”

“PROVIDE GENDER TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES”

Karuna Yadav, Principal, Kapilgyanpeeth

Dr Kamini Rege, Assistant Professor, Dept Of Human Development, College of Home Science Nirmala Niketan

No offence intended but women per se are structured and wired to be more resilient. They do not easily give up to failures of achieving the expected level of learning, especially if they are educators by choice and not by chance, by design and not by default. They genetically are believed to be committed and are equipped with required emotions and empathy to instil the desired morals and code of conduct, suitable for social existence, in children. It is not about curricular transaction but it is about teaching them the life skills. In today's hyper competitive and challenging times, it is imperative to equip the children with the skill to be adaptive and be successful in living a productive life in this VUCA world: a world that is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. The modes, the purposes, the conventions of functioning of the educator are in a constant flux as far as global educational parameters are concerned. Therefore there is no room for complacency in the professional space of an educator. As an educator and as women, it is more than ever required to exhibit and exercise our professional inertia to sensitize our young brigade to value Secularism, Pluralism and an inclusive society. These would give strength and sustenance to our diverse multi-cultural, multi religious and multi-lingual nation. The faith and responsibility reposed in educators is crucial all the more now, because they have to conscientiously take care of all the three domains of education; the cognitive, the psychomotor and the affector aspect of the holistic development of a child. The most powerful tool to mould our nation's supremely important asset is the women, for they lace the training with love, empathy and their neversay-die attitude. Women out there, you’ve got to be passionate to shape the future of education in India and not in position of power!

March 2018

As an educator, I feel it is important to give girls and women a strong foundation through early years of development. Foundation in early years will build strong technical, cognitive, and behavioural skills conducive to high productivity later in life. Successful interventions emphasize, among other areas, nutrition, stimulation, and basic cognitive skills. It is important to help girls and women grow to provide them with jobrelevant skills that employers demand, or that they can use in launching their own business. Focuses on basic education will help reduce income-related gaps through interventions to reduce the opportunity cost of schooling for girls. In addition to increasing enrolment and attendance, we also need to ensure that all girls who go to school can learn—by building stronger schooling systems with clear learning standards, good teachers, adequate resources, and a proper regulatory environment that emphasizes accountability. Set up mentoring programmes for new professions for women to be paired with a woman educational leader who will be a role model and encourage/ support professional and technological development. Provide gender training and professional development opportunities for women education leaders to enable them to promote gender equality initiatives in their own schools and to provide appropriate support for women. Create an environment that encourages investments in knowledge and creativity. This requires innovation-specific skills and investments to help connect people with ideas, as well as risk management tools that facilitate innovation. Again, girls are at a disadvantage when compared with boys, with fewer opportunities and, therefore, lower rates of entrepreneurship in our country. It is important that societies promote flexible, efficient, and secure labour markets. Apart from avoiding rigid job protection regulations while strengthening income protection systems, providing intermediation services for workers and firms is important to transform skills into actual employment and productivity. This matters even more for girls than for boys, as girls are often more constrained and have limited access to opportunities, which in turn can lead to diminished expectations and girls and women may more likely to choose and enrol in training in those traditionally male-dominated fields. Girls and women entering the 21st century job market will need skills, knowledge and technological awareness that can be developed only throughout their lifetime. They need our support at every step along the way.

“EDUCATION TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES” Taruna Kapoor, Vice Principal, Wisdom Valley Global School Men and woman in today’s world are seen on the same platform, but women have and will hold the privilege of being a mother, who is the first teacher to any child. Thus, being an effective educator comes naturally to women. For women to take up the role of an educator, it is important that she is educated well too! A forward-looking education system is needed, one that generates practical, inquisitive and creative thinking and one that removes preconceived gender roles or bias, whether at home or in the workplace. Education which enables all women to guide and educate children, because education is what takes us forward in a sustainable manner. It plays a pivotal role in contributing to equal opportunities in the political, social and economic sphere and a basis for communities to thrive.”

“WOMEN SHOULD ASPIRE FOR CONSTANT LEARNING AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT” While education is undoubtedly a key element contributing to women empowerment but due to certain commitments, sometimes self-assumed, women undermine their own strength and possibilities for what they could have achieved and/or given to the society. I believe all women are uniquely qualified for leadership in all spheres of life. Being a woman (and an educator) I think, we are more in control of our own destinies and can effect change in not only the lives that we touch upon (students and other stake holders) but also in the society when we step up to assume responsibilities that challenge conventions. By influencing aspirations, by serving as role models for future generations, woman educators have a bigger influence beyond just their direct circle of influence. Supriti Chauhan, Principal, Raghav Global School, Noida

“THE STRONG OF WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES CAN INFLUENCE DECISIONMAKING” Harleen Mohanty, Educator Educating a woman not only brings about self-esteem and confidence but also promotes active participation in the society. If more and more women are engaged in the educational policy decision making processes then they would actively play a better role in directing the next generation. The women's rights movement is a good example of how women have come across very strongly, fighting for their political, social and economic status in today’s world of technology and modernization. The role of women in the education system can play a big part in the society. The factors like cultural, social, political and technological changes in the world have revolutionized the education and social life of women. Studies have shown that the rate of economic growth from women’s education matches with those from men’s education. Women who are in the field of education can come together and collaborate on various issues pertaining to school education, and work towards bridging the gap between school and college keeping in mind the best global practices. Once it is commonly discussed and formulated it could be presented to the government to be implemented. If taken as an industry then strong presence of women representatives in FICCI and similar bodies can influence decision making of ministry of HRD and other state education departments. It’s time for change.

To assume positions of power and influence to share the future of education, women should aspire for constant learning and self-development, reflect on their own reality, develop self-awareness, build self-esteem, be resilient and not be afraid to take risks… all in an endeavour to learn more, be more and do more for the greater good of the community and the nation.

March 2018

COVER STORY “UNLESS WOMEN FOR THE COUNTRY, THE DISEMPOWERED HAND WILL CONTINUE TO WRECK THE CRADLE”

“WOMEN WITH GRIT AND PASSION MAKE GREAT LEADERS”

What happens when the hand that rocks the cradle is a feeble, disempowered one? What happens when the knee at which the earliest learning took place, is bent under oppression? What hope can there be for a society that develops under these conditions? Women have a dual challenge to deal with. On one hand, they need to break off from the oppression they suffer and simultaneously lead the change for an egaliNishi Misra, tarian society. But, as Principal, everyone knows, the one Scindia Kanya quality that any leader Vidyalaya, Gwalior must have is ‘vision’. What vision can we expect from those that have been oppressed for eons? The answer, as always, is searched for in education. But seeing how we have fared so far, it is obviously not enough. Though financial independence among girls has increased, social independence has not kept up. Education in India has never been the agent of change in society. It has only ever been a reaction to what happens in our society. When the economy opened up, a sea change occurred in education to provide human resources for such an economy. When the age of internet dawned in the west, Indian education reacted by mass churn-out of software engineers. We have seen education reacting to changing faces of technology, economy and jobs. But do we see the same reaction in education in response to rape, domestic violence, women’s safety and health? Unfortunately the efforts are rarely more than a face-saving by the powers that be. It is time to knock at different doors rather than beating down the gates of education. Fuller representation by women legislators can no longer be left to chance. India stands at position 103 globally in the strength of its women legislators. This is a mere 12% of the total legislators that India has. Compare this with the presence of women in Indian education: a whopping 45%! The time has come to achieve a healthy 50% partnership in our legislative bodies. Unless women legislate for the country, the suppressed, disempowered hand will continue to wreck the cradle rather than rock it.

March 2018

Jyoti Chaba, Co-founder, DePedagogics In the current social scenario it has been accepted that women have the potential and capability to lead any organization, be it a corporate, a bank or an educational institution. Women with grit, determination, a strong vision and most importantly passion make good leaders. They are able to stick to their decisions irrespective of the usual hurdles coming their way in a male dominated society.

“WE NEED TO FILL THE VOID” Smriti Agarwal, Senior Headmistress, Podar Jumbo Kids – Hiranandani Powai In formal education women can play a greater role by taking up the responsibilities to bring about the changes in education which are inevitable in today’s times. As educators, women need to hold the decision making designations in regulatory and governing bodies wherein there is a void to fill. There is a pressing need to bridge the humungous gap between policies, needs and future realities. Here women have a greater role to play as policy makers and not be confined to being educators. As an educator and a woman I feel women should be empowered with education themselves. Knowledge of deep rooted theory and culture, clubbed with experience and farsightedness can make someone capable of holding a position of power. Education and insight can equip women to rise in life, aim high to attain the position of power and then envision the future of education for a country as vast and diverse as India. India is currently undergoing multiple changes at multiple levels in education, and if we women want to give the future of education an accurate shape we need to step up and take charge, in order to give both roots and wings to our future generation through pertinent education. If women take up positions of power in education sector, then the future of education in India will be the one which lets one remain culturally rooted and also feel enriched so as to have wings to fly high in life.

“WOMEN IN POWER, INSPIRE” Suvidha Shekar, Founder-Director Williez Pre-school

“FIGHTING ALONE ISOLATES WOMEN” Bhakti Verma, Founder, Word’s Worth Workshops, educational consultant Women can take up positions of power and contribute meaningfully as educators by saying ‘yes’ to realizing their potential and by improving the quality of interactions they have with various stakeholders – students, parents, administrators even their own family members. I think there is no dearth of the number of women who are teachers but that teaching is the ‘incidental’ choice of work continues to be the case. And any role beyond teaching; because it comes with additional responsibilities, skill development and leadership development and consequently ‘more time and investment in oneself’ for the greater good of the organizational and societal ecosystem; is still received with hesitation. I have interacted with countless women who, even today, continue to make choices which are below their potential for non-professional reasons and they continue to believe that these decisions are ‘their own’ when in fact they may be affected by many social factors. And the answer doesn’t lie in just women fighting for their professional success with family and society, but about the family and society being supportive of that decision by equally sharing responsibilities of running the household and raising children. Fighting alone isolates women and once again the fight becomes ‘their own’ and this time it’s really just their own, because it is about a decision ‘they’ took to realize their potential. Women need to be seen as equals professionally AND at home AND in society. We have to question and challenge stereotypical roles of men and women. And women need to invest in themselves, they have to learn to prioritize themselves and do things that make them happy, also ask for help when they need it. This isn’t the time to shy away from honing one’s skills and realizing one’s potential but to trudge confidently on their own path to success!

The women of the present generation have generally received higher education than the women of their preceding generation. There have been far reaching consequences in the economic status of their families. A whole new world is full of opportunities that are waiting to be seized! Women excel on the basis their hard work and their dedication – no less than any man. Women in positions of power became a source of inspiration for millions of young girls who make them their role models.

AREN’T WE ALREADY IN POSITIONS OF POWER? Dr Kavita Aggarwal, Chairperson, MISA, Chief Academic Advisor to Group of International Schools In the education industry, there is a larger percentage of female teachers as compared to males. Given our biological genes, women are better able to connect with kids and parents and hence we are mostly found working with them! In my experience, I receive and hire maximum female teachers, be it for pre-primary, primary, secondary or above. Currently, we also have so many female principals across schools on a global front, who are doing a fabulous job. The competition is getting tougher, even as so many more schools are coming up. We have so much to offer and still find ourselves struggling to lead a balanced life. A women educator is a courageous leader who is prepared to take risks when no one else will. A courageous leader has faith in other people. A courageous leader raises difficult issues, is ready to give difficult feedback, and share unpopular opinions. Having said that, I think women are and will continue to succeed just so. Should women step up to positions of power? Is this a trick question? Aren’t we already in positions of power?! I mean, at home, we are mostly the decision makers! Professionally, we decide what we want to teach our kids, we decide what we want to learn FROM our kids, we decide as Heads of school. We make crucial decisions on an hourly basis! I have been in the education industry since 35+ years now and not once have I come across a situation where we are any lesser than what men can do! Our ‘today’ is as important as our ‘tomorrow’. We are slowly and steadily climbing up the ladder. More and more women choose to work and more husbands are now encouraging their wives to have self-identity. Gone are the days wherein women were confined to four walls.

March 2018

COVER STORY

“IN-TRAINING PROGRAMME COMPONENTS WHICH LIFT WOMEN’S ASPIRATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL” “I am concerned about the vast inequalities in salaries, especially for those in higher education, and principalships and administrative posts at all levels of education that are infrequently held by women. Although women have held practically every position in the management of higher education, their representation is extremely small. Traditionally women have been under evaluated as their capacity to lead. There is a need to lift the aspirations of women in the academic profession. The roles women take in universities aren’t recognised as routes to the top. But they demand as much drive as the posts traditionally scooped up by men. It is sobering to acknowledge that still, not a countable number of higher education institutions are headed by a female vice-chancellor. And nothing’s changing very fast. With at least equal numbers of men and women studying for degrees – what is stopping highly capable women taking half the seats at the top table? It ranges from male pressure, to long hours, to non-recognition of the leader in her, to forcing a change. I believe women need to build self-confidence and promote themselves. But this is not enough. Real change implies breaking down the structures that favour men. Dr. Sheenu Jain, Professor of Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Chair, Centre for Entrepreneurship & Skill Development, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur

It is hard to get your career back on track if you take long career breaks, because the natural time for a promotion can often coincide with the childrearing years. But women also don't promote women. Women need to learn to be kinder to other women in business: all managers and leaders need to learn to be more flexible and open-minded about the candidate who is going to fill that senior post. What can I do about ensuring that I am included in that tiny minority of women who manage to make it to the higher echelons? Well, it is necessary to provide in-training programme components which firmly lift their aspirations, stimulate their ambitions, and motivate them to rethink and revise their own rating of their role and responsibilities as professionals as secondary to their role as home-makers. Women need to build their self-confidence and realise they can do whatever they want. They must not give up when there is a stumbling block. I have applied for many things that I haven't got, and put myself forward for promotions that went to someone else. At times it would have been easy to give up, but I've learned the importance of being resilient. It is fiercely competitive out there and that is not going to change. When you do get a promotion or an opportunity to sit on a board, be sure to do it well; be prepared and speak up. It is not about being aggressive; it is about learning to be heard by consistently being a valued contributor.

March 2018

“SOCIETY NEEDS TO RESPECT WOMEN’S ROLE” Rakhi Chawla, Founder, Ed3D The last couple of centuries have seen women taking up a plunge at various roles within the educational sector. India has some very prominent examples of women who have led the torch bearing role in creating innovative education systems, designed new thinking processes, and broken the myths of traditional teaching methodologies. With a fair number of women rising up from their back seat roles within the society and a fair ratio taking up their profession as educators and getting deeply involved within the system, a boost towards positions of power for women within the education sector will serve as the much-needed stimulus to bring in the needful changes. Society needs to move towards accepting and respecting women’s role in the learning lifecycle of children and see them taking higher challenges in the development of the same by engaging in more decision making positions within the education sector.

WOMEN EDUCATORS WHOM HISTORY WON’T FORGET… Helen Keller

Maria Montessori

Emma Willard

Born with visual and auditory inability, she studied under her personal mentor Anne Sullivan and learned about the world through knowledge - unseen, unadulterated. An inspiring figure, she has mentored hundreds of people and continues to inspire millions around the world

The woman who created the nursery school culture, the 1870-born Maria Montessori propagated the idea that children should be able to shape their future in their own ways. The Montessori Method is still followed by around 30,000 schools all over the world.

Hailing from a farmer's family back in 1787, she nevertheless went on to become a teacher at the age of 20, going on to head a girl's academy in Vermont. She also wrote an "Address Proposing a Plan for Improving Female Education" in 1819, which won wide appreciation.

Savitribai Phule

Clara Barton

Mary Mcleod Bethune

India's first female teacher at the first women’s school in Pune in 1948, she faced strong opposition from a rigid society. Fighting against all odds, her husband Jyotiba Phule and she went on to open five more such schools.

At a time when women were rarely seen working outside the house, she set up the American Red Cross. A nurse herself, she mentored an entire generation about the requirement of basic medical knowledge and sense of nursing.

Born to ex-slaves, she bagged a scholarship and studied to become a teacher herself. A name that’s synonymous with struggle and achievement, she established the Bethune-Cookman College, previously known as Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls, in Florida

Mary Ward Way back in 1609, this English Catholic Sister pioneered a school for girls, which was different from the pre-existing convents. She broke from the rules that demanded girls not leave the premises of the institute, and obligatorily attend choir. She set up the Sisters of Loreto, an institution with centres across the world.

March 2018

EVENT ROUND-UP

BETT SHOW 2018

takes a LOOK INSIDE the FUTURE CLASSROOM The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest technology in education event held in London on the 24 -27th January imagined learning in the year 2028. We went along to ask the experts about the latest classroom tech trends. Ledetta Asfa-Wossen writeback@scoonews.com

SAM WARNES

NEIL WATKINS

ANDY GOFF

Founder, EDLounge

Managing Director, Think IT

Director, ONVU Learning

March 2018

Q: What will the classroom look like in 2028? SW: Home schooling is on the increase meaning classrooms are getting smaller already. Therefore, by 2028 I predict that all classrooms will be virtual to some extent. From the conversations we’ve had, a lot of parents are taking their children out of the classroom so online education is undoubtedly where we are heading, while still maintaining the benefits of face-to-face interaction through the screen. In 10 years’ time, we'll be able to provide proper distance learning, with bespoke lessons for individual learners. NW: Currently, education systems are a little fragmented and unclear of what they want to actually achieve for students. The sector is very focused around coding, and we constantly hear the messaging around digital skills and yet, what are digital skills really? Digital skills should focus on things like artificial intelligence (AI), the ability to read and interpret data and ask questions regarding where the data comes from. I think we’ll see a shift from big companies filtering into the education system. The likes of Facebook and Amazon are following the footsteps of Microsoft in the US, so I don’t think it would be surprising to see this trend expand. I think there will be a big shift in gamification too. If you think about it, a game such as Call of Duty actually allows children to collaborate, work in a team, think algorithmically, so they’re applying their computation thinking and problem solving skills all while having fun. This is something that will fully take off by 2028, we’re seeing slow trends happening now, so in 10 years this will likely increase also. AG: In 2028, there will be a dynamic mix of face-to-face, online and student directed learning in the classroom. This learning will be

able to evolve as the child grows, so younger children may be in the classroom more than older children who will do more distance learning. Furthermore, we'll be able to put the best teachers in front of more students by using virtual classrooms. Q: What’s the most useful or exciting ed tech solution for the classroom right now? AG: Solutions that bring coding to life. It’s about making coding accessible to teachers; this is by far the most useful ed tech solution. For instance, companies that allow students to learn a simple coding language in order to control a drone. Coding is the new arms race for countries. The more children today that can get a grasp on this, the more intellectual property we as a country will be able to generate. NW: Cloud-based solutions. They allow teachers and students access anytime, anywhere, making teaching and learning a lot more efficient and effective. It’s also key for parents. It’s well known how much of a positive impact parents’ involvement in their child’s progression can be, so having a cloud-based system allows them to continue the learning process outside of the classroom. They’re also very cost-effective, which is extremely useful in a time of ever-tightening budgets and can easily be implemented by staff, often without a skilled technician. SW: One of the best pieces of ed tech I’ve come across is a projector that works on any surface. It’s able to track your movement and allows you to turn walls into a touchscreen.

March 2018

EVENT ROUND-UP

BETT 2018:

LEGO EDUCATION UNRAVELS ITS PLANS TO GET

KIDS CODING Ledetta Asfa-Wossen writeback@scoonews.com

t seems like there is no end to the many uses of building blocks. Just in 2016, LEGO-style blocks that could assist blind and partially-sighted children to learn Braille sparked a learning revolution. This year, at the 24th-27th January Bett Show in London, the team at LEGO Education focused on the power of making to help children deepen their robotics knowledge and learn coding. “The job market for careers requiring coding skills is growing faster than nearly any other sector, yet a majority of students today aren’t given the opportunity to learn computer programming,” says Esben Stærk Jørgensen, president of LEGO Education. According to Code.org, only 40% of schools teach computer programming. However, over the last few years, more and more countries have begun to recognise the urgency of teaching computing, coding, and the associated work ready skills that help equip children for a digital world. So, how does it work? Depending on the child’s age, a set of LEGO bricks combined with an easy-to-use coding software varying in difficulty level allows students to experiment, collaborate and solve problems by learning and applying coding. From WeDo 2.0 – a

March 2018

desktop and tablet-based software and building kit aimed at primary school children which easily enables teachers to guide a child’s learning to MINDSTORMS EV3, a more complex coding tool aimed at secondary school children. The EV3, allows students to build a robot and modify it using basic coding. Pupils can be challenged to advance their engineering, geometry and coding skills by adding a motion sensor to the robot or instructing it to stop when it meets an obstacle. Once pupils get a grasp of the basics, the only limit is their imagination and perseverance, they can learn to program a robotic arm that can pick up items or even build new machines that can perform a range of functions. Once more, it’s interactive with a trial and error method that’s more likely to keep them engaged. “We’re focused on sparking students’ curiosity in coding, and across all STEM subjects, and nurturing and sustaining that interest throughout their education by delivering playful learning experiences that bring subjects to life in the classroom and make learning fun and impactful. Fostering these important skills among today’s youth will teach our leaders of tomorrow that anyone can code and release their potential to shape their own future,” adds Jørgensen.

EVENT ROUND-UP

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EDUCATION Innovation Conference IN LONDON, UK Ledetta Asfa-Wossen writeback@scoonews.com

led by other English speaking countries, such as Canada and Australia.

The second half of the day honed in on education reforms with two detailed country case studies being presented and standing out as key lessons for developing and developed countries alike. The first eye-opening study came from Serbia, which is using digital technologies to transform its education system. Katarina Aleksic, Advisor to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Government Republic of Serbia, stressed the need for a more diverse type of education that focuses on innovation, skills for the future, entrepreneurship and employability and that logical and creative thinking in young people should be taught and harnessed as early as possible.

nnovation and collaboration were the most frequented words at the Education Innovation Conference at the University of London’s Senate House, UK, organised by the Economic Policy Group – a UK and India-based strategy consultancy. The annual event saw delegates from over 40 countries gather on January 23 to debate the future of primary, higher and further education and share knowledge from all corners of the education sector. Highlights of the day included an insightful presentation from Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills, OECD, who gave a global perspective on education trends in his session. Schleicher warned of both the opportunities and perils of using education technology, bearing in mind that the last PISA assessment of learning outcomes in science was in 2006, when the world was a very different place. Since then, technological innovation and disruption has accelerated and his assessments on both the risks and impact of technology in schools from country to country were both surprising and illuminating. With a data rich presentation, Schleicher also went on to explore how education trends will go on to impact teaching methods. The mid-morning panel saw an impressive speaker list argue for and against the motion of whether the UK was losing its role as a global education powerhouse. In agreement were Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE Chancellor,

University of Birmingham (pictured) and Thijs van Vugt, Director of Study Portals. The opposition battling against the motion included Nick Hillman, Director, Higher Education Policy Institute and Dr Joanna Newman MBE FRSA Secretary General, Association of Commonwealth Universities. Bilimoria highlighted the importance of international students to both the economy and knowledge sharing and stated that the UK must continue to attract and welcome international students, particularly Indian students that are potentially at risk of being poached by increasingly competitive student recruitment initiatives being

The second, from Taimur Khan, an education reformer and former partner at McKinsey & Company, discussed how he helped reform Punjab’s education system and shared his thoughts on what other developing countries could learn from the sixth most populous state. The afternoon sessions went on to open up a brave new world of education as futurist of JISC, Martin Hamilton dazzled the audience with the possibilities of AI, big data and digital innovations that could improve a pupil’s learning outcomes. While addressing some pre-existing fears and anxieties of technology adoption, Hamilton looked at the job roles of the future, from robot technicians to asteroid miners. As one delegate noted in the audience, no matter where you stand on education technology, “you have to innovate to overcome constraints” – isn’t that all education really is?

March 2018

EVENT ROUND-UP

GLOBAL INSIGHTS... FROM ANDREAS SCHLEICHER

Ledetta Asfa-Wossen writeback@scoonews.com

The OECD’s Directorate of Education and Skills shared his thoughts on how to educate “youth for their future, not our past” at this week’s Education Innovation Conference in London, UK. Here were just some of his invaluable data driven lessons on how schools can improve learning outcomes.

1. We need to use data to build better schools. Truth and fact are losing currency in decision making and democratic choices. Education needs data to improve, without it you are just another person with an opinion. 2. Schools need to build their capacity for collaborative learning rather than broadcast knowledge. The deepest innovation is created from collaboration but the culture is not there yet. 3. Professional development among teachers and teaching collaboration is important. When it comes to informal exchange and coordination, teachers are very active. However, deep collaboration is rare. OECD research shows that teachers get higher levels of job satisfaction when they teach jointly as a team and take part in collaborative professional learning. Only one in five teachers pursues team teaching. In countries such as Japan, Denmark or Italy it is more common, but not as frequent as it should be. 4. ICT use has effectively erased the first digital divide between those who had access to computers and those who did not in most OECD countries but a second digital divide has emerged between individuals and institutions who embrace a technology-rich world and those who do not. 5. A higher percentage of advantaged students use ICT outside school for reading news (70%) or obtaining practical information (74%) in comparison to disadvantaged students (55 and 56% respectively). 6. What teachers say and what teachers do are often different. The problem is that the belief and intentions of teachers don’t always translate into classroom practice. For example, UK teachers regard themselves as having a constructivist approach rather than a focus on

March 2018

memorisation strategies, so you would expect the UK at the bottom of the list when it comes to rote learning. Instead, that place is already taken by Switzerland. Another contradiction, is that China is often held up us being dominant on rote learning but research shows Shanghai makes just moderate use of memorisation strategies, and the same is true for most East Asian countries. While English teachers who say they don’t use memorisation come out on top on this very same comparison. 7. Currently, OECD data shows that technology in the classroom does more harm than good. There are good individual results but not any one country has cracked its benefits to any scale. The most promising use of ed tech so far? Teacher focused technology, that both assists them, connects them to teaching resources and helps them develop an effective professional community where teachers can learn from each other to improve student learning. 8. We spend far more on health research than we do on education research. 9. There is potential to improve 21st century children life at school, through personalising teaching and learning, tailored maths exercises provided by intelligent tutoring systems or traveling to the moon thanks to virtual reality. Engaging with people living miles away. Using tools to work together provided by cloud computing technologies or even discussions guided by an AI-run interlocutor and digitalised behavioural interventions such as a classroom management software sending an SMS to parents when their kid misses a class. But, technology use must be supported by data to realise its effectiveness. Ed tech needs a lot more research – the opportunity costs are still very high. 10. Only one tenth of 450 reviewed education reforms in 34 OECD countries between 2008-2014 attempted to measure the impact of their reforms.

FEATURE

India calls for personalised education

Vanya Bhandari Lodha writeback@scoonews.com

Ed tech firm IMAX Program hopes to serve two million Indian students by 2020

he demand for personalised education is on the rise in India. Just last week, Bengaluru and New Yorkbased education start-up IMAX Program announced the completion of its latest funding round. The company serves over 800 schools and 300,000 students across India with textbooks, tablet-based lesson plans, and regular school assessment data to provide individualised remedial worksheets. The assessment-remediation loop ensures that the key learning gaps are identified and bridged in an attempt to maximise learning.

Funding so far has come from the

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, LGT Impact and Aspada, an existing investor in the company. Varun Kumar, co-founder, IMAX Program, said he hoped the latest funding would help the ed tech start up to impact two million students by 2020. Naveen Mandava, another co-founder at IMAX Program, added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to help create the best version of each learner by leveraging technology where a child can receive individualised content, appropriate for their level, gaps and interest. As of today, no publisher or ed tech player in India is able to influence classroom learning using student data. That needs to change. With this round of funding, we will explore working with international K12 publishers, to deliver high quality in-school remedial programmes to a global student base.â&#x20AC;?

March 2018

SPECIAL

FAST FIRST AID TIPS FOR

COMMON ACCIDENTS Timely and correct first aid could mean the difference between life and death. A cut-andkeep guide to handling emergencies in childrenâ&#x20AC;Ś Parvathy Jayakrishnan writeback@scoonews.com

health emergency or an accident can happen to a child, a teacher or anyone in school at any point in time. Therefore, it is imperative to have a good first aid set up and a functional infirmary in every school. There should also be relevant staff trained for the purpose. Every school must

March 2018

SPECIAL arm, supporting her neck and chin with your fingers. Tilt your hand so her head is lower than her chest. Give five quick blows to her back between her shoulder blades, using the heel of your free hand. If no object pops out, turn your baby over and place her face up on a table or the floor. Place two fingers in the middle of her breastbone just below nipple level and give five quick thrusts. Repeat the cycle of five back blows and five chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or she begins breathing. If your baby becomes unconscious, begin CPR (explained next) immediately. Each time you go to deliver rescue breaths, look for an object in her mouth. If you see something, take it out. But never put your fingers into her throat to feel for an object; you could lodge it more firmly. Heimlich Manoeuvre for children older than 1 year: Stand or kneel behind your kid, wrapping your arms around him. Make a fist and place it just above his belly button. Grasp your fist with your other hand and give quick upward thrusts. have a first aid officer who can assist in case of an emergency. Sometimes, we tend to neglect the importance of first aid by merely assigning the duty to a box full of medicines. However, administering the right first aid at the right time can even save a life. Some of these techniques also need to be taught to students so that they can take control of a situation, even in the absence of an adult. Discussed below are some of the common accidents/ illnesses and the firstaid techniques to tackle them. These are techniques that every person should mandatorily know. Schools should take the initiative to spread first aid awareness among their staff and students by conducting regular workshops and drills.

1. Choking in infants and the

Heimlich Manoeuvre: Choking is one of the most common causes of deaths in infants. Be it at play school or at home, infants tend to explore and put into their mouths whatever they come across, be it food, toys, erasers etc. This poses a very dangerous situation, considering what is being swallowed. Secondly, if it gets stuck in the throat, it hampers breathing and obstructs oxygen flow. Children can even choke on food while having a meal. So it is imperative to know how to perform the Heimlich Manoeuvre. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what to do when a child is choking on an object and can't breathe (or can only make infrequent high-pitched gasps). First aid for choking for infants under the age of 1: Place her face down on your fore-

March 2018

Deliver thrusts until the object is dislodged or he begins breathing. If your child passes out, begin CPR immediately. Each time you go to deliver rescue breaths, look for an object in his mouth. If you see something, take it out. But never attempt to put your fingers into your child's throat to feel for the object; doing so could lodge the item more firmly in his airway.

2. Gasping respiration and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) If you are alone with a child who is unresponsive and not breathing (only gasping), you need to call for emergency help after performing 2 minutes of CPR. First check to see if the child is con-

SPECIAL scious by tapping him gently and asking if he is okay. Check to see if the child has any injuries, bleeding or medical problems.

over, moving his/ her entire body at once.

Check breathing by placing your ear near the child’s mouth and nose. Check if the child’s chest is moving.

For a baby, place two fingers on breastbone. For a child, place heel of one hand on centre of chest at nipple line. You also can push with one hand on top of the other.

Begin chest compressions if the child doesn’t respond and isn’t breathing

For a child, press down about 2 inches. Make sure not to press on ribs, as they are fragile and prone to fracture.

Carefully place the child on his/her back. For a baby, be careful not to tilt the head back too far. If you suspect a neck or head injury, roll the baby

For a baby, press down about 1 1/2 inches, about 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of chest. Make sure not to press on the end of the breastbone.

Do 30 chest compressions, at the rate of 100 per minute. Let the chest rise completely between pushes. Check to see if the child has started breathing. Continue CPR until emergency help arrives. 4. Do rescue breathing To open the airway, lift the child’s chin up with one hand. At the same time, tilt the head back by pushing down on the forehead with the other hand. Do not tilt the head back if the child is suspected of having a neck or head injury. For a child, cover his mouth tightly with yours. Pinch the nose closed and give breaths. For a baby, cover the mouth and nose with your mouth and give breaths. Give the child two breaths, watching for the chest to rise each time. Each breath should take one second. 5. Repeat compressions and rescue breathing if the child is still not breathing Two breaths can be given after every 30 chest compressions. If someone else is helping you, you should give 15 compressions, then 2 breaths. Continue this cycle of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the child starts breathing or emergency help arrives. If you are alone with the child and have done 2 minutes of CPR (about 5 cycles of compressions and breathing), call for help immediately.

3. Burns and first aid for burns Call a doctor immediately to treat a burn if the burned area is charred or white, if an electric shock or chemicals caused the burn, if the burn is on the face, hands, feet, genitals, or a joint or if the burn covers 10 per cent or more of the body. Mild first-degree burns, those that look like sunburns can be treated at home/school. Second- or third-degree burns need immediate medical attention. Call a doctor if the burn is oozing or seems infected (red, swollen, tender). To deal with a mild burn,

March 2018

1. Soak the Burn Immediately put the burned area in cool (not cold) water or under a faucet. Keep the injury in water for at least five to 15 minutes.

the wound is spurting blood, if you can't stop the bleeding after 10 minutes of direct pressure, if an object has punctured the skin and is still in the body, if the cut involves the eye or the cartilage of the nose or ear. 1. Clean the Wound

Do not use ice. Wash your hands. 2. Remove Burned Clothing If the clothing is stuck to the skin, do not peel it away. Leave it in place and cut away the clothing around it.

Clean the wound with lots of cool water. Make sure all dirt and debris are removed.

3. Cover the Burn Use non-stick gauze or a clean cloth.

Clean the area around the wound with mild soap and water.

If the burn is mild, you may put on antibiotic ointment.

2. Stop the Bleeding Cover the wound with gauze or a clean towel and press down with your palm.

Don't put butter, grease, or anything else on the burn, and do not pop any blisters. 4. Reduce Pain Use an infant or child-strength overthe-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for children ages 6 months and older. Follow the dosing instructions on the bottle.

4. Deep cuts and treating them Cuts and scrapes are common in classrooms and playgrounds and can be dealt with if you have access to the right first aid tools. However, take the child to an emergency unit if he is bleeding heavily, if the wound is deep, if the edges of the wound are gaping,

If the gauze soaks through, don't remove it. Put another layer of gauze on top.

of infection such as redness or drainage.

5. Seizures and what you need to do Although seizures can be frightening, many last only a few minutes, stop on their own, and are almost never life threatening. Seizures can take many forms, from staring spells to involuntary movements of the arms and legs. Take the child to an emergency unit immediately if the child has a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes or is having repeated seizures, has trouble breathing, has a bluish colour on the lips, tongue, or face, remains unconscious for more than a few minutes after a seizure, falls or hits his or her head before or during a seizure, seems to be ill or has a seizure while in water Signs and Symptoms of a seizure include unusual sensations or twitching

Keep up the pressure for a few minutes after the bleeding stops. Try to elevate the area where the wound is, such as the leg or arm. 3. Treat the Wound Apply an antibacterial ointment to the area. If the wound is minor and unlikely to get dirty, let it heal in the open air. If the wound is likely to get dirty because it is on the hands or feet, put on a bandage. Monitor for signs

uncontrollable muscle spasms loss of consciousness uncontrolled urination or bowel movement If a child has a seizure: Gently place the child on the floor or ground, and remove any nearby objects. Lay the child on his/her side to prevent choking on saliva. Loosen any clothing around the head or neck. Make sure the child is breathing okay. Don’t try to prevent the child from shaking — this will not stop the seizure and it may make the child more uncomfortable. Don’t put anything in the child’s mouth. Forcing teeth apart could cause injuries or block the airway. Roll the child onto his/her side. If he/she vomits, keep him or her on the side and clear out the mouth with your finger. Don’t give your child anything to eat or drink, and don’t give any medicine pills or liquid by mouth until the child is completely awake and

March 2018

SPECIAL

alert. Try to keep track of how long the seizure lasts.

blow hard or repeatedly. If only one nostril is affected, close the opposite nostril by applying gentle pressure and then blow out gently through the affected nostril.

Call the doctor. The child may be sleepy or may take a while to get back to normal after the seizure. Stay with the child until he/ she is awake and aware, and allow the child to rest after the seizure.

6. Foreign object lodged in nose or ear and what to do If a foreign object gets lodged in the nose:

Gently remove the object if it's visible and if you can easily grasp it with tweezers. Don't try to remove an object that isn't visible or easily grasped. Call for emergency medical assistance if these methods fail. A foreign object in the ear can cause pain, infection and even hearing loss. If a foreign object gets lodged in the ear:

Don't probe at the object with a cotton swab or any other tool. Don't try to inhale the object by forcefully breathing in. Instead, ask the child to breathe through the mouth until the object is removed. Ask him to blow out the nose gently to try to free the object, but don't

Don't probe the ear with a tool such as a cotton swab or matchstick. You risk pushing the object farther in and damaging the ear. Remove the object if possible. If the object is clearly visible, pliable and can be grasped easily with tweezers, gently remove it.

March 2018

Try using gravity. Tilt the head to the affected side to try to dislodge the object. Try using oil for an insect. If the foreign object is an insect, tilt the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head so that the ear with the insect is upward. Try to float the insect out by pouring a few drops of mineral oil, olive oil or baby oil into the ear. The oil should be warm, but not hot. Don't use oil to remove an object other than an insect. Don't use this method for a child if ear tubes are in place or if you think the eardrum may be perforated. Signs and symptoms of a perforated eardrum are pain, bleeding or discharge from the ear. Try washing the object out. Use a rubber-bulb ear syringe and warm water to irrigate the object out of the canal, again provided no ear tubes are in place and you don't suspect the eardrum is perforated. If these methods fail and the child continues to experience pain, dis-

Any first aid kit should be equipped with the following medicines and instruments. Medicines need to be checked for their expiration dates regularly and they need to be updated. Basic first aid checklist Band Aid Sterile Gauze Bandage Antiseptic

Burn Ointment Antibiotic Ointment Fever Medication Pain Medication Medications for indigestion Calamine lotion Thermometer Tweezers Hot/Cold Compress Scissors Sterile Tape

charge from the ear canal, reduced hearing or a sensation of something lodged in the ear, seek medical assistance.

and while waiting for help, keep the child lying down. Do not wash the wound or push in any part that's sticking out.

7. Bone fractures and their first aid

In case of a fracture, follow the steps below:

Broken bones (or fractures) are a common injury in kids, especially after a fall. No matter what part might be broken or how big or small the injury may seem, all broken bones need medical care. A child may have a broken bone if: you heard a â&#x20AC;&#x153;snapâ&#x20AC;? or a grinding noise during an injury thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swelling, bruising, or tenderness the injured part is difficult to move or hurts when moving, being touched, or bearing weight. Do not move the child if you suspect a serious injury to the head, neck, or back or a broken bone comes through the skin. Call for a doctor immediately

Remove clothing from the injured area. Apply an ice pack wrapped in cloth. Keep the injured limb in the position you find it. Place a simple splint, if you have one, on the broken area. A splint holds the bone still and protects it until the child is seen by the doctor. To make a temporary splint, you can use a small board, cardboard, or folded up newspapers and wrap it with an elastic bandage or tape. Get medical care and don't allow your child to eat or drink in case surgery is required.

March 2018

FEATURE

Rethinking EDUCATION Reform Punjab (Pakistan): An education lesson for developing countries

Ledetta Asfa-Wossen writeback@scoonews.com

here are some interesting lessons to derive from the reform of Pakistan’s largest province. The Punjab Education Reform Roadmap has increased enrolment in government primary schools from 7.2 million to 8.4 million in a year. Almost a 15% increase, a strong result even when you take into account Pakistan’s alarming population growth rate. We spoke to former McKinsey & Company partner and co-head of Education practice for the Middle East region Taimur Khan about the project and what other developing countries can learn from it.

Punjab is an inspiring education case study. Can you tell me more about the project? The roadmap was started off in 2009/10 as a group effort between David Miliband (who was then UK foreign secretary), Sir Michael Barber, who was at the time partner and head of McKinsey’s global education practice and the Pakistan government to

improve education in the country. The whole effort was funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and there was a realisation that a new approach was needed. After about a year of research, the initiative got rolling in Punjab. I’ve been involved with it since 2011. The roadmap is ongoing and will probably enter the next after the 2018 elections, with an aim to expand beyond primary education. How were you able to improve school attendance, specifically? Teacher attendance in schools can be endemic in developing countries. Many developing countries do not monitor student and teacher attendance but it doesn’t need to be an expensive, hightech system to rollout. I can’t stress the importance of real time monitoring to ensure attendance of pupils and teachers. With just 1,000 low-cost tablets we were able to monitor over 50,000 schools. Education innovation in developing countries is not so much about the idea itself but how you execute that reform.

March 2018

Once we got the measurement system right and we started to improve the content being delivered in government schools, we began to see a massive improvement in attendance. Now, more than 1.5 million students are in class on any given day versus the pre-reform baseline. Teacher absence on any given day has reduced from 20% to 5%. You have talked before about rethinking the word innovation when it comes to developing countries. Tell us more. For developing countries, innovation is not so much about robotics and critical thinking as it is about doing things differently and simply. There are three main things reform efforts by the likes of the World Bank, charities, private and government institutions fail to consider and the first is scale. Pakistan is the sixth largest country in the world but many efforts start from the school, or focus on the need to recruit better teachers. That might work in Finland but not with reform at this scale. When you are trying to change the lives of 50 million students you have to consider the scale you are looking at and where you are starting from.

Number Crunch 52,000 : the number of government schools in Punjab

150,000 : the number of government schools in Pakistan

11 Million : the number of students attending Punjab’s government schools

1 Million : the number of teachers in Pakistan

The second, is to consider the capability and accountability constraints. And lastly, financial constraints. But there is good news, and that’s that you can make a real difference even with the money that’s allocated to education budgets in places like Pakistan. It is true that Pakistan spends the least on education in South Asia, as a proportion of GDP? It doesn’t matter to an extent. Focusing on this is only a reason for inaction. Because it is also true that traditionally, only about half of the 7% of the education budget in Pakistan that is not linked to teacher salaries is ever spent. Rather than join the bandwagon asking for massive increases in budget, we helped the government design reform around funds that were already committed, and then tried to ensure that those funds were actually disbursed and spent. This for example, has helped in the very rapid improvement in facilities that the first two years of the reform achieved. In Punjab, we helped the government use the data collected to drive much

of the education reform. To identify, each month, the schools with poor indicators; identify areas with low enrolment; and point out where to place new teachers and to assess learning levels. The data didn’t need to be perfect, but it needed to be good enough, and be used quickly. What’s your view on low-cost private schools and public private partnerships for education provision? In terms of providing access to every kid, there is certainly a place for both. We are seeing innovative partnerships with the private sector. For example, the Punjab Education Foundation supports 2.5 million children – that’s half the population of New Zealand – through low-cost private schools. And, the beauty of it, is that those kids are supported at a lower cost than a government school. They achieve better outcomes and it’s all coming out of the pocket of the government. So, for those who strongly believe that schools should be provided for every citizen by the government alone, that need is met. In less than a year, Pakistan has handed

over 4,300 failing government schools to private providers. As a result, enrolment has almost doubled with grade 5 exam rates improving drastically over a short period from zero to 70%. What lessons do you think some states in India could learn from this case study? Put simply, focus ruthlessly on the biggest priorities that you can tackle whether that’s curriculum or textbooks. Second, take on more with time and measure your progress. And third, exercise trial and error, be willing to quickly drop things that are not proving effective in improving the education system. There is an amazing opportunity here for similar states in India to replicate this roadmap. Are you optimistic about the future of education in developing countries? Pakistan’s schools are nowhere near attaining a good standard yet, there is still lots of work to do. Fully reforming education systems in places like India, Pakistan and Sub-Saharan Africa will take at least 1015 years of incredibly hard work but we have seen that improvement can and is being made.

March 2018

INITIATIVE

Dr Swati Popat Vats sheds light on the anti-spanking #IWillNot movement, which aims to end parental violence against children

PARENTS, thou

Nichola Pais editor@scoonews.com

t is quite amazing to see the alacrity with which parents rush to attack a teacher who might have slapped their child – of course, the teacher was wrong to do so! – but continue to roundly spank their kids at home. While the Right to Education (RTE) Act prohibits any form of corporal punishment against children in schools, the situation is quite different at home. A nationwide survey conducted by First Moms Club (India) along with Early Childhood Association (ECA) shows that a whopping 77.5% parents resort to hitting children, with 28% admitting that they do this on a regular basis.

March 2018

Almost 72% of the 1,790 parents surveyed stated that they felt guilty after raising their hands on their kids. However, 19% parents believed spanking was the only way to discipline their children. More details were thrown up by the survey: 76.4% parents who raised their hand did so as they lose their temper as the child ‘irritates’ them. Spanking also peaked during meals or during bedtime. What’s more, almost 69% parents were aware of the harmful effects of spanking on children, but found it difficult to control themselves. No, we parents don’t have a very good report card in this matter. However, rather than ‘punishment’, there is awareness in store as Dr Swati Popat Vats, President of ECA, India avers, “The purpose of the survey was not to embarrass parents, but to bring this topic out in the open and raise

SHALL NOT… Trying to juggle home and career and ensuring that the child is well looked after, or giving up a career, adds to the frustration. Additionally, some mothers believe it is okay to hit their kids occasionally – ‘after all, we love them so much’. This attitude is particularly dangerous. “I don’t judge mothers who hit their children but I definitely judge mothers who condone it, because there can be no excuse to resorting to violence when it comes to children,” points out Dr Swati, adding, “Don’t men who hit their wives use the same excuse? When did love become violence and when did love give you the sick power to hurt, humiliate and hit? If you really love your children then let your heart beat for your child and not your hand!”

more awareness about the same. We want to encourage trust based parenting over force based parenting.”

ScooNews supports the Anti Spanking Campaign and is committed to spreading the same to its staggering half a million readers. Join the #Iwillnot campaign. Stand up against spanking children. Be the parent whose heart 'beats' and not the hand. Post #Iwillnot on your social media pages.

She points out that parenting can be both exhausting and exhilarating. “It is in the exhausting times that a parent may lose control and resort to hitting, spanking, or pinching their child. We are here to help you overcome the hand that hits and help you make it the hand that hugs. Parenting is where the ‘heart beats’ and not the ‘hand’.” The solution lies in practicing ‘mindful parenting’. Mothers spank children as they struggle to bring up children alone, as the father rarely participates. This leaves them overwhelmed all the time. Most experience inability to control their anger, irritation, and frustration.

Pointing out the rising incidence of violence in teens, she points out, “Children learn by imitation and when you try to control them with violence then they learn that violence is the solution for everything in life. And when you try to condone that violence by saying that ‘I hit you because I love you’ then you are bringing up ‘wife beaters’ and ‘acid throwers’. Love never, ever hurts or harms! In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “punishment hardens children” and that is exactly what we are seeing today, children who have hardened emotions who kill, hit and harm because empathy is dead. How did it die? It was beaten out of the bodies of our children.” It is not okay to conveniently blame hitting, pinching, and slapping one’s child on ‘frustration’. As the adult, the nurturer here, it is the parent’s responsibility to not give in to momentary weakness. “Mindfulness is all about realizing when your emotions are racing ahead of you, when your emotions are taking over you,” shares Dr Swati, adding, “Listen to your beating heart and control that hand that beats.” It is time to stop making excuse and take ownership. It is time to promise not to set off a vicious circle of violence - children who are beaten… beat. It’s time to be part of the campaign that ensures that mothers are known for nurturing and not for harming. It’s time for #Iwillnot.

March 2018

EVENT ROUND-UP

THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF SHAPING LITTLE MINDS

Nichola Pais editor@scoonews.com

Highlights of the ECA Annual International Conference

March 2018

he 6th Early Childhood Association Annual International Early Childhood Conference teed off on February 10, with more than four hundred educators, teachers, experts and special guests in attendance. The theme of the two-day conference held at the Lalit, Andheri, Mumbai was The Future of Kindergartens and Kindergartens of the Future. When kids are at the centre of all discussion, could the energy be anything less than electric!

DAY

Post a warm welcome by Neelu Kalro and Kusum Kanwar, the first session was a reflection by Soonita Kistamah, Director – The Cubbies IPS – Mauritius, on the implications of Moving to Academics at the Expense of Play. Stressing on the fact that a child that does not play is like a drum that does not sound, Soonita discussed how play is learning itself. Karma Gayleg, Deputy Chief Programming Officer, Early Childhood Care and Development & Special Education division, Ministry of Education, Thimpu, Bhutan provided interesting insights into Blending Conventional Wisdom and Contemporary Science for Quality Early Childhood Education. Karma underlined the importance of culture, values, well-being and nature in ECE. The perky Divya Punjabi – Culture Custodian Kangaroo Kids Education and Billabong High School, Vice President – ECA India, tossed several scintillating ideas focusing on the topic: Will Tomorrow Define Your Child or Will Your Child Define Tomorrow. She stressed on the develop-

LEARNING & LIGHT ment of skills of High Touch and High Concept. Needless to add, Chief Guest Shabana Azmi held the educators enthralled, as she shared her personal experiences connected with Early Childhood learning. From her mother’s recognition of her failing in an Urdu Municipal school as a sign of protest, to the family’s view of art as an instrument of social change, where gender equality was a given, Azmi’s words captivated and inspired. She, joined by the committee members of the Early Childhood Association, also lit the ceremonial lamp, and invoked the spirit of enquiry and learning. The feisty Dr Swati Popat Vats, President ECA, tackled several key questions about the future of kindergartens in India. Will they remain ‘preparatory schools’ for standard one? Or will good sense prevail and we will stop this ‘schoolification’ of kindergarten? Will kindergartens and parents become alert and sensible about safety standards? What will the kinder-

gartens of the future be like? Forest kindergartens? Home schooling? Will play be the focal point? Or will kindergartens simply disappear – these questions provoked discussion. Dr Popat Vats also reiterated the need for One Nation – One Policy, when it comes to developmentally appropriate curriculum, safety standards, age of entry, teacher training and salaries. Launches are special and there were no less than seven exciting unveilings… The February issue of ScooNews magazine, a special issue on Early Childhood Education, drew high praise from Dr Swati Popat Vats, who hailed it as a bible for all ECE educators. The occasion also the launch of the ECA booklet, a Comprehensive Quality Audit Tool for Preschools/ Kindergartens and ECE centres. Dr Swaroop Sampat addressed the gathering via a pre-recorded video, as she presented the Early Years

March 2018

EVENT ROUND-UP Life Skills Curriculum Framework. Pooja Taparia, from the NGO Arpan, unveiled My Safety Book, a simple and effective guide to educate children about good touch vs bad touch and personal safety skills. The ECA booklet – Teacher Training Module for Early Childhood Care and Education was also unveiled. A new app for Early Childhood Teacher Enrichment and Education was launched, with much enthusiasm. Last but not least, the BetterPlace learning digital app was also launched. The Early Childhood Association awards were presented, to resounding applause. The winners were as follows: Felicitating the author: Neeha Gupta Most Committed NGO in ECE: CAN Kids – Sabita Vijayan Child Rights Foundation – Jatin Katira Life Trust – Poonam Lalvani Most Committed CDPO: Preeti Ben (Bhavnagar) Most Committed ICDS: Laxmi Bai (Supervisor of Mandals and reports to Project Head for Anganwadis (Telangana) Exemplary Contribution in ECCE Award: Zarin Malva Lina Ashar Exemplary Contribution Towards Safety in Early Years IPS Officer - Aparajita Rai BetterPlace – Pravin Agarwala Post lunch, the conference split into separate spaces for a more intimate exchange of ideas. Emerging Paradigm 1 saw Meena Naik, Head of the University of Mumbai’s Puppetry course since the past 6 years, and

Chairperson of Sahitya Kala Mandal, Kalsootri, discussing Experiential Methodology, while Chirag Singal, Proprietor – Giraffe Uncle, explained the attributes of Playful Learning in Emerging Paradigm 2. Swara Patel, of Rhythmus Happy Feet spoke about the Importance of Kinesthetic Learning in ECE, while Mona Singh, VP – Sesame Schoolhouse discussed the Meeting of Childhood Development Needs in the Digital Environment. Pooja Jain, Principal – Podar Jumbo Kids, Aundh and Baner, shed light on Promoting Mental Well-being in Kindergarten, while Greshma Momaya Shah explained the 3 Cs of Emotional Engagement and its Impact on Learning. Sonal Ahuja, Founder Shri Ram Foundation Preschool, educationist, and global career counsellor, spoke on Feelings – How I Feel is More Important Than Why… In the adjoining section, Sanghya Ojha, co-founder The Puppetarians, had the audience hanging on to her every move with her practical presentation on Puppet – Teacher’s Best Friend. Vikrant Kapoor, CMD, Angel’s Paradise Preschools, Amritsar, discussed Music as Language of Learning. Simultaneously, Preethi Vickram, Educator, Parenting Coach and Brand Champion spoke on Superhero Play in ECCE – Hero or Villain? Post the tea break, Dr Robert Titzer, Infant Researcher, Brussels – Belgium, discussed the Longitudinal Effects of Learning to Read Early. The panel discussion – Future of Kindergartens and Kindergartens of the Future was moderated by Dr Swati Popat Vats. Panellists included Dr Seema Hingorrany – Clinical Psychologist and author; Arunabh Singh, Principal – Nehru World School; Francis Joseph, Co-founder School Leaders Network, Vice President ECA; Dr Sagar Mundada, Psychotherapist – specialist Early Childhood Behaviour and Abuse; Dr Robert Titzer, Infant Researcher, Brussels – Belgium; Preeti Kwatra – Founder and Principal Petals Preschool Delhi; Ruchita Dar Shah, Founder – First Moms Club and VP ECA; Pravin Agarwala – CEO BetterPlace; and Jaya Sastri – Founder-Director of SEED and Seed Academy group of schools.

March 2018

EVENT ROUND-UP

DAY

“Live by appreciation, not by comparison – it makes envy impossible.” This quiet and wonderful note struck by historian, journalist, author and peace builder, Rajmohan Gandhi, was the perfect contemplative start to Day 2 of the 6th Early Childhood Association Annual International Early Childhood Conference. Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, he shared his own life experiences on a number of small but significant points such as the additional magic words – ‘Congratulations’ and ‘I don’t know’ – which seem to stick in our throats. Rajmohan Gandhi also pointed out the value of taking pride in manual work, smiling at yourself and being ready to weep over the sadness of others, the importance of teamwork, and the need for educators to allow children the opportunity to hear their inner voice. The 430+ delegates in attendance were seen clapping and raising the thumbs-up pointers as they expressed resonance with his thoughts. Dr Reeta Sonawat provided fresh food for thought as she endorsed a competency-based curriculum kindergarten as the future, with research being the future of kindergarten. Former Head of Department and Dean of the Department of Human Development SNDT Women’s University, she held forth on the competencies including Communication & Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Creativity & Imagination, Citizenship, Digital Literacy, Learning to Learn, and Self Efficacy. Sharing pertinent points on what it takes to effectively communicate with parents, Dr Tushar Guha, Founder Chairman Nrityanjali Group, had the audience hooked. Education means adaptability, he pointed out, adding that the truth must be spoken – but palatably. Break inhibitions, be humble but assertive when needed, use humour and wit, and speak using ‘we’ as opposed to ‘you’, he advised. Ashraf Noorani shared tips for teachers to discover their own emotional intelligence, as she led the participants through a brief exercise in recognising their own emotions.

THAT YOUTHFUL ZEST The Future of Inclusion – An Inclusive Future… This formed the core of Dr Samir Dalwai’s speech. A Developmental paediatrician and Director at New Horizons Health and Research Foundation, he spoke of the equitable – as opposed to equal – treatment of all citizens. “Inclusion begins at home,” he pointed out, “because exclusion also begins at home.” Dr Prajodh Rajan, Co-founder and CEO Eurokids International Preschools, drove home the key role of the private sector in Early Childhood Education. He underlined the importance of the phrase – Education costs money but so does ignorance. The Power Talk by Dr Swati Popat Vats, President – Podar Education Network and ECA India, held the educators’ rapt attention as she enumerated the 10 Global Ideas for Kindergartens to Nurture the Future. Teacher sensitivity, making math visible and important, building the child’s executive functions, cognitive flexibility, and labelling emotions were some of the points she touched upon with illustrative examples. Post-lunch, Rekha Shahani discussed Social Skills for the New Digital Generation, while Aditi Shah and team from Musicaalay had the participants on their feet enacting action songs. Their belief: Happy minds emit happy thoughts; let’s work towards a happy future. Pratiksha Seth from Grooming Babies discussed Learning that is Child-led, while Mehek Valecha shared her pointers on Parent-School Partnership. Sometimes a hug is all it takes! Vinitha Ramchandani, editor, author and content strategist, shed light on empathy in ECE, while Alokananda Roy, classical dancer, dance educationist and therapist, spoke movingly about the education of children of prisoners. Asha Varma, ECE consultant and life skills co-ordinator, shared the Ten Commandments for the Pre Primary Teacher, while Kausar Sayeed, Founder Learn2Lead, discussed the

March 2018

usage of STEM in Early Childhood Education. Post-tea, Dr Kamini Rege, Assistant Professor Dept of Human Development, College of Home Science, Nirmala Niketan Mumbai, conducted a Knowledge Sharing session. The topic was Redefining the Importance, Challenges of and Recommendations for Early Childhood Development Profession for the Future of Kindergarten. Chief Guest, Union Skill Minister Anant Kumar Hegde was welcomed on stage, and lit the ceremonial lamp along with committee members of the ECA. In his speech, he stressed upon the education of values learnt in the mother’s lap. It was then awards time, as the 20172018 Best Practices Innovations in ECE were conferred by the Early Childhood Association! Cheered along by their peers, the award winners were justifiably proud and thrilled by the recognition of their admirable work. The conference concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks by Dr Kamini Rege, as spirits continued to stay high. Like one ECE teacher had earlier mentioned during a sharing of feedback, “Working with young children is the most wonderful thing in the world – it’s no wonder people tell us we look so young ourselves!”

March 2018

TECH FOCUS

IMMERSIVE LEARNING

A ‘Real Brain’ SOLUTION for DELIVERY of EDUCATION

March 2018

Vinay Singh writeback@scoonews.com

his month, we explore the rapidly evolving field of gamification, virtual, augmented and mixed realities within the context of Immersive Learning. Immersive Learning, an emerging and rapidly mutating form of online and computer-based learning, combines neuroscience research, pedagogy and the latest advancements in technology to provide a common-sense solution to deliver education. Read on to learn more about what Immersive Learning is and how it can be used in schools. What is Immersive Learning?

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Confucius Immersive Learning is the process of learning with the usage of a simulated or artificial environment. The environment enables the learners to completely get immersed in the learning and in a way that feels like experiencing an actual learning environment. According to a study at Harvard, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about creating identifiable stories. Learning is at its most effective when the student can see himself in the narrative or situation thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taking place. In an immersive learning experience, a student can receive individualized instruction as he/she progresses according to their own pace and through simulation. This can be created in simulation as well as in the virtual world environment. There are different ways to implement Immersive Learning techniques in any classroom such as learning through virtual reality, role play, simulations, augmented reality and mixed reality. Gamification, AR, VR and MR technologies allow the creation of powerful learning experiences while focusing on generating total interest, attracting learnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; full attention and motivation, along with facilitating a safe trial and error setting.

March 2018

TECH FOCUS Technologies used for Immersive Learning Virtual Reality (VR) Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated scenario that simulates a realistic experience. The immersive environment can be similar to the real world in order to create a lifelike experience grounded in reality or sci-fi. Current VR technology most commonly uses virtual reality headsets or multi-projected environments, sometimes in combination with physical environments or props, to generate realistic images, sounds and other sensations that simulate a user's physical presence in a virtual or imaginary environment. Google Expeditions which use a Cardboard viewer and a VR ready mobile, allows students to take field trips right from their classroom. The teacher can guide the learning experience and lead classroom-sized groups of “explorers” through collections of 360° and 3D images while pointing out interesting sights along the way. Augmented Reality (AR) Augmented Reality turns the environment around you into a digital interface by placing virtual objects in the real world, in real-time. The best example of Augmented Reality to-date is Pokémon Go, a game which allows users to catch virtual Pokémon who are hidden throughout a map of the real world. Mixed Reality (MR) Mixed Reality (sometimes called Hybrid Reality or MR) combines the best aspects of both virtual reality and augmented reality. It also refers to the entire spectrum of situations that span the continuum between virtual reality and actual reality. Mixed reality can include augmented reality, augmented virtuality, and other mixed configurations. In mixed reality environments, users navigate through both the real and virtual environments at the same time. Instead of residing in an entirely virtual world (as in virtual reality), virtual objects are anchored into a user’s real-world space and augment their real-world environment, making virtual interactions appear to be “real”. Following are a few applications of MR in learning:

Japan Airlines uses HoloLens Mixed Reality to train new pilots, giving them a realistic feel of handling holographic jet engines.

Here are some great examples of gamification in education: Brainscape

To find ways to engage with students in the classroom, a set of interns at Moment, a New York based design consultancy conducted interviews, researched new technologies and different teaching methods. The result was Peer - a Mixed Reality platform that uses a combination of physical and digital elements that engage students by making abstract concepts and complex forces visible and tangible.

Brainscape is a mobile and web-based education platform designed to help students study smart using adaptive algorithms to create flashcards, whose presentation pattern can change in response to what students know and what they seem to be struggling with, focusing attention on the more difficult topics.

HoloLens for Education is a project by Leiden University and the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) that explores the possibilities of using the Microsoft HoloLens within higher (medical) education.

As of November 2016, the languagelearning website and app offer 68 different language courses across 23 languages, with 22 additional courses in development. The app has about 200 million registered users across the world. Duolingo is designed to feel like a game. In 2016, Duolingo created Tinycards, a refreshing new take on flashcards.

Gamification Gamification is using a layer of game over a real-life environment. It is the concept of applying game mechanics and game design techniques to engage and motivate students to achieve their goals. According to Albert Einstein, games are the most elevated form of investigation. Games have many elements that make them powerful vehicles for human learning. Many games promote communication, cooperation, and even competition amongst players.

March 2018

Duolingo

The World Peace Game This game-based political simulation for the classroom invites young students to explore a simulated world not unlike our own, consisting of four or five prominent nations. Each country is directed by student teams, encouraging the kids to explore the global community and learn the nature of the complex relationships between nations.

R Karthik N a i d u , Founder & D i r e c t o r, White Petals S c h o o l , Bengaluru says, “There is a quote by Albert Einstein - ‘Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.’ In this context the main purpose of education in this generation is not to remember the facts but to train our mind to think and analyse. Immersive Learning plays a huge role as it gives the edge of learning through a virtual reality where the students can see beyond their assumptions right in front of their eyes. This is a powerful medium which will leave a huge impact in the minds of the future leaders.”

What educators say… While teaching, educators must be conscious of their environment. Classes consist of multiple students, all with different learning styles that must be considered before beginning a lesson. We spoke to educators about new immersive technologies which can be applied to education, looking for them to tell us how and what uses they foresee for this emerging learning format. According to Sanjay Datta, Principal, M a h a r a n a Mewar Public S c h o o l , U d a i p u r , “Students and teachers need to be up to date of how technology is disrupting industries every day and changing future careers along the way. There are four main types of learners: auditory, visual, reading/writing, and kinaesthetic. Most of us are a mixture of these. Immersive Learning provides students an environment where the focus is on learning activities that are long-term, interdisciplinary and student-centered; organising their own work and managing their own time in an immersed environment.”

“Another key aspect of Immersive Learning is that the experiences can be made stimulating and fun. Finding ways to immerse leaners in a physical experience that represents even the most theoretical subject matter proves immersive and enjoyable, driving trainees to take charge of their own learning. Participation learning makes the process interactive, fun, and as a result, more memorable. Any job that’s potentially dangerous will greatly benefit in training that includes VR/ AR/ MR”, adds Datta. Naidu sees updating of knowledge as the single most important impact of Immersive Learning for educators, students and schools. He says, “Updating ourselves is the key to success in any field, specially updating in education industry by using Immersive Learning will be the next big thing for the educators and schools. When the educators and schools join hands together in making the students understand and learn concepts through Immersive Learning, then it is like leaving a trademark in the minds of the students about a concept, it’s hard for them to forget as they will experience it happen in front of their eyes. Our students will understand a topic through virtual reality in comparison to their assumptions.” A word of caution and role of teachers in facilitating Immersive Learning: Parents may object to an immersive learning facility as a reliable form of

teaching, because they perceive it as playing in a fantasy game. This is far from the truth, as Immersive Learning is said to help develop a variety of transferrable skills that are difficult to nurture through traditional forms of learning. Children often have trouble with critical thinking, problem solving and seeing things from a different point of view. An immersive learning environment enables children to participate in complex situations where they will need to empathise with others. Missions, puzzle solving, and strategy development are just some of the many ways that the software can challenge and engage young minds all from the safety of the classroom. We learn by making mistakes, but often these mistakes come with negative consequences. A virtual learning environment affords children the freedom to make their own decisions and learn from their own failures, yet at the same time protecting them from danger by keeping them in a controlled situation. Students are not the only ones who benefit from Immersive Learning teachers can also use the new technology to improve their skills and develop their teaching. For teachers who are just starting out in their careers, an Immersive Learning environment can be used as a supplement to lessons, helping newer teachers to develop their teaching skills in an environment that will still be educationally efficient for the children involved. Some may worry that Immersive Learning eliminates the need for physical teachers, yet on the contrary, Immersive Learning enables teachers to connect with their class in a way that wouldn’t be possible through traditional learning processes. Issues and questions about the viability of using virtual worlds and immersive environments in the classroom cannot override the potential learning benefits of immersive environments. Immersive Learning has been proven to be optimized for how the brain learns. It is not a replacement for existing methodologies and pedagogy; however, it will enrich learners’ experience and increase efficiency of classrooms.

March 2018

SPECIAL

How well equipped are your INFIRMARIES? A well equipped infirmary with a set of rules or standards in place will ensure that the students and staff at school receive timely treatment Anjana Deepak writeback@scoonews.com

he importance of the safety of our children cannot be stressed enough. Be it at home or in school, the lives and safety of our young ones are of utmost importance. With the best schools around the country providing multiple facilities, is it safe to say that these schools are also adequately equipped with infirmaries or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sick roomsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to tend to our children if and when necessary? Every school must make it a norm to provide facilities to enable health support not only to their students but to their staff as well. Slips and trips are a part of the hustle and bustle of any school, but they could result in serious injuries. The school management should have standard guidelines that must be set and followed in respect to health and safety.

March 2018

Health Corner The infirmaries at school need not only be used to tend to cuts and bruises. They can be used in a number of ways, including to… 1. Store medical/ health equipment

all times during the working hours of the school. Medical equipment such as beds, stethoscopes, wheelchair, etc should be available. Medical check-ups for students and staff should be provided at regular intervals.

2. Conduct health exams

Effective Management

3. Give urgent care to injured or sick students and for them to rest/recover

Setting up the following areas will help create an effective infirmary:

4. Give counselling and guidance to students with physical or emotional troubles 5. Gather and use health-related information 6. Plan and teach injury and disease prevention 7. Develop teaching materials for the promotion of child health and development 8. Study and understand health-related issues at school

Involvement of staff A member of the schools teaching staff could be assigned to being the head of the infirmary. This teacher would require an understanding of health related knowledge or skill or could work with a health specialist outside the school. The school could also organise activities together to increase health awareness. When the infirmary is incorporated into many aspects of education, it becomes much easier to understand health issues and coordinate activities to improve health.

The Basics Any school infirmary must always be equipped with a first aid box which must always be replenished as and when used. It should contain the following -scissors, tweezers, nail clippers, cotton swabs, sling, bandages, rubber gloves, thermometer, gauze, splint, adhesive bandages, mesh/net bandage, cotton wool, eye patch, disinfectant, compress, stomach medicine, pain medicine, motion sickness medicine, eye medicine, anti-itch medicine (for insect bites), sanitary napkins, notepad, pen, penlight, medical gloves, etc. A qualified nurse should be present at

(1) First Aid station - near the entrance of the infirmary, with convenient access to cold and hot water - organize first aid equipment and medicines for easy access (2) Resting Area - located where the teacher/staff can easily monitor the child - use curtains or partitions to create a space where the child can feel safe and relaxed - have clean bedclothes available for students (3) Counselling Area - use curtains or partitions to make an area where children can get counselling in a private, safe environment (4) Health Exam Area - set up measurement equipment so that students can use them freely - post explanations of how to use equipment and physical development information/ benchmarks (5) Health Education Resource Area - keep health education-related books, pamphlets, and videos for easy reference (6) Bulletin Board - post information on health goals and activities, related printed materials (7) Office - set up a desk where the responsible teacher can survey the entire infirmary, and efficiently receive students

Taking Responsibility Are we following everything to ensure children’s safety? Why do most schools shy away from taking responsibility when it comes to children’s health? Most schools are ready to have an ambulance parked at their facility in case of any unforeseen event where the child can be immediately rushed off to the hospital, but they aren’t ready to employ a doctor to be on campus to oversee such events.

It goes to say that the schools are more interested in protecting themselves than taking responsibility. What needs to be understood is that when a child is seriously injured, every moment is crucial from the moment of getting injured to receiving the right medical help. There must not be a moment of hesitation for the school to step forward and take that responsibility to make sure that the child is given the required medical help and not just put the child into an ambulance and whisk them away and wash their hands off the entire incident. Some schools would argue about the expense they would incur in hiring a full time doctor. However, employing a doctor on campus will not only ensure that the required treatment will be received at the earliest, but on the financial front schools must come to realise that the overall salary paid to the doctor divided by the number of students at school will not amount to much. This amount could be added to the children’s fee. Talking to a number of parents, they were in agreement to including an amount during the academic year to go towards paying the on campus doctor. Kavitha Arun whose daughter Vyshnavi goes to a reputed school in Bangalore says, “I would rather see my child immediately tended to by a professional than just being dumped into an ambulance and sent away to the hospital. It becomes extremely important for the school to start taking responsibility while our children are in their care.” Another parent, a practicising paediatrician, Dr Ravindran says, “In certain cases it makes all the difference to a child’s life if they are assessed and provided immediate treatment. The first few moments are crucial to assess the situation and timely treatment goes a long way (sometimes in saving the life of a child) before deciding to transfer the child to a hospital.” Having a well-equipped infirmary is not only needed at school, but must become mandatory. A set of rules or standards must be in place to ensure that the staff and students at school receive the best possible treatment. Children will be children – it’s our responsibility to ensure they receive timely care.

March 2018

TECH IT OUT

Top 10 Extensions to Simplify

Teachers' Lives Vinay Singh writeback@scoonews.com

Spiral Clip

oogle Chrome has become the de facto internet browser surpassing competition, with Safari, Firefox, and IE combined well below Chrome’s nearly-50% market share. Team ScooNews spent some time curating some of the best Chrome extensions for teachers; our selection is based on criteria such as popularity of the extensions, ratings, ease of use, increased efficiency and relevance to educators...etc. According to Google - Chrome Extensions are “applications that run inside the Chrome browser and provide additional functionality, integration with third party websites or services, and customized browsing experiences.” Please note that too many extensions can slow your browser down, and speed is one of Chrome’s shining points.

Spiral Clip turns any public video into a live chat with questions and quizzes. This Chrome Extension allows teachers to import videos into Spiral directly from YouTube. https://goo.gl/TEvhWp

Awesome Screenshot Capture all or part of any web page. Add annotations, comments, blur sensitive info, and share with one-click uploads. Awesome Screenshot is the highest-rated screen capture and image annotation tool on Chrome with over 2 million users. https://goo.gl/4P57dt

March 2018

OneNote Web Clipper

Todoist

Mercury Reader

Todoist is a beautifully simple to-do list. View, add, organize, complete, and delegate tasks right from your browser.

The Mercury Reader extension for Chrome removes ads and distractions, leaving only text and images for a clean and consistent reading view on every site.

https://goo.gl/2Va8dg

https://goo.gl/pb7FVU

Sticky Notes Sticky Notes is a perfect tool for taking quick notes. It is fast, secure, and private.

OneNote Web Clipper lets you quickly clip all or part of a web page into OneNote and save it for later. Clip images, PDFs, videos or a visual bookmark of a page. Best of all, you can access them from any computer, tablet or phone â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even when you're offline. https://goo.gl/yQFDTv

https://goo.gl/UaBm9j

Grammarly

Kami

Grammarly makes sure your messages, documents, and social media posts are clear, mistake-free, and impactful. Adding Grammarly to Chrome means spelling and grammar will be vetted on Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and nearly everywhere else you write on the web.

Kami - PDF and Document Markup for Chrome allows you to annotate, markup, and collaborate on your PDF, document, or image files. It works with Google Drive & Google Classroom. https://goo.gl/E45NYA

https://goo.gl/iYjBLn

ImTranslator

Blocksi Web Filter Blocksi is the top rated extension for Web & Youtube filtering, Internet access time management and trend analysis for Chrome and Chromebooks.

ImTranslator translates selected text, words (Dictionary), phrases and webpages between more than 100 languages using 3 translation providers. https://goo.gl/Yrw2jR

https://goo.gl/zBZf3y

The list is in no way comprehensive and there are many other apps which may have to be included here but for practical purposes, the ScooNews web team limited the list to the apps featured here.

March 2018

TAKE2

DID YOU KNOW?

From 1992 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004, Obama served as a lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School. He was a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996. He was a Senior Lecturer until 2004.

India’s 11th President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, after leaving office became a visiting Professor at the Indian Institute of Management at Shillong Ahmedabad, and Indore and an Honorary Fellow of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He taught information technology at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad and technology at Banaras Hindu University and Anna University and various other institutions.

Eric Arthur Blair, better known by his pen name George Orwell and author of “1984” and “Animal Farm” was a high school teacher in West London. The term Orwellian – descriptive of totalitarian or authoritarian social practices – has entered the language together with many of his neologisms, including Big Brother, Thought Police, memory hole, newspeak, doublethink, proles, unperson, and thought crime.

Before J.K. Rowling wrote “Harry Potter,” she taught English as a foreign language in Portugal. She taught English in the afternoons and evenings so she could work on her writing in the morning. She was later a French teacher back in the UK to support herself while trying to get published.

March 2018

Daniel Gerhard Brown better known as Dan Brown and the author of bestselling thriller fiction novels such as “Inferno”, “Angels & Demons” and "The Da Vinci Code" was a math teacher.

Golda Meir, the first female Prime Minister of Israel (19691974), joined the teaching profession against the will of her parents, who believed that women should focus on marriage and not their education.

Justin Trudeau, the current Prime Minister of Canada taught math, French, drama, and humanities in public and private school. He decided to become a teacher as quoted, to have â&#x20AC;&#x153;a positive influence in the world.â&#x20AC;?

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was a public school teacher. Wozniak also taught computers to middle school students back in 1995, almost a decade after he left Apple. His latest project is an online school called Woz U, which aims to provide tech training to aspiring software developers.

The 14th Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh was a teacher. He taught in several establishments including Punjab University, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi and the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The 36th President of the United States of America, Lyndon B. Johnson, was a high school teacher in Texas before he was elected to the Senate and eventually became the President in 1963.

Before serving as First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt was a teacher! For six years, she taught history, literature and public affairs at the Todhunter School for Girls in New York City.

March 2018

TAKE2

INSPIRATION

MOST INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES for TEACHERS A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils. Ever Garrison

I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think. Socrates

If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. Teach the children so it will not be necessary to teach the adults.

Chinese Proverb

Abraham Lincoln

March 2018

Every child deserves a champion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be. Rita Pierson

The principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done. Jean Piaget

The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves. Dr S Radhakrishnan

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. Khalil Gibran

The mind of the child is always on the alert, restless and eager to receive first-hand knowledge from mother nature. Children should be surrounded with the things of nature which have their own educational value. Their minds should be allowed to stumble upon and be surprised at everything that happens in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.

Rabindranath Tagore

Alexander the Great

March 2018

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READ

Exam Warriors by Narendra Modi An inspiring book for the youth, this is written in a fun and interactive style. With illustrations, activities and yoga exercises, this book will be a friend not only in acing exams but also in facing life. The education sector has always been particularly close to Modi's heart. His monthly radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat', is extremely popular among all sections of society. It was in this programme that he addressed Exam Warriors, first in 2015 and then subsequently in 2016 and 2017. Non-preachy, practical and thought-provoking, Exam Warriors is a handy guide for students in India and across the world.

Super 30: Changing the world 30 students at a time by Anand Kumar Anand Kumar, a mathematics prodigy defied all challenges to set up one of the most successful and innovative teaching initiatives in the world - Super 30. Born in Chandipur Bela (Patna), Anand secured a place in Cambridge University but couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t attend because he had no money and sold papads in the evenings instead. He dealt with his own disappointment by setting up an innovative school in 2002 to prepare underprivileged students for the IIT JEE examination. Super 30 has an astonishing success rate and on an average 27 to 28 of the 30 students crack the exam every year. Stirring and heart-wrenching, this is the extraordinary story of a visionary who has elevated these bright sparks and, through education, given them hope to rise above crippling poverty.

March 2018

Every Teacher Matters - Inspiring Well-Being through Mindfulness by Kathryn Lovewell Teachers are the most valuable resource in education. Why is it that so little investment is made in supporting teachers to ensure they can sustain effective teaching and learning in the classroom? What if we were to invest time and energy back into the core of education, the teachers? What if we were to publicly express how valuable teachers really are? What if we lived in a society that made emotional health and well-being in the workplace a priority? What if we lived in a world where emotional intelligence was prioritised over any other subject so that learning could be accessed more easily and effortlessly? With humour, anecdote, and a wealth of background research, Every Teacher Matters offers a gentle hand to guide teachers - and through them, their students back to their hearts!

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What role will technology play in education in the future?

EVERY TEACHER SHOULD VIEW

Noah, a young boy, uses technology to chase his dreams, making the impossible seem possible one small step at a time. http://bit.ly/2BQT0fG

A Unique Teacher Imparts Real Life Lessons Jeffrey Wright uses wacky experiments to teach children about the universe, but it is his own personal story that teaches them the true meaning of life. https://nyti.ms/2kb813X

Is Technology a Threat to Our Education? In this interesting video, Jonathan Strickland explores the future of technology and education. Education is more than just processing information, it's about learning how to learn! https://youtu.be/nVYwGc8u_c0

21st Century Classroom Learn about how one teacher, Mike Christiansen, a 9th grade social studies teacher at Kent-Meridian High School in Kent, WA, uses YouTube in his classroom. https://youtu.be/NLNuv7jAIhg

March 2018