Nivedita Mukerjee
Education consultancy for parents and schools
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #159, 25th July 2023
Am I the better version of me or a different version of me since my last birthday? (continuing on my reflections in my birthday month) are you? is your child? is the school you are working in better/different because of your contribution than it was before you came in? what would you call it – comparison, competition, growth? How do you ensure that you don’t push your child, student, or peer into a corner of loneliness, depression, and dejection by comparisons and rankings that we have brought onto ourselves as a very grotesque form of survivalism that as a life sciences teacher appears to have been hardwired in us perhaps from 12,000 years ago when we started our existence as homo-sapiens? So deep is it in our subconscious? Today it feels to me, a kind of violence in the system of education. Something which is meant for nurturing growth and creativity in humanity.
Is there a method of judging yourself/your student/your child/your team without ‘judging’? Can we not walk away from the prehistoric habit of ranking? here are some thoughts and strategies to foster a mindset of supporting growth of intelligence of various kinds in various students and children, for a society that is happy, healthy and, intelligent in more ways than one. Where we value growth of individuals and groups in many different ways, ways that are not primitive, but is inclusive even if at different levels and varying paces.
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Three images of the week:
Two Thoughts of the Week:
“Win or lose you will never regret working hard, making sacrifices, being disciplined or focusing too much. Success is measured by what we have done to prepare for competition.”— John Smith
“If we continue to think and live as if we belong only to different cultures and different religions, with separate missions and goals, we will always be in self-defeating competition with each other. Once we realize we are all members of humanity, we will want to compete in the spirit of love.”— Muhammad Ali
One Video of the Week:
Education is supposed to prepare us for life. However, our schools, colleges, and universities are solely designed to teach us some skills. Concentrating on teaching knowledge, the education system is entirely consumed by “The Ranking Disorder”; everything is ranked to find the best, and to be the best.
This has made the postsecondary institutions into aggressive trade schools with no deep understanding of learning and intelligence. The cutthroat nature of competition culture and its relentless attempt to quantify, compare and rank students, professors, and universities breeds psychological disorders like stress, anxiety, loneliness, and depression that occasionally erupt into physical violence: student suicide.
The ranking disorder appears to be a “grotesque derailment” in the evolution of human beings, a phenomenon that permeates all aspects of our lives. The right way of education has to be free from ranking and competitiveness; it should emphasize the discovery and nurturing of intelligence by learning to be sensitive, inquisitive, and compassionate.
Hamid Tizhoosh is a professor at the University of Waterloo since 2001. He teaches algorithms and computer programming, artificial intelligence, and medical imaging.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #158, 18th July 2023
My birthday month is on and I am making a list of my favorite people, activities, places, and things to do. What are some of yours? Do you know what your student’s favorite things are? How about your child’s favorite things? Do you have a list of your own? How often do you revise it if you have one written down? Have they changed over the years? What are some of the reasons our favorite things change?
Sharing here some sample lists for students, teachers, and parents. Use these ideas to make your own with your students, friends, and family. Let me know how they turned out and what emotions did you go through while you were making them.
This is a free-to-subscribe newsletter. So if you like my content, please go ahead and subscribe to it by putting in your email id here:
Three images of the week:
Two Thoughts of the Week
“My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time. “
Steve Jobs
“Isn’t that the only way to curate a life? To live among things that make you gasp with delight?”
Maira Kalman, My Favorite Things
One Video of the Week
In the talk, he spoke about his journey as a singer and how he “has always been Lucky” since childhood as his family belongs to cinema and theatre for ages. He developed an interest into singing at a very young age and described how his father made his first debut when he was born. He also spoke about his unembellished life where he likes to stay in the scenic and greenery areas of the city and how he usually travels the road untaken to achieve his goals. An important message that he enlightened us with was an eye-opener to today’s youth and all generations, he said “Until you fall, You cannot rise”. Lucky Ali, a man who remained true to his art, and at the age of 62, he is still pure gold! He is an Indian singer, songwriter, and actor. With several popular singles and albums like ‘O Sanam’, ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai’, ‘Bachna ae Haseeno’, ‘Tamasha’, ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ and many more, he emerged as a significant figure of Indipop during the 1990s. There is no road trip or travel which is complete without his songs on and we wish we could show him the indelible mark he has left on our hearts and that will continue to be the case for generations to come!
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #157, 11th July 2023
Hey all, this is my birthday month. Yes, I am a little wiser, much more grateful, and certainly more curious. Here are some questions that I ask myself often and most definitely around the time of my birthday:
- Who is the coolest person I know? What would I like to learn from that person’s attitude?
- What’s something new I learned since my last birthday?
- What’s my best piece of advice?
- What’s the most fun thing I did this year?
- Who do I look up to?
- If the world was ending tomorrow, what would I want to do today?
What do you reflect upon on your important days or milestones like birthdays or anniversaries?
This is a free-to-subscribe newsletter. So if you like my content, please go ahead and subscribe to it by putting in your email id here:
Three Images of the Week – Birthday Bulletin Boards
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you! “
- Dr. Seuss
“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much”.
- George Harrison
One Video of the Week
Birthday parties can be fun and kind to the planet. Reina talks about how she has celebrated her special days in sustainable and eco-friendly ways. Reina is a 3rd Grader who loves going on playdates. Her favorite time of the day is to practice her double jumps in figure skating. She believes young children can also play a role to make the world a better place. Grace is a sunny and cheerful 7-year-old who loves to spend time outdoors. She wants to help others and be self-sufficient, starting with growing her own fruits and vegetables.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #156, 4th July 2023
What is your opinion about the culture at your current school? How do you feel about it as a parent, as a teacher, as a school leader? What are the feelings of students and staff members inside the school? What are the dynamics between the school leadership and parents?
This is a free-to-subscribe newsletter. So if you like my content, please go ahead and subscribe to it by putting in your email id here:
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“The heart and soul of school culture is what people believe, the assumptions they make about how school works.” — Thomas J. Sergiovanni
“School cultures are complex webs of traditions and rituals that have been built up over time as teachers, students, parents, and administrators work together and deal with crises and accomplishments. Cultural patterns are highly enduring, have a powerful impact on performance, and shape the ways people think, act, and feel.” — Deal, T.E., and Peterson, K.D., “Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership”
One Video of the Week
How everyone treats each other at a high school has a huge impact on learning. This is what to look out for.
Do you want to understand how to create a happy classroom climate for students and teachers?
As a school leader, you can influence whether children feel comfortable in the classroom and how successful they are by creating a positive climate.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Showcase of the week
Teaching students the essence of art, history, and culture is indispensable. ReReeti Foundation’s Retihaas is an alternative learning resource created by the organization to make the study of history more relevant, reachable and relatable. This educational tool contains all of ReReeti’s original research on major historic events such as the 1947 Partition and World War I. Click here to visit the site.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #155, 27th June 2023
Our choices make us. Our self-control builds us into who we are. Self-regulation is a skill that needs to be taught, in school and at home, to be successful in learning and growing up to be calm and balanced as adults.
RULER method. One of the many methods you can use to assist students/your child and of course yourself as a parent/teacher, in self-regulating emotions effectively and learning social and emotional skills. Brackett and Rivers (2014) developed the RULER method.
RULER stands for:
- recognize emotion in self and others,
- understand an emotion’s cause and potential consequences,
- label emotions with accurate vocabulary,
- express emotions in constructive ways, and
- learn to regulate emotions in positive ways (Nathanson et al., 2016). As part of the RULER method, teachers are encouraged to assist students in recognizing emotions using a mood meter. This helps younger students begin to identify emotions by color zones (red, yellow, green and blue) representing different categories of emotion such as anger, sadness, calm, and happiness (Tominey et al., 2017). How do you help yourself in managing your emotions? your student/child’s emotions? Find some suggestions in this issue of the newsletter, let me know some of your ‘go-to’ methods during stressful times.
This is a free-to-subscribe newsletter. So if you like my content, please go ahead and subscribe to it by putting in your email id here:
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“The best fighter is never angry.” – Lao Tzu
“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
One Video of the Week
Dr. Antle brings to our attention the idea that perhaps what is preventing children in developing regions from learning is not the lack of schools, but instead, the inability to self-regulate due to experienced traumas.
She explains how the headset and app technology she developed teaches children how to self-regulate and how this has, and will, have a profound influence on how children are able to learn across all parts of the world.
Dr. Antle pushes the boundaries of computation to expand the ways we think and learn. As a designer and builder of interactive technologies, her goal is to explore the way in which these innovations can improve, augment, and support children’s development.
Her interactive technologies have been deployed to facilitate collaborative learning about aboriginal heritage, sustainability and social justice; improve learning outcomes for dyslexic children; and teach self-regulation to disadvantaged children.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Showcase of the week
Teaching students the essence of art, history, and culture is indispensable. ReReeti Foundation’s Retihaas is an alternative learning resource created by the organization to make the study of history more relevant, reachable and relatable. This educational tool contains all of ReReeti’s original research on major historic events such as the 1947 Partition and World War I. Click here to visit the site.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #154, 20th June 2023
Father’s Day was celebrated a few days back. Through almost every studied culture, fathers have assumed three primary roles: the protector, the provider, and the disciplinarian. In many single and two-parent families, these roles are being fulfilled by one, two, or both parents right?
My dad did all the typical things that a father does, taught me to ride a bike, played badminton with me, coached me to swim, showed me how to manage finance, and most definitely gave me confidence in myself to do whatever I did best and wanted most. He scaffolded me every step of the way, through my joys, sorrows, and dilemmas. He, along with my mom, every step of the way. So when I think of my parents, I think they were great at how to scaffold and when to take off the scaffolding. I hope that my husband and I have been able to do the same with our child, as we understood best.
Here are a few ways you can scaffold your child as a parent and some tips for educators as well to scaffold their students. Let me know if as a parent or educator, you have found new ways of scaffolding your children/students.
The video in this issue is fun and motivational, for dad especially. Happy Father’s Day dear dads.
This is a free-to-subscribe newsletter. So if you like my content, please go ahead and subscribe to it by putting in your email id here:
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Historically, the family has played the primary role in educating children for life, with the school providing supplemental scaffolding to the family. “
Stephen Covey
“The scaffolding must be removed once the house is built.”
Friedrich Nietzsche’Friedrich Nietzsche
One Video of the Week
Jordan Watson was bored at home with his four-month-old when he decided to make a video for a friend who was expecting. Overnight, he became a viral sensation, and How to Dad was born. In this hilarious, charming, and inspiring talk, Jordan shares the journey of How to DAD and the lessons he’s picked up along the way. Jordan Watson A.K.A – How to DAD, created his first comical parenting video in 2015 and hasn’t stopped since. In under two years he has amassed over 180 million video views and has an army of 1.4 million followers across Facebook and Youtube. Over the past year he has published two “instructional” books and in May of this year released a NZonAir web-series all about throwing Gumboots. How to DAD has his sights set on taking over the world, in a cute, comical way of course.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Showcase of the week
Teaching students the essence of art, history, and culture is indispensable. ReReeti Foundation’s Retihaas is an alternative learning resource created by the organization to make the study of history more relevant, reachable and relatable. This educational tool contains all of ReReeti’s original research on major historic events such as the 1947 Partition and World War I. Click here to visit the site.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #153, 13th June 2023
“Ms. Niv, we are going to start this year’s session by talking about good touch-bad touch”;
“Ms. Nivedita, for the first time in our institution, we need to discuss uncomfortable and sly innuendos amongst colleagues”.
Last week I had these discussions with some of my fellow educators.
What can we do in our schools to make children more aware, sensitive, and equipped to handle these conversations and avoid these situations? here are some ways, let me know what you think or practice already, as a parent, teacher, or school administrator.
Consent means giving someone a choice about touch or actions and respecting their answer. With children, we often use the language “asking for permission.”
As a parent/teacher, go ahead and teach Your Child/Student:
- Your body belongs to you
- No one should touch you without permission
- Telling someone not to touch you is NOT rude
- Consent means always choosing to respect others’ boundaries
- Respecting someone’s boundaries shows that you care about them
It is never too early but could be too late to teach about the body, permission, current, personal space, and respecting one’s body and that of others. After all, we are not growing kids but future adults. Right?
This is a free-to-subscribe newsletter. So if you like my content, please go ahead and subscribe to it by putting in your email id here:
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
Don’t consent to be hurt and you won’t be hurt – this is a choice over which you have control
– Epictetus
Dissent without action is consent.
– Henry David Thoreau
One Video of the Week
The importance of learning about consent at a young age Monica Rivera is originally from the east coast and currently works at CSU in the Women and Gender Advocacy Center. Additionally, she is an Instructor in the Women’s Studies and Ethnic Studies Departments where she teaches courses on violence prevention, gender socialization, and the representation of identity in popular media. Monica earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Syracuse University and her graduate degree in Sociology from CSU. In her free time, Monica is a documentary photographer and enjoys spending time with family.
She is married to a fellow social justice educator and is the proud adoptive mom of two stinky dogs and 2 little dudes, Mateo and Santino.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Showcase of the week
Teaching students the essence of art, history, and culture is indispensable. ReReeti Foundation’s Retihaas is an alternative learning resource created by the organization to make the study of history more relevant, reachable and relatable. This educational tool contains all of ReReeti’s original research on major historic events such as the 1947 Partition and World War I. Click here to visit the site.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #152, 6th June 2023
Curiosity, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration. The BIG 4 of today’s young learners is waiting to be delved deeper, stronger, and more thoroughly than ever. In my 4 newsletters consecutively, starting from this one – you will find suggestions, ideas, and philosophy of why we need it and most importantly how we can, as parents and educators nurture the BIG 4 systematically and by design.
This week it is about Collaboration.
Summer break and academic year 2023-24, is upon us. We must make up for the lost time of pandemic years this year as we know how much we have struggled to cope – as parents, teachers, and students, on the lost time. Ready? subscribe now to my weekly newsletter on education. It is free and it is bite-size 🙂
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“When entire companies embrace a growth mindset, their employees report feeling far more empowered and committed; they also receive far greater organizational support for collaboration and innovation.” Carol S. Dweck
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” Helen Keller
One Video of the Week
The controversial class rank system has come up in discussion many times. However, hearing a student’s perspective on the subject is rare. High school senior Bhavana Kolla shares her thoughts on the effects of the class rank system with regard to collaboration and mental health. She will talk about what schools should do to in order to foster a healthy, cooperative environment and to bring back the collaboration that used to exist. For someone who wants to understand the growing pressures of society on the younger generation, this talk is the perfect way to uncover what the current generation truly faces.
Bhavana Kolla is a senior at South Fayette High School. She is a member of the marching band, student government, and library club. Bhavana is also heavily involved in the school’s fundraising events. Additionally, she is an avid dancer and has been involved in the art form for over ten years. Bhavana also has a love for volunteering and travelling. Being involved in the school has been a passion for Bhavana the past four years, and she hopes to advocate for the mental health of students across the country through this talk. Bhavana Kolla is a senior at South Fayette High School. She is a member of the marching band, student government, and library club. Bhavana is also heavily involved in the fundraising events the school holds. Additionally, she is an avid dancer and has been involved in the art form for over 10 years. Bhavana also has a love for volunteering and travelling. Being involved in the school has been a passion for Bhavana the past four years, and she hopes to advocate for the mental health of students across the country through this talk.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #151, 30th May 2023
Curiosity, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration. The BIG 4 of today’s young learners is waiting to be delved deeper, stronger, and more thoroughly than ever. In my 4 newsletters consecutively, starting from this one – you will find suggestions, ideas, and philosophy of why we need it and most importantly how we can, as parents and educators nurture the BIG 4 systematically and by design.
This week it is about Communication.
Summer break and academic year 2023-24, is upon us. We must make up for the lost time of pandemic years this year as we know how much we have struggled to cope – as parents, teachers, and students, on the lost time. Ready? subscribe now to my weekly newsletter on education. It is free and it is bite-size 🙂
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else … Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.”
― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky
One Video of the Week
Keisha Brewer is a Strategic Communications professional and CEO of the PR Alliance LLC, an entertainment and lifestyle public relations agency. She will share how effective communications can be used by all women (and men) to excel in everyday life.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #150, 23rd May 2023
Curiosity, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration. The BIG 4 of today’s young learners is waiting to be delved deeper, stronger, and more thoroughly than ever. In my 4 newsletters consecutively, starting from this one – you will find suggestions, ideas, and philosophy of why we need it and most importantly how we can, as parents and educators nurture the BIG 4 systematically and by design.
This week it is about Creativity.
Summer break and academic year 2023-24, is upon us. We have to make up for the lost time of pandemic years most definitely this year as we know how much we have struggled to cope – as parents, teachers, and students, on the lost time. Ready? subscribe now to my weekly newsletter on education. It is free and it is bite-size 🙂
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
― Albert Einstein
“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
One Video of the Week
To get young kids to thrive in school, we need to do more than teach them how to read and write — we need to teach them how to manage their emotions, says educator Olympia Della Flora. In this practical talk, she shares creative tactics she used to help struggling, sometimes disruptive students — things like stopping for brain breaks, singing songs and even doing yoga poses — all with her existing budget and resources. “Small changes make huge differences, and it’s possible to start right now … You simply need smarter ways to think about using what you have, where you have it,” she says.
Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by the following :
Nivedita Mukerjee 