Have you ever had a bad day? Can we go through lives without having a bad day? What about good days? We have all had our good and bad days whether a child or an adult or an old person. What is one thing that we can ask another person when we know they are having a bad day? what is it that we can do for ourselves when we are having a bad day? We can work with kindness. It is an emotion. It is also a skill that can be taught in schools. The world needs more of it. What say? Teach yourself to fly when you want to cry. Pandemic fatigue has set in… we need to be safe and we need to carry on. Let us carry on with kindness to ourselves and to all those who we touch and teach.
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Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” ― Plato
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” ― Anne Frank
One Video of the Week
When we help children to recognize and act from their “higher self, they take pride in their good behavior and encourage others to do the same. Kindness is its own reward, not simply a way of avoiding punishment. In this talk author/singer Barry Lane shows how his songs help transform a rule bound, anti-bully school culture, into a joyful place where students act freely as individuals to create a “Force Field for Good”. Songs and assembly information can be found at http://www.forcefieldforgood.com . Follow @barrylane That amazing troubadour of joy, hope, and song is coming back. He tells me a school without music is a prison not a school. Barry wants us to know music heals, music inspires, music matters. Most of all Barry Lane wants us to know music belongs in our public schools.
Love is Truth. Kindness is freedom. Be kind to be free. In this talk author/singer Barry Lane shows how songs can create a greater degree of self-awareness that helps students and schools move past a compliance model of kindness, to one where students are encouraged to act from a place of intrinsic nobility. When we help children to recognize and act from their “higher self”, they take pride in their behavior and encourage others to do the same. Together we weave a Force Field for Good.
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Our students need to be equipped with the knowledge and thinking ability for finding real world solutions to real world problems. STEAM – Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics. This integrated approach is the way to go starting with school education in the earliest years. Here are some tips for educators especially in Mya Țărmure’s talk.
Would love to hear how you have integrated it in your curriculum and teaching. Please subscribe to my weekly newsletter with you email id here.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
” I have no hesitation in saying we need to add the letter A… an education devoid of arts… is empty, half-brain kind of education.” Howard Gardner. Harvard University education professor.
“I’m enough of an artist to draw freely on my imagination, which I think is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” Albert Einstein.
One Video of the Week
Mya Țărmure started her talk by sharing a story from her childhood, when she wanted to sue her math teacher. That experience made her want to change education. Even though, nowadays, we have tablets and white boards in classes, kids are still taught as if they are all the same, as if they learn in the same way. We still believe science is just for boys, girls should go to ballet and piano classes. It’s all about the mindset and the education we give to our kids.
How can we better prepare them for the future? By offering an education that helps kids become independent, ready to find solutions for any challenge they might encounter. Her mission and passion is to prepare children for the future. She helps them step outside of their comfort zone through technology, robotics and programming classes. Her goal is to engage children in all kind of interconnected hands-on activities, based on STEAM methodology.
Before discovering her true meaning in life, she has been working in the digital environment for 8 years, managing products and communication campaigns for Fortune 500 companies.
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Exam stress. All of us have gone through growing up in various degrees. Some of us found it debilitating while some of us coped and some is us used it to perform better than the rest of the time. Tests are a part of student life. Stress that makes our children and students lesser than themselves during tests is so avoidable. As parents and educators, we can support them by giving them some skills for our this generation of life long learners. Here are some ideas, hope they help in the ongoing and ensuing board exams. Let me know if you found more methods and don’t miss the 8th grader Ayase’s talk and his tips on managing test anxiety.
Please subscribe to this newsletter by entering your email id here. It is free and will take you along my learning journey every week.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“My advice is, never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.” – Charles Dickens ‘David Copperfield’
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
One Video of the Week
Ayase constantly feels pressured by school grades and exams. She wants to share her tips and strategies on how to take tests well. Ayase constantly feels pressured by school grades and exams, she wants to share her tips and strategies on how to take tests well.
And Finally….
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
School closed. School reopen. These two words have carried deep impact on families and communities of every state and every country around the world in the last couple of years while living through the pandemic.
From my perspective, as a teacher, as a school administrator, as a school advisor across a range of schools and higher education institutions and ed-tech companies – it has been one uncertain time period. My north star during this period – of how to walk with my fellow educators and shine the light on the best possible path for them has been the stake holders themselves. Revise, Pivot and “Maslow.” The levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs were to be achieved ground up first. Physiological needs, Safety needs, Love and belonging, then the esteem, cognitive needs and self actualisation can be fulfilled.
How have you gone about giving voice to your students, teachers, families to find solutions that will light our way through the pandemic into post pandemic era for education?What has been your blue print through this un-chartered territory? Share with me and subscribe to this newsletter with your email id here.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. The best is yet to come.” Zig Ziglar
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” – Marcus Aurelius
One Video of the Week
Schools had a unique position during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Diane Wolf describes her journey as an Assistant Superintendent leading during this time and gives hope to what schools have learned.
From basic needs to emotional supports; school leaders, teachers and staff put kids first! Dr. Diane Wolf has lead schools for the last few decades with hope and clarity. Her passion for teaching and learning is evident in her daily work and she believes schools are the foundation for a community.
Known for her candor and positivity, Diane gives hope to what can be while realistic about what is now.
Showcase of the week:
Engaging Children with Museum Objects.
Through an interactive and engaging session, educators and museum professionals will learn about the different approaches to connecting the museum objects to people.
The approaches will cater to different age groups, and will have corresponding hands-on activities. Creating educational pathways, making education more accessible through the museums collection is the key to successful education programming.
We will together explore ways how one object can be interpreted in many ways to tell stories, learn values, morals and can be a part of multiple disciplines.
Date: Friday, 19th November; Time: 3.30-5.30pm On Zoom
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
November evokes some strange emotions. Parts of the world have day light saving times and there are glimpses of approaching winter with days becoming shorter. Dushehra-Diwali the big two festivals are over in India and the students are preparing for their pre-boards or half yearlies. There is anticipation of Christmas and New Year but not just yet… Autumn leaves, last of them are lost from the deciduous trees. We prepare for winter months. We reflect and enjoy the year gone by with some fun challenges, some interesting quotes, some mellow moments. This year, schools have opened post pandemic and the conflicting emotions of stress at many levels along side the relief of getting children back to school post pandemic is palpable. Take some time dear educators, parents and students for whom I create this newsletter every week, enjoy reading and subscribe with your email id here. Hello November!
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Fear not November’s challenge bold— We’ve books and friends, And hearths that never can grow cold: These make amends!” — Alexander Louis Fraser, “November”
“This is the month of nuts and nutty thoughts — that November whose name sounds so bleak and cheerless — perhaps its harvest of thought is worth more than all the other crops of the year.” — Henry David Thoreau
One Video of the Week
Bojan and Brogan have figured out the way to motivate people of all ages and athletic backgrounds to wake up early, train their butts off, and meet new friends, all for a very affordable price of a hug or a high-five. This talk will give you an insight into the fastest growing fitness phenomenon and how it’s changing the notion that staying in shape should cost money.
Bojan (pronounced Boyan) Mandaric, born and raised in Serbia, made his way across the pond in 2002 after being recruited to row for Northeastern University Men’s Crew Team. After winning accolades at the national and international level, Bojan decided to turn his interests to running and cycling. Living in Allston, MA with his wife and a 100lb German Shepard, he promotes FREE fitness and off-line human interactions across North America and soon the world. His shaved head and Eastern European look can sometimes project a scary or arrogant personality, but that misconception is gone when he delivers a massive bear hug. Brogan Graham, brought up by hippy parents and raised FREE-range in Madison, Wisconsin. This basket-balling trash-talker jumped into D1 boat racing with Bojan at Northeastern University and BOOOOOOM! he became a racing athlete and city-boy all in the same oneway ticket to Boston, Massachusetts.
A world traveler and a promoter of friendly vibes, “BG” is known to be the louder of the two leaders of the November Project. You can plan on seeing this community driven personality building new tribes and new athletes while inspiring racers who are looking for something new. Prepare to hear the F-word a few times and know that this man is a hugger, not a shaker.
And Finally…
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
How many of us know deeply religious people who pray regularly, follow all the rituals, know all the scriptures, and are also very judgmental at the same time? can we call them spiritual? How should we look at being human? We have a spate of festivals being celebrated… school holidays and festivals are almost synonymous. Religious festivals, harvest festivals, national festivals…we celebrate them across the world. Most schools and also higher education institutions celebrate them in the institutions as well besides homes. What about spirituality? Do we discuss it enough with our children and students? What does it mean to each of us? Is it important for children to grow up knowing the difference? to pick one? to pick both? to pick none?
Here are some thoughts that I have collated. Let me know what you think and please subscribe to this newsletter with your email here.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“All religions have been made by men.” Napoleon Bonaparte
The man who says to me, “Believe as I do, or God will damn you,” will presently say, “Believe as I do, or I shall assassinate you.” Voltaire
One Video of the Week
In this TED talk, Archana discusses her views in distinguishing spirituality from religion, and how the former can help us to achieve more in life, and to feel more fulfilled ultimately. Archana is a changemaker with many roles. Alongside being a leadership speaker, writer and a budding lawyer, she also is a young diplomat and a published author. She believes in the power of spirituality, leadership and wisdom to progress in life. She currently is the Asian Regional Representative of The Commonwealth Youth Council, a voice for over 1.2 billion of youths. A lover of words and poetry, Archana also works as the Global Youth Ambassador of Theirworld to advocate for the equality of education. billion of youths. For her work in leadership and youth empowerment, she has been recognised as a Global Goodwill Ambassador of Malaysia.
And Finally…
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Discipline at schools has always been a matter of discussion for me and the school leaders. The students are coming back to school slowly after pandemic and I have been hearing murmurs from teachers across schools that one of the key factors to deal with alongside the learning gap will be discipline. What do you think? here are some points to ponder.
To keep learning and discussing on matters of education, teaching and parenting subscribe with your email to my newsletter.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“The ultimate goal of classroom management should not be on simple obedience, but on having students behave appropriately because they know it’s the right thing to do and because they can understand how their actions affect other people” (Hardin).
“Rather than creating rules, (the) students (will) engage in conversation about the type of community they wish their classroom to be” (Hardin).
One Video of the Week
Why do we think urban kids lined up in uniforms, sitting straight, and echoing answers are learning? I experimented with democratic practices in my urban classroom, and was surprised by the transformative power of democratic practices in the lives of students.
Katherine von Duyke, PhD is a professor and socio-cultural researcher. Her research on student agency in schooling contexts highlights the ways in which agents are in tension with, transform, and transcend situated contexts and discourses. Her experiences in education have been varied: she has been a homeschooling parent, directed a cooperative Montessori school, taught in an urban Montessori Charter school, and taught high school science. She currently teaches as a professor of education where she has been teaching math, foundations, and multicultural diversity courses
And Finally…
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
The schools are reopening in fits and starts across the world. It has been acknowledged that there have been varying degrees of learning loss across demographics. This has happened in K-12 and higher education. Learning loss, strain on the education system, mental health, and trauma of loss. This has created a great risk of learning disparity. It has also given us some opportunity to re-imagine education. Do share what your thoughts are and how do you think parents, students, and educators can come together along with the policymakers to make it up for our future generation.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” – John Lennon
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tzu
One Video of the Week
HGSE Dean Bridget Long presents an overview of the impact and lessons of the global coronavirus pandemic on the field of education. The presentation was delivered in February 22, 2021 at Imagine Solutions, an annual forum (this year, virtual) that brings up to 20 distinguished experts, all widely recognized as prominent in their fields, to engage with an audience of 600 representatives of the private and nonprofit sectors. With a global perspective, national focus, and ability to implement at a local level, the conference is meant to link learning with leadership and to drive change in the world
Showcase of the week
Edtech tools help us gamify the whole experience of learning . Join us as we create this experience and learn how to make our classrooms engaging and rewarding for our learners . Click here to register -https://rzp.io/l/TWTech Please note : once you make the payment the site will redirect you to receive your zoom link for the session.
And Finally…
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Gratitude is the greatest self-help trend that is going on today. The attitude of gratitude. How is it practiced? How does it help us? How does it help the one you are grateful to when explicitly told? Not just ‘thought of’ or ‘written on’ in a personal gratitude journal or a list? Is it an attitude that can be acquired? A skill that can be taught? a communication that can be done more often? Check out Keka’s talk in the video shared in the newsletter where she urges us to turn this self-help trend to a world-help one and share our gratitude emotions with those who we are grateful to. Now and everyday. Not wait for a eulogy or keep it contained in gratitude journals or meditative minds. What do you say? Here are some tips on how to teach it to your children/students and yourselves while at it.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.” Charlotte to Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” Maya Angelou
One Video of the Week
Why do we, on one hand, wait until someone leaves the room to praise them; then on the other hand, privately journal all of the things for which we’re grateful? How many of us have been positively impacted by someone, yet we never told them? In this heartfelt talk, Keka shares her journey of loss and love, and how she stumbled upon an unexpected side effect of gifting gratitude: one which combats today’s self-worth crisis, and our bullying and loneliness epidemics.
Her story may forever change how you practice gratitude. Keka is dedicated to moving people from feeling helpless to helpful through the powerful (and completely free) act of sharing gratitude.
Showcase of the week:
And Finally…
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
From the time schools shut down in 2019 for pandemic, educators across board have shown courage, creativity, and determination in helping their students and colleagues through the most difficult time of their lives.
This collective experience has not just changed us as students, parents or educators but has dramatically altered the way we apporach learning and education now. These changes, whether good and/or bad—will impact school education for years to come. it would be great to hear some educator voices now on what they think, how they would like to see the future and engage with transacting learning with their students. Educator workload being one of the top of my mind that I hear from teachers. Next comes how can we support teachers who understand and bear the trauma that their students faced during this pandemic. How are they supported? who supports them? When a doctor or a nurse loses a patient or a police loses a colleague, there is a support system however ineffective or partially effective it is. What about teachers? They feel for their colleagues and students and suffer and support their loss too. How is a teacher supported so she can support those in her charge? What do you think? Share your thoughts and subscribe to this weekly newsletter by entering your email here.
Three Images of the Week
Two Thoughts of the Week
“Why didn’t I learn to treat everything like it was the last time. My greatest regret was how much I believed in the future.” ―Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” –Robert Brault
One Video of the Week
Teachers emotionally support our kids — but who’s supporting our teachers? In this eye-opening talk, educator Sydney Jensen explores how teachers are at risk of “secondary trauma” — the idea that they absorb the emotional weight of their students’ experiences — and shows how schools can get creative in supporting everyone’s mental health and wellness.
Sydney Jensen is a ninth-grade English teacher at Lincoln High School in the epicenter of America’s heartland: Lincoln, Nebraska. Lincoln is one of the nation’s top cities for refugee resettlement, and students at Lincoln High speak more than 30 languages.
Jensen also serves as an instructional coach working with new and veteran teachers to provide instructional support and mentorship. In recognition of her work in the classroom and the school community, Jensen is the 2019 Nebraska Teacher of the Year. She is a passionate advocate for increased mental and emotional wellness supports for both students and the teachers who serve them.
Showcase of the week
Looking for an easy and engaging way to teach map skills in your online classes? THT is here to help you. Join us for the workshop on ‘Teaching map skills using digital tools’ facilitated by Harsvardan Bhagat , to explore different techniques/tools to teach maps to your learners. Who can attend : Middle Primary and secondary grade teachers . To register you can click on the following link : https://rzp.io/l/mapskills
And Finally…
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 intend to share what I read, learn and, experience while 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 for you to subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Nivedita Mukerjee 