Nivedita Mukerjee
Education consultancy for parents and schools
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 53, 13th July 2021
Here you go! “Happy Birthday month to me” theme continues and in this issue you will find some awesome ways to celebrate birthdays of your teachers, parents, students, virtually. Don’t miss the many ways little Reina has been celebrating her birthdays since she was 5 and listen to her idea of birthday celebration during the pandemic.
How are you celebrating your birthday this year? Do share as comments to this post and subscribe with your email id here.
Three Images of the week :
Two thoughts of the week :
“There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.” William Barclay
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” Oprah Winfrey
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 favourite 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 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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me.
This news letter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Special Issue # 52, 6th July 2021
‘Happy Birthday to me month’ it is and so is it for the newsletter :). I get to grow older (and hopefully wiser and more curious), this issue of the weekly newsletter : 3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv, marks a whole year of publishing! What started as a lock down project last year has given me enormous joy with the opportunity of being able to continue to engage with parents, students and teachers. Something I thought would be difficult and less effective with the raging pandemic.
However, I got to engage more deeply, more often and across many educational institutions. I interacted with parents and trained teachers across cities of Bangalore, Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Jodhpur, Belgaum… Thanks to each of you dear readers for participating and encouraging the learning journey.
Here I bring for you some glimpses of how I spent my time doing more of what I love – learning and teaching – with parents, teachers and students. Please share your thoughts on what you would like to learn with me as comments to this post. I will strive to bring more meaningful and enriching issues going forward.
(Three) Images of the week : Some images of the range of webinars for parents
(Two) thoughts of the week : As Faculty, Online Post Graduate Course For Teachers
(One) video of the week : Virtual Sessions For Students of higher education on how to tell their unique story for a job interview and crafting a good resume.
Showcase
I enjoyed running my own YouTube channel. The three playlists that I have are : on the webinars I have given, the interviews I have recorded with the thought leaders in education, the prose and poetry playlist where I read some of my favourite poems in Hindi and English for you. Go ahead check it out and don’t forget to subscribe. I keep uploading new videos every month. Here are the links to each of the playlists.
My YouTube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhenv3viEfWv-_TDe2wXhw
Playlist 1 : Webinars with Nivedita
Playlist 2 : Prose and poetry with Nivedita
Playlist 3 : In conversation with Nivedita
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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me.
This news letter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 51, 29th June 2021
Often we feel that we are alone and nobody understands us. My students have felt it, my colleagues have shared it, parents whom I work with have spoken about it and leaders most definitely feel it often enough in their roles at the top. What can we do? can we have the courage of spoken words to share our story with the others? poetry, a story, a song can find many listeners, forge deep connections and build great relationships.
Three images of the week
Two thoughts of the week
“Poets are shameless with their experiences: they exploit them.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
“Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand.”
― Plato
One video for the week
Sarah Kay has shared her poetry in 30 countries on six continents: in the middle of cornfields in Iowa, an orthodontist office in Nepal, a viking ship on a fjord in Norway, an LGBTQ community center in India, a church in New Zealand, a nightclub in Singapore, the Royal Danish Theater in Denmark, a public square in Estonia, Carnegie Hall in New York City, the back rooms of bars, juvenile detention centers, middle school gymnasiums and everywhere in between. Her poetry can be found on Netflix TV shows, Uniqlo T-shirts and bookstore shelves. She is the author of four best-selling books of poetry including B, The Type, No Matter the Wreckage and All Our Wild Wonder.
Kay holds a Masters Degree in The Art of Teaching from Brown University and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Grinnell College. She is the founder and codirector of Project VOICE, an organization that uses spoken word poetry to entertain, educate and empower students and teachers worldwide.
Sarah Kay is a poet, performer, educator and the founder of Project VOICE, an organization that uses spoken word poetry to entertain, educate and empower students and teachers worldwide.
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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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 50, 22nd June 2021
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find the word that means Maria?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o’-the wisp! A clown!
To be curious, to learn by experiencing, to have optimism. Can we be life long learners? Every child and many adults have some bit of ‘Maria’ within us. Can we keep it alive? can we enjoy being childish and not look at it as a problem to solve? Check out this week’s Ted talk by Adora Svitak.
Three images of the week
Two thoughts of the week
“A ‘genius’ is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework.” — Thomas Edison
“The world is a university and everyone in it is a teacher. Make sure when you wake up in the morning, you go to school.” — T. D. Jakes
One video for the week
Child prodigy Adora Svitak says the world needs “childish” thinking: bold ideas, wild creativity and especially optimism. Kids’ big dreams deserve high expectations, she says, starting with grownups’ willingness to learn from children as much as to teach.
A prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy.
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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
You are important. You are significant. Dear colleagues, you are those who are doing the critical task of educating the next generation. Yes, there should be change in the education system. Yes, there should be a revision of teacher welfare policies and salaries. In the meantime, what you can do for yourself? what can we do collectively for ourselves as educators? Let us re-group and think. We want to be the educators who stayed on with the profession. We want to have a glorious year of teaching the class of 2021-22. Here are some thoughts on how. Share your thoughts as comments to this post.
Read on and subscribe here with your email id.
Three images of the week
Two thoughts of the week
Be kind to yourself. We are always telling our students that kindness counts, and I’m sure that you model this kindness for them as well. But, we also have to make sure that we’re being kind to ourselves! Treat yourself as you would a student.
Make time for what makes you happy. What hobbies or activities do you really enjoy? Were there things you loved before you became a teacher that you’ve stopped doing? Making time for those things is important.
One video for the week
Self-care is proving to be difficult to master and weave into our teachers frantic lives. As human beings we must prioritise our own well-being and as teachers as well we can begin to place the same emphasis on staff well-being in our schools as we do for the mental health of the children we teach. Self-care starts with you and small acts every single day. Imagine connecting to and feeling the magic you work so hard to create in the classroom and in your life. Imagine the impact on those around you and your own happiness levels. You are exquisite and far too important not to take care.
Travelling took up much of Kelly’s 20’s before she jumped heart first into being a primary school teacher. Becoming a single, working mum of 2 small people wasn’t part of the plan, yet it became one of those life defining moments. A change of school, friendships and self-esteem levels, thankfully coincided with becoming a yoga teacher and self-care became a priority. Kelly used everything she had learnt on her yoga journey so that she could continue to be a Mum, a friend, a daughter, a teacher, the light in someone’s day and a role model to others. Kelly is now at the very heart of well-being for teachers, empowering and supporting them every day- not just when times are tough.
Showcase
ReReeti presents Virtual Weekends! A series of fun and engaging virtual field trips for children to explore the ancient cities of Hampi and Muziris held over the weekend!
As we all continue to stay home, doing our bit and patiently waiting for the pandemic to get over, we travel with young children on a virtual tour to the ancient city of Muziris in Kerala, lost to time for thousands of years, and to the grand ruins in the ancient city of Hampi, where the Vijayanagara Empire existed more than 500 years ago!
The tours combine interactive learning through puzzles and crafts with storytelling based learning that is sure to keep children gripped right from the start!
This virtual field trip is held on Zoom over multiple dates, and is ideal for children between 7-14 years. One ticket must be purchased per child attending the session.
To learn more about and join our virtual field tours please visit https://insider.in/go/rereeti-foundation-online-events
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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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 48 / June 8th 2021
The schools have started re-opening. Online. After being one year – online. Every student needs to be heard a little more, affirmed a little more, by their peers and by their teachers. Connections need to be forged and can be forged online. It will take effort and thoughts by educators and parents. We can do it together. Here are some ideas. Read on and subscribe.
Three images of the week
Two thoughts of the week
“Nothing, however, delights the mind as much as loving and loyal friendship” – Seneca
“It’s an insane world but in it there is one sanity, the loyalty of old friends.” – Ben Hur
One video for the week
The education sector has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. As schooling moved online, millions of students struggled. In these trying times, teachers and educators emerged as true heroes. They went beyond their call of duty and responded with compassion, innovation and dedication. Ms. Indira Jayakrishnan, a school principal herself, shares how she and her teachers are helping students learn with wonder during the pandemic using a very innovative approach. A simple idea that needs no high-tech tools – just a spirit of adventure and a buzz that keeps you going all day and night too, perhaps! Indira Jayakrishnan or ‘Ms. IJK’, as she is fondly addressed by her team, is Principal, National Academy For Learning, Bangalore. She has a strong background in education, public relations, corporate management, writing, editing and publishing that spans over two decades of work life in Bangalore and Chennai. A people’s person, she is warm, engaging and empathetic in her dealings. Her core passions – children, education and teaching practices – fly high with her irrepressible creative spirit, even in lockdown times. She and her team of steely teacher warriors have been fighting hard since March 2020 to keep academic goals and social emotional nurturing flourishing at school.
Showcase
ReReeti presents Virtual Weekends! A series of fun and engaging virtual field trips for children to explore the ancient cities of Hampi and Muziris held over the weekend!
As we all continue to stay home, doing our bit and patiently waiting for the pandemic to get over, we travel with young children on a virtual tour to the ancient city of Muziris in Kerala, lost to time for thousands of years, and to the grand ruins in the ancient city of Hampi, where the Vijayanagara Empire existed more than 500 years ago!
The tours combine interactive learning through puzzles and crafts with storytelling based learning that is sure to keep children gripped right from the start!
This virtual field trip is held on Zoom over multiple dates, and is ideal for children between 7-14 years. One ticket must be purchased per child attending the session.
To learn more about and join our virtual field tours please visit https://insider.in/go/rereeti-foundation-online-events
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 47 / June 1st 2021
Our children should be able to say that the world is good and, by extension, they are good. When do our children/students think that the world is an extension of themselves? At what age do they start to understand death and mortality? When do they start working with their emotions? What makes learning arts and sciences holistically through the primary and middle ages so important? What kind of exam stress high school students are dealing with? Learning, relationships, growing up, taking responsibility, understanding one’s own strengths and weaknesses, and amidst it all examinations and pandemic… it is a world like never before. Hopefully, some of the following tips and suggestions would help you to teach, understand and parent your growing child. They have no frontal lobe for making all the decisions and yet, we have to ensure that we help them with the process of decision making and, not make the decision for them while at it.
If you have not yet subscribed to my weekly newsletter on education, you can do it today by putting in your email id. It is free 🙂
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’
“Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask.” – Albus Dumbledore ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’
One video for the week
Carolin-Anderson believes that the current public school paradigm is not effective in fostering independent thinkers necessary for social renewal. A veteran educator with 30 years of cross-cultural teaching experience, she has an advanced degree in pedagogy, the science and art of instructional theory. Through holistic learning and teaching practices, Carolin-Anderson strives to create a higher level of social justice and well-being by uncovering emotional, social, academic and spiritual/metaphysical potentialities in our children. She now leads a progressive jr. high school program for Waldorf School of Bend.
Guest speak
Biomimicry: Making science education more holistic while connecting learners with Nature.
Have you ever wondered why colours of peacock feathers never fade, even though they are exposed to rain and sunlight? Colours of our fabrics easily fade after a few washes in the rain and exposure to sunlight! Can we use the science behind peacock feather colours, to create fabrics that would retain their colour the same way?
Ever wondered how every tree in this world has been sending water up from its root to every leaf – 24/7, 365 days in a year in its entire lifetime, without using any external electricity or regular breakdowns! Our water pumps work with electricity, yet cannot be operated 24/7 and require regular repairs. Can we use the science behind trees transporting water, to create better ways to transport water?
Ever wondered how the ants work so well in a team ?How do ants find food, carry it back to their colony in a coordinated way, keep their colony clean, take care of the young ones, defend themselves against their enemy while working as a team? Scientist who have studied them for decades inform us that ant colonies work without any leader, manager, CEO or government! It is a ‘self-organized system’! Imagine if your organization, school or city could be run without a head, principal, manager or government? Are there any lessons we can learn from ants to better manage our systems?
Nature has already solved many of the problems we grapple with and in a far more sustainable way! It is the biggest library of ideas. The problem is we don’t know and neither are we taught in our institutions, how to browse this library.
‘Biomimicry’ is a new discipline and approach to solution finding, design and innovation wherein students learn to consciously seek solutions & ideas from nature to solve human challenges.
Nature’s solutions have evolved over a period of 3.8 billion years under the same conditions, which apply to all that exists on our planet. Hence, these ideas are time tested solutions we can learn from, and using natures design principles helps us create sustainable solutions while reducing the risk of damaging the environment.
Whale fin inspired bumps on fan blade Kingfisher beak inspired bullet train design Box fish inspired Mercedes
All these inspirations increase efficiency of the products using less energy
How is it relevant to school education?
Biomimicry enables a holistic learning process, where students learn about how nature ‘functions’. When discovering the science behind natural phenomenon, students observe and understand in an integrated and multidisciplinary (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths etc.) way. This also helps in giving a living context to the science they are learning. Biomimicry inculcates a ‘sense of wonder’ about the natural world in learners and deepens their connection with nature – something which is missing in our current education system.
Biomimicry education inculcates holistic learning and a ‘multidisciplinary’ learning mind-set which is integrated with nature. It holds the promise of providing the much needed solution/way ahead to make education more holistic, environmentally conscious and fun! Most importantly it helps our children have a deeper sense of connection and respect for the natural world and become environmentally responsible learner, who are future ready!
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
– Albert Einstein
Seema Anand & Prashant Dhawan
Co-founders of Biomimicry India
http://www.biomimicryindia.com
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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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 46 / May 25th 2021
Are you working long hours? Are you taking breaks between your household chores, teaching/parenting/studying? Are you trying to be a perfectionist at all that you do? Are you feeling intense empathy for pandemic sufferings? Are you maxing out your energies and yet feeling that you have been procrastinating? The answer may not be self-care. You might be experiencing the onset of burnout…
Burnout includes 3 general categories of symptoms: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and a sense of low personal accomplishment. How can you know for sure? what can you do about it? what can you do for your colleagues, family members, students if you think they are heading towards burnout? Read on and subscribe.
Three images of the week
Two thoughts of the week
“I’ll always choose a teacher with enthusiasm and weak technique over one with brilliant strategies but who is just punching the clock. Why? An enthusiastic teacher can learn technique, but it is almost impossible to light a fire inside the charred heart of a burned-out teacher.”
― Dave Burgess, Teach Like a Pirate: Increase student engagement, boost your creativity and transform your life as an educator.
“[Burnout] isn’t a personal problem. It’s a societal one—and it will not be cured by productivity apps, or a bullet journal, or face mask skin treatments, or overnight fucking oats.”
― Anne Helen Petersen, Can’t even: How millennials became the burnout generation.
One video for the week
You may be experiencing burnout and not even know it, say authors (and sisters) Emily and Amelia Nagoski. In an introspective and deeply relatable conversation, they detail three telltale signs that stress is getting the best of you — and share actionable ways to feel safe in your own body when you’re burning out. (This conversation, hosted by TED curator Cloe Shasha Brooks, is part of TED’s “How to Deal with Difficult Feelings” series.)
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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
And Finally…
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 45 / May 18th 2021
Face to face education is better or e-learning is? How to continue learning while working? Is the future blended learning? What would the future of learning institutions and teachers look like? 21st Century learning, here we are. Read on and, subscribe to keep yourself updated with this weekly news letter for students, educators and parents.
Three images of the week
Two thoughts of the week
‘The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.’ –Alvin Toffler
‘It is not that I’m so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.’ –Albert Einstein
One video of the week
Higher education remains rooted in rigid, traditional structures and tracks — and it’s at risk of getting left behind in favor of expanded access, greater flexibility and tailored learning. Educator Tyler DeWitt explains how innovations in digital content and virtual reality are ushering in the future of learning, emphasizing why academia must adapt to this new reality and embrace an approach to education that works with students’ needs — not against them.
Tyler DeWitt recognizes that textbooks are not the way to get young people interested in science. Instead, he teaches science by making it fun and fantastical. DeWitt’s projects are varied, but all focus on tech. His YouTube channel, where he’s created lessons on chemistry and biology, helps hundreds of thousands of students with their courses every day. He created a virtual reality experience, funded by Google, that takes learners inside a human cell. And he was the video author for a new digital chemistry textbook published by Macmillan, bringing the newest ways that students learn to an older, more traditional medium. Most recently, he’s created VR learning content that teaches the skills needed to manufacture advanced cell and gene therapies in the biotech space.
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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue # 44 / May 11th 2021
We are connected yet lonely…. anthem of our children in these times. How can we listen in with our heart and mind, how can we connect with them without judging, understand their perspectives and make meaningful interactions? Read on. You might find some insights. Please like and subscribe to get this weekly newsletter in your mail box.
Three images of the week
Two thoughts of the week
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. Dr. Seuss
There is nothing quite so tragic as a young cynic, because it means the person has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing. Maya Angelou
One video of the week
Teens, Tech, and the Antidote. Why an antidote? Technology has become integrated into our daily lives, leading to positive and negative consequences. 15-year old Ilana Nguyen, a professional teenager, presents a funny and poignant talk that challenges all of humanity to be the solution to the negative consequences of technology. Ilana is passionate about inspiring people to use and build technology in a way that benefits humanity.
And finally….
Showcase
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 organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
This newsletter is supported by:
Nivedita Mukerjee 