Nivedita Mukerjee
Education consultancy for parents and schools
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
Issue # 23 / December 15 , 2020
Opportunities are unequally distributed. Performance and opportunities are connected. Social disparities result in unequal societies. How do we move on from providing equity to providing excellence despite it all?
Time for reflection. Especially in the current situation of school closures and difference in access to quality education. Data has shown that similar investments have resulted in different output in quality. How much a country spends is not as important as how that money is spent… Check out today’s issue to get some pointers. Many paradigms are being challenged in quality and equity.
How do you pay the teachers compared to other high paying jobs?
How does the media talk about the teachers?
How have our leaders convinced the citizens to value education, future of their children and society?
Placing value that all children are capable of success? Without segregating? Can parents and teachers both expect that each of their effort will result in personalising education with clear and ambitious standards? Recruiting, training, improving standard of teachers is key. An environment where teachers can grow. That enables them to figure out how they can deliver what the children need?
Three Images For The Week
Two Thoughts For The Week
One Video For The Week
How can we measure what makes a school system work? Andreas Schleicher walks us through the PISA test, a global measurement that ranks countries against one another — then uses that same data to help schools improve. Watch to find out where your country stacks up, and learn the single factor that makes some systems outperform others.
Guest column :
ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT IN COVID TIMES: UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS
We in India are already deeply mired into figuring out our lives and daily activities amidst multiple ‘Lockdowns’ and ‘Unlock’ directives. School level education has been the topic of serious debate and it has spilled across media channels, virtual platforms, and even the MHRD is facing a tough time trying to satisfy all parties. However the dust has settled and questions of cancellation of school fees, teachers’ plight, the novelty of online classes, and everything encountered at the initial stages has been dealt with. Even the two national boards, and the different state boards have published results taken partially prior to the first lockdown period.
So, when the virtual classroom is the new normal in our daily lives and schools are gearing up to take online assessments through all kinds of virtual methods, as per the adaptability of each school’s internal system, there are yet some unanswered questions that need immediate attention.
First, the switchover from pen and paper to online assessment is completely a smooth transition if we are only doing it for the Primary and Middle section students. But what is the correct way to assess students of senior section, namely of classes 9 to 12, which will be similar to the method of assessment that will be followed during the board exams, in this new and changed situation?
Second, there is no standardisation of these various online tests taken by different schools according to their structural fit. Hence how fair is it to take the scores of these tests as a clear assessment of the student’s merit?
Third, when in the middle of an academic session, teachers are rushing through Board batch syllabi, what is the clear cut directives regarding the method of assessments to be adopted and the common platforms which can be used to conduct the said assessments? Although the two national Boards have hinted vaguely that alternative and divergent methods of assessments are to be encouraged, there is no agreement on the pattern and type of tests to be adopted across schools.
Fourth, students from underprivileged backgrounds, who are unable to access the online classes are also not able to take any interim assessments given by schools. This is a dangerous marginalisation taking place which goes against the basic tenet of “Equality” as envisaged in our Constitution.
Fifth, what about students with special needs? What is the directive regarding their assessments? What about students in the NIOS stream? The 10th and 12th NIOS exams which were supposed to have taken place on 17th July 2020, as announced by the government, have been cancelled. The question arises regarding the fate of these candidates who could not appear for their exams. What happens to them and the next batch waiting in the wings?
It is perhaps not a time to wring our hands and keep mulling over the situation. It’s high time that the Education department thinks quickly and acts fast. Otherwise in a domino effect all batches of students of the next three years will be severely affected.
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This is a weekly newsletter on education. Once a week, curated by me from amongst the articles, videos and long form articles that I read. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
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.
If you have created any material, virtual or physical that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
This weekly newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #22 / December 8, 2020
Have you incorporated brain breaks in your virtual sessions? Drink of water, yoga poses, quick song, a cartoon picture…
Many students find it very hard to sit for long time in the classroom, more so in a virtual classroom. Have you suggested what parents can do to provide some kind of flexible seating for their child’s study area? Besides the academic tools for learning, considering use of social tools seriously can help children work better, focus more and persevere through their learning journey. Check out today’s news letter for tips on home learning from an educator and parent and listen to the TedTalk of this very cool Principal who managed to do this with ingenuity.
Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education
Two Thoughts For The Week
“The principle 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; men and women who are creative, inventive and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered.”
―
“To understand a child we have to watch him at play, study him in his different moods; we cannot project upon him our own prejudices, hopes and fears, or mould him to fit the pattern of our desires. If we are constantly judging the child according to our personal likes and dislikes, we are bound to create barriers and hindrances in our relationship with him and in his relationships with the world. Unfortunately, most of us desire to shape the child in a way that is gratifying to our own vanities and idiosyncrasies; we find varying degrees of comfort and satisfaction in exclusive ownership and domination.”
―
One Video For 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.
Olympia Della Flora wants schools to think differently about educating students — by helping them manage their emotions.
She believes that it takes a village to improve schools and has found ways to engage multiple stakeholders in this work including students, staff, parents and community members. She believes that schools should seek ways to address and support the whole child when it comes to learning, addressing not only academics but also social and emotional outcomes.
What can you pick from this talk for your online classes? How can you identify your students feelings and then find appropriate coping strategies for those? Do share.
Guest Column
Noel Almeida, Education Specialist and Improvement Scientist
Schooling from home
“Technique is what teachers use until the real teacher arrives” – Parker Palmer
I have always felt called to teach and have had the privilege to teach many times in my life including home-schooling our daughter (Z) for a couple of years. So when the Covid lockdown kicked in, I thought to myself “I’ve got this. I’ve been there, done more than that”. I was wrong. As online classes and lockdown conspired to leave Z and us with many challenges. It was and continues to be hard to get a rhythm going, keep on top of what was taught so as to help beyond contact hours, and manage the emotional wellbeing of a teenager in lockdown.
Locked up teenager.
As online classes started our 15 year old – let’s call her Z – was locked down at home. I also have a job that requires me to work very closely with national leaders of education in India, and they listed similar challenges being faced by teachers. In discussions with top thinkers in EdTech including Prof Liz Kolb we arrived at a few guiding principles that should help if you are a teacher or a parent turned teacher.
PRINCIPLE 1: WHEN IN A HURRY GO SLOW
The tendency at the start and even now is that we must offer immediately all that school offered. This is simply not useful. In trying to do it all we overreach or get overwhelmed. The shift to teaching remotely or via digital means is a new and complex skill. As with any skill, first focus on mastering the essential moves. The essential moves here are understanding how your children respond to screen time and the hyper-focus required in a class, knowing how much content they can take in at one sitting, being able to deliver byte sized content that meets the “optimal” time, planning offline and online activities linked to the online content, and sensing and responding to emotional signals. Take your time to practice these every day while going slow on tech – you don’t need to master the most sophisticated learning management system. You need to learn by trying each of these steps what works and what doesn’t and that takes time.
PRINCIPLE 2: TAKE JUST ONE STEP AT A TIME
Rather than try to attempt the latest and greatest, look at the tools you and your child are familiar with. Even something as simple as a word processor, or video calls on whatsapp or zoom sessions that are recorded or even email can be useful in sharing concepts, getting “in person” time with the child, illustrating something via a doodle or a video or submitting an assignment (via a photo of work that is handwritten). Stick to what you have previously used in the “analog” days and increment by the littlest bit that is needed. This avoids overwhelm. When you are overwhelmed, your child picks it up and could get stressed.
PRINCIPLE 3: KEEP THE CHILD AT THE CENTER
As you progress through the day notice how your plans land on the child in terms of “demands” .. on their time and emotional energies. Plan a schedule that does not overwhelm on any particular day. For example when planning assignments spread them out so – that on one day there are perhaps assignments for just one subject. With digital comes the opportunity to also choose home-specific activities that the child and home care for, rather than a one-size-fits-all set of activities to bring a topic alive.
PRINCIPLE 4: GO ASYNC
The focus that online classes demand is intense. I know from our experience of digital learning at scale that the average time spent uninterrupted on a content is at the very extreme 10 minutes. So chunk it down and make a recording so children can access the content whenever they want and wherever they feel comfortable to study.
PRINCIPLE 5: KEEP IT LIGHT
Children are coping with the stress of such transmission as much as adults are. Keep the emotional state of the child in mind at all times. Are they experiencing stressors of one kind or another due to their home setting, or the absence of “in person” friends? Find ways for them to enjoy fun times as they would in school through the week or better yet through the day.
PRINCIPLE 6: USE TECH TO OFFER OPTIONS
The digital world offers many more options to make a topic engaging or to extend the concept beyond the textbook to the real world. A video with a set of engaging questions on a topic such as microorganisms can be far more powerful than a dry text. If you have the ambition there are even virtual manipulative kits (see the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives for mathematics available here) that allow a child to explore a concept in ways that only an expensive lab would allow.
And as my gym instructor says.. “above all.. love”.. for yourself, for the child, and for the subject to bring all three fully alive. May the force be with you.
Also published here .
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And Finally…
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
This Newsletter is supported by :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #21 / December 1, 2020
Are you a teacher struggling with online teaching? A parent figuring out home schooling? A student finding it difficult to cope with effective note taking? Here are some tips for you in this week’s newsletter. Don’t miss listening to Eduardo Briceño in the video of the week as he shares how each one of us can improve if we are able to differentiate our actions between when we are in the learning zone and when in the performance zone. How can we balance the two for achieving our goals and being the best we can be in almost anything that we set out for.
Read, enjoy, share and subscribe.
Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education
Two Thoughts For The Week
“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
“If you think education is expensive, try estimating the cost of ignorance.”
— Howard Gardner
One Video For The Week
Working hard but not improving? You’re not alone. Eduardo Briceño reveals a simple way to think about getting better at the things you do, whether that’s work, parenting or creative hobbies. And he shares some useful techniques so you can keep learning and always feel like you’re moving forward.
Eduardo Briceño is a learner, leader, speaker and writer devoted to enabling a more learning-oriented world.
Guest Column
Nigar Rao, Educator.
Online teaching during covid-19 – An Essential Escapade!
‘Essential’ and ‘Escapade’ are oxymorons. One is for bare necessity and the other is used while talking of an adventure, which in our society is looked upon as luxury. However, both of these words have become terms used in conjunction for online teaching during this pandemic. These times, while cannot be called the best phase of our lives, it has come in with its very unique pros and cons. Being a part of the education sector, we teachers are honour bound to hold and raise the flags of optimism and adaptability. There seems no doubt that one side of this transition to online teaching is often perceived as an imposition, we know that in many ways it is paving the ways for a future we intended for.
In a country like ours where the internet infrastructure is reportedly not ready for the paradigm shift to online learning forced on us by the situation, it becomes a duty of all the educationists to put our heads together and analyse – if online teaching is actually a boon or a bane in the Indian context!
There has been a plethora of arguments both in favour and against online teaching, but the fact of the matter is that we do not have an alternative . Also, the fact check brings us face to face with the history of mankind standing tall to deadlier pandemics and holocausts than we are facing today when through it all the continuity of education was shielded. There’s no looking back on the point that learning should go on.
Pushing education to the back seat or not considering it as a priority is not quite the option. I would like to establish that education is the barest necessity of mankind. As John Dewey said.. Education is not way a preparation for life, rather education is life itself. Taking into consideration all glitches at the delivery end, hitches in reception and the poor internet infrastructure, it won’t be an anomaly to say that we have progressed towards the 21st century learning and teaching skills – skills we’ve been talking and dreaming about since more than a decade. Eureka! Here comes the good news. We have already moved on the way to inclusiveness with reference to technology. Changed content, different pedagogies, crisp lesson plans and altogether a new approach to teach is all that we have already achieved in a matter of six months. I am sure now that the silver lining is clearly visible, and when I say that this draconic dark cloud of Covid-19 has given a tangible hope to teaching fraternity, it definitely lays a solid claim. The shift from chalk and blackboard to screen and keyboard, teacher reincarnated as a real facilitator, teaching with whatever they had, however they could make it to work, has ultimately shown us the tremendous calibre of our educators and hence a promising future in reality.
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And Finally…
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
This Newsletter is supported by :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #20 / November 24, 2020
Have you ever lost sense of time while doing something? Chatting with a friend, playing a game, singing a tune… you must have then managed the 4 key factors of achieving Flow – Focus, Freedom, Feedback and Four percent challenge. This issue of 3-2-1 with Ms Niv is about engaging your self fully, enjoying yourself, crafting a learning environment for your students to be active learners – no matter what, and achieving satisfaction and happiness.
Read, enjoy, share and subscribe.
Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education
Two Thoughts For The Week
I am not a teacher, but an awakener.
– Robert Frost
They may forget what you said but they will not forget how you made them feel.
– Carl Buechner
One Video For The Week
Have you been in the zone – where time stands still and yet it flies? While playing, making music, reading, writing, learning? if yes, then you must have experienced a state of ‘Flow’. What is ‘Flow’ and how can you create it for yourself or your learners? Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced Me-High Chick-Sent-Me-High) the legendary psychologist is known for his famous investigations of “optimal experience” when one experiences a genuinely satisfying state. In his book Flow, he demonstrates how it can be attained and not left to chance. How do you get into that zone which is somewhere between boredom and anxiety?
What are the factors that generate Flow? While you are studying? While you are teaching? While you are cleaning your home? Writing an email?
Focus (when there is no distracting thought or multitasking)
Freedom (when there is no self-scrutiny)
Feedback (constant flow of information in some form to let you know you are closer to your goal)
Guest Column
A LEARNER’S QUEST FOR AN IB CLASSROOM
Let’s ask ourselves an honest question, “Are IB classes really “UNIQUE”? Or it’s just hype created for an educational board because of its foreign origin and/or for the reason that students from elite backgrounds take admission in IB. What could be the reason for considering IB classes as unique?
I went on board in an imaginary time machine and revisited all the classes I had been experiencing in my career as an IB educator and administrator in the distant past. While enjoying my journey in the time machine, I found few compelling reasons for IB classes being distinct from other educational boards. Interestingly, educators in IB classroom not only focus on “LEARNING” being imparted BUT they ponder upon questions like:
- How is learning imparted within the four walls of the classroom – here I refer to the methodology – Is the methodology chalk and talk OR Sage on the Stage – “I know it all attitude” Or Meddler in the middle – driven by inquiry and passion for learning?
- Has the classroom learning led to “STUDENT AGENCY & SENSE OF OWNERSHIP” OR to an attitude of “DEPENDENCE” among learners which manifests itself in various forms and at varied times during learners life within and beyond school.
- Has learning translated into lifelong skills and knowledge for finding novel solutions to problems in familiar or unfamiliar settings OR it is confined to few concepts or problems being discussed/solved within the class?
- Has the learning in class led to empathetic human beings who love to work in groups and respect other individuals having diverse and even sometimes conflicting opinions OR to self-egotistical monsters who believe in “I’M RIGHT EVERY TIME”?
The reason that IB classes are breeding grounds for learners who develop skills of thinking, research, communication and self management along with social skills sets these classes apart. IB classrooms enable learners to imbibe the attributes of water that easily adapts itself and takes the shape of any vessel in which it is poured.
During my investigation, I also asked myself whether learners are enjoying their learning?
As we all know, neurons (carrying memories of classes, teachers, school and sometimes content) in the learners’ mind might become weaker and eventually memory may fade over the passage of time. However as we know, memories are not about EVENTS but about FEELINGS (which learners experience during the time spent in class). I was sure that the concepts and skills learnt in IB classes will never be forgotten as I observed the inquisitive, deeply immersed, thrilled and fully glowing faces of innocent minds in IB classes.
After quenching the quest for uniqueness of IB classes, I programmed my time machine back to the present times and arrived at the destination as a proud IB educator and a parent, observing and smiling at my little cute daughter, who is also an IB PYP student.
Happy Learning!
Abhinav Awasthi is the DP coordinator at Ebenezer International School Bangalore and has been associated with the IB since 2007. IB has given wings to his passion. He cherishes the dream of being an IB educator. Therefore, the article is an attempt to motivate learners and parents to embrace the IB.
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And Finally…
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
Please like, subscribe, share, comment. See you next week.
This Newsletter is supported by :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #19 / November 17, 2020
Why do we get stuck in the feeling of being right? What does it feel to be wrong? Do we grow up thinking that people who do things wrong are lazy… irresponsible… dim wits? Check out this week’s Tedtalk from a wrongologist. How do the key areas of our brain process learning? Is there an advantage in learning in an integrated way or should we teach subjects discretely as most of the schools do now. Read this week’s guest column. And finally… don’t miss a laugh at the end of it all.
Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education
Two Thoughts For 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’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.’ –Harry S Truman
One Video For The Week
Most of us will do anything to avoid being wrong. But what if we’re wrong about that? Wrongologist Kathryn Schulz makes a compelling case for not just admitting but embracing our fallibility. She is a staff writer for the New Yorker and is the author of “Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error.” Being wrong v/s realising being wrong… to feel about being wrong. How does it become a practical problem? A social problem?
Guest Column
Snehalata Ramachandran, Educator.
Thematic or Integrated Learning
Connection and relationships play a huge role in life. The ‘web of Life’ clearly shows that all living things, one way or the other are part of the web – may be food chain, balance of eco system or wellness in the world.
Similarly in thematic learning – many ideas, information, concepts, skills and subjects can be wonderfully integrated. This allows the learners to explore and get better understanding of their surroundings to resolve concerns. Their learning is associated with real life experiences which enables coherent and holistic learning and of course leading to a sense of empowerment, as it does not confine them to information provided in the text. Through research, the excitement and interest is on the high, which makes the learners delve into the topic and find numerous connections, many that they didn’t know existed! It gives way to natural way learning-competency based and is less fragmented.
The pedagogy in thematic learning can be so varied – it can be individual, pair or group work, where they have an opportunity to discuss, accept and appreciate other’s ideas, make presentations too. Social skills and confidence building is also taken care of. Group activities and discussion enable students to participate and reach on a shared perspective of the theme- collaborative learning at its best. This also helps in creative exploration of the subject through understanding and discourages rote learning. Many skills – such as research, decision making, risk taking are honed, giving way to creativity and invention. Learners with conviction dare to be different, moving away from flock mentality.
For a better understanding of thematic learning, I’ll chose the topic ‘water’ and share how the various subjects can be integrated. Explore the water bodies in the locality and find out how water reaches houses. The importance of the water bodies and responsibility of keeping them clean can be discussed. Through real life experiences the properties and uses of water of water can be derived. Estimation or litres-millilitres can be taught in Math and students can visit a store and check out the products too. Students can write poems, slogans or compositions in language-English or the local language. It allows literacy to grow progressively with expansion of associated vocabulary, sentence writing reinforced gradually and smoothly. Adding a tune to their own poem or doing a rap is lovely way to weave in rhythm and music! Art and science will be in sync when they do ‘marbling’ or sit around a water body and watch the teeming life around it to get the first- hand knowledge of eco system or even symbiotic relationships and capture it on paper! Awareness of the theme will give way to make informed choices and ingrain responsibility.
The infinite thoughts, ideas can be harnessed to make learning a joyful experience of wonders, wondering, wandering and adventures…..with so many permutations and combinations ….spoilt for choices – to let an active learner reach for stars.
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And Finally…
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
Please like, subscribe, share, comment. See you next week.
This Newsletter is supported by :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #18 / November 10, 2020
Inclusion is in the air and not just in America. There comes an inflection point when it is not just a good to have credo in a school or work place but when it is imperative to have empathy with fellow beings. When we seek solace, we seek support and feel the strength in equity, diversity and inclusion. This is the time for us to embrace it more than ever. The pandemic has shown that we are vulnerable no matter how strong we are and we seek and value our connection with friends, family, workplace, nature, community workers for our well-being. We are connected. And we need to enjoy and protect the entire web of life to live well.
This week I have for you a mom writing about bringing up a child with special abilities, a special educator with a belief in the special abilities of every child, a heart warming story of a concert pianist who was born deaf and with autism. Hope you enjoy this news letter as much as I did putting it together for you.
Please share your thoughts and subscribe to get this newsletter every week in your mail box.
Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education
Two Thoughts For The Week
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
― Maya Angelou
“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”
― Salvador Dali
One Video For The Week
Born three and a half months prematurely, Derek Paravicini is blind and has severe autism. But with perfect pitch, innate talent and a lot of practice, he became a concert pianist by the age of 10. Here, his longtime piano teacher, Adam Ockelford, explains his student’s unique relationship to music, while Paravicini shows how he has ripped up the “Chopsticks” rulebook.
Guest Column
Swimming in an Inclusive Pool of Diversity
Anita Eipe
The more we are aware of the diversity that exists in our communities, the more we realise the disparities in the equitable access to resources. With the current pandemic situation, parents are confined to their homes and are intimately involved in their children’s lives. Without house help and with schools closed, parents and their children find themselves in a situation that is strange in many ways. Some are surprised pleasantly, and some are not. Some wish for more and some wish for different. Many realise that our education system lacks tolerance and is very low on empathy and inclusion.
It is important to understand the term Inclusion in education, before discussing it. Inclusive environment is a term which expresses commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate. It means, making learning accessible to every child, equitably. Inclusion also means an environment free of discrimination, be it social, religious, economical, physical or in any other form.
Now that we understand what an Inclusive learning environment should be, we also realise that our schools are far from inclusive. But do we dare to believe it is possible? If yes, then what would the inclusive school look like?
Let’s go visit a swimming pool. When we walk in there, we see this large rectangular pool filled with cool blue water. It is shallow on one end and deep on the other. The depth gradually increasing as we move from the shallow to the deep end. Then we see steps on all four sides of the pool. There are railings or a ledge that one can grasp onto on all four sides of the pool. Look around the pool and we see many floater and tubes kept readily available for anyone who may need them. Most pools also have a lifeguard or two around always. This to me is a perfect model of an inclusive environment.
How is it that a swimming pool can compare to an Inclusive learning environment? At a pool, everyone comes to learn to swim. Everyone learns at a different pace. Everyone has a personal goal with the common goal to learn to swim. Some are in the beginner’s stage and need the support of a coach or a friend and during that time they stay in the shallow end. Some have learnt and need to practice, so continue to stay at the shallow end but swim along the breath of the pool. As they get more confident, they continue to swim the breaths but get further towards the middle of the pool. And then there are those who have learnt, are confident and now work on improving their style and speed. These swimmers swim the lengths. Everyone has their own style of getting into the pool. Some take the steps in and some slip in over the edge and some dive in. Each choosing what works best for them.
Now I see the swimming pool as a model of an inclusive learning environment that has the scope to include so many diversities. What makes it possible? Is it maybe that the focus is on enjoying the learning? Yes even the swimmers doing their lengths can be seen goofing around with their friends sometimes. Would this be possible in schools if we shifted from being result oriented to focusing on making learning joyful? Some would be great at academics and would pursue that line of career? Some would discover they were great at innovative and creative thinking and pursue maybe research or entrepreneurship? Some would discover their abilities to work well with people and end up being team leaders or teachers? The possibilities are endless. The best would be the dignity and self-worth with which everyone would pursue their life’s career and challenge themselves to live to their potential.
Now what I forgot to mention is that baby pool we find near the main pool. It is shallow and meant for those who are not ready for the big pool. The baby pool represents the special needs center that all schools must have. This is where a child receives individualized attention to get ready for the main class. Some may get over their fear of water or the crowds and get into the main pool some day just as some children who initially struggled get to join the main stream class because of effective early intervention programs. There are also those who may continue to stay in the baby pool. They will learn to paddle and keep their head above water. Learn they will, even though it may be limited.
This is the inclusion model. With the right attitude and the desire for it, inclusion is possible. If we have a ready model in one field, we can replicate it another. When we make every student a successful learner, schools will churn out confident and happy individuals and our world will be a happy place with more to celebrate and less to worry about!
Inclusion is only possible when we move our focus from the result to the joy of the journey of learning and living.
Anita Eipe is a special educator by profession and the Managing Trustee of Samatha Learning Center (www.samathalearning.com) Bangalore. She offers schools support to make inclusion possible for them. Samatha works on the principle that everyone can learn and everyone has an ability which has value. Anita believes in being the change she wants to see.
Parent speak
My take on inclusion
Moushumi Das, mom of 2 boys and an educator
Inclusion apparently is an amazing concept but rare in our country. And life gave me an opportunity to raise two children with different needs, one regular and the other with special abilities.
One went to a special school and the other in a regular one. Both learned from each other and so did I. Accepting a younger sibling with special needs is what my older one learnt early in life. And the younger one felt proud of an older sibling who was fun to be with.
The entire process was to unlearn and relearn. Accepting that milestones will be slow but sure to come gave an immense pleasure without pressure. As a teacher teaching in a regular school I met parents who compared their children with each other. Tra la la – I never had to! Each one of them were different in their own ways. Can share an amazing example: Aniket, my elder eats to live, just fills in when hungry – no complain. But Jijo lives to eat – no fish? No chicken? Ohhh…. Eating but no fun.
In all the schools that Jijo went to, we had a great time pitching in with ideas, games, birthday parties, annual programmes. And Aniket felt that it was important for his friends to meet Jijo and get to know him. Result? Absolute fun and fantastic inclusion.
As a parent I made it a point to take Jijo out in supermarkets, movie halls, walk in the parks, travel by train, aircraft, bank, post office, police station, roadtrips and the like. And I saw how the child adapted himself in all kinds of surroundings.
Inclusion begins in family and then flows out in the society. Despite several hurdles, one thing I have learnt is that each individual is different. And everyone needs to be treated with love and respect. As for me – variety is the spice of life and I enjoy every moment!!
Student Voice
Inclusion or Diversity from a student?
Kashvi Goil, student of Grade 7
Inclusion in a general classroom is an education in which students with and without differences learn together. Inclusion secures opportunities for students with disabilities as they might not find a classroom to study with students with and without differences together.
Now if we talk about Diversity, diversity also means to group a diverse group of people with different cultural backgrounds, personalities, athletic abilities, religious beliefs, genders, sexualities, appearances, etc.
Now why is student inclusion and diversity important?
The answer is, so that the students learn more about different cultures and abilities of other students and feel more comfortable and confident to interact with wider ranges of people. Student diversity is also important as, if students interact with a diverse group of students they will be able to appreciate and celebrate the differences between them as each difference makes each person unique in their own way, rather than acting discriminatory towards a different group of people.
What do you think of having friends with different abilities
Aryaman Jain, student of grade 7
Friends are like stars, you don’t always see them but you know they are always there. They are exceptional in some things but are poor in some. But having friends with different abilities is a very fortunate thing to have. If you are stuck in a thing, you can ring them at any time and they will be ready to answer all your queries. Friends having different abilities can teach you the things in which you are poor. Which would help us in succeeding in our lives. Even if they have something poor in them which is good in us we can help them in that field. This type of friendship makes our personality more kind and helpful. Not only friends but even having family with different potentials would make our character and nature towards people more pleasant. In our school the sports day is held on the basis of inclusivity. Like if my friend is not good in sports but good in art then he/she can help the team to gain points by making a beautiful flag or banner. This is why having friends with different qualities help.
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And Finally…
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
Please like, subscribe, share, comment. See you next week.
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3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #17 / November 3, 2020
Are children good liars? Check out the Ted talk. What is your Pandemic Bingo board game? Find a sample here. Have you found your Ikigai yet? Here is how our columnist found it. Enjoy this week’s newsletter, like, comment, share and subscribe.
Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education
Two Thoughts For The Week
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Curie
One Video For The Week
Are children poor liars? Do you think you can easily detect their lies? Developmental researcher Kang Lee studies what happens physiologically to children when they lie. They do it a lot, starting as young as two years old, and they’re actually really good at it. Lee explains why we should celebrate when kids start to lie and presents new lie-detection technology that could someday reveal our hidden emotions.
Guest Column
Bhakti Shah, founder of thinkBox children’s library.
I am a STEM woman. Very intuitive, scientific and precise. Art and I have never crossed paths before.
There are always a few decisions that we have to make in our life, we may not be very sure of them but we trust whatever happens, will happen for the best. The decision to quit my corporate job as project manager, heading a software division at an MNC was one such decision. I had no idea what I was going to do after that! Although, one thing was for certain, knowing myself, I was not going to sit still for long.
I was not a voracious reader to start with. I never had the means or the inclination. However, in my college years, I was introduced to Fountain Head by Ayn Rand and her writing instantly resonated with me. Before I knew it, I was hooked. I had acquired a new hobby at the age of 19 and was loving it! As they say, you just need that one book that turns you into a lifelong reader.
Years passed and my reading intensified. During my corporate job, I was fortunate to spend some time in Europe and United States. I admired their public libraries and fell more in love with reading and more in love with books. I wanted to provide a similar experience to the people of India.
That’s how I thought of starting a children’s library. I had never started a business and neither had anyone from my family. I don’t have any formal training in business or a professional degree in library science, yet here I am! A proud owner of a bustling library. My family supported me thoroughly. Initially, I was afraid of failure. It took me 4 long years to build up the courage to face my fears. But once I did, there was no stopping me.
Fast forward to today, my library is in its 13th year. It is now akin to a temple for me. I get unexplainable positivity and peace while I am there.
I never knew the word “Ikigai” until I read the book authored by Albert Liebermann and Hector Garcia. Now, as I ponder over it, I appreciate the beautiful way in which all the pieces of the puzzle called life fit and brought me to my Ikigai.
My passion – reading, my mission – providing a well-equipped library for children, my vocation – a librarian and my profession – doing business with technology.
Thinkbox children’s library:
Http://thinkbox.co.in
Parent Speak
Farah Shahid, Mom of 3
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the biological, physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood.
Slightly confused with all the complicated words?
Well yes, that’s Wikipedias definition of parenting. Just like the definition, the process too is ever evolving with time and we try to walk the fine line to nurture our children the right way.
While parenting, we often tend to overlook our needs. Our entire world revolves around them. Doing the mammoth tasks is definitely energy draining but most parents think its a taboo to even feel that way, especially moms. To be honest, it’s not really their fault that they think this way, it’s the benchmark created by our society. But let’s think about it, can a car low on fuel work efficiently? No. Similarly, how can a drained out parent fulfil their role.
Thus, my primary aim of writing this article is to encourage the loving moms and dads to prioritize their well being and indulge in “self-care”. Our society may classify selfcare as being selfish, but in reality it is recharging yourself.
The fancy word ‘Self-care’ actually has a very flexible and to-each-his-own definition. It could be anything, whatever one enjoys doing. Good self-care is key to improved mood and reduced anxiety. It is also a foundation to good relationships with oneself and others.
A well-nurtured parent enjoys their journey of parenting and wouldn’t exhaust themselves to the point of feeling they have ‘sacrificed’ their own well being for their children and eventually feeling resentful.
For me, raising my elder two kids and keeping up with all responsibilities had burnt me out completely. With the birth of my third and wanting to do her upbringing differently made me turn towards self care and thats how my account “restlesshomehacks” was created. It was the best thing that happened and doing what I love has recharged me more than ever. When the parent exhibits self-care, they raise a generation that learns to feed their body, mind and soul with the care it deserves.
To sum up, we must remember that we can’t pour from an empty cup and therefore need to fill our cup first by prioritizing self-care.
http://www.instagram.com/restlesshomehacks
Student Voice
Pihu Saraf, student of grade 7
The “I’m Not Like Other Girls” Phenomenon
Something that baffles me is that some girls really believe that their personality traits not aligning with the stereotypical traits attributed to girls is something to brag about. At this point, most girls have started to identify as not being like “Other girls!” If you think that being unlike other girls and liking boyish things makes you superior compared to the girls around you, you are a raging sexist with internalised misogyny (though not obvious, but existing) deep-rooted in you from your childhood. This may come off as harsh but this kind of behaviour should not be normalised especially when so many people fight every day to ensure a more equal future for women and other suppressed groups. Some may argue that the phrase “Other girls” is just a casual way of expression. But it is always used with derogatory intent.
I came across a girl I know unable to stop boasting about how she liked action figures from the boy’s section of stores when she was younger. This individual also went on to claim that the things in the girl’s section of stores were “gross” as they contained things like pink dresses and barbies.
Let me say this, You can like things that are stereotypically meant for the other gender without belittling your own gender. You do not have to put down an entire gender in order to prove your worth.
It has been drilled into our brains that prevalent female traits are bad and that girls are too much “drama.” I have heard so many girls say that they only befriend boys because girls are too dramatic. It is perfectly fine to have a preference in friends, but you do not have to belittle others, preferring to be friends with boys is not something to brag about, neither is it something to be ashamed of. Being “Not like other girls” doesn’t make you “cool” or more likeable. Let’s stop normalising having differing traits from the stereotypical female ones being a symbol of supremacy, it is frankly illogical. You can be unlike other girls and at the same time not believe it makes you superior.
Showcase
And Finally…
Worth a watch on Netflix – Connected, the hidden science of everything. This docu-series promises to be witty and investigative.
https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81031737
“Science journalist Latif Nasser investigates the surprising and intricate ways in which we are connected to each other, the world and the universe.
How we’re connected, but not in the deadly, scary ways—in the profound, beautiful, surprising, poetic ways. Just these subtle things that are always going on, that maybe are hopeful, encouraging, or at least somehow remind people that we are all in this together. Even when we think we’re disconnected, we’re actually all connected”.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
Please like, subscribe, share, comment. See you next week.
This Newsletter is supported by :
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #16 / October 27, 2020
You want to peep into your child’s lives as a parent, then how can you shut them out of yours? Find out how a parent manages to balance this in the parent speak section. Panic attacks in school age children? Mental health days as a school policy same as sick leave? Watch the talk featured in the video section. You want to know more about what teenagers think about mental health – check out a site that has been started by a group of teenagers, featured in the student voice section. In this issue of the news letter, you will find self care tips for students, parents, teachers. Go ahead enjoy the festival season by beginning to take care of yourself. And finally, enjoy making some paper diyas with your family this festival season.
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Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education
Two Thoughts For The Week
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” — Maya Angelou
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. ” – Oscar Wilde
One Video For The Week
School can be rife with stress, anxiety, panic attacks and even burnout — but there’s often no formal policy for students who need to prioritize their well-being. Hailey Hardcastle explains why schools should offer mental health days and allow students time to practice emotional hygiene without stigma. Follow along to learn how she and a team of fellow teens transformed their advocacy into law.
Hailey Hardcastle is a mental health advocate now and has established a network of student activists in order to make schools a better place for those struggling with mental health challenges.
In 2019, Hailey Hardcastle and her team passed a law in Oregon that allows students to take a mental health day off from school, the same way one would a sick day. Now, she’s working to expand the law to other states and bring more comprehensive mental health resources to classrooms.
Guest Column
Vidhya Nagraj, Principal, Delhi World Public School, Bangalore
Inspired from the book, ‘How schools fail,’ by John Holt
Repetitive corrections
I joined a new school with 5 years of work experience as a teacher. The school followed a child-centric approach in all aspects of schooling. They had a stringent policy; teachers could not reprimand a child for any misbehaviour or poor academic performance. I believed that students should be given freedom with boundaries
Initially, I found working in such an environment very stifling, as I came from the old school of thought that believed in ‘spare the rod and spoil the child.’ I was of the opinion that students should be corrected when they make mistakes.
One day I was called by the Vice-Principal to her office and she showed me a Grade IX homework that I had corrected. She gave me the book and asked me to observe and point out what I noticed. I checked the book and thought that I have probably overlooked some of the errors . I asked her if I could take the book back and recheck.
She replied, ‘Vidhya you seemed to have not understood my question,’ and once again asked me to look closely and observe what was glaring before the eye. I checked and rechecked and replied nothing! I was perplexed as to what she was pointing at.
Then she pointed out all the red corrections that stood out in every answer. The Vice Principal pointed that there were so many red ink corrections all over the book and this had shaken up the confidence of the child. I replied that if I don’t point, how will the child know that he has made mistakes and continue to repeat the mistakes.
I wasn’t convinced with her response, but grudgingly decided to adhere to the school policy thereafter. I started to train myself to write positive feedback in the test papers and in the subject report that teachers had to write.
After working there for nearly 10 years, the school’s approach began to grow on me. These practices became routine and I failed to understand them. Eventually, I moved out of the school. Several students kept in touch with me through social media. One of those students Robin tagged me with a subject report that I had written for him 6 years earlier while he was in Grade X and commented that although he knew that his teachers were lying about him, reading the report made him happy.
What the school had failed to make me understand in 10 years, Robin’s post made me understand at that moment.
Robin told me, ‘Ma’am when I read this report , I know that I didn’t deserve such kind words from you, I knew how I fared.’ Robin went on to tell me that he was nevertheless happy to read such a positive report.
This made me realise that the subject report, grades, scores, or teachers’ opinion doesn’t determine the success or failure of the student. But the positive strokes and teacher’s faith in the child supports in nurturing a growth mindset, and propelling them to work hard and believe that they can do better. Robin’s performance in history was immaterial in the journey of his life.
Parent Speak:
The Remote Button – Parul Saraff is an interior designer and mural artist besides being a parent of a 7th grader.
Since I became a mom, I kept hearing from friends with grown-up kids about how their children’s’ behaviour changed overnight once they turned 12, how they detach!!! In short, how difficult it is to handle the “always-bored teenager”. All of this really left me scared but gradually I learnt that when it comes to parenting, there is no rulebook, no “one size fits all.” All of that “gyaan” written in expensive parenting books is of no actual use once you deal with the antics of your divine angel, turned monster (and not to forget, your worst critic.)
To me, parenting is like a science equation. The final product depends on various factors, variables and non-variables. Without giving too much “gyaan” I would simply like to share some conscious efforts I took while raising my daughter. I won’t say she is not a lesser “rebel” and that I have achieved my goal of being a “perfect parent” but at least we can handle each other. She has a “strong mind” and “voice of her own” but a very “sensitive heart” too.
Age Appropriate
I strongly disliked this phrase when I was in my teens. With raging hormones and physical maturity, one starts to feel that they “know it all” and suddenly their elders slam: “This is not appropriate for you to know.” I used to wonder about replying with: “At least try telling me, maybe I am able to understand. Well, if you don’t tell me I will find out myself.” So as a parent, I make sure that I don’t keep any secrets from my child. We think that certain “inappropriate” topics may scar their fragile and impressionable minds but I feel that the “subtle insult” of hiding information from them would affect them more. What if tomorrow, when they go to college and we wish to know about their friends etc (for understandable reasons) and they end up saying “This piece of information is not age-appropriate for you?” Therefore, maintaining an open atmosphere is crucial.
Never shut them out from your life if you wish to peep into theirs.
Communication is Key
However cliched it may sound, communication is the most important aspect of your relationship with your child if you expect lifetime “transparency” and “attachment” with them. (BTW kids communicate at the weirdest times.) “You know I am busy!” could be reciprocated after a few years.
Argue and win with logic, not authority
Let’s face it, the members of Generation Z are very bright, they do not buy anything without a “logical” and “relevant explanation”.
“Is this the way to talk to our elders? Show some respect!”
This was the staple answer given to us for all of our “whys.” How I hate this word “respect” as I feel it has a hidden undertone of “control”. I feel like there should be “mutual respect” shared between everyone in a family regardless of their age. Being older is not a licence to tame young minds.
“Nothing can grow under shade.”
How much is too much?
Being a parent is so challenging in today’s age. All of these new-age theories like “let them be” and “let them learn from their mistakes” leave me so confused. Actually speaking, our mind knows they are right but at heart, we are “control freak”, “Indian parents” (I am at least.) So how to create a balance? I follow a simple formula. Let them soar as high as they want, make their own decisions and make choices, but keep the remote control with you. Sounds politically incorrect and “old school” right!? Before you judge me just figure this: The buttons of the remote control are not “force” and “over-protection.” They are “trust,” “empowerment,” self-belief and “confidence in your child’s head that whatever happens their parents are there to support them.” Hence proved, mom is always right!!!
Student Voice
Managing our mental health in these tough times
- Sarah Samad, student of Grade 11
It is not unknown that mental health is an extremely important topic. Especially in the recent times of COVID-19, where everybody’s mental health is more vulnerable, it is important that we raise awareness about this issue.
We are now stuck at home, with pretty much no travel except for work, and the occasional outing. Although it might not seem like it, this can take a major toll on our mental wellbeing. With students having to do online school, it can seem like a huge task to catch up with work and stay on par with the syllabus and the rest of the class, as this is a medium we are not used to. I personally am struggling with managing online school, but am sure that it will get better eventually. But it is important to note that all students are different, and might not look at the situation in the same way. Teenagers have been struggling with mental health a lot recently anyways, and with the added pressure of online learning, it just becomes worse. A lot of students might not understand that it can and will get better, and this can effect our outlook and health negatively.
There are various ways that we can help with this, as a student itself, and as the parent. As a student myself, I think it is very important to employ many time management strategies and other planning methods to finish work and not make it a burden. For students entering different milestones like me, moving into 11th grade, it is very hard to get used to the new style of learning. But with the support of our peers, teachers and parents, I am sure it will get better.
Additionally, as parents, support is enough. Just letting their kids – know that it is okay to struggle with this new mode of learning initially – is more than enough. There is a lot of stress on them already, and adding additional stress wont help much, so giving them support would help a lot. Take care of yourselves and those around you, and remember that it’s okay to take a break and rest.
To learn more about mental health and related topics, visit griseo.in
Showcase
Kiran Bir Sethi, Col Sathya Rao, Saraswathi Padmanabhan, Shailaja Rao, Mubeen Masudi, Divanshu Kumar, Pratibha Narayanan… what do these names have in common? A vision for education. Each of them are thought leaders in this space and tell a story of how they are continuously toiling to make their vision a reality.
I have started a series of podcasts : In conversation with Nivedita with educators of today. Those who are breaking boundaries and setting a new paradigm in education. These are short, 20 – 25 minutes of insightful conversations that give a peek into their journeys from vision to action.
These video podcasts are available on my YouTube channel. Here is the link.
https://youtube.com/user/NiveditaMukerjee
Please subscribe and share with fellow educators and edupreneurs. Suggest to me names of such leaders who ought to be featured in this series.
And Finally…
Go ahead, start making these pretty paper diyas with your family and enjoy the festival season with Ms. Sonal.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
Please like, subscribe, share, comment. See you next week.
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #15 / October 20, 2020
Disconnected learning is not just difficult, it is fragile. Thus the case for conceptual learning. Right? Does it help us understand life in the 21st century? Does song, dance, art, poetry help? Does it make sense if the 12 year old composes a Rap while learning layers of atmosphere? When does play stop and creative thinking begin? Get some answers and find more questions for yourself, in this week’s newsletter. Do some thinking with your hands while you make rockets, as you reach the And Finally… section.
Do share and subscribe.
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Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education.
Two Thoughts For The Week
‘You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems and suffer and understand, for all that is life.’ Jiddu Krishnamurti
‘I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.’ Albert Einstein
One Video For The Week
At the Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown of the ‘Innovation and Design’ firm IDEO, talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play — with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn’t).
Guest Column
Vishnuteerth Agnihotri, Chief Learner at GenWise TalentDev Pvt Ltd.
Cooks Vs Chefs: A Case for Conceptual Understanding
Can we see an object in a completely dark room after some time? Where does the mass of a large tree weighing several tonnes come from…given that it started off as a seed that weighed just a few grams? Such questions can puzzle even the best among us. This is because developing conceptual understanding requires ‘connecting the dots’ between different things we learn, that are seemingly unrelated.
While the ‘exam economy’ places little value on conceptual understanding, for someone looking at long-term learning, it is clear that factual knowledge and procedural skills must be accompanied with conceptual understanding. Conceptual understanding is important, even if it takes more time initially, because-
- Disconnected learning makes things more difficult than they need to be. e.g. a child not seeing the connection between ratios, percentages, fractions and decimals may resort to arbitrary procedures
- Learning is fragile when disconnected. Without an understanding of foundational concepts, further learning is built on a weak edifice. Unlearning wrong ideas later can be quite painful.
- Aiming for conceptual understanding, requires active engagement with connecting different ideas and builds the capability to ‘think from first principles’.
There is a striking example of the value of conceptual learning from a researcher, Liping Ma, who studied the different methods in teaching subtraction employed by US teachers vis-a-vis Chinese teachers. Take the sum
52 -19
In the US, students are expected to ‘borrow’ 1 from 5, subtract 9 from 12 to get 3 in the units place, subtract 1 from 4 to get 3 in the tens place to arrive at the answer of 33. In contrast in China, students would perform the same subtraction by ‘regrouping’ the numbers in question. Thus a student may perform the subtraction by doing (40 + 12)- (10 + 9)= (40-10) + (12-9)= 30 + 3= 33.
Liping Ma found that Chinese students significantly outperformed American students on such questions on international tests like TIMSS. Her research shows that lacking an understanding of the procedure they were employing, American students tended to slip up; some students even felt anxious about the procedure because of ‘borrowing 1 from 5 and not returning it’.
Elon Musk has spoken about the importance of thinking from first principles, which is closely related to conceptual understanding in my opinion. He explains how thinking from first principles is needed to innovate and uses the analogy of a chef vs a cook to make his point.
“The chef is a trailblazer, the person who invents recipes. He knows the raw ingredients and how to combine them. The cook, who reasons by analogy, uses a recipe. He creates something, perhaps with slight variations, that’s already been created. If the cook lost the recipe, he’d not know how to cook the dish. The chef, on the other hand, understands the flavor profiles and combinations at such a fundamental level that he doesn’t even use a recipe. He has real knowledge as opposed to know-how.”
To sum up, there’s nothing wrong with being a ‘cook’; in fact we all need to be ‘cooks’ in many areas of life, following certain recipes. But there may be areas in life where we want to be chefs…. we want to be trailblazers, and for that we need to work towards conceptual understanding and developing the capability to think from first principles.
If this post has piqued your interest, you could take the Science & Math ‘Concepts Quiz’ at https://bit.ly/ConceptQuiz (for kids) or https://bit.ly/ConcepTest (for grownups). You can also contact the author of this post at vishnu@genwise.in and read a longer version of this post at https://bit.ly/GWconceptual .
Parent Speak
Geetha Upadyayula is a passionate freelance writer who believes that life is the biggest teacher. She has two beautiful daughters who inspire her every day.
https://www.juggernaut.in/search?q=geetha%20upadyayula
I vividly remember my earnest effort to establish transparency with my nine-month-old firstborn. I would always keep her informed about what errands I was running and when I would be back. I firmly believed I was setting a tradition of dialogue between us, one that we would keep alive forever.
The unjust ask of having only picture-perfect conversations with our children could be the cause of disappointment and anxiety among both parties. It is the difficult and messy arguments that have defined my relationships with both my daughters. The fact that we aren’t scared of having them is the key to an honest road ahead. Innumerable heated discussions, hours of chatting and catching up, and incessant laughter over silliness have resulted in building trust.
We have made it a point to constantly work around the house, and have found our shared joy in cooking with the kitchen being the fulcrum of our home. Outsourcing these jobs, though seemingly economical, can prove very costly in the future. We’ve learnt and advocated the dignity of labor, self-dependence, awareness, mutual respect, and the joy of resourcefulness. Seeing our children as little people who can be taught to be responsible, kind, and considerate can set very different prospects.
In today’s world of instant gratification, another significant tool I’ve found is the art of saying no. The dwindling number of practitioners of this art is directly proportional to the guilt-ridden minds of parents. I believe children need parents to be parents and not just friends. Knowing when to step in and step back has helped me immensely in striking the right balance between being completely permissive and overly strict.
I had read somewhere, many years ago, that our children come through us but not from us. They are with us but they do not belong to us. We don’t own them. More than twenty years and two children later I truly appreciate the essence of those lines. I have learnt that the only way to gain respect is to show respect for your children and treat them as you would want to be treated.
Student Voice
Here’s what you get when you have fun when you learn. Rap along with these two Grade 7s, Ridhi Jain and Jinal Manihar – atmospheric eh? Enjoy.
Clouds are the roof,
Air is the breath,
If Troposphere wouldn’t be there,
We would all be dead.
The clouds are clear,
In stratosphere,
Less turbulence, the more jets fly,
Here the famous ozone lies
will we need woolens the higher we go!!
Oh no-no-no.
Then comes the naughty layer,
Which is called the mesosphere,
It extends upward to a height,
Most meteors burn-in might,
Darkness all over,
It gets colder.
Now it’s the ion layer,
Which is called the thermosphere,
Many satellites orbit the sphere,
And the auroras occur here.
Then extends the exosphere,
Up in the air.
- By Jinal Manihar
Atmosphere Atmosphere Atmosphere
Today we are gonna talk about atmosphere
The first layer is the troposphere
It has life giving AIR here
With rain bearing clouds everywhere.
Atmosphere Atmosphere Atmosphere
2nd layer is the stratosphere
It has the hot air balloon in the sky, airplanes flying by
Atmosphere Atmosphere Atmosphere
3rd layer is the mesosphere
It has the shooting stars looks like a beautiful dream that we are waiting for hours
Atmosphere Atmosphere Atmosphere
4rth layer is the thermosphere
It has the aurora having
Amazing light from its reflection
Atmosphere Atmosphere Atmosphere
The last layer is the exosphere
The last layer is the exosphere
Having the spacecraft and the satellite in the sky
So that we can watch cricket matches live.
Atmosphere Atmosphere Atmosphere
Life giving, life saving feature!
- By Ridhi Jain
Showcase
Kiran Bir Sethi, Col Sathya Rao, Saraswathi Padmanabhan, Shailaja Rao, Mubeen Masudi, Divanshu Kumar, Pratibha Narayanan… what do these names have in common? A vision for education. Each of them are thought leaders in this space and tell a story of how they are continuously toiling to make their vision a reality.
I have started a series of podcast : In conversation with Nivedita with educators of today. Those who are breaking boundaries and setting a new paradigm in education. These are short, 20 – 25 minutes of insightful conversations that give a peek into their journeys from vision to action.
These video podcasts are available on my YouTube channel. Here is the link.
https://youtube.com/user/NiveditaMukerjee
Please subscribe and share with fellow educators and edupreneurs. Suggest to me as well names of such leaders who ought to be featured in this series.
And Finally…
Rocket that flies without noise and fire! check out this fun activity with Ms. Sonal.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
Please like, subscribe, share, comment. See you next week.
This newsletter is supported by:
3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV
Issue #14 / October 13, 2020
Easy choices are, well – easy to make. One alternate trumps the others in more than one ways. In a hard choice one alternate is better in one way, another one is better in some other way. Neither is better than the other over all. What do you do? Flip a coin? Go for the safer option? In this issue, find some infographics that will help clear the muddy waters around hard decisions. Listen to Ruth Chang in the video of the week in her life altering talk on How To Make Hard Choices. Don’t miss playing with Bangles this festival season with your family, check out the And Finally.. section with Ms Sonal.
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Three Images For The Week
For educator, parent and student. The Holy Trinity of Education.
Two Thoughts For The Week
“You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.”
― Michelle Obama
“It is often said that a wrong decision taken at the right time is better than a right decision taken at the wrong time.”
― Pearl Zhu, Decision Master: The Art and Science of Decision Making
One Video For The Week
The world of value is different from the world of science. That is the stuff of hard decisions we face as humans. In both small and big tasks. Here’s a talk that could literally change your life. Which career should I pursue? Should I break up — or get married?! Where should I live? Big decisions like these can be agonizingly difficult. But that’s because we think about them the wrong way, says philosopher Ruth Chang. She offers a powerful new framework for shaping who we truly are.
Guest Column
Pavitra Umashankar, Teach For India Fellow.
Corona Diaries
I started this year with a lot of enthusiasm, a new zeal. I knew this year is going to be different. I had in August 2019 taken part in the assessments “Teach for India” conducted. I was impressed by their professionalism, to select teachers for government and low income private schools, a profession that is thought of not so highly in our society. I was supposed to start my stint in “Teach for India” with a one month long training in May in Pune. I had many years of corporate experience but this was going to be different. I was already dreaming about “back to college days” fun, staying in FLAME hostel with lot of fresh graduates and feel as one myself. I was getting set to be away from home for a month and have a lot of Vada paavs in the streets of Pune.
I was thinking of booking flight tickets and news of Corona Virus in China spreading trickled in slowly. The news of COVID in China did not make much of an impact considering we do not watch TV at home. Newspapers did not color as scary a picture as television and other media would do. On the day of March 20th, PM Modi announced banning of all international flights. The PM then came on national news channels and announced a complete lockdown from March 25th 2020. I stocked up few groceries and essentials that would last for a month. It was a time to bond with family and spend some quality time at home. It was time to try out all new recipes. It was also a time to efficiently divide and finish all the chores at home with good planning since the maids would not enter the community. Least did I know a different story unraveled in many many lives across the country.
Today after 6 months of the complete lockdown, with Vada Paavs of Pune still a far dream, with the online training that was imparted to us, I sit in my room, teach 20 plus kids on zoom every day and a different story unfolds every single day. My students’ parents belong to the informal sector as we call it, but they are the engine which runs the economy. My students’ parents are auto drivers, cab drivers, factory workers, garment industry workers, small business owners and BMTC workers. I now realize firsthand what lockdown is for them. Some of them have one basic smart phone at home, that affordability was there till last year. Today they have to manage to educate their kids with that one smart phone at home. They are struggling to pay the admission and tuition fee of 5000/- to school couple of months after online teaching has started.
My students have charmed me. I am particularly impressed with one girl in my class. Gunashree has very good RC, writing and Math ability as per her performance report last year. Her mother is a single parent trying to make ends meet. She works in a small hotel washing vessels, but dreams big for her child. Gunashree is 9 years old who gets up in the morning cooks for her brother and herself while her mom goes to work. She is the first one to login to online class at 9:30 A.M every day through a phone, a phone which I could give Gunashree because of the funding from a good Samaritan. Gunashree is so full of life, her beaming, confident voice on zoom answering all the questions and Math challenges that her Ma’am throws at her.
I prepare colorful ppt’s for my students, call up parents almost every day and entice them towards online learning with an intention to increase attendance only to realize that when my student strength in zoom is more than 10, my students on their phone interspersed with poor connectivity, constantly get disconnected, some of them are barely able to hear me. I then realized that being a elementary school teacher is 80% drama and 20% teaching and that is what keeps me going today. Dramatizing the teaching and learning
If not anything I have learnt a lot in this lockdown. I have learnt important life lessons. “Teach for India” in their one month training taught us “how to teach/ the pedagogy/dealing with any situation with a lot of empathy”, but the kids teach you a lot more on a daily basis. They have accepted their new teacher and given her a lot of love without meeting her face to face even once. They are malleable, they are the sponge which sees you and absorbs. There seems to be no end in sight for the pandemic but seeing the joyful faces of my students everyday morning have taught me that it does not take a lot to be happy
In awe of the ever adaptive world
Parent Speak
Student Voice
Akshitha Upadyayula, Student of Grade 12
“If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” – Einstein
At first glance, this seems quite counter-intuitive since we have been taught that knowing the right answer is extremely important. However, Einstein seemed to believe that our ability to correctly identify the problem is directly proportional to the quality of the answer.
To understand a problem better you must be open to the possibility that there is more than one solution and actively question it. Challenge your previous values, assumptions and principles in an attempt to rethink and reinvent yourself.
Asking questions stimulates critical thinking – where the aim is not to make you afraid of having the wrong answer, but for you to closely examine and clearly articulate your beliefs. This is termed “productive discomfort”.
As students, we must understand that questioning is both the art of learning and the best evidence of understanding. Pursuing fearless thought, dedicated action and forgiveness for ourselves is something we cannot be taught but can discover through the process of questioning.
The beauty of this process lies in the idea that we don’t have to feel the burden of having all the correct answers. We have the freedom to come up with questions that lead to the heart of the problem. We will be able to stand by our values knowing that we have delved into ‘why’ we see the world the way we do.
These skills are vital to our growth and the way we approach the world. So I invite you to ponder over the thought that the “quest is for the question, not the answer” and see what you make of it.
Showcase
Saraswathi Padmanabhan, founder Diya Ghar.
Diya Ghar is an NGO for children of migrant labourers. We run Montessori Preschools and Day Care Centres in Bangalore. Our focus is nutrition, education and community engagement.
When the COVID19 pandemic hit us, our migrant communities were affected very badly. Children are now in a very vulnerable state and without an intervention like ours they are at the risk of developing nutritional deficiency. Their development is also hampered due to lack of stimulation and activities. We have therefore changed our model to continue to support children and their families during this time. Our interventions include:
- Nutrition: We are providing nutritional supplements (milk, eggs, porridge mix) for all children and distributing dry ration kits for families who are in desperate need.
- Parent Empowerment: Through a curriculum of weekly video sessions we are teaching parenting skills and activities that they can do with their children. We follow up with calls and community visits.
- Early Childhood Education: We are supporting the development of children by sharing video content. We follow up with calls and community visits.
Four year old Srinivas joined Diya Ghar in the beginning of February 2020. His family is from Bellary. They came to Bangalore about 5 years ago and they work as construction labourers. Srinivas was very malnourished and initially didn’t like to drink the porridge in school. He was also a shy boy who took a couple of weeks to join the group activities. What he loved doing was sitting by himself in the reading corner and going through story books. When we introduced activities using beads and cloth pins, we noticed that his fingers were very stiff. We were happy to see improvement over the month. He also started drinking porridge!
And then preschools were closed on March 10th 2020! We wondered how Srinivas was doing. We then started giving his family and the community dry ration kits and also nutritional supplements for the children (milk, eggs, porridge mix). We were surprised to hear that Srinivas enjoyed drinking the porridge. We then started sending his parents videos of activities to do. His mother understood the importance of Srinivas doing activities to strengthen his muscles. We were delighted when they sent us a picture of him doing an activity with clothes pins! His mother tells us that he loves to listen to videos on spoken English and is repeating a few words. We are glad that even during this pandemic, Srinivas can continue to get nutritious food, do activities to aid his growth and continue to learn!
www.diyaghar.org, contact@diyaghar.org, +91 63607 09332
_______________________________________________________________________________
And Finally..
Ms Sonal shares how you can learn and play with Bangles this Navratri in this fun video. Enjoy.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
For whom? Students, educators and parents
When? Every Tuesday
Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.
If you want to contribute an article, are organising an event, have a product that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com
Please like, subscribe, share, comment. See you next week.
This newsletter is supported by:
Nivedita Mukerjee 