K12 Digest – India Edition – November - December 2021 –Most Inspiring Indian Women in School Leaders

WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

INDIAN EDITION

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Meera Isaacs Dean, The Cathedral & John Connon School

Kinnari Shah Head of School, D Y Patil International School

MOST INSPIRING

Sailaja Vittaldev Principal, Silver Oaks International School Monica Bhimwal Principal Primary School, Pathways World School

Varsha Agarwal Rodewald Secondary School Principal, Ascend International School

NOV - DEC 2021

K12 Digest Nov - Dec 2021

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November - December 2021

Vol - 2 Issue - 10

Indian Women in School Leadership Head of Advisory Board Dr. Varughese K.John, PhD

Managing Editor Sarath Shyam

Consultant Editors

Dr. Johny Andrews Nikita Thakur Joseph Alex

Naomi Wilson Roshni Rajagopal Emma James

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Art and Design

Ajay K Das Manjunath R Rohith Poojary

Sales & Marketing

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Monica Davis Anna Elza Reshma A

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K12 Digest is a digital magazine published by Connecta Innovation Private Limited. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in the content and pictures provided are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Connecta Innovation Private Limited or any of its members and we do not assume any responsibility. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the advertisements, its content, pictures, and all representation of warranties made in such advertisements are those of the advertisers and not of the publisher. K12 Digest is a Free Subscription digital magazine strictly not for sale and has to be strictly for internal private use only. Publisher does not assume any responsibility arising out of anyone printing copy of this digital magazine in any format and in any country and all matters related to that.

MANAGING EDITOR’S NOTE

Why Do We Need More Women in School Leadership?

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he importance of women in school leadership is not a widely studied subject in India. Several reports have been written on the hinderances women face while traversing the career ladder in the education sector. However, hardly any of them address the why factor for improving the quality of schools by bringing women into leadership roles. N. Mythili, an expert in school education, wrote in her book titled Women in School Leadership, “Indian studies generally discuss the impact of social norms, family mores, social class, socialization and caste on women’s career aspiration, choice of profession and income from employment. They highlight the role conflict among women teachers or discuss the stereotyped practices that inhibit the impact women teachers can make.”

When it comes to giving leadership roles, the Indian patriarchal society has somehow conveniently

tried to ignore that women school leaders develop greater interactivity with children, helping them achieve greater engagement with learning and better results. In fact, many women academicians would agree that they are treated as a single category, making no distinction between school heads, teachers, and educational administrators.

Fortunately, we can see the wind is changing now.

The education sector is slowly making way for women to take the baton of leadership.

In this issue, we celebrate the success of women leaders in the Indian education sector.

We have identified ‘10 Most Inspiring Indian Women in School Leadership’ who have harnessed the spirit of innovation and excellence to produce tangible, path-breaking results in the education sector.

Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

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INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Chris Wright

Maarit Rossi

Former International School Principal, Former Group Project Director at a World Class Learning Group, Education Consultant - Wright Solutions, United Kingdom

Founder & CEO - Paths to Math Ltd, Former Mathematics Teacher and Principal, Global Teacher Prize Finalist, Finland

Dr. Stuart Grant Colesky Principal, Rundle College, South Africa

Zeljana Radojicic Lukic Exceptional Educator from Serbia, Founder of Association of the Best Teachers of the Former Yugoslavia, Founder of Magical Intercultural Friendship Network, Founder of Creative Magic - Children’s International Festival, Founder of Magic Village, Serbia

Asst. Prof. Dr. Poonsri Vate-U-Lan Assistant Professor in Education, Ph.D. Supervisor and Researcher, Thailand

Stephen Cox

Elena Shramkova

Chief Education Officer, New Nordic School, Finland

Liljana Luani

Senior Teacher ‘Pashko Vasa’ school Shkodra, Exceptional Volunteer, Albania

English and Literature teacher, Owner of “The Smart Teens Studio of English” in Belgorod, Russia

Ralph Valenzisi Chief of Digital Learning and Development, Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut, United States

Hatem Slimane

Servatius (Servee) Palmans Former Director School Administration & Business Operations (Large Education Group), Chief Operating Officer - BBD Education, Dr. Lilian Bacich Netherlands & UAE Senior Educationist, Author, Keynote Speaker, Co-founder Tríade Educacional, Brazil

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Founder & National President - ATAST, General director of IFEST² the international projects competition in Tunisia, General secretary of MILSET Africa, BRISECC member, Tunisia

Juan Manuel Pico Education Soul Co-founder & HundrED Country Lead Colombia, Colombia

Hidekazu Shoto

Dr. Venus M. Alboruto

Angus Duthie

Master Teacher, Researcher, Innovator, Trainer, Philippines

Former Vice President Security (Large Education Group), Former British Army Officer (Airborne Forces), Senior Advisor – Resilience and Crisis Management (Emerald Solutions Group), United Kingdom & UAE

Innovative English and ICT Teacher, Author, Japan

Ian Deakin

Deputy Head and Dean of Faculty, Dalton Academy, Beijing, China

Shady Elkassas Rania Lampou

Global Teacher Prize Finalist 2019, 15 International Awards on STEM, STEM Instructor, Educator, Neuroscience Researcher, Trainer & Author, Greece

Director of Innovation Al Ittihad National Private School-Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Fethy Letaief Distinguished Senior EFL Teacher, ISA Coordinator with the British Council, Motivational Speaker, Tunisia

Herwin Hamid

Ha Nga

EdTech Specialist, Speaker and Teacher Trainer, Innovative ICT Educator, ICT learning multimedia developer, Indonesia

Revolutionary English Educator, Globally Connected English Studio - Hanoi, Vietnam

Dr. Leonilo Basas Capulso Master Teacher, Speaker and Researcher, Philippines

Kihyun Park Innovative Educator of Online Classroom, Pungsaeng Middle School, South Korea

Mr. Ngô Thành Nam

Technology Academy Manager, Microsoft Learning Consultant, Global Trainer, Vietnam

Dr. Varughese K.John, PhD Former Program Director, MS in Management Program, GSATM - AU, Thailand & India

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CONTENTS MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

36 KINNARI SHAH

HEAD OF SCHOOL, D Y PATIL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, WORLI

Creating a Conducive Learning Environment for Students

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50 MEERA ISAACS

62 MONICA BHIMWAL

DEAN, CATHEDRAL & JOHN CONNON SCHOOL MUMBAI

PRINCIPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL, PATHWAYS WORLD SCHOOL

Consolidating an International Method of Teaching

Having the Mind and Mindset as the Best Influencer

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

26 D Y PATIL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, WORLI Creating a Learning Environment for Young Minds

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SAILAJA VITTALDEV

VARSHA AGARWAL RODEWALD

PRINCIPAL, SILVER OAKS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, BANGALORE

Focusing on Solution, Rather than Challenges

SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, ASCEND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Inspiring the Next-Gen in Education

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CONTENTS ACADEMIC VIEWS

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STEREOTYPES AND WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN EDUCATION SECTOR

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN INDIA

HOW TEACHING SHOULD BE ACTIVITY AND APPLICATIONBASED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF DIVERSE LEARNERS

Kiran Meena, Co-Founder & Head of Content, SchoolMyKids.com

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Priya Rajwade, Principal, Podar International School, Powai

Cindy Sequeira, Grade 4 Homeroom Teacher, The Gera School

MENTOR’S OPINION

ADMIN VIEW

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ACHIEVING THE PERFECT COMBINATION IN INDIAN EDUCATION

NEW ERA FOR MENTAL HEALTH INCLUSION & ACCEPTANCE

Tara Singh Vachani, Managing Trustee, Max India Foundation

Nehal Sequeira, Head – Counselling & Special Education, Orchids The International School

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CONTENTS INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

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EDUCATION AND SOCIETAL SUPPORT HELP WOMEN THRIVE

EDUCATION VS TALENT: WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR A BETTER CAREER

THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF LEARNING IN A MUSEUM

Shilpi Jain, Technical & Marketing Head, IntelliPaat

Shahnaz Husain, Founder, Chairperson & Managing Director, Shahnaz Husain Group

Garima Sharma, Learning Experience Designer, ReReeti Foundation

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TIPS FOR HELPING CHILD IMBIBE NEW SKILLS IN HOME SCHOOLING

TIPS TO EMBRACE A HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT

THE EVOLUTION OF THE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY

Divya Jain, Founder & Director, The Class of One

Kiran Dham, CEO, Globus Infocom Ltd.

Manashi Kumar, Business Director, Genius Inside

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MENTOR’S OPINION

Achieving the Perfect Combination in Indian Education Tara Singh Vachani, Managing Trustee, Max India Foundation

Tara Singh Vachani is the Executive Chairperson of Antara Senior Living and the Managing Trustee of Max India Foundation 2.0, which represents the Max Group’s social responsibility efforts.

As Executive Chairman of Antara Senior Living, Tara’s aim is to give a new dimension to senior living in India. She is also the Non–Executive Director on the Board of Max India Ltd. and oversees future business initiatives at Max Group. With an extensive education and experience across the world, and as a keen learner throughout her journey at Max Group, Tara has imbibed the values of Sevabhav, Excellence and Credibility.

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he National Education Policy (NEP), laid down by the Indian government in 2020, aims to achieve a 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio by 2030. While the idea, along with the other recommendations in the policy, is ambitious, it is certainly achievable over the next decade.

What will hold key is the innovation the government will bring through new pedagogical structures and frameworks as well as how it restructures the existing modalities of education. Among the new structures or methodologies are critical thinking, systems thinking, and an intuitive way of existence catalyzed through formal and informal education.

There exists a rich body of pedagogical research that eyes to move beyond knowledge accumulation – something the new policy espouses – and focuses on holistic development of children to help them better navigate society, adulthood, and the world at large. One such approach is the Social, Emotional and Ethical (SEE) Learning program that focuses on the social, emotional, and ethical literacy of K-12 students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought along a significant change in the learning patterns of such students, majorly due to their inability to attend physical classes and the added labor of adapting to newer forms of learning, especially the digital medium. There is no doubt that the response towards digital adoption and adaptation was immense. But, it also exposed the digital divide in

our country due to the disparities amid the various socioeconomic sections of the society.

So, how can we usher in a disparate era of K-12 education in India keeping in mind the experience from the pandemic?

More holistic, all-round education SEE Learning, on the back of its decades of classroom expertise and in-depth research, can greatly revive that enthusiasm among children and infuse a spurt of energy in the teachers. With its applications across sectors and geographical regions, SEE learning is more of a way of life that every human being can inculcate.

However, this inculcation needs to begin at a young age when the cognitive abilities of the children are in their exploratory stage.

Interestingly, this is the stage where the correct form of intervention through holistic and well-curated pedagogical models can help children take advantage of their developing abilities to be able to pursue a life that best suits them on its own merits and demerits. Such models, of which SEE Learning is one of them, can go a long way in contributing to the growth of the mental faculties of K-12 students.

The SEE Learning program, developed by the US’ Emory University in collaboration with the Dalai Lama, builds on the advances made by the earlier Social and Educational Learning (SEL) community. SEE Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought along a significant change in the learning patterns of such students, majorly due to their inability to attend physical classes and the added labor of adapting to newer forms of learning, especially the digital medium

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Two fundamental pillars of the SEE Learning program – emotional literacy and ethics – set the perfect tone for the leaders of tomorrow

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grants recognition to the social needs of humans which are inherently biological. Therefore, education should not only provide students with the social skills necessary to navigate through life but also inform them about the intricate and complex web of systems that make a society functional (or dysfunctional).

In either case, the children will – over a course of time – construct their own meanings and chart territories that else might be difficult to envision.

2030 is a decade from and this is the decade that can not only revitalize the Indian education system but also set a benchmark for the future generations of scientists, writers, philosophers, and innovators. This will also align with the government’s idea to build an Atmanirbhar Bharat, a self-reliant India, as these children will be at the forefront of driving that idea of India.

Two fundamental pillars of the SEE Learning program – emotional literacy and ethics – set the perfect tone for the leaders of tomorrow. People who are in touch with their emotions are more likely to be in control of their lives, and less likely to get overwhelmed and swept under the larger societal currents that impact the lives of one and all.

Guided and motivated by a strictly non-religious, non-sectarian conception of ethics in the program, along with a focus on universal human values such as kindness and empathy, encourages students to engage with moral questions through the lens of compassion and empathy. This is where SEE Learning transcends the barriers of conventional curriculums by impacting the prevailing culture in schools and making the K-12 students realize their true potential.

The NEP aims to work closely with students to create a society that is more equitable, kind, and just, and the SEE Learning program is complementary to it. It is for this reason that parents, who play an equally crucial role during the child’s growing years, are encouraged under the program to guide their child’s ethical growth by asking thoughtful questions, recalling illustrative stories, and engaging in regular dialogues.

The mind of a growing child, particularly during the schooling years, is akin to clay. And, if it is molded in the right manner, it will help them become thinking individuals and not just a mere addition to the country’s burgeoning workforce. Therefore, a combination of the recommendations proposed in the NEP and the teachings of the SEE Learning program is what will distinguish India’s future from its past.

The whole sTudenT view Our assessments provide a deeper insight into your students’ capability, struggles, learning barriers, current and comparative performance and rate of progress. With this information you are better able to personalise learning according to each individual student’s need. our assessments provide robust, standardised external data for: • Supporting decision-making across teaching, learning and pastoral needs • Identifying areas for school improvement • Preparation for inspections and accreditations.

• Benchmarking and value-added • Informing staff professional development requirements • Showing prospective parents what the school has to offer and he effectiveness of teaching

international@gl-education.com

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

Stereotypes and Women Representation in Education Sector Kiran Meena, Co-Founder & Head of Content, SchoolMyKids.com

Kiran Meena is the Co-Founder & Head of Content at SchoolMyKids. She is responsible for all day to day activities and handling the content of the platform. Previously Kiran has worked as Assistant professor Botany in Hansraj College and Shivaji College, Delhi University. She is a BSc Hons graduate from Hindu College and an MSc Department of Botany from Delhi University. A mother of two adorable kids, Kiran enjoys classical Dance and Art & craft. She has a senior diploma degree (4 years) in kathak. She also likes making Tanjore, Gold and Clay & ceramic paintings.

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Teachers while playing the important and critical role of shaping young minds into the next generation of leaders never receive an adequate level of monetary support

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avitribai Phule is credited with being the first teacher in India who being a woman also opened a school for girls in 1848. While being a remarkable example of women’s empowerment from two centuries earlier, it is also a sad commentary on modern recognition being provided to women teachers. For instance, The Rig Veda contains hymns written by twenty-seven women scholars called Brahmavadinis. The prominent ones amongst them were Lopamudra, Ghosha, Gargi, and Maitreyi. These women teachers are sadly relegated to ancient history chapters in textbooks.

Interestingly, women have been increasingly gravitating towards teaching as a profession in modern India. Just last year the number of women, teachers in the Indian schooling system finally exceeded that of men. However, this ratio is skewed by a huge urban bias.

In rural India, the representation of women teachers still remains low. Additional areas of concern concerning 49.2 lakh women teachers out of the 96.8 lakh teachers in the country are that many more women teach preprimary to primary grades (~20.6 lakh) compared to men (~16 lakh). Men teachers outnumber women teachers in the secondary and higher secondary grades.

Most women teachers in India are assumed to be taking up the profession because it is believed to allow them to still take care of household duties. While this may be applicable in many cases - the government, students & their parents, and school owners need to keep in mind that woman teachers are not made to work more than the legitimate work hours. Teachers are often

burdened with numerous additional duties and afterwork tasks like homework correction and test paper setting. These extras thus stretch the teacher’s days from early morning school start to normal office hours end time.

Teacher pay is another sore point faced by the entire teaching community and especially women teachers.

Teachers while playing the important and critical role of shaping young minds into the next generation of leaders never receive an adequate level of monetary support. This situation gets further exploited in the case of women teachers as they are generally believed to be supplementing the family income and are thus not the chief bread earner. They are thus not able to adequately negotiate for their pay. This chiefly happens in private education institutes, which form the majority of the urban education scenario.

Women teachers’ pay also gets impacted in urban scenarios due to the attractiveness of the profession.

This thus enables institute owners to take a cavalier attitude towards not treating teachers as long-term assets and thus compensating them at a lower scale.

The belief that most women teachers are not able to manage senior grades is another perception stereotype that they constantly face. It is believed that boys and girls in senior grades are more mischievous and difficult to the discipline of motivating for women teachers. This hampers the professional growth of women teachers, as they are not given the opportunity easily. This factor also influences their voice in school administration as senior class teachers are given more weightage.

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It is also believed that women are not as proficient in STEM subjects as men are and thus not able to teach them as well either. This is another limiting perception in their career graph. Women teachers need to be judged on their individual capacity and not by generically held beliefs.

The nurturing capability of women also at times goes against the professional advancement of women teachers. It is believed that younger wards require a more nurturing environment and thus women teachers are encouraged to stay in that role.

Women are also the chief caregivers for their families. They are thus expected to step in and take leaves to care for any ailing family member. This situation is more serious to women in the teaching profession compared to women in other careers.

The reason being that teaching is generally taken by society as a lighter and not as serious a profession. The family and societal pressure play havoc with women teachers’ peace of mind and their ability to contribute wholeheartedly to their teaching profession. The extra leaves are taken to manage this situation do them no favour either.

Society expects women to always dress to the maximum.

While a male teaching colleague may wear the same simple clothes every day, a woman needs to turn up for the job. This is especially true in the metros and creates an additional expense and time requirement on the part of women teachers.

In rural scenarios, women’s teacher numbers are also lower because of societal attitudes. Taking knowledge instructions/teachings from women is not easily palatable and thus their capability is also questioned. This along with the remote locations of schools, being the sole teacher in the school, lack of proper women-centric facilities in rural schools, and

limited transport availability, etc. enhances the problems faced. For example, a UNESCO reports points out that most of the aspirational districts in Northeast have a higher percentage of single-teacher schools compared to the rest of the states. The report additionally says that the percentage of women teachers in these districts is much lower than the national representation of 50%.

Separate toilet facilities for males and females are also lacking in addition to lack of electricity. All these factors have an impact on a woman teacher’s sense of wellbeing and security.

An earlier study conducted in the state of Kerala, which has the highest literacy rate; found that among the personal problems faced by women teachers health-related problems are more prevalent.

The majority of the respondents skipped breakfast daily, and did not get time for simple exercises, relaxation, and were unable to engage in any recreation activities. (“ERIC - ED506244 - Problems of Female School Teachers in ...”). Most of them did not even get time to read newspapers daily. The majority of teachers at the higher secondary section opined that wearing a saree is inconvenient for teaching.

Nevertheless, the increasing number of women teachers needs to be appreciated and encouraged. The urban-rural bias and the higher vs. lower grade bias gave the current trends are likely to be mitigated in due time. What is more urgent is the need to ensure that with women’s preference for teaching as a vocation they are not given short shrift professionally. I welcome feedback from readers on how the education sector can be enabled to take better care of their most important asset – the teachers and especially women teachers.

It is believed that younger wards require a more nurturing environment and thus women teachers are encouraged to stay in that role

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Amazing Opportunity for Teachers and School Leaders to enhance their knowledge through FREE Teachers Academy masterclasses from international education experts !!!

For more details and registration www.teachersacademy.com

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Education and Societal Support Help Women Thrive Shilpi Jain, Technical & Marketing Head, IntelliPaat

Do you think women in learnership roles are still a minority? What is the situation in the education space? How can we increase the number of women in leadership roles?

I think, until recently, it was expected from girls and women to stay at home; however, with education that mentality is changing. Now, you can see women are working in all the sectors be it defense, corporate, sports, etc. Providing education and societal support is essential for women to start working; and I am sure once women get jobs, they can easily create their own path to success. This will prove to be a big part in taking India to the next level of growth. Women are the first teachers for their children; similarly, they can help India to create a better future for the coming generations.

When looking specifically at educational planning and management, why is it important that we have women in the leadership position?

Planning and management are primarily about making decisions and allocating resources, and it is critical that men and women share these duties. Women are capable of handling various types of responsibilities—professional or domestic.

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I follow a simple philosophy— fail, learn, and grow; these three words are key to succeed in life

Women in leadership roles are a minority but we see companies that have women in leadership positions, such as PepsiCo, Bicon, etc., have scaled at a faster pace than companies headed by men.

But in the education sector, we see a lot of women in leadership roles be in EdTech or brick-and-mortar schools, colleges, and universities. Being a leader in a leading EdTech Company, Shilpi Jain, Technical & Marketing Head, IntelliPaat, faced a lot of challenges with balancing her family and company. But her family encourage her to work harder and reach her career ambitions. In conversation with K12 Digest, Shilpi gives us insights about her journey as a leader in the EdTech Sector, and women leadership in these times.

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Since they have the ability to multitask, women can be better planners and manage various tasks efficiently.

I believe that these skills work as an advantage for organizations.

As a woman in a leadership position, what was this journey like for yourself? How were you able to overcome the different obstacles encountered?

My family has encouraged me to work harder and reach my career ambitions. I eventually learnt to manage my time and began to perform admirably in both areas.

After all the struggles, I can now proudly say that I am a mother and an entrepreneur. I believe nothing is out of the reach for a woman. They have the ability to achieve everything.

Do you consider yourself a leader at IntelliPaat?

What do you feel you bring to the role that inspires others to see you as a leader?

Yes, I am a leader at IntelliPaat. I have been with IntelliPaat since its foundation and have been responsible for its establishment and operations. I work as a technical and marketing head. As a startup, we are dynamic and solve a lot of problems. Many times, we fail but every failure gives us motivation to learn and come up with new and innovative solutions to succeed. I follow a simple philosophy—fail, learn, and grow; these three words are key to succeed in life. Learning and reaching new heights makes the employees feel energized, which makes them contribute more. I motivate and inspire my team to unlock their full potential.

As an experienced industry leader, what would you like to change in the current higher education system?

As a leading EdTech platform, we come across so many learners, from engineering or other disciplines, who lack the latest technological skills. There is a huge gap in what the industry needs and what the current education system provides. I personally feel that there are a lot of subjects in the engineering curriculum that do not help students get a job in the IT industry. So, instead of wasting their time and efforts on a subject that is not going to be helpful in their career, students must learn the technologies and trends that can make them industry-ready. I would like to change the curriculum into an advanced education system where students will be able to get in touch with industry-standard learning, which would help them to start their careers in the IT industry. We are contributing to the education system

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with IntelliPaat’s online platform where people can upskill and grow in their career with ease.

Being a woman and working in a leading EdTech company, I advise women to continue with their careers What projects or goals are you working on or leading currently?

IntelliPaat is dedicated to improving the EdTech sector so that anybody, regardless of their location or background, may acquire knowledge and improve their abilities to be industry-ready. We are working to democratize knowledge. Our platform focuses on providing people with the tools required for a successful career transition. Currently, we are collaborating with various IITs, foreign universities, MNCs, and US-based companies to provide industry-level training to our learners. We provide access to user-friendly courses with exceptional technical expertise from IITs for everyone. Our primary goal is to make learning easy, accessible, and affordable. A successful career adds value to people’s lives and makes them reach their full potential.

Do you have any thoughts you would like to share being a woman in the education sector or advice for carving a top management space?

Being a woman and working in a leading EdTech company, I advise women to continue with their careers.

Everyone should do something that they wish to do. It is okay to step back and take a break, but one should always come back stronger. It is time to learn and restart your career. Women should grab opportunities and pursue their dreams. Balancing home and work life is not that difficult. It’s never too late to start afresh; learn new technologies and go for higher education, improve yourself, and get back on your feet.

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K12 Digest Nov - Dec 2021

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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

D Y PATIL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, WORLI CREATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUNG MINDS

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hile K-12 schools have been moving toward digital teaching and learning for many years, COVID-19 has undoubtedly accelerated the progress. The rapid move to remote online learning at the onset of the pandemic is an experience that I am sure most school and district administrations would not want to relive; however, the results will have a lasting positive impact on their teachers, students and parents. Digital instruction can no longer be considered ancillary for K-12 schools. Despite the overwhelming consequences of the pandemic, this global crisis was viewed as an extraordinary time for learning by D Y Patil International School, Worli. They perceived it more as an opportunity than a problem. Being an IB school, digital learning was not an

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DYPIS was established in 2008 with a vision to offer the best education of international standards in Mumbai

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unexplored arena. Hence, the school focused on making the online learning experiences more engaging and exciting for the students.

Despite irregular attendance and technical glitches faced by both teachers and students, DYPIS teachers have used interactive tools and methods to ensure the smooth progression of the learning journey. The institute had to ensure that not only teachers but the entire ecosystem at the school was ready for this migration and were able to function with equal efficiency. Hence, they decided to hold frequent informal discussions along with the regular collaborative meetings ensuring an exchange of ideas among the staff members. “Curriculum and resource audit for the changed circumstances helped us in indemnifying areas of improvement. The Senior Leadership Team at the school took charge and devised a plan of action to strengthen those areas. The school

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has functioned well even during a pandemic due to the consistent and synthesized efforts of all its stakeholders,” says Kinnari Shah, Head of School, DYPIS. Coping through the COVID Storm At DYPIS, the varying needs of students are given the utmost importance that helps them to gain selfconfidence, personal accomplishment and become lifelong learners transforming them into future leaders.

Students are encouraged to participate in various competitions and have won many prizes at the district, state, national, international, and interschool level but what makes the difference is when students start reflecting their learnings for the benefit of society. There are some noteworthy contributions made by the students of DYPIS. The students had raised over INR 35 Lakhs for Habitat of Humanity to provide essential and hygiene kits to thousands impacted by COVID-19. This Initiative was launched with the expectation of reaching people who were widely impacted by the Coronavirus.

There was another initiative named ‘Make Meals Matter’ taken by Grade 7 students to eradicate hunger by purchasing healthy and hygienic grains with the help of effective fundraising to provide food to people who are unable to cope with the rapidly increasing prices.

The students have distributed food items to the needy, especially during the pandemic. Further to support the same cause, a ‘Virtual Games Night’ was organized by Grade V students to raise Rs. 35,000, which was utilized to purchase the community fridge and donate it with the help of an NGO.

Similarly, Students of Grade V had taken the initiative to spread the awareness on ‘ECO Bricks’ through their club called ‘Let’s Be Kind’. Ecobrick is a plastic bottle packed tight with used plastic. It can be pieces of plastic bags, polythene bags, chocolate wrappers, Packaging wrappers, straws, or any other plastic material at home dumped inside the plastic bottle till its bottle rim with the help of a stick and later used to build furniture, gardens, play parks, houses for the needy, and many other structures. Students had collected more than 300 eco-bricks and donated them with the help of an NGO. “These major achievements of our students as the school believes in transforming the students to think with a global mindset and contribute towards the betterment of mankind,” opines Kinnari.

Helping Students Out Do Themselves DYPIS was established in 2008 with a vision to offer the best education of international standards in Mumbai by fostering a well-qualified, highly-skilled, and approachable faculty and expecting and supporting their professional development. The institute believes that students should focus on absorbing knowledge with evolving technology rather than only focusing on acquiring good grades. The school wishes its students to have a global mindset and think critically, contributing towards the betterment of society. “We aspire to be a school from which students gain a sense of personal accomplishment, self-confidence, and a lifelong love for learning. By fostering critical thinking through the inquiry process, our students develop a broad range of competencies for their future endeavours,” says Kinnari.

DYPIS strongly believes in creating a partnership with the parents to ensure that the children are not perplexed by varied instructions from their parents and teachers. To make this happen, they have frequent formal and informal conversations with the parents. Coffee Mornings, Parents’ Workshops, and informal socials help parents in understanding the school’s philosophy of education.

Kinnari adds, “Parents participate in celebrating students’ academic and cocurricular achievements. School newsletters and other modes of communication also help in strengthening the relationship with the parents.

Together we give them the roots to grow and the wings to fly”.

Valuing a strong partnership where parents contribute to the education and success of their children, DYPIS inspires its students to strive for excellence in all aspects of their development and at the same time expect them to become productive individuals and principled

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world citizens. The students are taught to respect each individual and learn from the diverse culture, which is the source of strength, inspiration, and knowledge.

The institute promotes the exchange of ideas and an atmosphere of openness amongst students, faculty, parents, and administration. Keeping this in mind, the mission is to create a community of life-long learners working together in a caring, challenging, and nurturing environment that encourages enthusiasm, international mindedness, independence, and responsibility where academic and personal potential can be achieved.

Making Learning Innovative – Teachers at DYPIS Teachers of DYPIS have used varied IT resources to enhance the learning experience of students. It also helped children in understanding the concepts well.

They have strategically used the engagement platforms like hyperdocs, bitmojis, various online quiz apps, Pear Deck, flipgrid, etc. in their lesson plans. The school keeps on organizing virtual webinars and workshops for students that help to broaden their skills, as well as their understanding of their field of interest. The school also planned various events for students virtually like STEM Fest, TED-Ed Students Talk, Model United Nations, Aavishkar Art Competition, TOK Fest, CLS Quiz, Knowledge Bees which provided an opportunity to bring the outliers in, to build school spirit, and create a sense of belonging.

With such events, students remain engaged, organized, and enjoy the learning process. “We have also organized the DYPIS Skill Enhancement Programme virtually as part of summer camp that included workshops on Personality Development, Coffee Painting, Contemporary Dance, Music & Instruments, Career Counseling, Art and Craft, Anger Management,

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Communication Skills, Animation, App Designing, etc. and has received overwhelming responses. The students are also encouraged to form various clubs,” adds Kinnari.

Many of the activities offered by clubs help students to extend and elaborate on the more formal knowledge learned in school. It also provides an opportunity to participate in new roles.

DYPIS maintains its student-teacher ratio that enables personalized attention to each child. They offer IB and IGCSE curriculum for different age groups.

In the primary years, the school offers the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), which highlights inquiry-based learning and differentiated instructions. Typically, in the PYP classroom, different learners are found working on the same topic at very different levels according to their understanding and comprehension. The PYP focuses on student agency, where the emphasis is given to the student’s aptitude and interest. The teachers and students work together to decide & what and how the students will learn. The teachers use different strategies and tools for each learner to ensure that each child meets their potential.

In addition to the differentiated instructions in the classroom, some students need extra support from all stakeholders for creating an engaging and meaningful learning experience. In such situations, the school’s inclusion team, along with all teachers, collaborate and design an individualized education plan commonly called IEP. It is an extremely detailed plan, specifically created keeping in mind the student’s learning needs. SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound) goals are set, and progress is minutely monitored.

Helping Students Achieve Excellence Starting college and career guidance for their students from Grade 8, the coordinators and career counsellors

at DYPIS have individual meetings with students along with their parents to decide their subjects for IGCSE in alignment with their perceived career goals. This support not only continues but becomes more intensive as the students move to senior secondary school. Correct subject choices, university preferences, desirable and future career options, summer internships, college applications, exposure to various universities, and much more form the basis of the college’s placement program.

This is all done under the mentorship of Dr Pratibha Jain, who heads the Eduboard consultancy. “We believe that our responsibility as an educational organization ends only when our learners are placed in the university of their choice. And we are extremely proud of the fact that we have 100% placement for our students in the colleges where they aspire to reach,” points out Kinnari.

The school was established with a vision to offer the best education of international standards in Mumbai.

With its constant efforts, DYPIS was ranked as the 3rd best school in the International Curriculum Category for the zone south Mumbai & Midtown Bandra and 6th Rank (Overall International Schools in Mumbai)

by Times School Survey 2020. It is also the recipient of Times Education Icons for 3 consecutive years, 2018, 2019, and 2020 for the Category Top School International Curriculum (IB & IGCSE). It has also been ranked amongst the best 5 schools in the category of Top International Schools in the 11th edition of ‘HT Top School Survey 2019’. The school is also the recipient of the Mid-day Excellence Education Award Excellence in International School Education 2019-20. Recently,

Times Online School Survey 2021 recognized D Y Patil International School, Worli as ‘Top Best International School in Online Class Management. This was a result of constant efforts by the teachers to implement innovative teaching methods to deliver online content through a virtual learning platform.

Planning to strengthen the existing online schooling with new innovative teaching methodologies for which training will be organized for teachers, DYPIS is already in the process to devise the plan on which days the students will attend the school physically and on which days function online to promote blended learning. A hybrid curriculum will also be structured catering to the specific requirement. However, if the Government of Maharashtra allows running the school in a regular format completely, DYPIS is ensuring that their entire staff and teachers are getting vaccinated to its full strength. They have already prepared guidelines with utmost care for re-opening, keeping in mind the Covid protocols. It is not only health & safety measures, but the school will also be focusing on psycho-social and emotional support for students with the help of counsellors because of the prolonged school closure. “Academically, the school will now be offering Cambridge AS & A Levels for grades 11 & 12 from the next Academic Year 2022-23 along with the existing IB Diploma Programme. In IB Diploma Programme, Theatre Arts will also be offered in Group 6. Apart from this, the senior management team will continuously monitor teacher professional development and a mental wellbeing program for all its stakeholders,” concludes Kinnari.

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MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

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W

omen constitute nearly half of India’s population and play a vital role in the country’s economy. The talks of women empowerment, participation, and representation are usually done by their male counterparts. But, where do women stand in society?

While there are reservations in different sectors for women, the participation figures are generally discouraging. Though the status and representation of women are increasing, it still is in parts compared with men. Interestingly, the leadership figures show women’s leadership in India (39%) is higher than the global average of 31%. Out of all the sectors, the education sector in India is generally considered a sector dominated by women, wherein the representation is over 55%. Women in this sector are taking up roles and are leading the sector. Growing at an increasing rate, the Indian Education industry is expected to increase to Rs. 2,44,824 crore (US$ 35.03 billion) by 2025.

Women are the strongest pillar of K12 education in India.

The majority of teachers who have taught us are women. As the education sector thrives, it brings in ample opportunities for women to learn, grow and contribute to the nation’s growth. In times of the pandemic, women’s journey has been severely impacted. Along with the students, the teachers also have come a long way to adapt to digital education.

In a bid to appreciate the contribution of women in the education sector, we have come up with a special edition on ‘10 Most Inspiring Indian Women in School Leadership.’ With this edition, we aim to bring into the light the thoughts, insights, and journey of women in the sector. This magazine is an effort to help our readers understand women’s unique journey of leadership and the challenges they come across. We hope the reading experience will give our readers a new perspective.

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MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Name Jyothis Mathew

Designation

School

Principal & Head of Schools

Treamis

Kinnari Shah

Head of School

Meera Isaacs

Dean

Milan Mala Sarin

Principal

Monica Bhimwal

Principal Primary School

Niru Agarwal

Trustee

D Y Patil International School

Cathedral & John Connon School Mumbai

The Mother’s International School

Pathways World School

Greenwood High International School

Sailaja Vittaldev

Principal

Silver Oaks International School

Sumita P Minhas

Principal

Podar World School

Sunita George

Principal

Bombay Scottish School

Varsha Agarwal Rodewald

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Secondary School Principal

Ascend International School

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K12 Digest Higher Education Digest Nov - Dec 2021 October 2020

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MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

KINNARI SHAH

HEAD OF SCHOOL, D Y PATIL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, WORLI

Creating a Conducive Learning Environment for Students G

ender biases prevail in all sectors, and the education sector is no exception to it. There are regions in the country where women’s leadership is not appreciated, which reflects how women are perceived.

While we see many successful women leaders in the education sector, there is a need to encourage and tap the potential of talented women. Starting with avoiding biases at the time of recruitment, some organizations prefer men to women keeping in mind the extra leaves like maternity leaves that women are liable to receive.

For a progressive society, professional development opportunities should be made equally accessible to women. “Women are better off today, but still far from

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being equal to men in our society and country, we have miles to go. Creating a culture of respect will build a positive work environment for women. Recognition of women’s achievements will build their confidence. This will also help male members accept women leaders more willingly and with grace,” opines Kinnari Shah, Head of School, D Y Patil International School, Worli.

As Head of School, Kinnari performs the duties of a leader as well as a manager. Being aware that the outlook of the mass is changing rapidly and profoundly, Kinnari feels her role as an educator is to ensure that the learning designed at the school must help her students in embracing the challenges that would be confronted

With a belief to build a stable foundation in academics and digital literacy, Ms. Kinnari strives to create a personalized learning environment that motivates her students to nurture their passion and inspire them to see her as a leader

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by them in the future and overcome them successfully rather than yielding to unfavourable circumstances. To achieve this, she says, “Developing a shared vision is of paramount importance. My role is to develop a common understanding among the stakeholders about this vision and steer efforts in this direction to make it a reality.”

To make students future-ready, Kinnari recognizes their individuality. She also acknowledges their relationships with their teachers, peers, families, and communities that influence their learning. With a belief to build a stable foundation in academics and digital literacy, Kinnari strives to create a personalized learning environment that motivates her students to nurture their passion and inspire them to see her as a leader.

Following her Parents’ Footsteps Brought up in an environment that empowers girls to become independent citizens of society, Kinnari’s

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learning journey started much before she was enrolled in a school. With her parents working as educators in reputed institutions, Kinnari had the advantage of learning from both her elder siblings as well, which created a stimulating environment at home where they were always encouraged to learn. Having learned about foreign writers along with Indian literature, it was easy for her to develop an eye for multiple perspectives while evaluating any issue, be it local or global. She opines, “The seeds were sown to develop international-mindedness from those conversations with my family members. I have studied in India and am a student of the Indian education system.

I hold high regard for the curriculum that I have studied.

However, I have always felt there is a strong need to update the assessment procedures of our conventional education system”.

Having previously worked under many experienced and versatile leaders, Kinnari feels each has contributed

to shaping her as a leader. Her willingness to absorb maximum from the people she meets has helped her grow better. Talking about the person who particularly contributed to her journey, Dolly Edulbehram, an educator with more a 50 years of experience in education, Kinnari has imbibed many leadership lessons from her. She reminisces, “Working beneath her wings was like being in a university. She handled complex situations with grace. I remain indebted to her for shaping me for what I am today. I must also add that I have interacted and worked under a few leaders from whom I learned the nuances of functioning and also consciously avoiding making mistakes”.

Leading Along with the Crew With an extremely efficient and supportive team in place, Kinnari shares a common understanding of the school’s mission and vision statements. She firmly believes that it is important for the team members to trust their leader. Using the distributive leadership approach and taking feedback from the team members while making a crucial decision, Kinnari feels

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Always in touch with her administrative and academic team, Ms. Kinnari is also constantly interacting with her students as well which helps her a great deal in remaining calm and accepting the responsibilities bestowed on her

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remaining accessible and approachable also contributes to gaining trust from the team members. She adds, “the good old method of brainstorming and ongoing professional development helps us in coming up with innovative ideas for teaching and learning. The professional development plan is designed painstakingly after doing a gap analysis at the school”. Always in touch with her administrative and academic team, Kinnari is also constantly interacting with her students as well which helps her a great deal in remaining calm and accepting the responsibilities bestowed on her.

Having taught Business Management for more than two decades, Kinnari feels proud when she sees her students become successful entrepreneurs by applying their knowledge of the subject in real-life situations and contributing positively to society. Women possess an innate capability to multitask. Kinnari encourages aspiring women leaders to hone their multitasking skills which would help them in their daily operations. “As leaders, we are engaged in operational as well strategic matters regularly, and multitasking with good time management skills will ease pressure and would allow us to enjoy our professional life,” she concludes.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Education Vs Talent: Which is More Important for a Better Career Shahnaz Husain, Founder, Chairperson & Managing Director, Shahnaz Husain Group

E

ducation or talent, which one of the two is more likely to make a person succeed in an individual’s life and career? It indeed is an arduous question to deliberate upon. Unquestionably, some people can have both attributes of being immensely talented and highly educated at the same time. This would only mean that such people would have the pertinent knowledge for the work they are involved in and would also do the same work seamlessly. However, can we say that possessing just one of the two virtues can help an individual navigate through life and find better career? Well, arguably it would really depend on the circumstances and the effort an individual is willing to put in towards a career and therefore there is not a single correct answer.

Education can equip an individual with all the tools that one needs to prepare for their life experiences and develop a better future for themselves. Talent is an individual’s natural aptitude or innate skill in a particular activity. Well it debatable to assume that one is more important than the other because both education and talent have their significance in an individual’s life. Both of them are determinative of how one’s life will turn out to be in terms of their intellect, perspective, financial stability, and social standing. With an increasingly progressive society,

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Having an intrinsic penchant helps the individual to find purpose in their world which could be more than just earning a living out of it

Shahnaz Husain, Founder, Chairperson and Managing Director of the Shahnaz Husain Group, who, herself took the Indian herbal heritage across the globe and has received international acclaim for pioneering the Herbal beauty care movement and taking the Indian herbal heritage of Ayurveda worldwide.

Her brand is the first Herbal care and cure clinic brand in India to now own over 400 franchises over the world. In 2006, she was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, by the Government of India for her contribution to the fields of trade and industry.

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education has become mandatory for everyone. But that necessarily does not mean that optimum opportunity is being imparted to real talent. Although picking between education and talent in terms of their importance is definitely difficult, but the coincident effect of both can have tremendous outcomes in an individual’s life and career. Nonetheless, let’s break it out which one has an edge over the other.

Why is talent so important?

Talent can make things naturally easy Being talent with a skill set that is consonance with the task will undoubtedly make things easier as it would be far more interesting and self indulging for someone who has an innate ability for the job. The mental exhaustion of a person having talent for a particular job will be far menial and efficiency a lot more than a person who is just working with having a knack for it. A talented person will always stay motivated for his or her job as they will indefinitely stay invested in what they do.

Having an intrinsic penchant helps the individual to find purpose in their world which could be more than just earning a living out of it.

Talent increases productivity People with talent for the job will always choose to do smart work over hard work which makes it easier for them. This is why people with talent are the prime drivers of a team for a project. This is why many companies nowadays have a talent management department that helps them to attract, select and retain highly talented employees. This helps the department to close skill gaps in a team because they can gauge individuals who have the right aptitude and temperament that can fit a particular required skill.

Talent can get task done by lesser number of people Imagine an organization hiring individual’s on the basis of how well they are naturally capable of undertaking their work instead of relying on just there educational qualifications. Would not it mean that the organization would require just a handful of talented people vested with the required ability to make a huge difference? In fact it often seen that 80 per cent of the jobs can be accomplished by only 20 per cent of the individuals belonging to the talented pool. This is also because individuals who are highly educated have a tendency to work harder in order to do the work precisely. On the

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other hand, talented individuals can undertake the same faster and productively.

Why is education so important?

Education will help build the required foundation Being gifted with a specific skill set is of no use unless and until the person hones the skill set and acquires the adequate knowledge behind the subject matter. This is where education will take a front seat. Education can help in explaining different techniques and phenomena, which can assist an individual, acquire different range of skills. Basically, education will give the person who is already gifted, with certain tools using which the person can manage his job and control his resources effectively. To exhibit the highest levels of talent, a person needs the relevant mentors and needs to learn of the best opportunity. Basically, education will give the required platform to help showcase the talent without much hassle.

Education can provide career opportunities Not everyone is born talented and therefore education becomes so important for everyone. At best education will definitely ensure that a person ends up with an employment, which is important for one’s sustenance.

Moreover, in today’s time education will help in keeping up with the progressive world. Technology is advancing everyday and updating oneself irrespective of how talented or less talented an individual is. Further, confidence comes when a person is able to fortify their ideas, present it in a coherent manner and is able to build more upon them. This is what education helps in achieving. Further, a person is apprised of their rights and duties if they have education. And this way, an educated person can shape a better society and create new innovations.

Conclusion When you read or come across a successful person, you would notice that they achieve their accomplishments with an integrated outcome of both their inherent liking, work ethics and formal knowledge. This is to say that talent is definitely an imperative factor in succeeding and securing contentment in their jobs as well. Additionally, there are lots of talents who have reached great heights in their lives without formal education. However, education would have definitely made them understand their own abilities so much better and acquire requisite techniques to polish their talent.

12 Digest Higher EducationKDigest Nov - Dec 2021 December October January 2019 2020

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

Shaping the Future of Education in India Priya Rajwade, Principal, Podar International School, Powai

Priya Rajwade is a passionate educator and holds a post-graduate degree in Science as well as Education and a PG diploma in Management as well as Guidance and Counselling. She has 25 years of experience in the field of education with experience across various boards. She is a transformational leader and a coach in instructional leadership.

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Creativity and Emotional intelligence will be the key skills for the future along with many others

I

ndia is blessed with a robust education system since time immemorial and is home to some of the greatest minds in education. It is born out of a rich legacy and rooted in cultural and ethical values education.

A lot has been spoken about the education-skills gap and how education needs to be transformative and not just a tool designed to be a means to an end. While educationists and policy makers have been deliberating on how to bring about this radical change from job ready to future ready education the need for this change and the speed at which it needed to be delivered was suddenly radically accelerated with the disruption caused by the Pandemic.

The pandemic-induced learning crisis and the Fourth Industrial Revolution have made it necessary to reimagine education and re-align it with the unprecedented technological transformation. There is no other institution as powerful and impact driven as the school education system. It has the ability to manifest the desired change in educational policies, processes and people.

will demand the learning support that is appropriate for their situation and context, nothing more, nothing less”.

Student centric learning provides enough room to fail and learn from failures with a focus on reflective and critical thinking while deep learning is about advanced skills that prepare students to be curious, continuous, independent learners as well as thoughtful, productive, active citizens in a democratic society. It is rooted in social constructivism.

The future of education is the former growing into the latter.

A significant shift is expected in the way curricula are designed and transacted. ‘Lived’ experiences through simulations using AI , case studies, discussions through youth forums , collaborative learning spaces transcending geographies and coaching’ rather than ‘mentoring/ facilitating’ will become central to educational processes thus enabling both deep learning and development of ‘people skills’.

Creativity and Emotional intelligence will be the key skills for the future along with many others.

A few key change indicators in education could be the followingStudent centric deep learning and future skills In the words of Marcus Sphect “The students of the future

Data-driven decision making The shift to data driven educational decisions is a hallmark change for measurement of progress. Essential and immediate changes in systems and processes are

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thus possible and we will continue to see benefits of internal monitoring systems as well as external/mandatory accreditation systems in all educational improvement.

Role of technology Technology is a great enabler to education. Although it creates great opportunity, we will also have to ensure that it does not disrupt human relation. With the advent of the virtual would becoming an integral and essential part of education as well as day to day lives of students, it is imperative that we build robust learning platforms that incentivize learning and yet are built with safety nets that maintain student privacy. A growth in educational content to address this issue will be an essential element in educating the new age student.

Technical competence will gain as much significance as academic prowess

AR and VR models will take precedence over the current audio visual delivery models thus enhancing learning experience and bringing real world spaces to the classroom.

Hybrid learning models Learning and assessment , both will become more personalized and hybrid model of learning will be the preferred model. Schools will be able to do much more in a school year as the hybrid models will provide further opportunities for self paced and self directed learning as well to deep dive into areas of learning that the child finds interesting.

The New Education Policy With a focus on “higher order skills” such as creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, visualisation, idea generation and innovation the policy will have a significant impact on learning methods, learning environment and the learner.

With the student at the heart of this policy multidisciplinary

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and socio constructivist approach to learning will become the driving factors in achieving learning goals. Technical competence will gain as much significance as academic prowess. Skill courses from Middle School will strikes a balance between traditional skills such as Handicrafts to modern skills such as design thinking, coding and Data Science.

Change in mindset and skill-set of stakeholders Schools will need to equip themselves to match this thought change in education. Up-skilling and re-skilling of the teachers it will be crucial. The new age education is about change in the role of both, the educator and the parent. With hybrid learning taking center-stage it will be the duty of the educator and the parent to provide necessary support to the student for self learning.

Parent education through parenting workshops that deal with not just what aspect of the change but also the why and how aspect of it will be significant.

Educational leadership will shift from ‘pedgogical’ to ‘transformational’. With focus on Humanization of education to build better societies the role of educational leaders will be to amalgamate the learnings from Neuroscience, Psychology and Sociology and to integrate and apply these with the current and future Technologies To remain relevant in the changing times “life-long learning” will be the key driving force for educational leaders as well as teachers.

What next?

India has approximately 36 crore children in the age group of 0-15. These are the children in the school-going age.

The demand for education is growing and both financial and human capital is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.

We need more schools, more teachers, industries to join hands with schools and colleges for collaboration, more philanthropy for the cause of education, more innovative solutions to the problem of the digital divide and more youth to join the education industry.

School education lays the groundwork for graduate and professional education and in turn the economic as well as social order of the country. The change is already in motion and it is not incremental, it is exponential.

Education is a valued portal to the future of societies.

We as educators stand at the brink of a significant era in the landscape of Indian education. This is history in the making.

It is a great time to be an enabler, to be a part of this great revolution. It is time to ACT! In the words of Mahatma Gandhi “What you do says what is important to you. Action expresses priorities.”

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MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

MEERA ISAACS

DEAN, CATHEDRAL & JOHN CONNON SCHOOL MUMBAI

Consolidating an International Method of Teaching E

very leader has a great story to tell; a large part of it traverses through the institution they represent. The tale of Mrs. Meera Isaacs, who completed 25 years as the Head of the Cathedral & John Connon School Mumbai, is an inspiring one. But the story of the Cathedral & John Connon School Mumbai is significantly older than that – it started in 1860. “The story of our school begins from St Thomas’ Cathedral. In 1860, Bishop Harding and the Cathedral Chaplain decided to open a Grammar School within the walled city of Bombay.

This small establishment, together with an even smaller school for girls, was the first of many strands that were

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eventually joined together to form the Cathedral School as we know it,” shares Mrs. Isaacs.

In October 1875, a Choir School was established with the primary objective of providing choristers for St. Thomas’ Cathedral. In the meantime, in 1886, The Bombay Scottish Education Society put up a beautiful building on the Esplanade, naming it after John Connon, a well-known philanthropist and Chief Registrar of Bombay (which is now our Junior School). Hence the full name of Cathedral and John Connon School.

“The school is a Christian Anglican School that belongs to St Thomas’ Cathedral. Up to 1965, we had

segregated schools for Boys and Girls. When in 1965, the Board decided to merge the Schools, some parents went to Court. Fortunately, Justice Lentin ruled in favour of the school’s decision. His courageous judgment has stood us in good stead all these years,” says Mrs. Isaacs.

Today, under Mrs. Isaacs’ efficient management, and, as she constantly reiterates, aided by enthusiastic and committed staff members, forward thinking heads of the different sections, and supported by cooperative Board of Governors, The Cathedral & John Connon School educates young minds, helping them to understand how to adapt and contribute to the changing world and become

global citizens with a local vision. The school strives through its mission to develop a sense of internationalmindedness, and cherish the individuality of man and the commonality of mankind.

For the Family The School encourages parental involvement to cater to a child holistically, and in a collaborative manner.

Mrs. Isaacs believes that constant cooperation between parents, teachers and the administration can improve learning outcomes for the children. With timely PTA meetings, parent representatives address issues related

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to health and safety and child nourishment to find viable solutions and help the school grow. “The role of a parent is critical when it comes to the development of a child, whether physical or emotional. The parent’s involvement in school activities at school also goes a long way in the child’s education. Especially in the early years of teaching, children are at a stage where they are learning to work independently. It is important to encourage parents to put in the effort to nurture their children,” states Mrs. Isaacs. Thus, at Cathedral and John Connon School, through the guidance of the Headmistresses and teachers, parents contribute their creativity, time and resources to help translate the vision and goal for the children.

Every year, the Parent Body helps organise different activities at the school, like celebrating festivals of different religions throughout the year and sharing customs and traditions. Annual Projects are also taken care of by the joint efforts of teachers and parents. The big event showcases the students’ hard work, and the parents help with the art and craft activities whenever required. “The Annual Fun Fair is a parent activity. The funds collected go towards supporting the few NGOs that we work with for the welfare and education of underprivileged children. The funds also go towards the upkeep of the school,” shares Mrs. Isaacs.

The school continually ensure that parents are involved in the education of their children. Assigning them with tasks like snack making, guiding children into the school, reading stories in the library, and other activities make parents feel like they too are a part of the child’s journey in education.

“For parents, we have talks and orientations in areas that we feel will help them help their child (Reading Strategies, General Functioning of the school, Counselling, Learning resource system and Enrichment classes),” says Mrs. Isaacs.

Parents also bring in experts to talk about alcohol, tobacco, child abuse, gender discrimination, and the like to increase awareness among students and make them more responsible.

Today, under Ms Meera’s efficient management, The Cathedral & John Connon School educates young minds, helping them understand how to adapt to the changing world and become global citizens with a local vision

Serving Brain Food The Cathedral and John Connon School encourages innovation and creativity in students in different ways.

Starting at the primary level, students are taught to work with subjects in a fun way for language learning. Mrs. Isaacs has introduced reading programmes such as book clubs and library programmes to to nurture in them the habit of reading, and expose them to classic and contemporary literature, while assembly skits and classroom presentations help students in public speaking and increase self-confidence. Thus students are encouraged to express themselves articulately and confidently through their oral and written communication.

Students at the school are encouraged to explore and learn concepts outside the curriculum and an annual project is

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planned to expand the students’ horizons, make self-driven learning fun and enhancing creativity and collaboration.

In arts and music, the students are introduced to various artists and styles, and are encouraged to use them.

“A meta-cognitive approach is attempted in teaching how to better one’s handwriting, to deciding dance steps or designing their own board games in computers in order to empower the students,” Mrs. Isaacs shares. The school also introduced an Extended Learning Program, which allows children to develop various skillsets and is differentiated in order to cater to all learner profiles.

Students are taught in a more focussed manner at the secondary level, with concepts based on inquiry and understanding. Effective teamwork and collaboration during these exercises help students to work together and build social skills. Students listen to TedTalks and other such videos to stimulate their imagination. They also use Mindspark, by Education Initiatives that help in learning math. It is software that is mapped to the syllabus and allows children to move at their own pace, which can be accessed at home as well. In addition to this, students also learn about IoT at the Innovation Hub and are taught the basics of electronics, science, design and technology through practical activities.

More recently, the school has been collaborating with Clap Talk, an organisation that helps global travellers share their experiences with students. They share pictures and stories about the different cultures they witnessed and encourage students to build a spirit of exploration and open their minds to various possibilities. The school is also associated with Desh Apnayen, an NGO that brings Civics to life, creating awareness about fundamental rights and duties of the citizens of India. There is a Robotics boot camp that teaches children how to make games on android phones, learn about virtual reality, and touch upon web designing.

International Ties “The School is a Founding Member of Eumind which is ‘Europe meets India’, a programme that allows the meeting of young minds across continents so that they can learn from each other and grow as human beings, understanding each other’s cultures, countries and traditions. The programme is now 15 years old,” stated Mrs. Isaacs. The school also encourages students to participate in other cultural pursuits through various student-run societies and clubs. STEM programmes for high school students and collaboration with alumni, parents, teachers, and distinguished individuals also egg

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By being digitally savvy, Ms Meera has incorporated many innovative ways to make students and teachers future-ready

them to delve into robotics, outreach, and fundraising.

“The Cathedral Mathematics Competition 2020, another entirely student-run initiative, overcame the limitations of the lockdown by doing away with the limitations of geography and capacity. The students expanded their online platforms, and the competition now involves 4000 participants from over 40 countries across 6 continents,” shares Mrs. Isaacs.

With Mrs. Isaacs in charge and through workshops, discussions, reaching out to contemporaries and reading, she has kept the school in touch with the latest trends in the education sector. By striving to be digitally savvy herself, Mrs. Isaacs has incorporated many innovative ways to make students and teachers futureready. The school has started the IBDP (International Baccalaureate) and IGCSE now and is moving towards establishing the International Wing of the School. With a good set of Vice Principals, Headmistresses, and staff, Mrs. Isaacs, believes that the Cathedral and John Connon School will work smoothly and efficiently to

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give the kind of education envisaged for the leaders of tomorrow.

Mrs. Isaacs also believes in making education universally accessible. With excellent infrastructure, digitally and otherwise, children need to be open to a progressive and student-centric curriculum that needs to involve collaboration, critical thinking, and conceptbased learning. “Children should be encouraged to follow their interests which could very well be dovetailed into professions that they can follow. For this, we need much more government spending on education so that each child is guaranteed a place in the sun,” says Mrs. Isaacs. Changing the school system from meritbased to concept-based learning and an international curriculum can give more space and time for a child to learn better and at a more personalised level. Education in India needs a complete overhaul and needs to be revamped to suit the needs of kids today. The school believes that the NEP holds this promise and trusts that it will be implemented properly.

The Way Ahead Over the last 25 years, Mrs. Isaacs has shown leadership skills that match no other. Under her guidance, both teachers and students have learned how to be more

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responsible and enabled them achieve their goals to the best of their abilities. From being a teacher, housemistress, vice-principal, and finally the Principal, Mrs. Isaacs has done all the tasks she asks of anyone at the school. Knowing the process of everything is important for a leader, and she understands what goes into running a school from the bottom up, through and through. By encouraging professional development among teachers, Mrs. Isaacs has ensured to keep abreast with the best practices in the teaching and learning process, making her one of the Most Inspiring Indian Women in School Leadership.

The school continues to grow, with more students joining, and giving further employment opportunities.

In this regard, the international building of the school continues to be renovated and will be up and running soon. “Another structure for seniors is also in the works. We plan to renovate it to incorporate the methodology of international curricula and slowly consolidate it throughout the school. In the future, we are looking to expand our space requirements while already following a concerted strategy to limit class sizes beginning from the primary and working steadily upwards. Our students will be the beneficiaries,” concludes Ms Meera.

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

How Teaching Should be Activity and ApplicationBased to Meet the Requirements of Diverse Learners Cindy Sequeira, Grade 4 Homeroom Teacher, The Gera School

Cindy Sequeria is a Grade 4 homeroom teacher at The Gera School. She has been in academics for over two decades and is a handson involved teacher, teaching Math and science.

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Meaningful activities engage students in active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative ways

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ver the decades teaching has evolved. Every professional needs to be updated in his/her field. Teachers too cannot expect to teach 21st century learners with redundant or old methods that might have worked for them when they were young. A teacher can no longer compete with the wide range of technology advancement with a chalk and whiteboard. Children are now more diverse than they used to be, with various and diverse career aspirations.

There is an increased use of technology, a teacher is now responsible and accountable both for good quality teaching and assessing. Teachers the world over follow the practice of assessing their work and testing if their practices need improvement, checking constantly their strategies and tailoring them as per student needs. For this the teacher needs to cater to the individual needs of each and every learner. The teacher’s fundamental task is to get students to engage in learning activities that are likely to result in achieving [the intended learning] outcomes. It is helpful to remember that what the student does is actually more important that what the teacher does. (Schuell, 1986, p.429). This is where the four key words-Activity, application, Interaction and differentiation come into play. We all know that learning takes place best through doing and hands on activities.

Just as a picture speaks a thousand words, an activity well thought of, interactive, and differentiated as per learner needs can meet both learning objectives as well as fulfill success criteria. A teacher has to be sure of what learning outcomes are desired to be tangibly seen and assessed and what activities that involve differentiation,

interaction, experimentation, research and investigation can be integrated in the classroom as well as outside of it.

Every learning activity in your unit should be intentional, meaningful and useful.

What is the objective of differentiation? It is to strengthen or enhance the performance of each and every student in the classroom, including those who are falling behind and those that are highly able academically gifted. Differentiation benefits students across the learning continuum. Each and every student is catered to through this methos and students learn as per the level they are at and can be guided to the next level through varied activities.

Teachers who practice differentiation in the classroom may design their lessons based on students’ learning styles, group students by shared interest, topic, or ability for assignments, assess students’ learning using formative assessment and create a safe and supportive environment through classroom management. The strategies that a teacher may use to differentiate in her classroom are a flexible-pace learning, collaborative learning, progressive tasks, digital resources, verbal support and ongoing assessment. It is equally important that each activity is meaningful, and ensures student development and advancement through the unit.

Activities should build on previous activities and avoid being repetitive, they should enable students to engage with and develop their skills, knowledge and understandings in different ways. Meaningful activities engage students in active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative ways.

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In a useful learning activity students should be able to apply what is learnt and be able to apply it in another context for another purpose. For example, students are able to directly apply the skills or knowledge they acquired to an assessment task on data handling using bar and line graphs, or to a new unit in science where they are plotting graphs to show which flowers attract certain pollinators in your unit. These are the skills which when intentionally developed by a teacher through the way a lesson is designed and executed in the classroom, help make a lesson both interactive and experiential as well as differentiated.

Content provided either through live teaching or video or PowerPoint presentation helps interaction.

Oral information interspersed with written or visual text either visual or aural in 4–7-minute blocks, with short interactions in-between in which students respond to questions helps interaction with other learners. For example, ask the students a question that requires them to apply, summarise, explain or identify etc. an important aspect of the information just presented. After asking the question, wait 10 to 15 seconds before asking for volunteers, or calling on a randomly selected student to respond. (It may be useful to provide a visual clue for students identifying that after posing the question you would like to them to consider a response and remain silent for the designated amount of time.)

After a student has responded to the question, call on another student to summarise the first student’s response. Alternatively, if the first response was not completely accurate, invite the second student to respond to the first student’s answer (e.g., “[name] what do you think about that - would you agree?”

Teaching-Learning is a continuous process, like two sides of a coin and can get monotonous or boring over time if not handled intentionally to create maximum interaction and experience as well as cater to individual student needs. The aim of education should be to create and independent and active lifelong learner, unlike the past where students were mostly passive learners. This is where activity-based learning, comes into play and conventional methods become vital.

The following are tips to make learning more interactive, experiential and differentiated 1) The use of real objects - When a teacher uses tangible objects that learners can touch, feel see and experience, she opens up the doors to learning.

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Real objects work better when trying to understand them rather than something virtual or imaginary. All subjects especially math and Science lessons can be extremely interesting through this method of teaching. This is a two-way process in which the highlight is that efforts are expected and can be from both the sides - teachers and students. Say, the class is going to be about the classification of plants, students can be asked to collect different varieties of plants and the teacher can teach them about the plant during class. If it is a math class, students can be made to bring in examples of cubes and cuboids around and use a ruler to measure and calculate area and perimeter in the given units/square units.

2) Power Of Projects: For young students, parents help in making projects (3D Models) and for older ones, they do it themselves. For e.g. They can be made to design their dream home, or a periscope. They may be asked to make a model of the Water Cycle. Whatever the project, it helps students familiarise with the project topic they are working on. Regular project work not only increases subject knowledge but also breaks monotony and increases the curiosity to learn more and with clarity.

3) The use of simulations and simulated activities: It is not always possible due to time constrains and availability or resources to conduct activities. At these times simulations are extremely helpful! For example, when teaching a topic like Probability on math or nets of cubes and cuboids, or time lapse videos to show the pollination of flowers, etc 4)Additional Information: An educator must always be prepared with additional information on the topic being taught. Students know a lot mor now that they did before and a confident and well-informed teacher is an inspiration. Additional interesting facts can boost the understanding and interest of the students. Internet resources are in plenty and can be made use of.

4) Nearpod App: This interactive app gives you the option of asking open ended questions, using the collaborative board, using 3D animations, taking virtual tours, all of which help to make learning more interesting and interactive. The teacher is able to see and give instantaneous feedback on student responses. Learners can also give each other feedback as well as have healthy discussions through opinions expressed.

5) Experts in a field - When an expert in a field is invited to interact with students, they can be inspired and motivated to pursue their passions and make some meaningful contributions to society. For example, when a topic on Earth’s Movement is being done a resource person from the Astronomical Society can be invited to share his/her experience with the students.

The same can be done by inviting experts in the field of science, medicine, math, literature as and when the opportunity arises.

Teaching-Learning is a continuous process, like two sides of a coin and can get monotonous or boring over time if not handled intentionally to create maximum interaction and experience

Interactions, participations, discussions, discoveries and analysis make learning both interesting and effective.

Both teaching and learning can be done using questioning and interaction. The onus lies on the teacher to make classroom sessions will be creative, collaborative, exploratory and experiential. Conceptual clarity along with Experiential & Interactive Learning are the most important aspects which are needed for the students to compete in this fast world rather than rote learning.

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MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

MONICA BHIMWAL

PRINCIPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL, PATHWAYS WORLD SCHOOL

Having the Mind and Mindset as the Best Influencer S

ome define leadership to be a force to inspire and motivate action. Others say that a leader is someone who encourages others to work towards a common goal. To make it effective, leadership must be effectively communicated to others to work together and achieve something greater than what one could have achieved alone. Through inspiration and hard work, a leader helps to guide people towards the final destination: Success.

Pathways World School, one of the most sought-after schools in India, is one such institution that thrives on the success of its leadership. The Principal of Primary School at Pathways World School, Ms. Monica Bhimwal is one such leader who has contributed significantly towards shaping the future for K12 education.

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Pathways World School was established in 2003.

It is an IB Continuum School in Aravali Hills, amid the luscious green meadows that serve as a nurturing community for educators and learners worldwide. With a motto to learn, work, play, think and live, and the vision to nurture compassionate world citizens committed to self and others’ development, the school embodies a culture for students to become the best version of themselves.

It promotes sustainable development to enable students to connect learning with local and global issues with opportunities to foster compassion and innovation.

To nurture compassion, the school community encourages students to initiate action to improve their learning or develop understanding. The move could take

I feel leadership is strongly interlinked to having a growth mindset. It is an attitude towards various aspects, people, challenges, growth, and development

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many forms, such as social entrepreneurship, informed choices, advocating a cause, or applying skills to solve problems or issues. The school also believes in providing opportunities to students to collaborate with students from across the globe to foster intercultural understanding and appreciate the diversity around the world. Expert speakers are regularly invited to gain a broader perspective of concepts under study and get insights into how the world works in a natural context.

To encourage innovation, timeframes must be flexible to give students the time and space to collaborate, exchange ideas and experiment with techniques and thoughts. With the help of teachers, personal inquiries and projects are supported to develop the students’ skills, interests, and abilities. They create opportunities to promote divergent thinking and extend their thinking to identifying multiple perspectives and approaches rather than being satisfied with one. By exploring various mediums through trans mediation, students are enabled to present an idea. “As a school community, we often

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Under Ms. Monica’s leadership, Pathways World School has gone through a transformation

regroup to explore more strategies for fostering learner agency which directly impacts nurturance of creativity and innovation in students. How they would like to approach a problem or task, how they would like to show their understanding of an idea or concept, what role they would like to play in planning or assessments are some key considerations to encourage the development of these dispositions,” shares Ms. Monica.

As a student herself, Ms. Monica proudly states that she has grown leaps and bounds professionally and personally by being part of Pathways World School since its inception in 2003. With the IB curriculum’s pedagogical framework that prompts one to continuously engage with learning and the best way to do it, the focus is not only on the content but also on the implicit and explicit teaching of skills, development of learning, and application of learning to a real-life context. “I remember as a student all efforts by the school were directed towards academic performance with the approach and belief, one size fits all. The teacher was like the sage on the stage and supposedly the fountain of knowledge expected to impart all information mainly through chalk and teach the method. Asking questions or having a conflicting view for concepts was never appreciated and considered to be a display of lack of self-regulation,” she recalls.

Through her own experience as a learner and her own observations, Ms. Monica decided to engage with profound reflections on how crucial the role of a caregiver is in a child’s life. Thus, it is of utmost importance to collaborate with other teachers, invite multiple perspectives and suggestions to find the best approach, and create opportunities for students to play an active role in planning, learning, and assessment. “The mantra of success is, how well do we know our students?

How best do they learn? What are their interest areas and strengths? How are they thinking? What conversations are they having during free time that I can capture and build on? What voice and choice do they have in school or in the classroom?” asks Ms. Monica.

Not just school, but at home too Ms. Monica believes that nurturing involves a strong partnership with parents to foster positive working relationships between teachers and parents. Through regular orientations for parents to create awareness about the curriculum, the approach to teaching, and the strategies they need to adapt to continue learning at home helps parents understand the importance of holistic development. “Regular communications, both formal and informal, keep the parents in the loop of what is

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happening at school and the support they can provide as parents. We often tap parent expertise to support guest sessions, service initiatives, projects, and events. Such interactions also give an insight to the parents about how our students are thinking and how learning and teaching look and to feel at school,” shares Ms. Monica.

With collaborative efforts of the school leadreship and the members, the school has undergone a transformation. With COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the education system, the learning and teaching landscape has inevitably changed for the better. Now, with the integration of technology, education has become ready for the future. At Pathways World School, Ms. Monica focuses on education through strong relationships built between the parents, students, teachers, and staff. The frequent and open communication with the parents inviting feedback on COVID protocols and online learning processes strengthened the disposition of trust and faith in the organization. By embodying the school’s vision, the teachers used the opportunity to explore innovative approaches, tools, and strategies to engage learners meaningfully and actively.

“As a school, we prioritized committed efforts towards the development of the emotional well-being of the learners to enable them to effectively manage the shift. A new schema for online skills and learning

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dispositions was created and implemented by all the teachers across the grade to equip students to selfregulate and self-manage their learning efficiently,” says Ms. Monica. Additionally, the school counselor facilitates regular sessions with the students and teachers and helps the teachers with strategies for mindfulness to support the emotional well-being of the learners as observed or required. Managing states of mind is an integral skill woven into the curriculum and is all caregivers’ moral and ethical responsibility.

Defining Leadership “Leadership is a complex concept. It is multi-tiered as there are multiple roles within a role. I feel leadership is strongly interlinked to having a growth mindset. It is an attitude towards various aspects, people, challenges, growth, and development,” Ms. Monica says. Appearing in the list of women in leadership, one could say that she knows what she’s talking about! Leadership is an innate quality for many but can be acquired through profound reflection, self-analysis of one’s own abilities, experiences, and commitment to ongoing professional development.

Ms. Monica explains, “I feel altruism is an essential quality for every leader to possess or acquire, the ability to look beyond oneself to support the continuous

development of the team members and the institution.”

By enabling an environment that supports development, Ms. Monica believes that adopting leadership roles, using developmental tools to support growth, being abreast with news in the education industry, and strategizing to optimize learning outcomes can help shape a personality for educational leadership. “Valuing and respecting team members and drawing inspiration from their contributions and achievements is essential for any leader to function effectively,” says Ms. Monica.

Guiding students for the future Ms. Monica believes that staff members need to have ongoing professional development that needs to be facilitated for the whole school community or focused on groups that have emerging needs and requirements. “To be able to help students to maximize their potential, it is important that educators keep abreast with the new developments and pedagogies that could be implemented to support the students to grow and develop into successful individuals/ learners,” she explains.

In this regard, there have been many forums and networks that the leadership team and teachers joined to collaborate with educators from around the globe and from within the country about various aspects of learning and teaching. With the internet at their fingertips, access to online professional development has become quicker and collaborative work has increased tenfold. Through the repercussions of the pandemic, this revolution of moving online has been forced upon the education industry. Considering the various curriculum frameworks, there is a need for strategic planning and investment in the professional development of teachers and staff. In Ms. Monica’s opinion, “if the teacher is also a learner and a leader then the classroom dynamics will be very different, the skillfulness of the teacher will be strongly evident in how teaching and learning are facilitated in the classroom.”

Ms. Monica believes that nurturing involves a strong partnership with parents to foster positive working relationships between teachers and parents

Women in Education As the education industry in India is dominated by women, Ms. Monica feels that women should believe in themselves and their abilities to continue work committedly and work towards achieving or realizing their dream and brave all challenges that stem from stereotypical biases. “It is important to have a voice and to remain self-motivated to keep trying and growing with resilience and self-belief. Adaptability, resourcefulness, innovation, and compassion are important dispositions to strengthen for these will enable one to create an inclusive culture and support the development and growth of an institution,” she mentions.

Women’s empowerment and leadership have made a transformational shift in India, stemming from the beliefs

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and cultures of an organization and the mindset of decision-makers. By maintaining a good gender balance in an organization, there can be a dynamic dichotomy to foster inclusivity and diversity that adds richness to the culture of any organization. “The changing trend indicates that more and more women are self-motivated to establish a career and aspire to come into leadership roles and responsibilities. It is very crucial that all visionaries analyze and evaluate employment and growth prospects based on abilities and capacities that an individual possesses rather than from the lens of gender and a stereotypical mindset,” shares Ms. Monica.

Focusing on the Goal When having a task at hand, there is a pressing need to do an efficient job and reach the goal successfully.

Any project will have multiple interconnected and interdependent threads to it. “I wish to strengthen the pedagogy of feedback by shifting focus to feedforward as this is such an important developmental tool that

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can either set one up for failure or success. Hence, it becomes very important to ensure the Why, What, When, Where, and How of the feedback mechanism,” says Ms. Monica. Through strong feedback and considerations, learners can understand their strengths and equip themselves to map the developmental plan.

With a nurturing approach, Pathways World School, under the leadership of Ms. Monica, allows students to directly engage with the environment to make deeper associations with how the world works.

“When children are given opportunities to explore different types of play like free play, exploratory play, creative play, or symbolic play, they are building some enduring understandings that cannot be authentically facilitated through any other medium,” shares Ms. Monica. With a focus on ensuring that every teacher considers themselves an outdoor facilitator, the teachers at Pathway World School constantly think of ways for children to build a stronger relationship with nature through active engagements confined to any subject or domain.

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ADMIN VIEW

New Era for Mental Health Inclusion & Acceptance Nehal Sequeira, Head – Counselling & Special Education, Orchids The International School

Nehal Sequeira’s expertise as a Psychologist and a Clinical Hypnotherapist, allows her to deal with varied areas in counselling including parental counselling, child counselling as well as academic and career counselling. Presently, she is working at Orchids The International School, as the Head of the Department of Counselling & Special Education.

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From ‘Sanitizing Hands to ‘Sane’tizing Minds’, Mental Health Awareness has risen phenomenally in the new normal

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rom ‘Sanitizing Hands to ‘Sane’tizing Minds’, Mental Health Awareness has risen phenomenally in the new normal.

The Evolution of Mental Health: There was a time where most people denied the concept of mental health by calling it a myth. However, given the ever-evolving nature of this field, it has overpowered the ignorance and continues to show its presence in almost all sections of the society. Over a span of these years, the field of mental health comes forward with many transformations, of which most are positive.

Mental health is more than the presence or absence of a mental illness. It is a crossroad between emotional, psychological, and physical well-being. As we are aware that the pandemic has affected everyone at multiple levels, it has taken a serious toll on the mental health of so many around us. Social isolation, disconnection from family members, quarantine, lockdowns has led to a feeling of frustration and helplessness, not only in adults

but also in children. Studies have shown that children are amongst the worst hit population during this pandemic.

New Education Policy: These days, the use of the term mental health is not only limited to hospitals and patients, but it’s importance is also largely felt in schools, colleges, universities as well as in corporates. With the introduction of the New Education Policy (NEP) and its emphasis on mental health, many schools have begun to ensure that they are well equipped to meet the needs of students with special education needs. Schools have made it mandatory to have a counsellor and a special educator on board to understand the needs of the students who fall in the special needs category. This has given rise to a new era in the world of Schooling & Education, where the concept of Inclusive Education has stepped in which focuses on educating children with disability and learning difficulties, along with the other children, under the same roof.

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The concept of bringing SEN students into mainstream learning proves to be extremely beneficial for these students in terms of their cognitive functioning as well as social interactions

Inclusive Education: The concept of bringing SEN students into mainstream learning proves to be extremely beneficial for these students in terms of their cognitive functioning as well as social interactions. This setup in schools has led to an increased awareness and sensitivity in the young minds about those who require extra assistance.

Keeping in mind the quote of Ignacio Estrada, which states, ‘If a child can’t learn the way we teach, we should teach the way they learn’, professionals in the field of mental health continue to work with surging zest to serve the children who give and receive a little more of everything. With their expertise and experience, they have been guiding each and every child in the school to create an identity of their own.

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There is no greater satisfaction than seeing a child take a small step towards improvement; no matter how long he or she took to get there. With immense amount of dedication, she continues to touch and transform lives of many students, teachers, parents directly and indirectly.

Towards Global Acceptance: Considering the level of awareness and acceptance in the education industry, this field is sure to come up and serve many across the world. The importance of mental health is going to grow leaps and bounds and the acceptance that it receives today will double in the coming years, in order to save and channelize the lives of all people.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

The Untapped Potential of Learning in a Museum Garima Sharma, Learning Experience Designer, ReReeti Foundation

W

hen was the last time you went to a museum and came back without learning at least one new fact? The answer is probably never. By definition, museums are all that is often said about them – “repositories of knowledge” or “buildings that hold objects of our past, our culture, or traditions” or “spaces that tell great stories of people”. This naturally makes them one of the most conducive spaces for learning, especially for school students, and yet museums in India continue to be highly underutilized for supporting classroom learning.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 guidelines include goals asking to reduce emphasis from the class 10 and 12 boards in India, for which high ranks are often achieved through rote learning. NEP 2020 aims to make learning more holistic and offer opportunities of real-world application. Museums offer the perfect environment for this to happen. Museum education resources can be easily imagined as an extended teacher tool for enhancing classroom learning. Teachers, with support from museum educators, can expertly use the objects and spaces to induce their students into active and curious thinkers. Museums are also subject agnostic and interdisciplinary. A science museum can be just as enriching for a history class

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Museums have the power to make knowledge visible through their objects and artefacts

Garima Sharma leads the education programming at ReReeti Foundation where she designs educational resources on history, heritage, and culture for school students, and conducts teacher professional development courses to help school teachers engage with museums more effectively. She is the facilitator of Museums – A Teacher’s Tool workshop that ReReeti continually organizes for school teachers.

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as an art museum can be for a science class. All it needs is some creative thinking on the part of the museum educator and the teacher and intentional liaising between them to create an impactful learning atmosphere. But what do museums offer to school students?

Museums have the power to make knowledge visible through their objects and artefacts. These can be reinterpreted as diagrams or concepts from school textbooks come to life that students can relate to.

Imagine students being able to refine their understanding of the scientific concept of evolution by engaging with a collection of birds’ beaks on display at a natural history museum; or being able to visualize abstract ideas such as historical timeline and contextualization when they observe objects from different civilizations at a history museum and interpret how tools, language, ideas developed simultaneously in different parts of the world.

Museums can also be excellent laboratories for active learning. Students can take charge of what and how they want to learn (more) about by actively engaging with the museum objects and artefacts, and transform their learning into an experience. Teachers in turn can facilitate this experience-building by creating learning scaffolds that align with the learning goals through activities such as role-play, think-pair-share, curating their own exhibition, writing biographies or identity charts, and mind mapping. This engagement often effortlessly leads to interdisciplinary learning as well, as museums offer opportunities to apply and interpret classroom concepts in different ways. Depending on the type of museum, students may find the need to critically think about a particular museum artefact by recalling concepts in science, math, social studies, geography, arts, languages etc.

Museums also cater to a range of intelligences.

Research has shown that students interpret information using different capacities or intelligences; there is no one singular way of understanding. Museums with their range of collections and objects are an idyllic space for engaging with students of varying degrees of interests and abilities. Imagine a group of students viewing an exhibit on the Indus Valley civilization – some would read the labels with more interest than others, some might pay more attention to the shape, colour, design of vessels, jewellery, or tools on display, while others might learn most by connecting the dots analyzing and interpreting the entire collection. And it’s not only the variety of objects – museum educators can design a range of activities or games to pique the interests of all

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students, too, and further enhance their understanding of concepts learnt in classrooms.

Museums also become canvasses for students’ interpretation of their self and identity. The objects and artefacts in their collections, especially those that belong to the local community, tell the story of the place, including its people and the environment. Comparing and contrasting these objects and the stories they tell with their own lives often creates room for students to understand their culture, their past, and eventually their connection to the community in which they live.

However, it would be incomplete to make this assertion for using museums as extended classrooms without mentioning that Indian museums are in dire need for improvement and innovation. The quality of programs to engage and inspire students and young people is, at best, subpar compared to other international museums. India has a wide range of museums with fascinating collections of objects ranging from prehistoric archaeological finds to royal artefacts to ancient scripts.

But in many of these, the display and content fails to ignite the imagination of visitors, especially the younger generation. Our local, public museums have tended to work in silos for many decades, and many of them do not even have a dedicated education department! But things are slowly beginning to change for the better.

More recently, some Indian museums have been putting in the work to make their content more exciting and accessible, to name a few: the Mysore Rail Museum, the Orissa State Tribal Museum, the Partition Museum, and Science Gallery Bengaluru. Museums are also working to be more accessible and are keen to hear from their audiences, especially schools. Teachers should feel encouraged to reach out to their local museums and seek support to develop engaging and enriching educational experiences for their students using museum resources. It is easy to grow, improve, and create new products when the demand is there! But overall, Indian museums need funding as well as a strong vision for innovation and renovation that can uplift their educational programming (among other improvements).

Schools and museums coming together to make learning more holistic and accessible for students is a 2-way street. If schools can show more interest in museums beyond taking hundreds of students in a line-up kind of museum day, and museums can offer educational programming that goes well beyond the reading of labels and staring at the objects, students and young people can finally emerge as the ultimate winners.

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MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

SAILAJA VITTALDEV

PRINCIPAL, SILVER OAKS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, BANGALORE

Focusing on Solution, Rather than Challenges W

omen in leadership roles are a minority in India.

The glass ceiling is yet to be broken fully. Though most women take up the teaching profession, very few are part of the policymaking in education. The education sector needs more women from marginalized communities to be a part of the education revolution, lending their perspectives and experiences. “At Silver Oaks International School, every teacher is a leader, and only leaders can be teachers. In our School, we assume the responsibility of nurturing the young acorns who live for a purpose, learn to apply, lead with determination and leave a timeless legacy,” says Sailaja Vittaldev, Principal, Silver Oaks International School, Bangalore.

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Following a core mantra of “Character before Competence,” Silver Oaks International School, Hyderabad was founded in 2002 by Mr. Dhanunjay.

Going forward, to have a greater geographical reach he established Silver Oaks International School Bangalore in the year 2013. The institution partners with International Baccalaureate (IB) for its Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and the Diploma Program (DP). Student-Led Conferences, Primary Years Learning Exhibition, Personal Project, E-Portfolios, Extended Essays, Research-based Course works, etc., are some of the Instruments that help develop Academic Rigor at the School. “The School believes that their role as educators

I believe in inclusive leadership. Culture to trust and freedom to work and explore creativity in teaching and learning is essential to work with the team

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is more than teaching from textbooks and assessment of knowledge. School provides opportunities and a conducive environment for students who groom themselves to live for a purpose, learn to apply, lead with determination and leave a timeless legacy,” Ms. Vittaldev adds.

Sharing an exciting story about naming the School, Ms. Vittaldev says, “At that time (in 2002), the campus had many silver oaks trees. Silver Oaks trees take the minimum nutrients from the soil and grow tall and proud. Similarly, we expect our acorns to take the minimum from society and give back maximum to society. We call our students “Acorns of Silver Oaks”.” Following the same, The School follows a mission “To integrate into teaching and learning, the goals for conservation and social justice, to develop civic virtues and emotional skills that can empower our acorns to be icons of personal and social change who will play leading roles in the transition to a sustainable future.”

One needs to draw inspiration from everything they see and experience. “I believe in inclusive leadership. Culture to trust and freedom to work and explore creativity in teaching and learning is essential to work with the team.

I am enthusiastic and positive and approachable to the team,” Ms. Vittaldev opines. In a world where technology is constantly evolving, and new teaching techniques are emerging, the School believes in homegrown leadership

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Ms. Vittaldev reads extensively and keeps selecting the latest innovative techniques of learning and teaching

and delegates the work to bring distributive leadership.

The team’s spirit at Silver Oaks is the ability to adapt and innovate.

Having spent most of her childhood in a small town, Ms. Vittaldev was quiet and naive and never imagined that she would end up as a working professional.

However, she has always had the habit of identifying her interests and passion, pursuing them with grit, and not letting go without achieving the goal. Her family always encouraged her to find her calling and interest and they were the pillars of support which was the foundation of strength in overcoming challenges. Later in life, when she faced challenges as a mother, is when she understood that educators need empathy to groom young people with patience and a caring attitude. “Probably, the lessons I learned from my motherhood made me a better person/ educator to understand my students. I always put myself in their shoes and try to understand their perspectives be it a student/teacher/parent,” she adds.

Her day starts with the smiles of her students and teachers. She draws energy from the ecosystem of inspired learning. The management at Silver Oaks works, keeping the students at the center, and everything revolves around them. Challenges crop up either from administration/

academic-related/ students / teachers / parents/ external issues like change in rules. She always keeps the constitution of the School. “Our schoolhouse, and it gives me a sense of direction and purpose. When you love what you’re doing, then there is no looking back. It gives me immense pleasure when our students enjoy what they’re learning and thrive in the ecosystem of learning. During my interactions with the students, it opens up multiple perspectives. Their ideas and enthusiasm will give me the spirit of energy,” she says.

Ms. Vittaldev reads extensively and keeps selecting the latest innovative techniques of learning and teaching.

Constantly questions herself as to what went well and what is that she needs to work upon. She attends webinars, conferences, and professional development sessions.

She believes that every teacher has to be a learner and has to constantly upgrade the global trends and learning needs. Just before the pandemic, she completed a course on “Strategic Leadership for schools in Changing Environment” from IIM Ahmedabad. Following the mantra “Never Ever Give Up,” Ms. Vittaldev believes that women have an innate ability to understand people, their perspectives, and patience. All they need is to keep upgrading themselves and face the challenges with

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confidence and courage and focus on solutions rather than challenges. Channelize the energy on the things that can be controlled.

Being Professionally influenced by the director of Education, Ms. Seetha Murthy, she says, “Her (Ms. Murthy) learning spirit is inspiring, and her strengths enrich us to strive for excellence. She always believes that the “Destiny of a country begins in its classrooms.”

Silver Oaks, as an educational institution, takes the responsibility to shape the Nation. Schooling is the only time in one’s life that they spend around 6 hrs. each day, 5 days a week, and about 10 months a year for about 14 odd years - learning, growing, and connecting with the people around them. It’s the prime years, and these are the most crucial time for young children. Because this is when almost all of their thought processes and ideologies are being formed. This will define who the students want to be. With this thought in mind, the School works intensively on building the character of each student across all its 5 schools in all three cities.

Activities, Initiatives, and Teaching During the Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the overall approach to learning and teaching. At Silver Oaks International School, the pandemic was used as an opportunity to upgrade the skill set of the teachers and

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students. “It took some time to understand the nitty-gritty of the online platform and onboarding the students, but when you combine the passion with what you’re doing, then there is no period,” Ms. Vittaldev opines.

The institution identified that the social and emotional well-being of the students was a challenge and hence, worked on well-being sessions on a daily basis; to bring out physical fitness, which was a major miss during pandemic times, it brought morning energizers wherein students worked on their fitness quotient.

Further, to improve collaboration and social interactions - group learning of the students with their classmates, was encouraged.

The School carved google websites with engaging project-based learning experiences for the students. The Google websites were about Science, English, Math, and Social sciences beyond the textbooks. This PBL ran across the grades, and it is focused on ‘Future Work Skills’ - Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication.

Students were given 2 hours to explore the content and do the challenging tasks working at their pace.

Students used tools like Project Zero Harvard visible thinking routines. At the end of the day, students collaborated through breakout sessions. They gave outstanding presentations, and self-management, Social, Communication, thinking, and Research skills helped

The passionate team at Silver Oaks International School is currently working on turning their students to become assessmentcapable learners

move them ahead in the learning journey without ever entering the school campus. “Our students’ reflections proved, Cells that Fire Together, Wire Together. Our acorns are taking cognizance that they have the power to train their brains and will be empowered to learn more and in different ways,” Ms. Vittaldev says. The School designed a panel discussion on remote learning between teachers and students to understand the challenges faced to set the expectations for the academic year. This enabled the students to understand the teachers’ perspective and vice versa.

Inspiring Morning is a special significant feature at Silver Oaks, which helps children and teachers meet and interact with people making their mark in society, contributing to the people around them. These special mornings were conducted virtually during the pandemic.

Additionally, the School coined a unique program called “Coins for the Country.” It is the School’s vision that the acorns take responsibility as a part of its continued Civic and Social Responsibility Program (CSR), and it was born in 2006. The students collect coins/notes diligently every year either by foregoing their wants or by economizing on their spending. Crediting the parents for the successful initiative, Ms. Vittaldev says, “the credit goes to our parents as co-enablers for this important character to be built amongst our students. So far, our acorns from all the schools across the three states have contributed INR. 1.5 crores and have taken up the responsibility of Nation building.”

To cultivate the spirit of respecting others’ needs, the School has another initiative known as the street store - A goodwill initiative. The institution strongly feels it’s their responsibility and not charity. This encourages young acorns to get involved in the joy of sharing and take up responsibility in helping the community. Silver Oaks initiated this program on September 9th, 2018. It’s a part of their continued Civic and Social Responsibility Program (CSR). Speaking about the same, Ms. Vittaldev adds, “We swell with pride when we say, “Me and My Country We Grow Together.” It’s our Director Mr. Dhanunjaya’s vision that our acorns grow with virtues like transparency, sincerity, and empathy.”

As the School and the parents share a common purpose and vision to give the best for the Acorns, the School is inclusive, and the parent community is part of the School for guest lectures as speakers for the inspiring morning. The key elements of the institution are culture to trust, appreciate, and give, and transparency. In 2020, the School carried out an outreach program wherein parents from each grade exchanged their views to learn about the pandemic and its challenges. Online learning

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from parents helped the institution gain valuable insights.

Further, Silver Oaks also conducted a panel discussion on the NEP policy to gain insights into the policy. The leadership team from all the schools had an interaction with students from all the schools to understand what went well and what needed to be improved for their learning.

Speaking about teaching without hassles, Ms. Vittaldev shares her lessons from the pandemic: Change is inevitable: When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Despite obstacles that may arise, one must always believe in his/her ability to rise above challenges and emerge stronger to groom the young students who can be future icons of personal and social change and also will play leading roles in the transition to a challenging, sustainable world. Pandemic taught everyone to survive and sustain.

Proactive People: The School always works on the collective spirit. To this end, the faculty collaborates with each other and shares best practices.

They work on the guiding principle of Simon Sinek’s Golden circle – Why | What | and How. Why do we do what we do? When one understands the purpose and combines it with passion and interest, they will find solutions for all the challenges. This ‘why’ will motivate one to drive and plunge into action. “Learning and teaching is the singular purpose that resonated with all of us in the School. Thanks to our teachers who worked from home despite their full-time work at home for developing engagements that develop knowledge, concepts, and skills in our students,” she says.

Technology: The teachers are Silver Oaks “teacherprenuers”. They have become agents of learning who worked diligently and crafted the learning engagements with all the ICT tools. Technology and pedagogy were blended to create these teaching/learning engagements for effective online learning. Peer and collaborative learning empowered them to handle the classes. The School carefully planned these engagements to maximize learning. The whole community worked together to get the students on board with the e-platforms.

Notably, the parent community’s support was a great deal to take the flight of online learning.

The courage of conviction: Pandemic and challenging times might be new, but the core of learning and teaching is not new, and the institution knows what principles are needed to guide the pedagogy. Silver Oaks knew what they needed to work upon because they were transparent with their “why we are doing what we are doing.”

“Project-based learning should be implemented in all the classes as all the students are unique, and so are their strengths,” says Ms. Vittaldev opposing the One paper for everyone, an exam-centric mindset. Silver Oaks brought this innovation to the School by foregoing year-end examinations. Instead, the School informed the students to work on project graduation - Present what you know!

This is to provide an opportunity to develop Voice Choice Ownership. The students chose significant knowledge from the units and designed a website to suit their thinking. They were informed to use all their English language skills to post their knowledge on each page/section of the website. Suggestions were given from self-record videos, pictures to support the evidence of learning. Condition is to showcase their conceptual lens to present the depth of the knowledge the students gained across the year, and the challenge is to create a rubric to assess their presentation. Initially, everyone in the community questioned the School; why can’t we have simply written examinations and testing the entire portions of the subjects? Students struggled to draw a line for their depth of knowledge.

In the end, it was commendable to see the outstanding presentations from the students. They showcased Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration to brainstorm the evaluation quotient, and Communication skills while presenting, collating, synthesizing, and evaluating their own learning.

The passionate team at Silver Oaks International School is currently working on turning their students to become assessment-capable learners. They aim to move from good to great. “Grooming the young minds and seeing them being successful and also leading themselves into leaders to do their every bit for the community is soulsatisfying. I encourage all youngsters to take the role of the educator as it gives a sense of pride that you’re a part of Nation Building,” She concludes.

At Silver Oaks International School, the pandemic was used as an opportunity to upgrade the skill set of the teachers and students

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Tips For Helping Child Imbibe New Skills in Home Schooling Divya Jain, Founder & Director, The Class of One

W

ith the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the planet, online education and homeschooling have become essential for parents who want to educate their children at home. Many questions arise for these parents, and they worry whether online education will benefit their children in the long run. Among the many benefits of homeschooling, the most important component is comprehending its utility and selecting the finest solutions accessible.

Online homeschooling necessitates a certain level of discipline from the children in addition to government-approved curricula and schedule flexibility. The skillset would evolve with the child’s age, but the fundamentals would remain the same. With the emergence of online home education schools in India, the path has become a little smoother since parents must now ensure that their children attend online lessons regularly; the child must be taught to take online studies as seriously as going to school physically.

Home-schooled children are more likely to be creative and interested in academic activities, according to research. Homeschooling allows you to provide your child one-on-one attention while also allowing them to explore their natural curiosity and work toward goals that are most suited to their personality. Parents must participate

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The youngsters must be taught that their freedom does not imply focusing less on their schoolwork than children who attend physical schools

Divya Jain, a commerce graduate from the Delhi University is presently running two schools in Noida successfully. She is full of ideologies, enthusiasm, indepth knowledge and intellect. A woman of few words who lets her work ethics and professional discipline speak on her behalf. She is well known for her integrity, humility and matured sense of discretion coupled with strokes of motivation and confidence. She is assiduous in whatever she does and her commitment to good governance, people management was honoured with “Design Thinking Leaders Award” by Education World Grand Jury.

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It is common knowledge that a child’s productivity will suffer if they spend too much time studying and that they may even lose interest in studying

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in activities that will aid in enhancing their children’s focus, as they may feel too at ease in their own homes.

The youngsters must be taught that their freedom does not imply focusing less on their schoolwork than children who attend physical schools.

One must also consider the child’s study environment, which can significantly impact productivity and academic achievement. Thankfully, homeschooling allows you a great deal of freedom. The optimal study environment is not under the parent’s control; rather, the ideal environment must be agreed upon by both the parent and the child. It could be a child’s bedroom, a lawn, or a study centre where she can study with her peers. A suitable study environment aids the child’s ability to concentrate, think, solve problems, and relax.

According to an IBM study, students enrolled in e-learning programmes learn five times more than students enrolled in traditional learning programmes. Online learning also encourages students to be self-motivated and hardworking because they must be highly self-reliant and proactive to achieve their academic objectives. It fosters critical thinking by requiring pupils to solve problems independently without the presence of a teacher to watch their every move. This helps them develop character and problem-solving skills, which will come in handy as an employee.

It is common knowledge that a child’s productivity will suffer if they spend too much time studying and that they may even lose interest in studying. On the other hand, exercise will keep the children fit and help them absorb and retain more knowledge, improving their academic achievement. Include field visits to museums, monuments, old cities, and other places where the youngster can see the world’s grandeur firsthand and develop cognitively.

It is normally advisable to stick to a routine after it has been established, but it is also vital to adjust it according to the child’s changing requirements and comfort level with the schedule.

Homeschooling makes education available to everybody, regardless of their location, political affiliation, or medical condition. Formal education has many advantages, yet it is not practicable or relevant for many people. With breakthroughs in technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and high-speed internet becoming more widely available, homeschooling has a bright future and may even become the norm. Focusing on a child’s creative potential to solve challenging problems will become increasingly important for the child’s future success. This is made feasible by the flexibility given by homeschooling, which also allows the youngster to explore a wide range of options.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Tips to Embrace a Hybrid Work Environment Kiran Dham, CEO, Globus Infocom Ltd.

T

he Covid pandemic has drastically altered the landscape of workplaces across the globe. In the initial stages of the viral outbreak, all of the world’s processes experienced an abrupt standstill which was followed by chaos and confusion with regards to how to accommodate the changes necessitated by the pandemic. However, almost two years into the game, people and businesses alike have become acquainted with the new normal.

The ‘new normal’ in terms of workplaces translates into a hybrid work model in the current times. With the vaccines rolling out and the pandemic getting under control, the virtual model that was adopted in earlier phases of Covid was combined with the regular, physical work model to birth the concept of a hybrid model of work. This system has proved to be a success because it seeks to facilitate the operations and work of an organization without discounting the safety norms.

Even though the situation at the pandemic front is improving steadily, we are admittedly still far from getting back to the old normal. It must also be considered that given that Covid has drastically altered the world’s choices and ways of work, many industries might never return to the old normal and just stick with the way things are now or some slight modification of the same. In this scenario, it is

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Absence of proper and transparent communication channels can develop a possibility of lesser productivity & obstructions

Kiran Dham, CEO, Globus Infocom Limited, has been leading Globus Infocom Limited for the past 10 years and has successfully turned the organization into a well-established, trusted, Make in India brand in the technology industry. Globus Infocom Limited is an industry leader for past 20 years in the field of Education technology.

Today, Kiran has been the guiding force behind establishing a loyal and diverse client base including esteemed Government organizations, Educational Institutes, Universities, PSUs, Defence establishments, and many more.

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important to understand how one can embrace the hybrid work environment for good and make the most out of it.

Establish effective means of communication Absence of proper and transparent communication channels can develop a possibility of lesser productivity & obstructions. It is critical for all communication to be done in a timely and effective manner to avert the possibility of delays and mistakes. Proper communication mediums should be defined and utilized optimally to ensure smooth and clear communication.

A proper communication tool can also facilitate informal communication between employees which would lead to full-fill the social needs of employees and thereby boost their morale and productivity.

Deep Engagement & Motivation Healthy work relationships result in productivity boost & hybrid work culture might come up with the challenge of being physically distant from colleagues which can make forming the connections bit difficult. Organizations can host monthly meetups for the teams to foster the work relationships & create better sync up among teams.

Make arrangements to confront technical disruptions Naturally, half of the hybrid model is critically dependent on the use of technology and the internet. While working remotely, one must be ready to face certain technical difficulties and disruptions. To ensure smooth work in the face of a technological interruption, companies & individuals must educate themselves on how to troubleshoot recurring and minor tech problems. It is also important to have backup devices and internet supply options to tackle the possibility of systematic faults and defects.

Need to have a fair and just review process It’s been observed that working from home also generates a fear of unfair treatment among employees as working in office allows scope for face-to-face conversations & interactions with employers.

The sheer psychology of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ further bolsters the fear among employees however, it must be noted that all individuals have their personalized circumstances that significantly impact their preferences when it comes to choosing the location from which they do the work. To simply avoid such circumstances, there should be a fair & strong review process established that solely works on the performance & employee output.

Such equitable review process will motivate employees

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to work harder as they feel cared for and heard in their work environment, which would, in turn, lead to an increased amount of revenue and profits for the business.

While working remotely, one must be ready to face certain technical difficulties and disruptions

Summing Up Even though recent times have witnessed respite in terms of Covid induced restrictions, the end of the pandemic is not approaching anytime soon. Hence the hybrid work model is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. One need to ensure a consistent experience for all employees, regardless of whether they work in the office or remotely. To make the most of this model, both employers and employees can take into consideration certain steps that will enhance their hybrid work experience. Some of the steps that can be taken are to be prepared for technical difficulties, have an equitable review process in place, and establish effective communication.

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MOST INSPIRING

INDIAN WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

VARSHA AGARWAL RODEWALD SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, ASCEND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Inspiring the Next-Gen in Education O

ne of the inspirational leaders in education, Varsha Agarwal Rodewald, has come a long way to transform educational practices at Ascend International School as the Secondary School Principal since its inception in 2012. She attended a CBSE school, studied Economics and Political Science at the University of Mumbai, and went on to finish her MBA degree at Edinburgh University Management School in the UK. This broadened her worldview and understanding of the need for international exposure. Studying with people from different cultures and age groups truly taught her to experience things from new perspectives. “Learning a foreign language was something I was passionate about.

I learned German from scratch in nine months, achieving

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the highest level a non-native speaker can achieve in the language. A new language opens up a whole new world towards understanding the nuances of culture and way of life of a whole new set of people who are so different from you. This changed the way I perceived my own culture and identity and made me value my roots more than ever before. I have lived in India, the UK, and Germany and cherish the diversity of experiences I have had and I still encounter,” shares Ms. Varsha.

Now, on the other side of the table, she takes the time to reflect on what aspects of those years of learning have constituted the person she is today and the approaches she takes in her life. She believes that it is less about the system of education but rather about the teacher who makes or

We thrive on the creative conflict because this makes us open-minded individuals who welcome and value different perspectives

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breaks the educational experience of a student. Through innovative education, learning is not just to acquire but to build and nurture continuously. “I am fortunate to be in a profession and in a school environment that allows me a fresh start every year. I choose to carry and consolidate my learnings as I progress through each year, with new learning, new units, new experiences, and also with new mistakes that enable new learning for the next year,” Ms. Varsha says.

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Continually Pioneering Innovation At Ascend International School, Ms. Varsha tries to find new ways to impart learning. By reading the latest research blogs and articles, she is always tuned in to the recent developments in the field of education. Ms. Varsha actively participates in curriculum reviews led

by IB and plans to start her training as an Evaluation Leader of the Middle Years Program at the IB level of education. Through online workshops and webinars, she

Ascend International School has grown to become one of the best international schools in Mumbai, since its establishment in 2012, under the chairmanship of Mr. Bhagat Patil and the leadership of Mr. Aditya Patil

continues to learn and research neuroscience in education and how it impacts our understanding of how students learn. Social media has made Ms. Varsha connect with the educational community, school leaders, and faculty from around the globe. “They are a click away from questions and guidance. It comes as a gift that we are a close-knit community of international school leaders in Mumbai who very generously share learnings, thoughts, and ideas,” she shares.

With the support she gets from the school leaders at Ascend, Ms. Varsha believes that there has been a shift in the education space, with more women in educational leadership and becoming an inclusive community that values uniqueness, culture, and gender diversity. “We believe that we need to be surrounded by people who think and act differently from each other. We thrive on the creative conflict because this makes us openminded individuals who welcome and value different

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perspectives,” Ms. Varsha shares. She understands that educational leadership is about capability, drive, and willingness to ignite a love for learning. “We are encouraging more women in this space is concerned, the more we support education for girls in our country, the more chances we have to balance gender representation at all administrative and leadership levels of schooling,” she adds.

Leading the way Ms. Varsha considers the leadership at Ascend to be inspiring, not just to her but to students and teachers, helping them to grow into the best versions of themselves. As Ms. Varsha was a founding faculty memer at Ascend International School, she has worked across all three programs of the IB as an educator and leader. 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the school and has consistently and organically grown to become a full K12 school offering the IB Primary Year Program (PYP), Middle Year Program (MYP), and the Diploma Program (DP). “With each year, we had new challenges, and my roles demanded thinking, re-thinking, learning, unlearning, and learning again.

Hence, each year needed a different version of me as a leader. Evolving into that diverse role, I believe, is my strength,” says Ms. Varsha.

Through her involvement in teaching, Ms. Varsha understands and empathizes with students and teachers to co-create strategies, policies, and approaches that ensure that teachers feel supported and confident to steer learning and teaching in the classroom. By building an environment that gives room for error, teachers and students thrive on experimenting and learning new ways to learn and teach. It gives them the courage to be creative and think differently.

“Within our unique context, we are building our institutional understanding and memory every single day. Leadership is a collaborative process and not the journey of one individual,” says Ms. Varsha.

Ascending to greater heights Ascend International School has grown to become one of the best international schools in Mumbai, since its establishment in 2012, under the chairmanship of Mr. Bhagat Patil and the leadership of Mr. Aditya Patil.

Ms. Varsha says, “Ascend’s model was developed in partnership with the University Child Development School in Settle, USA. It is about infusing learning with joy in a meaningful context that makes students yearn for more.” Ascend is part of Kasegaon Education Society (KES) that was established nearly

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Ms. Varsha considers the leadership at Ascend to be inspiring, not just to her but to students and teachers, helping them to grow into the best versions of themselves

70 years ago with one school in a small village 300 km from Mumbai. This number today has grown to 39 educational institutions across Maharashtra.

“We started Ascend to ensure that students have the possibility to learn and understand, voice their thinking and truly apply what they are learning to the real world.

We built a school, where the learning environment and philosophy allows students to acquire knowledge, skills, and understanding that ‘sticks’ with them for life,” shares Ms. Varsha. By opening the school one grade at a time, the school had the opportunity to optimize its approach gradually through a deeper understanding of the needs of the schools and the students as they evolve with time.

Encouraging Innovation Being a passionate person, Ms. Varsha has the drive to foster creativity and innovation among students to create a culture that makes students question their surroundings.

Their Project-Based Learning model allows students to identify real-life problems and find sustainable solutions.

By doing so, students fully understand the importance of learning concepts, not just for grades , but to clearly realize that what they are learning is has an impact . “We do not follow the ‘sunflower model’ where all students are just facing and listening to the teacher without being motivated to engage in the learning process. Teachers are facilitators who need to ignite student thinking and allow them to charter their learning trajectory

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by providing continuous and meaningful feedback,” shares Ms. Varsha.

Teachers at Ascend help students understand that real-life problems involve interdisciplinary solutions.

Thus, through authentic curriculum design , teachers help them to apply knowledge and build understanding .

The school also invites experts from different industries, institutions, and cultures to engage students and provide them with a new perspective on things. “Our students need to understand the requirements and challenges beyond our environment and extended community to explore career options that these experts so meaningfully portray with the skills and dispositions they bring with them, says Ms. Varsha.

As sustainability has become an important aspect of today’s generation, the students at Ascend are also encouraged to carry out their part of building a sustainable future. They are continuously coached and made to realize that each one of us has a responsibility to transform the world into a safe, clean, equal, and peaceful place to live a sustainable existence. By using knowledge as a tool to think and develop new solutions, there is a

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means of fueling critical and creative thinking processes.

“Students showcase their performance of understanding to a wider audience. This enhances the quality of their process and product and allows them to receive extended feedback from individuals and experts other than their peers and teachers. Organization, time management, and collaboration are some approaches to learning. They are constantly practis ing through these learning experiences to achieve mastery before they head for further studies,” shares Ms. Varsha.

Pandemic Diaries Many in the educational sector have been affected by the pandemic. Teachers especially take on a completely new burden of being technologically proficient on top of having the skills to impart knowledge effectively.

Going online was taxing not just for students but also for teachers. Many teachers find it difficult to keep track of the learning process, and online learning may not be practical for all subjects. “It was harder for some subject groups like PE, Art or Music compared to English or Math for example. Collaboration, which is integral to our style

Ms. Varsha believes that numbers are not what determines one’s intelligence. The obsession with grades and universities having admission cut-offs is a practice that needs to change as soon as possible

of learning, in Zoom breakout rooms did not feel authentic. The most significant challenge, however, was that students required more individual attention because each of them shared their individual stories of fear, uncertainty, renunciation, sickness, and even dealing with death,” Ms. Varsha says.

But, through it all, teachers continue to work diligently to give it their best and teach students concepts that they will need for the rest of their lives. Teachers were working beyond their regular hours and energy levels to attend to students’ academic and emotional needs while simultaneously balancing their own individual challenges faced by their families. Ms. Varsha shares, “Individualized and personalized instruction and attention is a hallmark of Ascend’s philosophy, and being accustomed to this approach made it less difficult for our teachers. However, keeping up the motivation and engagement levels of students and teachers is an ongoing challenge.”

During these uncertain times, parents have also been very supportive of the Ascend community.

“Our doors are always open for them to interact with us on not just matters relating to student progress, but also about innovative ideas, access to resources, opportunities or expertise outside of school,” shares Ms. Varsha. By partnering with their children, they make a huge difference in the extended community and provide their service to help the school. Through open and ongoing communication with parents, the teachers get to know their pupils much better and give them the guidance they need to do their best in academics. Parents are essential to building institutional understanding and ensuring academic success, along with socio-emotional wellbeing.

Ascend International School conducts various workshops, coffee mornings, and other events to engage with parents. . These workshops are also curated on various subject areas or assessments to understand the Ascend culture and approach.

Personal Journey With no plan of becoming a teacher, Ms. Varsha set out to take over her father’s business at the start of her career. It was only later that she realized her calling was in education and jumped at the opportunity to join Ascend. “My younger self was hastier, aiming for perfection, quickly discovering the fastest route to reach that goal in the shortest time possible.

However, I have realized that not all problems can be solved fast, taking the direct path. Sometimes

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you have to analyze the problem from different angles and perspectives before a solution emerges,” Ms. Varsha shares. Over time, Ms. Varsha understands that slowing down and letting multiple paths unfold before deciding on the most suitable one is the way to go when it comes to important decisions in life. But, on the other hand, she also mentions, “To live in the moment, be less harsh on me and cherish my wins is also something I am trying to do more of.”

Ms. Varsha believes that numbers are not what determines one’s intelligence. The obsession with grades and universities having admission cut-offs is a practice that needs to change as soon as possible. “At Ascend, we continuously highlight the importance of learning and understanding versus achieving higher grades,” she adds. Although grades do matter for the higher classes, especially when they need to get into good universities, seeing the value of a student’s approaches to learning versus their score as a determinant is a better way of understanding how a student can perform in a field.

“I would like to see progressive models of assessment take over the redundant grade-based approach, and see more forward-thinking, world-class higher education institutions emerge in India, enabling and promoting education that values creative, innovative, and critical thinking,” shares Ms. Varsha.

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Going back to the new normal As schools are slowly coming back to in-person learning, Ascend has also been adjusting back to the new hybrid education system. The school continues to review the different aspects of the online education model and retain some of it and incorporate it into the new methods of teaching. Now that the school is a complete K12 institution, there are more aspects to consider. Thus, their next crucial objective is to exemplify vertical alignment of the curriculum, analyzing and evaluating the high school program and working backwards to ensure that there is a development of knowledge, skills, and understanding at the pace and depth required from the moment a student starts their learning journey at Ascend.

Ms. Varsha has never consciously thought about her as a woman in a workspace. Instead, she believes that each of us is a unique individual and has something to offer. She says, “My advice would be to work hard, take risks, make mistakes, unlearn, relearn and pursue your dreams irrespective of your gender.” Today, Ascend plans to expand, with a new building in the works to provide state-of-art spaces for the MYP and DP programs that that has incorporated teacher and student feedback and ideas in the design process. “We can’t wait to move into spaces that inspire us to learn, grow and excel at what we set out to accomplish,” concludes Ms. Varsha.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

The Evolution of the Learning and Development Industry Manashi Kumar, Business Director, Genius Inside

T

he Learning & Development Industry has evolved drastically from its origin in the early 1990s. It has witnessed the biggest shift in everything from the training methods to the mode of communication and more. The expansion of the IT and Technology industries was one of the key factors in this growth. The demand for a skilled workforce has been on a constant rise for decades. With the growth of AI and Machine learning, many industries are exploring beyond traditional methods and adapting to the blooming advancements of new technologies.

With the ongoing pandemic, the job market has been dynamic. The working patterns, people, and organizations are pivoting harder to digital techniques now more than ever. On-demand learning is much faster for generating quick results and in the process, they are picking up new skills which will further aid their growth.

Most essential skills include computer and communication skills, problem-solving, and well-versed organizational skills.

The enhancement of existing skillsets helps increase self-confidence, improve marketability and competitiveness to become more resourceful, and help increase job prospects. The digital space has increased opportunities for individuals but

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The digital space has increased opportunities for individuals but is also increasing competition and demand to grab new opportunities

As a corporate leader and HR strategist, Manashi has been managing businesses and personnel throughout her career, with a focus on creating winning teams and successful organizations. In her current position as Founding Business Director at Genius Inside, she brings in the talent and organizational skills to enhance lives by supporting them in their journey of self-development and discovery. She will be responsible for onboarding great coaches, mentors and highly successful individuals, to share and give real time direction and formulas for success to the community.

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One can’t ignore the visible need for more ondemand and digital learning experiences which have been further pushed by the pandemic

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is also increasing competition and demand to grab new opportunities. Whether it is a student, professionals, or teachers, they all seek quicker and accessible forms of digital learning formats that will help make the transformation easier.

As the job market rises the demand for technology has increased. As per recent reports, close to 1 billion jobs have been transformed by technology, one can only imagine what level of skills are needed to continue disrupting and be future-ready. The commencement of automation along with artificial intelligence and robotics causing a broader impact on jobs, skills, and wages. Although technology improves the growth of the economy and improves the standard of living. For example, from an employment perspective, organizations have embraced and invested in new upskilling and reskilling solutions as most businesses have had to pivot towards new ways of operating. The rising unemployment figures across the world show us just how crucial it is for professionals to have readily available and financially feasible opportunities to either strengthen their skillsets or retrain for different careers.

This has been a major driving factor for professionals and students to sign up for learning and development platforms.

Learning and development platforms help individuals like us to upskill and develop new skills which are beneficial for our personal and professional lives, especially during the second half of 2020. One can’t ignore the visible need for more on-demand and digital learning experiences which have been further pushed by the pandemic. The best way to become more successful in the 21st century is by learning new skill sets in our desired fields. Upskilling does not only help in new career opportunities but also in upgrading our skills to reach our career goals in the most professional way possible. Upgrading our skill set is highly valued and is seen as a requirement for many employers.

Most jobs are constantly changing their dynamics and adapting as their field grows. For entrepreneurs, development comes from future-proofing their business.

They need to audit what skills they presently acquire in the company and what skills need to be increased for high productivity. Therefore, both employers and employees must be up-to-date and adaptable to the trends and developments in their field as there are multiple platforms available for their guidance.

The Learning & Development Industry will always be crucial for transformation and even businesses. Learning has played an important role in developing the process of building a business from its core foundation to set its roots with proper allocation of technology, team building and innovative planning. These skills make up the key element of every organization and are essential.

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K12 Digest Higher Education Digest Nov - Dec 2021 October 2020