Origin Stories

Usha Raman The education landscape as we know it today has been shaped over the years by diverse forces — individuals, movements, ideas and institutions. How familiar are we with some of these? The Gandhian idea of education was as a force for social transformation, a concept taken forward by Vinobha Bhave, in which the distinctions between teaching and learning, knowledge and work, were eliminated. While these principles were elucidated in great detail by many Gandhians who established schools, they failed to take hold in modern schools to any great extent. What is the name by which Gandhi’s idea of basic education is known? This Italian educationist first trained in medicine, and worked with children with developmental delays for many years. It was this experience that led her to develop methods and materials for use with children with special needs, and later extend these approaches to all children. Who was this educationist, after whom an important system of early childhood education is named? “…English is better worth knowing than Sanskrit or Arabic; that the natives are desirous to be taught English, and are not desirous to be taught Sanskrit or Arabic; …it is possible to make natives of this country thoroughly good English scholars, and that to this end our efforts ought to be directed.” The famous document from which this quote is taken is thought to be the basis for the adoption of English as the primary medium of instruction in elite Indian schools. What is this statement, widely critiqued by educationists as the source of a persistent colonial legacy? This university, famous for its focus on music and the arts, was started in 1921 by India’s most celebrated poet. Located on what was originally a family estate flanked by two rivers, the area was at one time the den of a gang of notorious dacoits. What is the name of this university, which roughly translates to ‘abode of peace’? Groomed to be a spiritual master by Annie Besant, this philosopher-speaker-writer was instrumental in establishing a network of schools that adopted a radical approach to schooling. Even though he rejected the mantle of spiritual teacher, his ideas continue to be hugely influential in education. Who was this individual, who emphasized that the core of education must be “freedom from fear”? The first President of India to die while in office, this individual was responsible for establishing what has become one of the most prestigious minority universities in the country. He was just 23 years

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Don’t always stick to your lesson plans

Varun Gupta
Lesson plans are a necessary tool in any teacher’s teaching toolkit, however, they needn’t be sacred aids that cannot be changed. Remember lesson plans are a guide only. As teachers we have to observe and adapt the lesson plan according to how our class is going.

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Rethinking the context of teaching

Usha Raman
A recent webinar co- hosted by Teacher Plus in association with Wishwa brought to the fore several concerns that parents and teachers had about online learning and about the aims and objectives of education. Parents were concerned about screen time and teachers about keeping the children engaged and motivated. It was however an opportunity for teachers and parents to come together and build on their collaboration.

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Colour columns

Megha Chougule and Adithi Muralidhar
Here is an activity done with children of all age groups to introduce the concept of density using everyday liquids that is available at home. Stacking liquids seems an impossible task but when we see oil floating in a dish while cooking or motor oil floating on top of water puddles, it does seem worthwhile and possible. It is presented here as a puzzle to get children interested in this task.

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Breathing life into a public library

Nayan Mehrotra
This article talks about the writer’s intervention in the public library space. She finds that there is no single factor that hampers the growth and popularity of the public library, rather it is more of a serious systemic issue.

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When parents and teachers work together

Fiona Vaz
How can teachers and parents build a positive relationship that is neither too intrusive and also one that recognizes professional boundaries? One way is for teachers to make it a point to visit students’ homes which will help them know their students better. Parents can try to be more pro-active by taking an interest in their child’s learning and interacting regularly with the teachers. When both parents and teachers collaborate and work together, it is the student who stands to benefit.

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An alienating education?

Anand Krishnaswamy
Can schools try and find ways to include parents in the educational journey of the students? What if parents could add their own experiences and that of the community in which they live to the experiences of their children? Would not that engagement be more satisfying? The teacher will then be more of a facilitator and less of an expert in education. Here are two examples of how this collaboration worked.

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Teaching to remember

Preetika Chandna
Memory plays a huge role in the study life of a student. Teachers are tasked with explaining concepts to students. However, the burden of remembering falls on the student. Can teachers play a role in enhancing memory and retention of the student? This article suggests 5 techniques through which teachers can structure their lessons to help students remember better.

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Understanding ‘understanding’

Aruna Sankaranarayanan
What does it mean to truly understand something? If something is learnt without understanding the basics, is that learning really useful? Teachers need to design activities that call for a deeper thinking, so that students can see the difference between ’knowing’ and ‘understanding’.

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