Author: Usha Raman

Books and beyond

For people who love books and reading, this is a happy time of year, being the season of literary festivals and book fairs in many parts of the country. While book fairs allow many small and regional language publishers to showcase their catalogues, literary festivals provide a forum for both seasoned and new authors to interact with audiences.

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Engaging with conflict

Many of us may have grown up reading some of Mark Twain’s work – at least in abridged versions – and many of us may have taken delight in the stories, particularly in the rebellions of the central characters. Twain’s work has come under considerable criticism from many angles, but most notably for the use of racist terms and stereotypical depictions of Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

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Small gestures with big impact

Teachers are magicians. The kind of classroom environment they create leads to not just curricular learning, but social and emotional development as well. This issue of Teacher Plus gives teachers the tool of design to create some more magic.

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The point of asking “what if?”

There are at least two ways in which we might imagine the future. One path takes us through unchecked climate change and its consequences on human and planetary life, including the exacerbation of conflicts around the world.

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Finding your peace

Educators may not be on the front lines, but our classrooms are spaces where change begins. Editor Usha Raman writes about the role of teachers in fostering a more equitable world, even as we grapple with our own challenges.

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Pictures can re-make our world

Textbooks aren’t just about facts—they shape worldviews, writes editor Usha Raman. Depicting fathers cooking and mothers in diverse roles can help shift expectations and spark conversations. When children see inclusive representations, they learn that everyone can take on any role, she adds.

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