Category: Education

Education, school, skills

Pedagogy

A Learning Leader

Pedagogy

Pedagogy is frequently used term in Education settings but at times, we use it without learning its context and meaning. let’s find out What is Pedagogy?

Pedagogy is an education-related word which is more frequently used in other languages such as French or German. Etymology and definition of the word pedagogy (from the OED): “ adopted from French pédagogie (Calvin 16th century), adaptation from Greek παιδαγωγία office of a παιδαγωγός: see pedagogue. So modern German pädagogie. “

Pedagogy is “The function, profession, or practice of a pedagogue [ a man whose occupation is the instruction of children or youths; a schoolmaster, teacher, preceptor. Now usually in a more or less contemptuous sense, with implication of pedantry, dogmatism, or severity; the work or occupation of teaching; the art or science of teaching, pedagogics. “

Moreover, pedagogy “refers to the art and profession of teaching. It stands for how a teacher teaches, the methodology one uses as a teacher, and the style of teaching a teacher chooses. It also refers to the preparatory training or instruction would-be teachers acquire in teacher education programs.”

(from the Greenwood Dictionary of Education, 2nd edition)

In ancient Greece the person who was given the task of educating the children was known as a ‘Pedagogue’. The word pedagogy is related to this being the method of teaching used by a pedagogue. Thought to be ‘over formal, pedantic, and dull’…

Pedagogy (etymology and pronunciation) is the discipline that offers the theory to follow in schooling of children. The instruction of adults, however, is also referred to as Andragogy.

Relation between Learning and its 3 major component: Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

Pedagogy in education simply means giving the practical knowledge rather than theoretical knowledge which can be through any means such as cultural, social, spiritual, and ethics.

It is just like a doctor understand the physiology and treat humans. Just like a software engineer learns programming. It is as important as air for a teacher to impart knowledge. Without understanding pedagogy, a teacher will not be a competent & professional educator.

The position of teacher is normally formal and ongoing, carried out at a institution or different location of formal schooling. A individual who wishes to emerge as a instructor needs to first obtain special official skills or credentials from a university or college. These legit qualifications may just comprise the traning of pedagogy, the science of educating. Academics, like different specialists, should/ must continue their education after they qualify, a method referred to as continuing authentic progress. Teachers may use a lesson plan to facilitate pupil learning, offering a path to learn which is known as the curriculum. Assessment is the next step which evaluates the effectiveness and guides the path of learning.

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Education, HIndi, leadership, short stories, skills

Folktales-3

A Learning Leader

Another Gem in Indian folklore, How important life lessons can be learnt from ancient Indian stories of kings and queens……. Their experiences our learning….

लघुकथा
“जो करना है स्वयं करो, दूसरों के भरोसे मत रहो।”

एक बार जोधपुर में जसवंत सिंह जी नाम के महाराजा थे। वे योगिक क्रियाओं में दक्ष थे।प्रतिदिन घंटों योगाभ्यास करते थे। समाधि जैसी गुप्त साधना भी भलीभांति जानते थे। एक दिन उनके मन में आया कि उनके निकट सहयोगियों की वफादारी का पता लगाया जाए। तो उन्होंने एक तरकीब निकाली।

Jodhpur Maharaj Jaswant singh

महाराज ने अपने परम विश्वसनीय लोगों को बुलाया और कहा ” मेरे मन में एक इच्छा है, आप पूरी करोगे?”
उन्होंने एक स्वर में कहा “आपके के लिए हम अपने प्राण भी देने को तैयार हैं।” महाराजा बोले ‘मुझे तुम्हारा जीवन नहीं चाहिए, वह तो हम सबको ईश्वर ने दिया है, वो ही जीवन वापस लेने हकदार हैं।’मेरी तो सिर्फ इतनी सी इच्छा है कि जब मैं मर जाऊं, तो कम से कम मेरे शरीर पर धारण किए हुए आभूषण और हीरे-जवाहरात दीनहीन, गरीबों में बाँट देना। मंदिरों, आश्रमों में दान दे देना। चाहें तो आप लोग राजकोष में से और धन ले सकते हैं, पर मेरी अंतिम इच्छा अवश्य पूरी करना।’ ये सुनकर राजा के प्रधान मंत्री ने आश्वासन दिया की महाराज आपकी इच्छा अवश्य पूरी की जायेगी।साल दो साल बाद ये बात सब भूल गए। अब महाराजा ने अपने सभी निष्ठावान मंत्रियों की परीक्षा लेने की ठानी।

योग विद्या के जानकार होने के कारण वे समाधि लगा सकते थे।समाधि की हालत में शरीर बाहर से मृत दिखता है, नाड़ियां बहुत मंद चलती हैं, श्वांस रुक सा जाता है परंतु समाधि लगाने वाला ऐसा योगी सब कुछ देख-सुन सकता है।

एक दिन महाराजा ने पेट दर्द का बहाना किया और लेट गए, समाधि लगा ली। सभी मंत्री गण उनके चारों ओर इकट्ठा हो गए। उन्होंने सोचा महाराज अब मारने वाले हैं, इसलिए उन्हें भूमि पर उतार लिया। मंत्री ने अपने साथियों से पूछा “इनके शरीर के आभूषणों आदि का क्या किया जाये।” उन्होंने महाराज की अंतिम इच्छा के बारे में बताया कि महाराज तो इन आभूषणों को गरीबों में बांटना चाहते थे। मंदिरों और आश्रमों को दान देना चाहते थे। ये सुनकर महाराज का प्रधानमंत्री बोला “तुमने भी क्या बात कही है। महाराज तो मूर्ख और गधे होते हैं। अब हम राजा हैं। हम जो चाहेंगे, वो ही होगा।”

महाराजा की हाँ में हाँ मिलानी पड़ती है और महाराजा को भरोसा दिलाना पड़ता है कि सब कुछ उनकी इच्छानुसार ही होगा।” यहाँ सुनकर महाराज के कुछ वफ़ादार मंत्री बोले “नहीं, महाराजा की अंतिम इच्छा पूरी करनी होगी। हमने उनको वचन दिया था।” इस पर प्रधान मंत्री पलटते हुए बोले “अरे, हम इन आभूषणों के जैसे ही नकली आभूषण बनवाकर गरीबों में बांट देते हैं। इससे महाराजा को दिया वचन भी पूरा हो जायेगा और हम सम्पति भी प्राप्त कर सकेंगे। “इतना कहकर प्रधान मंत्री ने नकली गहने बनाने वाले को बुलवाया। ठीक इसी समय महाराजा ने अपनी समाधि तोड़ दी और ओम की आवाज के साथ उठ खड़े हुए।

महाराज ने अब तक हुआ सारा घटनाक्रम देख-सुन चुके थे। प्रधान मंत्री भयभीत होकर कांपने लगे परंतु जल्दी ही संभलकर चिल्लाने लगे “हमारे महाराज जीवित हैं, भगवान का लाख लाख धन्यवाद।” महाराज की जय जय कार करने लगे।तब महांराजा बोले ” ये सब नाटक बंद करो, मुझे आप सब लोगों की वफादारी का पता चल गया है।”
फिर महाराजा ने गरीबों, मंदिरों,आश्रमों को पर्याप्त धन और भूमि दान दी। आज भी जोधपुर के प्राचीन मंदिरों और आश्रमों के पास पर्याप्त धन है।

इस कथा के कई अर्थ हैं। महाराजा को समाधि अवस्था में अपने मंत्रियों की वफ़ादारी का पता चल गया। दूसरे जब सत्ता, संपत्ति और धन का प्रश्न उठता है तो लोगों का असली चेहरा सामने आ जाता है। इसलिए हम जो भी करना चाहते हैं, स्वयं कर डालें, दूसरों के भरोसे नहीं रहें।


इति शुभम।

Story credit:

Mr. Dalchand

A Storyteller by heart

Storytelling has its own charm in learning and teaching. Native stories make a strong impact, with ease of understanding as they are deep rooted in culture and community. Hindi being my mother tongue never left its space in my heart. I strongly believe that in early childhood teaching in mother tongue is definitely the easiest way to reach to a child’s heart.
Indian folklore has been passed through generations over the centuries, with the words of wisdom which benefit young and old equally. I plan to share these short stories aka folk tales every once in a while to my audience, use them as a warm up activity, lunch break filler, going home time activity or simply read to your own children. Stories have their own magic!

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Jaswant Thada monument in Jodhpur
Jaswant Thada monument in Jodhpur
Education, leadership, school, skills

Let your child struggle a little!

A Learning Leader

Let your child struggle a little!

Protecting the child , from all the big and small hardships, is the the first parental instinct and the greatest moral struggle of our time. However, unless the situation is life-threatening, it’s often better to let your child navigate the problem on his/her own, struggle and fail at times. With children, shielding them from struggle builds a safety net around them — but your child won’t have that safety net when he/she goes into adulthood.

We are a generation of parents, who don’t want our childhood to be replicated and want to avoid all the hurdles that pained us, in our childhood but, remember it’s that struggle what made us today what we are. We don’t need to rescue our child if he/she is scared or nervous about a situation by sheltering the child from those situations or providing excessive reassurance.

Learning to handle difficult situations and making decisions is critical to lead the life. 

As I mentioned earlier too, Butterflies are my favorite, let me bring in a story of butterflies again.( Never give up)

Once, a man walking in his garden saw a cocoon of a butterfly hanging from a branch. Now every day that man started looking at him, and one day he noticed that a small hole has formed in that cocoon. That day he sat there and kept looking at him for hours. She saw that the butterfly is trying hard to get out of that shell, but even after trying for a long time, she could not get out of that hole, and then she became completely calm as if she had given up.

So the man decided that he would help the butterfly. He picked up a scissor and made the cocoon hole so big that the butterfly could easily get out. And this is what happened, the butterfly came out easily without any further struggle, but its body was swollen, and the wings were dry.

The man kept looking at the butterfly thinking that at any time he would start flying with his wings spread, but nothing like this happened. In contrast, the poor butterfly has never been able to fly and has to spend the rest of her life flailing around. Nature has made the process of release from the cocoon so difficult that by doing this, the liquid present in the butterfly’s body can reach into its wings and fly out of the hole.

Forcing our offspring to come out of small difficulties on their own is just like getting out of the butterfly’s cocoon, in fact sometimes struggle in our life is the thing that we really need. Without hard work and struggle, they can never become as strong as they are capable of becoming. Getting out of the cocoon in the form of these troubles will teach them something that will take care of the flight of their lives.

The goal is to teach your children to overcome obstacles and cope with situations  more independently. Letting younger children struggle through obstacles can teach them how to deal with a difficult person, how to stay calm when they’re being punished, or how to perform independent tasks.That is why it is important to see the difficult moments in life from a positive perspective.Your child will emerge stronger, develop better coping skills, and learn to make good decisions and accept the consequences of poor decisions.

Your hardest times often lead to greatest moments on your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.

Roy T. Bennett

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Education, school, skills

An open letter to parents-1

A Learning Leader

Dear parents,

The school has come to your home, but learning doesn’t have to limit itself to sitting in front of computer/laptops or mobile phones.

Lock down has brought in a new definition to Schooling and learning at home. While schools have come to home in order to ensure that your child doesn’t miss on anything in academics.

A school offers so much more than mere core subject teaching. Your child is inspired and motivated to be creative in writing, public speaking, presentation, games, sports, leadership, and whatnot?

As school is a place for holistic education.How do we compensate while being at home, learning of core subjects continues via online video apps such as zoom, teams etc., yet Parents need to ensure that their child’s creativity keeps flourishing.

Encourage your child to read more, write more and let them write from heart!

Their writings don’t have to be structured or perfect but it should be meaningful to them. You will be surprised by their work , what they produce with little bit of freedom.

Here is one example of how your child can express herself .

More in upcoming letters!

Thanks,

A teacher and parent !

Learning in Lock-down

By: Khushi Verma

She is a Grade 8 student,

and is exploring her writing skills .

Here are her thoughts on learning as a poem.

We learn different things everyday ,
From Alphabets to Engineering ,
We learn how to use things from pencil to hammer,
We learn a new thing everyday,

By learning people start to invent new stuff ,
By the new stuff people from all over the world learn ,
And we would be well known as ,
Isaac Newton who found Gravity ,
Charles Babbage who made the first computer,

Some people learn how to help people learn ,
Some people learn and understand how to construct ,
People like me learn how to learn to play sports like badminton ,
All people in the world in the world learn everything of their choice ,

By learning we are able to choose what our dream is ,
If our ancestors didn’t start learning,
 we would not be this much intelligent ,
Learning new things is amusing ,
And it is very important .
Learning at home has to be creative in all aspects.

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Education, HIndi, leadership, short stories, skills

Folktales: 2

A Learning Leader

In the series of folktales, this time we have a tale of four frogs who wanted to climb the Girnar mountain.This mountain is known for it’s journey of 1000 steps to the temple situated at the peak and one of most challenging hikes on the other side. On this difficult to climb mountain,what made that one frog successful and the other three giving up only half way through? Let’s find out!

 लघुकथा

यदि सफलता पानी है तो गूंगे बहरे हो जाओ।

एक बार चार मैंढक गुजरात में स्थित एक ऊँची पहाडी गिरनार (धार्मिक एवं पर्यटक स्‍थल है) पर जाने के लिए तैयार हुए। बहुत जोश के साथ उन्‍होंने अपनी यात्रा आरंभ की। फुदक-फुदक कर कुछ मीटर की सीधी चढ़ाई चढ़ने के बाद उन मेंढकों में से एक मेंढ़क ने गिरनार पर्वत श्रेणी से वापस आ रहे दूसरे लोगों से पूछा ‘भैया, कितनी दुर्गम और कठिन चढ़ाई है?’ उसने कहा ‘बहुत कठिन और थकान भरी चढ़ाई है। तुम्‍हारे बस की बात नहीं है भैया। अपने घर चले जाओ।’ उस मैंढ़क ने सोचा कि यदि इतनी कठिन और दुर्गम चढ़ाई है तो गिरनार पर्वत चोटी तक मैं नहीं चढ़ पाउंगा और मुझे बीच में से ही वापस लौटना होगा। इसलिए मुझे यहॉं से ही वापस चले जाना चाहिए और वह मेंढक दूसरे मेंढकों से यह कहकर वापस चल दिया कि ‘भाइयो, मेरे बस का नहीं है, इतनी भारी चढ़ाई मैं नहीं चढ़ सकता।’ 

उस मेंढ़क के वापस चले जाने के बाद शेष बचे तीनों मेढ़क हिम्‍मत जुटाकर फुदक-फुदक कर गिरनार पर्वत की चोटी की ओर चढ़ने लगे। कुछ मीटर की दूरी पर जाने पर हॉंफने लगे तो किसी पेड़ की शीतल छायां में क्षणिक आराम करने लगे। इतने में गिरनार पर्वत की चोटी पर दर्शन करने के बाद वापस आने वाले पथिक लोग भी वहॉं आ गए। उन तीन मेंढकों में से एक ने वापस आने वाले पथिकों से पूछा, ‘भाई, कितनी दूर है? कैसी चढ़ाई है? क्‍या हम गिरनार तक पहुँच पाएंगे?’ उन्‍होंने भी पहले वाले पथिक की तरह बताया कि गिरनार चोटी तक दुर्गम, कठिन और थकानभरी चढ़ाई है। वहॉं तक पहुंचते पहुंचते शरीर बुरी तरह थक जाता है और हिम्‍मत टूट जाती है। ऐसा सुनकर यह दूसरा मेंढ़क भी हिम्‍मत हार गया और वह भी दुर्गम और थकानभरी चढ़ाई से डरकर वापस चला गया।

अब चार में से दो ही मैंढक गिरनार पर्वत पर चढ़ने के लिए बचे थे। वे बेचारे थके हारे फुदक फुदक कर ऊपर चढ़ने लगे। पसीनों से तर बतर हो गए। अपनी चढ़ाई का आधे से अधिक भाग चढ़ चुके थे कि एक पेड़ की छाया में बैठकर आराम करने लगे। कुछ देर में ऊपर से कुछ या‍त्रीगण आ रहे थे, तो एक मैंढक ने पूछा, ‘भाई, अभी कितनी और चढ़ना बाकी है?’  यात्रियों ने तपाक से जवाब दिया, ‘बहुत दुर्गम चढ़ाई है और आप लोग मुश्‍किल ही चढ़ पाओगे। बहुत कठिन है।’ उस तीसरे मैंढक ने चौथे मैंढ़क की ओर मुख करके कुछ बड़बड़या और तीसरा मैंढ़क भी डरकर वापस चला गया।  अब चौथे और अंतिम मैंढ़क की बारी थी कि वो क्‍या करे? कुछ देर चिंतन करने के बाद वह पूरे मनोयोग और उत्‍साह से फुदक फुदक कर ऊपर चढ़ने लगा। हर बाधाओं को पार करता हुआ वह अगले दिन गिरनार की चोटी पर चढ़ गया और वहॉं देवी के दर्शन किए। सुकून की सांस ली। 

पता है उस मैंढक की हिम्‍मत कैसे हुई। जी, हॉं बतादूं वो चौथा मैंढ़क गूंगा-बहरा था। उसे ना सुनता था और ना बोल सकता था। यही उसकी सफलता का आधार बना क्‍योंकि उसने ना किसी की सुनी और ना किसी से कुछ कहा और अपने लक्ष्‍य पर आगे बढ़ता गया। सच है दोस्‍तो। अगर जीवन में कोई बड़ा लक्ष्‍य तय करो तो उस गूंगे बहरे मैंढक की तरह अपने लक्ष्‍य पर दृष्टि जमाए रखो, किसी की सुने-कहे बगेर निरंतर आगे बढ़ते जाओ। आपकी जीत अवश्‍य होगी।

इति शुभम। 

Storytelling has its own charm in learning and teaching. Native stories make a strong impact, with ease of understanding as they are deep rooted in culture and community. Hindi being my mother tongue never left its space in my heart. I strongly believe that in early childhood teaching in mother tongue is definitely the easiest way to reach to a child’s heart.
Indian folklore has been passed through generations over the centuries, with the words of wisdom which benefit young and old equally. I plan to share these short stories aka folk tales every once in a while to my audience, use them as a warm up activity, lunch break filler, going home time activity or simply read to your own children. Stories have their own magic!

Story credit:

Mr. Dalchand

A Storyteller by heart

If you have come this far you must have liked the post so if you enjoyed this post don’t forget to like, follow, share and comment!

GIRNAR

about me, Education, leadership, skills

Steps to Success

A Learning Leader

In the times of Covid-19 when our plans have been disrupted by an unforeseen situation, we all need to uplift each other to keep our morale high. Here is a dose of motivation to all of us!

Dictionary

Word: SUCCESS

success/səkˈsɛs/noun

Meaning: the accomplishment of an aim or purpose

A quick Google search comes up with the definition of success as an accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Your individual definition of what success is? may vary, but many would define it as being fulfilled, happy, safe, healthy, and loved. It is the ability to reach your goals in life, whatever those goals may be.

The journey to success is different for everybody. For some it happens overnight, for other it takes years or decades. For some it comes early in life, others achieve it towards their older years but trust me no matter, how much the grass looks greener from other side, its never an easy journey to what we perceive as success .

Well of-course, who doesn’t want to be successful, we all wish to find the mantra of success and to know the steps of being successful,

The first step towards the goal is to Start, as it has been rightly said that

You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great!

Once you start, the next steps are…

  1. Try.
  2. Try again
  3. Try one more time
  4. Try differently
  5. Try it again tomorrow
  6. Try and ask for help
  7. Try to find someone who has done it
  8. Try to find, fix what is not working
  9. Try to expand what is not working
  10. Just Keep trying until you succeed.

Don’t be harsh on not completing things on time, sometimes things take more than expected time.

So Dear friends

Ditch the negativity ,

Make a plan,

and Stay focused!

Be an eternal optimist, because positive vibes attracts positivity!

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Education, leadership, school, skills, Uncategorized

Approaches to Schooling:

A Learning Leader

Approaches in schooling,

What can be inculcated,

once the schools reopen?

As the pandemic Covid 19 has given us all the reasons to pause from running the hamster’s wheel and ponder upon what can we improvise upon in our education system? The National Education Policy 2020 has come at the right time, where the schooling approaches can be put in place slowly as we move into the New normal schooling and education in India. Its the time, we can rethink on our teaching methodology, techniques, classrooms management and overall schooling approaches. Changes which begin at small scale and transit through the system are adapted well.

Early childhood Education is being provided through multiple approaches around the world. It might not be practical to shift the whole pedagogy to a different one in Indian Formal schooling system, its definitely viable to pick up best practices from each one, induce one by one in our present pedagogy, not bringing drastic changes but slowly moving towards the improvement.

Here, I will discuss in brief the approaches and philosophies to schooling around the world used in Early childhood Education along with their prominent features.

Preschool Philosophies

  • Montessori 
  • Waldorf 
  • Reggio Emilia
  • High School 
  • Bank Street
  • Creative Curriculum
  • Kindergarten

Montessori

This approach, developed by Maria Montessori in Rome in the early 1900s, is child-centered, with teachers serving as guides. In the Montessori school, play is a child’s work. While there is a focus on academics, the distinguishing feature is that children learn at their own pace. There are special Montessori toys called manipulative that are self-corrective.

Features of Montessori

  • Learning takes place at its own pace
  • Don’t organise the room to specific age
  • Children learn by example
  • Same teacher for all preschool years
  • Mixed age aspect
  • how children learn to work quietly and independently at a task.

Waldorf

If you find a Waldorf school, you can trust that it is true to the Waldorf philosophy, since each school and all of its teachers must be Waldorf certified. This play-based approach is characterized by a predictable structure, providing children with a dependable routine, such as certain days of the week for set activities like baking or gardening, as well as mixed-age classrooms with the same teacher for multiple years.

Features of Waldorf

  • “There is an emphasis on creative learning, reading, singing, acting … It’s great for kids who want that predictability.
  • Home Like Setting-warm and Friendly
  • Natural and Wooden toys
  •  Against traditional grading systems and exclusion of media in the curriculum
  • Does not involve academics 

Reggio Emilia

There are many Reggio Emilia-inspired schools based on the approach developed in the 1940s in the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy. After World War II, the community, along with schoolteacher Loris Malaguzzi, came together to develop schools that would help children become better citizens. “The overall philosophy is that kids are really encouraged to explore. The teachers are there to help them explore,”

Features of Reggio

  • Project based approach and curriculum
  • Find it out together approach
  • Child oriented but teacher framed
  • Documentation is an important part
  • Taking photos, making  videos and writing observations

Other Approaches:

There are these few approaches which are popular in certain areas and are a proportionate mix of academic and non academic approaches as well as some features from above. They were introduced to cater different people at different times.

  • High scope – community based program
  • Bank street- Play based learning 
  • Creative curriculum- written formal learning programs by for profit organisations

As, a school teacher or leader we may choose, what fits in our need or circumstances, but its always good to know what does exist in our field around the world.

Education, leadership, school

National Education Policy 2020

A Learning Leader

India’s

New

Education

Policy

2020

:Key points

A full version of National Education Policy 2020NEP 2020

Indian Union Cabinet approved the National Education Policy 2020, on Wednesday 29 July 2020, paving way for transformation reforms in school and higher education sector in the country after a long spell of 34 years. The draft of the NEP was panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Kasturirangan and it was submitted to the Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal when he took charge last year. The new NEP replaces the one formulated in 1986.

The new National Education Policy is set to usher in a slew of changes, ranging from reduction in school curriculum to discontinuation of M Phil and so much more. It aims to create an education system that contributes directly to transforming the country, providing high-quality education to all, and making India a global knowledge superpower.

What all we need to know at this stage, as an Educator or school leader in India?

School Education

  1. Foundational Stage (age 3-8 years): learning based on play and active discovery
  2. Preparatory Stage (8-11 years): Building on play and discovery; begin the transition to structured learning
  3. Middle Stage (11-14 years): Learning concepts in subjects; begin navigating to adolescence
  4. Secondary Stage (14-18 years): Preparing for livelihood and higher education; transition to young adulthood.

In this reformed pattern:

  • 3 years of Preschool and rest of the 12 years to maintain continuity in schooling
  • Learning will be in the form of discovery method and experiential learning till Grade 5.
  • Up to grade 5, regional language or mother tongue may be used as a medium of instruction.
  • Subject Introduction and Exploration will be introduced from Grade 6th to 8th
  • Secondary Stage will comprise four years of multidisciplinary study and will build subject depth, critical thinking, attention to life aspirations with flexibility for student to choose for example one may opt for Bakery with Math.
  • Preschool Education will be universalized.
  • A proper curriculum will be made by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) for Preschool education and teachers will be provided regulated training.
  • School curriculum to be reduced to core concepts and there will integration of vocational education from class 6, under new National Education Policy.
  • The new policy seeks to expand access to higher education for 50% of high school students by 2035, and achieve universal adult literacy before that date.
  • The Policy aims to ensure that every student in Grade 5 and beyond must achieve foundational literacy and numeracy .
  • Teacher to be facilitator- capacity building, a robust curricular framework, learning material – both online and offline, learning outcomes and their measurement indices, assessment techniques, tracking of learning progress, etc. will be designed.
  • Coding will be introduced right from the 6th Grade.
  • Technology will be extensively used for delivering the curriculum.
  • There will not be rigid separation between streams such as Arts, Science, music etc. Curricular and Co- curricular will be taught in the same manner
  • There will be reduction in syllabus because of this it will be easier to focus on the Core Concepts.
  • Students will have 10 bag less days in a year from grade 6th on wards which will be like a mini internship and will be considered part of assessment.
  • Traditional report cards with only 2 dimensions like marks, attendance will be changed to a holistic assessment including:
    • Self Assessment- To increase self awareness and make the students more accountable.
    • Peer Assessment- To imbibe a sense of social obligation and belonging.
    • Teacher Assessment- As it has been done traditionally.
    • The overall assessment will be done with help of Artificial Intelligence which will be a blueprint of child’s learning journey of the all schooling years.

Higher Education

  • If one wishes to drop out and then continue again after a fixed time. An academic credit will be given for every course Taking a break after completing one year then resuming is acceptable under this policy.
  • Like schools, colleges will be multidisciplinary & one can take up subjects of choice along with their majors without losing academic credibility .
  • Common norms to be in place for private and public higher education institutions under Central government’s new Education Policy. “As on date, we have different norms for deemed universities, central universities, for different individual standalone institutions. New Education Policy says that for reasons of quality, norms will be same for all and not as per ownership,” said Amit Khare, Higher Education Secretary.
    • UG Program – 3-4 years
    • PG Program – 1-2 years
    • Integrated Bachelor’s + Master’s – 5 years
    • M Phill discontinued
  • All higher education institutions, except legal and medical colleges, to be governed by single regulator.
  • Common entrance exams to be held for admission to universities and higher education institutions, as per Center’s new Education Policy.

The NEP 2020 aims to increase public spending on education to nearly 6% of gross domestic product from around 4% now, while also capping fees charged by educational institutions.

The National Education Policy provides a broad direction and is not mandatory to follow. Since education is a concurrent subject (both the Center and the state governments can make laws on it), the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Center and the states. This will not happen immediately. The incumbent government has set a target of 2040 to implement the entire policy. Sufficient funding is also crucial; as we have seen in the past that 1968 NEP was hamstrung by a shortage of funds.

All in all its definitely a positive change and we all have to wish for a fast and effective implementation.

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Education, HIndi, short stories, skills

Folktales

A Learning Leader

Storytelling has its own charm in learning and teaching. Native stories make a strong impact, with ease of understanding as they are deep rooted in culture and community. Hindi being my mother tongue never left its space in my heart. I strongly believe that in early childhood teaching in mother tongue is definitely the easiest way to reach to a child’s heart.

Indian folklore has been passed through generations over the centuries, with the words of wisdom which benefit young and old equally. I plan to share these short stories aka folk tales every once in a while to my audience, use them as a warm up activity, lunch break filler, going home time activity or simply read to your own children.

Stories have their own magic.

लघु कथा


“बेकदारांदी दोस्ती, तू क्यों लाई हँस।”

एक बार एक कौवा उड़ते उड़ते एक झील के किनारे आया जहाँ उसने एक हँस को उस झील के निर्मल जल में मोती चुगते हुए देखा और उससे दोस्ती करने की इच्‍छा जताई। हँस का हृदय निर्मल होता है, उसने तुरंत उस कौवे से दोस्‍ती करने की हाँ कर दी। कुछ दिन बीते, दोनों रोजाना घंटों खूब बातें करते करते और हँसते-खेलते अच्‍छे दिन गुजारने लगे। कौवे को अब अपने घर की याद सताने लगी और उसने अपने दोस्‍त हँस को कहा ‘मित्र हँस अब मैं अपने देश जाना चाहता हूँ। कभी तू भी मेरे देश आना।‘ इस पर हँस ने कौवे का निमंत्रण स्वीकार कर लिया और उसके देश आने की हाँ भर दी। 

दिन-पर-दिन बीतने लगे। कुछ दिन बाद हँस अपने मित्र कौवे से मिलने के लिए उड़ते-उड़ते उस देश चला गया जहाँ कौवा रहता था। कौवे ने अपने देश आए हँस को तुरंत पहचान लिया। उसे देख कर बहुत प्रसन्नता व्यक्त की। उसके मन में यह दुराभाव था कि वह हँस का मांस खाए। उसने योजना बनाई कि अब ये मैं हँस मेरे देश में है और मुझे अपना विश्‍वासपात्र दोस्‍त मानता है इसलिए मैं इसका मांस खा सकता हूँ। फिर उसने अपने अन्य साथियों के साथ मिलकर हँस को मार डाला और सभी कौव मिलकर उसे नोच-नोच कर खा गए। बेचारा भोलाभाला निर्मल हृदय का हँस गलत जगह मित्रता करके अपने प्राण गवां बैठा। 

समय के अंतराल में जब हँस वापस नहीं आया तो झील के किनारे रहने वाली हँसिनी ने सोचा चलो मैं अपने हँस को ढूंढ कर लाती हूँ। व्‍यथित मन से उड़ती-उड़ती वो भी पूछते हुए उसी कौव देश चली गई जो उसके हॅंस का दोस्‍त था। उसने वहॉं जाकर देखा कि उसके हँस के पंख और हड्डियां जगह-जगह बिखरे पड़े  थे। हंसिनी ये सब देखकर टूट गई और अत्‍यंत दु:खी हुई और उसके मुख से बरबस निकल गया :

 ‘’बेकदरांदी दोस्ती तू क्यों लाई हँस, गलियां गलियां तेरी हड्डियां रूड़दियाँ, चप्पे-चप्पे पंख’’

अर्थात्

ओ मेरे हँस, तूने बेकदर कौवे से दोस्‍ती क्यों की। तेरे भोले और निर्मल स्‍वभाव के कारण तूने दोस्‍त की मंशा नहीं पहचानी और इस कारण आज गली-गली में तेरी हड्डियां और पंख बिखरे पड़े हैं।   सच है बेकदर इंसान से दोस्‍ती नहीं करनी चाहिए। अपने समान विचार और संस्‍कार वालों से ही दोस्‍ती अच्‍छी होती है, नहीं तो उस भोले, सीधे-सादे हँस की तरह जीवन की हानि भी हो सकती है। कहा भी है – ‘सिंगल पशु से दस कदम और कुत्‍ते से आठ। दुर्जन की संगत बुरी, कदम बचे एक सौ साठ।‘ यानि सींग वाले पशु से दस कदम, कुत्‍ते से आठ कदम और दुर्जन व्‍यक्ति से एक सौ साठ कदम दूर रहना चाहिए। उसकी संगति नहीं करनी चाहिए।

Story Credits:

Mr. Dalchand

A Storyteller by heart

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Education, leadership, skills

Learnability

A Learning Leader

The most essential skill in today’s time is learnability which is the ability to acquire knowledge efficiently and effectively and use it in a meaningful way over and over again.

We as leaders need to bring up learners who are ready to

LEARN UNLEARN RELEARN

The internet and its increasingly wide accessibility, with the high penetration rates of 4G ,5G networks and smart phones in the country, has resulted in knowledge no longer offering the competitive advantage that it once did. It is no longer a differentiator.

Knowledge has become an increasingly ubiquitous commodity, as every information is available a touch away, learnability is increasingly replacing the knowledge in every context, which once was the single most important trait that the younger student need to be inculcated in. In today’s context knowledge is a perishable commodity, what one learns today will be obsolete by a new discovery made tomorrow.

In such a fast pacing era, training children in critical thinking ought to take precedence over spoon feeding them information.

The current education philosophy was designed hundred of years ago for the purpose of retaining knowledge and information. At schools, we feed children information,we expect them to remember that information and test for accuracy at exams. In real, we actually expect our children to become walking encyclopedia memorizing tons of facts and figures. It might have worked in the past because the information once learned was valid over a long period of time but today the older generation is already struggling with the accelerated changes that happen overnight.

While knowledge and the ability to retain that knowledge is by no means completely redundant yet – but the difference between a great career and a mediocre one is often determined by learnability and the skills possessed by the person -not by his knowledge.

In the rapidly changing world, what defines our success is not what we know, but rather, our ability to learn what we don’t know. Being knowledgeable does not imply learnability but the reverse certainly holds true. One could make a child knowledgeable in a chosen field by feeding her a ton of relevant information; but she may not know how to acquire a new knowledge independently.

Give a man a fish and you him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a life time.

This is the high time, we need to look for an education methodology that gives importance to developing creative abilities and skills for practical life over drilling in knowledge. our educational philosophy should priorities learnability, creativity and skill development.

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