When I was in school I used to get a standard report card on an A2 or an A3 size paper. My report card had two folds and it contained my progress for the year. It was possible to have this because it contained my score only for my regular academic subjects.
However nowadays in many schools in India and around the world report cards run into many different pages. Today’s English grades/scores are on a special sheet and the students are evaluated in Reading, Writing, Grammar, Listening, Speaking etc. The report is detailed similarly for other subjects and also have scores on neatness, punctuality, socio-emotional development, mental development, food habits, motor ability etc. Therefore the reports cards might be called report books. If you are a parent reading this blog or anyone who cares about education ask yourself what is it that you really want your child to be able to achieve?
I think every parent would want his child to be polite to them, should be able to make the right decisions, enjoy diversity and the list is endless…..
I am also asking myself does this report book/card mean anything to the student who is the most important stakeholder in the entire education system? After personal introspection I feel younger kids need to be encouraged for whatever they can do now which they were not been able to accomplish some days, months or years before. Therefore these kinds of report cards might mean a lot to their parents or teachers but they may not be important for a child.
Also in the 21st century the character of the student is being considered equally important as academics. Currently fortune 500 companies need and employ people who have strong leadership qualities, people who can work on teams, people who celebrate diversity and the list goes on… So who do we think really can help students achieve these skills?
A dedicated teacher and a right environment…..
This can only be done if we have great teachers. Today we need teachers who are really interested in overall development of the child and are genuinely interested in creating a global citizen. Otherwise looking at the current scenario it seems that we would create a society full of people who know very well how to write/give/crack a test but cannot do anything else.
Therefore rather than creating test taking “Terminators” we should create a generation who can serve their parents, the society and become global citizens of the world. I dedicate this post to all those teachers working around the world helping children to remain human and who are trying to make a child’s learning journey a legacy.
Terminators
/0 Comments/in Teaching /by Prajval SirWhen I was in school I used to get a standard report card on an A2 or an A3 size paper. My report card had two folds and it contained my progress for the year. It was possible to have this because it contained my score only for my regular academic subjects.
However nowadays in many schools in India and around the world report cards run into many different pages. Today’s English grades/scores are on a special sheet and the students are evaluated in Reading, Writing, Grammar, Listening, Speaking etc. The report is detailed similarly for other subjects and also have scores on neatness, punctuality, socio-emotional development, mental development, food habits, motor ability etc. Therefore the reports cards might be called report books. If you are a parent reading this blog or anyone who cares about education ask yourself what is it that you really want your child to be able to achieve?
I think every parent would want his child to be polite to them, should be able to make the right decisions, enjoy diversity and the list is endless…..
I am also asking myself does this report book/card mean anything to the student who is the most important stakeholder in the entire education system? After personal introspection I feel younger kids need to be encouraged for whatever they can do now which they were not been able to accomplish some days, months or years before. Therefore these kinds of report cards might mean a lot to their parents or teachers but they may not be important for a child.
Also in the 21st century the character of the student is being considered equally important as academics. Currently fortune 500 companies need and employ people who have strong leadership qualities, people who can work on teams, people who celebrate diversity and the list goes on… So who do we think really can help students achieve these skills?
A dedicated teacher and a right environment…..
This can only be done if we have great teachers. Today we need teachers who are really interested in overall development of the child and are genuinely interested in creating a global citizen. Otherwise looking at the current scenario it seems that we would create a society full of people who know very well how to write/give/crack a test but cannot do anything else.
Therefore rather than creating test taking “Terminators” we should create a generation who can serve their parents, the society and become global citizens of the world. I dedicate this post to all those teachers working around the world helping children to remain human and who are trying to make a child’s learning journey a legacy.
World Maths Day
/0 Comments/in Scholarship /by AVM TeachersWorld Maths Day, is a day celebrated across the world in month of March. The students play against each other in mental arithmetic games. Each game lasts for 60 seconds, and students can play as many as they wish. The questions are appropriately leveled for different ages and abilities.
This is truly a unique world event and its one of the way to fascinating students to enjoy Mathematics. Past results shows that students will make significant improvement in mental arithmetic skill and have fun in the process. I think we need to encourage all students have to take participate in upcoming World Maths Day event. Registration for school and students is absolutely Free of charge!!!!
For more details about history and prize visit http://www.worldmathday.com/
Are kids Safe Online?
/0 Comments/in Online Resources and Technology /by Prajval SirHow many parents, teachers and mentors are worried when they see their little ones surfing online on their own?
Yes, very much…. would be the answer of all.
Then the very next question that would come to their mind would be: how can we help the children learn what is right and good for them and have a control over what they can do online?
Bewildered by the same question, Kidzui was formed. Kidzui is a web browser built for children, which is easy to use with access to large set of diverse online content and activities. Above all, the basic version of this web browser is FREE !!!!! for all.
This is not just any other product which was created to build a fortune, but a serious product because it was built with input from a diverse team of teachers and parents who went online and found the best content around for kids. The best part is that the parents and the teachers can approve the content that they want their kids to enjoy and this can be done easily without applying the buggy filters that block content. So give it a try and make learning fun for your kids.
There are some other popular sites like these which are worth attention of everyone who takes education seriously and are as follows:
www.4kids.org: Videos, Games and a lot of information for both kids and teachers.
www.4teachers.org A wide variety of easy to use resources for teachers.
www.totlol.com This is a video site powered by google which has loads of content for children.
www.dimdima.com Excellent Moral based stories and more..
Nortel LearnIT A very good site with interesting resources for teachers and kids.
Oracle Think Quest Education Foundation Worth visiting… Students can create projects online.
Teachers Tap Professional Development Resources for Educators.
Enjoy and Keep Sharing !!!!!!!!!!!
NCERT – National Talent Seach Examination
/0 Comments/in Scholarship /by Prajval SirNCERT conducts a national talent search exam every year. With this scheme NCERT gives out 1000 scholarships every year. Any student studying in a recognized school in 8th standard is eligible to appear for this examination. The examination is held in two stages, the first stage covers the social sciences, science and mathematics in the following categories at the state level :
The second stage comprises of the social sciences, science and mathematics in the following categories at the national level:
However in the second stage only the students who pass the written examination at the national level are interviewed.
Each student who is selected is entitled to receive a monthly 500 Rs scholarship from NCERT upto his/her doctorate education based on their selection of subject. The following are the important dates:
I think in the limited scope of scholarship opportunity in India, this is a very good opportunity for students at a very early age and I personally think all 8th standards should appear for this examination.
Please visit the NCERT site under the scholarship section for more details or visit the following ad in the TOI newspaper.
Crescent Girls School – Singapore
/0 Comments/in Innovative Schools /by Prajval SirI wanted to title this blog as the 21st century schools, but I thought it is better to title it with the name of the school which is leading the other schools of the world to incorporate the 21st Century tools and techniques in their schools.
Crescent Girls Schools – Singapore is one such innovative school which was declared as the model school to mentor other schools of the future by Bill Gates and Microsoft. The school is a pioneer in incorporating innovative technology, integration, community and partner involvement and effective use of research and development. Microsoft calls it the 6i Innovative Schools Program which consists of the following hierarchical steps:
Why did Microsoft select Crescent as one of the model schools for their future schools program?
Well I was amazed to know that at Crescent the students have almost eliminated the use of traditional paper and pen. They take notes on their tablet pc’s, complete their projects with the help of their tablets and also use a lot of e-textbooks. They call their program M-Learning which they introduced in 2004 and they have statistics which show that scores of all their students have considerably increased with the introduction of Technology in the school.
The students do all kinds of cool stuff other than studying the traditional courses with the help of technology, like creating their own digital arts and animation with the use of Movie Maker, Dreamweaver and Photoshop. To ensure that technology is not abused, the school has a stringent cyber wellness program. The students, teachers and administrators also engage in active podcasting and learn musical instruments with the help of Gigajam Online. Apart from the use of technology, character education is an integral part of the education at Crescent. The other fun part is that the have Wii Fits in their cafeteria which help the students to have fun while remaining fit.
A team of foreign journalists were taken on a tour of Crescent during the International Education Round table 2009 which had education ministers from seven top-performing education systems to discuss how to equip students with skills to adapt to an ever changing future. While there were representatives from Canada, Australia, USA, Sweden, Singapore, China and HongKong there was no one from India. The focus of the discussion was the need to attract high-ranking individuals to the teaching profession by providing competitive salaries, IT tools and equip students for globalized economies.
Math Jokes
/0 Comments/in Jokes /by AVM TeachersQ: How does one insult a mathematician?
A: You say: “Your brain is smaller than any e>0!”
Q: Why do you rarely find mathematicians spending time at the beach?
A: Because they have sine and cosine to get a tan and don’t need the sun!
Life is complex: it has both real and imaginary components.
Math problems? Call 1-800-[(10x)(13i)2]-[sin(xy)/2.362x].
The mother of already three is pregnant with her fourth child.
One evening, the eldest daughter says to her dad: “Do you know, daddy, what I’ve found out?”
“No.” re
“The new baby will be Chinese!”
“What?!”
“Yes. I’ve read in the paper that statistics shows that every fourth child born nowadays is Chinese…”
more on: http://www.math.ualberta.ca/~runde/jokes.html
Financial Education – at what age?
/0 Comments/in Teaching /by Prajval SirRafe Esquith the award winning American teacher narrates in his books about his vision for teaching life skills to his 5th grade students. He cleverly teaches the importance of money to his fifth graders through his unique financial program where students use money designed by Rafe to survive in school everyday, like paying for their seat etc, they also get bonuses of for several challenging things they perform daily. The best thing is at the end of the year there is an auction and the student can get his/her favourite item with the money they have saved that year. Rafe explains in his book that is important to teach students about money because it is one life skill which will make a difference in the childrens lives, depending upon the way they decide to save their money. Please read the book “There are No-shortcuts” and “Teach Like your Hairs on Fire” to know about the details of his program.
In India also the awareness amongst parents and teachers about teaching kids about money is picking up. Banks like ING Vyasa, ICICI and HDFC bank have special kids and students account where the parents and teachers can help them learn about money in a fun way. Some banks also have cool animations to teach the kids about banking.
I remember my parents had forced me to go and deposit money in a bank at a very young age, and I was very afraid of going alone but their force helped me overcome my fear. However today this can be taught to the kids in a fun way in their own comfort zone with the help of information and technology. Please read the following article which was published in Times of India Mumbai Edition on what Indian banks have to offer and how the parents are helping (They are never too Young to Learn about Money).
Favor, Color, Labor – Indian schools and International Boards now accept American Spellings at Par with "The English – Oxford Spellings"
/0 Comments/in Teaching /by Prajval SirYea, I was surprised too when I read about it, but it good to hear that the Indians are now beginning to see the change that the world has become flatter. That nothing is right or wrong per say people depending upon their region can decide the way they write in English.
There is an article in the Times of India – Mumbai edition today, highlighting the fact that a lot of schools across India have accepted the fact that it is ok for the students to drop a letter from a word and still not get reprimanded from their teachers for their spelling error unless it changes the meaning of the word.
Even an ICSE spokesperson says that they allow American spelling and do not cut marks for its use. However they are penalized if the meaning of the word changes.
I think this a very bold step and a good change, as the article truly says with the computer and the internet today’s youth is more familiar with the American way.
Hey, if you need to learn more modern slang keep visiting www.urbandictionary.com may be one day that will too be allowed in schools.
Creating Emotionally Safe Schools
/0 Comments/in Teaching /by Prajval SirEducationalists around the world are talking about Knowledge Economy but we still follow the Industrial Age Thinking in our teaching. We still want the students to be punctual, obedient and to be able to do rote and repetitive work.
We almost tend to forget that the world has become flat. The most important thing that needs to be taught in the class is not content but 21st Century Skills.
Educationalists around the world are trying their best to educate today’s teachers about the knowledge age and about the changes that are required in their teaching today’s youth. The title of this post is from a book written by Jane Bluestein “Creating Emotionally Safe Schools”. She has written a couple books on current education and travels around the world training teachers. She has website www.janebluestein.com which has a lot of valuable information on teaching today’s kids.
We might have a lot of resources, but can’t really work on them or improvise upon them unless we put them into practice. Please browse through her website and share, if you find something useful that we can put into practice.