This Month’sIssue

Things Teachers Can Do ..

ASSET .............................

Emotional Benefits .........

Failure is an Option ........

10 Ways to Encourage ....

Encourage Healthy .........

Teacher’s Bite .................

Mindspark Poster ...........

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

T h e m o n t h l y n e w s l e t t e r

Issue 98 | November 2013 | www.ei-india.com

Happy Diwali & New Year!

Things Teachers Can Do To Prevent Bullying

Bullying has become a worldwide them, and the bullies need to be punished epidemic, and it needs to be prevented as swiftly the first time. School leaders must much as possible. All you need to do is a engage in this battle and punish bullies quick internet search to find horrific without backing down to social issues stories of how bullies have devastated the that may result from the punishment.lives of students and their families. Another way to prevent bullying is by Educators and teachers need to know having children interact with other how to prevent bullying and stop it children that are not in the same immediately. Bullying is a senseless act, classroom. Teachers should try to find and it will continue to haunt people for times when larger groups of children can the rest of their lives. interact with each other, rather than at than that person.The main thing that teachers need to do recess. It is not wasted time because this

This self-esteem boost will continue to to prevent bullying is be proactive. Every time together can build social and grow unless it is stopped. The teacher needs to teach everyone in the room to get along with each other, and they must teach children alternative things to do instead of bullying. A great article at planet-therapy.com shows how we can use shared decision- making to encourage more cooperation and participation in solving such problems.

It is a good idea for educators to pair up people that do not regularly spend time together. In many cases, this is all that it

single day, the teacher should have some takes to build a partnership and mutual emotional strength and understanding in sort of community building activity that is respect for one another. Bullies typically all the students.designed to demonstrate care, concern, bully children that they are jealous of or There’s not one-size-fits-compassion and friendship for one not strong enough to fight back. Teachers all solution to bullying, but another. Most bullies do what they do should take a common sense approach to that should never stop us because they lack friendship and this by also teaching each child to stand from doing our part to companionship. When the bully becomes strong in the face of adversity. The make a difference in the threatening to another student, the bully children that are bullied need to know world.gains confidence that he or she is better that there are people available to help

Source: http://www.edudemic.com

Emotional Benefits of School Uniforms for Young Children

Reduced Focus on Clothing how they present themselves to the world. This greater self-confidence can

When schools require uniforms, then translate into better academic

students are less likely to focus on performance and reduced social

clothing as a means for determining anxiety. A child who is attending a school

status. In public schools where uniforms that requires uniforms may be more

are not required, lower income comfortable expressing her unique gifts

students may face ridicule over the less-without focusing so much on outward

expensive clothing options they wear, appearance.

compared to the more expensive clothes their peers wear. When schools Sense of Belongingrequire uniforms, this competition does

Uniforms can help to unite a school not exist and students exist on a more

population and increase a sense of level playing field. This enables students

belonging among students. Just as team to shift their focus towards schoolwork

uniforms do the same in sporting, school and away from clothing concerns.

uniforms help students to feel like part Greater Self-Confidence of a group, without needing to set

themselves apart by focusing on When schools require uniforms,

outward appearances. An additional students are required to take care of

benefit is that it is easy to recognize their appearance. Dressing in a uniform

outsiders on campus quickly in a sea of each day helps children take pride in

uniforms.

India – MY Country

Uttar Pradesh – The Political and Cultural Heartland of India

The word ‘ASSET’ itself is a reminder of the fact that if one wants to, one can prove and make oneself an asset by imbibing qualities of perseverance, confidence, dexterity and thinking out of the box.

The ASSET examinations have helped the students of Navrachana Vidyani Vidyalaya, realise the capabilities they were unaware of. These exams have instilled and channelized the thought processes in an extended degree that enables students think and work to go out of their comfort zone. The school modifies the entire teaching learning process on the basis of the results and the feedback of this diagnostic test. It helps us to know our strengths as well as the shortcomings. It’s a great tool used by individual students, teachers and the school as a whole. I congratulate the entire team of ASSET for their endeavours.

Sufi Kathak – a Unique Synthesis of Mystic Sufi Poetry and Classical Indian Dance Kathak

Sufi Kathak is a new experiment in the North Indian classical dance form. It blends the depth of Sufi poetry with the beauty and grace of classical Indian dance forms. It uses dance to narrate and interpret Sufi poetry.

Sufi poetry was always sung, never danced to. Its purpose was never literary, but the poems are filled with implicit messages, which can be interpreted differently by the dancer.

The dance has acquired its own identity recently. The dominant thoughts of the dance is the formless almighty, the nirgun brahma and poetry are different in Sufi Kathak from classical dance, as are the aesthetics, the use of language, movements, music and costume.

Sufi Kathak, is not Sufism alone, the entire Subcontinent provides a reference point. Each Sufi saint brings with him a different language of expression. The dance styles associated with Sufism over this region are spontaneous, and do not follow a classical format.

Ms. Sonal Verma, Head Mistress,Navrachana Vidyani Vidyalaya, Vadodara

Ms. Sonal Verma, Head Mistress,Navrachana Vidyani Vidyalaya, Vadodara

News Bite

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched its first Career Counseling and Guidance Centre at Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, on 15 October 2013. The centre is aimed to assist students of Classes X and XII, especially those in rural areas, in choosing and pursuing the right career.

The Minister of State for Human Resource Development Jitin Prasada had inaugurated this career counseling centre of CBSE.

The best news is that this CBSE centre is open for students of all Boards in the country.

CBSE chairman, Vineet Joshi, stated about the centre, the "vision behind setting up such a centre is to enable access to quality education with equity."

Prasada asked Joshi this June, to set up a student support The CBSE envisages that this centre will help students centre and a teacher training institute in Lucknow as the "understand their forte, interests, knowledge and capability."region has no mark for CBSE to say that it has done

Though the counseling and guidance at the centre is free of something valuable for it.cost, Rs 50 will be charged for taking the SGAI test at the

The teacher training centre is under an "internal approval" center, results of which would be accessed within a day. process, said Joshi. According to sources, at least six camps would be organized

between the months of October and December in various As suggested by CBSE that the students should opt for districts of Uttar Pradesh to spread awareness about the subjects based on their evaluation provided by the Student's centre. Global Aptitude Index (SGAI), Prasada and Joshi also unveiled

the SGAI kit, containing all the essential paraphernalia to gain The idea to launch such a counseling centre came up when clarity on the concept.

More information on: https://www.facebook.com/indiadiversity

Emotional Benefits of School Uniforms for Young Children

Reduced Focus on Clothing how they present themselves to the world. This greater self-confidence can

When schools require uniforms, then translate into better academic

students are less likely to focus on performance and reduced social

clothing as a means for determining anxiety. A child who is attending a school

status. In public schools where uniforms that requires uniforms may be more

are not required, lower income comfortable expressing her unique gifts

students may face ridicule over the less-without focusing so much on outward

expensive clothing options they wear, appearance.

compared to the more expensive clothes their peers wear. When schools Sense of Belongingrequire uniforms, this competition does

Uniforms can help to unite a school not exist and students exist on a more

population and increase a sense of level playing field. This enables students

belonging among students. Just as team to shift their focus towards schoolwork

uniforms do the same in sporting, school and away from clothing concerns.

uniforms help students to feel like part Greater Self-Confidence of a group, without needing to set

themselves apart by focusing on When schools require uniforms,

outward appearances. An additional students are required to take care of

benefit is that it is easy to recognize their appearance. Dressing in a uniform

outsiders on campus quickly in a sea of each day helps children take pride in

uniforms.

India – MY Country

Uttar Pradesh – The Political and Cultural Heartland of India

The word ‘ASSET’ itself is a reminder of the fact that if one wants to, one can prove and make oneself an asset by imbibing qualities of perseverance, confidence, dexterity and thinking out of the box.

The ASSET examinations have helped the students of Navrachana Vidyani Vidyalaya, realise the capabilities they were unaware of. These exams have instilled and channelized the thought processes in an extended degree that enables students think and work to go out of their comfort zone. The school modifies the entire teaching learning process on the basis of the results and the feedback of this diagnostic test. It helps us to know our strengths as well as the shortcomings. It’s a great tool used by individual students, teachers and the school as a whole. I congratulate the entire team of ASSET for their endeavours.

Sufi Kathak – a Unique Synthesis of Mystic Sufi Poetry and Classical Indian Dance Kathak

Sufi Kathak is a new experiment in the North Indian classical dance form. It blends the depth of Sufi poetry with the beauty and grace of classical Indian dance forms. It uses dance to narrate and interpret Sufi poetry.

Sufi poetry was always sung, never danced to. Its purpose was never literary, but the poems are filled with implicit messages, which can be interpreted differently by the dancer.

The dance has acquired its own identity recently. The dominant thoughts of the dance is the formless almighty, the nirgun brahma and poetry are different in Sufi Kathak from classical dance, as are the aesthetics, the use of language, movements, music and costume.

Sufi Kathak, is not Sufism alone, the entire Subcontinent provides a reference point. Each Sufi saint brings with him a different language of expression. The dance styles associated with Sufism over this region are spontaneous, and do not follow a classical format.

Ms. Sonal Verma, Head Mistress,Navrachana Vidyani Vidyalaya, Vadodara

Ms. Sonal Verma, Head Mistress,Navrachana Vidyani Vidyalaya, Vadodara

News Bite

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched its first Career Counseling and Guidance Centre at Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, on 15 October 2013. The centre is aimed to assist students of Classes X and XII, especially those in rural areas, in choosing and pursuing the right career.

The Minister of State for Human Resource Development Jitin Prasada had inaugurated this career counseling centre of CBSE.

The best news is that this CBSE centre is open for students of all Boards in the country.

CBSE chairman, Vineet Joshi, stated about the centre, the "vision behind setting up such a centre is to enable access to quality education with equity."

Prasada asked Joshi this June, to set up a student support The CBSE envisages that this centre will help students centre and a teacher training institute in Lucknow as the "understand their forte, interests, knowledge and capability."region has no mark for CBSE to say that it has done

Though the counseling and guidance at the centre is free of something valuable for it.cost, Rs 50 will be charged for taking the SGAI test at the

The teacher training centre is under an "internal approval" center, results of which would be accessed within a day. process, said Joshi. According to sources, at least six camps would be organized

between the months of October and December in various As suggested by CBSE that the students should opt for districts of Uttar Pradesh to spread awareness about the subjects based on their evaluation provided by the Student's centre. Global Aptitude Index (SGAI), Prasada and Joshi also unveiled

the SGAI kit, containing all the essential paraphernalia to gain The idea to launch such a counseling centre came up when clarity on the concept.

More information on: https://www.facebook.com/indiadiversity

Failure is an Option: Helping Students Learn from Mistakes 10 Ways to Encourage Students to Take Responsibility for Their Learning

Fun Zone

You can share your favourite joke/s at assetscope@ei-india.com. We will be glad to publish it.

1. Don’t Make all the Decisions

Allow choice. Encourage students to make decisions about how they learn best. Create opportunities for them to pursue their own interests and practise skills in a variety of ways. Cater for different learning styles. Don’t expect everyone to respond in the same way. Integrate technology to encourage creative expression of learning.

2. Don’t Play ‘Guess What’s in my Head?

Ask open-ended questions, with plenty of possible answers which lead to further questions. Acknowledge all responses equally. Use Thinking Routines to provide a framework for students to engage with new learning by making connections, thinking critically and exploring possibilities.

audience. Place as much value on process and progress as on 3. Talk Less the final product.

Minimise standing out in front and talking to them. Don’t have 7. Encourage Goal Setting and Reflectionrows of learners facing the front of the class. Arrange the

Help students to define goals for their learning. Provide seats so that students can communicate, think together, opportunities for ongoing self-evaluation and reflection. share ideas and construct meaning by discussing and Provide constructive, specific feedback. Student blogs are collaborating. Every exchange doesn’t need to go through the great tools for reflecting on learning and responding to their teacher or get the teacher’s approval, encourage students to peers.respond directly to each other.

8. Don’t Over Plan4. Model Behaviors and Attitudes that Promote Learning If you know exactly where the lesson is heading and what you

want the kids to think, then you‘re controlling the learning. Talk about your own learning. Be an inquirer. Make your Plan a strong provocation that will ‘invite the students in’ and thinking process explicit. Be an active participant in the get them excited to explore the topic further. But don’t plan learning community. Model and encourage enthusiasm, in too much detail where it will go from there.open-mindedness, curiosity and reflection. Show that you

value initiative above compliance. 9. Focus on Learning, not Work

5. Ask for Feedback Make sure you and your students know the reason for every learning experience. Don’t give ‘busy work’. Avoid work-Get your students to write down what they learned, whether sheets where possible. Don’t start by planning activities, start they enjoyed a particular learning experience, what helped with the ‘why‘ and then develop learning experiences which their learning, what hindered their learning and what might will support independent learning. Include appropriate tech help them the next time. Use a Thinking Routine like tools to support the learning.‘Connect, extend, challenge’. Take notice of what they write

and build learning experiences based on it. 10.Organise Student Led Conferences

6. Test Less Rather than reporting to parents about their children’s learning, have student led 3-way conferences, with teachers Record student thinking and track development over time. and parents. Students talk about strengths and weaknesses, Provide opportunities for applying learning in a variety of how learning has progressed and specific areas for ways. Create meaningful assessment tasks that allow transfer improvement. They can share the process and the product of of learning to other contexts. Have students publish learning.expressions of their learning on the internet for an authentic

Teacher: “How can you prove that the Earth is round?”

Raju: “I can’t. Besides, I never said it was.”

By: John Orlando, PhD in Teaching and Learning

LEARN FROM

MISTAKEs

Failure is one of the best teachers. Most of what I learned of separating the good students from the poor students. But about home maintenance, I learned from my mistakes. The consider the conversation that I had with a teacher many military understands the benefits of failure and actually gives years ago. I had just started teaching at a college and was told soldiers tasks that they know will lead to failure at some point that this particular teacher was widely considered the best in as a part of their training. Similarly, pilots are trained on the school, as well as the toughest. Stopping at his office one simulators and are given a variety of emergency situations day I asked him about his reputation as both the best and until they fail. toughest teacher in the school. I made the comment that he

must not give many A’s, but he responded by saying that But instead of using failure as a valuable teaching tool,

everyone in his class gets an A.education discourages it as, well, a sign of failure. A student is measured at various points along a course on how well they I asked him how this could square with this reputation for have mastered the material. Since each assignment is graded toughness. He replied that when a student hands in a paper based on its proximity to success, and the final grade is he is given comments and told to rewrite it, and must rewrite determined by the aggregate of each individual grade, failure it over and over until it is an A-quality paper. Only then it is is preserved and carried with the student throughout the accepted.course. The result is that students become failure-adverse,

This story proves wrong the view that low grades are a sign of demoralized by failure, and focus more on grades than

rigor. This teacher expects great work among his students education.

and requires them to keep working to improve the paper One way to reverse this trend is by using gaming in education. until it reaches that level.Students who fail in video games do not suffer the same blow

We learn to write by making mistakes and correcting our to their self-esteem as those who receive a low grade on an

mistakes. Teachers who hand back an assignment with exam or report card. They simply try it again. I’ve previously

comments and a grade only encourage students to leaf written about this topic in the article ‘What Games Teach Us

through the grade and store it away. Expecting them to about Learning’.

correct their failures is genuine education.We must also rethink the purpose of grading itself. Too many

Consider how to incorporate failure into your teaching in teachers have the “apple sorting” view of grading as a process

order to generate success.

Failure is an Option: Helping Students Learn from Mistakes 10 Ways to Encourage Students to Take Responsibility for Their Learning

Fun Zone

You can share your favourite joke/s at assetscope@ei-india.com. We will be glad to publish it.

1. Don’t Make all the Decisions

Allow choice. Encourage students to make decisions about how they learn best. Create opportunities for them to pursue their own interests and practise skills in a variety of ways. Cater for different learning styles. Don’t expect everyone to respond in the same way. Integrate technology to encourage creative expression of learning.

2. Don’t Play ‘Guess What’s in my Head?

Ask open-ended questions, with plenty of possible answers which lead to further questions. Acknowledge all responses equally. Use Thinking Routines to provide a framework for students to engage with new learning by making connections, thinking critically and exploring possibilities.

audience. Place as much value on process and progress as on 3. Talk Less the final product.

Minimise standing out in front and talking to them. Don’t have 7. Encourage Goal Setting and Reflectionrows of learners facing the front of the class. Arrange the

Help students to define goals for their learning. Provide seats so that students can communicate, think together, opportunities for ongoing self-evaluation and reflection. share ideas and construct meaning by discussing and Provide constructive, specific feedback. Student blogs are collaborating. Every exchange doesn’t need to go through the great tools for reflecting on learning and responding to their teacher or get the teacher’s approval, encourage students to peers.respond directly to each other.

8. Don’t Over Plan4. Model Behaviors and Attitudes that Promote Learning If you know exactly where the lesson is heading and what you

want the kids to think, then you‘re controlling the learning. Talk about your own learning. Be an inquirer. Make your Plan a strong provocation that will ‘invite the students in’ and thinking process explicit. Be an active participant in the get them excited to explore the topic further. But don’t plan learning community. Model and encourage enthusiasm, in too much detail where it will go from there.open-mindedness, curiosity and reflection. Show that you

value initiative above compliance. 9. Focus on Learning, not Work

5. Ask for Feedback Make sure you and your students know the reason for every learning experience. Don’t give ‘busy work’. Avoid work-Get your students to write down what they learned, whether sheets where possible. Don’t start by planning activities, start they enjoyed a particular learning experience, what helped with the ‘why‘ and then develop learning experiences which their learning, what hindered their learning and what might will support independent learning. Include appropriate tech help them the next time. Use a Thinking Routine like tools to support the learning.‘Connect, extend, challenge’. Take notice of what they write

and build learning experiences based on it. 10.Organise Student Led Conferences

6. Test Less Rather than reporting to parents about their children’s learning, have student led 3-way conferences, with teachers Record student thinking and track development over time. and parents. Students talk about strengths and weaknesses, Provide opportunities for applying learning in a variety of how learning has progressed and specific areas for ways. Create meaningful assessment tasks that allow transfer improvement. They can share the process and the product of of learning to other contexts. Have students publish learning.expressions of their learning on the internet for an authentic

Teacher: “How can you prove that the Earth is round?”

Raju: “I can’t. Besides, I never said it was.”

By: John Orlando, PhD in Teaching and Learning

LEARN FROM

MISTAKEs

Failure is one of the best teachers. Most of what I learned of separating the good students from the poor students. But about home maintenance, I learned from my mistakes. The consider the conversation that I had with a teacher many military understands the benefits of failure and actually gives years ago. I had just started teaching at a college and was told soldiers tasks that they know will lead to failure at some point that this particular teacher was widely considered the best in as a part of their training. Similarly, pilots are trained on the school, as well as the toughest. Stopping at his office one simulators and are given a variety of emergency situations day I asked him about his reputation as both the best and until they fail. toughest teacher in the school. I made the comment that he

must not give many A’s, but he responded by saying that But instead of using failure as a valuable teaching tool,

everyone in his class gets an A.education discourages it as, well, a sign of failure. A student is measured at various points along a course on how well they I asked him how this could square with this reputation for have mastered the material. Since each assignment is graded toughness. He replied that when a student hands in a paper based on its proximity to success, and the final grade is he is given comments and told to rewrite it, and must rewrite determined by the aggregate of each individual grade, failure it over and over until it is an A-quality paper. Only then it is is preserved and carried with the student throughout the accepted.course. The result is that students become failure-adverse,

This story proves wrong the view that low grades are a sign of demoralized by failure, and focus more on grades than

rigor. This teacher expects great work among his students education.

and requires them to keep working to improve the paper One way to reverse this trend is by using gaming in education. until it reaches that level.Students who fail in video games do not suffer the same blow

We learn to write by making mistakes and correcting our to their self-esteem as those who receive a low grade on an

mistakes. Teachers who hand back an assignment with exam or report card. They simply try it again. I’ve previously

comments and a grade only encourage students to leaf written about this topic in the article ‘What Games Teach Us

through the grade and store it away. Expecting them to about Learning’.

correct their failures is genuine education.We must also rethink the purpose of grading itself. Too many

Consider how to incorporate failure into your teaching in teachers have the “apple sorting” view of grading as a process

order to generate success.

Teacher’s Bite

children. Further, it is important for a teacher not only to have a firm grip on her subject but also to apply effective interactive teaching methodologies to keep the children actively involved.

What are your views regarding the 'Importance of Teacher Training and Development' in educating Students?

The training of the teachers is of paramount importance as the Who has most influenced you to become an teachers have to be continuously oriented with the latest educator, and how did they influence you?developments in educational fields as well as should be

It was by the divine blessings of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai equipped with the right teaching methodologies to deliver Baba that I became a teacher. He made me realize the well. A good teacher influences scores of children which is why significance of being a teacher and what makes a teacher so it is important for her to learn and unlearn at every step. Thus, sacred and revered. He influenced me by being the supreme the exposure given to a teacher directly influences the children teacher. He was, who taught by example. and they earn the benefit from it.

What is your approach to classroom manage- What is your view regarding the ASSET Test? ment and student discipline?

It is a very competitive test which helps the child to It is important for a teacher to manage the class well test herself extensively in a very scientific way. It is

and keep a check on student discipline. The way I can perceive interesting and very child friendly too.it happening is by balancing love and law while dealing with the

Q:

Mrs. Punita Nehru,Principal,Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar,Indore

Q: Q:

Q:

School communities are increasingly becoming places where that feature different topics that can relate to a topic students healthy habits can flourish. The responsibility for teaching may already be learning about.children healthy habits does not fall only on teachers though. For young students, teach colours with fruits and vegetables.A healthy school community involves all partners and sends Take field trips to the cafeteria. Letting the students explore children the same message to the home, school, and where the food is made and see the food being prepared can community. Children who attend a healthy school can make be rewarding for the food service workers and pique the informed, healthy decisions that affect their own lives and the students interest to try more food at school.lives of their families.

Start an after-school cooking club. Enlist a local chef, culinary It doesn’t take a lot to create a healthier school. Some student, or parent to teach students basic cooking skills. changes could include: Children are more likely to eat healthy foods if the Choose a health coordinator for the school. If it is a large presentation is appetizing and if they have a hand in school, more than one may be needed. preparation.

The health coordinator can work with the students on Encourage your children to drink more water. Over personal habits. This can involve BMI monitoring and consumption of sweetened drinks and sodas has been evaluating eating habits to help establish healthy goals. linked to increased rates of obesity in children

The health coordinator can also have a hand in Talk to Your Children About Nurtition preparing short lessons in nutrition that will relate Children are smarter than we think. Even very to school meals. The lessons can coincide with the young children can begin to understand the basic lunch or breakfast menu and be taught by concepts behind good nutrition. Teach them teachers or cafeteria staff. about the different food groups. Tell them that Have the health coordinator evaluate it makes our bodies happy when we fill up school meals for nutritional content and with wholesome foods that have lots of suggest changes if needed. vitamins, minerals, fibre and other

nutrients. Help them understand that Establish a nutrition curriculum. This although sugary, salty, chemical-can be incorporated into existing or

laden treats may taste good, they new health and physical education are not good for us.programs.

Create nutrition handouts

Encourage Healthy Eating in Schools

‘Green Boy and Stories of Other Creators’ is a book for Indian schools are such that inspiring teenagers and young adults to live life and make their youngsters develop serious careers according to their deepest yearnings. It is a collection psycholog ica l b locks: of eight stories about a special breed of young, resourceful, excessive fear of failure and energetic Indian men and women with a powerful that saps initiative; lack of commitment to their way of life. What is common between a confidence in dealing with youthful Canadian of Indian origin, who sets off for India to the members of the opposite sex; an immobilizing discover himself, and a lower middle class schoolgirl whose conformity to social or parental norms; stereotyped yearning for expressing herself through painting is choked by perceptions of people of other communities; extreme her parents? Or, between a botanist’s son who can dependency on ‘elders’; social prestige driven choice of communicate with plants, an adolescent small town Brahmin careers rather than a choice based on one’s strengths and boy who loves to dissect dead animals, and a child-servant deepest yearnings, and risk aversion. The stories take head who wants passionately to be an innovative farmer? Or, on the hang-ups from which many Indians suffer, and provide between a youthful female mountaineer who lands herself fresh ways of breaking out of these shackles.into a world a thousand years in the future, a girl terrified of These stories paint a variety of Indian contexts. India is a ghosts, and the son of a temple priest who is fascinated more collage of diverse lifestyles, and these stories vividly conjure by the rocks in riverside caverns than the idol in the temple? them up. While one story is set in a lower middle class Passion for achieving something personally meaningful and household, others are set in an upper class joint family, a creativity are the traits common to these young Indians, in Canadian Indian home, in the humble quarters of an short supply in contemporary Indian youth. They fight abandoned countryside temple, in the farmhouse of an successfully for the freedom to pursue what moves them, urbane scientist, and so forth. The characters are imaginary; and succeeds in carving out astonishing niches. Multiply such but the stories seek to capture for the reader the vibrancy dynamos a million-fold, and you have a vibrant, pre-eminent and diversity of contemporary India.Indian civilization. The book’s message for the young is:

Anjali Khandwalla, the authoress, has been an acclaimed writer of short respond creatively and resourcefully to what you really want stories in Gujarati with many literary awards to her credit.to do in life and you can succeed even in such off-beat careers

as farming, botany, painting, starting a school and organ transplanting.

The rearing in many Indian families and the teaching in most

Pradip Khandwalla, the translator, is a poet and a translator of literary works. He is a former director of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Book Review

‘Green Boy and Stories of Other Creators’by Anjali Khandwalla,translated from Gujarati into English by Pradip Khandwalla(published by Partridge, a subsidiary of Penguin)

Teacher’s Bite

children. Further, it is important for a teacher not only to have a firm grip on her subject but also to apply effective interactive teaching methodologies to keep the children actively involved.

What are your views regarding the 'Importance of Teacher Training and Development' in educating Students?

The training of the teachers is of paramount importance as the Who has most influenced you to become an teachers have to be continuously oriented with the latest educator, and how did they influence you?developments in educational fields as well as should be

It was by the divine blessings of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai equipped with the right teaching methodologies to deliver Baba that I became a teacher. He made me realize the well. A good teacher influences scores of children which is why significance of being a teacher and what makes a teacher so it is important for her to learn and unlearn at every step. Thus, sacred and revered. He influenced me by being the supreme the exposure given to a teacher directly influences the children teacher. He was, who taught by example. and they earn the benefit from it.

What is your approach to classroom manage- What is your view regarding the ASSET Test? ment and student discipline?

It is a very competitive test which helps the child to It is important for a teacher to manage the class well test herself extensively in a very scientific way. It is

and keep a check on student discipline. The way I can perceive interesting and very child friendly too.it happening is by balancing love and law while dealing with the

Q:

Mrs. Punita Nehru,Principal,Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar,Indore

Q: Q:

Q:

School communities are increasingly becoming places where that feature different topics that can relate to a topic students healthy habits can flourish. The responsibility for teaching may already be learning about.children healthy habits does not fall only on teachers though. For young students, teach colours with fruits and vegetables.A healthy school community involves all partners and sends Take field trips to the cafeteria. Letting the students explore children the same message to the home, school, and where the food is made and see the food being prepared can community. Children who attend a healthy school can make be rewarding for the food service workers and pique the informed, healthy decisions that affect their own lives and the students interest to try more food at school.lives of their families.

Start an after-school cooking club. Enlist a local chef, culinary It doesn’t take a lot to create a healthier school. Some student, or parent to teach students basic cooking skills. changes could include: Children are more likely to eat healthy foods if the Choose a health coordinator for the school. If it is a large presentation is appetizing and if they have a hand in school, more than one may be needed. preparation.

The health coordinator can work with the students on Encourage your children to drink more water. Over personal habits. This can involve BMI monitoring and consumption of sweetened drinks and sodas has been evaluating eating habits to help establish healthy goals. linked to increased rates of obesity in children

The health coordinator can also have a hand in Talk to Your Children About Nurtition preparing short lessons in nutrition that will relate Children are smarter than we think. Even very to school meals. The lessons can coincide with the young children can begin to understand the basic lunch or breakfast menu and be taught by concepts behind good nutrition. Teach them teachers or cafeteria staff. about the different food groups. Tell them that Have the health coordinator evaluate it makes our bodies happy when we fill up school meals for nutritional content and with wholesome foods that have lots of suggest changes if needed. vitamins, minerals, fibre and other

nutrients. Help them understand that Establish a nutrition curriculum. This although sugary, salty, chemical-can be incorporated into existing or

laden treats may taste good, they new health and physical education are not good for us.programs.

Create nutrition handouts

Encourage Healthy Eating in Schools

‘Green Boy and Stories of Other Creators’ is a book for Indian schools are such that inspiring teenagers and young adults to live life and make their youngsters develop serious careers according to their deepest yearnings. It is a collection psycholog ica l b locks: of eight stories about a special breed of young, resourceful, excessive fear of failure and energetic Indian men and women with a powerful that saps initiative; lack of commitment to their way of life. What is common between a confidence in dealing with youthful Canadian of Indian origin, who sets off for India to the members of the opposite sex; an immobilizing discover himself, and a lower middle class schoolgirl whose conformity to social or parental norms; stereotyped yearning for expressing herself through painting is choked by perceptions of people of other communities; extreme her parents? Or, between a botanist’s son who can dependency on ‘elders’; social prestige driven choice of communicate with plants, an adolescent small town Brahmin careers rather than a choice based on one’s strengths and boy who loves to dissect dead animals, and a child-servant deepest yearnings, and risk aversion. The stories take head who wants passionately to be an innovative farmer? Or, on the hang-ups from which many Indians suffer, and provide between a youthful female mountaineer who lands herself fresh ways of breaking out of these shackles.into a world a thousand years in the future, a girl terrified of These stories paint a variety of Indian contexts. India is a ghosts, and the son of a temple priest who is fascinated more collage of diverse lifestyles, and these stories vividly conjure by the rocks in riverside caverns than the idol in the temple? them up. While one story is set in a lower middle class Passion for achieving something personally meaningful and household, others are set in an upper class joint family, a creativity are the traits common to these young Indians, in Canadian Indian home, in the humble quarters of an short supply in contemporary Indian youth. They fight abandoned countryside temple, in the farmhouse of an successfully for the freedom to pursue what moves them, urbane scientist, and so forth. The characters are imaginary; and succeeds in carving out astonishing niches. Multiply such but the stories seek to capture for the reader the vibrancy dynamos a million-fold, and you have a vibrant, pre-eminent and diversity of contemporary India.Indian civilization. The book’s message for the young is:

Anjali Khandwalla, the authoress, has been an acclaimed writer of short respond creatively and resourcefully to what you really want stories in Gujarati with many literary awards to her credit.to do in life and you can succeed even in such off-beat careers

as farming, botany, painting, starting a school and organ transplanting.

The rearing in many Indian families and the teaching in most

Pradip Khandwalla, the translator, is a poet and a translator of literary works. He is a former director of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Book Review

‘Green Boy and Stories of Other Creators’by Anjali Khandwalla,translated from Gujarati into English by Pradip Khandwalla(published by Partridge, a subsidiary of Penguin)

Bookpost

Educational Initiatives Pvt. Ltd.302 & 613, J. B. Towers, Opp. Doordarshan Tower,Drive-In Road, Ahmedabad - 380054Phone : 91-079- 40269696Fax : 91-079-26841400 Email : info@ei-india.comWebsite : www.ei-india.com

We would like to receive your feedback on the contents of ASSETScope and the activities of EI. Please send your com-ments / opinions / suggestions to bindu@ei-india.com, assetscope@ei-india.com or to the postal address men-tioned on the left. This is a platform meant for you and it would be great to exchange ideas with you.