my thoughts

This summer gave us an opportunity to experience the serene beauty of Europe, on an educational trip, with around 49  students and teachers. Undoubtedly, it is the epitome of exquisite beauty of nature. Austria, the land of Mozart and waltz, is indeed a medley of sparkling alpine lakes, majestic mountains, and elegant cities, with a rich cultural heritage and one of the highest living standards in the world. Italy has a charisma of its own that stays with you and Paris in France, of course, is suitably called the ‘fashion capital’. It being an educational tour, there was a lot to learn. Yes, the cleanliness and discipline that the people adhere to, makes Europe what it is. You can almost feel the nature breathe and relax amidst the flourishing infrastructure. The dependence on public transport and adherence to rules and regulation keeps the pollution in check and gives a classy decorum to these places. This experience was one of a kind for the students and beside the visual d...

“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings. ” In many of my articles I have touched upon the styles of parenting and the importance of good upbringing. It is said, “ When you hold your baby in your arms the first time, and you think of all the things you can say and do to influence him, it's a tremendous responsibility. What you do with him can influence not only him, but everyone he meets and not for a day or a month or a year but for time and eternity. ”   The way a child is raised influences his entire life and marks the course of his existence. I don’t believe in the idea of ‘parenting experts’ but I do believe in the significance of values and good upbringing. Parenting isn’t just an idea; it’s a bold and daring adventure. It is a journey of shaping a life. “ Every word, facial expression, gesture, or action on the part of a parent gives the child some message about self-worth. It is sad that so many pare...

The Creative Adult is the Child who Survived Recently, CBSE declared the results of classes X and XII. Students across the nation proved their mettle, especially in class X as 13 students scored 499/500. TV channels and newspaper reports were flooded with the photographs of children who scored more than 90%. This is an annual event which horrifies most of the parents and children rather than relaxing them, as some children are unable to cross a standard score, overshadowing the fact that these children might have done exceedingly well in other areas such as sports, arts etc. I recently got an opportunity to meet an executive, working as Director Operations and out of curiosity I inquired about his experience at school and what could have been changed if he was in a position to do. He was very enthusiastically shared his experience.  He told that he actively participated in endless curricular activities at both school and university levels. He won many accolades in various s...

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” In the present times, both the fields of education as well as profession have become revolutionary. Students are exposed to a plethora of opportunities and options. While this gives them the freedom to explore their potential and talents, at the same time they are inclining towards the tendency of making a switch from one option to another without much speculation. The moment they face difficulty or discomfort, they try to look for more “achievable” options instead of trying persistently and patiently. Perseverance is a quality which is hard to find these days. It is time to talk about qualities like ‘repeated and tireless efforts and focus on a particular and well-thought goal’. Many millennial aren’t goal-oriented. Of course, there are exceptions. Some have done well. But the big picture is less promising. I watch kids paying more attention to their smart phones and soci...

“When you can do a common thing in an uncommon way; you will command the attention of the world.” “The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009 entitles every child in the age group of 6–14 years to quality education. Quality improvement in education focuses on the all-round development of learners. The Preamble of the ‘Learning Outcomes at Elementary Stage’ document of NCERT says, “Most often, teachers are not clear about what kind of learning is desired and the criteria against which it could be assessed. They use textbooks as the complete curriculum and assess children using questions given at the unit end exercises. The contextual variations in textual material and variations in pedagogy adopted are generally not taken into account, for there are no criteria to assess them. The learning outcomes for each class not only help the teachers to direct their teaching-learning in the desired manner but make other stakeholders, especially the parents or gu...

“Our contribution purely depends on our consciousness and our willingness to support those in need, to show vulnerability and accept the support of others, to share without expecting the credit, to give it our all and allow our hard work to decide the outcome, to understand that control can only be achieved with a shared responsibility .” Introduction: ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) 2018 is a nation-wide household survey that provides a snapshot of children’s schooling and learning for a representative sample of children across rural India. Children in the age group 3 to 16 are surveyed to find out their enrollment status in school or pre-school. Children in the age group 5 to 16 are assessed one-on-one to understand their basic reading and arithmetic abilities. ASER continues to be the only national source of information about children’s foundational skills across the country. The methodology and content of ASER 2018 continues the pattern followed each year for the f...