School Excellence Conclave

Quality Education: Managing next generation classrooms Date: 19 November 2011, Chennai

Topics:
Session 1: Enhancing classroom climate: Physical, Intellectual and emotional
Nurturing the intellectual climate Leveraging classroom architecture Building emotional resilience in childhood

Session 2: Evolution to revolution in classroom learning

Learning through tradition Learning through experimentation International class room experience

Session 3: Panel discussion: Challenges in classroom reforms and way forward

Excerpts:
1) E Balagurusamy Planning commission Outstanding teacher not only tell, explain, demonstrate but also take one extra step to inspire Four pillars for national development are Education, health care, Infrastructure, Agriculture Quality education should aim at producing good human beings, vital elements are 1. How to make a living(standard of living) 2. To make them understand how to live(Quality of life) To make this happen focus on 1. 2. 3. 4. Competency(knowledge & skills) Character Courage(to challenge) Conviction

Teach them the importance of doing right things for a right purpose at right time

2) Professor L S Ganesh: Dept of Management sciences, IIT Madras The premise to nurture intellectual climate in classroom is to end in peace. In all our activities we do, we recite shanti mantra ending with Om shanti shanti shanti with an inbuilt understanding defined by ancestors to live in peace. This is the true purpose of education To achieve this we need intellect that can be achieved by Deep observation skills(looking/seeing everything with observation) Deep Diagnostic skills(ability to explain what is observed) Prognosis(Ability to predict the change in what is observed) Linking all the above towards purpose(peace)

If you understand more and more about what you do not know, gnana automatically evolves Question posed by participant: Can passion be nurtured at young age Yes, today I am standing here talking to you and all of you listening to me is because of that passion induced in me by my teachers at my young age. Ownership from heart is the driving force for every teacher to do this.

3) Mr Venkatesh Chandrasekaram, Founder Trustee, Schools for India Trust Class room Architecture: Back ground: History reveals that Indian culture, heritage and civilization are built around temples acting as a central hub for development. All the communities used to join hands together to pour in all the resources that are required for the temple construction. And even today it is possible to do so with schools replacing temples, if we explain communities the importance of education and various advantages and benefits they derive out of this. Building schools involving communities and technology is very important 6000 sustainable schools were constructed by us till date across the country There is no lack of resources and project management talent in villages We design the school with a 20 acre land model with a virtual concept (90 days manufacturing plan) The school acts as an entry point for social transformation and centre of excellence Cost of construction will vary between Rs 800 to 1400 per sft, with change in locality(approx.) Cost appears to be lump sum and huge but if is divided among villagers, it will not cost much for them. We drive this concept in villages (North & East India) and take the responsibility in facilitating and providing technical services (Design & Model etc.) for execution. Community owns and manage schools Sustainable constructions should not be compared with conventional constructions from cost point of view (economics).

For Example, Cost per sft Rs 1000(say) in both cases, I can challenge that the quality and life that you can ensure with sustainable construction is far superior to conventional constructions. We are ready to offer designs, models, technology inputs at free of cost, if some of you are interested to establish schools in rural and even in urban areas also on no profit basis.

4) Dr Vasudha prakash, Director, V Excel Building the Emotional Resilience in childhood No gadgets before seven years Parents should spend as much as possible time with children Till the age of seven, no hurry; enough time is to be given for complete and healthy ( physical) growth of mind and body, with no limitations Teach them about emotional resilience(bounce back) Social ineptitude (interaction and communication with others) is very important for mental growth of child and to come out of some inhibitions, phobias etc. Emotional withdrawal is the common problem when they reach 13 years (hormonal changes); parents interaction with child at greater level of patience is must at this age.

5) Some important challenges (Raja Krishnamoorthi, organisational consultant) In todays education, children are suffering because Speed is mixed up with haste Growth is mixed up with greed Uniqueness is mixed up with individualism and arrogance

Not knowing is not an inability but realizing the boundaries of maturity If every teacher understand and practise this in life, she will not end up as an information agent but as a real coach. Teaching the child to enjoy the fruit of success in each and every aspect of their learning, in every moment of their life is more important than enjoying it once for every quart yearly, half yearly and annual exams through their mark results. 6) Miscellaneous points: Teaching history is not about memorizing chronological events that happened in the past but to understand our evolution, the changes/consequences that happened in the past that are leading/forcing us to move in the current path and finally to realize where corrections are to be initiated Hands on and application orientation is required in existing education system, encouraging child to learn while experimenting with life, deliver more fruits Too many concepts and technical tools actually spoil the serenity of class room(be choosy)

Communication gap between the school management and the teachers is the greatest challenge in the present scenario. Timely communication of changes in expectations, plans and end deliverables down the line is the vital link that ensures success to school. Empowering faculty to design and plan their day to day class room activities with predefined deliverables give good results Meeting the parents expectations is a continuous challenge which require frequent interactions by school management to make them realise and understand objective behind what is being delivered School cluster program is an initiative taken up by CII in Chennai, linking 10 schools together to share their ideas and concepts