#ParentBlogger: Ekya’s Online Classes is a Positive experience for our kids
Our Schools
The lockdown and the announcement of online classes could not have been anticipated. As parents, we had a hard time getting used to the idea in the beginning. But the actual experience has been nothing but positive for us. My daughters really enjoy the class and the format it is presented in.
The younger kids have been introduced into the online curriculum with a lot of planning and the classes have been introduced in phases, gradually increasing the time spent online. All the sessions, assignments & the class notes that follow each chapter were detailed and helpful. In addition to the classes themselves, a lot of activities have been planned for supporting emotional well-being, skill development, and encouragement of an attitude of gratitude in kids.
Though not without hiccups, it was very reassuring to see the teachers and management keep an open dialogue with us parents and are quick to iron out any challenges that arise. A lot of online courses fail because of the isolation, but kudos to the teachers and the management team at Ekya for all the preparation and the efforts they are put into designing the classes and the activities that kids can do together. We thank you for making this an enjoyable experience for our kids.
By
Miriam Korula
Mother of Claire Jacob and Nicole Jacob’s
Ekya Byrathi
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Ekya / April 03, 2024
The Power of Learning with Intent: A Guide to Purposeful Education
In a world brimming with information, the art of learning has evolved beyond the mere acquisition of facts. Learning with intent, a deliberate approach to education emphasises quality over quantity, depth over breadth, and purpose over passive absorption. It’s about cultivating a mindset that transforms knowledge into meaningful action and empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of the modern age effectively.
At its core, learning with intent involves setting clear objectives and actively engaging with the subject matter. Whether exploring a new language, delving into scientific principles, or honing a creative skill, intentionality infuses each learning endeavour with purpose and direction. As Albert Einstein aptly said, "The only source of knowledge is experience." This quote amplifies the importance of active participation and hands-on learning, highlighting that true understanding arises from deliberate engagement with the material.
Furthermore, engaging actively with the material is paramount. Embrace challenges and embrace mistakes as opportunities for growth. This proactive approach not only deepens your understanding but also cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for success in any field.
Moreover, learning with intent emphasises relevance and applicability. Seek out opportunities to apply newfound knowledge in real-world scenarios, bridging the gap between theory and practice. By contextualising learning within your personal or professional sphere, you enhance its significance and utility, making it more likely to stick.
In conclusion, learning with intent is a transformative approach that transcends traditional notions of education. By setting clear objectives, engaging actively, prioritising relevance, and fostering a growth mindset, individuals can harness the full potential of learning to achieve their goals and thrive in an ever-changing world. So, embark on your learning journey with purpose, and let each lesson propel you towards a brighter, more fulfilling future.
By Sweta Pradeep Rao
Senior English Educator
Ekya School JP Nagar
Ekya / April 02, 2024
Gadget-free Summer Break
With summer vacation around, I urge parents to explore various ways to facilitate children to make healthy choices during their vacation time.
Last week, when we asked our Early Years to visualise their characters and create a story, most of them came up with stories about ghosts and monsters attacking others. When we had conversations about what gave them this idea, we understood that these story ideas emanated from their online games. While gaming per se develops specific skills and requires focus, it also stifles the imagination of young children. Since it is visually appealing, children tend to remember those images in their heads all the time.
I often see parents providing very young children (1 year to 3 year olds) with gadgets as the means to keep children engaged and entertained. I see children watching phones in the waiting areas of clinics, hospitals, school lobbies and banks.
This brings us to a fundamental question “ Should children be engaged by parents all the time?” Not necessarily. What is likely to happen if children were not handed over gadgets at the waiting lounges? What would they do? Some of them may cry, some may throw a loud tantrum, and some may crib. If parents show resilience and allow children to settle down themselves, they will soon find ways to keep themselves engaged. Likewise, during summer vacation. What if this is a “no gadget” vacation and parents do not take up the responsibility to engage their children? What would children do? How can parents show resilience here and facilitate children to make healthy choices? I leave the readers with this thought for this summer vacation.
Mathangi R,
Head of School,
Ekya NICE Road.
Ekya / April 02, 2024
The Eye of the Storm
In the hushed embrace of an Indian evening, our journey began, a symphony of anticipation orchestrated by the hum of jet engines and the flutter of boarding passes. The promise of adventure beckoned from distant shores as we boarded our flight bound for the United Kingdom, our hearts aflutter with dreams of far-off lands and newfound horizons. But as we soared through the velvet sky, a foreboding shadow loomed on the horizon, a harbinger of the chaos that was soon to unfold. In the blink of an eye, the tranquil serenity of our airborne sanctuary was shattered by a deafening crack, a burst of purple lightning that danced across the heavens with an otherworldly fervour. The air crackled with electricity as the plane shuddered beneath the force of the storm, its metal frame quivering in defiance against the tempestuous onslaught. And then, in a heart-stopping moment of sheer terror, the heavens unleashed their fury upon us, casting our fragile vessel into a maelstrom of chaos and uncertainty. The sky darkened to a shade of ominous charcoal as the winds howled with a primal ferocity, tearing at the wings of our faltering craft with savage intent. The cabin was awash with panicked cries and frantic prayers as we clung to our seats with white-knuckled desperation, each passing moment stretching into eternity.
And then, as if mocking our feeble attempts at control, the plane tilted almost 180 degrees, its nose plummeting towards the earth with a sickening lurch. Time seemed to stand still as we hurtled towards the ground, our fate hanging in the balance as the world spun wildly out of control. But just when all hope seemed lost, a glimmer of salvation emerged from the chaos, a beacon of light amidst the encroaching darkness. With a mighty roar, the engines surged to life once more, their thunderous symphony drowning out the cacophony of the storm as we clawed our way back from the brink of oblivion. As the storm clouds parted and the sun cast its golden rays upon the horizon, we emerged battered but unbroken, our spirits buoyed by the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity. And though our journey had been fraught with peril and uncertainty, we emerged from the crucible of the skies stronger and more resilient than ever before. For in the crucible of adversity, we discovered the true measure of our strength, our courage, and our unwavering determination to defy the odds and chart our course through the tempestuous seas of life. As we touched down on solid ground once more, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the world around us, a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human soul.
Arjun Narasimhan Kuppuswamy
Grade 8C
#EkyaRecommends: ‘I learn and I support others’ learning’ – Why Ekya’s Professional Development vision is in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
The National Education Policy 2020 released this year requires teachers and school leaders "to learn the latest innovations and advances in their profession." Ekya places emphasis on conceptual understanding, integration of technology for learning and professional practices, and student projects that result in their thoughtful response to real-world problems:
Most people choose teaching as a career unaware of the myriad complexities that mark this profession. Indeed, it is the only line of work where it is expected that one single individual on a day to day basis would address the needs of hundred other individuals of varied ages, socio-economic backgrounds, interests, and motivation, all in one sitting.
Certainly, teachers need a tremendous amount of support and as like the earlier times, the New Education Policy 2020, continues to reiterate enabling teachers and school leaders "to learn the latest innovations and advances in their profession esp. content, pedagogy and skills essential to teach, to lead or to manage. It proposes workshops, online modules, and online platforms as modes for learning, sharing of ideas, best practices, and engaging in self-improvement activities as per one’s own interests".
Where do we stand in these twin backgrounds of expectations and proposed national guidelines?
I feel happy to share that Ekya has long recognized the various challenges that surmount a teacher’s life and has thus committed itself in supporting them in their career trajectories. Capacity building initiatives at Ekya resonate well with the new policy guidelines as they set on creating spaces for learning, unlearning, relearning, reflecting on learning, and developing oneself on a continuous basis.
The Professional Development Institute (PDI) plans and implements such programs not only for teachers but also for school administrators i.e. the Coordinators and School Heads, throughout the year. At the heart of these initiatives is the vision for developing ‘self’ as adults in order to ‘lead students’ to develop themselves. Indeed, teachers have the power to influence students and make a difference in their lives by way of contributing in their process of thinking or styles of working. And, it is through these programs that we are able to support teachers to reach out to many students in an effective way.
How do we do this?
“Workshops” both faces to face and online are integral to Ekya’s workplace education. Each academic year begins with a month-long “Orientation Program” both for new as well as returning teachers and school leaders. It aims at enabling all to revisit curriculum, instruction, assessments, resources, and environment of learning; and prepare oneself vigorously to inspire students for learning. This is the space for teachers to think, ask questions on curricula or professional practice, and engage deeply with emerging ideas in educational research and practice. Topics in these sessions are beyond mastery of a set of techniques for ‘eliciting’ desired student responses and information transfer. They encompass a holistic view of how students need to learn not just math or arts but also age-appropriate behaviors or value systems.
As teachers start putting these ideas to practice and as the school leadership along with them begins to feel its impact, newer concepts are introduced with another set of sessions in a phased manner throughout the year. Thus, areas that became a part of “Ongoing Workshops” for educators this year after the annual orientations included - the Flipped Classroom Approach, Tech-Free Instructional Strategies and Learning Area Tools, Wellbeing and Actionable Feedback, to name a few.
“Self-Paced Learning” - is another set of opportunities for educators to strengthen their disciplinary content knowledge and specific skills. These are facilitated online through a learning management system comprising researched-based resources from leading educational institutions all over the world. This is the time for self-study, practicing concepts with assignments, and collaborating with peers by posting their own thoughts and acknowledging the views of others. Educators at Ekya not only work on these during the year but also carry these forward in summer breaks by choosing areas of study that match their interests and requirements.
“The Learning Festival”- is a culminating PD day that celebrates teachers’ hard work and passion that they put in planning and implementing varied learning experiences for their students. Thinking along the lines of an action researcher, teachers share a problem or a challenge they noticed in their class and describe how they overcame that with specific strategies resulting in positive outcomes. This sharing not only reiterates teachers’ beliefs in self-motivated efforts but also enables peer learning with cross sharing of ideas and practices that worked.
What is the effect?
There are multiple pathways to learn and learning is not confined to attending mandatory sessions planned in an academic year. Participation in PDs is beyond marking attendance, and encompasses intense engagement in the learning process – thinking, reflecting, sharing experiences, interacting with others, active listening, critiquing, asking deep questions and challenging one’s own thought processes. Similarly, education is not about gathering degrees but is a lifelong process of inquiry that requires looking back at one’s acquired disciplinary content knowledge and keeping oneself up to date with concepts and skills essential in today’s time.
There is a strong relationship between teacher learning and student effectiveness. If teachers have the understanding of how children learn, they can work skillfully with a wide range of learners. If teachers are passionate about their subjects, they can make their students enthusiastic about their use in the real world. If teachers take charge of their own learning, they pave the way for students to be independent and responsible learners.
These are our aspirations for our educators and these drive our PD initiatives too. Success in any endeavor like these comes only when people are involved whole heartedly. Indeed as is seen, educators at Ekya try their best to not miss participation in varied learning opportunities, and also apply gained understanding in their interactions with students. And, it is this silent contribution among other things, that is providing our PDs deeper meaning and sustainability day by day.
Introduction to the Series
The New Education Policy 2020 envisions a society high on social, economic, and scientific indicators with one key resource i.e. ‘its people’. It shows the possibility of tackling social and natural concerns with a renewed focus on education that is multi-disciplinary, skill-based, and liberal in nature. It envisions nurturing students who not only diligently acquire greater capacities for an independent life for themselves but are equally concerned about the lives of fellow human beings.
Ekya upholds each idea of NEP strongly and relates well with its philosophical and curricular strands. Much before the policy was drafted; it has been implementing many of its stated features such as- its instructional program that emphasizes conceptual understanding and not mere information accumulation; integration of technology for learning and professional practices and projects for student projects that result in their thoughtful response to real-world problems.
To disseminate many of these aspects with you and gain from your views as well, a series of blogs have been put together by various members of Ekya and CMR – K12 schools. We are happy to share with you the first part of this NEP blog series today.
About the author
Priya Iyer holds an academic background in Psychology and Education and is associated with the education sector for more than two decades. This journey of hers has been a combination of teaching and research both in school and higher education institutions. She started her career with an NGO as a teacher, a school leader; pursued research work at Oberlin and Claremont McKenna College, USA and later, a field study at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Canada. As a faculty at Azim Premji University, she taught a course on School Leadership and Management to post graduate students and worked extensively with the Foundation's initiatives on Pre-Service Education. As a UNICEF Consultant, Priya supported government efforts in implementing a program on education leadership that drives student learning outcomes. Currently, Priya Iyer supports concept, design and facilitation of capacity building programs at Ekya and CMR- K-12 Schools as well as CMR University as a member of the Professional Development Institute
#InsideEkya: NEP 2020- The Changing Perspectives of Education in India
"Learners will change how they act in the world when old ways are no longer effective in getting what they want."
The National Education Policy (NEP) introduced this year by the Government of India will have a huge positive impact on the learning system and the learning outcomes in the coming years. This will change the way we look at education and is here to stay for our children in the days to come. If implemented successfully and with thought, the NEP can transform the education system in India making our children more empowered for the future.
The National Education Policy 2020 is based on the pillars of Access- Access to education to all the students irrespective of their geographical location/resources; Equity- amongst all the teaching fraternity along with the student body; Quality- the quality of teaching and curriculum transaction will have to undergo a complete change to make it more effective; Affordability- looking at making education affordable to all the students from various levels of the society and creating a sense of equality among everyone, for which they have reached out to all the educators all across India for their valuable suggestions and inputs; and Accountability- where not only the students but the school, teachers as well as the parents are accountable for the child’s learning process.
Firstly, the NEP aims to make students independent learners and most importantly self-reliant when it comes to academics and other co-curricular areas. The NEP ensures that it gives a holistic approach to the education system in India. As a school, we are constantly striving to make students learn beyond the textbooks, understand the concepts, and to be able to apply knowledge. The NEP also focusses on developing education standards in remote areas and in the villages, where the students are not as privileged as those in the cities. The NEP is strongly devising methods to make education more accessible, while also providing the access to technology which can help students become self-reliant.
Secondly, the NEP is looking at making education skill-based and ensuring that the curriculum is being transacted by using newer and more engaging teaching methodology, while also taking care of the student pedagogy. This is very pertinent in today’s scenario where there are so many opportunities for children to look forward to. It becomes very essential that a school supports this mode of learning which will help our students to take up future opportunities and show exemplary performance. The successful application of skills also gives students an extra edge to compete and get placed in top universities in India and abroad.
Thirdly, the NEP strongly focuses on research and innovation and how it can be successfully implemented in the classrooms. This aspect of NEP is something that has always made our students excel through our curriculum which is based on developing the research and innovative skills of the students through the activities and the projects assigned such as a 'Makery' (the school's very own Makerspace) for grades 6-12 and a Design Challenge for all grades. These make the students more creative and also to empathize with their surroundings. Through the skills of research and innovation, our country can move ahead and make progress with the new advancements all over the world and keeping pace with them.
Although NEP is looking at transformational reforms in schools across India, it will also make India a knowledge superpower. And with the 'Make In India' move within our country, it will also reduce the brain drain from India. Our youth will be able to contribute to the growth of our own nation, to be able to identify the areas of progress and concerns in our country, and aim towards a collaborative growth.
NEP also lays emphasis on aspects like better infrastructure in schools, innovative education centers, and labs which will help in better learning, and efforts to bring back dropouts into the mainstream. This will help them pursue optional courses to facilitate completion for them. Facilitating multiple pathways to learning among others using various new pedagogic tools and strategies is also an important aspect.
The concept of replacing the 10+2 structure of the school curriculum with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure will benefit younger children and also assist them in learning the concepts based on their development. The NEP will also ensure that the new education system will also be in tune with global best practices for the development of the mental faculties of a child. It focusses on the well-being of the students across the country and also deal with how to handle it with the help of experts in this field.
There are quite a few initiatives & methodologies that are already integral to Ekya Schools, in line with the proposed NEP 2020 policy. Some of them are integral to our curriculum are:
1- We lay more emphasis on literacy and numeracy in the first 5 preliminary years of the child’s education.
2- We have moved away from rote learning and focus more on skill-based learning.
3- Having a 360-degree assessment pattern which we practice at our schools as well. This includes portfolio assessment, class participation, notebooking, individual and group activities, and project-based assessments to help the students do research from their end, come to a conclusive decision and represent their learning through their project. This helps them to be more thorough with the concept and are able to comprehend way better.
4- While the NEP focuses on e-resource learning, which we already do this by sharing resources with the students online as pre and post-work which helps them assimilate and understand the concepts at a wider level.
5- We already focus equally on scholastic and co-scholastic areas of the child so that the feedback about the child’s progress is holistic.
6- The NEP is looking at providing flexibility to the students in what they want to learn. Our curriculum is also designed in a similar way which encourages students to come up with their own answers and there is no single right answer to any question. We encourage students and teachers to be flexible in their thoughts and expression and help them come out of the fear of being incorrect.
7- We also promote multi/trans-disciplinary, crosscutting concepts that help students to connect concepts across learning areas and teach them not to learn any subject in isolation.
8- We have also replaced the rote method of learning and the examinations are based on conceptual understanding aiming to develop student’s analytical skills.
9- For our proprietary curriculum, we look at local and global contexts that the students relate to across all learning areas and similar lines have been outlined in the NEP as well.
10- We focus a lot on the well-being of our student community and extend our support to them through our counselors.
Last but not the least, just like the way NEP is looking forward to teacher training, growth, and additional courses, we at our schools already have a strong Professional Development (PD) team in place. The PD team helps groom our teachers both personally and professionally through individual and group sessions, online additional courses, building their capacities and through constant support and mentoring.
This is how- as a Head of School and as an academician - I was able to look at NEP and its prospects.
About the Author:
Mrs. Swati Soni is the Head of School at CMR National Public School which has a rich legacy of over 27 years. She has academic experience in teaching and administration of over 16 years in various schools and colleges in Bangalore. Mrs. Soni has received a gold medal for her Masters in Microbiology Sciences from Goa University. She also has an MBA in Human resources. She is fanatical in the pursuit of a quality progressive education system where skills are more important than rote learning, and is a staunch believer that learning happens beyond books.
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