Current issue
In this issue
Why Fridays matter
Usha Raman
How can educators introduce conversations around big issues in the classroom and how can children be helped to think differently when it comes to tackling these issues? Fifteen year-old Greta Thunberg has been an inspiring voice, calling governments across the globe to tackle climate change. It is now up to educators to support the participation of children in movements like this so that they understand
Embracing risk and uncertainty
Sheela Ramakrishnan
Can a teacher afford to take risks in her class and experiment with newer ways of teaching? Or should she stick to the tried and tested path, of not leaving her comfort zone? The moot question is how can she even begin to think out of the box? The first step would be to nurture a mindset that says that it is alright to fail and to start looking at effort and not result. Fear and failure need to
What it takes to run an eco-club
Saurav Shome and Archana Dwivedi
Student clubs in schools are often set up with much fanfare and enthusiasm but lose steam midway because the syllabus is given priority. However, some schools do persist in engaging the students and the results are quite noteworthy. In this article, the authors describe the revival of the eco and the science clubs.
A student’s best ally – memory or intelligence?
Anuradha C
How does learning take place, and what type of learning stands in good stead throughout life? All types of learning have their place such as rote learning, conceptual learning and experiential learning. So, the ideal would be to memorize facts, understand the concept behind the facts and apply that understanding to solve problems.
September 2019
Cover Story | September 2019
An exchange of stories: what I remember my students by
Ankita Rajasekharan
As a new teacher, Ankita always presented herself as someone that her students could grow into. But a book, a cloud and several beautiful experiences later, she now understands that she is not their inspiration. It is the other way round.
September 2019
From teaching to unteaching
Sharmila Govande
This is the journey of a mother and teacher, whose children opened her eyes to what true learning is. Sharmila writes about how she came to a decision to ‘unlearn’ and is now along with her children experiencing a new way of learning by homeschooling.
September 2019
The lighter side of learning
Matthew Baganz
Teaching-learning is not always a serious business. Every teacher has had his/her share of funny moments in the classroom. Matthew picks out five amusing stories from his life as a teacher and tells us what he has learnt from them.
Read more articles from this issueAugust 2019
August 2019 | Cover Story.
A room where no one hears the bell
Sunita Biswas
Staff rooms in schools are spaces with endless possibilities for fascinating journeys. While they can mean different things to different people ---- either a sanctum for communication and collaboration or just simply a place to unwind, or a breeding ground for gossip and discord, there is no denying that staff room dynamics reflect the attitudes, values and work ethics of
Action Research | August 2019.
Blogs as a tool for reflective teaching
Jennifer Thomas
When teachers try out new methods or engage in experimenting with a particular lesson plan in the classroom, how do they get to share their experience with other teachers? Do they reflect on whether their new ideas found favour with the children or not? Here is a story of how teachers turned reflective by writing blogs and how the experience helped them get an insight i
August 2019 | Cogitations.
Why bother being disturbed by disturbing art!
Prakash Iyer
Why are humans drawn to art that generates negative emotions like sadness, melancholy, horror, fear, disgust? Shouldn’t we avoid art that depicts behaviors and attitudes that we find reprehensible, or abhorrent? Beginning a new column.
Read more articles from this issueJuly 2019
Cover Story | July 2019.
Beyond the culture of fear
Lakshmi Karunakaran
When you arrive at your school every morning, does it welcome you with a smile and open arms? Or are you overwhelmed by it? Discipline, punishment, rules and authority are words usually associated with schools. But how do teachers teach freely when bound by rules? Can children learn when gripped by fear? Learning environments must be happy and safe places, if any le
July 2019 | Teaching Practice.
What are you thankful for?
Deepali Barapatre
In a world that is growing increasingly selfish and where everybody is creating little islands for themselves, it is becoming increasingly necessary to train our children to practice gratitude. Let us help our children realize that they don’t live alone in this world and that they have a lot of people to be thankful to in their lives.
July 2019 | Things To Think About.
Is this how you teach history?
Chintan Girish Modi
History is one of the more difficult subjects to teach. As an individual with a conscience do you teach your students to conform to the history textbooks (which are usually politically-driven) or do you teach them to confront the ideas presented in there? As an expert in the subject, do you put forth the whole picture for your students to see, or do you just show t
Read more articles from this issue
Why Fridays matter
Usha Raman
How can educators introduce conversations around big issues in the classroom and how can children be helped to think differently when it comes to tackling these issues? Fifteen year-old Greta Thunberg has been an inspiring voice, calling governments across the globe to tackle climate change. It is now up to educators to support the participation of children in movements like this so that they understand
Embracing risk and uncertainty
Sheela Ramakrishnan
Can a teacher afford to take risks in her class and experiment with newer ways of teaching? Or should she stick to the tried and tested path, of not leaving her comfort zone? The moot question is how can she even begin to think out of the box? The first step would be to nurture a mindset that says that it is alright to fail and to start looking at effort and not result. Fear and failure need to
What it takes to run an eco-club
Saurav Shome and Archana Dwivedi
Student clubs in schools are often set up with much fanfare and enthusiasm but lose steam midway because the syllabus is given priority. However, some schools do persist in engaging the students and the results are quite noteworthy. In this article, the authors describe the revival of the eco and the science clubs.
A student’s best ally – memory or intelligence?
Anuradha C
How does learning take place, and what type of learning stands in good stead throughout life? All types of learning have their place such as rote learning, conceptual learning and experiential learning. So, the ideal would be to memorize facts, understand the concept behind the facts and apply that understanding to solve problems.
September 2019
Cover Story | September 2019
An exchange of stories: what I remember my students by
Ankita Rajasekharan
As a new teacher, Ankita always presented herself as someone that her students could grow into. But a book, a cloud and several beautiful experiences later, she now understands that she is not their inspiration. It is the other way round.
September 2019
From teaching to unteaching
Sharmila Govande
This is the journey of a mother and teacher, whose children opened her eyes to what true learning is. Sharmila writes about how she came to a decision to ‘unlearn’ and is now along with her children experiencing a new way of learning by homeschooling.
September 2019
The lighter side of learning
Matthew Baganz
Teaching-learning is not always a serious business. Every teacher has had his/her share of funny moments in the classroom. Matthew picks out five amusing stories from his life as a teacher and tells us what he has learnt from them.
Read more articles from this issueAugust 2019
August 2019 | Cover Story.
A room where no one hears the bell
Sunita Biswas
Staff rooms in schools are spaces with endless possibilities for fascinating journeys. While they can mean different things to different people ---- either a sanctum for communication and collaboration or just simply a place to unwind, or a breeding ground for gossip and discord, there is no denying that staff room dynamics reflect the attitudes, values and work ethics of
Action Research | August 2019.
Blogs as a tool for reflective teaching
Jennifer Thomas
When teachers try out new methods or engage in experimenting with a particular lesson plan in the classroom, how do they get to share their experience with other teachers? Do they reflect on whether their new ideas found favour with the children or not? Here is a story of how teachers turned reflective by writing blogs and how the experience helped them get an insight i
August 2019 | Cogitations.
Why bother being disturbed by disturbing art!
Prakash Iyer
Why are humans drawn to art that generates negative emotions like sadness, melancholy, horror, fear, disgust? Shouldn’t we avoid art that depicts behaviors and attitudes that we find reprehensible, or abhorrent? Beginning a new column.
Read more articles from this issueJuly 2019
Cover Story | July 2019.
Beyond the culture of fear
Lakshmi Karunakaran
When you arrive at your school every morning, does it welcome you with a smile and open arms? Or are you overwhelmed by it? Discipline, punishment, rules and authority are words usually associated with schools. But how do teachers teach freely when bound by rules? Can children learn when gripped by fear? Learning environments must be happy and safe places, if any le
July 2019 | Teaching Practice.
What are you thankful for?
Deepali Barapatre
In a world that is growing increasingly selfish and where everybody is creating little islands for themselves, it is becoming increasingly necessary to train our children to practice gratitude. Let us help our children realize that they don’t live alone in this world and that they have a lot of people to be thankful to in their lives.
July 2019 | Things To Think About.
Is this how you teach history?
Chintan Girish Modi
History is one of the more difficult subjects to teach. As an individual with a conscience do you teach your students to conform to the history textbooks (which are usually politically-driven) or do you teach them to confront the ideas presented in there? As an expert in the subject, do you put forth the whole picture for your students to see, or do you just show t
Read more articles from this issue