Current issue
In this issue
“Welcome” back to school
Usha Raman
There is a lot that is not right with this world. And while we can’t set about solving all of the world’s problems, there are some things we can do to make our own small worlds better places to be. As teachers and students, our schools form a large part of our world. Let us work to make this space better, more welcoming and accessible to all of us.
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 learning is to happen at all. Ha
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 them the selective parts printe
May 2019
Cover Story | May-June 2019 | Shaping Up Schools
Playing outside school spaces
Anirban Ghosh
Physical Education needs to be redefined from its present idea of regimented drills, marching and annual sports days. Children must have access to proper play spaces to engage in rigorous physical activity either through games, free play or any other sport. A look at how sports can be taken out of the confines of school spaces.
Classroom Connect | May-June 2019
From the console to the playground
Aditya Deshbandhu
In this age of technology, e-sport is catching up and may soon be included as part of curricula in high schools and universities in the West. Against this context, it is important for educators to acknowledge the popularity of video games as a platform. This article explains the possibilities of students engaged with video games to seek physical activity as a consequ
Do, Think, Decide | May-June 2019
Is the ball rolling in government schools?
Aditi Mutatkar and Hemanta Mahanta
Can we ensure quality output by making PE compulsory? In the government system, PE is near dysfunctional and the immediate need would be to look at PE as a learning opportunity, thereby thinking about having specific curricula, assessments and in- service teacher training models.
Read more articles from this issueApril 2019
April 2019 | Thinkers And Educators.
An educator’s legacy
Kavita Anand
There are some people who have left a deeper impact on the way education is perceived than others. Kabir Jaithirtha’s ideas of sharing and generating knowledge have helped not just his students imbibe a new culture of learning but also several of his fellow educators.
April 2019 | Focus.
Nurturing the creative gene
Surekha Nayani
The problems facing the world today are not simple or small. Therefore, the solutions to these problems have to be creative and out-of-the-box. Apart from producing literate and knowledgeable young people, schools should also cultivate their students’ creativity.
April 2019 | Cover Story.
How do we handle holiday homework?
Ankita Rajasekharan
Is holiday homework an oxymoron? Every child you know wants to be left free during the holidays. Most parents however believe that too much freedom will spoil their children. Therefore schools step in to give their students holiday homework that they believe is both fun and educative. But between reluctant children, distressed parents and anxious schools, does hol
Read more articles from this issueMarch 2019
Focus | March 2019.
Fighting the inner wars
G. Gautama
In today’s world, is there freedom for the individual to speak his/her mind, to ask questions, or even to express a different viewpoint? Should the teacher teach resilient participation and ownership to students so they can be effective citizens? Or should he/she teach them conformity, to obey commands and orders? This is the dilemma of a teacher.
March 2019 | Project.
Spirits of the deep
Nina Subramani
An interdisciplinary lesson on any subject has a lot to offer the teacher who wants to make learning interesting and relatable. The study of our coastline can keep students engaged for a month or more. It leads to a deeper understanding of why coasts are important – as an interface between land and sea, as a crucial component of our ecosystem.
Cover Story | March 2019.
Public education and its social accounting
Alex M. Thomas & Varun Nallur
How much does the Government spend on education? Should school leaders and teachers engage themselves with this exercise to know and learn how their own schools allocate their funds? Does a lower allocation mean that there is a learning crisis or even a shortage of teachers? The manner in which this kind of data is collected, classified and analyzed can
Read more articles from this issue
“Welcome” back to school
Usha Raman
There is a lot that is not right with this world. And while we can’t set about solving all of the world’s problems, there are some things we can do to make our own small worlds better places to be. As teachers and students, our schools form a large part of our world. Let us work to make this space better, more welcoming and accessible to all of us.
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 learning is to happen at all. Ha
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 them the selective parts printe
May 2019
Cover Story | May-June 2019 | Shaping Up Schools
Playing outside school spaces
Anirban Ghosh
Physical Education needs to be redefined from its present idea of regimented drills, marching and annual sports days. Children must have access to proper play spaces to engage in rigorous physical activity either through games, free play or any other sport. A look at how sports can be taken out of the confines of school spaces.
Classroom Connect | May-June 2019
From the console to the playground
Aditya Deshbandhu
In this age of technology, e-sport is catching up and may soon be included as part of curricula in high schools and universities in the West. Against this context, it is important for educators to acknowledge the popularity of video games as a platform. This article explains the possibilities of students engaged with video games to seek physical activity as a consequ
Do, Think, Decide | May-June 2019
Is the ball rolling in government schools?
Aditi Mutatkar and Hemanta Mahanta
Can we ensure quality output by making PE compulsory? In the government system, PE is near dysfunctional and the immediate need would be to look at PE as a learning opportunity, thereby thinking about having specific curricula, assessments and in- service teacher training models.
Read more articles from this issueApril 2019
April 2019 | Thinkers And Educators.
An educator’s legacy
Kavita Anand
There are some people who have left a deeper impact on the way education is perceived than others. Kabir Jaithirtha’s ideas of sharing and generating knowledge have helped not just his students imbibe a new culture of learning but also several of his fellow educators.
April 2019 | Focus.
Nurturing the creative gene
Surekha Nayani
The problems facing the world today are not simple or small. Therefore, the solutions to these problems have to be creative and out-of-the-box. Apart from producing literate and knowledgeable young people, schools should also cultivate their students’ creativity.
April 2019 | Cover Story.
How do we handle holiday homework?
Ankita Rajasekharan
Is holiday homework an oxymoron? Every child you know wants to be left free during the holidays. Most parents however believe that too much freedom will spoil their children. Therefore schools step in to give their students holiday homework that they believe is both fun and educative. But between reluctant children, distressed parents and anxious schools, does hol
Read more articles from this issueMarch 2019
Focus | March 2019.
Fighting the inner wars
G. Gautama
In today’s world, is there freedom for the individual to speak his/her mind, to ask questions, or even to express a different viewpoint? Should the teacher teach resilient participation and ownership to students so they can be effective citizens? Or should he/she teach them conformity, to obey commands and orders? This is the dilemma of a teacher.
March 2019 | Project.
Spirits of the deep
Nina Subramani
An interdisciplinary lesson on any subject has a lot to offer the teacher who wants to make learning interesting and relatable. The study of our coastline can keep students engaged for a month or more. It leads to a deeper understanding of why coasts are important – as an interface between land and sea, as a crucial component of our ecosystem.
Cover Story | March 2019.
Public education and its social accounting
Alex M. Thomas & Varun Nallur
How much does the Government spend on education? Should school leaders and teachers engage themselves with this exercise to know and learn how their own schools allocate their funds? Does a lower allocation mean that there is a learning crisis or even a shortage of teachers? The manner in which this kind of data is collected, classified and analyzed can
Read more articles from this issue