Coping with classroom tensions

Classrooms can be volatile spaces interspersed with periods of harmony depending upon the kind of issues that one is dealing with. Tackling children’s fears and anxieties so that the outcome is positive both for the teacher and the child is a huge task. Schools therefore need to become supportive structures emphasizing cooperation and dialogue rather than surveillance and punishment.

A slanted look at straight lines

While children tend to form their own ideas on certain mathematical concepts thereby giving rise to misconceptions, little effort is made to set them right. A sample study carried out in a school in Jamnagar showed that children failed to identify slanting lines as ‘straight’. This was however set right with several activities , a few of which are highlighted in this article.

Who owns English?

The author recounts the challenges he faces while teaching English in India.

Of musical echoes

A comparative study on Western and Indian music and the impact of music on students’ achievements showed some heartening results. A school in Chennai which carried out this study is now planning to integrate music into the curriculum to reap the advantage of the findings. Read on to know what the students say.

The story of X and Y

This article explores the multiple intelligence theory in the form of a story about two children and their experiences in different classrooms

Fanning curiosity

Can critical thinking be developed in the early years? From stories to simple experiments to games that children
play – all are fertile grounds for critical questioning and thinking, provided the teacher sees those questions coming and places them before the children.

A measure of Boyle’s law

In the series on science experiments, this article explains Boyle’s law and the experiments that can be done in the classroom.

The wrath of Nature

History or myth, both are replete with accounts of disasters that have destroyed entire cities and even civilizations. This article describes a few of these events.

Working together for a common goal

A principal of an alternative school writes about the challenges she faces especially in special education and her interaction with families and parents.

A thing of beauty and a job forever

This month’s project is all about discovering whether you have a green thumb or not. The activities serve as an introduction to germinating seeds and nurturing them to grow into plants and trees and reaping their benefits, whether for pleasure or for food. It also introduces children to the wonders of the natural world in a way that is fun and likely to spark an interest that will last a lifetime.