Nurturing decision-makers

Ankitha Cheerakathil

School is a microcosm of the society. Training children while at school to work together and take decisions for the common good will help them participate responsibly in the society tomorrow. School Participatory Budgeting is an exercise that helps teachers achieve this.

Equity by design

Arundhati Tulpule

As the better-off citizens we have to be sensitized to the conditions and problems of those less privileged than us, only then can an equal society be truly achieved. Play this game with your students to help them understand why some of us need protective discrimination and advantages.

The political classroom

Joel Westheimer

Why do we shy away from discussing politics in the classroom? When politics, political parties and their strategies are such a big part of democratic functioning of a government shouldn’t we be encouraging political discussions in the classroom? If we want politically aware citizens, who can participate in their democracies, this is a change that we must make to our pedagogy.

The gendered position

Advaita Marathe
Considering the treatment meted out to women and the position they are given in society, gender sensitization is the need of the hour. As those who have the power to bring about change, teachers have a crucial role to play in bringing about gender equality.

Making sense of civics

Manisha Jadhav
If children have to inculcate the principals of the Constitution, a chalk and talk approach alone will not work. We have to provide them with an environment that will stimulate their civic sensibilities. Here’s how Aksharnandan brought civics alive for its students.

Living democracy

Shobha Bajpai
One of the best ways of inculcating democratic ideals in tomorrow’s citizens is to allow them to practice these ideals in democratic classrooms today. A teacher’s experience of how she created a democratic learning environment.

Teaching fundamental duties

Tarun Bhasin
Knowing what our fundamental duties are is as important as knowing what our fundamental rights are. While we remember to teach and learn what the State owes us, we don’t pay much heed to what we owe the State. Here are some pointers to teaching fundamental duties.

Making inclusion a habit

Papiya Ganguli
Every classroom has to be democratic, inclusive and accepting. Our children will then imbibe these qualities for life and create a better society tomorrow. Here are a few suggestions on how you can make your classrooms inclusive.

How to be a peace educator

Chintan Girish Modi
Peace is not something that we only hope for when two countries are fighting. Even within a country, within a society peace should exist if we are to live harmoniously together. Understanding violence in all forms, not just physical, and acknowledging our role in perpetuating certain ideas and actions against our fellow humans is a big step towards choosing to be peaceful.