Productive disruptions

Usha Raman
As much as the world outside is tumultuous and conflict-ridden that much we like to keep our classrooms calm and quiet. In our effort to maintain the serenity in our classrooms and avoid disturbances, however, we often ignore opportunities to effect necessary changes.

Getting on ‘board’ for social studies

Shalini Sabikhi
Board games are a popular pastime for children and adults alike. What if we device board games that will also help us learn? It will certainly add some fun to learning.

How can I help you improve?

Lamia Bagasrawala
Schools must often engage in crucial conversations, discussing challenging, controversial, yet important issues that affect the workings of the school. Crucial conversations whether in the form of feedback or classroom discussions of vital topics can lead to difference of opinions and be emotionally charged. But difficult conversations are necessary and we mustn’t shy away from them.

The emoji war

Neerja Singh
Emojis are an easy way for us to express our emotions and feelings. They save us the bother of searching for the right words and the time to type those words in. Thrilled as we are of their existence, are we sure we are using the right emojis to represent what we are feeling or thinking? For the younger generation, the language of emojis is constantly evolving and in order to communicate with them, we need to keep ourselves up to date.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson: Path-breaking Victorian

Mamata Pandya
The Victorian era is considered the golden age of England — an era of peace, prosperity, and progress. However, despite a woman monarch, there was little for women to celebrate as independent individuals. At a time when their role was restricted to domesticity and motherhood, Elizabeth Garret Anderson dared to dream and succeeded in becoming the first woman to practice medicine in the UK. In a month that celebrates International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Teacher Plus brings you a new column that will introduce you to trailblazing women in the field of science.

The ‘rock’ing social sciences

Pallavi Sharma
A teacher’s account of how her class on physical geography organically extended into a story writing and later art and craft class.

Elm-watching in Hyderabad

Venkata Tejah Balantrapu
How often have you noticed the trees in your surroundings? While some trees may attract you with their bright and beautiful flowers, others may mean something to you because of the fruits they generously give you. But would you stop to look at the very inconspicuous Indian elm? It has neither fruits nor flowers and yet is amazing. Why? Stop a while and observe the elm with the author.

In harmony with nature

Chintan Girish Modi
Stories are perhaps the most beautiful ways of ensuring that important messages reach people, both adults and children. Mita Bordoloi’s picture book Bumoni’s Banana Trees is an endearing tale of how a little girl finds a solution to a human-animal conflict. Through the story the book also passes on the message of sustainable living.