Just let the children be

Aditi Mathur and Ratnesh Mathur
Successful people are in the habit of producing — dreams , ideas, work etc. It is the same with knowledge. If we receive knowledge, we may score well in tests , but if the same knowledge is used, productively, we will do well in life. Children too must be taught to produce and this requires higher order thinking skills. Let children act — they could cook, produce plays, tell stories — anything. This way they learn a lot.

All-in-one classrooms

This article explores multi-grade teaching as an effective teaching- learning strategy.

A passionate performer

Chintan Girish Modi
When young people make positive contributions to their communities by channelising their energies through projects that are personally meaningful and enriching, then it makes for interesting reading. Here is a profile of one such story-telling enthusiast who has made a great difference to his community.

Using Edmodo in the ESL Classroom

Priyanka Davies
This article is all about how teachers can use a tool called Edmodo in their classrooms that can help students stay engaged in the learning process.

The photosynthesis story

Vijayalakshmi Nandakumar
Here is an activity- based article that will prove helpful for teachers who are teaching photosynthesis to their class children.

August: the ‘venerable’ month

S Upendran
Like July, August is also a month where gods are not honoured. Instead, according to the Roman calendar, it is named after the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar. He brought peace and prosperity to his country. August is also known for other wars that took place around the world,namely the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Learning in secular spaces

Pawan Singh
Does religious education influence a student’s life choices? Cannot school spaces be made secular so that children leave school with an understanding of all religions and an appreciation of all cultures? A first person account.

Secular ethics: concern for our fellow beings

Chintan Girish Modi
This article dwells on the Dalai Lama’s teachings on care and compassion and how schools can cultivate inter-cultural understanding and include, for example, a variety of prayers in the morning assembly.

A matter of faiths

T M Krishna
How can one build a religious environment in the classroom? Every religion asks sincere questions and a child has every right to find answers to his questions. While the classroom may not be the ideal place to challenge or establish religious beliefs, it must be used to make every child aware of what religion is and its role in humanity— emotionally and intellectually.

Can tolerance be taught?

Malini Seshadri

How do we make children take to the concept of secularism? The best way to approach religion in the classroom is through the topic of values. Good values are the common goal. There could be different paths but the goal is the same. Teachers need to come up with different ways of expressing this theme to the children. Such an approach would be welcomed by most parents.