Category: Comment

Teachers as standard bearers: professional norms and NEP 2020

Indira Subramanian
The one thing that seems to have remained constant in reports that assess student learning in this country is that the learning level of our students is not age-appropriate. Most often, the reason given for this is poor teaching standards. In an effort to improve the quality of teachers in India, the National Education Policy 2020 has proposed to introduce the National Professional Standards for Teachers. There are arguments for and against this and whichever side you may be on, it is certain that teacher standards will soon become a reality and therefore what is important is how best we can influence them.

Leaders learn leadership by leading life

Aditi Mathur and Ratnesh Mathur
All of us are leaders in some form or the other. But do we let children lead themselves? Why do adults end up putting obstacles in their children’s path to growth? This article celebrates leadership in children by the children themselves. Here are three stories on leadership by three children with their own views and ideas on how to lead.

Pre-primary education: balanced approach, need of the hour

Anil Kumar Gona
Are we shirking our responsibilities as parents? Do children as young as 2 and 3 need to go to schools? While these may be playschools in name, we must realize that these schools do more than just make our children play building unnecessary stress in little children.

Making space for grief

Vandana Aggarwal
Death is final and difficult to face for anyone, especially children. Yet it is an experience that affects a child’s social and emotional development. It is important for schools, teachers and counsellors to have an open dialogue about this subject, listen to students and provide a supportive environment.

An endangered species?

Shubangi Rajput
Teaching is fast losing even the little respect that it had. Why is this so? A teacher presents her views.

Technology in education: What we are missing out on

Loveina Joy
Technology has a lot to offer us in the field of education. In this pandemic, we have relied on technology to be able to continue teaching and learning. Flowing with the tide, everyday we find that technology has something new to offer the teacher or the student. However, with all the benefits that technology offers and all the good it is currently doing are we forgetting the importance of human intervention in education.

NEP 2020 and the role of the teacher

Anil Kumar Patnaik
The new education policy finally recognizes the teacher and proposes to put in measures that will enhance the position of the teacher in the country.

Decolonizing Indian school education

G. Gautama
In the second part of his article on small schools, the author raises some very important questions and suggests a way to move forward. Covid -19 may have disrupted people’s lives but it has also presented opportunities to change educational approaches. Multiple small institutions and a decentralized approach to teaching and learning must be the way ahead.

Small school in COVID times… ‘to sit beside’ again…

G. Gautama
There is no question that Covid 19 has disrupted people’s lives. Educational approaches too, have changed. Students and teachers are confined to their homes with their gadgets. Learning may be happening, but there are questions – what happens to physical activity or interactions? There is a large population for whom school means many things – from friends to books and even midday meals. How is this group managing? Do other solutions exist?