Ketaki Chowkhani
In the background of three cases of sexual assault reported against children of different schools in Bangalore, the questions that we need to ask are: How can we nurture different ways in which adults relate to children? How can we ensure that the relationship between adults and children in school is not based on discipline, punishment and a sense of power?One solution would be to have sensitization programmes on sexuality and gender for the adult staff at the beginning of every school year. This will go a long way in undoing the unequal power relations that result in child sexual abuse.
Category: Cover Story
Don’t get caught in the web!
Sinny Mole
It is not just the teaching and learning methods that have undergone a fundamental change over time, the way a school functions and presents itself has also changed significantly. Just like in all other sectors of life, personal computers, e-mail and Internet have become an integral part of our school culture.
Learning to engage in and with social media
Ronnie Charrier
Our students today are all digital natives. Surely more than half your class are active users of social networking sites. But does that mean that they know how to use these sites responsibly? Do they know of the advantages these sites can give them? And also of the dangers they could pose? As schools and teachers it certainly is our responsibility to teach our students safe browsing habits, so that they can obtain the maximum benefit from the Internet without being harmed.
Why technology matters in education
Shalini Advani
It is no longer possible for us to keep the Internet out of school. Children born into this digital age are already familiar users of the Internet and social networking sites. So why not use these effectively to impart learning? See how the Internet, social media and other online tools can actually aid you in your journey as a teacher. It is time that we broke free of our long held prejudices against technology.
The connected classroom
Divya Choudary
It has been some time now since the introduction of ICT in education. But with the rapid progress that technology is making, have our schools and teachers adapted? How effectively do schools use the Internet in the classroom, for the teachers, and with the parents? With increasing online crimes do schools make it their responsibility to teach their students cyber safety?
From academic excellence to administrative acumen
Devika Nadig
The role of a school principal has changed dramatically over the last few decades. From being an academic head, a principal is now more of an administrative head. Are principals equipped to take on this double burden? With several schools going the corporate way, there is much emphasis on trivialities leaving principals with hardly any time to concentrate on academic exercises.
In the footsteps of ‘Madam’ Principal
Divya Choudary
It was just another day at school. I entered the building and was greeted by classical music and the voices of students gathered in the courtyard for the morning assembly. The school seemed to buzz with energy. When the bell rang, the students rushed to their classrooms. I waited for the teachers to leave before introducing myself to Rama Devi ma’am, the school’s principal. I was to be her shadow for the day and get an unfiltered view of her daily tasks.
Owning the unsolved problem
G Gautama
In any role one is first and last a human being. The daily challenges show us our ethics, certainties, and fallibilities, a humbling and strengthening process. It has been my good fortune to work in a place that offered freedom to think, question, and re-conceptualize school processes. School was and is a wonderful learning opportunity.
What is a story and how to tell it?
Amit Kapoor
They say stories are all around us. But then can all text and information that we come across be considered stories? And how do you tell an audience a story? How do you make your stories work and help the audience come to the conclusion that you want them to after listening to the story?
The disruptive child
Phyllis Farias
Conflict situations abound in the school, in the classroom, among teachers, and between parents and teachers and within ourselves. How can we negotiate all these differences peacefully? Can children be taught that compromise is the most effective way to end conflicts? These are some of the questions raised by our writers in this month’s cover story.