Maya Sukumaran
WHAT MAKES ME A PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPAL
I feel my thoughts are very progressive regarding my profession. I am very committed in my job of moulding young minds to be a good and useful citizen of India.
MY MISSION AS A PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPAL
My personal mission and vision is to see that the education that we impart to students will broaden their outlook and approach to life. Each individual should have moral values and committed to the society and love for their nation.
LEARNING BY DOING
Learning by doing happens at 2 levels: reciprocity in the process of teaching-learning and involvement of the principal in contributing to the overall blossoming of each stakeholder. I encourage students and teachers to take up initiatives and projects and also involve myself in the process of learning.
Students organize exhibitions on various issues that highlight their concerns and through which they, offer their proactive solutions. For example, students designed a solution for improvising the healthcare of women through digitalisation of health care with Aadhaar cards for regular screening and detection of anemia, cancers etc. They organized a musical night to help two organizations that work towards women empowerment. Environment Awareness Initiatives are taken by them, like donating 6000 saplings towards Haritha Haaram Program of the state govt. Educational tours, heritage walks for increasing awareness of our history and cultures, environmental and social projects that involve the proactive participation of citizens too are encouraged.
As a part of Experiential Learning, we are the first school in Hyderabad to introduce STEM education. We have brought in Discovery Science Exploratory classes in teaching Science in a manner that is both experiential and enjoyable. We introduced Internship for students of classes 11 and 12 in 2006 – a totally new concept at the time.
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM
We are the pioneers in Hyderabad to introduce STEM methodologies in the middle school curricula that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths through hands on projects and with emphasis on presentation of observations, experiments, designs etc. that ensures the development of language skills.
Activities like CREYA allow students to work on ideas generated in class, create innovative models and experiment and research under the guidance of teachers of various disciplines. For high school students we have a program on integrating sciences with a hands-on approach, through Discovery Science Exploratory classes. We introduced Internships by collaborating with firms in the corporate sector, in law firms and hospitality sector for senior students. An integrated curriculum is also in place for the science students of classes 11 and 12 to help them negotiate through the subjects without compartmentalizing them as this approach helps them hone their analytical skills. Besides these, we have incorporated Integrated Curriculum Weeks based on particular themes wherein an interdisciplinary approach is taken to explore various themes.
INTEGRATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP INTO EDUCATION THROUGH FACULTY
The faculty has complete liberty in enhancing their skills and their complete involvement in developing entrepreneurship skills in education is commendable. Their initiative in bringing in various sets of skills to school allows students to go beyond the scope of the syllabus and polish their own skills. For example, the London School of Economics is organizing sessions in school, called WIN-WIN to find out the aptitude of students in different areas. This program would teach them all the processes to be entrepreneurs themselves. Teachers bring in entrepreneurs and career-counselling experts from various fields to address students and help them make informed career choices. We also conduct coaching classes for CLAT, SAT and IIT-JEE by collaborating with reputed institutes. Besides, we have Internship programs for senior students. They intern at reputed corporate offices, hospitality organizations and in law firms and courts due to the joint initiatives taken by the faculty and myself.
PROBLEM SOLVING & CRITICAL THINKING AMIDST THE FACULTY
We are fortunate to have a strong faculty and we encourage teachers to adapt their teaching methodologies to the needs of the times and to anticipate futuristic trends. Group activities are encouraged where the teachers take initiatives to achieve the best results. For any school activity, teachers are divided into groups, based on their skills. At times, teachers themselves are unaware of their potential and working in a group for some activity helps them hone their problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Any innovation or novel method to help students is well appreciated and we encourage other teachers to think, act in a similar fashion. Workshops conducted by our teachers in school and various other fora on various topics have been applauded and well-received. My faculty and I have also conducted workshops, attended conferences etc. that have complemented our abilities as teachers and drawn out our innate talents. With the world becoming more technology-oriented than before and the younger generation being savvy since infancy, it’s only natural for us to train ourselves in adopting technology to the teaching-learning process. We collaborated with Google and each teacher including myself was trained in using Google aids. Teachers are encouraged to go beyond the scope of the syllabi. Moreover teachers are encouraged to participate in various competitions where they have earned accolades for themselves.
GROUP WORK AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS AMIDST THE FACULTY
I believe in a hands-on approach and complete involvement in any activity in school and outside. School provides the ideal platform for teachers to tap their interests in engaging with students and other activities like conducting workshops, organizing events, helping students hone their skills and talents. I encourage the faculty to conduct workshops, take up interdisciplinary curricula for students. I have collaborated with teachers in conducting workshops in using technology as teaching aids. As written earlier, all school activities and other events have teachers working in groups that help them develop their talents and skills. Besides parent-teacher meetings, we also have Orientation programs for parents and invite them too to address or counsel students and teachers, along with me interact with parents in these programs.
UNDERSTANDING & ACTION BASED LEARNING
I have encouraged concept-based learning rather than rote-learning in school. We introduced the Cambridge curricula as it offers more scope to students to apply analytical skills and understand concepts. The motive behind introducing STEM education, engaging students in Discovery Exploratory Science and having hobby classes is to encourage students to understand, analyse and implement. Similarly, we were the 1st school in Hyderabad to introduce Internships for students of classes 11 and 12, sending them to places based on their aptitude and preferable career choices. We also give worksheets to students again to encourage concept based learning rather than rote-learning. Besides, integrated teaching where different subjects are brought together is also an integral part of our teaching methodology, which helps students understand concepts and they implement these in wonderful manners in projects or their initiatives in community centred activities.
COLLABORATIVE & COOPERATIVE LEARNING PROJECTS FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
As mentioned earlier, in 2013-14, the faculty and I underwent a certificate course conducted by Google, in the use of Google Apps and other technology as teaching aids. Together with other members of the Faculty, I have conducted workshops in the use of technology as a teaching-aid in another branch of Gitanjali School to help them implement these methodologies. Conducting workshops in school and other forums is a regular feature that helps faculty in updating their skills and in overall development. Our workshops conducted in school are completely theme based projects initiated by, of and for the teachers. Based on the school motto of commitment to excellence, I know that Collaborative and Cooperative Learning Projects in the path to follow. These workshops also help teachers in brainstorming on more effective methods of teaching, reaching solutions on matters related to pedagogy, behavior and student-community responses.
EDUCATION ACCENTUATING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SAFEGUARDING DEMOCRACY
Education is the bulwark that helps a society progress. Progress however would be lopsided and consequently lead to stagnation or worse, anarchy, if education is not all-inclusive and does not hold together the plurality of voices in a rational discourse. The ethos of Gitanjali is to inculcate a sense of moral and social responsibility in students so that they contribute in positive manners to humanity at large. Since our school does not discriminate on any grounds, the students automatically are exposed to an open-minded milieu that allows them to accept difference. In the school assemblies that they conduct, they display their learning and knowledge, they celebrate various festivals and thus the diversity of India. We have a thriving culture of debating, of sending students to and conducting Model United Nations Conferences and other platforms that safeguard the democratic principles of respecting difference and voicing opinions without fear.
I would not be exaggerating if I state that our students are more broad-minded than many of our generation. They conducted a Policy Research Conclave in school in 2016 and invited a transgender – a victim of acid-attack and abuse to school to talk of her life and brutal experience. The students were self-motivated to work against injustices towards women; they designed a solution for improving the health-care of women by suggesting the digitization of health care schemes and linking these to Aadhaar cards for regular screening and early detection of anemia and cancers. Students conducted a Musical Night, inviting eminent artistes and donated the proceeds to two NGOs “Prajwala” and “Girls-in-Tech” that work towards Women Empowerment. Girls of our school attended a virtual internship program at Whisper and spread awareness amongst teenage girls of government and private school on menstrual hygiene. Their attempts to break menstrual taboos was well-appreciated by NGOs like Teach for India.
Interact Club – the students’ wing of the Rotary Club does commendable job in community service and reaching out to the needy, like donating computers and projectors to a government school or donating books and teaching etc. Hence social responsibilities form an intrinsic part of our school activities. Our students are also associated with WFUNA – a wing of the UN that includes school students in reaching out to the underprivileged or the marginalized and attended their felicitation ceremony in the UN headquarters at New York.
DESIGN & DELIVERY OF A LEARNING ECOSYSTEM WHEREBY HIGHLY PERSONALIZED LEARNING ACCOUNTING IS DONE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL’S PERSONAL GOALS
We look at the development of each individual who is a stakeholder in the process of education — students, teachers and I.
Students:: By maintaining a healthy ratio of 1:17, we ensure that each student gets attention. We encourage students to participate in and excel in sports and extracurricular activities besides academics. They thus discover and hone their skills that help them in the long run in making informed career choices. We cater to not only the weak but the brilliant too as sometimes they can be left out by taking their brilliance for granted. In senior classes a few of them are engaged in helping the weaker students or encouraged to participate in competitions in fields where they can excel.
Teachers:: Teaching is also a learning process and teachers are encouraged to excel through collaboration, cooperation and continuous discussions with colleagues and school management. They have complete liberty to innovate, update themselves and the curricula and teach and interact, keeping in mind the requirements of each student. They organize events with students and are given responsibilities that help them tap their innate talents and possibilities. Teachers also conduct workshops, participate in competitions and adapt their teaching methodologies to the exigencies of the times. All these activities help them realize their personal goals of achieving and fulfilment..
INTEGRATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS INTO THE DAILY CURRICULUM
Integration of Community Service and Service Learning Projects is a part of the daily curriculum for all classes. An integral part of the ICSE and ISC syllabi is SUPW (Socially Useful Productive Work) for which students participate in various community services; we have events in school with social responsibility as the focus and we believe in the “joy of giving. “The aim is to nurture the values of empathy, understanding, compassion and selfless service. Students of class 10 organized a campaign on organ donation. Their work on women has been written (please refer to earlier inputs). The Interact Club and students otherwise too, reach out to the poor and the underprivileged by donating books, computers, projectors, teaching etc. We have collaborated with the student’s wing of the UN, WFUNA to again help children in government schools and our students were felicitated IN New York. Our students have organized cleanliness drives outside the school premises and trained people on aspects of cleanliness, personal hygiene, as a part of Swacch Bharat campaign. As a part of the state government’s initiative to plant trees, Haritha Haaram, our students planted 6000 saplings. Students of class 9 held a rally and sensitised the local community to observe Earth Hour, to save energy.
FUTURISTIC SELECTION OF SUBJECT CONTENT
Innovation is a constant that have stuck to. Education cannot be restricted to the scope of the syllabi as we are in the process of moulding future citizens of the world, aware of their roots. As the world Becomes more seamless, keeping up with the mind-boggling pace of technology and its implications seems a daunting task. Yet we have understood and accordingly, adapted ourselves to ever-changing scenarios. Hence, technological aids like audio-visual media, use of apps, smart classes and flip classes are the norm in school. Students have the scope to think beyond traditional subjects – for example- we held classes on robotics for students of middle school.
STEM education and activities like CREYA, Discovery Science etc. make the students think of futuristic trends such as Nano-technology, Cloud Computing etc. These are areas that children discuss and ideate on in school. I have ensured that teachers go beyond the prescribed syllabi – for example, the study of history is also undertaken through heritage walks where students learn of the region’s past. Educational tours are conducted to various parts of India to help the students realize the past and the potential of the country. This awareness also prepares them for the future. Integrated Learning concepts that we follow in school also help students to develop analytical and rationalistic minds.
The exhibitions and projects done by students also display their concerns and awareness of local, regional, global issues. For example, our students have built models of futuristic and smart cities; have come up with solutions of saving energy, saving environment and eco-habitats. Through their participation in debates and Model United Nations conferences, they have shown an exemplary awareness of the world and offered solutions to deal with its problems. We have a team of office bearers to enhance the leadership skills of students – an essential prerequisite to succeed in a globalised world. I believe that the process of teaching-learning is reciprocal; social-economic changes render imperative implementing changes in the curricula as students have to be the leaders and innovators of tomorrow.
LIFELONG LEARNING AND SOCIAL SKILLS OF FACULTY MEMBERS
Education entails a blossoming of the mind, to draw out a human soul to realize its full potential. Teaching is a learning process too; hence teachers are totally involved in the school proceedings, besides academics. We encourage teachers to participate in training programs that enhance their academic, learning and social skills. One of our teachers participated in the TEA program in the US and received a certificate. As a part of an exchange program, two teachers came from the US and we had very insightful and enjoyable exchange of ideas and cultures. Our teachers not only offered them glimpses of our heritage, culture but also of cuisine.
They have conducted workshops in school and outside; these offer them platforms to showcase their potential and help them broaden their perspectives. I encourage innovations and initiatives in teaching methodologies and in organizing various school events so that these too become lifelong learning skills acquired in school. Their interaction with students of various abilities, with parents of diverse backgrounds helps them strengthen their skills in communication and dealing with various situations. Training the faculty in the use of technological aids has been of immense help in conducting classes. They have made very innovative use of these technologies to impart knowledge and have also introduced flip classes. Empathy and understanding are the foundation of human interactions-teachers in school realize that we deal with individuals, not merely students, with their own sets of identities and complexities. Hence, I encourage the nurturing of these qualities as pre-requisites to developing social skills.
FACULTY ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION OF THEIR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS & PRODUCTIONS
There is an Assessment Regime in place wherein all teachers are given appraisal forms and they are evaluated through open discussions and transparency is maintained. Their innovations are appreciated and other teachers are motivated to follow the examples of the teachers. In fact, all the teachers collaborate together develop teaching modules, to innovate in teaching organizing events or community services. We win accolades in and outside school to our projects and innovations – these are rewarding moments. There are bound to be flaws and errors and these are drawn attention to and rectified.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY TO FACULTY EMPOWERMENT
I believe that if I need to see change in others, I need to change myself first. My duties and responsibilities as the principal of one of the best schools in the country have helped me evolve as a person and this process of evolution is one that will go on life-long. In empowering the faculty, I strengthen the fabric of the school and transform myself for the better. I believe in a hands-on approach and complete involvement in all school activities to give an impetus to the faculty to excel at their tasks. Sometimes, teachers may not recognize their talents; so I give them opportunities to get themselves involved into activities that make them aware of their talents and potential. Teachers also have the complete freedom to design their courses, conduct activities and explore possibilities or areas of broadening their horizons. We march together in tune with the changing times.