TARULATA HIRANI
WHAT MAKES ME A PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPAL?
The servant-leader is servant first, relentlessly working to serve, to serve for the betterment of the human race and then aspire to lead. As a Human being first, and then as a Principal, I choose to call myself a servant leader dedicated to moulding lives, empowering the team and enabling them to become the solid pillars of the organization. Ensuring that each one achieve their individual dreams and aspirations and together focusing on what is absolute best for all stakeholders..
In almost two decades of my association with Ahmedabad International School, what makes me a Progressive leader is, keeping up with and embracing change effectively, encouraging constructive contribution not just from the team but from parents and students as well, and most importantly creating a healthy atmosphere of learning to enable the Students to stand as more than capable of being citizens of tomorrow.
MY MISSION AS A PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPAL OF INDIA
In my opinion, the word “progressive” is synonymous to responsibly and effectively embracing change and inspiring others to do so.. Although a facilitator, I consider myself a life long learner taking up every opportunity to enable me to better myself and thus my surroundings. Amalgamation of the traditional and modern concepts, retaining the values of the past and embracing the techno-savvy futuristic approach is the synergy we believe in. To ensure every student is responsible and in tune with their inner self and the environment thus creating an ultimate synergy and win win for all.
LEARNING BY DOING
Any form of learning is inculcated the best when experienced. The Ahmedabad International School has events around the calendar across grades, and to name a few:
- Weekly lab visits for all sciences
- Science and Math festivals were student innovations are encouraged as well as acknowledged
- Math and Science Quiz
- India Festival to nurture and imbibe among the students a spirit of patriotism and love and respect for the country
- Field trips
- TedX event (Organized by the students and for the students)
- The Annual Model United Nations
- Well-known guest speakers
- Picnics, camps and tours
All of these combined work to shape the students and give them hands on experience and knowledge that they have learnt not by merely being told of what it is but by seeing it, and experiencing it for themselves – which is most likely to give them better understanding of it.
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM
Interdisciplinary studies are extremely important if we want to see ourselves as ‘progressive.’ Unless the students are able to draw connections, learning will be restrictive and binding, rather than liberating. Added to this is the fact that learning must open several doors for the students and the student need not necessarily choose merely one of the doors.
At Ahmedabad International School, students are offered a variety of subjects and are encouraged to draw parallels within these subjects. This ensures that the student is able to apply what is learnt, rather than just mundane reciprocating. Additionally, it ensures that the students are active and updated, also giving them a wider scope in their future endeavors.
INTEGRATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP INTO EDUCATION THROUGH FACULTY
The school has an Entrepreneurship Club wherein the students of every class meet once a week and work with a specialized teacher in developing their own venture. The idea is to give the students hands on experience of a business set up, the challenges faced and of course, teamwork skills amongst the student.
The students do everything starting from the inception of the idea, to the advertisement, set up, sales and accounts. An annual event or rather fair, called “Young Entrepreneurs Association” (YEA), is then held where students sell their products. The profit generated is used to set up a new venture the following year by the same students.
PROBLEM SOLVING AND CRITICAL THINKING AMONG FACULTY
The Subject Heads are elected at the beginning of every year and they meet their teams on the first Saturday of every month. During these meetings, the syllabus plans and their smooth functioning, problems faced and their probable solutions, etc are discussed. The problems, if any faced, are solved within these groups by way of discussion.
Additionally, these groups decide the events that can be planned in order to enhance the skills of the students further. For instance, the language group plans events such as Just a Minute, Debates, etc spanned over the year.
GROUP WORK AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS AMIDST FACULTY
At the beginning of the academic year, we assign teachers for every event at least in pairs, if not in groups. There is therefore the ability to work together with another in order to put forth a successful event, thus instilling social skills. Another remarkable initiative that the school takes is to organize an event for the teachers on the last working day of the academic year, “Un-Conference”. Spanned across the day, teachers organize various events voluntarily for their peers, such as Zumba, doodling, self-defense, cooking, karaoke, reiki, choir singing, etc.
Teachers register themselves for the workshops and take a minimum of three workshops depending on their areas of interest. This enables us to firstly, identify the potential of teachers in terms of their talents; secondly, to bring together like minded staff; and third to build on their social skills while working for themselves and learning from resource persons from within their own.
UNDERSTANDING AND ACTION BASED LEARNING
Education and learning is best imparted when teachers have the freedom to use their own approach in keeping the varied needs of the students in mind. Our teachers make sure that the syllabus is not just completed for the sake of it, but that the students get ample chances to implement what they do by way of creating models, performing plays, going on field trips, to name a few. I firmly believe that learning is most effective when students experience it for themselves by putting their knowledge and learning into practical use. Added to this, exams are not the only form of assessment used. Project based learning and research is encouraged across grades. As Benjamin Franklin rightly said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.”
COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
Our faculty members are constantly encouraged to conduct as well as attend various workshops, seminars, and undertake courses for their development. Several teachers of our institution have undertaken further studies for knowledge enhancement while serving with us.
Another key aspect that I would like to highlight is that our faculty is a unique mix of experienced and fresh new talent. The senior faculty members help train new recruits and guide them through, while the young minds ignite and nurture new ideas and creativity in their approach towards learning. The faculty is duly acknowledged for their remarkable endeavors and work together to deliver the best for the students.
EDUCATION ACCENTUATING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SAFEGUARDING DEMOCRACY
Man is a social being who is born out of society, in society and for society. As educators, we hold the crucial responsibility of shaping students as responsible citizens of tomorrow. As Aristotle rightly said, “The true essence of education is in guiding the students in the right direction, at the right place, keeping the greater good of mankind in mind, which intern makes the nation a better place to live in.”
INTEGRATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS INTO THE DAILY
CURRICULUM
In order to inculcate a sense of social responsibility among the students, we undertake various approaches that I would like to highlight. To begin with, we organize a grade wise Bake Sale wherein students make easy food items at home and sell during recess hours, the proceedings of which are given to charity. One such Bake Sale had the theme “Corn Festival” where grade 8 students made several items using corn – Popcorn, corn chaat, corn chips – to name a few, and was a great hit. We also have the IB Diploma program wherein the students visit places for CAS activities. Another initiative by the school is “Sneh Shrushti”, which is a separate organization to cater to the education of underprivileged children. From time to time, children of our school work in collaboration with them, teaching them.
FUTURISTIC SELECTION OF SUBJECT CONTENT
Our curriculum is progressive and inclusive in nature. It is keeping in mind the future needs of the students and the choices that they might need to make in the future.
LIFELONG LEARNING AND SOCIAL SKILLS OF FACULTY MEMBERS
Education is a lifelong process – it starts in the mother’s womb and ends in the tomb. Several opportunities for in service training are provided to our teachers from time to time depending on their areas of expertise to further enhance their capabilities.
FACULTY ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF THEIR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS AND PRODUCTIONS
The faculty works tirelessly and strives towards perfection, be it in catering to the students and their needs or their own knowledge upgradation. The faculty is evaluated at all levels – by the management, heads of departments, peers, as well as students. Any form of creativity or out of the box approach to teaching is appreciated and brought to limelight which encourages a sense of healthy competition amongst others. In addition to this, teachers are also encouraged to participate in competitive exams such as Teacher’s Olympiad.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY TO FACULTY EMPOWERMENT
“Enlighten – Educate – Empower” – I firmly believe that Enlightened teachers impart better education which empowers an entire generation. The key to faculty empowerment is in making our teachers as facilitators, as change makers, holding them responsible for shaping an entire generation, imbibing knowledge not merely within the realms of subject knowledge but that which makes students capable and empowered.