Teacher conclave hosted by Ramjas School

“Education is the key that unlocks the golden door to freedom.”
George Washington Carver

Ramjas International School hosted a workshop on September 16th, 2023 to educate teachers on Growth Mindset, Transformative Schools, Educational Initiatives, and Holistic Assessment. The Indian School - Second Shift sent two teachers, Ms Parminder Kaur Anand and Ms Garima, to attend the workshop at the India International Centre.

The workshop began with Shri Raj Nath Gupta, chairman of Ramjas International School, lighting the ceremonial lamp. Chief guest, Dr Pragya M. Singh, Director of Academics-Assessment at the Central Board of Secondary Education, was welcomed. Dr Singh discussed the National Educational Policy, 2020, and its implementation, five pillars, and major focus areas in school education. She also provided various examples to illustrate her points. The workshop also focused on new dimensions of education, competency-based learning, pedagogy and pedagogical interventions, and capacity building for teachers. Dr Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Chairperson and Executive Director of DLF Foundation Schools and Scholarships and former Chairperson of NPSC discussed changes impacting schools, such as rapid technological advancements and societal expectations and highlighted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. She emphasised the importance of various types of learning, including art integrated learning, story-based learning, sports integrated learning, problem-based learning, and technology-enabled learning.

Ms Jayanti Dasgupta, Vice President of Customer Success, initiated the third session on educational initiatives. She discussed the meaning of the term "Competency" and provided examples of competency questions in Mathematics, English, and Science. She informed the audience that many countries are making changes to their educational and assessment systems. Ms Dasgupta explained the details of various educational initiatives and demonstrated examples of creating stories and passages using Mindspark. Dr Sudha Acharya, Principal of ITL Public School and Chairperson of NPSC, initiated the fourth session on holistic assessment in schools. She discussed the NIPUN BHARAT guidelines and their three goals: physical health and well-being, effective communication, and involved learners.

Dr Acharya linked the Holistic Progress Card with NIPUN BHARAT and provided examples from Economics for better understanding. She also demonstrated various types of assessment strategies in the early years, such as storytelling, observation, and finger puppets. Lastly, Ms Lata Vaidyanathan, Director/Manager of Gyan Bharti School and former Principal of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, discussed the topic of Growth Mindset. She began with an exercise followed by a story on Gandhiji. The definition of a Fixed Mindset and ways to cultivate a Growth Mindset was discussed along with examples of renowned personalities such as Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Joanne Rowling, Elon Musk, and Oprah Winfrey.

The session concluded with a video on the story of a village in Nilgiri Hills named Odanthurai, which provided clarity on the concept. In conclusion, the workshop was informative and enriching, leading to intellectual development and an increased understanding of assessment strategies and competency-based questions.