At Brindavan Education Trust, the academic year end meetings were going on . New roles of teachers for the upcoming term were being discussed with much enthusiasm
The Brindavan philosophy is that all teachers be comfortable in all roles. While some teachers felt apprehensive, they also realized the need to get out of comfort zones and use opportunities to learn.
Two words flashed across my mind … Upskilling and reskilling, and their importance
Upskilling is about “adding new, targeted competencies to existing expertise to increase value” not necessarily changing entire competencies. For example, learning new technologies, about new application programs, updating oneself with developments in the relevant field.
Reskilling is the process of training employees to take on entirely new roles, usually because their current ones are changing or fading out. Ex Roles may change due to processes or technology.. One has to morph seamlessly into new roles
Both these have become very important for any kind of organization due to technological advances and the emergence of AI as a dominant force.
So what can we do to upskill/ reskill?
Highly qualified and skilled teachers are required especially in the field of special education. The educational landscape today is fast paced and ever changing. Attending workshops and conferences help teachers network with like minded professionals, and become aware of new teaching techniques, classroom management strategies and incorporation of educational technology. It helps us understand current trends and advances in the field.
So, who is the onus on? I would say both the Heads of institutions and the teachers.
Heads of institutions should identify gaps in skills among their staff and address it through in house workshops as well as seminars conducted by prestigious bodies. They should be forward looking and understand the big picture. They should create an enabling environment for continuous learning.
Teachers should be given some time off to attend education related seminars.
On their part ,teachers should have the motivation to attend workshops, and be excited to attend engaging, relevant, and rewarding training programs. They should be open minded to learn from juniors also.
This also raises an important life lesson.. Change is a part of life. We need to let go of the old and make room for the new. Adapting could also mean that we get rid of old systems that no longer serve us.
-Janaki Narayan
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December 3rd 2025 is International day of persons with disabilities .The theme for this year is “Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress”. This day is internationally observed and promoted by UN since 1992. The WHO also joins the UN in observing this day each year. The aim is to reduce stigma and promote inclusion.
The thrust for this year ‘s theme is community involvement to build a safe and equitable world for persons with disabilities. The aim is inclusion in all areas of life that is, political, social, economic and cultural aspects.
So, how does this translate to support to the PwD at every level, and toward full inclusion? Where can they find support? Parents, relatives and friends help with daily chores and emotional needs. Healthcare professionals including specialists like occupational therapists and counsellors provide physical and emotional health services. Peer groups share experiences. Formal advocacy groups work toward protecting rights, improving services and improving policies.
The need of the hour is community involvement.
What are some ways in which every local community can help?
- Create accessible environments in parks, theatres, museums etc
- Volunteer time at an NGO working for inclusion or join groups which push for changes in policy to favour inclusion
- Build networks to help individuals with disability combat isolation
- Inclusive schools and workspaces: ALL individuals need to be prepared for a diverse world. Inclusive schools and workspaces help remove physical and mental barriers and discriminatory practices.
Let our community mission be to create a culture of trust and empowerment.
]]>Tell me, the names of all the flowers? Be quick!
The above is a ditty we sang as children, sitting in a circle, accompanied by clapping in sync. We would rack our brain to think about something in the category mentioned. We could not repeat what another child said , had to think on our feet . We also had to “ be quick” in naming something after each clap sound!
For example,
Child 1 Jasmine, Be quick
Child 2 Rose, Be quick
Child 3 Lotus, Be quick
A child who could not come up with a name in the category was declared “out” and had to move out of the circle. The winner was the child who remained unbeaten and could come up with several examples for a particular category.
I tried this game during one of my teaching assignments in Brindavan Education trust and was quite amazed that children could come up with several names when they could choose categories they liked such as “cars “ or “movies”. However, this idea needed to be extended to their academic subjects also.
Categories is a word game where players attempt to list words that fit into particular categories,. Players start by deciding on a list of categories between them, such as “cities” “actors” etc.
I suggested the same principle for the teacher training course through using a “vocabulary box”. The teacher can use a shoebox to store cards on which all words related to a concept are written down. Ex parts of a plant.
This method helps the student in reviewing and recollecting vocabulary and related ideas.
Many teachers already use categorization ideas, For instance, in reading and comprehension, information is categorized into Characters, settings ,Plot and ending. In states of matter, categorization is done under headings of “solids, Liquids, gases”
However, It is also important to understand why categorization and chunking of information is important especially for children with diverse learning needs
For instance, Why did I feel the “Categories” game is a very useful strategy?
Internet gives us the answer
“The brain utilizes categorization as a fundamental cognitive strategy to organize and interpret information, allowing for efficient processing and understanding of the world. This involves sorting objects, events, and ideas into groups based on shared characteristics, similarities, or other criteria. “
.“Categorization is a vital cognitive skill that allows individuals to structure the world by classifying things according to their common attributes and characteristics, and adapting to the changing environment (Vanpaemel and Bayer 2021).”
For children with learning difficulties, when we categorize and organize information ,at the same time adapting and simplifying information, they understand better and learn to identify connections within these categories, thereby improving their critical thinking abilities also.
We create a supportive and enhanced learning environment for children with Learning Difficulties when we use Categorization as a strategy.
-Janaki Narayan
]]>One of the most exciting assignments I had in Brindavan was to guide a senior class through
a Critical Thinking Activity every week. These are a few pointers from my teaching
experience with that class.
Critical thinking is a higher order thinking skill. It is the ability to judge or discern going
beyond basic observation and memorization of facts. A web search will clarify that “it
involves the ability to analyse and interpret data and use facts and evidence to arrive at a
solution to an issue.”
One of the strategies used in critical thinking, among many, is group discussion. I would
encourage children to think about a problem from different perspectives and hopefully see
merit in another person’s perspective also. This skill is essential for problem solving which
will stand them in good stead in future too.
Most of the time , the students participated enthusiastically. Sometimes, though, there
would be a silence as students were stumped as to how to proceed. I needed to understand
this well to help them. I remembered from my own school and college days that every group
discussion had “peaks” and “troughs” . The “peaks” represent periods of high engagement
and a noisy atmosphere. The “troughs” are times when there is a sudden lull in
engagement.
When a discussion hits a ”trough”, it’s the role of the class teacher to facilitate a return to
active discussion. There are several ways to do this
Ask a series of open-ended questions connected to the topic to help students come
up with responses. This is to discourage passively receiving information. Maximum
learning happens when there are enquiring minds.
Teach students the difference between fact and opinion and provide examples
Pair students up to enable collaborative learning and thereby induce confidence
Prevent domination of the class by one student by specifying names initially, so that
students take turns
If the students find the discussion too tough, use chunking technique to break the
topic into smaller, manageable parts
The teacher can also introduce another angle to the discussion as a thread students
can develop on
Remind students to be respectful to their peers, and not to belittle them, whatever
points they raise, however trivial
Students should be encouraged to listen to another point of view also attentively
and actively
Summarize all learnings on the blackboard and ask the students to reflect on them
further.
Click on the link to read more:
]]>Very often this is the response of a parent who walks into our afterschool remedial centre. Many parents are tired, having gone from pillar to post, having spent a lot of money and time with nothing happening, trying to find that one solution, that one place, which will fix their child’s issues. The child drags his feet behind the parent, shoulders drooping with the weight of the school bag he is carrying and the invisible weight of not knowing what to do, as nothing seems to happen however much he tries. When the concept of remediation is explained patiently to the parent, the bewildered parent does not know what to say. There seems to be a spark of hope lighting up the child’s eyes as he feels finally someone is able to understand what he is going through.
“I want remedial classes for my child. Here is the assessment report. Please tell me how many classes my child must come for?” I begin to explain the process and the parent cuts me short-“yes, I know all that” [thanks to Aunty google!] I finally must put my foot down and say you first listen to what I have to say and explain very firmly to the parent that there is no quick fix solution- a minimum of one year is needed for some progress to happen and regularity is very important. No guarantees or timeline can be given but we reiterate that we will help the child.
The above are just two scenarios I have described that happen many times at the Afterschool Remedial centre in Jayanagar.
What is all this about?
Parents are anxious, worried and desperate at times. The child is angry, or fed up or relieved. It is literally a myriad range of feelings and emotions that erupt.
A Remedial programme is a very meticulously planned intervention, that looks at the strengths and difficulties of a child and aims to work on the difficulties using the strengths and teaching the child in the way the child learns. It is assessing the basic skills such as reading, spelling, writing, comprehension, math concepts, oral language and attention. It is only when the basic skills are in place or at a certain level of proficiency that a child can make sense of curriculum and learn and perform in school. Challenges are many- the child’s style of learning is also an important factor. A formal and/or informal assessment is needed to throw light on the various factors at play. Many a time so much more than the report is revealed once you work with the child.
The pressure the child is under also needs to be looked at. Many children leave home in the morning and come for remedial class straight from school and then go on to tuition and homework. No wonder the feet are dragging and the shoulders are drooping. There is no time for the child to play or indulge in areas like art music or dance at which a child may be very good or just be!
It is a vicious cycle of school and its demands, parental pressure, and peer pressure to name a few.
The dictum of earlier the better holds good here. The sooner a child with difficulties comes in for remedial sessions, the better it is. In lower grades [Lower kindergarten to 2nd grade] the curriculum is still very less when compared to even primary grades such as 3rd grade. It is easier to deal with just the skills without the pressure of the curriculum looming above. But sadly, this does not happen for many reasons- children are not identified by the school or the parents or the pediatricians or if identified, the parent is reluctant to seek help. So, though our focus is on the child, educating the parent and walking the walk so to say with the parent is equally important.
Another very challenging task we face is when remediation works but the child is still few grades below. The child may have to change the board or shift from mainstream into a special set up which would offer smaller groups and more individual attention. It takes couple of years at times to get the parent understand what is needed for the child.
All this along with, informally building up communication and social interaction skills, self-esteem and self-confidence are also other areas where work happens side by side.
The difficulties the child came in with may have been resolved but it is important to watch out for new ones that may spring up due to the demands of the curriculum or the age of the child. And these need to be dealt with.
Remedial support need not/should not be permanent. Many a time the child can be weaned off remedial support if the progress is adequate but for some children, remedial support at times is needed for many years to continue in mainstream education.
-Jayashree Rajanahally
Coordinator, ASR Jayanagar
]]>Our annual ‘Teachers’ Day Out’ – Having missed out on the last years’ one due to a leg injury, I was hoping that nothing would come in the way of me going this time. Well, everything worked in favour for me!!
Every annual Teachers’ Day Out is similar yet different. The difference could be due to quite some aspects..
– we are a year older from the earlier year and our experiences in the year that passed would have brought in some change in us
– the venue could be different
– there maybe the presence of some new and the absence of some who were there earlier
– our own mental and emotional state maybe different
etc etc etc..
No matter what, it was certainly a day to look forward to.
The child in us was out in the open and the teacher in us went on leave :-).
No instructions to be given, no serious face to be kept, no monitoring, no ‘eagle eyes’ to observe, no school discussions… so many no’s..
Yes to singing loudly with the lyrics sometimes muddled up, yes to shaking a leg, yes to someone not wanting to sing or shake a leg, yes to a whole lot of silly giggles and laughter.. so many yes’s..
Whether it is those who conduct games or those who play it, it was fun unlimited. With the ‘teacher on leave’, quite some naughty children were out – either not waiting for turn or answering before the other team could answer the question.
The child that is out in the open, looks at the surroundings with wide eyes, taking in the breath of fresh air, seeing the rabbits and the sheep and the lamb and the donkey and the love birds and the parrots that come to peck on the fruit in the tree. Gives in to the need to lift a lamb ever so gingerly and look at it with awe. Wonderment and joy are the words for this day!!
It is indeed a marvel how an ‘outing’ and to a place that is set amongst trees and farm animals and that rustic farm look, can put everyone so much at ease. It lends many moments of interaction and engagement with no holds barred and with no fear of being judged or assessed or evaluated. That is also when a lot of sharing happens freely. It is a wonder that a similar experience that all of us have, in each of our lives, we have experienced it differently; and the perspectives we have gained from it are very different and yet with some similarities.
When sharing of such experiences happens, one can’t but think how each one of us have handled it in the best way that we could and moved on in life. Such sharing makes us travel back in the journey of life and brings many a memory alive. Memories that bring some reflection which may lead one to a thinking mode; and also has the power to generate much laughter from within us – A laughter so infectious that it has everyone around also infected :-).
It is really amazing how such sharing can radiate much energy – one that emanates such strength and power.. one which shows how much an individual is capable of.. one that lends a sense of pride of being in the environs of such individuals… cherished moments certainly!! Moments for posterity!!
What makes such ‘outings’ even more special is that though we are with people, there are moments when we are with ourselves – moments of reflection or moments of silence. In that reflection or silence is built a bond with all the others who have come for the ‘outing’.
If building of these bonds is what such ‘outings’ are to bring, this one certainly has done that!! It maybe an exhausted journey back from the ‘outing’ but one that was exhaustive in the smiles, laughter and happiness it brought.
This ‘outing’ reminds of what Shri Narendra Modi said to Nikhil Kamath (in the latter’s podcast) about how he used to go somewhere alone for 3 – 4 days. He said, “I go to meet myself”.
All of us who went for this ‘outing’ perhaps did just that – “We went to meet ourselves” – meeting ourselves and the reflection of ourselves in others.
The best gift that we could have gifted ourselves!!
]]>I attended the parents’ enablement course at Brindavan Education Trust and found it to be extremely valuable. The faculty are expert senior educators, who were very invested in each of the participants. In addition to the detailed strategies and new knowledge that came my way, the biggest support is the Brindavan community of parents and mentors that I am now part of.
Thank you Brindavan Team for the great work and the positive impact you make
I attended a book release function many months ago where the author mentioned the word “Enterprise Agility”. He was talking about the need for organizations to be flexible and responsive to the new business environment. But the word “Agility” struck a chord with me. I started thinking about the mental agility required in an institution like ours. The need for us, special educators, as well as parents of differently abled children to equip ourselves with the tools required to help our children face an ever changing world.
The dictionary meaning of mental “agility” is the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly. It is the capacity to respond to events in a flexible way, to take in change and find the best course of action to move ahead despite coming across some situations which are not expected. For example, the Covid 19 pandemic forced us to think in new ways as to how to implement distance learning. Both teachers and students showed remarkable flexibility in adapting to this new teaching-learning environment. Of course, it was far from perfect but it did demonstrate human ability to respond effectively to changing conditions.
All teachers, including special educators are expected to have a number of computer/technology skills with the emergence of hybrid online learning including a fair knowledge of AI and how it can be used to benefit children with Specific learning needs. Children and parents also have to be in sync with these emerging changes. Another area where special educators need a lot of agility is to be able to cater to a heterogenous group of children with a wide range of needs. Special Educators apply the Universal Design of Learning (UDL) in all classrooms. It means that multiple ways are provided to students to access information and show what they know. Parents can help by identifying the child’s preferred mode of learning – Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic or Tactile and help the child strengthen that area.
In conclusion, family dynamics may change when parenting a child with special needs. But this agile redistribution of roles and responsibilities also develops a sense of resilience and togetherness. Special educators should always research about best practices and not be rigid in their teaching methodologies, in order to positively impact student outcomes.
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