According to UNICEF’s website, inclusive education “allows students of all backgrounds to learn and grow side by side, to the benefit of all.” While educational institutions may aspire to this laudable goal, being ‘inclusive’ in the broadest sense of…
One can rise above envy and petty feelings and enrich our lives and that of others While you are at a meeting, you receive a text from your best friend announcing that she has been admitted into a Master’s program…
Nakul has toiled for seven years at his current firm. Just two days ago, he got an award for being a Great Team Leader. However, Nakul is not buoyed by the plaque or the certificate. For all his efforts, he…
What can students do to foster critical thinking in the classroom? That students may blossom into creative and critical thinkers is one of the main tenets of education. Yet, teaching in classrooms continues to follow an old-fashioned delivery model,…
Students should move beyond rote memorisation to “higher-order thinking”. This is a concept recognised by most school boards. Most Indian boards make it a point to include “higher-order thinking” questions in exams, while the IGCSE schools tend to fo…
The scramble for a Kindergarten seat is only the beginning of an almost lifelong quest of bagging limited resources so our kids are not left wanting. From getting admission into an elite school to a prestigious college to landing a…
Like other negative emotions, regret too can serve a useful purpose if it is used judiciously “I wish I had pursued Bharatanatyam in my teens instead of rebelling against my mom’s wishes.” “If I had studied harder in college, I…
Does your professor like you? Does he/she think you’re capable? Or, treat you as if you are incompetent? Does your lecturer appreciate your diligence or disapprove of your lackadaisical attitude? Does he/she believe that your tardiness is a personal character…
During our scholastic years, our responsibilities and goals are clearly delineated. While we progress from one class to the next, we also receive feedback in terms of grades that indicate whether we are on track and meeting expectations.
When Classes 9 and 10 enacted The Merchant of Venice, Tarun received a standing ovation. His authentic and nuanced portrayal of Shylock stunned the audience, who believed the kid was indeed gifted. But a week later, Tarun’s academic report told…
Aruna Sankaranarayanan is the author of Zero Limits: Things Every 20 Something Should Know. She was the Founder & Director of PRAYATNA, a centre for children with learning difficulties in Bengaluru & Chennai for 22 years.