On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we bring you some of the most notable and distinguished women eduleaders from the education industry to share their incredible journey, insights, and experiences. Here are the excerpts from the interview
Preethi Vickram
Founder
Tapas Progressive Institution, Bengaluru
Parents need to be educated about the need to send girl children to schools and colleges. We need to be creating systems that empower women and give them the right launch pad for success. Women have always proven to be better innovators and problem solvers – this can be seen across the world, right from homes to the biggest organisations. Young girls around the world need to be able to look up to more women leaders and champions. Entrepreneurship is also an empowering choice for a lot of women and I hope more and more women dive into the world of entrepreneurship – creating solutions opines Preethi.
On encouraging girls’ education in India, Preethi feels a need to educate their parents and create better pathways for more and more women teachers to be a part of the education process. “There needs to be work done at both ends of the pyramid. It is equally important for parents and young girls to be able to look up to women leaders and champions across the world. Organisations globally need to promote women’s empowerment across their branches and offices – and actually take tangible steps to ensure the successful implementation rather than just do it as token gesture.”
On project based learning
Tapas is a 1st-12th school, currently in our second cohort. It is a 100% Project-Based Learning School, focusing on STEAM Education. At the core of the school is the Cambridge curriculum which has been customised to the needs of the Indian students. There were no 100% Project-Based Learning Schools in India. In today’s age, children need more dynamic modes of education, and sticking to the rigid old methods doesn’t do justice to the evolving learning capacities of children.
Conventional education has always tended to focus on memory building as opposed to a practical understanding of concepts and skillbuilding amongst learners. That methodology isn’t enough to prepare children for the future. It’s important that children know ‘how to learn’ and not focus on ‘what to learn’.
Project-Based Learning is a teaching methodology that imparts hands-on learning to children by engaging them in actual real-world projects. Learning through active participation in projects lets students connect to the world beyond the classroom – something traditional methodologies of teaching do not. Project-Based Learning helps students develop deeper subject matter expertise and critical thinking skills.
