The role of schools today extends far beyond imparting knowledge; they serve as incubators for nurturing future change-makers! To delve deeper into this critical aspect of education, we present below an interview with Ms. Nindiya Saket, Principal, Manav Rachna International School, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Ms. Saket shares valuable insights ranging from sustainability education to overcoming challenges in education. Let’s dive in!
Q. How do you view the role of education in promoting social equality and contributing to national development?
Education plays a pivotal role in stimulating social equality and further contributing to national development. The focus has to be on equal opportunities, keeping in mind marginalized groups. Reducing inequalities and providing equal opportunities in education to children from varied experiences, while enhancing their skills and knowledge, will definitely reduce socio-economic variances. This will empower marginalized groups regarding their rights and duties. Education will not just produce thinking individuals but also enable people to acquire better jobs and improve the economic status of the country. An increase in literacy is crucial for improving healthcare areas. For example, if women are educated, they can make better health choices and take care of their family’s health, focusing on personal hygiene too. Healthy individuals produce a healthy nation.
At Manav Rachna International School (MRIS), Noida, we foster social equality through free education for economically weaker section students, providing them with equal opportunities through integrated classrooms. We have special programs for special education needs students with OT facilities to bring these students into mainstream education. The focus is on STEM, lifelong learning programs, and gender parity. At MRIS Noida, we instil values of civic responsibility, environmental stewardship, and community service in our students. Our ‘Young Leaders Program’ encourages students to engage in local community projects, fostering a sense of national unity and social responsibility.
Q. Could you share examples of how value-based education is integrated into the curriculum to foster ethical awareness and social responsibility among students?
In order to foster virtuous consciousness and social responsibility among students, the amalgamation of value-based education is imperative. By embedding these practices into the curriculum, we aim to develop students who are not just academically excellent but also empathetic and socially responsible. At Manav Rachna International School, Noida, we achieve this through:
- Life Skill Programs: These focus on values like honesty, integrity, kindness, empathy, respect, and integrity. They also emphasize critical thinking skills, collaborative working, creative thinking, leadership qualities, decision-making, and interpersonal skills. The curriculum helps students navigate ethical impasses and develop social responsibilities through Six Thinking Hats activities and SWOT analysis.
- National Curricular Framework: NCF has laid down guidelines for subject integration with values that are being followed rigorously at MRIS. Every topic is integrated with values and virtues, developing the moral consciousness among the students.
- School Assemblies and Celebration of National Days: MRIS organizes a Kargil Diwas assembly every year in the form of a tableau competition, inviting the families of the martyrs to promote the patriotic essence among the students. Apart from this, special assemblies are organized on National Days to foster love for the nation and respect for fellow citizens in students.
- Workshops and Seminars and CBSE Apps: MRIS organizes frequent workshops and seminars on ethics, leadership, social responsibility, governance, etc. They also explore platforms like Diksha and NROER that offer assimilated value-based lessons.
- LCDC Program (Life Skill & Development Centre): This encompasses the Social Ethics and Morality Curriculum along with Community Outreach Initiatives. Our students participate in a Langar, Community Kitchen initiative, where they distribute meals to homeless individuals and also share among themselves. This initiative not only provides practical help to those in need but also teaches students the importance of generosity and community service.
- Blood Donation Camps and A Day with the CEO: These are other initiatives of the school. Students of our Agroecology club lead initiatives such as tree plantation, recycling drives, and energy conservation campaigns.
Through a combination of academic instruction, service learning, character education, and co-curricular activities, we strive to nurture ethically aware and socially responsible students who are prepared to make positive contributions to society.
Q. What strategies does your school employ to integrate STEM/STEAM education with traditional academic disciplines while ensuring academic excellence? Why is this important?
At MRIS, we employ various strategies to integrate STEM/STEAM education while maintaining the essence of traditional academic disciplines. This is achieved through:
- Makershalla Lab: This lab allows students to engage in hands-on activities that integrate core engineering, technology, and robotics, enhancing their critical skills and creativity. For example, students have created sustainable houses that address real-world problems, thus integrating their knowledge of science and art.
- Design Thinking: Students are taught to identify problems, ideate, prototype, find solutions, and integrate their scientific cognizance with creativity, thus producing new knowledge.
- Use of Technology: MRIS employs digital tools like simulation software, educational software, and virtual labs to promote technology-integrated learning. The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program is the most effective.
- Online Learning Programs: Usage of MS Teams facilitates collaborative learning through projects and research works. Platforms like Padlet, Nearpod, Kahoot, Quizizz, Scratch, Tinkercad, PhET, Labster, Raz-Plus, and Tata Edge classes are commonly used by the teachers.
- Field Trips: These help students experience the real world and apply the knowledge in their classroom learnings.
- Co-curricular Activities: These help students apply their learning in interdisciplinary contexts.
- Life Skill Curriculum: LS classes help children identify themselves with real-world problems and develop empathy and compassion for others.
As we move towards a dynamic world, it is important for the students to enhance their 21st-century skills while remaining unpretentious and humble. At MRIS, Noida, we strive to create a dynamic learning environment where STEM/STEAM education is seamlessly integrated with traditional disciplines, ensuring our students are innovative, well-rounded individuals capable of making significant contributions to society.
Q. In what ways does your school integrate technology to enhance teaching and learning experiences, particularly in STEM/STEAM fields?
Integration of technology is necessary for enhancing the teaching and learning experiences of students. At MRIS, the curriculum and infrastructure provide opportunities for students to augment their learning experiences in STEM/STEAM.
- Interactive Boards and TataEdge Classrooms: These boards and interactive curriculums display multimedia content for better student learning.
- Maker Shalla and Media Shalla Labs: These labs provide opportunities for students to enhance their creative and critical skills through core engineering, coding and programming, AR and VR technology, gamification, robotics, 3-D and laser printing, carpentry, and STEM and STEAM education. Through Mediashalla, they gain exposure to filmmaking, podcasting, content writing, photography, radio jockeying, content creation, and working on a green screen.
- IoT (Internet of Things): Students design and build IoT projects using microcontrollers, devices, and actuators. They are able to explore concepts like data collection, connectivity, and automation in real-world experiences.
- Digital Learning Journey: Students create their digital portfolios as part of their STEM/STEAM projects.
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Students are allowed to bring their own devices to research and explore digital tools, creating new STEM/STEAM projects.
Q. How does sustainability education feature in your curriculum, and what initiatives are in place to promote environmental consciousness among students?
At MRIS, Noida, we integrate sustainability into the curriculum, undertaking various initiatives to promote environmental consciousness among students. Students learn about ecosystems, biodiversity, climate change, renewable energy, and sustainable practices through an interdisciplinary approach and integrated curriculum. Various research projects related to sustainability are assigned to students, providing platforms to explore innovative solutions to issues like climate change and energy resources.
At MRIS, we have undertaken initiatives such as:
- Agro-sustainable Clubs
- Undertaking Green Initiatives
- Awareness Campaigns
- Partnerships with Environmental Organizations
- Green School Certifications
- Solar Energy Projects
- Water Conservation Programs
- Eco-Friendly Products
- Energy Audits
- Biodiversity Surveys
- Planet Stewards
At MRIS, we integrate sustainability education into the curriculum through project-based learning, interdisciplinary lessons, community engagement, and hands-on activities, thus making students responsible towards environmental concerns.
Q. What challenges do you face in balancing academic rigour with holistic development, and how do you address them?
Sometimes it becomes difficult to balance academic rigor and holistic development. Some of the challenges are:
- Time Management: Time is a major constraint in achieving the desired goals as meeting the challenges of the curriculum does not allow enough time for co-curricular activities.
- Standard Assessment Pressure: Standard assessment schedules often overshadow the principles of holistic development. Students are more concerned about their exams and results and often compromise on creative projects and other co-curricular activities.
- Parental Expectations: Parents expect high academic results from the students, thus shifting the focus from a holistic approach to assessment-based learning.
- Curriculum Constraints: Curriculums need to be more flexible to make room for holistic development.
- Student’s Mental Well-being: Students often stress out due to heavy academic demands, developing anxiety. In such cases, extra-curricular activities are often compromised.
At MRIS, we have developed strategies to balance these challenges. For example, we employ project-based learning that integrates academics with real-world applications, thus maintaining academic rigour while also enhancing critical thinking and innovative approaches. We create flexible schedules that provide time for co-curricular activities, ensuring that students are able to develop a holistic approach without compromising on academic lessons. Effective pedagogies like flip classroom teaching, digital tools, peer programs, multi-age multi-grade teaching programs, and mentor-mentee programs help us achieve holistic development without disturbing academic rigour.
Q. How do you measure the success of your educational approach in terms of promoting social equality, academic excellence, and holistic development among students?
We measure the success of our educational approach through a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics. We evaluate social equality, academic excellence, and holistic development through diverse assessment tools and practices, continuously striving for improvement. Various metrics and tools are employed for assessment and evaluation.
For Example:
- Feedback and Surveys: Conducting 360-degree surveys twice a year ensures quality and effectiveness.
- Scholarship Program: Besides providing financial aid, this program assesses academic excellence.
- Standard Assessment Tools: Standardized tests, including CBSE and Olympiad Exams, assess performances, with high scores and improvement trends indicating academic success.
- College and University Placements: Maintaining records of students admitted to higher educational institutions and the quality of these colleges.
- Learning Journey Tracking: Maintaining continuous records of students’ assessments, scores, achievements, and regular Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- Alumni Success: Tracking alumni success stories serves as a testament to the school’s effective educational approach.
- Parent Testimonials: Regular feedback and testimonials from parents on social media help gauge the effectiveness of programs and initiatives.
