16 December 2013

From the Director's Desk


As we come to the end of another semester and year, we are going through that most important exercise in the life of a school – stock-taking. At different levels we have been asking ourselves – how are we doing? What are the goals which we need to set ourselves going ahead?  It is a crucial process because in education if we stand still, we wither away. To review honestly is a challenge but also a cause for satisfaction. All the areas we are considering are too numerous to summarise especially since it is an ongoing process but here are some;

   Some Successes:

•             Extending students interests and talents, giving opportunities for them to discover things they didn’t know they could do: Whether it is in the performing arts through music performances in school, the mega Founders Day, the development of inter-school teams in sports, participation in Model UNs etc we provide multiple opportunities for the development of confidence and the consolidation of talent.
•             Creating digital citizens for the 21st century: Technology is both the enabler and the challenge for education. The multiple ways in which students and teachers use technology from the use of online resources, writing of blogs, using IPad apps,
researching intelligently on Google,  reading e-books, interacting with authors on skype, making films,  the use of schedules on google docs etc the school has made great leaps in the e-learning domain.
•             Creating responsible citizens: Our community service and action programme extends right across the school. Whether it is in making students understand our planet’s depleting resources and the importance of responsible action, fund raising for Uttaranchal or for a neighbourhood school, teaching children from economically deprived backgrounds or growing plants for sale,
our students learn to think about their responsibility for improving their world. Next week’s Day of Sharing where our support staff will put up a show for students followed by a langar lunch for all,  served by senior school students, is a good example of creating an understanding of the dignity of all work and the sense of community within the school.
•             Involving parents in the education of children: Our strong belief that education is too important to leave out the entire community takes many shapes. Over the semester parents have come in to run language stalls in the primary
, arranged interesting guest speakers, been involved in academic goal setting in the student-led conferences, helped with Founders Day. The semester is culminating in the Christmas carnival where parents are taking on the huge role of cooking a variety of food, creating interesting activities and working with the student interact club to organize the day.
•             Our teachers: For any school today the biggest challenge is to find the right staff to teach both the academic programme as well as the larger area of student development which is the heart of true education. We are fortunate to have a group of dedicated, impassioned teachers. In addition we have been committed to a strong professional development programme where teachers attend dozens of IB-run and other workshops each semester, there are in-school discussion sessions and invited workshop leaders in school.

Our Goals Ahead
Many of our goals involve doing better what we have already started. The goal posts need to constantly shift for a school to continue to improve the quality of the education we deliver. These are some of the areas we are considering :
•             Advanced Learners: While we have in place a differentiated education programme which aims to meet the learning needs of different levels within the same classroom, there is more to be done to truly stretch and challenge our most able students. Our teachers have been working on strategies for this but there is much to be done.
•             Our Programme Calendar:  While all events are in themselves beneficial for students we need to review which students should be involved in which programme to protect learning.
We have been taking steps such as keeping Form 12 out of Founders Day or keeping the entire senior school out of the International Film Festival. While we are also clear that as in life, students need to learn to balance multiple activities with academics through self-discipline, we need to find a balance.
•             Technology Use:  Although this is a challenge for 21st century schools around the world, we struggle with students who post online irresponsibly or get distracted with the access given by laptops in learning. There are no easy solutions but we need to continue working on this.
•             New Teachers: We have succeeded in enabling a happy working environment and are fortunate that teachers do not leave for other schools. However personal reasons have seen teachers move away from the NCR or the country. When this happens mid-semester it poses a challenge. Although we have support and guidance systems and a mentor programme, we need to continue to strengthen the settling in processes of new teachers.

Reminders
•             Christmas Carnival: This is the first year when we combine the student-run Interact fun fair and the parent food festival into one day which is open to all parents. I do hope you will be there between 10.30 – 1.30 on Thursday 19th.
•             Christmas Break: Is from 20th December to 14th January. The PTM for Form 10 & 12 is on 20th.  Please ensure that your child is back in school on 15th January. No child may be away later without permission being granted by the Principal.
•             Late Start in January – Do remember that as always for the month of January we begin school late. From 15th January school will begin at 9.30 am.

Finally all good wishes to you and your loved ones for the festive season. I hope happiness and success await you in 2014.

Shalini Advani
School Director