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BLOG NO.51

Children need a chance to develop their capability to cope with the pressure and hardships gradually.  As responsible adults, do we allow them to? In most cases, adults, blanketed under their own matters, have very little time for children to actually help them through their turmoil. *Very often we land up removing the threat of danger to keep our children safe but along with it goes all the other experiences needed for development of a healthy approach towards life itself.

We expect them to meet our requirements and fulfill our dreams; but we forget that children have dreams of their own. The result being headlines like this- Student suicides: The silent epidemic claims very large number . Should we hold ourselves responsible for their irrational behaviour or should we pass the buck on the more generic terms such as peer pressure?

Can you say you are truly happy? There is nothing in your life you don’t want to change , even if it’s just a wee bit- a bigger house, higher income, more fame or power. The non- acceptance of our present self or the desire to be someone else, to get something else propels us to get into the rat race and most of the time we land up dragging our children into it too .

Teaching our children to *focus on marks , only to gain admissions in the desired institutes does nothing better than satisfy our egoist need to boast before friends and colleagues of goals reached and targets achieved. To quote Einstein, “An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future.”

If we really want our children to stand the test of time, we have to lead them to look within  for solutions.

For this to happen we must first shift our focus from the outside world to the inner world.

We must accept our self for what we are rather than what we want to be . No matter what roles we play in the lives of children around us, as responsible members of the society, we must be aware of our own self and stop hiding behind the facades we put up to shield ourselves from the world. Awareness brings acceptance. * With acceptance, no failure can harm or no pressure can destroy a precious life* .

Instead of taking obstacles out of our children’s way, let’s help them see every obstacle as an opportunity to grow . Let them find their own solution you promise them that you are there if needed.

Let’s keep in mind that the 21stcentury offices require not those who in the name of learning catalogue objects but those who not only think critically but also communicate effectively as problem solvers in this global village.

Our Hasti school therefore organises variety of activities and competitions to explore the critical thinkling ability , communication skill, collaborative attitude and creativity.

BLOG NO.51

HASTI PUBLIC SCHOOL & JUNIOR COLLEGE

COMPETITION

Children need a chance to develop their capability to cope with the pressure and hardships gradually.  As responsible adults, do we allow them to? In most cases, adults, blanketed under their own matters, have very little time for children to actually help them through their turmoil. *Very often we land up removing the threat of danger to keep our children safe but along with it goes all the other experiences needed for development of a healthy approach towards life itself.

We expect them to meet our requirements and fulfill our dreams; but we forget that children have dreams of their own. The result being headlines like this- Student suicides: The silent epidemic claims very large number . Should we hold ourselves responsible for their irrational behaviour or should we pass the buck on the more generic terms such as peer pressure?

Can you say you are truly happy? There is nothing in your life you don’t want to change , even if it’s just a wee bit- a bigger house, higher income, more fame or power. The non- acceptance of our present self or the desire to be someone else, to get something else propels us to get into the rat race and most of the time we land up dragging our children into it too .

Teaching our children to *focus on marks , only to gain admissions in the desired institutes does nothing better than satisfy our egoist need to boast before friends and colleagues of goals reached and targets achieved. To quote Einstein, “An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future.”

If we really want our children to stand the test of time, we have to lead them to look within  for solutions.

For this to happen we must first shift our focus from the outside world to the inner world.

We must accept our self for what we are rather than what we want to be . No matter what roles we play in the lives of children around us, as responsible members of the society, we must be aware of our own self and stop hiding behind the facades we put up to shield ourselves from the world. Awareness brings acceptance. * With acceptance, no failure can harm or no pressure can destroy a precious life* .

Instead of taking obstacles out of our children’s way, let’s help them see every obstacle as an opportunity to grow . Let them find their own solution you promise them that you are there if needed.

Let’s keep in mind that the 21stcentury offices require not those who in the name of learning catalogue objects but those who not only think critically but also communicate effectively as problem solvers in this global village.

Our Hasti school therefore organises variety of activities and competitions to explore the critical thinkling ability , communication skill, collaborative attitude and creativity.

BLOG NO.50

Our Hasti public  school strongly believes in maintaining  strong , viable , and  result oriented partnership with parents and expects  same from parents as well* .Let us discuss the importance of partnership beween teacher  and parents and what teacher  should do to foster the same and  then what parents should  do to foster the strong partnership with teacher/s of their ward.

School has scheduled calss wise meeting of parents with teachers in addition to  the regular meeting with the PTA of our school.

Positive & constructive relationship between Teachers to parents and Parents to teachers

Our Hasti Public school believes in having sustainable vibrant and live bonding with the parents school has planned calendar of meeting with parents regularly.    Research shows that when a partnership approach between parents and teachers is evident, children’s work habits, attitudes about school and grades improve . They( children  demonstrate better *social skills, fewer behavioral problems  and a greater ability  to adapt to situations and get along*. And parents and teachers benefit, too. When working together as partners, it’s been found that parents and teachers communicate more effectively, develop stronger relationships with one another and develop skills to support children’s behaviors and learning.

“Building partnerships between families and schools is an effective strategy to address opportunity gaps, especially for those who have been historically underserved,” “Strong partnerships support children’s learning and ability to develop lifelong skills and networks, while also strengthening parents’ capacity to be engaged in their child’s school experience.”

Here is an info graphic along with some tips on how to foster relationships with the parents of your students.

First Impressions

We  want our  encounters with parents to be warm and gracious. Try sharing bit  about yourself. Most parents want to know how their child is doing so it’s important to communicate often and through various channels. You could use the* standard email or phone call*. You could also use apps like Remind, a platform where teachers can schedule and send reminders, assignments or homework*. There are many more apps External link  you could use in your classroom. It’s important to declare your intentions. Discuss goals each of  you have for the child for the school year. Try* providing weekly updates on what’s going on in the classroom* . For many parents, a phone call about their child is their worst nightmare . A positive call home letting them know how well their child is doing would be greatly appreciated.

Learn from Parents

Just as parents can learn from teachers; teachers can learn from parents. Listen to parents when they’re talking about their child. They may give you insights about the child that you were unaware of . As children get older, parents are not often asked how they can contribute or don’t know what to do. Let parents know how they can help you. Provide ways they can help at home and in the classroom. Try getting to know what skills, passions, and interests a parent has. Invite them to share their knowledge with the class.

Be Resourceful

When parents come with questions, point them in the right direction where they can find help. If you share a concern, be prepared to suggest resources. Another thing you can do is create a resource. Create a website with basic information  External link  such contact information; policies, supplies needed, and expectations that you have for students and parents for a successful year . Great platforms for building websites include WordPress, Wix and Weebly. If families do not have internet access, prepare a pamphlet or a newsletter and distribute them to parents.

Explain Decisions and Invite Input

Take the time to explain any instructional or any other decisions regarding the child. Many parents may not understand certain aspects of the educational system (i.e. standardized testing, curriculum choices, proper protocols). Educating parents who are unfamiliar with the education system makes it easier for them to understand External link   what you’re doing and why . Also, invite parents to have inputs in decision making. Give them the information needed to form an opinion and listen to their solutions. Two heads are better than one and the parent may have knowledge you’re unaware of or come up with a solution that you may not have thought of.

Here is an info graphic along with some tips on how to foster relationships with the teachers  of your ward  Partnerships are most powerful when they include three main components , represented as the

* 3 C’s *  COMMUNICATION, CONSISTENCY  AND COLLABORATION.

 The first is communication between home and school. Like any relationship in life, communication between you and your child’s teacher is key.* Communicate with your child’s teacher early on and throughout the school year* . Start by letting him/her know that you want to play your part in your child’s education. Discuss with your child’s teacher the best ways to communicate The best kind of communication is *open , clear , constructive  and timely . Frequent, two-way communication is important to stay apprised of what is happening at school. ,

The second component of an effective partnership is *consistency. This involves opportunities and experiences you provide at home to support your child’s learning .Ask about and suggest ways you can work with your child at home to encourage their learning for a successful school year. Creating routines for homework, such as establishing a time and quiet place, is important. Providing learning

 This kind of partnership sends a consistent message to your child and lets him know that you and his teacher together support his learning.

The third component of partnering is collaboration. Collaboration will be easier if communication is frequent, and you consistently create opportunities for your child’s learning. A collaborative, cooperative partnership focuses on specific, positive strategies to help your child achieve to the best of his or her potential . Planning and problem-solving are forms of collaboration, and will be especially important when your child needs extra support to reach a goal*.

Collaborative planning with your child’s teacher involves acknowledging the need to work together to address a concern, staying focused on finding a solution  (not placing blame), making plans that involve support and responsibility at both home and school, following through on plans and checking back to make sure progress is being made.

 Remember that the parent and teacher relationship should be a partnership . When parents and teachers can successfully work together to ensure a child’s success . It’s a win-win situation Our Hasti school welcomes and invite and involve   parents in the holistic progress of the wards of the parent members ,

Our Hasti public  school makes  all out efforts to invite, and involve  parents in  real  and virtual meet regularly and periodically for the better all round progress of their wards and our students

BLOG NO.49

While  Some other schools where thinking of doing away with the music as a subject  Our  Hasti public school  realized  its importance  and appointed an additional music teacher . our school  believed  in the power and ability of Music and music education in the holistic development of children, At our Hasti school there  is established a  Gandharv  club to give sufficient exposure to the musical talent of children School

.It is well known fact that When children first enter any sort of formal educational setting they are met with songs, music, and rhyme, and that’s no accident: preschool and kindergarten teachers are well versed in just how important it is to expose students to regular rhythmic language play and prioritize the development of a sense of beat and timing

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The benefits of music education are immense and highly beneficial to students. Music positively impacts a child’s academic performance, assists in developing social skills, and provides an outlet for creativity that is crucial to a child’s development. Music education catapults a child’s learning to new heights, and because of this, it should always be considered a pivotal part of a child’s educational process.

Music education improves and develops language skills in children. Music stimulates the brain, and with its varied sounds and lyrics, students are exposed to a large amount of vocabulary in a short amount of time. Music also provides exposure to other languages, which creates a foundation for the student’s ability to understand and communicate in a different language.

Music is a vehicle for excellent memory skills . Have you ever listened to a song for the first time in a long time and still remember the lyrics?

*students must memorize all aspects of music when preparing for a performance. Students must recall rhythms, pitches, dynamics, and several other elements all at once. Students can then transfer those memory skills to the academic classroom and employ those skills in their studies.

The mental benefits of music education are extremely advantageous to students in schools; however, the social benefits are just as wonderful! Music education requires teamwork and collaboration. While playing instruments together, students develop listening skills.

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Music education promotes improved coordination, specifically hand-eye coordination Musicians must multitask ! They must do multiple things all at once, all of which improves coordination* &further develops the brain*.

Because music education is an outlet for creativity, it can be a source of stress relief. Unfortunately, there are many stressors present for children at school and at home (pressure to pass the test, make the grade, make the team, exceed expectations, and so on). Music education booster allows students to relax .

Music education supports a wide range of other essential skills and contribute to students excelling in other subject areas such as:

•           Language Arts and Foreign Languages

•           Math

•           Self Esteem

•           Fine Motor Control

•           Emotional Intelligence

Learning how to play an instrument, sing and understand musicality for the sake of making beautiful music alone is a worthwhile and life-enhancing activity but it can also result in better grades, higher IQ’s and greater creativity benefits of music education, including greater attainment in these areas:

Math : Students who are immersed in music also are able to recognize patterns which can help with math skills, reasoning,

Self Esteem : Performing for an audience can be nerve-wracking but it’s an experience unparalleled in its ability to encourage students to practice, improve and then take pride in their work,

Fine Motor Control: Students who play musical instruments develop excellent and precise fine motor control which can help with correct pencil control and aid in the correct use of a range of tools.

Emotional Intelligence: Children who practice, play and enjoy music tend to understand emotions and can empathize with others.

Albert Einstein even directly credited his musical education External link  in helping him to develop theories that changed the world: * “The theory of relativity  he is reported to have said I quote It occurred to me by intuition, and music is the driving force behind this intuition. My parents had me study the violin  from the time I was six.

To summarize the importance of Music education  I can say that music education is a must for every child  for

1.         .A mastery of memorization

2.         . Students learn to improve their work

3.         . Increased coordination

4.         . A sense of achievement

5.         .  Kids stay engaged in school 

6.         . Success in society

7.         . Emotional development

8.         . Students learn pattern recognition

9.         . Fine-tuned auditory skills

10.       . Music builds imagination and intellectual curiosity

11.       . Music can be relaxing

12.       . Musical instruments can teach discipline .

13.       . Preparation for the creative economy

14.       . Development in creative thinking

15.       . Music can develop spatial intelligence

16.       . Kids can learn teamwork

17.       . Responsible risk-taking

18.       . Better self-confidence

As a  after school programme ,there is established HASTI SANGEET VIDYALAYA   to give exposure to the musical talent of parents and budding talent of children of the society  .In Hasti Sangeet Vidyalaya any one can learn the vocal  and or Instrument playing as well .

BLOG NO.48

Each student is unique, and Hasti Public School  not only recognizes this, we celebrate it. Students are the core of what we do. We prepare them for life beyond the classroom and help them to innovate and make positive impacts on the world.

Learning styles are more than just a preference for one type of learning.  When a teacher  taps into them, they are the key to engaging with material and truly learning it. When our teachers work with our students, they are cued in to what students want. Through building personal relationships with each student teachers and administrators alike grow to understand what truly motivates each students.

This knowledge is the core of how we teach. It informs the activities that we prepare for students and how we present them.

We encourage exploration, self-reflection, and close scrutiny in every class . We encourage students to be involved in the learning process, in self-growth. When students are aware of how they learn best and recognize that they are learning in a way that speaks to their individual learning styles , they are more likely to be engaged with lesson content and to take more personal responsibility for their learning.

The very ways we teach, in general, speak to many students’ dominant learning styles. We encourage active participation in all lessons, avoid lecturing too much, and provide students with ample opportunities to apply what they have learned  in ways relevant to their lives and to evaluate what they learn with a critical eye through activities that get them talking, moving, visualizing, and hearing.

There is no one way that each lesson is presented. Overall, students are exposed to lesson material in more than one way, and that provides multiple opportunities for them to learn in ways that are best for them.

We also strive to improve students’ awareness of different learning strategies and help them to develop both sides of their brains so that they think analytically, listen better, and have improved concentration  We try to find out which learning style  is preferred by students

1*kinesthetic learning  style* .

2*Auditory Learning style* 

3*visual learning style*

by making child complete the informal inventory

Learning Styles Self-Assessment

1.         In order to memorize information, such as the spelling of a difficult word or locker combination, you :

1.         Practice over and over again.

2.         Recite the word or numbers out loud.

3.         Visualize the word or numbers in your head.

2.         When you want to learn new song lyrics, you :

1.         Dance around and play air guitar to the beat.

2.         Sing along to the radio.

3.         Download the lyrics and read them.

3.         While you study, you like to :

1.         Walk around and review your notes.

2.         Discuss the material with your parents or friends.

3.         Read your notes or textbook independently.

4.         When preparing to go somewhere new, you prefer to :

1.         Walk, drive, or bike the route ahead of time.

2.         Listen to someone tell you how to get there.

3.         Look at a map.

5.         When you get a new gadget that needs to be assembled, you :

1.         Just start putting it together.

2.         Ask someone to read you the directions.

3.         Read all of the steps before you begin.

6.         If you have to work on a project with others, you would rather :

1.         Help to build and construct a model.

2.         Participate in group discussions and brainstorm ideas.

3.         Draw graphs or scribe group notes.

7.         You tend to like classes that include:

1.         Hands-on experiments.

2.         Lots of lectures.

3.         Reading assignments.

8.         When studying a play in English class, you prefer to :

1.         Act it out.

2.         Listen to the play read by others.

3.         Read the play silently to yourself.

9.         When you are able to choose a project and present it to your class, you’d rather :

1.         Create a working replica.

2.         Give a presentation.

3.         Create a poster.

10.       When you are distracted, you most often find yourself :

1.         Fidgeting or playing with your pencil.

2.         Listening to or participating in conversations.

3.         Doodling on your notebook paper.

11.       When you work at solving a challenging problem, do you :

1.         Make a model of the problem or walk through all of the steps in your mind?

2.         Call a few friends or talk to an expert for advice?

3.         Create a list of the steps you need to take and check them off as they’re done?

Once you have finished, add up the number of a’s, b’s, and c’s. Tally your answers and here you have a snapshot of how a child  learn best! If you answered mostly “a”, you are primarily a kinesthetic learner. If you answered mostly “b”, *you are an auditory learner, and if you answered mostly “c”, you are largely a visual learner.

Once  the learing  style  of children is  known,  we use strategies for each style as under ;

Visual Strategies

•           Utilize graphic organizers such as charts, graphs, and diagrams.

•           Redraw your pages from memory.

•           Replace important words with symbols or initials.

•           Highlight important key terms in corresponding colors.

Aural Strategies

•           Record your summarized notes and listen to them on tape.

•           Talk it out. Have a discussion with others to expand upon your understanding of a topic.

•           Reread your notes and/or assignment out loud.

•           Explain your notes to your peers/fellow “aural” learners.

Read/Write Strategies

•           Write, write and rewrite your words and notes.

•           Reword main ideas and principles to gain a deeper understanding.

•           Organize diagrams, charts, and graphic organizers into statements.

Kinesthetic Strategies

•           Use real life examples, applications and case studies in your summary to help with abstract concepts.

•           Redo lab experiments or projects.

•           Utilize pictures and photographs that illustrate your idea.

At Hasti Public School  we enter into individual relationships with our students and strive to ensure that their individual learning needs are met and exceeded.

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BLOG NO.47

                                            

The activities of the mind are related to patterns of brain activity. Different mental activities, such as reading a book, painting a picture, or talking to a loved one, each involve different patterns of interaction between networks of nerve cells in the brain The networks involved in one activity are often different from those involved in another activity.

Networks can also be linked together in different patterns. If we looked into the brain, we would see shifting patterns in the activity of networks and in their connections with each other as the mind moves from one task to another. For a while, one pattern predominates, then a shift occurs, so brain networks that previously interacted in one pattern now do so in a different configuration.

Limited number of core patterns of brain activity and interaction seem to crop up as recurring features in a wide variety of different mental activities. These core patterns reflect some basic “modes of mind  namely THINKING MODE  & DOING MODE

For maximum period of time  I am in thinking  mode  than in doing mode

I spend a lot of time dreaming about things — incredible adventures I want to go on, self-improvement projects, all those books I plan on reading  And I THINK  there’s nothing wrong with that. Dreaming is wonderful.

What I’ve noticed, though, is that sometimes *I get stuck in the thinking and dreaming mode , and don’t actually take action.

When I realize this, it’s good for me to make this distinction: am I in the mode of thinking about it, or actually doing it? Both are fine! But at some point, it helps to make the switch: from thinking about it … to Doing.

This is the point where we make a commitment.

We can think of these modes of mind as loosely *analogous to the gears of a car*. Just as each gear has a particular use (starting, accelerating, cruising, etc.), so each mode of mind has its own particular characteristics and functions .

Over the course of a day, as the mind switches from one kind of activity to another, the underlying mode of mind changes—a little like the way that a car, driven through a busy city, there will be a continuous series of changes from one gear to another . And in much the same way *a car can only be in one gear at a time, when the mind is in certain modes, it will not be in other modes at the same time.

Our continued dwelling on how we are not as we would like to be just makes us feel worse, taking us even further from our desired goal. This, in turn only serves to confirm our view that we are not the kind of person we feel we need to be in order to be happy.

Here are four suggestions on how to take charge  from thinking mode to doing mode that is how to shift modes:

1.         Check up on your mode of thinking frequently. The great personal development trainer and speaker Zig Ziglar used to recommend “a checkup from the neck up.” The most important dialogue you’ll have today is with yourself. As you drive home from work, ask yourself: What mode of thinking have I been operating in today ? In recent days? What’s my self-talk been and why

2.         Take action on an idea. Take a look at your “things to do” list. Pick one out and make it happen! Action calms fear, cures inertia, and can alter a negative mindset The satisfaction of accomplishing even a little task or eliminating an irritant, can lead to further action, feeding on itself in a virtuous cycle . There’s nothing more fun than striking through a task on the proverbial “to do” list and here’s why: it shifts your mental mode from Defeatist/Sustainer to Dreamer/Opportunity.

3.         Count to ten and win. To shift out of Defeatist Mode, literally count your blessings. List all the things in your life you have going for you: your friends, job, faith in a higher power, etc. After you’ve proven to yourself that you can do this, consider how you might help others jumpstart their thinking and shift into performance enhancing modes.

4.         Let your Dreamer Mode come out to play. One of my favorite techniques is called WIBGI, which stands for “ wouldn’t it be great if… ?” To help yourself or your colleagues shift to a more visionary state of mind, invite people to weigh in with statements starting with: “wouldn’t it be great if” and vocalize whatever comes to mind.

It’s very easy to fall into one of the less productive thinking modes without even being aware of it . It’s an inescapable part of human existence to sometimes operate from the Defeatist or Sustainer Modes .

The “Doing” Mode

The ruminative state of mind is actually a variant of a much more general mode of mind that has been called the “doing” mode. The job of this mode of mind is to get things done —to achieve particular goals that the mind has set. These goals could relate to the external world—to make a meal, build a house, or travel to the moon—or to the internal world of self—to feel happy,  not make mistakes, never be depressed again , or be a good person . The basic strategy to achieve such goals involves something we call the “discrepancy monitor * a process that continually monitors and evaluates our current situation against a model or standard—an idea of what is desired, required, expected, or feared.

Once this discrepancy monitor is switched on, it will find mismatches between how things are and how we think they should be .

But, crucially, dwelling on how things are not as we want them to be can, naturally enough, create further negative mood.

In this way, our attempts to solve a “problem” by endlessly thinking about it can keep us locked into the state of mind from which we are doing our best to escape.

How the Discrepancy Monitor Works:

1) First we create an idea of how we want things to be, or how we think they should be.

2) Next, we compare that with our idea of how things are right now.

3) If there is a difference between how things are and how we want them to be, then we generate thoughts and actions to try to close the gap.

4) We monitor progress to see whether the gap is increasing or decreasing, and adjust our actions accordingly.

5) We know we have reached our goal when our idea of how WE WANT THEM TO BE

At our Hasti Public school more stress is given on framing questions we believe that “ *One who  answers  the question may be intelligent * but

One who ask question is wise                                                            In our Hasti Public school we have revolutionized the home work system , our teachers , instead of giving home work to bring answers , (to the questions (which they are likely to ask or copy from digest or from friends notebook) , give home work to  frame or make questions (as many as possible)  from the portion taught to them 

Our Hasti School is now creating  a wonder  wall or QUESTION WALL  in everty class room where children are allowed to write the question before and after the lesson /topic/chapter/unit discussed

Had Arjuna not asked  wise questions 

It would  not have prompted Lord Krishna to answer  to quench the thrist  of  knowledge of Arjuna..

Thus credit for the world class mythological text  GITA  goes to questions asked by ARJUNA

Such is the power and importance of questions .

We all know that the moment a child takes birth, it makes announcement of    his/her arrival with the first cry. As children grow, parents start modeling conversation skills thereby aiding the development and nurturing the communication skills of children by making them capable of expressing themselves. While growing up, children tend to ask a lot of questions and this innate desire or curiosity to know the world by asking questions acts as a **catalyst in communication.

Just like plants need the right amount of sunlight, water, clean soil, and some nutrients in the soil for food . Our learners should be taught the art of *listening,* speaking*, receiving and giving feedback* and most importantly of asking questions.

Why Is Questioning Skill Important In The Teaching And Learning Process ? child’s world is full of excitement and wonder. To strengthen the natural instinct of wondering, questioning is an important skill to be developed in learners., A good question can open minds. It is a question that often leads us to wonder, reflect, discover and challenge new ideas, uncover new meaning by taking us from the known to unknown.

Those with good questioning skills are often also very good listeners as they spend more time absorbing information Questioning is at the heart of communication, it is an expansion of critical communication skills in children.* A great question is equal to great communication* hence questioning is the key mantra to successful communication.

Promoting learner questions in class is a significant role of an Inquiry teacher.

How Can Teachers Develop A Culture Of Questioning In Their Classrooms ?

Nearly a century ago, John Dewey made a prescient observation about classroom culture and questioning that still holds true today:

No one has ever explained why children are so full of questions outside of the school ,? and the conspicuous absence of display of curiosity about the subject matter of school lessons.

The real issue is in the classroom culture, here would point out that teachers have enormous power, their behaviour will determine an impact on the climate of questioning in the classroom.

A teacher’s curiosity infects the entire classroom in a positive way,

Thomas Kuhn said “ The answers you get depend on the questions you ask

*What Can we Teachers Do to Improve Questioning Skills in Learners?

Question Cube –The question cube creates tension on the learners in framing critical thinking questions from a book you have read, as well as pictures of important things or main ideas. This strategy can be used in any subject focus.

See- Think- Wonder- Visible thinking Routine is simple yet a powerful tool to help learners generate questions. Beginning with a visual prompt, learners share their thinking at each step along the way before moving on to the next one. This facilitates the learners to build on the group’s thinking and often results in deeper and meaningful discussions.

Question Quadrant-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Teachers often struggle with getting their learners to understand and ask good open ended questions. To get them to understand the different types of questions, the Question Quadrant is a tool first devised by Philip Cam (2006) while working with students and teachers in order to *hone, sort and categorise learner questions. It is a tool which assists teachers to explicitly teach question types with the intention of using students’ questions to guide learning.                                                                                             *

Question Wall – Question wall is popularly known as a wonder wall or learning wall. A question wall is a space in the classroom where learners post their questions. In remote teaching we can design a virtual wall Teachers can incorporate this questioning strategy in their classes before, during and after a lesson. *With question walls, learners can write their burning questions enabling them to safely express their wonderings. This strategy is particularly useful as it stimulates learners to think critically, boosts active learning and participation.

The importance of communication skills in children is key to being a successful communicator, an empathic leader and a contributive global citizen.

The art of questioning is at the heart of the development of communication skills. Questions can be asked in a formal or an informal setting. Asking questions in the classroom or at home is a driving force of learning. It will always be an indispensable slice of every child’s learning. Powerful questions can create an explosion in learning. Parents and teachers must encourage young learners to ask questions and provide them with an opportunity to investigate their own learning.

BLOG NO.43

Today I came  across a wonderful thought  which reads as

शब्द मुफ्त में मिलते है

उनके चयन पर निर्भर करता है

की उनकी कीमत मिलेगी  या

चुकानी पड़ेगी 

This made me realize that  how important are words ,  tone , volume and  body language.  While you communicate  thus  .*Social skills are an important component in both a personal and a professional capacity

Having strong social skills can help you excel in your career, perform well when interviewing, help you achieve career goals and expand your professional network. There are many specific skills that fall in the social skills category..

The virtual world has not only captured our imagination but our entire being, one may wonder if these skills were applicable anymore

What would be the most important social skills in the coming decade or more?

Two very distinct instances made me ponder and aware of what mattered: one, where *a child’s unruly behaviour was disrupting a class and *another where a child wanted to play with a classmate (whom, in his own words, he had teased endlessly till a month ago) who wasn’t ready to reciprocate in a similar manner.

It just struck a chord! Both of them wanted

* acceptance*. Their ways of seeking it may have differed from the usual but both wanted to be included was the crux of their behaviour. *What is it that both exactly wanted from their peers or teacher ?

They wanted to be heard, they wanted others to listen.

They wanted to be cared for, so that sharing with them became important.

They wanted to be included, be a part of the whole.

They wanted to be respected, for who they are and what they “brought to the table”.

They wanted their past to be forgotten and they be looked at for what they have evolved into.

They wanted to be considered important enough to contribute.

And lastly but not the least they wanted to be loved, beyond their weaknesses, their follies and their failings.

Social skills are skills that promote effective communication with others. There are various social skills as well as several different ways in which we communicate on a daily basis. Social skills include written, verbal, nonverbal and visual communication used to relay a message to others. Common ways in which you exercise your social skills are:

•           The language you use

•           The tone, pitch and

    volume *  of your voice

•           Physical gestures you-

    make*

•           Your facial expressions

•           Your body language

•           Eye contact with others when communicating

While Working as a team with other employees, keeping your emotions in check in stressful situations and communicating with clients and team members are some of the situations where *social skills need to be applied when working in a professional environment.

Social skills, also referred to as soft skills or interpersonal skills, are important because they *enable you to foster and maintain meaningful relationships with  people you come across (like employers, colleagues and network contacts.) 

A few of the many ways that good social skills can *benefit your career include that they:

•           Allow you to effectively work as a team on projects

•           Let you share your own perspective in an effective manner

•           Help you expand your professional network and stay updated on new opportunities

•           Make the workplace more enjoyable

•           Let you gain valuable feedback and referrals from those who can attest to your abilities

•           Enable you to successfully communicate  with people

The following are a few of the many important social skills you should possess :

•           Observation

•           Active listening

•           Conflict resolution

•           Empathy

•           Written and verbal communication

•           Mirroring

•           Cooperation

•           Relationship management

Observation

The ability to observe serves you well in a professional setting. Though it comes naturally to some and is closely associated with people who are slightly introverted,

Active listening

Active listening is the ability to pay attention to a person when they are communicating with you without interrupting or losing focus.

Conflict resolution

Conflict resolution is your ability to see a problem for what it is and devise a workable solution to solve it. For example, if there is a misunderstanding between two coworkers and they come to you for help, you should focus on the root cause of the issue and then work to solve this problem rather than get involved in the arguing.

Empathy

Closely connected to observation skills is the ability to empathies with people and situations. Empathy is the ability to identify and understand how another person is feeling in any given situation.

Written and verbal communication

Verbal and written communication is two important components of effective social skills. When you write or verbally communicate, you are expressing yourself to another person. It’s important to use clear language, as well as proper spelling and grammar,

Cooperation is another essential social skill in the workplace.It is the ability to work well with others towards a common goal.

There are several steps you can take to improve your social skills at work. These include:

•           Ask for feedback. As friends and colleagues what areas you need to improve upon in relation to social skills. Using this feedback, you can set goals to work towards improving these skills.

•           Pick up a personal development book. Read personal development books that focus on improving social skills. There are countless free resources online such as e-books and guides that can provide you with concrete steps to take to build your interpersonal skills.

•           Choose one social skill to focus on improving. Rather than try to improve several social skills at once, pick one to work on and only move on when you’re confident in your ability to effectively use that social skill.

BLOG NO.42

Education and Work Ethics

Hasti public school Dondaicha , understands the importance of quality education while students develop good work ethics

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In today’s world, both our life and work environments require more thinking skills than actual bookish or content knowledge.

The unrelentingly competitive environment has now become even more competitive since today’s jobs require people to have a much higher level of adaptability and flexibility.

Life skills and work ethics such as initiative, self-direction, adaptability, flexibility, social and cross-cultural skills are crucial in today’s environment . Ask any employer today on what are the ideal qualities they’re looking for in an employee, and they would say – adaptability, versatility, the ability to be a self-starter; self-learners. Capacity to interact effectively with others is an important skill which will help you in life.

Students today are lacking in areas known as life skills and work ethics. So to correct these errors, Our Hasti public school has plans to   introduce Life skills and work ethics to students. As young students, they begin a life skills-based education in the foundational skills: reading, writing, telling time, math, creative thinking, and interacting with others effectively through various co curricular activities and regular class room learning activities  like debates, Brain storming, social service etc.. However, they continue to learn and develop throughout our lives. As they become young men and women, experience and educational training help to teach the skills necessary to live a fulfilling and competent life .

These skills will be required in all primary life areas (e.g., career, family, health and vitality, recreation, significant relationships, finance, spirituality, education, physical environment).

Many of the skills mentioned above will be essential throughout their lives. Some will be particularly important during various stages of life. These steps do not occur in an entirely linear fashion. They cycle through portions of each stage throughout life; however, specific skills are dominant in each stage.

Many youth suicides and depressing phases in children/adolescents can be averted with the right kind of education to the child and the adolescent.

Life skill education can play a great role in alleviating such trying moments in a child/adolescent. Life skills are the abilities which enable the individual to effectively deal in a positive and adaptive manner to the challenges of daily living. At Hasti Public School  we have already life skills in our education system. Trained educators facilitate activities to improve students’ Life skills and work ethics.

Emotions can be moderated, and a balanced emotional state can be maintained only when the student is well aware of the emotions going through him/her. *We also teach *empathy, which is another component that needs to be covered extensively. It is the ability to put oneself in another person’s shoes and look at the world through the lenses of another person.

We set up group discussions, debates, and team activities to enhance their level of empathy

The overall character of the adolescent is improved in this way. We strive to build well-rounded individuals ready to step into the adult world and embrace its complexities with their feet grounded on firm soil, and this will emerge due to the focus on Life skills and work ethics. At Hasti public school we make sure our students are better equipped to cope with the growing challenges of modern life with a sense of balance and poise.

It is important that everybody learn to do some calculations mentally when paper and pencil or a calculator is not handy.

Let us see  few beginning mental math strategies that a parent might help a child learn at home.

Mental math should not be confused with the memorization of basic mathematics facts*— such as knowing the times-tables by heart. While memorizing basic facts makes mental math easier, doing mathematics mentally requires both memorized facts and the manipulation (strategies) of numbers and operations* 

 The following mental math strategies are arranged in general order from the easiest strategies children can learn to perform in their head , to more difficult and challenging mental math gymnastics.

Strategies for Addition

Doing addition problems in your head is probably the best way to start doing mental math. Even young children—5, 6, and 7 year olds—can do the easiest strategies below. While the first few may seem trivial to adults , But they are a good way for children to begin learning to do mental math.

When the words “hearing” and “saying” are used in these strategies, they mean “hearing in your head” and “saying in your head.”

Adding One

Adding one means hearing a number, then saying one number up—or counting up one number. The best way to introduce this to your children is to say a number out loud and then, after allowing they time to think, have them tell you the next higher number. Make it fun by having your children tell you a number and then you tell them the next number. Start with low numbers and, when your children are able to count higher, move to larger numbers.

Adding Two

Adding two means hearing a number, and then saying the number that is two more. To do this, children can either mentally add two or count up by two. If you first teach your children to count by twos: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc., it will be easier for them to add two mentally. However, remember that they will also have to learn how to count by the odd numbers: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, Also, if children understand that any odd number, plus 2, will always be another odd number, and that any even number, plus two, will always be another even number, these mathematics concepts can help them check their answers mentally.

Counting-On

Counting-on is one of the simple but powerful mental math strategies children can learn and is the easiest for most students —many children figure out this strategy naturally. Counting-on means a child mentally says the biggest number to add, and then counts-up the second number, one (or two) at a time. For example, in the equation 5 + 3, you start with the 5 in your head, and then count up: . . . 6, 7, 8. You might suggest to your children that if they want to add 2 + 6 in their head, they should start with the bigger number, in this case 6, and count up (. . . 7, 8) since, with addition, you can add numbers in any order and get the same answer—order does not matter. *This is called the commutative property of addition

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When mentally counting-on, children and adults often resort to using their fingers to count up (or down), simultaneously counting on their fingers while they count in their heads. If your children use this handy device, let them. It is not harmful if it helps to make counting-on a useful mental math strategy.

Making-Ten(s)

Since ten is the basis of our number system, students who know all the single-digit combinations that equal 10 can make good use of them in doing mental math. The making ten strategy involves memorizing the number combinations that add to ten: 7 + 3, 8 + 2, 5 + 5, etc.—they are not as useful if children need to think hard to remember these combinations. Once students memorize these, counting-on or other strategies become easier. For example, 6 + 4 = 10 may be a trivial problem, but *if you know your combinations of ten, this strategy can then be extended to harder problems, such as 76 + 4, since 76 + 4 = 70 + 6 + 4 = 70 + 10 = 80—easy!

Rearrange Numbers and Operations

On paper, we tend to calculate with numbers in the order they are given. Doing mathematics mentally frees us to do calculations in the order we choose and can do more easily. For example, if we do 6 – 3 + 2 + 4 + 8 in our heads, we can rearrange it as (6 + 4) + (2 + 8) – 3—two combinations of 10, then subtract 3 last. However, to do this, a child must be able to remember the numbers and rearrange them mentally. This is hard for some people.

Visualizing a Mental Number Line

Number lines, such as those found on the wall in many classrooms, are a visual model of our number system and can be very helpful for children who need to see how numbers are logically arranged. If children can close their eyes and  visualize a mental number line, this too can be helpful in doing mental math. *The best way to help students picture a number line is to PASTE  A PAPER NUMBER LINE IN YOUR HOME WHERE YOUR CHILDREN CAN SEE IT AND USE IT REGULARLY  ON TV,MIRROR , INFRONT OF DINING TABLE , KITCHEN TABLE ETC. *

Do you remember in our HASTI PUBLIC SCHOOL  we ask children to paste their aim or objective of future career for ex.I WANT TO BECOME DOCTOR/ENGINEER/CA/ ARMY OFFICER ETC. or of scoring total % at public exam.for ex.I WILL SCORE 95% MARKS IN MY SSC/HSC EXAM ..on mirror, TV  etc.and TO WRITE LETTERS TO THEIR 10 RELATIVES AND FRIENDS ABOUT THEIR DETERMINATION TO ACCOMPLISH THE AIM

Adding Ten

The number line can teach students that adding ten is easy because ten is an easy “jump” up the number line. No matter what number you start with, the one’s digit stays the same but the ten’s digit increases by one. For example: 5 + 10 = 15, 12 + 10 = 22, 23 + 10 = 33, etc.

Adding Nine

Once adding ten is easy to do, adding nine is the next strategy to learn. To add nine, a student just adds ten, and then counts down by one. A child would mentally say 5 + 9 = 5 + 10 – 1 = 15 – 1. Once understood, this mental math strategy is almost as simple as adding ten.

Double Numbers

Making use of doubles—5 + 5, 7 + 7, etc.—is a bit harder, but can be very useful for mental math. Doubles come up often in calculations, so if all the single-digit doubles are memorized, students can combine these known facts with the mental math strategies already mentioned. For example, when faced with the problem 76 + 6, students can think of it as 70 + 6 + 6. If they remember that 6 + 6 = 12, then they can rearrange the problem as 70 + 12, and then again rearrange the problem as 70 + 10 + 2 = 82—making it an easy mental math problem.

Near-Doubles

Once students have memorized their doubles; the use of near-doubles in mental math  follows easily. For example, in the expression 5 + 6, if students first remember the double, 5 + 5 = 10, then it is easy to add one more, getting an answer of 11. Children actually do not have to memorize the near-doubles if they know their doubles. For example, in the equation 37 + 8, when children use the near doubles strategy, it follows that 30 + 7 + 7 + 1 = 30 + 14 + 1 = 44 + 1 = 45.

Front-end Addition

We frequently do mathematics differently in our heads than we do with paper and pencil. The typical way to add a pair of two-digit numbers is to add the digits in the ones place first, carry ten if necessary, add the digits in the tens place next, and finish by combining the tens and ones results. For example, in the problem 65 + 26, if students first mentally calculate 60 + 20 = 80, the number 80 is pretty easy to remember—to store away mentally for a few moments. If they then add the ones, 5 + 6 = 11, they can recall the easily remembered number, and compute 80 + 11 = 91. Not everyone prefers front-end addition, but those who do often use this strategy without thinking about it.

“Friendly Numbers” Strategy

certain number pairs go together nicely and are easy to work within our heads; we call these friendly numbers. For example, 75 + 25 totals 100—we know this well from using money. Although we do not often get many problems as simple as 75 + 25, we can combine this friendly number strategy with other mental math strategies. For example, to add 78 + 25 students would instead think 75 + 25 + 3, changing it into two friendly numbers and one easily added number instead.

A Bit of Mental Math Advice

For some students these mental math strategies will be interesting and fun—and may even make them feel mathematically powerful. However, what appeals to one child may be uninteresting and hard to another. If there is one important bit of advice before you share any of these strategies with your children, it is: go slow and proceed only IF your children enjoy learning how to do mathematics in their head. A few minutes of playing with mental math are plenty—do not make it tedious. If learning mental math tricks is not fun for your children, it is best if you stop and look for other areas of mathematics, such as geometry or puzzles that will appeal to your children more than mental math

In our Hasti school this is planned and This is what we do and expect teachers and learners to do and *more importantly the parents to play with their wards a mental mathematics regularly.