The Power of Accountability

The Power of Accountability

Many people don't understand what accountability is, why it's important, or where it starts. Yes, they understand accountability is important, but don't know how to create a culture of accountability, they just hope it will happen.

Let’s start with the definition: “the fact of being responsible for what you do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it, or the degree to which this happens”. To be accountable is to be “liable; called to account; answerable”. A synonym is “responsible”. When we closely look we will find that there are two players involved, the one accountable for his/her actions and the one to whom we are accountable. In other words, WHO we make ourselves accountable to is just as important as WHAT we hold ourselves accountable for.

It's a common story. As a principal, you end a strategic core meeting. There are several initiatives on which everyone agrees are important to complete by the end of the term. Everyone promises that they will all get it done, but when the deadline is met, very little of the list actually gets accomplished. We also often observe that it is not that these colleagues were not responsible or hardworking, they are your core member team. The problem was that no one was actually accountable for making sure the initiatives were complete.

Many of us get confused with the definition of accountability versus responsibility. The difference is simple. Many people can be responsible for helping out on a task or initiative. But accountability belongs only to one person who will be judged on the completion of the task.

On a personal front, to be Accountable is to be courageous. It takes courage to make a promise if you have even the slightest instinct to follow it through. Life changes so fast that it’s easy for things to get in the way of keeping a promise and if you have integrity then promises actually mean something to you — that’s called accountability.
Here are 5 key habits accountable people have in their everyday life.

1. They take responsibility and don’t have excuses.
Highly accountable people willingly take on responsibility and actively manage it so the work gets done. They make sure once the initiative has their name on it, no one else need worry about its completion. They seem to have amagical ability to stick to their plans, much to the annoyance of the rest of us. If they want to get up earlier, they do. If they plan to save money, it actually happens. They do good analysis and solve problems as they arise.

2. They organize their lives and don’t procrastinate.
It is all about planners, white board notes,dairy entry, calendar apps, and Post-It notes galore. They are hyper organized to an amazing degree, all in the name of keeping themselves on track. What good is completing initiatives if the usefulness of the result is long past. Highly accountable people understand that every task has a time value and that punctuality serves a purpose. This actually makes them trustworthy and dependable as they do not waste a minute of other people's time or their own.

3. They collaborate.
Highly accountable people are great at using the resources around them. They make the most of each available body by engaging, inspiring and empowering them to add positively to the result. They care for the feedback and correct themselves while collaborating. "I worked really hard on that presentation, but I'd love some feedback on where I could improve. Do you have any input?". They also look at the feedback as an opportunity to deliver.

4. They Control Their Emotions
They keep their cool, and don't let their anger or jealousy get out of hand. It’s because they know that negative emotions can quickly derail a situation (think work meeting, get together, etc.) in a way that isn't productive, or fun. They do not wait to be checked or monitored by others but work proactively and diligently with the team to finish the job. Similarly, accolades are nice, but none are deserved if the task is partially done. Highly accountable people get their satisfaction from delivering quality on time with a team that feels great about the accomplishment.

5. They Are Humble and own their mistakes
Success in life usually comes when we’re completely honest with ourselves and with others. This means setting aside our pride, and admitting when we’ve made a mistake. Accountability doesn’t stop with personal humility and honesty. If something has gone wrong, then they are responsible, and step up to set right the wrong. They Focus on making amends and building bridges, not erecting walls. They express a level of sincerity that shows the other individual that they’ll do what it takes to make the situation right.
Be accountable and be present to your inner self, to your inner child, to your teammates, to your family, to the society… and you may just find yourself happier, confident and contended a job fulfilled.

Infusing Joyous Learning to the Classrooms

Infusing Joyous Learning to the Classrooms

The increasingly focus on the importance of high-quality teaching for student learning puts a pressure on teachers to do miracle in the classrooms. The important dimensions of classroom teaching are the relationships teachers develop in a classroom and the classroom climate they create, the level of intellectual challenge of students’, activities and assignments, the quality of questions teachers use to facilitate discussion, and the ways in which teachers engage students in learning. Non-interactive, traditional methods used in classrooms end up producing children able to replicate but not create knowledge. The need of the hour is to inculcate the desired 21st century skills in our students such as thinking creatively, creating ‘‘new and worthwhile ideas,’’ ‘‘demonstrating originality and inventiveness in work,’’ and working collaboratively to solve problems.

What is a JOYOUS classroom?
Joyous learning has emerged as a powerful concept to change the way we manage schools and classrooms.  A joyous classroom is an active, bright and cheerful learning place where students and teachers are more creative and open to learning. Recent brain research reveals that the brain is increasingly open to learning when learning is joyful. A positive classroom climate is built through everyday teacher and student relationships and interactions and they reap positive results on an individual's health, both physically and psychologically.

How do we bring JOY to the classroom?
The increased pressure of completing syllabus and assessments on teachers and students has almost eradicated joy from classrooms. But as teachers, we want to create joy in the classroom as it facilitates more learning and certainly faster learning.  Here are some simple techniques which will help us to infuse joy into the classroom and create happy learning spaces:
JOY-1 Integrated Lesson Planning!
One of the best way to bring joy to the classroom is by integrated lesson planning. All the areas – scholastic and co-scholastic are to be integrated with each other in terms of knowledge, skills, comprehension, values and attitudes. When children are exposed to the linkage between the subjects then the diverse learning outcomes are achieved to a greater extent. Such interconnectedness give innumerous opportunities to the students to think laterally, critically, identify opportunities, and be open to new ideas. Children can be engaged in practices that promote physical, cognitive, emotional and social development that connect different areas of knowledge, application and values with their own lives and the world around them. Integrated lesson plans provide enough ways to bring joy and excitement to the classroom.
JOY-2: Art Integration!
Art integration is linking art with scholastic subjects such as mathematics, science, social-science, languages etc. Such integration of art makes lesson more interesting and children learn concepts happily in fun way.  Art education including visual & performing art. Visual art includes drawing, craft, paper cutting, paper mache etc and performing art includes dance, vocal music, instrumental music, drama etc. These must be integral parts of the curriculum and to be included in the routinal lesson planning for the holistic development of children. Art integration with other subjects promotes creative thinking, imagination and expression. It is often seen that children enjoy their art and sports classes the most and the teacher who teaches them art and sports are the most favourite teachers. As such art is the heart and soul of all subjects. Music and dance are taken as stress busters’ even for adult. Such activities are necessary for the development of the affective and psychomotor domain. Hence integrating art with other subjects will make classroom joyous and will give enough opportunities of leaning happily.   

JOY-2: Give special attention to the learning materials you use in class!
Learning materials or teaching aids play an important role in lesson planning. Special attention is to be given to this area while planning a lesson. Attractive learning materials such as flash cards, charts, exit cards, models, pictures etc generate curiosity and interest in children about the subject and when interest is generated then optimum learning takes place.  
JOY 3: Listen to your students’ heart & mind
It is important for a teacher to listen to his/her students. All children are different; some express their feelings and some do not express. Hence it is more important to listen to both heart and mind of your students. This will further help in building strong relationship of trust between student and teacher. Strong relationship between students and teacher helps them to grow emotionally and psychologically. When a teacher intentionally builds trust and rapport with students, she/he creates a safe place and space for joy to emerge. Student engagement and involvement in planning a lesson is also increased as they will be open to give new ideas and share what they already know, what they want to know and how they want to learn. When a teacher understands what my students want to learn and how they want to learn then innovative planning is triggered.     
JOY 4: Appreciate your students
Appreciations are like magic wrist bands. Appreciation can do wonders in terms of changing behavior and getting desired outcomes. Appreciate every child for every small or big task he/she has performed. Appreciation can be done by various ways such as public appreciation like in calling out names in assembly, classroom chart, material appreciation like giving toffees, giving smilies in the copy etc.   Some students need high degree of motivation and some needs less. A teacher has to learn the art of appreciating and must know when and how to appreciate. A teacher must know the need of kind and amount of appreciation. Over dose of appreciation may result into over confidence.  

JOY 5: Let your children feel that they are very special to you
A teacher must create a learning space in the classroom in which every child should feel special and important. Set your class room rules which give equal opportunities of participation and speaking to all in the classroom. Feeling of favoritism, ignorance, negligence, less important, not existing in the classroom, no one is concerned etc will be discouraged. If a child is made to feel that she/he is very special and important to us then the teacher automatically invite pleasure and joy to the classroom for happy learning.

JOY 6: Integrate ICT
Information technology is necessary for holistic learning that is experiential and linked to real-life situations. These children are born with technology in their hand hence if teachers incorporate ICT in their instructional planning; children will take more interest to actively participate in classroom activities while transaction of lesson. We to find situations that help students incorporate what they learned in their everyday lives using technology. ICT brings joy and makes classroom happy for learning.

JOY 7: Trust your students and let them give new ideas
Children like to create things hence provide opportunities to the students to create in the classroom. While engage children in such acts, keep in mind to trust them. When you trust your students’ creativity, they work with better ideas and originality to showcase you the best. The list of what students can create across the curriculum is virtually limitless: newspapers and magazines, brochures, stories, picture books, posters, PowerPoint presentations, role-plays, songs, surveys, graphs, documentary videos etc.

JOY 8: Differential Instructional Planning
Differential instructional planning caters to the children of different learning abilities. A teacher must know his/her students learning styles and accordingly instructional planning is to be done that will invite joy to your classroom.

JOY 9: Surprise them by exploring out of the four walls of the classroom
Surprise your students by doing something unexpected or something out of routinal classroom planning. Take them out of the classroom to take lesson under a tree, field visits can be planned to various sites, play with them and let them discover their own potential. Surprises always bring joy and hence will surely make classroom joyous.

Conclusion
A teacher is like a candle who burns itself to give light to others. When a teacher creates learning spaces by infusing joy in the classroom, optimum learning outcomes are achieved. Such joyful, active and experiential learning helps in inculcating 21st century skills in the learners of different abilities.

Skill set

SKILL SET
By Suman Purohit Das

What do you mean by skill set?

Skill set are the abilities, attitudes, knowledge and qualities to get a job as well as to keep a job. Skill is realistic and with practice it can be acquired.  The best example to understand is the 70: 20: 10 model. The model is about how  do people acquire specific skills.

70:20:10 Model

1. 70% of people acquire skills from informal learning such as tasks that challenge the learner, watching others and participating in the work place.
2. 20% of people acquire skills from mentoring and coaching (mostly from a manager and supervisor).
3. 10% of people acquire skills from formal courses and reading.

What are the types of skill set?

The skill sets are categorized as per the skills.
1. Skill: Interpersonal skill (collaborate, demonstrate, facilitate, sensitivity, resolve, support)
Skill Set
a. Effective in establishing positive relations
b. Effective in maintaining the relations
Satisfy others
c. Actively seek ways to enhance well being
d. Able to resolve conflicts
e. Skillful in developing and helpful others in order to achieve goals

2. Skill: Communication skill (Listen, speak, write, interact, promote, negotiate, consult, persuade)
Skill set
a. Effective in exchanging information through verbal or non verbal cues
b. Adept at using information
c. Skillful in influencing and collaborating with others
d. Effective in negotiation and attaining agreeable solutions of problems

3. Skill: Technical Skill/Physical Skill (observe, body coordination, technology, build, structure, design)
Skill Set
a. Skillful in using tools and equipments for optimal functioning
b. Handles perfectly software and hardware.
c. Proficient in assembling a product, building or physical object or returning something to its original state.
d. Adept at using eyes, hands and the body with precision and skill in the physical world.

4. Skill: Leadership Skill (Coordinate, implement, lead, organize, decision, envision)
Skill set
a. Skilled in coordinating, implementing and organizing
b. Skillful in creating a strategic vision and motivating others to achieve excellence in performance.
c. Ability to motivate and empower individuals and groups to greater participation, commitment and high standards of performance.
d. Ability to set to achieve and set goals 

5.Skill: Creative Skill (conceptualize, visualize, intuitive, inventive, artistic, aesthetics)
Skill set
a.Adept at using eyes, hands and the body with precision and skill in the physical world.
b.Adept at forming structures, patterns and connections from information, ideas and images.
c.Ability to express an inner ideal into an artistic, creative or aesthetic form.

6. Skill: Analytical Skill (problem solving, computational, classify, compute, estimate, analyze)
Skill Set
a. Ability to identify and define problems and solutions.
b. Skillful in compiling, organizing and using data to enhance planning and effectiveness.
c. Skillful in performing numerical and statistical calculations to provide useful information.

What are the types of skills in you?

My Profession is teaching and my role is Headmistress. I feel I have the following skills:

1. Strategic Thinking & Decisive skill
I am very much clear about my vision and what I have to do to achieve that. I have the skill of aptly planning how to achieve vision, how to deal with the challenges on the way. I delegate task to right person in the team as well as give equal opportunities to all. I support my team members when in need.     

2. 3C’s –Communication, Collaborate & Confidence I feel I am a good listener. I am very effective in delivery of planning things/events to the team. I involve and get along every person to complete the task. I treat everyone fairly. I feel I exhibit confidence while dealing in all spheres. 

3. Motivate others I feel I am skilful to influence my team members to motivate them to do the expected task to get optimum output. My team showcases readiness to work even with adequate resources at any time. My positive attitude towards them actually helps them to execute tasks peacefully and innovatively.    

4. Reviewing/Feedback I always appreciate my team for fulfilling my expectations in achieving the target set. I learn from failures and further take it up positively.  I avoid blame game and take responsibility of mistakes.   

5. Creativity I showcase creativity in giving new ideas as well as creating an atmosphere for the things to happen in right way. 

How to develop skills?

We all have some or the other skills but we need to improve our skills for better future. The only mantra’s to improve your skill is PRACTICE. In whichever skill you want to improve, you need to set that as your priority. Regularly and consistently work upon it to improve.  DEDICATION & PERSEVERANCE towards your willingness to develop the skill must be at its zenith. Be focused and use your time effectively in improving over the skill.   You need to keep motivating yourself to enhance a specific skill.  Apart from practicing, a role model, a GUIDE or facilitator in your life can be a guiding light in your life and change your life by helping you to inculcate the required skills.

How to make use of it?

First of all, a person has to identify his/her own skills and skill set. Once you have identified, you need to explore the areas within your surroundings, where you can showcase and will be benefitted.  Sometimes opportunities do not come to you but you need to grab the opportunity. You need to be proactive, need to approach, build good rapport so that your employer has faith and trust in you and your potential for giving you the desired task. Do not say no to small tasks, thinking that this will be below your dignity. Small steps will help you achieve big goals. Recall the story of hare and tortoise. 

With the use of your skill set:     
1. You may spread positivity and happiness at the work place, at home, in family and other relations.
2. You may use your skill set to earn livelihood, job security and get a job of your choice.
3. You may use your skill to be the peace setter and conflict resolver in any situation.
4. You may use it as the tool to drive change in the society or community.
5. You may handle difficult situations and challenges with ease.
6. You may use it your personal, professional, social & emotional development.

The need of character building as the pillar of Education

The Need of Character Building as the Pillar of Education

Character is a person’s usual qualities or specific traits and that are different in different individuals. It is those different qualities or traits which makes character allows a person to respond to a situation or an event. Therefore it is the character which gives the result that we achieve in any situation. There is an actual need of character building because as teenagers or youngsters are continuously hurting themselves or others. The declining qualities like concern and care in the young people towards the welfare of others is alarming. Our youngsters are facing major problems in handling pressure and it is too difficult for young people. Now-a-days, we often hear complaints from teachers or parents that the children react ill-manneredly on small issues, are becoming rebellious, are very demanding, impatient and emotionless. Often we come across news like a child committed suicide because the child could not score well in exams or a mother died because the child was engrossed in playing pub-G on mobile. It is now our worry as the character is demeaning in our children. This situation is called as moral values crisis. In this era of moral values-crisis in our children, character building must be the prime aim of the education for man making. 

Education plays an important role in the development of a child’s behaviour. It helps in fostering ethical values such as honesty, responsibility, empathy, respect, compassion etc. It helps a child to understand rules and regulations, social adjustments and culture of the family & the society. Our foundation must be strong; hence character building must be focused in elementary and early years of education.   Education at the early age is the most effectual education. Beginning with the character education at the early age is expected to create an individual with strong character and intellect so he/she can grow as a good human who is noble, healthy, knowledgeable, skilled, creative, independent, and become a democratic and responsible citizenship.  Thus, the character education is needed as the pillar of education. Character building education at the primary stage will evade the common problems of the children such as mischief, rebellious, arrogance etc.

The need of character building can be achieved if it is to be embedded in school schedule. Schools have to be responsible to incorporate character education through the school daily schedule, co-curricular activities, lesson planning by teachers and integrated curriculum focused on character building. The implementation of character education is essential in the process of character building. A bravo planning is needed from school authorities to implement character building. A good school system is required so that the character education can run optimally. Children at early age exactly follow their teachers’ actions hence teachers are instrument to bring change and build strong characters. A teacher shapes the character, caliber and future of an individual. A teacher present in the class before the children arrive in the morning amazingly affects the psychology of the children. Simple acts apart from lesson planning like classroom rules set by the teachers, keep up of the cupboard, meticulously organized things and cleanliness of the classroom etc have surprisingly positive effects on children’s mind. Schools have to extensively support moral education for character building and need to design activities to teach moral education. It is necessary as well as important for the schools to evaluate their own planning and processes for character education hence, reviews or feedbacks should be taken monthly from parents and children in the form of questionnaire, survey etc . Teachers must maintain anecdotes of the small incidents or a particular behavior trait shown by the students. This will help schools to identify the negative behavior traits in children and further recheck the system or planning for character building. The planning can be further improvised if needed or the children who are showcasing negative traits, special one to one counseling can be provided to overcome and change negative trait into positive trait for strong character building.

Character cannot be developed in a day. Good character is the only attribute of a successful life. Good character of human beings is the strength and future of a strong nation. Swami Vivekananda said, “The education that should build character is man making education. No nation is greater or good if parliament enacts this or that; its men are great and good”.  Hence character building must be the pillar of education for man making.   

Summer camps

SUMMER CAMPS:

A great learning opportunity but parents need to be little alert

Hurry! Hurry! Summer vacations are around the corner. Children eagerly wait for the summer vacations and even with the thought of summer vacations, they all get so excited. Reason of excitement is the “SUMMER CAMPS” which children can join in the vacations, make many friends and learn skills relax-fully away from school assignments. Summer camps are extremely beneficial for the children as they learn in a fun and free atmosphere. Children gain social skills as they interact with many other children from different social, economical & financial background. Summer camps help children to become confident and independent.

Nowadays the demand of summer camps is so much from the parents and the students that almost every school in the city is hosting a summer camp. Summer camps are generally organised for 15-25 days duration. It depends on the choice the school to decide on the number of days and fee to be charged for summer camp. Apart from schools, specific academies are also organising summer camp by their own. Variety of activities are offered for camp which includes personality development, spoken English, Art, Music, Dance, Robotics, variety of sports, adventure activities etc 

No doubt summer camps are a great way to expose a child to some creative and engaging activities but parents must do a survey before enrolling their child for the summer camp. This will help to give best summer camp as gift to their child.

The following areas to be reviewed by the parents: 

Know the organisers
Parents must find out minute details of the company or the school hosting a summer camp. Parents must find out the answers to questions such as have the school ever hosted camp in past? How many participants were enrolled last year as well as taking part this year? Who all will be the team members or trainers for the activities? What is the popularity and fame of these trainers? Are they competent enough to train children? This will help parents to understand the organisers and trainers profile in depth.  

Camp Activities
It is important to know the activities offered in the camp. Does the camp offer single activity or multiple activities?  What will be the time duration for each activity? Is the time allocated sufficient to learn a specific skill? As it has been observed that sometimes the outcome of an activity offered in summer is almost zero because of the time duration and at the end of the camp parents feel that the camp was not worthy. Hence enquire about the minute details of the activities so that it will be a life-long experience for the child.   

Check safety & security aspect
Parents must be alert of the kind of safety precautions will be taken for specific camp activities. What kind of medical facilities will be available at the camp? Is the campus under CCTV surveillance? How much is the inflow of visitors to the activity zone? Are the parents allowed to accompany children? What are the do’s and dont’s of the camp?  These are the few questions which parents must investigate prior to selecting a summer camp for their child.   

Camp Fee – Pocket check
Check your pocket or budget for giving this opportunity to your child. Parents have to find out the cost or fee of the camp. Can the parents afford the camp fee? What all things are including in the camp fee? Are the transportation, meal, material, medical etc included or excluded the camp fee? Choose the one which is in your budget and suits your pocket. Don’t try to bargain with the organisers, it will really look unethical.   

Communication or updates
Parents must know who will be the overall incharge of the camp, contact no. & further relevant details of the person must be noted. Parents need to be aware of how are the organisers going to update or communicate with them about the day to day update or progress of their child.
Withdrawal Policy

Parents should explore out what is the withdrawal policy of fee. In case the child is unable to attend camp even after the payment of fee, what is policy of refund of camp fee? Within how many days camp fee will be refunded in such case?

To conclude,  summer camps are the brilliant platform which offer immense learning opportunities to gain skills in non-competitive spirit but parents have to be a little careful and attentive while choosing the right summer camp for their child so that the camp becomes a memorable learning experience for the child.