The parent-teacher relationship is one of the essential factors in a child’s education. Good relationships between teachers and parents can help create an outstanding learning environment that allows children to overcome the difficulties they face academically. When parents and teachers work together, they can build upon the home-school relationships that are already in place, creating an environment where kids can excel.

When parents feel connected to the school, they are more likely to receive information about their child’s academic performance and behavior from teachers and administrators. This helps families understand how to be effective partners in their child’s education by knowing what resources are available when needed and how to support their child at home. A recent study demonstrated that a robust parent-teacher relationship during the pandemic lockdown helped students academically and emotionally.

Role of Parents and Teachers in Child’s Education

👩‍🏫 Teachers

Teachers are often the first contact point for parents with their child’s education. A great parent-teacher relationship is based on mutual respect, understanding, trust, and a shared vision for the child. To build this relationship, follow these tips:

• Create a welcoming environment: Make sure parents know what’s expected at drop-off and pick-up times. Post directions for parking, early dismissal, and late arrivals in your classroom. Provide directions to get to the school, as well as information about upcoming events and activities.

• Be friendly and approachable: Parents may not have time to visit with you during the day, but they still want to feel like they can come to you if they have questions or concerns about their child’s progress or behavior in class. Be available after school so that parents can easily reach you by phone or email when necessary. Patient is essential when dealing with parents reluctant to be involved in their child’s education, since not all parents feel comfortable communicating with educators. Some may simply lack the confidence to speak up during meetings or conferences. Initiate conversations with such parents and let them speak their minds. 

• Be honest: Don’t hide information from parents about their child’s progress or behavior. If you’re concerned about something, talk to the parents about it as soon as possible so they can help their child improve. Parents should also feel free to share any concerns with you, so they can work together to solve problems.

• Listen carefully and respond thoughtfully: Parents may have questions about their child’s behavior and performance at home, so listen carefully and try to address their concerns without making judgments or assumptions about what might be going on at home that could be impacting schoolwork or behavior issues in class. Don’t get defensive or blame parents for their children’s problems. Instead, offer suggestions for ways they might support their child’s learning at home that will help improve performance in class.

• Don’t make promises you can’t keep: Teachers shouldn’t promise results from anything beyond what they’re responsible for — if you’re a reading teacher, don’t promise improvements in math skills because there is little you can do to influence those skills outside your classroom directly. However, if you see the potential for growth in those areas, encourage parents to seek assistance elsewhere.

👪 Parents

The benefits of having a solid parent-teacher relationship extend far beyond the classroom. Parents are a child’s first teacher and are often the most influential in shaping their child’s behavior. Parents can be a valuable resource for teachers, helping them understand students’ needs and challenges outside school. In turn, teachers can help parents become better advocates for their children at home and in the community. The following tips can help you build a positive relationship with your child’s teacher:

• Get to know your child’s teacher: After the first few days of school, ask your child what they like and don’t like about their teacher. This will give you insight into how to approach them when necessary and allow you to get acquainted with your child’s class teacher. 

• Be supportive of your child’s teacher: It can be challenging for teachers when students misbehave in class or don’t pay attention during instruction time. But instead of making excuses for them or complaining about the situation, try being supportive by offering encouragement. You can do this by saying, “I know he’s trying his best” or “I’m sure she’ll figure out how to help him.” Your positive attitude will go a long way!

• Parent-teacher communication: It can be intimidating to talk to your child’s teacher, especially if you’re unsure what to say or feel you’re wasting their time. But it’s vital that you communicate regularly with your child’s teacher, so they know who they will be teaching and how best to reach them. If there are any issues or concerns about behavior or progress in school, tell the teacher, so they can address them early on before they become more significant problems down the road.

• Avoid missing PTA meetings: Be involved in school activities like open houses and parent-teacher meetings. This helps build relationships with other parents and shows them that you’re serious about being involved in the education process at all levels. Parent-teacher conferences are a great way to get a feel for how your child interacts with their teacher. At these meetings, you can ask questions about your child’s progress, address concerns and learn more about what your child learns in class daily.

• Be respectful: It can be challenging for teachers when parents disrespect them or believe they’re responsible for their children’s behavior at school — but it happens more than we realize! If you don’t agree with something a teacher says, respectfully explain why and try to devise a solution that works best for everyone involved — including yourself!

Square Panda’s learning interventions seek to engage every stakeholder of the learning ecosystem in a comprehensive manner, and help them realize their learning objectives. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in  

In today’s world, we live in a highly competitive environment. Children are surrounded by different media, which may lead them to develop materialistic values often associated with the pursuit of money, fame and power. This can be detrimental to their development. To mitigate this, parents usually work hard to make their children feel safe and secure by creating a happy, healthy, and vibrant environment at home. But there is something that parents commonly miss: instilling community values in children. 

Community values refer to a set of beliefs and behaviours that make society a better place for everyone. These include kindness, tolerance and empathy towards others, respect for human rights, equality of opportunity, peace, freedom, justice, truthfulness, honesty, sincerity, trustworthiness, integrity, and more. 

The importance of building community values in children cannot be stressed enough. Connecting with the community helps children develop empathy and compassion towards others. They learn that everyone has different needs, abilities, skills, and experiences, and they should respect others and appreciate their differences. This helps them understand what it means to be part of a community, where each person contributes something unique to society.

Why is Community Involvement Important?

When children are involved in their community, they develop a sense of belonging and responsibility. They understand that their actions have consequences on other people’s lives as well as their own lives. They start learning to take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming others or other circumstances for anything that goes wrong in their lives or the world around them. 

Children get an opportunity to learn new things about different cultures, traditions and beliefs by interacting with different people from different backgrounds. This helps them become more tolerant towards others and allows them to appreciate the values unique to each country or region. Children also learn how important it is to be part of a team or group. They learn cooperation, sharing and respect for one another’s ideas and opinions. They also learn how to compromise, negotiate and resolve conflicts peacefully without resorting to violence or aggression.

If you want your child to grow up into a well-rounded individual with good values and character who knows how to work with others, you must involve them in your community from an early age.

Community is not just about living in a house next door to someone on the same street or in the same building. It’s about interacting with people from different walks of life and learning from each other. Parents must start engaging their children at home by talking to them about the surrounding community — its people, culture, and traditions.

Family and Community Involvement in Early Childhood Education

As a parent, you are the first and most important influence on your child’s life. Your actions, words, and example all contribute to how your child grows into adulthood. Instilling community values into your children will help them feel confident in social situations and allow them to know what they should or shouldn’t do in certain situations. For example: if a child sees his father stealing from another person, he may think it’s okay because his father does it too, and he doesn’t know any better.

Parents must model good behaviour and encourage their kids to do the same. Here are some ways that parents can help their children learn about community values:

👉 Encourage them to volunteer at their local library or animal shelter. Volunteering is one of the best ways to teach children about giving back to their community. It also allows them to meet new people while helping others who might not have as much as they do.

👉 Talk about the news with your kids. It’s essential to keep current on what’s happening in the world and how it affects our community. When you read a story, discuss it with your children and ask them what they think. This is an opportunity to discuss how we should treat other people and why certain things are wrong. If you read an article that says someone did something terrible, talk about how they should have handled it differently or why they shouldn’t have done it in the first place.

👉 Use language that reflects the values of our community. When you’re talking with your children, use words like “kindness” and “respect” instead of “good” or “bad.” If someone does something good, tell your child why it was good — not just because it was nice or helpful, but because it reflected kindness and respect for others.

👉 Talk about recycling and why it’s essential to keep our planet clean. You could also talk about ways to recycle at home — for example, by separating your recyclables from your trash or composting food scraps.

👉 Help your child understand their own feelings and emotions better to control their actions and reactions in any given situation. For example, if your child is angry, help them learn how to express it appropriately instead of shouting or hitting others when mad (like other children might do).

👉 Let your child know what is expected of them. This includes letting your child know what behaviour is acceptable and what behaviour is not acceptable. Also, let your child know that they should do what is right even if no one else is watching or if no one else knows about it.

Benefits of Community Involvement in Schools

Community involvement in schools creates a sense of ownership for students, parents, and teachers. When people feel like they have a stake in something, they tend to care more about it. This is especially true in schools where students are often very attached to a particular school or principal because they may have gone there since kindergarten or had an influential teacher who greatly impacted their lives.

Many students feel disconnected from their school because they don’t see how they fit into its plans or goals. When teachers involve the community in their lessons, however, students can see exactly how they fit into the school’s mission of education and may feel more motivated. This sense of connection between students and school helps create a sense of belonging that makes students feel more invested in their education and learning environment.

Research has shown that when students are involved in activities outside of school, they are more likely to be engaged in the classroom. They have more resources for learning and can bring their knowledge and experience into the classroom. For example, students who participate in service-learning often report that they are better able to understand issues related to sustainability because they have seen first-hand how their actions affect the environment. 

Service-learning also helps communities by providing students with opportunities to give back and make a difference. In addition, student groups working outside of school may develop lasting friendships that make it easier for them to work together as a team both inside and outside of school. Exposure to other cultures through community involvement can also help students become more culturally aware and sensitive, promoting understanding among people from different backgrounds.

It provides opportunities for young people to practice leadership skills. As part of community involvement programs, students may be asked to take on leadership roles, such as helping plan events or serving as student representatives on committees that oversee school activities. These roles give young people valuable experience in decision-making and teamwork before they graduate high school and enter the workforce or college.

Community involvement gives students insight into careers they might not have considered before. For example, suppose your school has an environmental club that works with local groups to restore wetlands or clean up beaches. In that case, some students may realize that ecological science is an exciting career path for them! The possibilities are endless, and only limited by your imagination. So put on your thinking cap, and start coming up with new ideas to involve students in the community.

Square Panda India’s programs are created to have a holistic impact, including developing the community and engaging all stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, and children, in its upliftment. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in.

Technology advancements have led to new approaches to teaching, learning, and communicating. And robotics has become a powerful educational tool and an engaging way to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) topics. The current level of sophistication and accessibility of these resources, as well as their ability to motivate students of different ages and ability levels, is undeniable. 

Some schools have already begun to do this. They’ve realized that incorporating robotics into the classroom helps students understand complex concepts through hands-on experience, which is more effective than just reading about it in a book or listening to lectures. For instance, the UT Education Department has planned to set up a robotics laboratory in 14 government schools in Chandigarh, to enhance cognitive faculty and promote hands-on learning in students. The lab will have DIY robotic kits for students to learn technology and programming concepts. 

In another case, the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation has set up a robotics laboratory at one of the Marathi-medium schools under a World Bank-funded project to improve teaching and learning.

Merits of Robotics in Education

Robotics is making waves in the educational sphere, and offers a plethora of benefits to students. With industry leaders touting robotics as the future of manufacturing, all signs point to why schools should strive towards infusing robotics into classroom lessons.

🤖 Preparation for Future Career Opportunities

Robotic technologies can provide an effective platform to help students develop the necessary skills for future career paths. Students who are educated in robotics may better understand how technology is changing our world. Currently, by the time students prepare to enter the workforce, they’re already playing catch-up, because the knowledge they learned in school doesn’t match up with what they’ll need. Robotics helps fill that gap by allowing students to take control of and practice operating machines that simulate real-world situations. Instructional tools such as computer-assisted instruction and online courses can be used to enhance classroom learning in the areas of programming, mechanical engineering, and applied sciences. 

🤖 Simplifying Complex Programming

It isn’t easy to learn how to program a computer. Programming requires an understanding of the logical structure and how input is processed into language and action, leading to results. Robotics can make programming easier to learn and more appealing to kids who are otherwise intimidated by the idea.

Robots help children learn by creating an immediate connection between the step-by-step instructions they’re writing down (the programming), and the result of those instructions (the robot doing fun things). Instead of having to take a leap from programming instructions to see their results on a computer screen, children can create robots that immediately show them how their code works as they write it. This helps kids understand that there are actual steps involved in making something happen on a computer—they’re not just playing around with buttons on a screen or typing in random words like they might do when playing a computer game. 

If you have an early learner eager to try programming but overwhelmed by its seemingly abstract concepts, robots can be a great way to make it more concrete and accessible for them to learn. 

🤖 Supporting Disabled Students

Students with special needs struggle to learn the same way as others and often have trouble with social interaction and expressing their thoughts and emotions. But with robots, these students can receive a personalized experience that meets their individual needs. 

Robots can be programmed to give students the support they need—they can read textbooks aloud or answer questions. Some students have sensory processing issues that make it challenging to remain focused on a lesson for the full 60 minutes of class time. Robots could provide the visual and auditory information they need without requiring them to sit still or listen intently for an extended period. 

🤖 Stimulates Collaboration and Teamwork

Robotics is an innovative and engaging way to get kids excited about STEM. It gives them a chance to work together in teams, challenge each other, and fail together. By working together on problems, students can teach each other skills and develop their capacity to work as part of a team. This is especially helpful for students struggling with social issues, as it encourages them to cooperate, communicate, and interact with their peers. 

In addition, it allows students to collaborate on projects, fostering creativity and imagination. This can be an excellent way for students to build their confidence because they will know that their successes are due to the contributions of others and not just their own work. In addition, robotics pushes the limits of what these students can achieve if they are willing to put in just a little extra effort. 

Square Panda’s tech-driven interventions help children from all walks of life be better prepared for future challenges. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in 

Stress can get the best of us, and children are no different; they’re sensitive to stress too. The fear of not knowing what comes next can be paralysing. Anxiety becomes an unwelcome companion, and frustration can turn into anger, manifesting itself in defiance, often throwing tantrums or causing a scene. From school to home, from art class to the playground, from one class period to the next – so many things can keep children overwhelmed. Plus, after studying from home for the last two years, the recent transition to the physical classroom has resulted in an increased amount of stress. 

Even before the Covid-19 virus hit, high rates of psychosocial distress plagued children in many countries. According to a UNICEF and Gallup survey, 1 in 5 young adults felt depressed or were demotivated. While children can be resilient to occasional stress, constant stress can affect their physical, emotional, and behavioral health. Children exposed to long-term stress may become fearful, anxious, and insecure. They may also feel depressed and irritable. Stress in children can also lead to various physical symptoms, including headaches and stomach aches. Over time, chronic or severe stress can weaken the immune system and cause more severe problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.

While stress may be inevitable, there are ways to help manage it. Throughout April, schools worldwide celebrate stress awareness month and encourage children and teens to de-stress. Here are some helpful tips on how to help your kids cope with stress:

👉 Talk It Out

Helping your children learn to cope with stress begins with communication. This can be as simple as a casual conversation while driving in the car or when you’re tucking your child into bed at night. Take the time to talk to them about their feelings and listen carefully to what they have to say. When they share things with you, try not to judge them – simply offer support and guidance. Make sure you let them know that it’s OK for them to express their feelings and ask questions about their day or any activities that seem out of the ordinary for them. Keep communication open and honest so that your child will feel comfortable confiding in you when they encounter stressful situations. It’s also essential for parents to talk about being stressed so that kids know it’s OK to talk about it too.

👉 Make Time For Fun

Take a break from your family’s hectic schedule and do something fun together. Play a game, take a walk, or simply enjoy each other’s company without distractions like cell phones or television. Avoid the temptation of over-scheduling activities outside the home. While it might seem like you’re doing something special by taking your child out to see a film or play, too many outings can leave children feeling rushed and overwhelmed when you could be spending quality time together instead.

👉 Limit Screen Time

Everyone likes to unwind after a hard day at work. But if your child is spending too much time online, it could be hurting their emotional well-being. Studies show that children and teens who spend more than two hours a day in front of a computer or TV may be at greater risk for anxiety and depression. Try to keep children from using electronic media during the hour before bedtime. This will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better throughout the night.

👉 Encourage Physical Activity

Exercise helps kids de-stress, reduce anxiety, and manage depression. It’s also good for developing their mind, social skills, and overall health. Practice taking deep breaths or imagining a quiet place together to help deal with everyday stressors like test anxiety or trouble sleeping. Breathing exercises can help slow down a rapidly beating heart and calm racing thoughts. 

👉 Help Children Get Good sleep

Sleep deprivation can worsen mood disorders in children and teens, so it’s essential to set a regular bedtime routine that allows them to get at least 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night, depending on the child’s age. 

👉 Model Healthy Coping Skills

Children watch what you do and take cues from how you handle stress. Show them how you use healthy coping skills such as talking about your feelings with people you trust, walking outdoors, or writing in a journal. Remind them that everyone feels stressed at times and that there are healthy ways of dealing with these feelings.

At Square Panda, we believe learning should be an enjoyable, engaging experience for kids of all ages. Our innovative and experiential programs ensure that kids’ attention spans are not lost in our increasingly busy worlds, and that they imbibe the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a stress-free manner. To know more, visit https://ecce.squarepanda.in/.

The gendered digital divide refers to the unequal distribution of access to and use of digital technologies by women and men. It is a multifaceted phenomenon rooted in the gender-based disadvantages women face in many areas of life, including economic power, financial resources, social status, and political influence. 

As a consequence of a robust patriarchal tradition and the low status of women in India, girls are often considered less important than boys by their families. However, gender disparities in educational attainment and technology access continue to persist. These gender disparities are particularly pronounced among youth from rural areas and low-income families, who face considerable obstacles regarding access to schools and quality education. In India, only 15% of women own a mobile phone, and 33% use internet services compared to men. In 2020, a quarter of all adult females owned a smartphone, compared to nearly half of all adult males.

Additionally, a new survey shows that the pandemic has further widened the gap between access to mobile phones and computers among young girls in India. According to UNESCO, over 158 million girls were affected by the closure of schools in India during the lockdown. This has intensified the already-existing gap in educational opportunities for young and adolescent girls.

How can Education Help?

Education has long been recognized as one of the most powerful tools for overcoming poverty and inequality. The emergence of open, digital platforms has presented the means to address the educational divide head-on. It is pivotal to creating opportunities for future generations and helps pave the way for upward social mobility. 

However, the first step must come from political policymakers and politicians themselves. Political leaders must develop policies that will help girls from low-income families and those with fewer privileges than men to realise their full potential.

📌 Improving Digital Infrastructure for Women

Governments could offer free or low-cost distribution of ICT devices to women. Investing in women’s education, including training in digital skills, can have a social dividend for the nation since women with the right training make significant contributions to the economy. Just look at countries with high rates of ICT use, where men and women are on par when it comes to technological know-how and productivity.

📌 Advocating Women Education

Digital literacy classes are not enough, though. We also need to create systems and cultures that support women’s and girls’ long-term interests and success in technology. This means creating safe spaces to practice their skills without fear of harassment or discrimination. Schools should also encourage female students to be interested in computer programming & other technology-related subjects rather than discouraging them because of their gender.

📌 Better Workplace Environments

Encouraging women to join the workforce and providing support services for them to be able to both work and raise a family could go a long way toward solving the problem. It is also essential to combine employment possibilities with educational opportunities that promote the better distribution of unpaid care (childcare and housework) and training for lifelong learning.

The Bottom Line

Despite rapid growth in mobile penetration and digital access in India, women lag behind men in both these areas. Gender discrimination in technology, low level of internet access, and lack of digital literacy among women inhibit their ability to participate in the economy. By supporting women and enhancing their digital literacy and access, we can empower and enable them to fully participate in the creation of the next chapter of India’s growth story.

Our comprehensive range of programs help deepen digital access and equitability, empowering all stratas of society to realise their full potential through the transformative capabilities of EdTech. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

The pandemic has altered almost every area of our daily lives. Teachers and students, in particular, have had to adapt to online education, which has proved difficult for many learners. Educators agree that online courses are no substitute for in-person learning experiences. In 2018, the New York Times reported that online classes do not allow for the same level of individual attention as in-person classes, and children studying online perform worse than those directly studying with teachers.

Despite this, some students have managed to thrive by embracing this remote style of learning. Learning styles can be deeply individual, and students who respond well to online learning usually have a strong sense of independence and self-motivation. Those students often choose this learning style because they can work at their own time and pace.

Let’s look at why some kids are succeeding in online learning.

👉 Self-Paced Learning

There is a lot of flexibility in online learning. The choice to learn at your own pace instead of being forced to go through the material in a certain way can help you stay focused and attentive. Therefore, students who do well in self-paced, flexible learning situations thrived while learning online. It allowed students to remain focused and attentive to course materials. Students could take any past classes they may have missed or repeat them as many times as needed. Anytime students wanted to repeat a lesson, they could replay it at their own pace, allowing them to fully comprehend the material and gain an understanding that would not be found in a classroom setting.

👉 More Time, Less Distraction

It is not an overstatement to say that today’s students had a grueling schedule in a pre-pandemic world. They attended school and were also expected to manage different extracurricular activities, such as sports and arts, alongside their classes. In addition to this, most students had to receive additional support from private tuitions and preferred going to these sessions in the evening or on weekends. As a result of the pandemic lockdown, many students had to curtail social activities, focusing on their online courses and studies, which proved to be beneficial for many.

👉 Mental Well-Being

Mental health is an integral part of overall wellbeing, and it varies from person to person. Regardless of the child’s age, some students may suffer from anxiety about going to school or the thought of being in a physical classroom where they feel uncomfortable. For these students, online schooling provided the opportunity to learn without all the pressures and expectations of being in an actual classroom. Even if they weren’t able to keep up with their classes at first, they were still able to complete their assignments at a later time without worrying about falling behind.

👉 Family Support

While it is widely known that school-based interactions and relationships with peers helps develop a child’s academic and emotional well-being, many children thrived while learning remotely. Parents play a significant role in how well their children flourish at school. Since online learning was new for children, many parents were actively involved with their children’s education. Most children were able to cope well with the demands of online learning because parents assisted them with the technology being used. This helped in boosting their child’s self-esteem and confidence.

The Bottom Line

There are several reasons why some kids thrive during remote learning, but it’s important to remember that every child is different. It’s never a good idea to compare your child with others or expect them to perform just as well as their peers in every subject area. While the thought of virtual schooling may have been far from parents’ minds when it first emerged, they can now view it as a viable alternative to attending classes physically in school, for now and the foreseeable future.

Our comprehensive interventions span across the lifetime of a child’s education journey, and impact multiple factors that influence a child’s educational achievement – such as learning, teacher support, parent support, educational infrastructure, access to technology, health & exposure to other skills. 

To know how our array of products and programs improve learning outcomes from pre-primary through secondary grades, visit ecce.squarepanda.in/ 

Generating questions is often equal parts a creative and cognitive process. Teaching students to ask their own questions as part of the learning process is a powerful and fascinating way to promote deeper thinking about a topic. Asking students to generate their questions and troubleshoot their answers develops critical thinking skills.

Student-generated questions have great potential for deeper thinking because students are prompted to reflect upon what they have learned before articulating their thoughts and ideas in a back-and-forth manner with peers, teachers, or both. Elaborating the content goes beyond knowing ‘what,’ ‘how,’ or ‘why’, and encompasses exploring ‘who,’ ‘where’, and ‘when’ factors relevant to the content or subject-matter.

Students are more than just observers and recipients of information in many cases. They also possess the potential to influence and change that very information. A study found that teachers ask 93% of classroom questions, leaving little scope for students to formulate their own. Encouraging students to develop their own questions fosters critical thinking, helps internalize the subject material more fully, and identifies areas where they need further clarification.

The Importance of Student-Generated Questions

Student generated questions often point out gaps between what students know and what they need to know to understand what is being taught. These gaps may not be apparent from a teacher’s lecture or from the answers students write on worksheets or give on tests. The questions students ask indicate that they are processing what teachers are discussing, and they have been trying to draw connections between the ideas presented and other things they already know.

Questions are an excellent way for students to check their understanding of a topic before moving on to new material. Student-generated questions also allow students to take control of the direction of their learning. Furthermore, when students ask questions, they engage with the material at a higher level and understand it in greater depth. They have a better chance of understanding the material or skill if they know their knowledge gaps, and articulate it. The teacher also gets insights into what the students understand and what areas they might do well to pay more attention to during instruction. This helps the teacher get more out of each class period.

While in-class discussion of student-generated questions is practical, teachers can also use such questions in online or in-person activities. Here are three classroom activities that incorporate student-generated questions.

✏️ Teach Students How to Ask Relevant Questions

Teaching kids to ask great questions is just as important as teaching them how to answer them. Some students may be hesitant to generate questions independently and resort to yes/no or factual prompts at first. To elicit more complex questions, ask students to reflect on some of the more difficult concepts they have encountered in class and then pose questions that begin with “explain” and help them focus on the how’s and why’s of a concept.

✏️ Have Students Create their Own Tests

Students who generate their questions often think more deeply about what they do not know or understand. This active learning technique enhances students’ content knowledge, develops critical thinking skills, and improves retention by forcing them to think about the material differently. Learning is much more effective when we actively engage with the material rather than passively read or listen to it. When students create test questions, they are forced to process and reflect on what they are learning rather than simply reading about it or listening to a lecture about it. Additionally, creating test questions requires that students analyse and synthesise information and critically evaluate the quality of their research and arguments.

✏️ Play Games to Encourage Creative Questions

Playing games encourages students to ask questions because it engages their curiosity. At the end of each class, give the students a puzzle to take home and think about. At the next class, each student has to ask at least one question about the puzzle, whether asking for hints or checking their answer. Students are often reluctant to speak up in class, so this exercise gets them talking. The game is also fun for kids because it can be played in class or small groups.

Another way to do this is to ask children to play with a few pieces of Legos or building blocks. Children who played by themselves created new shapes and designs, followed the directions in the manual, or built things that already existed. When people played in groups, they asked more questions of one another, such as “What if we did this?” and “What would happen if we combined these pieces?” These questions allowed them to create more innovative designs. 

Student generated questions tap into a child’s natural curiosity, and helps unlock a world of learning for them that will lead to a lifelong journey of discovery and enrichment. 

At Square Panda India, our team of experts creates adaptive, self-paced curriculum that engages children throughout their learning journey. Our programs are tailored to deliver improved learning outcomes and provide a more holistic educational experience. To learn more, visit our website – ecce.squarepanda.in 

You might not think it, but room arrangements can actually make a big difference on a student’s performance. As a learning environment, it’s not too surprising that flexibility impacts success by putting the student at the center. Flexible room layouts allow for a more student-centric teaching and learning methodology. In fact, flexibility can be a driver for increased engagement and performance in students, teachers and the school as a whole.

Let’s understand what flexible classrooms are

Flexible classrooms are an innovative idea that strikes a balance between the two dominant educational paradigms: traditional classrooms (with rows of desks), and project-based problem-oriented learning. Each flexible room has its own unique set of features. Children and teachers adjust them to suit the activities they choose to complete while in those spaces. Because no two flexible-space classrooms are alike, and children who study in them may be from different grades, each flexible-space classroom presents unique challenges for those working in them.

Flexible learning spaces are not one-size-fits-all, nor are they static. There is no one right way to set up a flexible classroom; every teacher should decide what works best for them and their students. Below are some of its features:

✏️ Movable Furniture

A flexible classroom allows for the movement of furniture, creating a variety of seating arrangements to best suit a variety of different classroom activities, such as lectures, small group discussions, and lab exercises. The classroom arrangement depends on the curriculum and purpose for which it is being used. In addition, furniture should be comfortable, durable and sized appropriately for students.

Flexible classrooms are designed to give students choices about where they work and how they learn. For example, if a student wants to collaborate with other students on a project, they can move desks into a circle so that all members can be involved in the discussion. If another student needs space from others or wants time alone to concentrate on an assignment, they can choose a quiet corner or workstation away from the group activity.

✏️ Storage Spaces

A flexible classroom has shelves or storage bins for each child’s belongings to avoid clutter around the room. There also might be a little kitchen area where children can make snacks and keep their lunch readily available.

✏️ Technology Integration

The current generation of learners have grown up with technology. They expect it to be part of their learning experience. They live in an interactive world where mobile technology allows them to connect with others continually, access information quickly, and multitask daily. It’s also essential to have technology available to support a flexible classroom layout, where students have the freedom to decide how they organize their time, space, tools and activities.

The technology used in the classroom takes many forms, including interactive whiteboards, projectors, document cameras, computers, and digital recorders. Technology will enable teachers to present content in numerous ways and engage students in hands-on learning activities.

✏️ Display Areas

Display areas also provide opportunities to revisit past lessons and concepts. Children’s work is displayed throughout the room to showcase student effort and encourage peer review. 

✏️ Supportive Materials

Flexible classrooms contain various instructional materials that support multiple learning styles and interests. Materials may include elements such as blocks or number tiles,  audiovisual aids such as videos and games, science kits, art supplies, maps, musical instruments, dress-up clothes, and dramatic play props such as puppets or play money, sports equipment, etc.

It’s important for teachers not just to allow flexibility, but also make use of it themselves. While some instruction will happen at the front of the room, for example, during whole-class discussions, teachers may occasionally move around the classroom while teaching and checking student progress.

The Bottom Line

Formal learning spaces are becoming more flexible and informal, creating a blend of work and lifestyle. While traditional classrooms are the most used learning spaces, they do not offer all the elements desired in a flexible learning space. A study has shown that flexible classrooms provide increased collaboration, more engaging material delivery mechanisms, close proximity between students, and teacher workstations that are not separate from students. Flexible classrooms can help create the right environment for learning for students and educators, and it is something that teachers and institutions everywhere need to closely consider when setting up their classrooms, for it can create a joyful learning environment.

Inclusive classrooms will be the norm in the near future. Educational institutions are already taking steps toward more-flexible spaces for students of all learning styles. Our programs are designed considering the differences in students’ learning styles and how teachers can be flexible in their approach to stay relevant and in tune with the needs of each student. To know more, visit, ecce.squarepanda.in.

In a world that’s becoming more and more globalized, the “majority” language can no longer be the only language being spoken. An increasing number of schools are beginning to offer their students the opportunity to take lessons in a foreign language. Building familiarity in multiple languages can make students smarter, more open-minded, and even more appreciative of their own culture. 

India has seen an increase in the number of courses taught in its native languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and others. In 2021, there were 1,230 seats for study in approved engineering schools for this purpose. The Odisha School Education Programme Authority has created more than 302 textbooks and 2,500 reading materials in 21 tribal languages. 

As parents and educators, we want to equip our children with the tools to succeed in life. Multilingual education is a rewarding way to build proficiency in communication and language acquisition while ensuring enjoyable and engaging learning experiences. Children who are exposed to two or more languages at an early age develop enhanced executive functioning skills and show higher levels of cognitive efficiency—and research indicates that students continue to reap these benefits throughout their post-academic careers.

NEP 2020’s Emphasis on Multilingual Education

The New Education Policy has stressed the importance of using mother tongues and local languages as the medium of instruction. It aims to make the English language learning process easier for students, and aspires to teach in local/regional languages for better learning experiences for students. 

NEP 2020 provides students with access to study Sanskrit and other classical languages at all school and higher education levels. All children, however, will have a choice to select the one additional language that they wish to study. Students in Grade 6-8 will be able to participate in a language project, such as an activity about one of the languages ​​of India, under the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ initiative. At the secondary level, several foreign languages will be offered. An effort will be made to standardize Indian Sign Language (ISL) throughout the country.

Here’s how a multilingual classroom makes children smarter:

📍 Builds Empathy among Children

Multilingual classrooms are more likely to produce students who appreciate different cultures and languages. It is vital that we foster empathy in our children, which multilingual classrooms do better than single-language classrooms. Teaching different languages helps them understand the importance of accepting the differences of one another. 

Moreover, when children understand the value of being inclusive of other people’s differences, they learn to be better citizens. As a result, they will be able to respect the rights of others more efficiently and exercise more tolerance towards people who are different from themselves.

📍 Develops Cognitive Skills

Language is not just a matter of communication. A solid foreign language curriculum provides students with opportunities to explore their own world-view through the lens of another culture. This way establishes a foundation for genuine cross-cultural understanding and communication. Early exposure to a foreign language provides children with an opportunity to develop what some scholars call a “language instinct,” giving them a foundation for communicating and interacting with people from around the world.

📍 Positive Effect on Academic Performance

Multilingualism in the classroom fosters positive effects on the academic performance of their students. A class with diverse languages allows for increased collaborations and interactions between its members. Students who speak multiple languages are better equipped to solve problems and engage in critical thinking. This is because they have learned how to view things from different perspectives, which helps them analyze situations more accurately and develop sound solutions for problems.

At Square Panda India, we believe that in a multilingual country like India, children and educators need to be well-versed in more than one language to properly succeed in the future. Our initiative ‘Aarambh’ immerses educators, Anganwadi workers, and children in a multitude of local languages, and aims to greatly impact India’s early learning landscape. Learn more: ecce.squarepanda.in

Just as all of us are unique in our own ways, so too are our learning requirements and journeys. Simply put, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to educational delivery. With the national debate over standards and “teach to the test” performance at an all-time high, alternative education facilities like self-paced curriculum are needed more than ever. 

But questions abound; such as 

• How do you create a self-paced curriculum? 
• What is individualized instruction? 
• How can you incorporate self-paced tasks into your course? 
• What are some of the positives and potential challenges of self-paced learning?

These are questions frequently encountered by course designers. After all, it’s essential to design a learning module that allows students to learn seamlessly at their own pace. When children can determine the duration and speed of their learning, it increases their retention of learning, and helps them become motivated to soak up knowledge at a rate that is comfortable for them. However, not all students work at the same pace or have the same motivation level. This is where a self-paced curriculum works best. 

So, what is Self-paced Curriculum?

At its core, it is a way to organize students into an interactive learning environment that encourages responsibility and accountability. This form of management creates a different type of energy and activity in the classroom, where each student’s contribution is essential to the learning process. A Forbes study emphasized the importance of self-paced learning, where several schools have adapted this model to make changes in their curriculum.

Below are a few benefits of having a self-paced classroom:

• Students of all ages can find success with a self-study model that caters to the needs of each individual. They can focus their attention on the most relevant material based on personal interest, thus reducing feelings of frustration, anxiety, and boredom in an otherwise rigid classroom environment.
• The self-paced format lets students take responsibility for their learning, construct their study plans, and pursue goals at an independent pace. This keeps the momentum by regularly reviewing the materials and organizing their time.
• Self-directed curriculum allows students to control their learning. Self-directed students benefit from learning-management systems that give them real-time data on test performance, in addition to insights into their strengths and weaknesses.
• Students are inspired to learn more when they can move at their own pace and take control of their learning. They will try new things, take on challenges, and experience new insights.

So to help you create a self-paced curriculum design, keep the following principles in mind:

📍 Keep the Content Simple

The number one reason most students fail to finish an online course successfully is that they get overwhelmed with the amount of content presented. We all want students to take ownership of their learning and use the instructional time constructively. However, overly complex content discourages learning, making it difficult for students to use the site effectively, ultimately doing more harm than good. No matter how great your content is, no one wants to navigate a mindless maze just to get to what they need. These four things can help you avoid this pitfall:

• When designing your online curriculum, it’s essential to keep the navigation as simple and streamlined as possible.
• Don’t add more information than is necessary. Keep it simple by giving one instruction at a time.
• Reduce the need for students to click or scroll by embedding content into each screen to avoid distractions.
• To keep students on track, keep your directions short and precise.

📍 Keep the Content Organized

If you have been teaching for a while, the chances are that you have encountered students who haven’t followed your instructions. They ended up confused about assignments and learning material, and often frustrated that they could not locate what they needed. 

One way of resolving this is better organization. Whether you’re a high school teacher, college professor or home tutor, you’ll want to keep your important material organized and easily accessible. For instance, label file folders with the course name and number, and save lesson plans in labelled files on your computer desktop. Course organization should not be an afterthought — or worse, a quick fix at the end of a development project when it becomes clear the course still lacks structure. Instead, course organizations should be part of the development process, not just a “fix-it” final check. 

📍 Give Clear and Consistent Directions

Students need a road-map to help them accomplish the task at hand and reach the final destination. Good communication practices make it easier for students to know how to find their directions and expectations. Many teachers wait too long to begin setting classroom expectations and communicating how the classroom functions. 

It can be challenging for students to adjust if you randomly tell them what is expected behaviour in a classroom and what happens if the homework assignments are not clearly posted or explained. Provide your students with well-written lessons, activities, and projects. Instruct them in sound techniques of research and grammar. Students must learn to respect deadlines and follow directions.

At Square Panda India, our team of experts develop adaptive, self-paced curriculum that joyfully engages children throughout their learning journey. Our programs are tailored to deliver improved learning outcomes that can be measured and provide a more holistic educational experience. To learn more, visit our website – ecce.squarepanda.in