(By Nita Arora for Himalini Media Group-Nepal)
Teaching paradigm in today’s time is changing very fast. Though the core values remain the same but the needs of changing times and aspirations of students and society require the teachers and educational leaders to be aware of the growing need to relearn and be ready for the fast changing world order.
For the first time CBSE, Delhi decided to send a select group of educational leaders for training the staff in CBSE schools abroad. Some of the Indian schools are in the gulf countries, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Nepal, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, etc. are affiliated to CBSE.
NEP 2020 has made it mandatory for all the CBSE schools to have its staff receive 50 hours of training every year. Keeping this vision in mind, CBSE arranged for Capacity Building Programmes for the staff and Heads of the CBSE schools abroad too.
Thus a select group of master trainers were shortlisted by the CBSE Director Training, Dr Ram Shankar Director and Dr Sandeep Kumar Jain Joint Secretary (Training). The CBP was managed by Ms Thushara K. Head CBSE CoE, Foreign Schools, Ms Shweta Swapnil Moon, Under Secretary CBSE and Mr Sumit.
A very comprehensive training module was shared with the two resource persons – Mrs Nita Arora, Director Sri Venkateshwar International School, Sector-18, Dwarka, New Delhi and Mr Rajeevan Puliyallathi, Principal, Army Public School, Shillong. They were to ensure a three day long effective training programme for the team of the Indian Public School, Nairobi, Kenya from March 25-27, 2024.
They reached Kenya on March 24, 2024 and were received by the Board of Directors of the Indian Public School, Operations Director Mohammed Hafiz Hashmi and the Director/Advisor Mr Raghupati.
The CBP sessions began on March 25 with a one hour long session on National Education Policy by Ms Shweta Moon, followed by 7 hour session on Art Integration in schools by the two resource persons on March 25. By the way, it happened to be the day of Holi and the team from India immersed itself fully in spreading the colours of joy and learning among the staff of Indian Public School, Nairobi, Kenya.
The staff of the Indian Public School comprises 80 % Kenyan nationals for whom it was the first experience of CBSE training. The indian staff members led by the Director Mr Hashmi and the principal Ms Navnidhi Gupta of IPS were equally charged and ready to learn new ideas. The session proved to be highly successful one as the teachers wholeheartedly participated and immediately showcased learning by presentations of different art forms for teaching various subjects.
They soon learnt to bridge the gap between the board of education of their nation and CBSE, India. They were very good at learning new ideas, incorporating them and showcasing their learning through various types of art styles. Thus the bond that was formed on the first day ensured a good rapport and fast pace of learning in the group.
March 26 or the second day of the training on ACTIVE LEARNING was effectively taken by Mrs Nita Arora with Mr Rajeevan helping her in organizing the group activities. The staff was highly engrossed and the individual as well as the group work were a testimony to great learning.
March 27 was the last day of the CBP and session on the Learning outcomes & Pedagogies focused on various pedagogies of teaching and learning that ensure effective learning outcomes among the students. Thus the staff of the Indian Public School learnt to involve the learners more effectively in their own learning and be future ready. It also helped in recapitulation of the Day 1 and 2 sessions. Ms Nita Arora and Mr Rajeevan helped the staff take up the various tasks in a joyful manner. The last day group presentations were a testimony to the success of the effective CBPs.
An extra session on Inclusive Education was added on the advice of Ms Swapnil Moon. Mr Rajeevan gave practical examples of inclusion and Mrs Nita Arora discussed the various CBSE provisions for the specially abled children.
Mr M Hashmi Director Operations and Ms Navnidhi Gupta Principal IPS, Nairobi moved the vote of thanks. They presented the resource persons with special mementoes. The team from India and the Board of Directors introduced the CBSE team to the Mr Sudeep Goel, Councillor Indian High Commission, Nairobi. He also gave a first- hand account of being a parent at the Indian Public School and was highly appreciative of the initiative of CBSE.
The group returned to India with newer perspectives on the need to train teachers for the fast changing world and also with the insight that educators across the world are similar and their vision same.
(Mrs Nita Arora is the Director Sri Venkateshwar International School, Sector-18, Dwarka, New Delhi)
Brief about Mrs Nita Arora With 43 years of experience in schools, she is currently the Director of Sri Venkateshwar International School. She is a Consultant with British Council, a BC School Ambassador, Vice President of NGO Cosmic Seniors Paradise, CBSE Master trainer who has imparted trainings to Heads, teachers and other resource persons in India and abroad.
She is a merit holder from Delhi University M.Sc. Zoology, M.Ed., CiSELT (The Certificate in Secondary English Language Teaching is specifically for English language teachers working with learners aged 11-18.) in English language from the British Council and has undertaken a yoga course from Morarji Desai Institute of Yogic Sciences. She has completed a Certificate Course from Finland on the topic, ‘Teacher as an innovator’. She was trained by Cambridge University for Competency based education on behalf of CBSE. She was trained by NIEPA in Pedagogical Leadership.
She is an award winning principal from the Directorate of Education, winner of National Extempore Debate Brainfeed and also won the Principal’s Talent Award among many others.
She showcases a passion for lifelong learning and encourages children, teachers and parents by leading as a role model. Her vision is to transform lives of all through promoting the magic of gratitude, active citizenship skills and mindfulness. Email: nitaarora.1@gmail.com
(Note: This article from Mrs. Nita Arora is specifically written for Himalini Media Group, Nepal. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the writer.)
