Good Schools of India
Joy of Learning Weekly #74
Learning Forward Retreat
Over three days of The Learning Forward Retreat, I had the opportunity to spend time with teachers and educators from different schools and different backgrounds and experiences. We were brought together by three simple ideas: 3Rs
Reading, Reflection, and Relationships
Our journey began with reading the book “Is Your Child Ready to Face the World?” During the YES Workshop, we explored chapters on humility, honesty, goals and other values. Every teacher had a different story to tell, and reflecting on their years of teaching and listening to these experiences made me realise that a book is never read in the same way by two people, as they had their teaching reflections, and I had reflections from my student life. The discussions encouraged me to pause and ask questions like, do my actions match my values?
On the second day, we dedicated time to reflection, working together to create flip charts based on our learning from the book. Being together, it may sound like a simple activity, but what stood out to me was seeing teachers become students again. We spent time deciding how to present our ideas, discussing colours, drawings, words, and layouts.
I had fun watching experienced educators carefully sketching, colouring, and debating which illustration would best match a sentence. It reminded me that creativity doesn’t belong only to children; sometimes adults need the opportunity to use it again. We listened to one another and built on each other’s ideas. We didn’t do reflection alone but together.
The final day was about relationships; we visited Aasraa Trust, a shelter home for underprivileged children. It was a chance to connect with people whose lives are very different from ours. Spending time with the children reminded me that everyone carries struggles we cannot immediately see, yet despite those challenges, they welcomed us with warmth, curiosity and joy.
The Retreat also helped me build relationships with the educators around me. Whether it was chatting over lunch or exchanging ideas after a session, every conversation added a new perspective, and every person had something valuable to teach.
As I look back on these three days, I realise that the three Rs are deeply connected. Reading opened my mind, reflection helped me understand what I had learned, and relationships gave those lessons a human meaning.
- Sneha, The English Book Depot
What Does It take to Make Happy Teachers?
Schools aren’t investing in teachers. They’re investing in teaching.
There’s a lesson plan, but no health plan for them: a classroom management framework, but no retirement plan. We ask teachers to master differentiated instruction while paying many of them below-average monthly wages — wages that leave little room to save, let alone plan for the future. Studies on private school teachers in India have found that the majority report high stress, and lower pay consistently emerges as one of the strongest predictors of it.
You can’t build resilience on top of financial anxiety.
That’s not a training gap. That’s a foundational gap.
Books of the Week
Stories That Inspire Reflection and Compassion - Sunbeam School, Ballia
The reading session, conducted by Jugjiv Sir and Manisha Khanna Ma’am, reminded me that people can have different perspectives in the same situation. It also made me realise that even simple incidents can teach valuable life lessons if we observe them carefully. Overall, the session encouraged me to be more understanding, observant, and appreciative of the lessons hidden in everyday experiences.
Riya Yadav, Educator
Read the full post and check out the refletions from the students and teachers of our changemaker school at Balli, in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Learn, Give and Grow
Good Schools Alliance invites you to experience the Joy of Learning
Discover the joy of learning through reading, reflection, and relationships - the 3Rs that define My Good School.
Learning Forward Saturday
A teacher training session on reading and discussing ‘Wanted Back-bencher, Last Ranker Teacher” by Kavita Bhupta Ghosh. Sneha led, starting with reflections on the previous chapter, in which Sunita discussed balancing heart and mind in teaching. The group read about teacher Roma’s confrontation with school management and the defence of her approach to students’ emotional needs. The discussion highlighted the importance of emotional support, personal connections, and the creation of meaningful learning environments, especially for adolescents. Brinda explained the role of emotions in learning and suggested strategies like open-ended questions and waiting time. Participants like Seema and Swati shared their challenges, and Sneha recommended ways to foster community in the classroom. The session ended with key takeaways from the chapter.
Analysing the enduring crisis of liberalism, with a specific focus on the contemporary global order.
The Saturday Emerging Literacy Masterclass, led by Sandeep, revolved around a group reading and in-depth discussion of Yuval Noah Harari’s acclaimed book “21 Lessons for the 21st Century.” The session focused on the chapter that examines the ongoing crisis of liberalism.
Session Start and Theme: The session began with a song about “My Good School,” emphasising learning, creativity, and community.
Book Discussion: Reflections on Gerald Durrell’s “My Family and Other Animals” highlighted lessons on humility and crisis management.
Personal Growth and Self-Discovery: The session concluded with readings from “What You’re Looking For in the Library,” focusing on Hiroya’s journey of self-discovery and the significance of passion and mentor support.
Finally, reading from Time Stops At Shamli (Hindi).