Good Schools of India
Joy of Learning Weekly #51
The Way and Awakening
Personal and social development for every individual.
Our Programs and how to start?
My Good School on Sundays is open to middle school students and teachers of GSA Member Schools #MyGoodSchool. Schools and partners who join the Good Schools Alliance get open access to My Good School.
Learning Forward Saturday is for GSA Member schools that sign up and is open to the Whole Faculty Study Group - all teachers of the Member School are most welcome #HappyTeachers.
Masterclass on Saturday is for individuals and is limited to 25 passionate educators.
Friday @ EBD is free and Open To All, appreciation of literature, art and culture #JoyOfGiving.
Thoughtfully Thursday focuses exclusively on Read And Lead and is open to all.
My Good School Retreat for GSA Member Schools #JoyOfLearning.
Learning Forward Retreat at Fig Tree Cottage - book for a group of five and spend two nights at Dehradun #BrewingKnowledge.
We offer a customised learning experience for every individual #JoyOfLearning.
Learning Forward India Foundation
Founded by Sandeep Dutt of The English Book Depot #BrewingKnowledge, the Foundation aims to reshape school culture by fostering trust, curiosity, and collaboration among stakeholders.
BOOKS OF THE WEEK
Like Safeena Husain, of Educate Girls, my journey to discover My Good School started in the Pali District of Rajasthan, at The Fabindia School in the village of Bali.
The Fabindia School is a private, co-educational institution situated in Bali, Rajasthan. Established in 1992 by William and John Bissell, its goal is to deliver high-quality, affordable English-medium education to rural areas, with a particular emphasis on empowering girls.
Sandeep Dutt
Fridays @ EBD, reading from “What Did You Ask At School Today?” by Kamala Mukunda: The meeting began with a discussion on how stress affects children’s academic performance and emotional well-being, with participants sharing personal experiences of being punished for poor academic performance and exploring various risk factors that contribute to emotional difficulties in children. The conversation then shifted to educational challenges faced by first-generation learners in Bandarjud, where parents lack the necessary resources to support their children’s education. The conversation ended with suggestions to connect the Jaabaz Kishori project with Retreat plans and to invite girls from each village to participate, which were acknowledged as important initiatives.
Masterclass with Sandeep Dutt
To introduce the book The Courage to be Happy by Ishiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, and its core themes.
Key Takeaways
New Book Study: The group is starting The Courage to be Happy, the sequel to The Courage to be Disliked, to explore Alfred Adler’s psychology of happiness.
Book’s Premise: The book opens with a teacher (Harshita) who, after three years, is disillusioned with Adler’s ideas, finding them impractical in the real world.
Core Conflict: The teacher’s main struggle is with Adler’s “no praise, no rebuke” principle, which she feels led to an unruly class and forced her to revert to traditional discipline.
Central Theme: The philosopher responds that the teacher’s problem stems from a misunderstanding of Adler’s concept of “love,” which is presented as the ultimate test of courage.
Learning Forward Saturday
To introduce the Staff Leadership Development Program and its core philosophy. Reading from the book Wanted Back-Bencher & Last-Ranker Teacher by Kavita Ghosh.
Key Takeaways
Program Core: The Staff Leadership Development Program (SLDP) uses the book Wanted Back Bencher, Last Ranker Teacher to shift the teacher paradigm from “perfect” to “relatable.”
Monthly Cycle: Each month, teachers read a chapter, discuss its themes, and write a blog post for
happyteacher.inapplying the concepts to their own classroom experiences.Chapter 1 Theme: The first chapter, “Conventional v. Contemporary School Management,” argues that teachers with personal experience of struggle are better equipped to connect with and counsel students.
Key Insight: Every teacher must act as an “ed counsellor”—providing immediate “first aid” for behavioural issues—because school counsellors are too few to handle the volume of daily incidents (e.g., 155/day in the book’s example).
Learning Through Stories: Small Efforts, Big Impact- Lotus Petal Foundation
It was very engaging storytelling, and using narratives is a potent communication tool, no matter what you want to communicate.
Elements of a narrative:
Character
Situation / Action
Realisation
We should describe a situation first and then move towards the result. We can change the order, but we should decide it ourselves. Describe the three elements and then play around with them. It may seem as if I am over-analysing it, but all these components are very organically present in storytelling.
Disha, Grade 5
My Good School Sunday morning session for reading and discussing two chapters from different books. The first chapter, “A Bushel of Learning,” from “My Family and Other Animals” was read and analysed, with discussions of themes such as education, family dynamics, and learning through observation. The book, “What You’re Looking For is in the Library,” was introduced, highlighting the protagonist’s passion for antiques and his struggles with human relations at work. Participants shared reflections on the stories, emphasising themes of patience, persistence, and the value of small actions. The session also included a discussion of the importance of writing down observations to enhance learning. The conversation ended with participants expressing appreciation for the interactive and meaningful learning experience.
