Monthly newsletters with articles, tips and stories

1. Dec 2010
Volume 4, Issue 12 Inspiring Teachers
Driving educational change through excellence in teaching
Editor’s Comments
This month we have a true create interactions outside regularly. These have been
story of how a teacher can class with students. captured in some of the
make a difference …with a A few useful links that you polls on the site. But please
Pic above: Workshop note from the author. The should not miss and the do drop a line to info@...
for MEd Students at
Institute of Advanced story is really touching. regular schedule at the We will be seeing you again
Studies in Education, Some classroom tips and Academy complete this in 2011 and with lots of
Osmania University,
2009 some extracted observations issue. plans and actions for the
from Stanford’s Tomorrow’s Our website is undergoing new year.
Articles this month: Professor (sent by Dr Sridhar the annual make over, we Read, enjoy, forward, and
Beyond Classroom – Chitta). These are findings will be interested in do ask your friends to sign
Editor ……..….2
from a study. knowing what will make up.
The difference a teacher There is an article on how to teachers come to the site
can make – Jaye
Lewis ………..3
Dysfucntional Illusions
November & December at Teacher’s Academy
Sridhar Chitta ….5
1. Sessions for Effective Teaching Do you want to be a part of excitement
Skills for NMREC @ Teacher’s Academy?
2. AMSSOI - One day workshop on Short term project for faculty
Innovative Teaching - Dec 10th, from professional colleges
2010
We need innovative and competent teachers of
3. 4th batch of Teacher Training
engineering and management colleges for a short
Program at Enhance Edu, IIIT-
term project of one month. The mandate is to
H - Nov 1st to Dec 5th, 2010
create sample lessons plans and actual videos of
4. Adam's High School - Long term
these innovative methods. Selected candidates will
school development project -
have to work at Hyderabad for the period. They
two more training sessions
will be paid an honorarium. Excited and
5. Workshop at Aditya Engg
interested faculty may send their profiles
College – Nov 17th to Nov 19th,
including their methods of teaching and why they
2010
want to be in this project to info@inspiring-
teachers.com

2. Inspiring Teachers Page 2 of 5
Beyond the classroom Uma Garimella
Many times, the light with a big smile. It wasn’t should take place at least 2-
teachers try to light in the just the student who 3 times in a semester/term.
minds of students is like a learnt, states the
candle – it gets blown out in The risk of such interactions
professor. Through this
the breezy yawns in the is that you might develop a
discussion, he could see
classrooms. If it manages to personal bias, which may
that his comments were
survive there, it gets not go down well with the
not helpful, and also that
extinguished in the winds of rest of the students.
his teaching needed to
campus activity. And we get address some more issues. But I have seen teachers
disappointed that we are
who maintain their
not able to light a flame! Now the question is how
professional reserve while
many students actually
But sometimes, inspiration being helpful. They lay
come and meet you in
occurs unexpectedly, down ground rules in class -
your staff room? Just
without a lesson plan or what is negotiable and what
telling them that you’re
design on part of the teacher available doesn’t help. is not.
– outside the class; maybe Some students are too Another suggestion is that
Tip! in your staff room, or when scared to approach you, you discuss the solution to
students visit your house, or while others barge into
Your private help or an exam paper before you
discussions outside during a bus journey your room for the smallest start grading their papers –
the class should be together. A professor relates
about classes or reason. I typically do it in the
problems but keep how a student came to his
immediate next class after
your exam and office with her assignment I have personally found it
assignment the exam. This opens up
in which she got a C grade. useful to make a schedule
discussions within some valid deviations
boundaries defined She wanted to know what and see them. I ask 6-8
students have made from
by you. was wrong with her students (specific roll
my ‘solution’.
assignment, though the numbers) to come and
professor had written meet me (one on one), (Contd. On Page 5)
detailed comments. As he and I take the opportunity
sat her down and started to discuss their
finding out how she wrote performance, attendance
it, and looked at her notes, and other issues. In one
she understood that her such meeting, a student
main points weren’t told me he didn’t
conveyed in the paragraphs understand English, and I
that she read. Suddenly, it had to call him for a few
was clear to her, and she left sessions in Telugu on the
subject. This interaction

3. Page 3 of 5 Inspiring Teachers
The difference a teacher can make Jaye Lewis
Steve, a twelve-year-old boy other things, as the day class!" schoolbooks. Grim faced and
with alcoholic parents, was wore on. His heart was not She just stared at Steve, as the determined, he headed for the
about to be lost forever, by in school, but in the class spun around for a good woods.
the U.S. education system. woods, where he often look. Steve dropped his eyes The following Monday he
Remarkably, he could read, escaped alone, trying to and carefully examined his arrived at school on time, and
yet, in spite of his reading shut out the sights, sounds fingertips. he waited for Miss White to
skills, Steve was failing. He and smells of his alcoholic After that, it was war!! Steve enter the classroom. She
had been failing since first home. No one checked on still wouldn't do his walked in, all sparkle and
grade, as he was passed on him to see if he was safe. homework. Even as the smiles! God, she was beautiful!
from grade to grade. Steve No one knew he was gone, punishments became more (Contd on Page 5)
was a big boy, looking more because no one was sober severe, he remained stubborn. On email: It is a true
like a teenager than a enough to care. Oddly, "Just try it! ONE WEEK!" He story, every word. It
amazes me every time I
twelve year old, yet, Steve Steve never missed a day was unmoved. think of it. My
went unnoticed... until Miss of school. "You're smart enough! You'll husband just recently
had a massive heart
White. One day, Miss White's see a change!" Nothing fazed attack, and we almost
Miss White was a smiling, impatient voice broke into him. lost him. Praise God
for the miracles of
young, beautiful redhead, his daydreams. "Give yourself a chance! Don't modern medicine. The
and Steve was in love! For "Steve!!" Startled, he give up on your life!" Nothing. reason I'm sharing this
is because I've heard
the first time in his young turned to look at her. "Steve! Please! I care about time and time again,
life, he couldn't take his "Pay attention!" you!" from complete
strangers, since
eyes off his teacher; yet, still Steve locked his gaze on Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! his heart attack: "He's
he failed. He never did his Miss White with Someone cared about him? such a wonderful man,"
or "He's such a good
homework, and he was adolescent adoration, as Someone, totally unattainable man." I like to think
always in trouble with Miss she began to go over the and perfect, CARED ABOUT that the intercession
of that good woman is
White. His heart would test results for the seventh HIM??!!" one of the things
break under her sharp grade. Steve went home from school, that has made my
husband, the man he is
words, and when he was "You all did pretty well," thoughtful, that afternoon. today. He has overcome
punished for failing to turn she told the class, "except Walking into the house, he much, and he is a good
man.
in his homework, he felt for one boy, and it breaks took one look around. Both
just miserable! Still, he did my heart to tell you this, parents were passed out, in Thank you for your
request. It has
not study. but..." She hesitated, various stages of undress, and particular meaning
In the middle of the first pinning Steve to his seat the stench was overpowering! right now. Of course
you may use it!
semester of school, the with a sharp stare, her eyes He, quickly, gathered up his
entire seventh grade was searching his face. camping gear, a jar of peanut With gratitude,
Jaye Lewis
tested for basic skills. Steve "...The smartest boy in the butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle
hurried through his tests, seventh grade is failing my of water, and this time...his
and continued to dream of

4. Inspiring Teachers Page 4 of 5
Dysfunctional illusions Sridhar Chitta
Illusion 1: Hard courses This is not to say that that these conventional
weed out weak students. students have no methods are not as
When students fail it is responsibility for their effective as some other far
primarily due to inability, own work. Rather, we less frequently used
weak preparation, or lack have grossly methods. The comparison,
of effort. underemphasized the still from physics, is that
Realistic view: When faculty members’ alternative methods teach
students fail it is often due responsibilities. on average twice as much
to inappropriate Illusion 2: Traditional as traditional lectures.
pedagogy. Substantial methods of instruction from Chapter 10, Dysfunctional
Faculty Development
Illusions of Rigor: Lessons from
program at Sir MVIT, improvements were offer effective ways of
the Scholarship of Teaching and
Bangalore in 2009 produced (see above) even teaching content to Learning, by Craig E. Nelson,
in classes traditionally undergraduates. Modes Indiana University, in the book,
regarded as necessarily that pamper students To Improve the Academy:
Resources for Faculty,
difficult, among them teach less.
Instructional, and Organizational
calculus, physics, Realistic View: Development, Volume 28, (Eds)
chemistry, and economics. Evidence is equally clear Linda B. Nilson and Judith E.
Useful Links Miller
1800-Teacher.com http://www.1800-teacher.com/
Free training & development resource center http://thetrainingworld.com/
Fun & Games http://www.funandgames.org/index.htm
Kash Club http://kashclub.com/
Teacher Plus – Honoring The Guru http://www.teacherplus.org/event/honouring-the-guru
CDIO http://www.cdio.org/
Schoolscape http://www.schoolscape.in/en/index.html
Beyond The Classroom
(Contd. From Page 2) embarrassment and Maintain a schedule that
heart-burn after marks is comfortable to you and
Many times this is a
are handed out. the students. Be practical
perspective you have missed
and don’t get frustrated
or you have worded the Remember, to become a
by setbacks.
question ambiguously. Then good teacher, you should
I either invalidate the be open to interactions
question or consider new outside classrooms. But
answer options during my don’t get drowned in a
grading. This saves lot of flood of students.

5. Page 5 of 5 Inspiring Teachers
Teacher’s Academy The difference a teacher can make cont’d from page 3
He yearned for her smile to turn on him. It did not.
Hyderabad
Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried
PHONE: through the test, and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss
97011 41118
White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back
to his desk, his heart pounding within his chest. As he sat down, he couldn't resist
E-MAIL:
info@inspiring-teachers.com another look at the lovely woman.
Miss White's face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, then down, then up.
Suddenly, her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade
had just passed his first test!
From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same,
but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at
it! He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge, and that he could
translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to excel! And he
continued this course throughout his school life.
After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a successful military career.
During that time, he met the love of his life, he raised a family, and he graduated from
college Magna Cum Laude. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people,
See us at: who without him, might not have believed in themselves. Steve began a second career
www.teachersacademy.co after the Navy, and he continues to inspire others, as an adjunct professor in a nearby
college.
Miss White left a great legacy. She saved one boy who has changed many lives. I
know, because I am the love of his life.
You see, it's simple, really. A change took place within the heart of one boy, all
because of one teacher, who cared.
About Teacher’s Academy…
Started 3 years ago, Please do leave your If anyone is passionate
already with 1600 teacher feedback on workshops on about changing the
members on-line, 28 the site at About Us education scenario to
colleges and 15 schools Clients say work with me can send
touched by the training. resume and talk to me.
Share articles, useful
Long term projects are links, teaching resources --Thanks
being taken up for schools and tips for effective Uma Garimella
and colleges. Continuous teaching, with a growing Founder
support and multiple community of our teacher
initiatives are included for mailing list.
holistic and sustainable
change.