“Life is a race. If you don’t run fast, you will be like a broken undaa.”This infamous line, delivered by the character Viru Sahastrabuddhe, better known as Virus, in the 2009 Bollywood film 3 Idiots (directed by Rajkumar Hirani), portrays the relentless pressure of academic competition in India. Played brilliantly by Boman Irani, Virus is…
Introduction: The Often Overlooked Link In education reform conversations, the spotlight is often on two key areas of the system — policymakers who design ambitious reforms and teachers who bring learning to life inside classrooms. However, between these two extremes lies a powerful and often overlooked layer: the middle layer of educational leaders. These include…
From Chalkboards to Communities For too long, classrooms have been boxed into chalk-and-talk routines, rigid syllabi, and standardised exams. But across 80 schools in four tribal-dominated districts of Odisha, something different is taking shape. Classrooms are becoming kitchens, playgrounds, local markets, and storytelling corners. Students aren’t just studying lessons; they’re living them. From setting up…
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a small step. This adage might seem cloying, but it is definite and true to describe my journey with Mantra4change. The year was 2022. By then, I had completed 7 years of my stint in the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule BC Welfare Residential Schools Society. I was doing…
Reading is one of the most essential skills a child can develop. It opens up a world of imagination, builds critical thinking, and lays the foundation for lifelong learning. Children who engage in regular reading are more likely to excel academically and socially. Reading has the ability to transport us to incredible places, and unearth…
It’s mid-day mealtime at the government school in Jigani. All 80 students gather in a 30 by 40 classroom where the meals are served- this hall also serves as a library, gathering area for morning assembly, parents meeting and other school events. In addition to this classroom, the school consists of a small office and…
Schools have been seen, for a very long time, as spaces primarily focused on transferring cognitive knowledge —memorising multiplication tables, solving equations, reading and understanding historical events, or learning grammar and language. While these are undoubtedly important, have we ever paused to think about how important it is for children to also learn how to…
At a residential school in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, run by the Backward Classes Welfare Department, the love for learning languages runs deep. When I asked the students what had sparked this deep affection for learning English, without hesitation, they pointed to one person: Mrs. Lucy Priyadarsini, their resident English teacher. Lucy reminded me of the…
The success of project-based learning (PBL) largely depends on the quality and availability of resources to make projects, both of which often require monetary support. This might be feasible in private schools, but in government schools, where most children come from low-income backgrounds, the challenge is different. As a teacher, my focus is on this:…
In Bihar, an exciting Project-Based Learning (PBL) program for students in classes 6-8 is underway, transforming how science and mathematics are taught in schools. Guided by SCERT, Bihar, this program brings hands-on projects aligned with textbook topics in science and maths, making teaching practices effective, simple, and engaging Under the Project-Based Learning program, Shiksha Chaupal, a monthly…