The transformation of Apeejay School from an ‘enriching school’ to an ‘empowering school’ focuses on enabling teachers and students to become reflective practitioners through experiential and enquiry based learning, decision-making and interpersonal trust
An exhaustive exercise had been conducted to identify the areas and level of students’ competence. The focus was on the convergence of technology, pedagogy and content to enhance learning ability. The entire project is based on developing curiosity, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking across the curriculum.
A collaborative process had been chosen to prepare a comprehensive strategy, keeping in mind the various domains of human learning, namely cognitive, psychomotor and affective. Bloom’s taxonomy (which is cognitive-domain based) having various thinking levels, namely, recall, recognise, understand, apply, analyse, synthesise and evaluate, was used as the foundation for developing this innovative project. Since the Apeejay School curriculum is a dynamic breathing document, the teaching-learning pedagogy incorporated interdisciplinary methodology, with extensive project-work, team-work,problem-solving, decision-making and presentations.
Objective
The objective was to encourage independent thinking, nurture curiosity, promote action-research culture and maximise learning effectiveness. To achieve the above objectives, tiered instructions (graded learning) strategy was followed, based on “subject-specific rooms” that have been equipped to develop synchronisation between student caliber and available resources. Each classroom was converted to a subject room/laboratory well-equipped with all teaching aids, with students moving to them as per timetable (and teachers remaining in subject rooms). Since each student’s learning potential differs from subject to subject, he is allowed to attend subject-classes as per current skill level.
Student engagement
Teachers use tiered activities with students focusing on essential understanding and skills, but at varying levels of complexity and thinking levels. A challenging task for brilliant/ gifted students is also in practice through multi-grade learning opportunity. Here, a child attends vertical class to feel recognised and attains challenging aptitude. Life-skills and human values were integrated in the curriculum through various programmes and projects, so that values pervade the whole atmosphere and culture of the school. The curriculum focuses on inculcation of values in the regular teaching-learning of subjects itself, wherever possible. The project was carried out keeping primary and secondary levels in mind. Abstract concepts were identified across the curriculum.
Introduction of technology
Courseware development training was given to all teachers. The Courseware written was converted into educational software to be used for computer-aided instructions. Tools used: Smart Classroom, Analyser
machine, Visualiser, Indigenous, ePackages, Random machine, eWorksheet, Language Lab, Physical Re sources, Analogue Table, Flash Cards, Mind Maps, Abacus, Maths Lab Equipment, and School’s Science
Park with specialised equipment.
