“Ensuring harmony between teaching and learning approaches can bring about success”

Award Leader Ms. Ranjana Pradhan Rai pens down her beautiful experience of being part of the IAYP family as she departs from Darjeeling, Siliguri which she refers to as her ‘dearest land’. Iterating her experience of being an educator, she highlights approaches that are helpful in the success of students in their desired areas.

A flock of geese inspires us in following the legacy of leadership to a great extent. Being part of this moving experience of interacting with young minds, I can conclude that I have met one of the most dynamic groups of visionaries in education from Darjeeling, Siliguri, especially the students who are raring to fly high with 21st-century life-skills.

Having taught students from the CBSE, ISC, ICSE, and IB curriculum for over 18 years on and off, there was only one strategy that worked in bringing about the success of students in whatever they desired – focusing on the approach towards teaching and learning and making sure they harmonize. In my observation, if they are confident in planning effectively through the measured syllabus, lesson plans and tallying with the academic calendar, spending at least two hours per week as per school timetable, the success rate will be much higher. Hence, teachers need to be motivated for the demonstration of effective implementation methods that can be mined, to begin with, in the process.

There are some loose ends in sharing the best practices in education this time. However, fragments of the school culture at Westminster, Harrow, Eton, Boston, Doon, St. Paul's and North Point are worth discussing with both stakeholders at schools as well as with the students. Weekly assemblies are also significant in adding value to school life for young people as they are vulnerable and are in need of proper direction.

At the threshold of many new beginnings, "Schooling is like a marathon, and not a sprint." Thus, the entire struggle is all about the mind battling with the forces in nature. "The harder you want to give up, just remember why you started at all." If you cannot do justice to what you started, you would be nothing but an unusual vagabond. Thus, mean what you say, do what is right.

"There is never a wrong time for the right thing." And in my tryst with destiny, time made our collaboration possible. The weather, the rain, the time crisis and the academic commitments, all brought us together to initiate the ‘wind of change’. I wish to thank all the school directors, principals, faculty, and students for their warm welcome and hospitality; I am really touched.