Shikshaantar - Creating Happier and Safer Classrooms

1. Shikshaantar - Creating Happier and Safer Classrooms Shikshaantar’ means creating a difference in education and the Foundation believes that any true transformation can be brought only through learning. In the domain of education, Shikshaantar is our flagship training program for school stakeholders including teachers, educators, school administrators and leaders to unleash their best potential for creating safer and happier classrooms. The vision of this teacher capacity-building program is to create and nurture a learning community of students, teachers and school leaders to believe and make a fundamental shift in education. It also emphases at the integration of physical, mental, social and emotional well-being of the students and teachers alike. The Foundation runs the Shikshaantar program in two modes- in collaboration with partner organisations and through direct implementation. Our partner programs encompass a high-touch approach with activity-based in-person workshops along with on-ground support through regular classroom observations. Additionally, it provides in-service teacher capacity building with hands-on child-friendly materials to be used as teaching aids in the classroom. Established in 2017, one of the partner-implemented programs- ‘Science Academy’ in Hyderabad with Sahayata Trust that has trained a total of 1000 science teachers till date. Also, the Foundation runs various short-term modules for training on specific skills like ‘English-Winglish’ that aims to enhance English communication skills amongst teachers. Similarly, a teacher capacity building initiative in collaboration with Rotary India Literacy Mission was started during the pandemic to enhance their digital skills. Also, cyber security training was conducted to spread awareness on safe cyber practices for teachers and students. Since November 2020, we have trained close to 1500 teachers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra in Digital Literacy and Cyber Security modules. The directly-run programs encompass a variety of courses like week-long foundation and advance courses, short-term capsule and long-term intensive courses for respective stakeholders of education infrastructure. The Foundation runs these in the form of In-Service Teacher Education Institute (ITEI) with institutes running at Dilshad Garden and Shakti Nagar in Delhi. The ITEI has highly qualified teacher educators, well-structured workshops, seminar halls, fully-equipped ICT labs and resource centres to offer workshops of teachers for their professional development. In-Service Teacher Education Institute (ITEI) Initiated as a part of the Shikshaantar program, ITEI aims to improve the teaching-learning experiences of the schools by capacity building of the in-service teachers. The initiative focuses on the capacity building of all the relevant stakeholders by assessing the needs of the education system. The programs under ITEI focus on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the teachers for bringing quality enrichment in the classrooms. It also works closely with the government departments in order to improve service delivery and better governance of school education.

2. The ITEI aims at building cadre of constructive, innovative and motivated teachers and leaders to create conducive teaching and learning environments in schools. They offer workshops in the main four subjects of primary education including Hindi, English, Math and Environmental Studies. In addition, these institutes offer workshops on other relevant areas such as Spoken English, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE), Physical Education, Inclusive Education, School Leadership, Focused Group Teacher Training, and much more. The curriculum of this teacher capacity building program is specially designed by our subject experts in alignment with the National Educational Policies and National Curriculum Framework. The sessions conducted at ITEIs provide a platform for educators to explore effective practices of creating teaching aid and better engagement of students in the classrooms. Our ITEI at Dilshad Garden has completed 8 years and has impacted 12000 participants including primary school teachers, principals, school inspectors, whereas the comparatively newer ITEI at Shakti Nagar has trained 4500 teachers including School Principals, Primary teachers, Physical Educators, ECCE teachers, School Inspectors, Special Educators and programs for the new recruits. ITEI in Dilshad Garden, Delhi Established in the year 2013 in Dilshad Garden, Delhi, this centre was set up with the aim to enhance the capacity of teachers, educators, government-run schools. With persistent efforts, the quality of education has been enhanced in the schools with continuous professional development courses and onsite support to the teachers. leaders and administrators in municipal According to a third-party assessment analysis conducted by Kantar Public, 87% of beneficiary teachers conclusively stated that their skills have been positively impacted with the ITEI courses. The curriculum of the course is designed by the leaders in the field of education in accordance with an aim to provide professional development of educators. ITEI in Shakti Nagar, Delhi We believe that a student’s growth is directly related to a teacher’s growth identified in terms of professional knowledge, skills, and abilities. Established in 2018, ITEI Shakti Nagar is working towards a 5-year plan for changing the narrative of the public schools under the municipal government. The ITEI has been instrumental in creating a cohort of passionate, enthusiastic educators in different subject domains and others areas. Through a series of engaging and interactive workshop sessions, the participants are able to enhance their knowledge, skills, and attitude to benefit the students every day. Goals The goals of ITEI goes beyond the continuous professional development of teachers, and covers the enrichment of learning opportunities for children. It also aims to enhance parental involvement in school education and facilitate an effective school governance altogether. The ITEIs are designed to align with the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

3. Resources Available At ITEI ● ● ● ● Well-stocked libraries with relevant teaching-learning materials Sprawling campus with gardens and open spaces for activities Spacious training rooms with audio-visual systems Well-equipped computer labs The ITEIs aim towards improving classroom experiences by ● Inclusive quality education in schools through the empowerment of school functionaries Content development for workshops and resource materials for engaging classrooms Enhance current knowledge, skills and attitudes of all school functionaries Create or adapt innovative teaching-learning techniques Stakeholder interactions, exchange of best practices with Government Department and leading educational institutions ● ● ● ● Source: https://techmahindrafoundation.org/education/shikshaantar-teacher-training/