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Greetings
from
news.desk
We have just
observed Teachers’ Day and thus, affirmed our faith in our system of education
and our Teachers. I am sure our education system will help shape the younger
generation into one that has a sound ethical base and a strong sense of social
responsibility.
Dr.
S Radhakrishnan said, "The aim of education is not the acquisition of
information, although important, or acquisition of technical skills, though
essential in modern society, but the development of that bent of mind, that
attitude of reason, that spirit of democracy which will make us responsible
citizens."
On 5th
September, we celebrate the work being done by teachers all across the nation,
as well as remember the life of the great educationist and our former President
Dr. S Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary falls on this day.
I extend my
warm greetings and felicitations to all teachers on this occasion.
In this edition
we have
- Our
Guest editor, Mr. R.C. Robinson: Headmaster, Bishop Cotton School, Shimla
writing ‘Bully Proof your Students and School’
- Our
Business Editor, Mr. Melwin Braggs with his views on School Marketing, why?
- I share
my views on 'Negative Student Behavior in the classroom'.
- Web
links on the important happenings in the education industry.
- You
could know more about Develop Schools' services, the itinerary of our
associates for you to benefit from during their visit to your locations.
- We
conclude with unfurling the topic of our next issue. Send us your articles
if your entry is selected we will cover your article in our forthcoming
newsletters.
I now invite
you to read on and do send us your feedback and suggestions. After all we
improve when you assist us.
Feel
free to FORWARD
this newsletter to your Trustees / Managing
committees / References.
Sincerely,
Rita
Wilson
Chief Editor
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Bully Proof
your School and Students
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Our
Guest Editor - Mr. R. C. Robinson
Headmaster
Bishop
Cotton School, Shimla
Bullying
is a phenomenon that has in all probability existed ever since mankind came into
being. Of late there has been a lot of talk about this and why shouldn't there
be? At schools, at camps, in the neighbourhood and in the workplace, the subject
of bullying has become a very hot topic of discussion. That's because for so
many years, children and their parents thought there was little they could do
about it and all they actually did was to tell their children to ignore the
bully. But this situation does not hold good anymore. Now that bullying is out
of the closet and there's something you can do about it, don't sit back and take
it any longer.
In
order to combat bullying it is imperative to develop a comprehensive,
multifaceted approach which f
 ocuses
on the entire school culture. It is a process that takes much planning and
collaboration among stakeholders, dedicated leadership and diligence. The school
leadership should develop A Community of Caring to create a positive, caring,
respectful and supportive climate in the school. The process begins not with
punitive consequences to stop bullying, but with 5 values – Caring, Respect,
Responsibility, Trust and Family which serve as a foundation for positive
culture and an umbrella for school initiatives and activities.
The
head of the school should be a strong, committed leader who regularly stresses
the importance of treating everyone with respect, and insists that students must
report bullying immediately to an adult.
Teachers should
build a strong sense of community at the start of the school year, discussing
Community of Caring and teaching students about community meetings with the goal
of students being able to bring frustrations, disagreements, incidents of
bullying and strategies for dealing with bullying to the table for group
discussion and resolution. Teachers and students must develop classroom rules
and contracts which should then be displayed for reinforcement on the classroom
bulletin board. In addition, counsellors must meet with students to provide
pro-social lessons which teach about the dangers of bullying. Thus, they can
assist students who may be targets with strategies to prevent bullying.
We know that in order to stop
the bullying it must start with attentive staff members who listen to what
students are saying and who address every incident of disrespect or conflict. It
means being vigilant during unstructured time, and addressing concerns and
issues with students before they escalate. Teachers and counsellors should meet
with students to reinforce positive behaviours and to address negative
behaviours before they turn to bullying.
As a result of
the above initiatives, students will feel safe and would want to come to school
and everyone would come together to maintain respect for the school family and
community.
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Melwin
Braggs
Business
Editor
Put on an admission notice with ‘strict
admission office timing’ - details of documents required - dates &
timelines laid out. On the admission date ‘have a take it or move over,
there is a queue behind’ approach. It used to be so simple, didn't it? Not
anymore.
You
are the best school, have the best faculty and brilliant students, etc., etc.
But are you visible, what image do people have of you, Have you positioned
your school right - if these questions are unanswered, your market will be
significantly reduced.
Welcome
to the next generation ways of promoting your school.
Twitter,
Face book, social media, website, brand building, product positioning,
association enrollment, directory listing, networking, article write-ups,
advertorial…The writing on the wall is simple: Communication leads to
understanding. Understanding leads to broader public support. Broader public
support leads to progress for your education venture.
Marketing
is a three-step process of :
(1)
Determining customer needs
(2) Developing a product to meet those needs
(3) Delivering that product to the market place
It
is a systematic approach to building a relationship between your school and
the people you want to attract -- students, parents, teachers, alumni,
potential consumers, and the wider public.
Marketing
is absolutely essential for us to build a positive image of our school and
instill pride in our staff and students. It can enhance internal and external
awareness of the good work being accomplished by our school.
Perhaps
the first challenge in any marketing campaign is to establish in the minds of
your customers - or potential customers - what you as a school or services
stand for. What does ABC International School mean?
Some marketing
principles you might be acquainted with, if you have not already mastered
the same:
1. Isn’t
school marketing the same as public relations or communications - sales,
advertising, or promotion?
2. Is there any similarity between schools marketing and "social
marketing"?
3. How can I get faculty buy-in to marketing?
4. What role do existing students, their parents, current vendors play in my
marketing plan? What is segmentation?
6. What defines a target market?
7. What is product differentiation and why is it important?
We
understand that the above requires a different set of skills compared to the
years you put in the education field - what you trained for, your forte. Also
once the school is operating at full steam, marketing as a subject might move
down the ‘to do on priority’ list. But for now it is critical and requires
qualified experience to take charge, gear up.
We
at Develop Schools can help.
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Negative Student Behaviour in the Classroom
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Rita
Wilson
Chief
Editor
(Ex
Chief Executive and Secretary, ICSE)
Bad
behaviour in the classroom is a common problem for educators. Negative behaviour
from excessive talking to verbal and physical abuse adversely affect the
teaching and learning process in the classroom . There are many reasons behind
this type of behaviour, and educators should try to identify the root of the
issue before implementing disciplinary methods or labelling the misbehaving
child as a "bad apple."
Lack
of Effective Behaviour Modification
If
the majority of your students have bad behaviour, then perhaps you should look
at your teaching and behaviour modification methods. The root of the problem
could be you, the teacher. While this is not often the case, the problem does
occur. Most teacher-related discipline problems are caused by lack of
preparation, attitudes towards students and inadequate training in discipline
techniques. Using your students' preferred learning methods, such as visual,
kinesthetic or auditory, might help engage them. Avoiding wanting your students
to like you and not punishing the entire class for one student's misdeeds can
help get a teacher back on track and in control of her classroom.
Lack
of Home-Based Support
Some
students misbehave in the classroom as a way to get their parents' attention.
Let's face it---negative attention is better than no attention in many
children's eyes. Other indicators of this type of problem are a student's lack
of cleanliness, refusal to complete homework assignments and other signs of
neglect. If you do not think a student's behavioural issues stem from a learning
disorder, physical problems or psychological problems, consider scheduling a
parent-teacher interaction as soon as possible.
Physical
Problems
Many children
behave negatively in the classroom because they are not physically comfortable.
They might have vision problems and cannot read the blackboard, or they may not
be able to hear the questions. They may not be aware of their physical problem
and act out in an attempt to avoid embarrassment in front of their peers. If you
think this may be the issue, send them to the school doctor for assessment.
Psychological
Problems
Psychological
problems are often at the root of bad behaviour in the classroom, and they are
not always easy to remedy. Students may have anxiety disorders or depression
problems that they try to hide with negative behaviour. Sometimes this type of
problem is caused by abuse, and you should immediately involve the school
counsellor if this is suspected.
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