Charu Johar – Principal, The Infinity School

Learning is commonly understood as the acquiring of knowledge or skills by studying, practising, or experiencing something. As an extension, effective learning involves processes in which children are actively engaged and take ownership of their learning and personal development. It is the cornerstone of learning, growth, and personal development which not only enhances knowledge, skills, and competencies but also fosters critical thinking, decision-making, and conflict-resolution abilities in an individual.

We are living in times when I feel, the children that we are currently working with, in schools are best described as a ‘generation of plenty’, where there is more than enough available to them in all aspects of life, be it the content, the information, the resources, the learning exposure and even the love and care from their parents and educators. With so much available to them, just at the click of a button, our responsibility as educators becomes that much more. Hence, we must build robust learning ecosystems that empower our children with the attitudes, abilities, and skills to make learning more applicable in the complex frames they experience in life.

The Coffee Morning is a forum we use at The Infinity School to understand parent feedback to better our systems and practices. In one such session, a parent mentioned that her ten-year-old daughter is going out of the way to help another child in her grade. While it came from the parent as an area of concern, we at the school felt we are on the right track in making learning effective for our children. Effective learning is not just about acquiring knowledge that will enable an individual to score well in an examination or secure a seat in a University of repute, it is about honing essential life skills such as empathy, care, collaboration, and emotional intelligence in learners. Opportunities for group work and projects, use of role plays and theatre, and community outreach celebrations like the ‘Daan Utsav’ at our school nurture these human values which go a long way in instilling a sense of comfort in our children who feel emotionally safe and supported with their peers in their learning environment in school. Additionally, there is an open channel of communication with the teachers which results in children feeling cared for and free to express their thoughts without being judged. It is a well-known fact that children who connect better with their teachers and peers, perform academically better in school.

Beginning the academic year with the students and teachers reflecting on their strengths and improvement areas and based on that, setting goals and making action plans to accomplish them sets the right pace for the start of a session. This instills a sense of ownership and accountability which is self-driven and hence the pursuit of it throughout the year becomes a joyful experience. As they say, skills transfer, through my interactions with students and educators I have come across heartening stories where children have applied the goal-setting process not to accomplish a learning goal but to overcome a personal challenge they were facing in life. This is the true purpose of learning where children can apply what they are learning in the classrooms in real-life situations to resolve conflicts, whether these exist in their external environment or have deep internal roots.

Designing learning experiences that make the child an active participant in the learning process goes a long way in accomplishing the goal of making learning effective. Discussions, debates, experiential activities, opportunities for collaborative work, and placing it in a meaningful context not only deepen learning but also empower the children with essential life skills. As an example, having an open discussion on societal issues like bullying, substance abuse and addiction which the senior children are hearing, speaking, and facing goes a long way in helping them frame their perspective and stand when they have to confront the same in their personal or social space. Providing the smaller children with a buzzing classroom environment where they are free to ask questions, are given time for play, and are allowed some time in nature results in happier children who in turn learn better when taught the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.

We are living in the most equal of times and hence we must make an effort to bring in the same in our teaching-learning and assessment practices as well. Differentiated assignments and assessments not just for learners with special needs but for all, go a long way in creating equitable learning systems. A stepper for a child to speak on a podium, additional worksheets for a gifted learner, and modifying the question papers are a few examples of simple practices that reflect that a school cares for students’ holistic learning.

In today’s ever-changing world, the need of the hour is individuals with a thinking mind who are not just creative in navigating the complexities but also problem solvers contributing meaningfully to society. Responding to ethical dilemmas either in the personal or professional space and being able to emerge out of the situation with a sense of having chosen the right path based on core values like integrity and excellence is something that every child needs to be empowered to deal with. Group discussions using age-appropriate case studies in all grades is an important tool for educators to foster this mindset. At the Infinity School, we encourage open-ended thinking where every child is free to explore, reflect, inquire, and question the status quo. The importance we give to this is reflected in the fact that our classrooms are called ‘Thinkrooms’ which even as a terminology in everyday usage encapsulates the true spirit of nurturing independent thinkers and is a reminder to all of us at all times.

‘Learning to Learn’, The Infinity School’s motto truly conveys the importance that we give to curating learning experiences for our children which make learning meaningful in the larger context of life. We endeavour to instill in our children a love for learning, which deepens their connection and belief in applying their developed knowledge, skills and abilities to chart their course through the challenges and conflicts in life, which in the process paves the way for leading fulfilled and meaningful lives.