Though maths is an interesting subject, it’s a hard nut to crack for a majority. That is why teachers lookout for different strategies to make teaching more creative, funny, and engaging to invoke interest in the kids. Gamification and math puzzles are among the most tried out techniques in today’s classrooms and the idea of maths jokes is not novel.
Good Bye! I waved blissfully to my school friends with a twinkle in my eyes as I deboarded the bus. Humming away to the notes of ‘let it go…’, I skittled my way to the doorbell, tapping away at everything in sheer glee! Yippee, no exams, holidays begin.
At a time when people are becoming aware of the need to stay away from infected surfaces, the importance of keeping floors clean and infection-free cannot be overemphasized. There is a need to keep the floor tiles as clean as possible. Thankfully tile makers are using advanced technologies to keep the floors clean and microbe free, when hygiene meets beauty and durability.
How safe is your home? We are not talking of external threats but of internal threats like bacteria, algae and other microorganisms. Unlike floors and tabletops, there are several inconvenient and inaccessible surfaces, especially walls within our homes (and offices) that harbor bacteria leading to fomite transmission, that is, transmission of infectious diseases by bacteria left on surfaces.
Psychometric test is a scientific and standard proven method used for measuring a person’s mental conditions, capabilities and behavioural style and functioning. The word psychometric is a term abbreviated for psychological measurement. It is a combination of personality and cognitive tests.
A new year, a new decade, and a new disease!! As most of the world was celebrating the imminent arrival of the New Year on 31 December 2019, WHO was alerted to several cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. It was caused by a previously unknown virus. A week later, in January 7, the new virus had been identified as coronavirus, belonging to a family of viruses that includes viruses such as SARS and MERS. This new virus has been temporarily named “2019-nCoV. As of 26 January 2020, a total of 2,014 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases had been reported globally.
In general, Vitamin D is known to be the nutrient for stronger bones and teeth and is manufactured with the help of sunlight only. The nutrient is divided into Vitamin D(2) and Vitamin D(3) based on the sources. While Vitamin D(2) can be acquired from vitamin D rich food, Vitamin D(3) can be produced when sun rays hit the skin.
MISSION: The Global Challenges Forum Foundation http://globalchallengesforum.org/ has been established as a think tank headquartered in Geneva to create strategic global networks to overcome specific challenges in different countries. Acknowledging that 1.7 billion people on the planet are in the age group of 15-24 years, and that over 80% of the world’s youth lives in developing countries, a special project on developing a network of 1 Million Youth Leaders by 2030 https://www.1m2030.org/, has been established in conjunction with the prestigious United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) in Switzerland. Dr. Walter Christman, USA, the Founding Chairman of the Global Challenges Forum says that “The 1M2030 has a vision to fulfill the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (UNSDG’s) by creation of a network of 1 million youth leaders and entrepreneurs by 2030 and beyond, across the world, with a focused effort on developing countries”.
Pictures not only freeze the moment but also tell us moving stories and bring back a rush of memories. But when pictures have a historical, political or social connotation attached to them, they have the potential to raise the collective conscience of an entire generation and play a catalyst to major change. Something similar happened recently when photojournalist and independent social documentary photographer Rohit Jain showcased the photographs of children, the second or even third generation affected by the deadly Bhopal Gas Tragedy, also touted as the worst industrial disaster of the modern world that killed about 3,800 people. The impact of the photos was such that it brought back the haunting memory of the tragedy that took place 35 years back, but its wounds are still fresh. People were forced to rethink and empathise with the victims of this tragedy who still have to live with its impact, even as the disaster itself has been erased from the public memory. “For my one-month long project, I had received a grant from the Pulitzer Centre. I wanted to bring to public attention, the memories of this disaster which not only affected those who lived in 1984 Bhopal, but continues to affect the subsequent generations, till day after 35 years,” says Jain, who released this project in December 2019.
Every year, December 15 is celebrated as International Tea Day. Apart from celebrating 'tea' - one of the most consumed beverages worldwide - this day also calls for better working conditions of tea plantation workers across the globe.
While committed teachers are revered, teachers who break rules continue to soar in popularity and there are some who are so annoying that you would like to forget as a bad dream. Here are some onscreen (Un)teacher teachers whom we secretly love.
Teach For India (TFI, estb.2009) is a non-profit organisation that is a part of the global ‘Teach For All’ network. With presence in seven cities across India - Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Hyderabad - TFI has been espousing quality education for every child in the country. Led by Shaheen Mistri, TFI offers a unique fellowship to college graduates and working professionals by recruiting them as full-time teachers in low income schools for two years. Striving to address educational inequity in the country, TFI has reached 38,000 low-income children and recruited 4000 fellows in its decade long service to the community. Commemorating its decennial anniversary, TFI recently launched a book ‘Grey Sunshine’ which encapsulates its milestones through inspiring stories from the community. The book is authored by Sandeep Rai, chief of city operations at Teach For India. Sandeep, who has played a critical role in growing and scaling the TFI movement in India, served as a Teach For America corps member in Washington DC prior to joining the India arm.
Women Entrepreneurship Day (WED) observed on the 19th of November every year in order to celebrate female entrepreneurs. The first WED was held in 2014 at the United Nations in New York City. On this year's Women's Entrepreneurship Day, let's take a look at these five young women from India, who are actually making a difference with their startups.
It is that time of the year again - the ‘no shave November’, or more famously known as Movember. While most of us associate it with a mere social media trend, it has a rather noble and thoughtful connotation with it. It sees men giving up shaving and grooming for a month, and by the end of it, people donate it to cancer patients and survivors. Additionally, participants are encouraged to donate the money towards cancer research and for providing better facilities for cancer treatment.
As Heraclitus famously noted, “The only constant in life is change”. In today’s dynamic world, traditional learning methods are no longer relevant. Emerging technologies like Blockchain, AI/ML, Big Data, Cloud computing, IoT, Quantum computing and AR/VR is rapidly reshaping the business models. Given the scenario, the leaders of tomorrow will require different and constantly evolving skillset to operate in this dynamic environment. Top Business Schools around the world have identified this shift and have started ‘Innovation Centers’ to address these changing needs.
The Kincade wildfire which is currently ravaging swathes of rich vegetation and homes in Sonoma County, California has since burned 75,415 acres, forced evacuation of more than 2,00,000 people and structures destroyed were 352, damaged 55 and 1,630 threatened. A cloud of acrid smoke has settled over the Bay Area for a few days now. But the biggest mishap that a wildfire can cause is burning thousands of trees and being a threat to vegetation and wildlife.
A group of 12 villages in the central Assam’s Nagaon district has created a ‘Jumbo Khet’ or Elephant farm. The jumbo khet is basically a meal zone where crops like paddy, banana, and even Napier grass are grown for the Elephants to feed on. It is a rather innovative method of restricting movement of Elephants to the designated area and avoid them from warding off to fields of these villagers, which otherwise is a common occurrence.
Recently, the Guardian released a countdown of the 100 best movies worldwide since 2000. Only one Indian film made the cut. Gangs of Wasseypur (GoW) - Anurag Kashyap's two part crime film - has been ranked at number 59. Although GoW may not be a perfect film to watch with your family, here are some foreign films of cinematic excellence which you can binge-watch together over the weekend.
Education does play a very important role in the society, regardless which country or region of the world you’re living. Hence, we have global organizations such as United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and others supporting and sometimes funding educational projects in India.
A 21-year-old girl suffering from extreme depression was diagnosed with suicidal tendency after a graphoanalysis session conducted by Naveen Toshniwal, a Jaipur based grapho-therapy specialist. The girl was suggested to immediately practise particular strokes in handwriting which she did diligently. Following the grapho-therapy, she overcame the crisis in six weeks’ time.
Pope Francis once said, “The cross is the word through which God has responded to evil in the world”. To challenge the evil and as a major contribution to peace just after World War I, an international commission known as International Federation of the Red Cross Societies (IFRC) General Assembly to League of the Red Cross Societies (LORCS) endorsed the World Red Cross Day as an annual event. This day is celebrated on May 8 every year where people pay tribute to individuals who participated in the Red Cross Movement and commemorate their contribution. This annual observance aims to support people who suffer from infestations of diseases, war outcomes and natural calamities. Local heroes are validated with humanitarian awards that have made an indispensable impact on protection of life and rescue. This day not only persuades people to protect their own lives but moreover, ensure dignity of the victims.
A concept that originated in the US, 'Size Zero' refers to extremely thin individuals, or trends associated with them. Quoting the Washington Post, “Models are as thin as twigs because that’s what a vast number of designers and fashion editors want…if models want to work, they have to fit the clothes. They lose weight. The samples get smaller, they lose more weight.” This clearly depicts a growing trend to be size zero as a form of social acceptance. On one side, the fashion industry requires models to be thin and lean but on the other side, there are models who exhibit different viewpoints.
It is always not easy for the parents to understand their wards behaviours. Parenting can be made easy, in case they learn the different stages of neurological development in children. According to research those parents who understand the neurological behaviours, are better able to guide their children toward positive outcomes. We bring to you the different stages of neurological development in the children according to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist known for his work on child development. The knowledge of the neurological development can help the parents in supporting and bringing up their kids.
Irrespective of digital advancements and the social media invasion, most of us still like to enjoy our day off exploring the world within the pages of a good book. Today the world celebrates World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day, or International Day of the Book, which was conceptualised by the UNESCO. It is observed across the globe on April 23 in order to celebrate the joys of reading and to inculcate a love for reading in children and youth. The main objective of the World Book Day is to promote reading, publishing, and copyright and celebrate the work of the great authors across the globe. On the occasion, we bring to you ten best-selling books of the 21st century.
The Indian millets are considered to be extremely nutritious and good for health by the medical experts. Millets can make for delicious healthy meals, and can be consumed in the form of idlis, dosas or even as porridge, a good meal option for growing kids and aging adults. According to most health experts, millets are loaded with high amount of proteins, hence immensely beneficial, if added to daily diet. The various forms of Indian millets available in the market are: sorghum (jowar), foxtail, finger (ragi), pearl (bajra), barnyard, kodo, little and the proso millet. We bring to you seven health benefits one can derive by consuming millets.
Our homes are usually infected with plenty of toxins generated out of the pesticides, herbicides, vehicle fumes, and other industrial pollutants surrounding our homes and buildings. These pollutants cause a lot of health hazards and complications such as allergies, dizziness, asthma and more. While we do not know how to actually keep our homes free of these pollutants, research indicates that keeping certain indoor plants can actually free our homes of toxins, and can produce enough oxygen. We bring to you the names of five indoor plants that everyone should keep in their homes inorder to purify and beautify their homes.
Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy and wise. This saying taught in primary school is one of the most important learnings, relevant throughout our life. According to research, enough sleep and waking up early helps the body and mind get enough relaxation and rest. It is also very important for maintaining overall health of the body. We bring a few benefits of waking up early.
Prof. Prakash Gopalan, President, NIIT University In today’s fast evolving world, it’s not enough for Universities to be hubs of knowledge and intellectual exchange. They must inculcate r innovation, entrepreneurship, .....Read More
Kirti Sharma, Co-CEO, Crimson Schools "Culture and arts education is a transformative tool for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and empathy—essential for addressing today’s complex challenges," .....Read More
