What makes IGCSE different from other academic programs?

The advent of the international curriculum in Indian schools more than a decade ago led to new avenues and a different set of decision-making challenges for students and parents. Now, it is not a matter of choosing the most suitable stream and subjects, but the curriculum that seems most befitting. 

Globalization, over the past few years, has boosted the need for communication skills and awareness of global cultures. International programs that offer subjects like Global Perspectives have thus gained the spotlight. 

The IGCSE program has a strong presence in India, being followed by over 500 schools. Let us understand the factors that make it different from the conventional boards of education.  

The difference in approach and curriculum

The Cambridge International website defines the curriculum followed for IGCSE as “flexible, challenging and inspiring, culturally sensitive yet international in approach.”

The curriculum is truly international in the sense that it gives enough scope for adaptation as per the particular needs of a country, and it is accepted by all leading universities across the world. The subject Global Perspective gives a unique understanding to IGCSE students and they learn to appreciate the cultural and ideological differences. Also, the curriculum follows a ‘spiral’ model and encourages students to develop their existing knowledge. 

The national boards like CBSE and ICSE have a fixed curriculum with well-defined textbooks. Though the New Education Policy seeks to bring some changes in the curriculum by introducing a multidisciplinary approach. With the IGCSE, students are required to refer to resources apart from their textbooks and drive their learning. Schools can choose different sets of books to teach the broader concepts. IGCSE follows a highly inquiry-based and learner-centred approach, which develops critical thinking and research skills. 

Cambridge Learner Attributes

Building a strong character is the most significant purpose that education serves. The Learner Attributes developed by the IGCSE program go a long way in shaping the holistic personality of students. Here are the five distinct attributes:

• CONFIDENT

Students are confident of their knowledge and possess the risk-taking ability

• RESPONSIBLE

They learn to be responsible for their actions. They are also RESPONSIVE and RESPECTFUL towards others

• REFLECTIVE

IGCSE learners are reflective and develop analytical thinking with problem solving skills

• INNOVATIVE

They learn to innovate and become adaptive, ready to face challenges

• ENGAGED

Students are mindful and engaged with their academic journey, as well as socially

Through these attributes, students learn the three most essential functions for university education: Analyse, Synthesize and Communicate.

Difference in Assessments

The IGCSE learners are not supposed to merely memorize information and reproduce it in the examinations. They have to understand it in-depth to apply the information in real-life situations. Hence, practical applicability and creative use of knowledge is the focus for IGCSE, instead of theoretical learning. Assessment is done based on such critical thinking of students. 

Moreover, the criteria for assessment can be modified by the Cambridge board, depending on the difficulty level of the examination. This is not applicable in the case of CBSE or ICSE. 

Acceptability in Indian institutes and competitive exams

When it comes acceptability of IGCSE by the Indian Universities and its suitability for the competitive exams, it is at par with any Indian board of education. All Indian colleges accept the Cambridge qualifications. Moreover, as it equips students with problem-solving skills, IGCSE education builds a strong foundation for various professional examinations. 

Apart from these differences, the IGCSE offers an immense range of subjects to choose from, not limiting themselves to a particular stream like science or humanities. The rise in the number of institutions that offer the IGCSE for students of Grades IX and X provides evidence about its increasing popularity and acceptability. 

WHY CHOOSE THE IGCSE PROGRAM

This series of articles will inform readers about different aspects of the IGCSE curriculum offered by Shiv Nadar School. In the second post, you will know why the IGCSE program is sought after and its salient features. 

In an age where students face a plethora of professional options, their educational journey must also offer them alternative routes. It is said that “You Have to Do Things Differently to Get Different Results”. To prepare students for future jobs, many of which have not yet been created, we will need to change the way we educate them. IGCSE is a step towards the goal of bringing about a paradigm shift in education. Read on to know how this is accomplished through the thoroughly structured international program for Grades IX and X. 

Wide Choice of Subjects

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a holistic program that empowers students by providing them with an extensive range of subjects. This translates to greater freedom of choice and the flexibility to pursue various talents. Students are allowed to choose a minimum of five and a maximum of 14 subjects across the groups. They must elect two languages from the first group, and at least one subject each from the rest four groups.

IGCSE provides the flexibility to design a curriculum based on specific local needs. Schools in India have chosen from this wide basket and offer subjects that are suited to the Indian academic structure. The IGCSE program at Shiv Nadar School offers a total of 25 subjects across groups and requires students to opt for eight subjects across groups, of which, five are compulsory. The subjects that students can pursue are as follows:

Group I: Languages

• First language English
• Second language (Hindi/ French/ Spanish/ Sanskrit)
• Foreign Language (French/ Spanish/ German)

Group II: Humanities and Social Sciences

• Global Perspectives (Compulsory)
• History
• Geography
• Economics
• English Literature

Group III: Sciences

• Pure Sciences (Physics/ Chemistry/ Biology)
• Combined Sciences

Group IV: Mathematics

• Extended Mathematics
• Additional Mathematics

Group V: Creative and Professional

• ICT (Computer Science)
• Business studies
• Design and Technology
• Drama
• Music
• Physical Education

The flexible curriculum ensures that IGCSE is well suited to students with different intellects and interests. Students must choose subjects that are aligned with their long-term plan for professional development. The criteria should not aim to avoid or eliminate any subjects they consider low scoring. We will discuss the best way to select subjects in our next blog. 

Conceptual, Creative, and Critical Learning

Conceptual understanding instead of rote learning is at the core of IGCSE. Students are accountable for their learning with an inquiry-led curriculum. They are encouraged to map their learning through personal projects and refer to additional reading resources for a wider perspective on chosen subjects. Higher-Order Thinking Skills or HOTS are developed through creative thinking and problem-solving practices. The other skills that IGCSE focuses on are:

• Relating subjects for a comprehensive understanding
• Application of knowledge to solve problems
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Effective English communication
• Cultural Awareness
• Influencing outcomes

With this set of qualities, students become confident, empathetic, and ready to lead. Since they are responsible for learning outcomes, they take a greater interest in exploring subjects in depth.

Acceptability at the international level

Another factor that makes IGCSE a favoured program for 14 to 16-year olds is its acceptability at the global stage. IGCSE qualification supports higher education by developing skills for research, communication, and critical thinking. The leading universities recognize the fact and value IGCSE students.

Even employers consider IGCSE qualifications as an added advantage. The subjects like Global Perspective give a broad outlook that helps students understand different cultures and perspectives. They are equipped for conflict resolution and leadership with agility.

These are the top three reasons that make IGCSE a leading choice for students. Personalised counselling at Shiv Nadar School helps them to choose appropriate subjects and frame a career path. Such holistic education goes a long way in developing students as grounded and productive individuals.

What is the IGCSE curriculum- All you need to know about IGCSE

This is a series of articles to inform readers about different aspects of the IGCSE curriculum being offered by Shiv Nadar School. In the first post, we will introduce you to IGCSE, its reach, methodology and governance.

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education is a two-year program for students of Grades IX and X (14 to 16-year olds). It is an international curriculum aligned to the standards of GCSE followed in the UK. The program is offered at a global level by Cambridge Assessment International Education, a part of the University of Cambridge. When students take up IGCSE at Shiv Nadar School, they are guided by leaders who have considerable teaching and leadership experience of the IGCSE curriculum.

Benefits of IGCSE:

The most striking advantage of the IGCSE curriculum is that it is highly student-centric and prepares students as global citizens. Moreover, here are some key benefits:

• • An inquiry-based approach to pedagogy helps students to become independent and innovative learners, with a passion for lifelong learning.
• • They engage in research work at an early stage in life and learn about research methods and ethics.
• • A wide range of subjects ensures that students can choose areas that match their interests and career goals.
• • The fact that IGCSE education is recognised by the leading international colleges and companies makes the path forward for students easier when they want to opt for higher studies abroad.

Reach and Scope:

Agility and flexibility are the most crucial talents that students have to develop to prepare for the future, and the IGCSE curriculum is the best way to do so. It develops critical thinking and collaborative skills through its unique framework. Hence, opting for the IGCSE program in grade IX would lead students towards better prospects.

Our first webinar on IGCSE in India successfully answers questions related to its scope and advantages. Check the link here to watch Tanay Ghosh, Senior Manager North and Central India, Cambridge Assessment International Education, speak about the program in detail.

Elements that ensure holistic development of students

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled’-Plutarch. 

That is exactly what we do at Shiv Nadar School. We stoke the fire of curiosity and ignite the passion for learning. With a focus on the holistic development of the child, we fill children with wonder, let them explore, and help them reflect. This perfectly aligns with the collective vision of the school and the parents. 

Student Voice and Choice

Adam Fletcher rightly says, “It is not enough to simply listen to student's voice. Educators have an ethical imperative to do something with students, and that is why meaningful student involvement is vital to school improvement.” Our school prides itself on the fact that pupils' voice is taken into consideration in every aspect that concerns them. The school council is quite proactive and plays a significant role in voicing students’ opinions and ideas.

Along with academics, a robust co-scholastic program, aptly named AHA sports and AHA arts, is also in place. The structured AHA curriculum helps students find their areas of interest, pursue their passion, and gain finesse with the help of erudite mentors. The Career Guidance Cell helps the senior year students grappling with subject choices and career options to make informed decisions.

Inclusive Education

The counsellors and educators for students with special needs take care of the social and emotional needs of the students by holding regular wellness sessions and providing much-needed counselling. In the wake of the pandemic, and the surmounting troubles facing our world today, it is no wonder that our children are anxious, stressed, and worried. They are often unable to regulate their emotions or express them in a healthy manner. 

Moreover, dedicated spaces have been created for students and educators to engage in reflective practices in ways that help to work on the three key dimensions: Awareness, Compassion, and Engagement. Even students with reserved personalities are engaged and counsellors ensure that no one feels left out.

Social, Emotional, Ethical Learning

In this constantly changing world, our students are exposed to varying beliefs and differences, right from the classroom to the social media platforms that they frequent. To alleviate the risks and provide a platform for safe and positive learning, Shiv Nadar School emphasizes the socio-emotional health of its students. Social-Emotional-Ethical Learning (SEEL) in class helps students better understand their emotions, manage them, and show empathy towards others. 

We incorporate SEEL with the curricula right from elementary classes, all the way to senior school. The focus is on actively working towards inculcating the five social-emotional learning competencies- self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and the ability to make responsible decisions. 

Skills for Life

The academic curriculum is such that it works towards honing the twenty-first-century skills of Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking, Creativity, Character and Leadership. Integration across subjects gives meaning and purpose to what students learn, and knowledge sharing happens in an organic fashion. By exploring with curiosity, developing ideas with ingenuity and sharing with confidence, students gain lifelong learning.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do is in harmony”. How true is that! That is why our students are happy children.

Nurturing Reading as a Life Skill at Shiv Nadar School

 (The author, Manu Singh, is an Educator for Primary Years, at Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad)

The young learner today grows up in a much different environment than their parents and teachers grew up in. They are exposed to a wider world with limitless possibilities. The successful and constructive use of this exposure depends largely on their skills. Our ever-changing, dynamic world expects a lot from our learners and in such a world, reading is now more important than it ever was. We strongly promote reading as a life skill.

Let’s decode this idea of reading as a life skill. Life Skills can be defined as behaviours that help humans to effectively deal with the demands of life. Think of any concept, idea or language, and I can guarantee that you will find seven books expounding on theory and practice both, with a cursory search itself. Books lead to both – gaining knowledge and to more ways of creating knowledge.

Books are no longer relegated to the physical space of the library, as they are on our screens, kindle devices and in our iPads. They exist as audiobooks and podcasts. Why has there been such a revolution for expanding the avenues and ease of reading? It is because reading gradually became a necessary tool for success.

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It is a mental exercise that enhances language, emotional intelligence, tolerance as well as perception. It is an absolute life and competency-based skill for leaders of the world. It is influential, creates dialogue, furthers research and most importantly, enables us to imagine a world different from our immediate reality.

Today’s world demands a mix of logic and imagination. Books have always been an avenue for that. They demand focus and a form of discipline that tests both your comprehension and your ability to accommodate different thoughts and actions. We recognise the power of books in all our structures, regardless of operation, function or age. From students to teachers to administrators, reading is encouraged and cultivated with focused action. You may often find leaders in the organisation beginning their meetings with book recommendations and suggestions. It is an intellectual and operational equaliser and makes our spaces more democratic.

This ideology permeates our teaching-learning spaces as well. The Primary School pedagogy is aimed at creating independent learners who are able to comprehend different texts and expand their exposure. Moreover, good readers often make great speakers as reading enables articulation.

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We are supported by an international reading tool called RAZ Plus which provides wide and most importantly, personalised exposure to our students. It is a comprehensive blended learning platform that includes personalized resources necessary to improve students' reading skills. It enables self-paced growth in reading skills, and students are encouraged with achievement badges. There are thousands of books to choose from, and reading resources are available in a variety of formats.

Our focussed approach inside the classroom and commitment to providing resources to students for independent access translates to an engaged reading habit. At Shiv Nadar School we Read to Learn, we Read to Enjoy and we Read to Dream.

Why is Scientific Inquiry important for students?

What makes Scientific Inquiry a vital part of Progressive Learning

Do you remember eagerly watching a butterfly or a cloud and wondering about its life cycle? You experienced a touch of scientific curiosity, which all children naturally possess. Education that supports scientific inquiry aims to develop this curiosity into a passion for innovation. 

Since ancient times, humans have used the method of scientific exploration to establish the cause and effect relation between events and find answers to problems. Gradually, the methods of scientific inquiry were structured and incorporated as a part of teaching-learning. Now, educationists use these methods to explain natural occurrences to students.

Definition of Scientific Inquiry:

The phenomenon of Scientific Inquiry refers to the methods by which we study natural life and present an explanation based on evidence. 

The elements that are critical to this process are:

Wonder: The student asks a question, wonders about what may be causing a certain action or reaction in nature, and seeks an answer.

Model: Students develop a model of investigation, combining experiments, observation, and presentation of the thought behind the inquiry. The model of scientific inquiry states the motive of the inquiry and the method being used to reach a solution. 

Explanation: This is the final stage of the process, where the results of the findings are presented based on Evidence attained after testing the hypothesis and analyzing observations. 

Methods of Inquiry: Observation vs. Experiment

The method of scientific inquiry chosen depends upon the subject. Most of the natural phenomena call for observation as the primary method of inquiry. Experimentation is suitable where an expected result or hypothesis is formed first, and then students prove it. Here’s a comparison of the processes followed for both the models of study:

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How Scientific Inquiry supports Progressive Pedagogy?

Weaving scientific inquiry in the curriculum at different stages is crucial. As a child grows, the capacity for perception and investigation also grows. At an elementary stage, scientific acumen is confined to the knowledge gained through textbooks and worksheets. Then, it moves to some experiments or demonstrations, facilitated by the teacher. In Primary grades, students learn by replicating the demonstrations shown by the facilitator. 

On reaching Middle years, students conduct independent experiments to find answers to the questions posed by the teacher. In the next stage, students ask original questions, formulate a hypothesis, design experiments and find the answers. The problems are open-ended and students seek various solutions. Thus, they learn the process of scientific inquiry by growing through different stages. 

For instance, at the elementary level, a teacher may show students the phenomenon of vapour rising from a kettle and explain the process of evaporation, even connect it to the phenomenon of clouds formation. At a higher stage, students will select a geographical location, measure the quantity of water displacement during a fixed time, find causes for higher or lower evaporation and explain the changes in rainfall patterns over the years. Thus, the process of inquiry takes shape as a student adopts independent investigation.

The objective of inculcating the skills of scientific inquiry is to enable students to use the tools and techniques for a better future. They must be able to work towards sustainable development goals with the help of scientific methods. We aim to create a holistic world where science is understood and appreciated by all, and we are working towards simplifying the scientific language for all communities.  

Creating Inclusive Classrooms through Differentiated Teaching

Imagine a classroom full of painters, players, scientists, singers, mathematicians, and entrepreneurs. Though our students seem alike when sitting together in a class, they possess talents and intellects as diverse as all these professionals. Hence, assuming that there can be a universal teaching method, and expecting them to learn in identical ways, is a fallacy. 

The Need for Differentiated Teaching:

The new age education is characterized by multiple intelligence classrooms, ongoing and formative assessments, inquiry-led learning where the focus is on the learner, and contextual teaching-learning that touches upon real-life situations. There is hence, a crucial need for Differentiation in learning, even in remote classes and blended learning modes. Differentiation has the following aims:

• Adapt the teaching methods for various learning styles
• Address children with different interest areas
• Bridge gap in children with varying readiness levels and prior education experience
• Provide appropriate motivators by judging the hot buttons
• Instil confidence with positive reinforcement 

Approaches for Differentiated Teaching-Learning in Hybrid Classes

Facilitators can play a significant role in dealing with the issue of differentiation in online classes. They can invite students to talk about different topics, apart from the lesson being taught. Creating peer groups, having reading buddies, and interacting through characters in classes is also a way of engaging students.

The environment must be made supportive as well as challenging so that students are spurred to be innovative and perform to the best of their abilities. The methods used to adopt differentiation in the classroom are categorized based on their application. There are four ways in which instruction can be differentiated:

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1. Content-Based: Modify the Content for Instruction 

The format of content can be personalized to support learning styles. Animated lessons, textured books, and audio chapters are some of the formats that are used to cater to diverse learners at the content distribution level. Lessons are often imparted through pictorial means to explain topics.

Concept Cartoons is one such technique that is used across subjects and grades for customised learning. Children with different learning capacities can use concept cartoons that are tweaked to suit their level. Other methods commonly used are flash cards, word puzzles, brain teasers, etc.

2. Process-Based: Adjust the Pace and Method of learning

The process for transfer of knowledge can be adjusted depending upon the pace of learning of student groups. Giving extra time to students to understand concepts and complete projects is sometimes necessary. Recapitulations at frequent intervals are also effective for boosting retention and understanding. Active learners, on the other hand, are engaged through some challenging activities. The timeline for finishing each section of the curriculum has to be kept flexible.

Within the process of learning also, students with auditory, kinaesthetic, visual, and verbal learning styles will need an approach that suits them. Teachers can ask some children to read and explain, and others to enact or draw what they have learned. Diverse expressive methods are evaluated in a standardized way to support differentiated learning. Children may express through graphic organisers, geo maps, digital storyboards or e-books.

3. Product-Based: Interactive Assessment of Learning

Assessment can be done using personalized means. Several tools are available which work across devices and can be effectively used for differentiated learning. The most widely used methods for online learning platforms are game or simulation-based assessments. There can be a wide range of quizzes or challenges with a set goal. All these products can be adopted for differentiation by adjusting the goal of activities or difficulty level of quizzes.

Other methods to gauge learning outcomes can be writing an essay or creating a photo-book project. Facilitators can guide to create digital diaries, where students upload images, or photo books, created by weaving stories around given images. Response cards and content cubes are effectively used where children can select different ways to participate and respond.

4. Environment-Based: Customise the learning environment 

The feel and functioning of the classrooms can be adapted to suit the learners. This is highly impactful in the scenario of physical classes, where students can choose a preferred setting. A ‘silent corner’ can be created for reflection and notes. Another corner of the classroom can be for group discussions. Some children may like to doodle on a whiteboard for better understanding. 

Even in the virtual classes, students can be given a dedicated space through Breakout Rooms, where they discuss a topic or a situation and suggest solutions. Moreover, digital boards, similar to whiteboards, can be used to express thoughts and ask questions. Our facilitators interact personally with small groups of students to understand queries and develop ideas. 

It is crucial to understand that differentiated learning is not about creating boundaries but about enhancing inclusiveness. Through these alternate ways of teaching-learning, students who have varied grasping power and attention spans can arrive at a level playing field. 

With the pandemic throwing a new set of challenges in the way of students, their stress levels are higher, and attention span is lower. These factors have moulded our teaching-learning over the past year, enhancing focus on the needs of students. The future of education demands that we enable all learners through personalized lessons and processes, and we at Shiv Nadar School are ready to embrace the change. 

Discovery: the magic word for Early Years pedagogy

The formative years of a child are crucial for developing cognitive, emotional, social, and physical faculties. The experiences attained till the age of eight years have an indelible impact on their personality. Hence, the stimuli to observe, absorb and grow must be abundant and pragmatic. 

At Shiv Nadar School, the principle of “Lifelong Learning” is at the root of everything that we do. Nurturing the little ones who become part of our family as lifelong learners is our most cherished goal. Our Early Years Program is designed to foster curiosity. Even amidst the pandemic, children are exposed to varied experiences.

A lot of thought and insight is involved in creating methods that make education a sensory and tactile experience. The curriculum includes physical, aesthetic and creative development, apart from languages and numeracy. We try and keep the learning as interactive as possible. These interactions go beyond the student-teacher communication and involve the larger community. At a time when children are in a confined state, such connections become all the more essential. A few methods that we employ to make the learning wholesome are:

• Creative Reading:

The culture of reading and appreciating literature is deeply ingrained in the fabric of Shiv Nadar School. We sow the seeds of love for books from a nascent age. Our pedagogy goes beyond reading and comprehension. Children are encouraged to narrate and predict stories, which boosts their communication and imagination. They engage with books by discussing cover pages and identifying characters. The classes are sprinkled with fun activities like dressing up as different characters and role-playing with friends.

• Circle Time: 

During circle time, children learn the essential qualities of listening, sharing, and interacting with peer group in a respectful way. Moreover, abundant and unrestricted conversations with facilitators help them to express thoughts and observations. 

• The I-Can Chart:

As children become responsible for their actions, a sense of independence also grows in them. Doing small tasks self-reliantly helps to develop their motor skills, balance, and sensory faculties. At Shiv Nadar School, students face small challenges that go a long way in boosting Personal, Social, and Emotional development. Each child has a chart of chores that they can do independently. The reward for us is their immense joy and sense of achievement as they accomplish tasks mentioned on the I-Can chart with minimal help from teachers and parents. 

• My World:

The confidence that children gain while doing everyday chores assists them to expand their periphery. Eventually, we introduce our Early Years students to the concept of 'My World', where they explore, observe, understand, classify and predict. We invite guest speakers from various professions who explain the contribution of people in different roles.

Going for nature walks, exploring the school surroundings, and meeting our helpers are all part of developing their world. For instance, during the Joy of Sharing week, students of Early Years plant saplings and serve food. They interact with gardeners, electricians, and other support staff and become conscious of their services. 

It takes a village to raise a child. Parents contribute immensely as our partners in the teaching-learning process, with their feedback, ideas and participation. We also hold frequent workshops to address any parenting challenges.

Mindfulness is an integral part of our Early Years curriculum, percolating everything that we do, whether it is within classrooms or outside. The methods mentioned above are instrumental in helping us to nurture mindful beings. Through a wide range of experiences and dialogues, children become confident, focused and channelize their energy in creative ways, leading to a happier and fulfilled childhood.

The Art of Experiential Learning

It is a Science class at Shiv Nadar School, and students are working on a project to ponder upon the formation of Universe. They express through art how they perceive the birth of elements, stars and planets, using bright colours and shapes. In another class studying world History, students act as artefacts in a technique called Museum, to understand events and characters through acting.

Art is to express our emotions through all our faculties. We paint, sing, dance, act, play and create to give shape to our thoughts and feelings. As a mode of expression and communication, Art has always been an integral part of education. We believe that children learn Kinaesthetically, engaging with spaces, sights and sounds. We give them an opportunity to feel, explore and learn by engaging the mind, body and soul. During these times when our physical spaces are curtailed by the pandemic, such artistic freedom and tools to discover self become all the more essential for students.

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Art – A part of Core Curriculum

The New Education Policy mandates integration of art with other subjects, and brings all art related subjects at equal footing with the so-called mainstream subjects.

Since its inception, Shiv Nadar School has believed that art is an integral part of the teaching-learning experience and has invested heavily in the right people and resources to bring the belief to fruition. Shiv Nadar School’s AHA program enables students to explore various art forms, discover their area of interest and master it through constant expert guidance. We not only make the co-scholastic aspects a vital part of our everyday learning, but also integrate the arts in our pedagogy. Arts Integrated Learning has been at the core of our curriculum.

Be it dramatics and theatre techniques, paintings, sculptures, poetry, or any other form of expression, they all assimilate to make our teaching methods complete and complementing. As Ms. Manjima Chatterjee, accomplished playwright and Head of Arts Curriculum at the Shiv Nadar School says, “Science teachers are making diagrams every day, and in literature we teach poetry. So, is it practicing Art, Science or English? You cannot segregate Art from other subjects.” Hence, a seamless chemistry exists between Art and STEAM education. Students experiment and experience concepts of maths and science with the help of creative visualisation, leading them towards SMART Learning- Science and Maths with ART Tools.

Another valuable aspect of having Arts Integrated Learning as a part of our core methodology is that it makes classes interesting and impactful. Students not only learn things in a more engaging way, they also like to explore many aspects of a topic that may otherwise be dry and difficult. Art, in all its forms, adds spice to bland chapters, colours to the bleak pages and excitement to the solemn faces. Through Dramatics, students imagine situations, do roleplays, and grasp difficult concepts with ease.

Aristotle said, “The Aim of Art is not to represent the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”

We try and achieve this aim of art everyday in our classes as students reveal the secrets of science, decipher numbers, interpret novels and unveil history. Art enables them to see everything with a creative lens. It also helps teachers to understand the perspective of students, and guide them pertinently. With Art Integrated Learning, we seek to break the boundaries, and make thinking out of the box a norm, leading to Education for Life.

SAKURAIS – THE ENERGY AMBASSADORS

Baarish Raman was one of the nine students of Shiv Nadar School Noida who went to attend the Sakura International Science Programme in Japan this March. He reflects by saying that “This enriching trip to Japan has not only been highly erudite from the point of view of science but has also enabled us to experience a whole new world. We went to the very heart of the country, Ashikaga, which gave us the actual taste of Japan’s culture ensconced in the ordinary daily life of the locals. Getting to learn about the future of the sustainable world and renewable energy in the country most renowned for technology and science was truly a one in a million opportunity. This trip not only gave us a chance to learn but also bond with our classmates.”

Promoting science and technology is a key engine to materialize a bright future of Asia. Based on this concept, Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science – SAKURA aims to facilitate short-term visits of competent Asian youths, who will play a crucial role in the future field of science and technology, to Japan through an industry-academia-government collaboration. The program aims at raising the interest of Asian youths toward the leading Japanese science and technologies at Japanese universities, research institutions and private companies.

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Nine students and a teacher from Shiv Nadar School, Noida (the only school which got selected for this program from India) visited the Ashikaga Institute of Technology. This was a nine-day Science and Cultural immersion, the theme of which was Alternative Sources of Energy. Students were briefed about Solar, Wind and Hydro Energy. The design included introduction sessions, hands on sessions and reflections.

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Introduction: The eminent professors of Ashikaga Institute of Technology took the students through the status of harnessing alternate resources of energy in Japan, its future prospects and importance of its implementation worldwide.

Hands on session: During the hands on sessions, students made dye sensitive solar cells, a windmill, a rocket which worked on hydro pressure, and hydro pumps. All the required activities right from drilling, cutting, soldering, fitting etc. were done by the students.

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Reflection: Once the devices were made, the students tested the efficiency of those devices and discussed their observations.

The students visited the Sun and Wind Square of the Institute and got the opportunity to see different kinds of wind mills and solar cookers.

The cultural immersion also included a visit to an Indigo dying unit, a textile industry, shrines and home stay with Japanese families. All the participants also tried their hands at calligraphy and origami.

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The icing on the cake was the visit to the Miraikan Science Center in Tokyo where the students witnessed numerous displays on future technologies, robots, disaster management, biological advances and space science.

Going forward, the students are planning to hold an exhibition for their peers from all three Shiv Nadar Schools to share their learnings. They are also planning to set up a small climate lab with prototypes of solar cells, cookers and wind mills.

As Baarish Raman reminisced, the trip was indeed enriching!