Presentation given by Mr. Sundaram Shubbharatnam on Building a quality school at IIT MADRAS during EduFest 2015 - 2nd International conference for school leaders.

1. A personal Experience
Building a Quality School

2. Defining Quality
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Building a Quality School - S Sundaram
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 How to define a Quality School?
 Infrastructure?
 Teacher Qualifications ?
 Management Structures?
 Academic Processes?
 Co-curricular activities?
 Or a combination of all the above?

3. Quality School Defined
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 A school which enables students to acquire
 Knowledge &
 Competencies
 Necessary to become
 Effective and Productive citizens
 Of an increasingly knowledge-based society
 Through
 Educationally valid
 Academic & Administrative Processes

4. Background to the Definition
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 Rooted on “purpose of all schools”
 Effects of rapid societal changes
 Needs of a Knowledge-Economy
 Reduced importance of “content”
 Increased importance of “skills”
 Including “Thinking Skills”
 Reduced emphasis on “memorising”
 Emphasis on “enabling learning” rather than
“teaching”
 Emphasis on educationally valid processes

5. Quality School Definition
Revisited
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 A school which enables students to acquire
 Knowledge &
 Competencies
 Necessary to become
 Effective and Productive citizens of
 Of an increasingly knowledge-based society
 Through
 Educationally valid
 Academic & Administrative Processes

6. How to achieve this?
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 Curriculum
 Pedagogy
 Internal Management Processes
 Teacher Development
 Parental Involvement
 Management Support
 Academic Vision

7. Curriculum - 1
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 Less emphasis on CONTENT more on SKILLS
 Self Confidence
 Critical Thinking
 Self Learning & Information Literacy
 Communication abilities
 People Skills
 Technology Skills
 Reduce emphasis on textbook content
 Cut down non essentials from curriculum

8. The Curriculum - 2
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 Self Confidence (Leadership Opportunities in
sctivities)
 Critical Thinking (Math & Science)
 Self Learning & Information Literacy (Project &
Reference Work)
 Communication abilities (Language Skills)
 People Skills (Working in and leading groups in
activities)
 Technology Skills (Use of ICT for all above)

9. Pedagogy - 1
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 Appropriate to developmental age of the student
 Changing as per class level
 Experiential learning at Primary School
 Appropriate to the nature of each subject taught
in school
 In a framework of Concepts, Skills & Information

10. Differentiated Academic Policy
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Stage Curriculum
Pre-Primary Enjoy coming to school & socialising
No formal academics
No textbooks
Primary Behaviour, Basic Literacy & Basic Numeracy
Learning through direct experience
Less Emphasis on textbooks
Middle “Self Learning” Skills & Disciplines
Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Reading and
Critical Thinking, Perseverance & grit
Secondary “Study” & “Examination” Skills
Handling Adolescence, Learning Life Skills
Senior Secondary “Study” & “Examination” Skills
Prepare for the post school life

11. Nature of Subjects
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Subject Concepts Skills Information
Most Appropriate
Pedagogy
UNDERSTANDI
NG
Relating to
previous
knowledge &
experience
Discussions &
Introspection
Practical
Activities –
Physical & with
materials
MASTERING
Interesting &
regular Practice
in the right
contexts
REMEMBERING
Remembering by
repeated “use” in
right contexts
Practice of
memorising skill
Languages 10 50 40
Mathematics 50 40 10
Science 30 30 40
Social Studies 10 30 60

12. Teacher Autonomy
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 Learning requires a lot of flexibility, both for
students & teachers
 Flexibility in curriculum coverage
 Delegation of authority to the supervisors &
classroom teachers
 More time for academics (support in administration)
 Encourage acceptance of mistakes & learning from
them

13. Teacher/ Staff Development
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 To be a part of the school calendar
 Continuous & Regular
 Encouragement of resource persons from within
the school
 Membership of professional groups
 Use of ICT for personal & professional
development
 Use of library resources
 More meetings devoted to academics
 Documentation of internally generated knowledge

14. Parental Involvement
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 School can provide ABILITY but
 It is the family which provides MOTIVATION
 Encourage involvement of parents
 Provide more opportunities for parents to visit the
school
 Regular parent-education program

15. Support from Management
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 No school improvement can happen without the
support from Management
 It is primarily the responsibility of the Principal to
sell the idea of a “Quality School” to the
management

16. Academic Vision
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 MOST IMPORTANT
 Learning is an INTERPERSONAL PROCESS
 Student MOTIVATION is the key
 Schools CANNOT be managed like commercial
organisations
 Emphasis on RELEVANCE & EFFECTIVENESS
 Rather than EFFICIENCY
 Lead has to be taken by the Principal

17. Scorecard
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Effort – 90%
Achievement – 60% !!!!

18. Thanks To
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Teachers & Managements of
SRF Vidyalaya - Chennai
Atul Vidyalaya - Valsad,
Gujarat
Kokilaben Dhirubhai
Ambani Vidyamandir -
Jamnagar