Summary
Every week Calcutta International School puts up a question that encourages students to think
Would you rather play a video game or play outside?
The question was written on a board at Calcutta International School and students were expected to write their response, anonymously if they so wished.
Every week the school puts up a question that encourages students to think.
“Education now is to prepare students for real-life situation and exercises like this enable students to reflect, which in turn helps build their analytical and application skills,” said Pratima Nayar, principal, junior school, Calcutta International School.
The “Think” board, on which the questions are written, has been placed in a spot so the students can see it each morning. Those who want can write their response on an adjoining board.
Nayar said the questions are open ended and there is no right or wrong answer to any of them.
But it does create a scope for debate among students.
Students in the geography laboratory at the school. The laboratory class was introduced after a Class IV student wrote on the board why there were no laboratory classes in history and geography
The students’ responses also help the school understand what they are thinking and initiate changes based on their feedback.
In response to the question “Would you rather play a video game or play outside?”, a Class IV student wrote: “Play video games outside.”
Another student wrote: “I would play a video game because running wastes energy.”
“I would play outside,” wrote a third student.
“The replies help us understand how students are thinking and if we need to address them,” Nayar said.
The school organises sessions to explain to the students the benefits of physical exercise and the ill effects of always staying glued to gadgets.
The school is also open to infrastructural changes based on students’ responses.
A Class IV student wrote on the board why there are no laboratory classes in history and geography, like they have in science.
The school then introduced laboratory classes in geography. “We are open to ideas from students because this generation is exposed to many things and they would suggest things that could be of use,” said a teacher.
Any student can write on the board, but it is mostly students in the junior and middle school who respond.
“Education is also beyond the four walls of the classroom and these exercises help in achieving that,” said a teacher.
One of the questions recently put up on the board was if one were to restart life from scratch, would she or he end up in the same place?
“Such questions help students get a perspective and share it with others,” said a teacher.
Last updated on 24 Jul 2023
