A monthly e-newsletter for teachers in schools and colleges

1. April 2011
Volume 5, Issue 4 Inspiring Teachers
Driving educational change through excellence in teaching
What’s in store this month
This week, you read about needs a source for a dose of updates.
Achieve your destiny, a inspiration whenever we feel I request all of you once
unique organization formed low. A compilation of links to again to visit
by four enthusiastic such stories and videos is useful www.theprofessor.in and
This month:
students. Tips for improving for motivating yourself and click the link follow us
Shh keep quiet…
Editor’s pick..….2 class participation and your students too! Some jokes and become our fan.
discussions and how to and announcements of careers Now you can leave
Kindle the interest in
dictionary Indira
enthuse your students to plus the interesting links, comments on all the
Narayan ………. ..4 refer to a dictionary are completes the newsletter. resources.
articles for classroom. In A new feature introduced this http://www.theprofessor.in/blog
Interesting links …4
our daily routine, each of us issue is links to the website
Achieve …your
destiny …………..5 The month that was… College Champions
A daily dose of • One-day workshop on 13th March at A unique model of engaging faculty and
motivation………6
Tirupathi for “Achieve…your destiny”, a building a truly distributed team
unique group started by Dileep and his • To make faculty as stakeholders in
friends to make students true engineers. expanding the reach of
Students’ session at Sree Rama Engineering TheProfessor.in and
College, Tirupathi – 14th March SchoolCanvas.com
• The “Art of Mentoring” invited talk at • To help enhance the profile of faculty
Enhance Edu, IIIT-Hyderabad for through consultancy and research
Principals– 16th and 29th March options
• Students’ session and judge for BTech At the end of one year engagement, apart
projects at Vignan Institute of Technology from the performance based cash
and Science, Deshmukhi, Hyderabad – 23rd incentives, the faculty will get visibility in
March academic and industry circles, expand
• ICT in teaching – Academic Staff College, their horizons and get an impressive
JNTU, 25th March profile. For details read:
http://theprofessor.in/careers.shtml

2. Inspiring Teachers Page 2 of 6
Updates from the website
Faculty of this month is Other Initiatives - Most Long Term process
DR. Ramakalyan Ayyagari from of you are aware of the unique for the training has
NIT Trichy who chose to be in Inspiring Teacher Awards been streamlined to
academics after a very brief stint which were given in 2009 and make it more effective.
in industry. He has instilled in 2010 to about 70 teachers Please read and let us
his students the same love that from schools and colleges. know your comments.
he has for the subjects and some Read about some more http://theprofessor.in/coll
eges.shtml
of his students have also initiatives like conference and
followed his footsteps to join scholarships at
academics. Read on at http://www.theprofessor.in/othe
http://theprofessor.in/ramakaly r-initiatives.shtml
an_ayyagari.shtml
“Ssh…keep quiet!” Or “Come let’s talk!” Editor
Quick Tips for
Classroom Discussions In most of our classrooms, An element of surprise always Students would then come up
Get students talking students want to talk among works with students. Make with probable causes, repair
early on in a group
themselves, and need to be chits with one important and so on – leading to an
discussion. The longer
they stay quiet, the less controlled by the teacher. If concept on each and put in a animated learning exercise.
likely they are to
there is a good commanding bowl. Then ask students pick
participate. Would everyone in class talk?
teacher, the teacher speaks up one by one and explain or
No, obviously there will be
Initially, don’t bother and the students listen. give an example. This could be
about their language. some who just dominate and
This is especially true Occasionally when the used either to introduce a topic
other who are too shy. One
nowadays when many teacher asks a question, it is or to reinforce or assess
students come from way of dealing with this is
native language met with a silent stare, or learning after a topic.
called a
schools. By insisting on some chorus answers. When
good language or Another way is making think/pair/square/share
English speaking, they you ask them to speak one
discussion look incidental. technique, which can be used
may feel inhibited. by one, everyone becomes
Students will open up in an in large classes also. After
Make sure to silent again.
informal discussion rather giving the topic or the
summarize the learning
or outcomes from the So how do we make these than a formal setting. For question, allow students a few
discussion. I have seen students talk? If not every example, a class on minutes to think. Then let
that many people do not
know how to abstract class, can we at least have troubleshooting could start by them pair up and share their
out the learning from a one class per week, with an the teacher saying “ my inputs with each other. Then
discussion. If we don’t
explicitly do it, they may energized discussion? computer refused to boot make two pairs square up.
feel that they didn’t get Remember, a good teacher today and I didn’t have time to
anything except Continued on next page
not only speaks well but find out the problem….” and
entertainment from it.
makes the students talk. look for some reaction.

3. Page 3 of 6 Inspiring Teachers
Classroom Discussions continued
Ultimately, you can make Students see such shows and speak and when to listen and
one or two groups come they can pick up some good how to think on their feet.
and present their views to topics from their subjects. Finally that is what matters in
everyone. You can see to it life!
A tested and tried technique
that most students get a
is to ask students to prepare This article appeared as “getting
chance to come up and talk your students to talk” in May 08
and run a quiz after finishing
during the semester or issue. It has now been updated
a unit. They make groups with new ideas.
term. But everyone feels
and conduct the quiz with a
participative. This also
scorer, timer and so on.
ensures that dominating
Invariably, the quiz may lead
students are not stealing
to discussions and Question in History Exam:
the show every time.
arguments. In fact, as a Describe the history of the
papacy from its origins to
Choose the topic / question teacher you can check the the present day,
carefully. If you choose questions and answers, and concentrating on its social,
political, economic,
something for which there make sure there are some religious, and philosophical
is only one right answer, debatable areas. impact on
there is no scope for Europe, America, Asia,
What is your preparation to and Africa. Be brief and
discussion. The moment Why is it call "after dark" when it concise, yet specific.
conduct such discussions? really is "after light"?
someone gives the answer,
The teachers must be well
the fun is over. Give them Doesn't "expecting the
read, well rounded and unexpected" make the
topics which question some
unexpected expected?
thinkers. They should be able
fundamental concepts. If
to tolerate diverse opinions, Why are a "wise man" and a
you have posed a case study
"wise guy" opposites?
moderate the discussion in a
or problem to give them
neutral way and most Why do "overlook" and
insights into a subject, ask
important, be open to new "oversee" mean opposite
leading questions like what things?
opinions. If a solution
are the possible solutions?
emerges from the group Why is "phonics" not spelled
Then after they come up the way it sounds?
which is different from what
with arbitrary solutions, ask
the teacher expected, it How come abbreviated is such
them which is feasible? Or a long word?
should be welcome.
which is best? Or most
Why do you press harder on the
practical and so on. I am quite sure if we try this buttons of a remote control
out in our classes, the when you know that the
Yet another way of group batteries are dead?
students will also fare well in
discussion is to conduct
placement interviews and Fwded email from Prof KV
mock panel discussions as Jayakumar.
most important they will
they happen on TV.
learn tolerance, when to

4. Inspiring Teachers Page 4 of 6
Kindle the interest in dictionary…Indira Narayan
I maintain my previous the learning skills and as sentences can be prepared
stand that the dictionary is a one is trained to be able to encouraging students to
teacher’s best quickly locate a word in the increase their vocabulary
Friend, best support…Let dictionary, thereby a mental each time they refer to the
me add that the dictionary is flexibility is developed.. dictionary.
the best friend to different Looking up word meanings Generating words where
people in different may not be an interesting the dictionary has to be
Picture Caption Contest
professions. I always advice task, but it helps not only used can be done by
students to keep their to get the meanings but using a particular activity
Send a funny but
dictionary right in front of also to know some and asking lead questions.
intelligent caption for
the above picture before them, on their study table synonyms and of course For example, you take a
th
15 April to and tell them that when they the different usages of recipe of some dish and
info@inspiring- come across a new word or a some words. To enthuse make sentences that bring
teachers.com
new term they should students to use the the various
immediately refer to the Dictionary a few of the items/dishes/ingredients
dictionary and get the following activities can be one associates with that.
meaning of the word. t done in class. New words and new usages
would be a good idea to Complete the following will emerge from this kind
maintain a notebook and sentences: of an activity. It is an
make these entries. This way 1. Capacity means absorbing task too! No
we can make our own the…….to do something boredom.
working dictionary. An interested and creative
2. You are ……when you
When the usage of the teacher can think of many
Mrs Indira Narayan has
are drowsy
been an English dictionary becomes regular situations and elicit word
Teacher in St Ann’s 3. When you are
there will be a meanings. Get started.
High School,
defenceless you feel…….
Secunderabad where Substantial improvement in
she is the Academic Many such kind of
Head Mistress now and
continues to teach. Interesting Links
♦ eGFI is engineering students’ resource centre initiated by the American Society for
Emgineering Education. Projects and more http:
//www.theprofessor.in/blog/student/egfi/
♦ A unique model of making UG projects useful for SMEs and a huge effort by SRISTI in
compiling a database http://www.theprofessor.in/blog/engineering-
education/techpedia/
♦ A novel school http://www.auroville.org/education/village_schools/isaiambalam.htm
♦ Excel tools for teachers http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/02/03/spreadsheets-for-teachers/

5. Page 5 of 6 Inspiring Teachers
Achieve your destiny – students’ initiative at Tirupathi
Rakesh, Dileep, Shiva and Social. The students ‘Young Caliber’ was initiated
Subrahmanyam and were taken to ashrams by the same group, to bring
Lakshmi Narayana look and parks, they were social awareness to youth.
like ordinary students. But asked to make short films, Our mission is to enable
if you read what they are they learnt some IT skills students to learn not only
doing, you can’t help too and overall became their subjects but other
agreeing with the adage confident and creative skills, become
that you can’t hide the conscientious young men useful to the society and
fragrance of a flower. Yes, and women, from the shy, achieve their destiny. They
these four youngsters are confused youth that they must be able to set their
bound to become great were. goals clearly. They must use
leaders and they have I had the opportunity to all the resources available to
begun their journey. They interact and conduct a them and become true
are my heroes. workshop for them. Dileep engineers”.
Studying in Vidyaniketan, had been reading my
an engineering college articles in Career Guide Dileep and Lakshmi
The Achieve Team
near Tirupathi, they saw (you can read them on- Narayana have already got
that precious time and line here placed in TCS, Rakesh in
Can be reached at
energy of students was http://www.pratibhaplus.co Tech Mahindra. Shiva is a achieveforyou@gmail.com
being wasted and they m/ArticlesArchive.aspx ) faculty while pursuing his
were not becoming ‘true He wanted me to talk MTech. All of them plan to
engineers’. And without about these ideas to his continue his work. Before
just talking about it, they students for a full day. joining their jobs, they want
decided to do something This program was very to take two more batches
about it. They started an well organized, they had and improve this program
organization and named it managed the venue and too.
‘Achieve…your stay very professionally. Says Sunny, “I joined this
destiny’ and within no Most important, the program to try something
time 62 students from 8 students were very different. In school we had
colleges joined for a 45 receptive to the workshop hobbies, but in BTech there
day course. This is not a and stayed back long after is no encouragement for
‘run-of-the-mill’ type of the workshop to discuss them. In this course, we
course. Our heroes their personal challenges brought out long forgotten
organized lectures, visits, and ambitions. talents, saw and learnt team
training and awareness in Dileep says, “The seeds of work, discipline, interview
four areas: Technical, this thought were sown skills etc. I feel we can also
Creative, Entrepreneurial two years back when start clubs in our college.”

6. A dose of motivation every day…..resources from the internet
Teacher’s Academy What and how much is has many motivating offline. http://inspiringthots.net/
learned is influenced by the anecdotes and messages MY HERO is a website which
learner’s motivation. for everyone. This is one uses videos and text to bring out
Hyderabad
“People Often Say That site that doesn’t start the best of humanity and to
Motivation Doesn't Last. sending lot of unnecessary empower young people to
PHONE:
97011 41118 Well, Neither Does Bathing mails. realize their own potential to
- That's Why We http://www.inspirationalstor effect positive change in the
E-MAIL: Recommend It Daily.” How ies.com/ world.
info@inspiring-teachers.com
very true! We have to find http://www.motivateus.com/ http://www.myhero.com/go/home.
stories/index.htm asp
ways of motivating
http://academictips.org/blog The stories submitted by
ourselves everyday.
s/
Steve Goodier runs a readers are catalogued into
This is a personal
website and e-magazine various categories including one
collection of Kwek Sing
called Life support Systems. for teachers. Do read and share
Cher with flash movies
(stevegoodier.blogspot.com/) with your students.
that can be also played
About Teacher’s Academy…
This July we will be teaching with a growing community of our teacher mailing list.
completing four years. Do read the blog and leave your comments on-line
Training and awareness http://www.theprofessor.in/blog/
See us at:
workshops for teachers, Click on like http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-
www.theprofessor.com
www.teachersacademy.co students and principals Professor/203174356365130
are our core strengths.
Share articles, useful Uma Garimella
links, teaching resources
and tips for effective