Bulletin

The first session of forth day began with a very informative presentation on ‘Leveraging Technology in Education’ by Shri Ajeeth Prasath Jain,  Principal, Bhavan’s Rajaji VIdyashram, Chennai and Shri Anant Raman Mani. They emphasized on how technology in school can empower the Principal and staff.  Quoting example of a case study, they proved that technology has improved the performance of students and there was increase in understanding, participation and change in marks for betterment.

They drew wide range of benefits of embracing internet technology that accelerates professional development. They also proposed that all Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan can be inter-connected and can collaborate and share data for higher class with access to social networking by providing a demo of the application they stressed that it is the best time to be educators and access the technology.

Shri Ajeeth Prasath Jain focused on the 21^st century learning Environment.  Today’s learners are information laden, expressive and digital in nature.  Schools should inculcate skills such as creativity, critical thinking and collaborative learning.  The various roadblocks in the path of technology based teaching and learning were put forwards by him as the transition phase- Digital immigrants, cost vs. value perception, and too many solutions leading to confusion.

He further said that what is new in IT today may become outdated tomorrow.  So a continuous upgradation is necessary.

Shri Anantraman Mani was introduced by Mr.Ajeeth Prasad Jain to present an insight into how technology can be used to co-ordinate and collaborate all the Bhavans schools.He commended Bhavan’s for doing exceptionally well as compared to other schools in the use of  technology as a medium of teaching learning process. A video film was presented showing the vision of a 21^st century student.

Shri Anantraman Mani believes in doing original work in India,  he said that  “Good education alone can provide you with a good life”. He provided the conference with the information on how to connect and collaborate with technology and students. And how to use power of data to make better decisions.

He concluded by saying that on the helm of the affair we should be well informed about the technology making learning better. The session continued with the group report presentation. All the principals were divided into eight groups and given various topics for discussion.  A very healthy, eye opening pro-active, productive, informative session was conducted which enlightened everybody.

VALIDICTORY SESSION

An aura of spirituality and divinity was in the air with the invocation of Saraswati Vandana and graceful performance by the students.

Shree Hemant Kumar Sharma presented a vote of thanks to all the dignitaries.  Some of the guest Principals were invited to share their views regarding the four day Conference and their stay in the Sanskar nagri Vadodara.  They all appreciated and congratulated Bhavan’s Vadodara for successfully conducting the fourth Principals Conference. Shri Rakesh Saxenaji thanked all the staff members and called them the backbone of the whole programme.  A standing ovation was given to Bhavan’s Vadodara for hosting and managing the Conference in a highly commendable way. Certificates and mementos were handed over to the dignitaries by our esteemed Principal.

One more glorious day in the history of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s commenced with great zeal and fervor. The first speaker was Shri Vijay Menon, H R Academician Competency, Head of Organisational Development, Suntech Business Solutions. Shri Vijay Menon eloquently expressed that as Principals and teachers, the focus should be on facilitating development of human consciousness, articulation and self-expression.  We must provide children a platform to experience, introduce them to the worth of sacrifice and blossom consciousness by discovering their nature.

The next speaker of the day was Swami Nikhileshwaranand, Head, Ramakrishna Mission, Vadodara who spoke on Educational Leadership : Teachings of Swami Vivekananda.  He stressed that transformation of character takes place in the early age of life.  All great leaders always serve others.  He also mentioned that CBSE has made it mandatory to implement value education.  According to him success depends on-

3D’s  dignity, dedication and devotion,

3C’s concentration, communication and confidence

3Q’s Intelligence Quotient,  Emotional Quotient & Social Quotient

3P’s  Purity, Passion and Perseverance and IL is love.

Strategic Leadership in Education by Shri Vinod R Rao, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate, Vadodara

The third session highlighted strategic leadership in education for the educators from Principals to teachers in an institution .For the Principals, he stated that they, as heads of the institution have to create a center of excellence. This can be achieved by clear and well defined strategies and action plan .For this he has to create an environment of meritocracy. There should be room to accommodate students with different potential and compassionately use corrective mechanism for low achievers.  Principals have to strengthen their teams of committed teachers by continuous mentoring , identifying their strengths and weaknesses and assigning them roles based on core competencies taking their charge as a team –leader rather than as an administrator.

The second aspect of his talk was leading students to leading themselves. For this they should inculcate habit of continuous learning as it is a lifelong process .A student in his course of life learns one fourth from the teacher, one-fourth from self learning, one-fourth from surrounding and one-fourth from experience that time teaches .A teacher plays an important role in identifying his talent and acknowledging it. He emphasized that reading helps in gathering information and writing helps in crystallizing those. One must inculcate values for self-protection .If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for everything.” Downloading values in life is like downloading anti-virus software”.

The post lunch session commenced with Dr. B M Palan an eminent personality at the Institute for Mind-Body Healing, Healthy Living and Realizing, Human Potential, Vadodara, presenting his topic “Stress and Stress Management.”

To carve out the beautiful mind, he said that we are provided with three important tools- Human body, Mind, Intellect.

He stressed that we have to use these tools in a proper way. Need of an hour is to learn how to be calm even in adverse situation. Dr. Palan imparted information about DSM – diagnostic and statistical Manual, in which the diagnosis is carried out in 5 Axis – i.e. coexisting psychiatric disturbances, Mental status of the patient, Personality factors, General Medical condition, life stresses the person is or has undergone any the level of functioning.  Dr.Palan gave three factors for breaking a disempowering belief-Permanence, Pervasiveness, Personal

He concluded by saying that a positive healthy framework of mind is important for the progress in life.  To perceive the situation in positive stride is important for the progress in life.

An eye-opening session was conducted by Dr.Vilas Kulkarni, Ex-Director, HR Consultants  Pvt.Ltd, Aurangabad on “CBSE – School Accredition.”

Dr.Vilas stated accrediation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.  He further added that competency is a combination of knowledge, skills and behavior used to improve performance.  Through his presentation he emphasized the need of Accreditation and its significance to the humanity i.e. to think independently and be a lead in the progress of the nation.

Day concluded with the group report presentation which was a brain storming session for all.

Diving into the rich ocean of knowledge to get the pearls of wisdom we started the second day with great zeal and fervor

In the first session, Shri G Narayan Guru, Chairman Emeritus of Excel Industries Limited, delivered a talk on ‘Value Education, Caring for Children’ he focused on the role of a teacher as a leader and facilitator. Swamiji stressed on losing one’s ego in the excellence of Education and said Universal understanding is the key to Education.

Second session was conducted by Shri G Balasubramanian, Former Director, Academic, CBSE who delivered a talk on ‘Most Imminent Challenges to Manage Children’ wherein he emphasized about the skills required to tackle 21st century school students. He concluded by quoting “STOP TEACHING ---- START REACHING”. Students are in a mental state where they are prepared to learn but refuse to be taught. It’s time for change -----

Special session by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Much awaited moment came when Dr. Kalam applauded BVB  movement in maturing, caring & sharing initiative which aimed towards enhancing the academic quality of constituent school. Dr. Kalam addressed students and made them take an oath and told them to have 4 qualities-

1.                 Great aim

2.                 Continiously acquire knowledge

3.                 Hard work

4.                 Perceverence

The topic for the discussion was “Nation Building with moral leadership, Mission for the Principal”. He started with the Role of a teacher –Teachers of excellence in teaching alone can with their example become role model. Principal’s & teachers have got a tremendous responsibility to transformation of “What can you do for me” to “What can I do for you”. Principal has to be visionary with an inspiring capability.

Dr. Kalam said that one can enter into Marvels of Universe only if one has curiosity & thinking. Make the students to dream to become noble minded persons like Mahatma Gandhi, Sir. C.V. Raman, Einstein, Subramanian, Chandrasekhar, Teachers create great thinkers among the students & they become creators.

Dr. Kalam stressed upon five areas for simultaneous development of nation building:

1.     Agriculture & Food Processing

2.     Education & Health care.

3.     Information & communication technology.

4.     Infrastructure development.

5.     River network & self reliance in critical technologies.

For achieving the above missions the capacities required in  school & students are –

1.     The capacity for research & inquiry

2.     The capacity for creativity & innovation.

3.     Capacity to use of high technology.

4.     Entrepreneurial leadership

5.     Moral leadership.

Dr. Kalam said that a perfect leader will not only learn from the classroom but also from the environment. The Principal’s mission is to generate Perfect  learners.Educators today must exercise moral leadership of our schools & institutions have to meet the challenge of 21st century, such as education to the students will provide the nation, committed leaders who will transform India into prosperous, peaceful, secure & helping nation.

He emphasized on embedding of righteousness in each citizen with eternal goodness & whole oneness in conduct. Spiritual hymn was recited and repeated -

Righteousness

“When there is righteousness in the Heart,

There is beauty in the character,

Where there is beauty in the character,

There is harmony in the home,

When there is harmony in the home

There is an order in the nation

When there is order in the nation

There is peace in the world.

This is true for the whole world when we need peace in the world, we need order in the nation, we need harmony in the home. The origin is righteousness in the heart.

Finally he concluded by giving 11 point Oath for the teachers designed by him.

Post lunch session was conducted by Dr Namita Ranganathan, Professor Dept of Education, University of Delhi elucidated on inclusive education. She 

emphasizing that equality and non-discrimination and the human rights movement uphold the self worth and dignity of all individuals and school is the right place for equalization.

Everybody got mesmerized at the tune of Sachin Limaye an ex-student of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Vadodara who is a well known artist in the city.

The IV All India Conference for Principals of Bhavan’s Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools started on Monday, January 7, 2013.  The occasion marks the 125^th birth anniversary of Kulapati K M Munshi,  Platinum Jubilee of Bhavan and Golden Jubilee of our institution.

The  four day conference, January 7 – 10, was inaugurated by the Chief Guest , Dr. M H Mehta, Chairman; Gujarat Live Sciences along with Shri Rakesh Saxena, Director; Shikshan Bharti and Dr.K Subramaniyam, Pro Vice-Chancellor; Vivekanand Yoga University alongwith the school Principal  and Director.

In his welcome address, Principal; Shri Hemant Kumar Sharma recounted the contributions of founding father Kulapati K M Munshi and the core values of the institution.  The theme for the conference is – Preparing Principals, as leaders – For Schools in the 21^st Century. In the inaugural address, the Chief Guest; Dr. M H Mehta reiterated “ Dream are for the Earth and not for Heaven. For Heavens are here for us to make not on cloud seven”.

In the first session, Dr. K Subrahmanyan, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Swami Vivekanand Yoga University delivered a talk on `Purity of Mind’.He emphasized that educational institution is a garden where a teacher plays a role of a gardener and purity is a precondition for any growth.  He hailed the Principals as the pillars of the country.

 Post lunch session was conducted by Mr. Rakshit Tandon,