Nov 2011 Volume 5, Issue 11

Inspiring Teachers
Driving educational change through excellence in teaching

A milestone reacheda long way ahead!

It brings great joy to write this editorial for the 50th issue of our newsletter. It started as a humble html version in Oct 2007. With articles for personal success, tips for teaching, online resources and some classroom humour, I spend considerable time putting This month:
Readers Views..2 Chalkpiece a tool or a threat? Jayashree Dixit .3 Readers views .4 Faculty of the month 5

together every issue and sometimes wonder if people are reading it. There are some regular contributors and on a few occasions I receive some feedback too. But overall, the interaction can definitely be improved. To make it simple for you to send your comments, from this month onwards, we will have the articles put up on the blog too and you can straightway comment upon it. Others can also see and comment. This month we have included some readers comments and also incorporated a change suggested by Mrs Indira Narayan and Mr Bhagirathi Behera about labeling sections for school, college etc. Please continue to support our endeavour to create value for teaching community by

Interesting Links ...6

sending us articles, feedback and most important by forwarding to your friends and colleagues. Do ask them to subscribe, its FREE and will always remain so. --Uma Garimella

List of writers since Oct 2007

1. Dr Divya Nalla, NMREC, Hyderabad Secunderabad 3. Mr Bhagirathi Behera, Principal Green Valley International School, Malinagar, Bihar 4. Dr Sridhar Chitta, Mahaveer Institute of Technology 5. Prof KV Jayakumar, Director, CWRDM 6. Prof PV Narasimham, Former Director, AMSSOI, Hyderabad 7. Dr Anil Kumar Challa, Medical College, Wisconsin (USA) 8. Mr Binay Pattanayak, Education Specialist, UNICEF, New Delhi 9. Education Mr Arnav Anjaria 10. Ms Jaye Lewis 11. Mr Sanjay Gulati, Maths Teacher, Bhilai 12. Ms Sushma Bhalkikar, GMR Varalakshmi Foundation 13. Ms Sofia Stefanidou, Greece 14. Dr Uma Garimella 15. Mr B Shantaram, AAI 16. Ms Jayashree Dixit, Karvy 17. Dr PN Prasad, CfBT-ES 2. Mrs Indira Narayan, St Anns HS,

Inspiring Teachers
Readers views on newsletters
It is really great to know that TAs newsletter has reached to its 50th issue. I still will be something fresh, informative content and Madhan Kumar Srinivasan Infosys knowledge driven with reallife examples. At one Initially I was not fully confident of doing that, still I thought of giving a try. incident one-by-one, I can simply state that today I am, a government school regional medium student, a part of

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I feel each and every faculty should go through this newsletter provided they have passion and flair for teaching. As a whole I find it very useful, research oriented, motivating and informative newsletter. I wish a grand success of this academy in the coming days.

remember in each issue there Instead of listing each

junction, I started waiting for Education & Research Unit of the next issue thinking to see Infosys. I feel this make sense what else the Editor can add in the next issue, because of the fact that the previous issue would be with such a rich & complete content. But as expected, I will have something unpredictable in to Dr. Uma Garimella and her thoughts to contribute world. Mrs Indira Narayan, HM, St Anns HS, Secunderabad The newsletter is very useful my suggestion is to label sections/tips useful to a specific segment of teachers so that they can use the tips more effectively. If I look at my past I cannot think of my present position without Teachers Academy and its workshops. In many aspects TA influenced my about the influence of these newsletters. Not only communication, these newsletters helps a person to adopt all the skills required for a real teacher and a human! I wish all the readers career. The Teachers Academy to me. I just keep waiting what new thing is going to be added to my knowledge base while reading every issue. The editorial comments in every issue are an eye opener Dr Siddhartha Ghosh, GNITS, Hyderabad Since 2010 I am following your E-magazine "Inspiring teachers" and thanks for publishing few articles of mine in previous issues. When I was a teacher I followed your inspirational work and today as a principal also I am following. Especially "faculty of the month" page is very useful to educators like us. I have one suggestion, kindly keep a special page for school teachers and principals where readers can read about their successful journey. Keep working and best of luck. Bhagirathi Behera, Principal, Green Valley International School, Malinagar, BIHAR 8084125247

the next issue. All credit goes all success in their life and

something to the educational newsletter is like a fresh air

career towards success. I still for me. The faculty of the remember the day, when I month helps me to know met Dr. Garimella and asked her to support in enhancing my English communication skills. Along with her typical guidance, she also told me to read the TAs newsletters regularly. about friends of different educational organizations. Reading about people who are trying to make a change in the society, motivates me in my profession. The interesting reads and videos are always a gear up mechanism for any faculty.

Page 3 of 6 Common Tips

Inspired by an article in a

Inspiring Teachers Chalk piece a tool or a threat?

in, it falls on the clothes and and vacuum dusters in the market. Ask your Institution to us these. 2. Use a mask while cleaning board. Advice mask for the students with asthmatic trouble. .

Jayashree Dixit

Marathi Newspaper, I share the body and hair. This dust thought of wellness of teachers doesn't spare your eyes too. community. lotion for Teachers"? You might have heard of singers taking care of their throats but have you come across a teacher taking care of her throat? Have you ever thought why teachers cough very often? Have you ever thought why a teacher gave up using contact lenses? Answers to these questions lie in our own attitude towards the teaching profession. Since ages the education industry and society has honored the alliance between the teacher and the chalk. However, there is another dangerous relationship between chalk and teacher's breathing troubles. It is sad that a teacher who builds the student's future is threatened by a small piece of chalk. Many teachers are now facing breathing trouble due to heavy exposure to chalk dust. Their voice is choked. In most institutions, chalkboard is still the most dominant medium. Chalk dust is breathed Some teachers have to leave the profession only because of this trouble. If not, do they have to live with it - certainly not. Its time to revisit our own teaching to students Prevention is better than cure". So lets begin with taking care of ourselves and our students by following these small tips: 1. Chalk contains calcium for lungs. Such asthma is called Occupation Asthma. Have you ever seen an ad "hand carbonate and is hazardous

Not just teachers, students are 3. If using contact lenses, do not forget to use plain also exposed to the dust.

What some teachers say

glasses while cleaning of I had once a severe eye infection (stye) due to chalk Symptoms and board. dust. Even now after a class all Prevention 4. Use wet/moist my clothes have white dust. dusters/sponge to clean Well to reduce the dust we can Usually trouble starts with the reduce it by using more board which will prevent expensive chalk called as sneezing, running nose, "dustless chalks". Strictly dust from spreading irritation in the throat, speaking, it is a "less dust" around. breathing trouble and cough chalk. leading to asthmatic disorders. Hands and facial 5. Use wet chalk while writing on board. bottom, coming straight Atul Negi, Professor of Computer Science, University of Hyderabad

skin becomes dry and harder. 6. Clean board from top to What is more dangerous is todays fashion to attribute any illness to pollution and forget about it.

I know a few of my relatives who were teachers and were down so that most of the advised by the doctor to quit teaching because they were dust falls down. having respiratory problems like sore throat and cough. 7. Switch off fans while The extent of damage also cleaning. depends on the subject one 8. Wash hands and face teaches and how much the board is used. after the class. 9. Do not neglect your long time sneeze and cough. 10. Get your lungs checkup (PFM test ) done at least on yearly basis. So take care and continue to enjoy teaching. Indira Narayan, HM, St Anns HS, Secunderabad

Read and comment at

http://www.theprofessor.in /blog/guest-column/chalk-

There are dust-free chalks piece-a-tool-or-a-threat/

Inspiring Teachers
Readers views on newsletters
I have come in touch with Dr Uma's mission about 2 years ago, i.e., roughly at the silver jubilee of the newsletter. As has happened to me several times in several occasions, my first interaction with Dr

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The quotes,news about various workshops and meetings, snippets from teachers, and so on; I bet the best part of the newsletter is a host of websites and other useful links. The recent addition of another column - faculty of the month - is a jewel in the crown. It is certainly not an exaggeration if every teacher aspires to see his/her profile; we get to know about teachers both born and made - continuing with their mission with aplomb. One suggestion I thought about is to make a bigger HTML kind of a page, suitable for online reading; the current attachment you send over email I print it out and read, and for getting into the links alone I do it on-line; Instead, if it is with variable font sizes and as a larger and colourful HTML page (with a print page option) it might be more attractive to even older (not so used to computers) teachers. I do not think of any new column to be added - too much of information may also make it boring; however, after a column attains certain mature stage, you may replace it with another; all the columns are already available in the archives anyway. Another suggestion would be to bring in a guest editor once in a quarter or so, and orient the newsletter to his/her perspective - this would involve more people and hence the newsletter literally touches more people. I wish the academy all success in every endeavour, and I look forward to read the newsletter as my first email of the month. Dr. Ramakalyan Ayyagari Associate Professor Dept. of Instrumentation & Control Engg., NIT Trichy

Picture Caption
Teachers come in all shapes and sizes My right hand is paining so I will write with my left hand Annapurna Rachakonda ------------------------------------------

Uma when I was a participant at a ESCI's workshop too has been totally different, rather indifferent! Nevertheless, when I was back to my institute she sent me an invitation to sign up for the newsletter and now I am writing a few lines for the golden jubilee issue!! The teaching community had its share of difficulties in the past, compared to the present, but has been constantly inspiring rest of the world. There were more cruel jokes on teachers; however, communication among a cross-section of the community brought new light. Today, we are able to interact more freely without prejudice, and we understand the hidden hierarchy. It is this understanding that brings us even closer and it is like a converging spiral. This very purpose of bringing us together is accomplished by the inspiring-teachers' newsletter, and the growing patronage of the newsletter is an index of its fait accompli. First, I sincerely appreciate the Herculean task Dr Uma has taken up and she has been evidently successful at that. She has courageously chosen the path less traveled. May God preserve her energy forever. Secondly, the newsletter that appears in our mailbox on dot first of every month has loads of information - some for quick gulping, and some for pondering over later.

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Inspiring Teachers
Readers views

Faculty of the Month Dr Balasubramanian R IIT, Roorkee

First of all, I dedicate this noble profession to my father, Mr. P. Raman who is a retired Physics teacher. Frankly speaking, I wanted to become a primary school teacher but GOD's grace I ended up as a Professor in IIT. When I was in the NSS I used to teach Mathematics for 7th Standard students in one of the Government schools in Tambaram, Chennai. When the students Everyone talks of quality felt very happy with my teaching, I decided to take up this noble profession as my career. I thank my Ph.D supervisor Dr. K. Swaminathan from IIT Madras and my role model Prof. Manoj K. Arora from IIT Roorkee to identify me to this world as a teacher and as a researcher. These are the words of Dr Balasubramanian, Assistant Prof of Mathematics at IITRoorkee. We are pleased to profile him as the Faculty of This Month. With an illustrious postdoctoral research after his PhD from of education but it is rare to find an institution that works for quality through teachers. Despite the challenges like budgets and low priority for training, I am glad that Teachers Academy is moving ahead. I hope many more teachers will share their experiences through this newsletter and create a brighter future generation. I wish Teachers Academy all the very best. Dr Divya Nalla Nalla Malla Reddy Engineering College, Hyderabad Read all these comments at IIT-Madras, he is also known for his teaching. He has receivd the best teacher award on Teachers Day at IITRoorkee. Read more about his teaching methods and other ideas on the site. /balasubramanian.shtml Readers Views on 50th issue of Newsletter The newsletter is one of the indigenous works taken up with true and sincere effort to inspire and to promote better learning experiences through useful articles and links to internet sources to access the information effortlessly. It's the window to the world of education with information on wide range of topics related and useful for one's own classroom teaching and professional development. It's indeed truly inspiring!!! I wish every teacher who has an access to internet should be connected to the newsletter across the country. Appreciating all the efforts taken up by the Teacher's Academy, Dr.P.Aparna. HOD, H&M, GNITS, Secretary, ELT@I Hyderabad Chapter,9848468330

at Madras Christian College, http://www.theprofessor.in

Dr P Aparna

Dr Balasubramanian R

Dr Divya Nalla

http://www.theprofessor.

Teachers Academy

Hyderabad PHONE: 97011 41118 E-MAIL: info@inspiring-teachers.com

An activity at the recent workshop on leadership and succession planning at ITM, Mussoorie (DRDO)

Interesting Links
National Workshop for UG Biology Teachers https://sites.google.com/site/puneworkshop2012/home Workshop Technology in Math Education - http://www.math.iitb.ac.in/TIME2011/ The website for academic publications from India http://www.swb.co.in/ Individualised teaching http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15358964 On Clickers http://derekbruff.com/teachingwithcrs/?p=450 http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/cts/ http://derekbruff.com/teachingwithcrs/?p=5 http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/clickers.htm http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/cts/ http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/cts/1120_toshare_Conceptestsonly_Fa 07_noanswers.html Inequitable Equality http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RVRNLzIwMTEvMTAvMDcjQXIw MTgwMA%3D%3D Teaching-Learning Resources for schools http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/ http://www.dimdima.com/ http://vidyaonline.net/index.php http://www.channel4learning.com/ Maths resources http://www.interactivemaths.net/ http://www.cyffredin.co.uk/ Brain Teasers for mind breaks http://www.brainbashers.com/ http://brainden.com/ http://thinks.com/ http://www.mazeworks.com/home.htm

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