Conceptual clarity – why it is important in primary education?

School students are perpetually battered with the burden of ‘syllabus completion’ right from the ‘ripe’ age of 6-7 years. This ‘syllabus-gospel’ that schools and teachers stick to is hugely driven by the content in textbooks. There is no dearth of the number and variety of textbooks available in the market…

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To spoon-feed or to allow flexibility?

“I don’t read, I proofread” – this is a boon and bane I live with every day. Little details pop out to me and I feel compelled to correct or change them – not always a pleasant experience, in fact, quite the contrary. Everyone around me – family, friends, colleagues…

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Awesome Asimov – Why Scientists should be Writers

I recently finished reading the book ‘Today and Tomorrow and’ by Isaac Asimov. Asimov needs no introduction to Science Fiction fans – he has been immortalised by his series of Science Fiction novels (none of which I have read, by the way). This book is a collection of essays Asimov…

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Why don’t we get high on Idli and Dosa?

Two weeks ago, my 9th-grade student and I were discussing the synthesis of alcohol by the process of fermentation. After going through the synthesis reactions in detail, our discussion moved to other instances of fermentation in our everyday experience. She immediately recognised Idli and Dosa batter formation and we wound…

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