Self-directed learning – what comes to mind when we hear this? It sounds like a complex pedagogical concept. In simple terms, it is the process of a learner learning independently. Imagine a scenario where you choose what to learn, how to learn, when to learn and go about it without…
View More Why self-directed learning is the need of the hour
Puzzles for fun Do you play puzzles for fun? I certainly do. Sometimes I solve them successfully, sometimes I do not. In either case, it is a good exercise for the brain. It is also a good discussion topic with family. It would indeed be a great idea to have…
View More Puzzles for fun and learning
The Montessori method Nowadays, the Montessori method is a familiar name to parents, educators, and the public alike. The Montessori method has gained widespread application all over the world, including India. I have been reading the book, The Secret of Childhood by Maria Montessori, over the last few weeks. The…
View More 4 lessons to learn from the Montessori method
Playing and learning Two weeks ago, I was playing with my niece. Playing and learning go hand in hand in our household. While we were playing, her eyes fell on the Compound Words kit that lay on my table. She wanted to play with it. I gave the set to…
View More A spelling rule so simple that a 5-year-old can teach you
Learning from teaching Last week in Biology class, matters of the heart were the main topic of discussion. The structure and function of the human heart, I mean! I teach Biology rarely, once in 2-3 years. Every experience gives me food for thought. During our discussion, I made an erroneous…
View More Matters of the heart
Did you know that the letter combination ‘oe’ makes many sounds? What could these be? Could we simply combine the sound of ‘o’ and the sound of ‘e’? Earlier in this series of articles on our blog, we have learned sounds of a, sounds of s, sounds of ‘v &…
View More The many sounds of ‘oe’
Questions and discussions surrounding schooling at home have increased in the last few months in our network. The year of the pandemic has provided an unprecedented opportunity for children attending school from home. This situation has made parents think about schooling children at home. At the least, curiosity on this…
View More Are you considering schooling at home? Ask yourself these 6 critical questions
I have often wondered about the mysterious letter q. It does not have a unique sound of its own and it is the second least frequently used letter in the English language. It is still part of the English alphabet and holds its own charm. I have a distinct feeling…
View More The mysterious letter q
Two weeks ago, I wrote about the Elephant Toothpaste experiment I did with my students. A few readers who read that post were curious about how to conduct the experiment and what happens in it. Hence, this follow-up post on the Chemistry behind the experiment. Incidentally, my lesson plan for…
View More Elephant Toothpaste – The Chemistry
Making new words Have you ever wondered about building vocabulary by making new words? It is indeed an interesting method. In an earlier article, we spoke about building vocabulary through word families. In the early stages of learning, word families provide an excellent method to build a vocabulary quickly. As…
View More Compound Words – Learning through play