A teacher educator (also called a teacher trainer) is a person who helps in-service and pre-service teacher trainees to acquire the knowledge, competencies and attitudes they require to be effective teachers. Several individual teacher educators are usually involved in the initial or ongoing education of each teacher; often each specializes in teaching about a different aspect of teaching (e.g. educational ethics, philosophy of education, sociology of education, curriculum, pedagogy, subject-specific teaching methods etc.).

Teacher education or teacher training refers to programs, policies, procedures, and provision designed to equip (prospective) teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, approaches, methodologies and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school, and wider community.

Decoding NEP 2020 - The Road Ahead

The National Education Policy 2020 unveiled by the Ministry of Education has been the focus of much attention, discussion and debate, and not without reason.

Coming, as it does, three decades after the last NEP in 1984 and the first one to be introduced in the 21st century, NEP 2020 is bold and ambitious both in scope and scale and envisions a complete overhauling of the education sector.

The proposed allocation of 6% of India’s GDP to the sector is indicative of the government’s commitment to making the vision a reality.

What does NEP 2020 mean in real, tangible terms to students, teachers and parents? 

How is it going to impact schools once the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) is redesigned by NCERT(National Council of Educational Research & Training) in line with the latest policy, and implemented by 2022-23 academic session?

To understand the new policy impact, it will help to break it down into four components broadly: School Structure, Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment or simply put, the Who, the What and the How of education followed by a report on all three.

The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF) is developed based on the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and to enable its implementation. 

The NCF addresses education for the age group 3 to 18 years, across the entire range of diverse institutions in India.

The NCF 2005 serves as a guideline for syllabus, textbooks, and teaching practices for the schools in India.

The NCF was framed considering the articulated ideas in the past such as

• To shift learning from rote method .

• Connecting knowledge to life outside the school.

• To integrate examination into classroom learning and make it more flexible.

• To enrich the curriculum so that it goes beyond textbooks.

• Nurturing an over-riding identity informed by caring concerns within the democratic polity of the country.

The social-emotional development of our children is critical for their overall development as individuals and active global citizens. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) enables children to make friends, calm themselves when angry, resolve differences, be kind and make safe and ethical choices.

Introducing SEL in pre-primary classrooms will help children to recognize strengths in themselves and others, consider and respect others' views, show empathy, kindness, gratitude and develop 21st century skills of communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.

How does SEL (Social & Emotional Learning) connect with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) ????

SEL & STEM activities with a focus on 21st century skills, are designed to let children have collaborative experiences with real world connections by inculcating in them a sense of responsibility, decision-making and relationships skills.

Eminent Educational Psychologists such as Jean Piaget and Friedrich Froebel, the founder of Kindergarten, emphasized allowing children to perform experiments, make observations and learn about the world around them to become holistic and happy individuals.

The activities provided in the SEL & STEM Pack, act as thought triggers for children. Encourage them to explore alongside you. Many such activities can be designed at school or home to encourage thinking and exploration skills.

5 DAYS TRAINING - Provided to teachers of Growing Kidiz - 2023