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Posted on March 13, 2015 by Edsys

Private schools have become ubiquitous in UAE for some time now. But unlike the public education sector, its counter-parts were not monitored that often. As a result the quality of education took a dip, but the number of private schools went on increasing. Likewise, school fees were also becoming a major concern as most private schools had increased their fees several folds.

The lack of knowledge about where the trouble is also made it difficult for schools to improve its quality. The necessity of a body which collects such data was becoming unavoidable.

Enter KHDA

Prior to KHDA, parents, teachers and students had no clue about the performance of schools and had to blindly join schools based on hunches. The mission for KHDA at hand was to improve the private education sector. To help with this, they appointed the Dubai School Inspection Board (DSIB) to collect data on private schools.

The data collection is done on an annual basis and these data are made available online. The data can even be obtained through mobile apps. These data can be used by schools to improve upon themselves. It also allows parents to get an idea of which school to opt for.

Stats show that within the first 5 years of its operation, KHDA has witnessed 51% increase in schools labelled as good and outstanding. Apart from identifying the weaker schools, KHDA also does its bit to help improve the condition of these schools. This approach was to help those schools that could not improve by themselves. Adding to this, events like "What Works" are also conducted to enlighten teachers on what to do in order to improve quality.

Lessons to Be Learnt

All aspects of the private schools need to be monitored and help must be given to weaker schools to improve performance.
An information collecting body needs be appointed for this purpose.
Based on the information collected, a database needs to be formed which contains the list of schools based on their performance.
All the information collected needs to be made available to parents and students easily and nowadays a website is the best way of sharing all this information.
Schools must also be able to access this information and make use of them to improve. The data collected needs to specify the areas where the schools need to improve and take actions accordingly.
Transparency of information should be made compulsory and is considered to be the hallmark of good governance. For this all the information that is collected should be made available to the public.
The information parents and schools get needs to be authentic in order to be made useful.
The fee structure for a school needs to be constructed on the basis of the quality that they are willing to provide. Hence a neutral body such as KHDA could be of great help in identifying outstanding schools.
The database needs to be updated regularly based on a periodic scrutiny of the schools.
The role played by this body should not just be confined to collecting data and making them available to the public. They must also take responsibility to improve the quality of education by improving the condition of the educational institutions.
They must also be able to suggest methods by which the schools can improve their performances.
Collaboration of schools rather than competition is what is required to help develop the education system on a whole, than just focusing on particular school.

The performance boost of private schools has been so remarkable that other countries too can take a few tips from KHDA. Especially in a country like India where a new private school is built every month, such performance analysis could be vital.

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Edsys

“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune” -Jim Rohn

As a student, you were never trained to speak up in school nor at home. If you sat silently without daring to give a single opinion on anything, you may be staying the same even today. There might have been a moment when you wished to speak up, but didn’t have the courage to do so. You might have cursed the school you studied in for not grooming you to talk. You might have wished that you got an opportunity to express yourself and for those who did, you hailed them as heroes…the failure of traditional learning…

That is exactly why educators are leaving behind traditional teaching techniques and are adopting technology involved learning. In traditional learning, knowledge is limited to books but technology involved teaching provides greater opportunities for the students to learn and explore. Apart from that, it allows students to connect on a global level and earn deeper knowledge about a certain subject. To support technology involved learning there are many mobile and web applications, such as smartapps for preschoolers, available. The school apps, which are in the form of games or activities instill interest in students and make learning an easy affair. Apart from apps for learning, there are many applications that also ensure safety of students such as ParentApp and also allow effective interaction between teachers and parents.

Must Read:

10 Cool School Apps for Teachers

The field of education has just begun adopting technology to classrooms and therefore, the students are yet to be acquainted with the changes. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure that students are comfortable in the new classroom environment where Internet is the star.

If you are thinking about ways you can prepare the students for a connected world, here they are:

1. Encourage Students to Speak Up

Every student may differ in terms of character and behaviour. Some may be smart and extra active while others may be shy to even speak a word out. The reserved behaviour won’t help them in future especially while attending an interview. Therefore, it is necessary to motivate the students to speak up. In the Internet connected world, students may find it much easier to speak up since they don’t meet anyone in person but just have to give an opinion. This adds to the confidence of students and hence, the teachers should ensure a positive environment for students to come forward and speak their mind out.

2. Student Blogs

Blogging is being practised in many schools across the globe. It provides students an opportunity to think creatively and write anything related to the currently relevant topics. Blogs are one of the best tools for students to raise their voice and give opinions. Ask students to update their blogs on a regular basis and share the links to the blogs so that other students can go through the blog posts and comment.

3. Ask for Feedback

Just like you have an opinion on the performance of every student you teach, students too have something to say about your teaching. But, they rarely get a chance to voice their opinions. You can ask your students to give their feedback on your teaching via Internet. This can help you to improvise your teaching skills. It is also a way to show that their opinions do matter.

4. Tell them that you don’t have all the Answers

Usually, teachers are considered to be equal to an encyclopedia. They are expected to know about anything and everything on Earth and are expected to answer every question a student asks. Prove them wrong this time and encourage your students to explore and find the answers themselves. This gives the students a better understanding of the subjects themselves and to make use of the connected world to the fullest.

Recommended Read:

Top 12 Classroom Management Tips

5. Let them Understand the difference between Progress and Performance

Without putting efforts, nobody can achieve anything. Also, in education, performance of students is evaluated on a regular basis. Hence, it is not sufficient for the students to perform well just once. They should make regular progress in their academic performance in terms of grades and understanding of the subject. Technology involved learning provides a better platform for students to explore every subject in depth and for the regular analysis of their performance.

6. Offer Engaging Topics

In traditional learning, teachers don’t usually discuss about a topic further with students once it is taught from the text book. Be different and starts discussing about topics relevant to the subjects students learn. Let them use all kind of technology and Internet to find out more about the subject and have a better understanding of the same.

7. Digital Story Telling

Give this activity a try. It is the modern version of already existing story telling in schools. Ask students to narrate a story based on a particular theme, a historical event or about life on the other corner of the Earth. This helps students to think more and develop their creativity. They also get to learn about different culture and how they are different.

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Edsys

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today”-Malcolm X

What we learn today is to be put to use tomorrow. But it’s not easy to face the competition in future just using bookish knowledge. Technology had stepped into the field of education long ago. Books have been replaced with gadgets and lessons with apps such as smartapps for preschoolers that are in the form of games or activities to instil interest in students.

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think”-Margaret Mead

Unlike traditional learning which provides limited knowledge to students that is just confined to the textbooks, technology involved learning provides a much wider platform for them to explore every subject in depth. With the blending of technology with education, students are given the opportunity to make independent choices, to think and to face challenges.

Changing trends…

Technology evolves with time and schools are supposed to be updated about the changes made and introduce students to the same.

The current trends in technology involved learning are:

SMS/texting in classroom

About a decade ago, schools had prohibited students from bringing mobile phones or any other gadgets of the sort. But now, schools use text messaging as a tool to connect with students as a part of e-learning. It involves SMS quizzes, surveys and texting of questions to students before teaching a chapter in class. Text messaging can also used to remind students to bring a study material or to do homework and to connect with a generally shy student.

Use of apps for parent-teacher communication

Before, parent-teacher communication meant the parent-teacher meetings that were held post examinations in schools. Many parents tend to miss the meeting due to their work or other reasons. For such parents, the apps for parent-teacher communication, such as the ParentApp are a blessing. ParentApp provides the opportunity to parents and teachers to interact with each other whenever they have time. Also, parents are provided with reports regarding their child’s performance in school and the latest happenings in the child’s school.

Social media in classroom

You usually use a social media network to connect with your friends and family. But some schools have come up with the idea of using social media platforms such as twitter to connect with students and to hold discussions about a particular topic.

Free online courses

You want to learn two courses or more at the same time? If it was before, you had to wait for one course to be completed before you start another. But online courses have made it easier for you to learn whatever you want. The classes will be held in the form of webinars and study material will be in the form of e-books.

3D printing

Visual learning is always more effective than theory. Students tend to learn faster and understand a subject completely using 3D printing. All you have to do is print 3d models of all complex structures and use them to teach students.

The future trends in technology involved learning will be:

Digital textbooks

The field of education is all set to undergo a tremendous change by going paperless. Students won’t be carrying around textbook but a tablet or a gadget of the sort with digitalized versions of textbooks stored in them. This move can help the schools save huge amounts of money.

Time management tools and communication software

In future, students may not have to attend school on a regular basis. They will be able to sit at home and connect with teachers via communication software to attend classes. There are various time management tools available in the market so that educators can ensure that students are completing their assigned tasks on time.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

At present, Employees in many offices rely on their own devices such as laptops, tablets etc. to work rather than using company owned systems. He “Bring Your Own device” practice has shown to increase productivity among employees and saved the companies lots of money in terms of products and computers. This trend is soon going to hit educational institutions as well.

Cloud-based apps

Cloud computing is getting popular these days and very soon, you will see it entering the world of educations. Many cloud based tools are going to be used where sharing of information will get easier.

Open textbooks

Open textbooks are gaining popularity in schools around the globe. They are digitalized textbooks in print, e-book or audio format that can be downloaded, improvised and shared by students, teachers and parents.

The trends in educational field are quick and happening. Hopefully, the upcoming trends will change the face of education sector by providing wider platforms for students by letting them think deeper about subjects and preparing to face various challenges.

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Edsys

You come into the class when the bell rings, teaches what is there in the books and leave when the period ends!

This is the case of most classrooms around the globe. In the beginning of the academic year, it may appear to be fine but further into the year, the routine starts getting monotonous for both teachers and the students. The students will stop paying attention to your class and they will not show any interest in your lectures. That’s the biggest failure you can encounter in your job as a teacher.

“A favourite teacher becomes a permanent inspiration and admiration in a students’ heart for a life time”-Ty Howard

Yes! To be loved and remembered by your students forever is quite an achievement. For that, you have to make your classes much more interesting and win over every student of yours. You have to come up with activities that can spice-up your class and also make students aware of the academic progress they have made so far. Add an extra dose of fun and let your students interact with you regarding any subject other than you reading out things for the class.

Not getting any ideas?

Here are 10 great ideas that you can use to turn your dull and boring class to a place brimming with activities:

1. Resolution blog

You can set start this activity at the beginning of an academic year. Like a new year’s resolution, you can ask the students to set a goal for the academic year that they can fulfil by the end of the year. Let the students begin the activity by creating a blog to track their progress. They can create a video or text post to explain about the resolution and its importance. Help the students to create a plan to achieve the goal they have set and post it in their blog. Have them post updates on a daily or weekly basis and help them to analyse their progress towards achieving the goal so far and to identify the challenges that lay ahead. Also, allow them to post comments on classmates’ blogs and provide necessary advice.

2. Student-led conferences

Usually, when parent-teacher conference occurs, students stay as silent spectators. They just watch parents and teachers discussing about the students’ academic progress so far. But, this time, let the students have the upper hand in parent-teacher conferences. Let them organize their work till date and share it with their families. This provides confidence to students to take care of their learning and also to identify their growth and challenges.

3. Student tech leaders

Technology has found its way to classrooms long back. Most schools use apps such as smart apps for preschoolers and gadgets that aid in teaching. But you may need little assistance while introducing new technology to classrooms. The student tech leaders can help you out. Just like an employee is hired in a company, you can ask students to apply for the “tech-leader” post by writing an essay on leadership and love for digital learning. From the selected students, you can hire 4-6 people to be the tech leaders. You can utilize lunch breaks to discuss about the new apps and devices that are to be introduced in the class in the following week. On the day you introduce the new technology in class, the tech leaders will serve as helpers for you and assist you at times of need.

4. Social media day

This is a great way to engage students and teach them to be more social and outspoken. You can use social media platform to discuss about a particular theme or idea and even engage the whole school in it.

5. Backchanneling

If you are hesitant about letting your students enter twitter, you may try Backchanneling. Backchannel is the practice in which you use networked computers and have real-time chatting sessions online where you discuss various topics and give live remarks.

6. Narrate a story with a map

You usually use Google maps to explore a location. But, have you thought of other possibilities in utilizing Google maps? What about telling a story? You can ask your students to choose different locations from Google maps and develop a story. They can post the updates of story development in their blog.

7. Book trailers

With technology dominating over books, children don’t seem to be fascinated by story books like we were. This activity is an excellent opportunity to encourage reading among students. You can ask your students to read a book of their choice and then create a book trailer using different applications available.

8. QR codes

QR codes motivate group learning. Instead of carrying around study materials and things of the sort or calling out each person to demonstrate their part in an activity, you can create a video demonstrating a particular lesson or describing the activity and the role of each student in the activity. Then, you can simply print the QR code with the name of the lesson or activity and place it in the allotted space from where students can scan it to find out about the losson or their tadk in the activity.

9. Challenge Based Learning

Traditional learning meant simply learning out of the textbooks. That could help in earning grades but the knowledge cannot be put to use outside the school campus. With the future following the principle of “survival of the fittest,” those students who still follow the traditional learning techniques may find it hard to survive the competition. Therefore, it’s time to replace traditional learning with challenge based learning which allows students to face a challenge and to discover or explore a subject in depth.

10. Virtual Field Trip

You may not have many places to visit with your students in your city and you may be tired of visiting the same museum or zoo over and over again. Why not try a virtual field trip using Google’s connected classrooms? Students can take a trip on their own or you can arrange a virtual field trip by joining with an organization.

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Edsys

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Anonymous

Teachers are experts at teaching while parents are experts in their children. Healthy relationships between teachers are parent can boost the kids. Effective communication between the two is of great importance for grooming students in the best possible way. Many teachers consider that building a powerful relationship with the parents of their students is futile.

Get Best Free Parental Apps (Check it Now)

Classroom education is not merely about grades and scores, it’s a way of moulding children to become better human beings and to achieve knowledge about the world around. The relationship of a child with his/her teacher and parents are completely at different levels. Only 13% of a child’s time is spent at school and the remaining 87% is at home and communities.

Follow these 11 simple tips to ensure better relationship with the parents of your students:

Every academic year should begin with a parent teacher meeting
Greet the parents and smile at them every time. A warm, positive and friendly encounter can make a lot of difference.
Learn the name of all the parents and declare the intention to maintain better relationship with them. Make clear the positive effects of a good parent-teacher relation on their children
Always maintain communication with parents. Not only to report the bad incidents of the child but also appreciations of the child should also reach them
Find a translator if the parent cannot talk the language of the teacher. Never hesitate to maintain contact with parents
Ask queries about children. Ask parents to inform the teacher if a child faces any personal problem that disturbs him/her
Listen to the parents and also encourage them to speak for the children
Enquire about the talents of each child. A good teacher always aims at the overall development of his/her students
Parents can be invited to participate while making important decisions. Listen to their opinion and arrive at a conclusion depending on that
Share with parents even the minute achievements and developments of their children
Teach parents the simple techniques that can be used at home for teaching their children

Research indicates that when parents communicate with the teacher of their children and involves in their child’s education, children are more successful in school and education.

Due to busy schedule, sometimes it becomes a little difficult for teachers to concentrate on each student. Management Software can help teachers in managing a lot of tasks, and more time can be dedicated to the development of students. Students who are aware of regular communication between teachers and parents trust the teacher a lot more and are likely to put more effort towards studies.

Get Best Free Parental Apps (Check it Now)

Likewise, a student who knows that his/her teacher rarely or never communicates with their parents often pits the two against each other. That is counterproductive and will create problems for the teacher. Building trust with parents can be advantageous to students’ progress. Welcome parents as your education/teaching partners.

Parents and teachers should understand their responsibility towards children, increasing the trust between them. The relation can help in moulding the children and also equips them with confidence for the future. Children must be well-educated in this electronic era; the positive side of everything must be taught to them. Sharing is caring.

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Edsys

What will future classrooms look like?

Before your brain starts visualizing sci-fi movies where robots give lessons to students, hold on! Such a scenario might become reality someday, but not in near future.

The first step to future classrooms has already been set in the form of smart classes. Classrooms of the future are going to witness more of technology as part of imparting education and the lessons will be in the form of software and apps (like the smart apps for preschoolers). This combination of in-person teaching with technology is termed as “blended learning.”

Blended learning focuses mainly on 4 principles:

Vision of the school

Text book based learning is not enough to survive the competition these days. Students and teachers are expected to display strong leadership skills. Also, students are expected to be more creative. Education these days aims at giving students a chance to have control over their learning. Blended learning, in such a way, opens new doors to innovative learning for students.

Different approach

The learning caliber of every student is different, so is the approach towards every subject. Once what the school and the students want to achieve is clear, blended learning provides lots of opportunities to experiment with things such as teaching methods, lessons and so on. Blended learning also helps in taking suitable approach according to the subject. There are various software available that breaks down the toughest lessons to the simplest form possible so that the students understand what is being taught.

Do not let software define learning goals

Software is a tool that aids students in having a better understanding of the subject. They help students to have a wider insight on lessons but that does not mean that it defines what the students have to learn.

Include teachers in decision-making processes

No matter however advanced technology is introduced to classrooms, teachers will always remaining the souls of classrooms. Teachers can identify the learning challenges children face and help them improve. Blended learning ensures the participation of teachers in helping students learn. In a classroom that follows blended learning, teachers provide constant support to students and helping students get acquainted to new tools, improving their level of understanding.

Now, why should future classrooms adopt blended learning?

Blended learning provides the following benefits that help in moulding students in facing the world without a second thought:

Improved communication skills

Most of the students find it quite difficult to interact with teachers. The problem can be solved at least to some extent with blended learning. Blended learning, which includes online and traditional learning, demands different aspects of communication skills at various levels. This can help the students prepare for the future as well. It provides them confidence to face any interviews in future.

Improved fluency with digital gadgets

Bookish knowledge alone cannot fetch a job these days. In the future, the criteria for choosing the right candidate will get lot tougher. Hence, it’s important for the students to have knowledge about various gadgets. Schools are the best places where acquaintance with technology is the best possible and blended learning will surely facilitate that.

Connect globally

Blended learning will expand the world of knowledge for students beyond the four walls of a classroom. With the help of technology, students can connect at local, regional and international levels. This can be very useful for students in future.

Develop a sense of professionalism

The main criterion that every job demands at present is professionalism and blended learning can definitely instill that in students. With blended learning, students improve their skills in terms of decision making, discipline and the sort which may come handy while they are hunting for a job.

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Edsys

KHDA, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, a government of Dubai undertaking has now reiterated the importance of Parent-Teacher Communication for the growth and development of students.

School is the second home of children, majority of their day is spent at the school. But, it is a fact that not all children belong to the same circumstances. Some students might have problems at home that school teachers may not be aware of. These problems can easily affect the studies of students.

KHDA

The responsibility of regular private school inspections in Dubai is upon KHDA, which is authorised by the government of Dubai. Ratings are allotted to the schools considering various factors. KHDA is a third party that stands between parents and schools but aims only in the development of education. Weekly school visits are conducted to identify areas for improvement.

KHDA always encourages concepts that can change education and schools for the better. The importance of powerful parent-teacher relationships are not ignored by the organization as well. KHDA finds it really important to maintain a healthy relationship between the parents and the teacher for the steady development of a student.

RFID student tracking system provides security for children from any external harm, while Timetable Management System ensures better service for teachers. But what makes education worth it? No doubt, it is a good teacher who can understand the needs of her children.

Importance of Parent-Teacher Communication

Productive communication helps to understand situations better. Problem solving is possible with appropriate communication. Students can boost themselves if there is strong and powerful communication between parents and teachers. Communication throughout the academic year serves encouragement and support for the students. It allows parents, teachers and students to work together for development and success.

Parents can provide guidelines to the teachers regarding the strengths and weaknesses of their children and the best way to approach them for teaching. Students whose parents actively and without fail participates in the education of their children, tend to perform much better and maintains a better attitude towards school and its environment.

Here are some tips to help teachers establish a healthy partnership with parents in order to support students in a better way.

Tips for Effective Parent and Teacher Communication

Rather than the explaining the inappropriate behaviour of the student, concentrate more on sending a note home saying how the day of the child went
Don’t send junk mail to the parent. The message must be clear with personal note. Highlighting the important part can save the time of the parents
Not all parents of the students are well educated. Teachers must maintain a simple and familiar language while communicating to the parents.
Parents and teachers can wish each other personally while dropping or picking up children
At least once in every semester, teacher must contact parents
Parent- teacher meetings can encourage the relationship between them
There must be allotted time for each parent during parents- teachers meeting
Parents must be updated about the child’s daily activities and progress
If child is disturbed by any personal problems, teachers must be informed as soon as possible
Observe children in the class and do not fail to contact the parent if there is any character disorder in the child
Teachers should always remain flexible, adjusting to new ideas and strategies
Parents should be made comfortable during the meetings. The duration of the meeting must be reported early to the parents
Start the beginning and end of the academic year sharing something positive about the student
Working together to solve the problems of children is the most effective way of solving them
Parents should respond to the notes of the children
Manage the academic year with Timetable Management Software that can helps teachers to concentrate more on students

Ways in which teachers can stay connected with the parents of their students

Newsletters for parents
Open house at the end of every month
Curriculum gathering
Home visits (if possible)
Phone calls
E-mails
Special day celebrations (Parents day, children’s day etc)
PTA meetings
Websites for school
Special workshop for parents
Parent Portal

Testimonies of teachers who maintains a very healthy relationship with the parents;

“I was so hesitant to call John’s (my grade 5 student) parent. But the call had amazing effects on John later. It was great. His parents thanked me for calling them and solving John’s problem at class which was his fear for teachers. The method is really effective” – Miss Grace (Teacher, Grade 5)

“I would say the most effect way of educating is only possible after knowing how they should be educated. Having a healthy relation with is the most effective way according to me and I strongly recommend the same” – Miss Alice (Teacher, Grade 8)

“To know the child inside out should be the first task of a good teacher, educating is the next”- Mrs Beatrix (Teacher, Grade 7)

Also Read : 21 Meditation Apps to Relieve Stress in Students

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Edsys

Vacations have transformed drastically over the years.

From a time of unstructured play and fun, vacations now are a time to learn and sharpen new skills.

If you are finding it difficult to use your vacations more productively, then here are 10 steps to help you.

1. Make a Decision

Make a decision to utilize the vacation effectively from the very first day onwards. Whatever may be the plan, start from the first day itself. Once you postpone the beginning, it is difficult to stay on track.

Make a good plan and schedule for the whole vacation. Even consider leisure times too. ‘Well begun is half done.’ So make the decision properly and follow it.

2. Wake up Early in the Morning

Make it a habit to wake up early in the morning as on regular school days. Sometimes we may have the tendency to sleep for more time, but that is dangerous. If we do it for a few days it becomes a habit and it will be difficult for us to wake up even on school days. It will help you to have enough time to do daily targets. It is good to be active from the morning itself.

3. Focus on Health and Hygiene

Only a healthy body can have a healthy mind.
“To keep a body in good health is a duty…. Otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”- Buddha.
So use your vacation in a proper way that won’t harm your health. Hygiene is a part of discipline.

4. Studies should be Continued

Even on holidays, studying remains essential for a student. It doesn’t matter whether we have finished one academic year or it’s a vacation after the exams.

Fix a particular time every day for studies and continue them. Revise the previous year’s topics or read in advance for the coming year.

Both will help you when you are back at school. Some schools will give assignments for the vacation.

5. Execute your Plans Strictly

Reduce the ‘doing nothing’ hours to the minimum. Everything that you are doing should be according to the plan.

If any changes occur, you must find the time to do the missed activities ASAP.

6. Be part of activities that give you more Exposure

It will be a great experience if you become a part of any social service or volunteer groups.

It will increase your ability to mingle with society and you can gain more friends aside from your schoolmates. So be in touch with your friends, have a great sense of accomplishment, stay active and feel fresh.

7. Start some new business that suits your hobby

Gather knowledge about the scope of your hobby to expand your vacation activities. For example, those who are interested in agriculture must learn about cultivation and try small farming activities at home.

8. Learn new technologies

Those who are interested in IT should join for some computer course and study their favorite topic in a systematic way.

Try to explore more information about computer programming and software. It will be a great advantage in the present day.

9. Camping

Go for some camps and have some adventures! It would be a great experience to stay away from home and school for a few days.

Children would be able to enjoy entirely different lifestyles for some days. Students will learn so many things from outdoor camps and it will help in their personality development.

They will learn to cook and to do households chores from camps.

10. Read New Books

Make sure that you read at least two books in a one month vacation. Choose a classic one and a recent best seller.

Make it a habit of writing down your opinion about the book. The children must read everyday newspaper thoroughly as it is necessary to increase their knowledge about current affairs.

Always be in touch with your school. Parents have the responsibility to guide and support them during these vacation activities. Teachers can only assist them by giving guidelines. There are a number of software which makes the parent-teacher interaction an easy task.

EYFS programmes have so many good ideas for utilizing school vacation productively for pre-schoolers too. But parents should be informed of the light-hearted nature of EYFS programmes. Vacations are not for entertainment only. If we plan well, it can be more useful than regular schooldays.

Also Read: 5 Education Apps to Spruce Up Holidays

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Edsys

“If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow” – John Dewey

Technology has revolutionised the whole concept of education. Children remain connected to technology even when outside classrooms.

Ever thought of introducing technology to classrooms? Education can be elevated to new heights. Be the kind of teacher, your students always want.

Not only kids, but teachers can also depend on technology to enhance interactive classroom experience. Think of school apps, EYFS software, and you would get the idea.

Every teacher should be proficient in the use of technology. It’s a fact that 80 percent of computer users know only 20 percent of what a computer can do.

Be the change. Introduce technology to your students; make them stay connected to studies.

Instill in them the thirst for knowledge through technology.

1) Planboard

Planning is really essential for each academic year. The right plan can reduce stress and things can be much smoother. Planboard is a tool that helps make smart plans. Planboard helps to easily plan and view academic year. Items can be added for each class very easily and quickly. Synopsis on weekly schedules can be obtained by a hit at the week button. An overview of the day is just a click away.
Ensure your students have the knowledge they need. The best lesson plan can be created for a particular subject. The system also allows provision to collaborate between teachers worldwide. Public lesson plans can be searched with keywords or the exact standard codes

2) Edmodo

Edmodo is known as a “social learning platform”. Teachers, students, and parents can use the website. Edmodo is known as the Facebook for schools and is marketed as the same. With the website, teachers can provide signup code for students which can later be deactivated once all students have signed up. Students can share the code with their parents allowing them to monitor their own child’s activity. Intruders cannot access in to the classroom.

• Students can be invited into private groups by the teachers
• Private groups can be used for online classroom discussions
• The format keeps the teacher firmly in control
• Private messages cannot be shared with other students in class
• Teacher can moderate group messages

3) Timetable Management software

At the beginning of a new academic year, timetable management is a big headache for schools. There might be issues such as two teachers being alotted to the same class, or a teacher might have two classes allocated at the same time. Such issues might require hours of careful work to sort out when done manually.
But why go for manual management of timetable when there are high quality software ready to help you? By incorporating this simple time table management software, Schools get to save a lot of time and confusion.

4) Pinterest

Pinterest is a personalized media platform which offers visual discovery, collection, sharing, and storage tool. It is both web and mobile application company. Users of Pinterest can create and share the collections of visual bookmarks, they can also upload, save, sort, and manage images also known as pins as well as other media content like videos through collection known as pinboards.
Content of others can be browsed on the main page. Individual pins can be saved by users using the “Pin It” button with Pinboards typically organized by a central topic or theme. Pinterest provides a personalised experience for the user. Many teachers use Pinterest as a place to collect great lesson plans and projects.

5) TeachersPayTeachers

Teachers Pay Teachers is an online market for teachers. The website helps teachers to sell their original lesson plans and other course materials to other teachers. They can share for free also. Many teachers are earning significant income on the site. Most relevant resource for education is often available from teachers. Bringing together educators can form a powerful community. Students are benefited by the quality and availability.

6) Prezi

Prezi is presentation software. Ideas can be presented on a virtual canvas. The Zooming User Interface allows users to zoom in and out of their presentation, media allows users to display and navigate through information.
• Surprise your audience by zooming through your story
• Freedom to build presentations from anywhere with the co-workers
• Explain how ideas are related each other visually
• Enhance presentations with images and videos

7) Creaza

Creaza is an educational toolbox with more than 600 000 users all over the world. It helps in expressing knowledge and skills, creatively in the classroom. Technology to create movies, cartoons, mind maps, presentations, soundscapes and much more are provided by the website.
• More than 500 curriculum based exercises
• 30 built-in themes along with content
• 9 languages
• Online toolbox
• No installation needed

8) Jing

Share images and short videos of the computer screen through Jing. Jing gives the power to add basic visual elements and to share them fast. The website is useful for work, home, and play.
• Capture easily what you see
• Record what you do
• Quick and easy sharing
• Eliminate confusion

9) Educreations

Educreations is simple, powerful and fun to use. Explain any concept with any content with annotation, animation, and narration. Short instructional videos can be created by the teachers and can share them instantly with the students.

Capturing the ideas

Record voice and iPad screen to create dynamic video tutorials that students and colleagues, as needed could be accessed any time.

Use the content

Educreations empowers the freedom of importing pictures and documents from Photo Library, Dropbox and Google Drive. Within the app, search for perfect image.

Instant Sharing

Along with sharing videos with other Educreations users, videos can be sent over email, post to YouTube, Edmodo and Twitter.

Automatic saving

Finished videos are saved automatically to Educreations account. The videos are instantly ready to be viewed online and can be shared with others. The power of controlling what you see is ensured by the website.

10) Google Earth

Equipped with a visually distinct extensive database of satellite imagery and 3D models, Google Earth can provide amazingly effective classroom.

Google Earth offers endless possibilities for history teachers. Rather than textual knowledge, the visit to historical places can enhance the interest of learning for the students. The latest version provides geographic context to historical events.

A better understanding of subject makes things clear and transparent.

Google Earth proves itself useful for geography classes. It actively teaches geography and mapping in geography and social studies classes. From geography projects to learning about geological processes, Google Earth can be an amazing and fast way to show students anywhere in the world.

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Edsys

Childhood is supposed to be stress-free. But unfortunately they are not so in the present world. School goers experience a significant amount of stress due to their busy schedule, school activities, exams, results etc. Parent being busier than children, it is very hard to find time for managing stress in their children. So the best alternative is to prepare them to reduce stress themselves. We can also help them to an extent. Here are some tips to manage stress.

Power naps: Taking a nap in the afternoon will help a lot to reduce stress. So advice them to practice it. It should be around half an hour. A prolonged sleep will spoil the purpose. A short nap will increase concentration and memory.
Visualization: Helping children to visualise planned activities will help reduce stress and makes it easier to complete each activity. Visualization helps to calm down and detach from what is stressing.
Exercise: Exercise regularly. That will make their mind and body strong and stable. A healthy body will surely have a healthy mind. There are simple, easy to practice exercises such as breathing exercises which can strengthen children’s mind and help reduce stress.
Music: Listening to calm music will reduce stress and stimulates our mind. It gives us pleasure and motivates us sometimes. Playing calm music in background while engaged in activities will have a soothing effect on children’s mind.
Stay organized: being systematic and staying organized are the two best steps to reduce stress. Once on the right track, we don’t have to worry about preparation. Staying organized means having an order in everything; in the activities and in keeping belongings or study materials.
Eat right: Eating on time is very important to have a healthy mind and body. Eating the right thing at the right time will help us a lot. Eating a lot of junk food and oily food will inversely affect our concentration and make us feel dizzy. Drinking a lot of water and having a planned diet will reduce our stress and make us energetic.
Positive thinking: The habit of positive thinking and optimism should be cultivated from childhood to reduce stress and increase peace of mind. It will keep us happy and refresh our mind. It will result in good performances and high grades.
Student friendly classrooms: The classroom or school atmosphere shouldn’t be stressful to children. It must be a favourite hangout for children. To make the classroom friendly, teachers and school authorities should work hard. For early years education, adopting EYFS curriculum is a good option. EYFS supports child-centered education and it isn’t stressful to children. Employing EYFS managing software can help teachers and parents to make the classroom a student friendly one.
Learn through fun: Traditional classroom system insists more tension on children. Its mode of evaluation, exams and gradation can be stressful to children. This teaching method was a successful method. But in keeping with the changing times, a less stressful method needs to be adopted. Let them learn things through fun and games. Adopting EYFS or School Apps is a better method for this. Children will love to use Smart Apps. It will make learning interesting and reduce the stress that cause by intensive learning.
Effective parent- teacher communication: Parent- teacher communication is necessary to reduce unwanted stress from the minds of children. If a teacher knows the family background of a child, it will be a blessing for the child. Both the parents and the teachers can share their views about the child’s development. It will give a better idea to both parties about the best way to nurture their child. Parent Portals are technological advancements that enhance parent-teacher communication.

To make childhood more colorful and stress-free, parents and teachers should be an active part of children’s life. Avoid unhealthy comparisons and declaration of grades in public. Family should be supportive, which in itself would make students more relaxed. Only a stress-free mind can become creative. So for the development of a creative new generation, let’s help our children to wipe out all their worries and tension.