When it comes to online education and traditional education, there are benefits and drawbacks, which is why students should be aware of what to expect before attending a classroom or logging into one. In this comparison, we’ll look at some crucial areas where students’ experiences can differ significantly.
What is online education
Online learning is a type of distance learning that takes place over the internet, with the teacher providing a course at a specific time (synchronous) or the students completing a course at their own pace (asynchronous). The content is delivered in the form of text, images, or videos. Features such as online assessments may be included, as well as interactive activities.
Education traditionally takes place in a classroom. A teacher plans and teaches a specific topic lesson, using a variety of educational tools. For example, the teacher might present information on a blackboard or whiteboard, conduct classroom discussions, have groups or partners complete tasks, and engage students in individual exercises. Assign homework, class quizzes, or conduct informal assessments are part of the class.
Flexibility Factor
One of the most important factors to consider when weighing your options is how much time and energy you have each day to dedicate to your studies. Will you be able to attend full-time school/college or do you need more flexibility to accommodate your busy life.
In the first place, the most obvious benefit of online education is its flexibility. It allows you to work, support a family, and take classes all at the same time. Moreover, online classes also have deadlines, which gives students more control over how they spend their time. They can plan when to study, work on projects or assignments, attend lectures, and so on.
There is frequently a lack of flexibility in a traditional class format. You must attend your classes in person, which normally involves a commute and stringent scheduling. However, there are still a number of flexible class options available. If you want to take classes on a school/college campus, you can look for a school that can let you plan a schedule that fits your need.
Self-Discipline and Self-Motivation Factor
As previously said, attending school or college classes online provides students with greater freedom and control over their education. This, in return, requires a high level of self-discipline and self-motivation. You must be able to encourage yourself to finish essential reading and projects in an online class. You need to be able to manage your time effectively. However, these capabilities are also needed in traditional education.
Online lessons may be a good fit for you if you can work independently and manage your time properly. If you find it difficult to keep up with an online class, a more traditional environment can be more beneficial. It’s important to remember that becoming fully adjusted to online learning takes time. Setting a daily schedule and setting up a private workspace is just a couple of tactics you might use to ease into online education.
Social Interaction Factor
Many people wish for the traditional college experience, which includes classrooms, whiteboards, and walking around campus. Some people prefer to meet their teachers and classmates in person, and some people learn better that way. A traditional classroom format may benefit you if you are more of a social learner.
One common misperception about online education is that it does not require any interaction. In reality, your classmates and teachers are right at your fingertips! Collaborative resources such as Blackboard and video conferencing software are frequently used in online classes to stimulate regular exchanges, discussions, and brainstorming.
Vimeo and YouTube are undoubtedly among the most popular video sharing platforms. But, are these created equally well for all purposes? The answer is no. Both platforms come with their own strengths and weaknesses. When you want to create education content, Vimeo is a much better platform compared to YouTube.
Let’s try to understand why.
1) Privacy & Security
For a course content creator, controlling the privacy levels of the courses created is of utmost importance. In case of YouTube, there are three different privacy options – private, unlisted and public.
Private is too restrictive as you will struggle to share the content. Because of this, Unlisted is mostly used to prevent YouTube Audience from accessing the content from the channel or search. But when unlisted, anyone can just copy the URL and share it however they want, and view the content or even download and save.
On the other hand, Vimeo offers five different options that you can see in the screenshot below. These options allow you to show the video exclusively to the intended audience.
When you restrict access, users won’t be able to copy the video URL. Even if they copy the url from the html, all they will get is a page error. Under paid Vimeo plans, users can restrict embedding of videos to own website as well. So there are a number of privacy or content security features that makes Vimeo a much better choice for Course content creators.
2) Control
Vimeo offers plenty of control. There are options to password protect videos, limit the viewers, restrict video embeds, set next course video as end cards, domain-level privacy, private link sharing, private team projects, etc.
On the other hand, YouTube offers limited control. You can decide to allow or not allow video embed. When embedded, user can hide the on screen controls. That’s pretty much it.
3) Updating Video
It is natural for content creators to make changes to an uploaded video occasionally due to production mistakes or to add additional content. Apart from minor edits using YouTube’s own editing features, user cannot update video on the same URL. An updated version will have a new URL which would have to be changed wherever you have embedded and shared.
But in Vimeo’s case, you can easily replace an existing video with an updated version without changing the URL. So, no need to worry about broken links and updating the URL in umpteen places.
4) User Experience
There are two key aspects that mar the user experience on YouTube – Ads and related/recommended videos. This can be especially detrimental for creators producing Course Content. It can divert user attention away from your content and makes it harder to retain your audience. But this is expected since YouTube is a free platform.
On the other hand, Vimeo offers a much better user experience. It is ad-free, and you are able to choose the specific videos you want your audience to see.
Vimeo’s video player has one significant advantage in its ability to customize branding. You can change the color of the player effortlessly and add your logo. This will reflect across your previous videos as well, without requiring any coding changes. It would look great especially if you are embedding on your website.
YouTube simply doesn’t offer a similar feature on their video player, and ends with irrelevant video suggestions.
6) Advertisements
You would be familiar with different types of YouTube Ads – these take away user attention and divert users from your content. Also, these are a direct result of the platform being free to access for public. As a result, the perceived quality of content is also relatively lower
Vimeo do not have ads, and it doesn’t look like their policy will change any time soon. So, your content would appear of higher value on Vimeo and this helps in retaining your students or users.
7) Video Quality
YouTube caters to a huge number of creators and audience. This causes a higher processing load, and to manage them, YouTube has to use higher compression. Vimeo on the other hand has lighter processing load, uses a higher bitrate and supports higher audio quality.
The result is that, when the same quality video is uploaded on Vimeo and YouTube, it looks better on Vimeo. It could be said that this difference is due to Vimeo’s focus on quality and YouTube’s focus on quantity.
8) Tools
If you don’t have expansive production budget and want to create videos quickly, Vimeo features the Vimeo Create. It comes with easy to use features such as custom templates. Vimeo had acquired video creating app Magisto and it has been integrated with the platform.
YouTube on the other hand, has decent editing features but lacks features that enable easy video creation.
9) Support
YouTube is primarily a free video sharing platform, and it offers a lot of free documentation that can help you from a vast support community. But if you are looking for specialized, in person help, then a paid Vimeo plan is the better option. Vimeo offers different levels of support such as email and live support.
The community support in Vimeo is more supportive with constructive feedback despite the community being smaller in size.
Vimeo provides a wide array of integration compared to YouTube. It integrates with Dropbox, Adobe, MailChimp, Google Analytics, Constant Contact, and a lot more. Developers can use the API to integrate all the awesome features of Vimeo.
The YouTube Data API on the other hand allows adding YouTube functionality to your website, search functionality, playlist management and video analytics.
No matter at home or school, cyber security tips have a significant role in a student’s life. As the present situation has demanded students to move into a digital learning space, they are spending a considerable time online every day. Even when teachers and parents are trying it hard to assure maximum safety in today’s virtual learning space, still there are loopholes that might land them into trouble.
So, it is now the extra responsibility of parents and teachers to have an eye on the kids and protect them from the unwelcomed incidents through fruitful tips and advices. Here we are helping you out by discussing some of the crucial areas that students need to have a look at and important cyber security tips to assure a safe online learning experience.
1. Use encrypted websites and apps:
Encryption is the best way to protect any data that is sent online. This brings the necessity of using websites and tools that encrypts data to safeguard from network snoopers, hackers, and third parties.
So, use only websites with URL that begins with “https” to protect from data leaking. Similarly, have a look at the privacy policies of the apps before starting to use it.
2. Create unique and strong passwords:
It is good to have a password manager to create complicated passwords which has a lot of relevance when kids stay online.
Hackers can crack weak passwords in milliseconds and the students’ sensitive data if any will be at risk. So always invest on spending unique and strong passwords for all accounts that are created online.
3. Think before you click:
This is a quite simple but important tip or advice that can be given to a student who is spending time online. This will give them a second chance to double check about what they are going to click and know if it is necessary or safe to do so.
Never click on suspicious links that are sent by strangers and do not reply to messages from unknown sources.
4. Be careful about what you share:
Kids should be responsible about what they share online as the impact may be big at times.
For instance, simple mistakes like posting the picture of the driving license after passing the test, or a snap of the boarding pass when going for a trip or sharing details about credit cards may land them in trouble. There are many reported cases of identity theft by using the sensitive details that people share online.
5. Secure your social media:
Always make sure that students stay protected while using social media. Have a check on the privacy settings on the account to ensure what data is being shared and with whom.
For instance, setting the FB account to ‘Visible to friends only’ is the best way to protect data that are shared from strangers. Similarly, the Twitter account can be set as ‘protected’ so that those who are followed by the students can only see their data.
6. Use a VPN:
This is always a good choice to protect the internet traffic of students from hackers who are waiting to steal passwords or other sensitive information. A VPN on institution’s network for educational tasks can help protect the data safety of students.
Similarly, a VPN can encrypt an unsecure Wi-Fi connection to make it safe for students who are learning remotely from cafe, home or coffee shops.
7. Be watchful about phishing scams:
There are lots of reports coming everyday of people being trapped by phishing emails. It may look tough initially but with practice and by applying common sense, it is easy to identify such scams.
Emailing from sources that look genuine and making people share sensitive data like card details or passwords is their main idea. Be watchful about such scams and never ever share personal data without double checking the source of an email.
It is important to keep the devices being used like mobile, tablets or laptops close to the person or in safe place. Never leave it open so that someone else can use it and impersonate or retrieve data from it.
Keep the devices protected with a password or thumb scan and always log out and shut down after use, especially when leaving it alone. Also do not leave the devices unattended in a public place.
9. Check out terms and conditions:
Please be sure to go through the terms and conditions before signing up on an app, a social media account or websites. Some of them can trap individuals by collecting contact details, use it for purposes that were not intended or scan the face, access browser history and so on.
So, think twice before signing up on an app that accesses sensitive information that may cause a future risk.
10. Do not use unsecured Wi-Fi sources:
This is a common mistake that students do especially when they are on public places. Never use unsecured Wi-Fi sources which can cause the data that is sent online to get trapped by a stranger.
It is always safe to use mobile data or use Wi-Fi only when it is protected, or when we are very sure about the source.
11. Safeguard the personal information:
Students should be taught about being responsible about their personal information. It is important to double check on what information is shared, to whom and what all impacts it can make.
Sharing email ids, passwords etc with others can allow them to impersonate on wrong grounds. For instance, even sharing a Netflix account with a friend that is not trustworthy can land kids in trouble.
12. Always have a recovery plan:
Even when all precautions are taken, there can be odd cases when mistakes happen. In such situations, there is no room to stay panic but react and respond on an emergency basis and seek the next steps to solve the problem.
Talk with parents or teachers regarding what to do next if a data breach has occurred. Keep a back up plan ready to overcome such possible scenarios.
Final Thoughts
Hope these important cyber security tips for students and related precautions will help parents and teachers to safeguard the online learning experience of students whether at home or in school.
Simple hacks like double checking before downloading a file or app can avoid the unwanted risks to the device and data. Just like cyber security, data security has the same relevance. And that is the reason why there should always be a backup for the important databases or files.
Just like the data and privacy protection, things like blocking the bullies should also be handled with enough relevance. For instance, there can be a situation where another student from the online class can trouble your kid.
Make them aware of such possibilities and advise them to report the incident to the teacher or talk with you (parents) rather than trying to handle it alone and landing in unwanted troubles.
Knowing the possible vulnerabilities and risks in advance will surely help students to be careful when spending time online and thus protect themselves on a great extent.
Keep these cyber security tips in mind and stay safe online!
Distance learning as the term suggests is the process of learning from a remote distance. This happens when one cannot physically be present in a classroom or any other environment where teaching happens. The study material is reached to the student by different means.
Distance learning, in the former days, was mainly by correspondence through postal services. With the advent of technology, distance learning encompasses a wider spectrum of online tutoring, virtual classrooms and audio-video presentations.
Distance Learning
Education from a distance is a non-traditional method of learning wherein the providers deliver education to students in distant areas in understandable formats. This method offers students, who cannot attend on-campus centers of education like schools and colleges, an opportunity to pursue learning of their choice.+
Home-bound obligations, lack of transportation from remote localities, the affordability of course fees, and boarding expenses are the major reasons for opting for distance education courses. The paucity of time for full-time employees to attend structured classes prompts them to take up distance learning.
Correspondence Education
Distance education was a concept started by many universities mainly for higher education. They were termed as correspondence courses.
The pre-set course material was sent to the student by postal services. The teachers and students never met and the student learned on their own. On completion of the course, the assignments were mailed back to the teachers for grading.
A couple of contact classes were conducted during the prescribed academic session at places accessible to the students.
This ensured the involvement of the student in the learning process. Examinations were conducted at various locations convenient to the students.
The correspondence method gave aspiring students access to education immaterial of their locations.
This system benefitted young students living in remote areas with little or no facility for higher education.
Adults who were already employed and wanted to improve their knowledge, acquire academic credentials, and augment their existing skills were the main takers of correspondence courses.
Online Education
In today’s scenario online education has become synonymous with distance education. The development of technology has virtually shortened distances and increased the speed of activities. Education is one field which has benefitted greatly from this. In this age online education is the most preferred mode of distance education.
Online education comes under various classifications like E-learning, online tutoring, virtual classrooms, real-time off-campus sessions, interactive platforms, video conferencing, webinars etc. All this refers to lessons taken through electronic medium mainly the internet.
Students who have access to computers can pursue learning via the internet and web services. Online programs offer courses and accredited degrees from universities from all around the world. The students can learn from the comfort of their residences and at their convenience.
Adults who are employed and want to further educate themselves benefit from online courses. This eliminates the need to leave work and be present on-campus. It is ideal for those who want to upgrade their skills to change careers.
In online education, the students registered under a program receive the lessons online.
The lessons may be delivered by the tutor in audio or video formats accompanied by written matter. In an audio system, the lessons are recorded in audible formats that can be listened to by the student. The matter is explained in detail by the tutor. For further clarification, the student will have to contact the teacher through emails or other electronic media.
A video format is wherein the tutor lectures in real-time. A virtual classroom is created by the tutor.
In this system, the student can communicate with the tutor and his fellow classmates when the session is on. This allows for interaction and discussion with peers.
In conference classes, the students and teachers can engage in live discussions despite the distance. The students can communicate one to one to the tutor or other students. Coursework is done online and submitted. This makes assessment quicker and easier for the evaluator.
The online educational tools available help the teachers save time in preparation for lessons. Advanced graphics aid in demonstrating principles and concepts in pictorial formats with ease. Assessment and grading become simpler. The teacher will find more time for a one on one interaction with the students.
The student can access and refer to different websites related to his topic of interest. This will give him a wider perspective and help him in arriving at logical conclusions. The student can store information online instead of manually writing down everything. This saves him time and money. He can concentrate his efforts on topics that matter.
Online courses need not be confined to academics alone. People who would like to take up hobbies for relaxation will find online courses to their advantage. The courses can be completed as and when time permits as there is no structured classroom or specified time limits.
Benefits of Studying Remotely
Accessibility
Students can study their preferred courses offered by universities from around the world. This allows access of top universities to the student without having to be present on the campus. The deterrents of distance, location, costs and other circumstances in studying in these universities are overcome by opting for distance education.
The online courses are easily accessible to students who are home-bound by limitations of location, family duties, and constraints of health, finance and distances. This method makes education possible for very many who could not otherwise gain access to studies. Remote learning provides equal opportunity to all to access quality education.
Wider choice
The students get to see the numerous courses offered by the various universities and institutions. They are exposed to a plethora of courses on different subjects ranging from simple graduation to specialized doctoral degrees. This exposure will help them to make an educated decision on the course they need to take to suit their specific requirements.
There is no limit to the number of courses a student can do. They can undertake the study of more than one course simultaneously as long as they can do justice to all of them. The student can acquire degrees from any university in the world.
Anywhere, Anytime
The online courses can be done from any location with internet connectivity. The courses opted for can be from institutions anywhere in the world. The courses can be done at any time suitable to the student as there is no fixed timetable to be followed.
The flexibility of timing helps adults who are employed full-time and have constraints to attend classes in person. The anytime feature of online courses suit housewives wanting to acquire new skills. Students wanting to pursue hobbies can take up courses after their school or college timings.
The courses can be completed at one’s own pace. One can take time to mull over a concept until it is fully grasped. If time and understanding permits, the courses can be completed at a faster pace.
The student can sit in any place that suits him for the learning sessions. Time taken to commute to and from learning centers is saved.
Convenience
A major benefit of distance education is learning from the comfort of one’s chosen environment. Learning from one’s own home with flexibility in timing puts the student at ease and more receptive. The virtual classrooms allow interaction with the teachers and classmates making the learning experience more fulfilling.
One can study along with doing a job. Studies can be done on weekends or during other off-times. Employers encourage employees to take up courses to develop their expertise and skills.
The affordability factor is another major benefit. The course fees for distance education programs are normally lower than that of on-campus courses.
The course fee in different educational institutions can be compared. The time and expense involved in transportation to campuses are reduced. Relocation to distant destinations and boarding costs can be done away with in distance education. The student can select the program depending on his financial capability.
Requisites to Distance Education
Discipline
Educating one-self distantly requires a high order of discipline and time management skills. Distance education is more of a self-managed, self-study. Though guided by tutors there is no personal interaction with professors or peers. The onus is therefore on the student to complete the course successfully.
Comprehension
Distance learning through correspondence courses requires the student to read and understand the study material by himself with no guidance or interaction with the teachers. Hence it is highly essential that the student possesses an above-average comprehension of the language in which he selects to be tutored in.
Tech-savvy
The students need to have knowledge of computers, the internet, and other electronic media as most of the distance education programs are now taught online. They should be comfortable working in the ever-changing technological environment.
As is any case distance education is not without shortcomings. The fact that there is no person to supervise and control will result in procrastination and distractions. Initial expenses to buy a computer and install the internet may prove high.
Malfunctioning of software or hardware will bring the classes to a standstill. The credibility of the degrees offered online and the quality of the faculty is the other questionable factors in online education. The lack of personal interaction affects networking among faculty and peers.
Being a teacher is not always easy. The role is not just limited to knowing the curriculum and teaching students.
There will be situations when they will have to handle the problems of others. Most of the parents are very protective when it comes to their kids and they easily feel offended when someone raises finger at them. Not all parents are the same and there are cases when teachers will have to deal with difficult parents.
It is not at all easy when you have to be professional in the way you address the problem when the other side may be unkind or unfair.
It is all about being patient, polite and professional when handling a frustrated parent. Here are some important tips, tricks and strategies that might help teachers to deal with difficult parents.
1. Set the Right Expectations from Day One
One of the basic reasons for the problems is the lack of setting the right expectations initially. Know about the school processes regarding discipline, grading, and parent-teacher communication in the first place itself.
This is important to set the right expectations and make the parents to be mentally prepared for addressing any issues of the child. You will also know about setting the right boundaries and handling problems at the right time.
2. Learn to Keep yourself Cool
When a parent approaches you with an unpleasing complaint or feedback, it is important to keep yourself cool and not to rush with conclusions.
No problems are solved by yelling at each other and be matured enough to understand that only peaceful communication can address the situation.
It is not advisable to take the comments of the parents personally and react for it but try to understand the reasons behind frustrated person in front of you.
3. Build Trust in Relationship
Like every other relationship, there should be a basic trust in the relationship of teachers and parents and that is when people listen to you. It is good to give a call or message to parents regarding the positive happenings in the classroom.
Send them a note when the child is doing well and don’t always call them when something goes wrong. When parents get a feel that teachers are considering the good and bad sides of the students, it gives a sense of trust.
4. Meaningfully Involve Them
When a problem is raised or feedback is proposed, it is always a wise choice to meaningfully involve them when addressing the same.
Similarly, see if you can include parents in the child’s learning process in the first place itself by asking out opinions or giving them a chance to show their skills.
Doing so will make it easy for teachers to reach out to them without an inhibition at times of problems and parents would ideally approach the situation positively!
5. Showcase How You Care
Another very important element to notice is regarding the way you showcase how you care. When parents get a feel that you care for them or acknowledge their problem, half of the problem is solved.
Have some parent-teacher meetings regularly and give them a message that their kids can learn in a fear-free environment.
Build a good rapport with parents and assure that they can approach you anytime when they need any help regarding the kid’s learning.
6. Speak With a Low Voice
Even if parents provoke you with some judgments or misunderstandings, speaking with a low voice is recommended, not to accelerate the problem. An upset parent may be eager to speak up for their child to seek justice without giving a space for the teacher to give a proper explanation.
However, if the teacher can lower the voice and respond politely after giving them a chance to vent out, the problem can be addressed without being elevated.
It is always good to keep them updated regarding necessary things related to the students and the activities which they are supposed to know. Never wait for the year-end meeting to reveal about an ongoing problem or if the child is a trouble maker from the beginning.
Give them light heads up using calls, chats or emails so that they will have a clue about what is happening and they can do their part to rectify the problem before it becomes worse.
8. Always Give Room for Mistakes
It is quite human to make some mistakes and be kind enough to give some room for mistakes rather than judging or demeaning their comments or feedback. At the same time, understand that you can also make mistakes and see if it is actually a problem with your act.
Then it is highly recommended to accept it and apologize for the mistake and give an assurance not to repeat the same in future.
9. Be a Good Listener and Show Empathy
When you are approaching a problem, the most important quality to have is to be a good listener. You should learn to listen first before you respond and show some empathy. Sometimes, what the parent needs are a shoulder of support or assurance of solving the problem.
Show some humanitarian consideration and give a shoulder to cry on or give words of acknowledgment, concern, and hope.
10. Listen and Ask Questions
First of all listen to what they are saying, understand their problems and start asking the right questions to address it properly. Welcome or greet them properly when you meet and give them the freedom to express their concerns.
Let them speak out first and don’t try to interrupt in between until they are finished, especially when they look frustrated. Of course, you can later ask the necessary questions for better clarification and to address the issue without fail.
11. Use and Give Concrete Examples
When you are trying to explain something to the parents, it is important to give concrete examples and avoid vagueness in your communication. Parents will often try to protect their child even if they did a mistake.
If the teacher had earlier seen a similar mistake from the child and given a warning and the parent was notified just because the mistake was repeated, convey the message in a polite but concrete way to convince them..
12. Help Parents see the Big Picture
Some of the problems raised by the parents may be due to the perspective in which they see the problem. So keep yourself cool and help them to see the bigger picture and make them understand what actually happened and what can be done to improve the situation.
Make them understand the successful position their kid is going to reach if he/she follows the right path and point out the mistakes that hinder them from reaching their goals.
13. Set up a Parent Resources Area
It is always good to have proper parents’ resource area in your school where they will feel welcomed and feel like home. You can display the success stories of the students and the past projects that have won applauses. Make them comfortable with good chairs and resources or nourishments.
Give them a feeling that they have a space on their own in the school and they are just part of the whole process. This will help them to address or approach a problem with a positive mindset.
14. Establish your Authority
Experts have always pointed out the significance of talking to the person in front by looking into the eyes. This gives a message that you are listening to what they are saying with undivided attention. This also means that you are equally concerned and interested in what is being discussed.
This also hints at a lot of self-confidence and self-assurance in your posture and gives them a feeling that you are making a conversation for some mutual objective.
15. Know When to Think and Listen
Making the right decisions and speaking the right word is important while addressing a problem. This comes naturally when you know when to think and listen. Don’t let the emotions take control of you and speak something unprofessional that might end you in trouble.
When you are on duty, it is always good to think before you speak and if possible ask considerable time to look into the matter and get expert advice if things seem to go out of your hands.
16. It is always Good not to Retaliate
There may be many hidden or unknown reasons behind a frustrated parent. So it is always good not to retaliate and approach them peacefully with all patience you have.
Arguing back can only worsen the situation and you will lose a chance to solve the problem easily. It is common for a person to react if the comments from the parents are awful or if they are being unkind or unfair. But if the ultimate goal is to solve the problem, then you should show some patience.
Just like setting the right expectations for parents, it is even a better approach to lower your expectations and understand that people are different and they think and react differently.
If you have already set your mind to face such situations during the parent’s meet, then many problems will seem very easy to handle. Understand that such unkind conversations are not very rare and show all the patience in the world to solve the problem.
18. Believe in Yourself
It is important not to lose confidence in yourself and have all the focus to believe in yourself. Even if a parent yells out to you for the mistake you have not done, never lose self-esteem. Don’t be self-critical or let the emotions take control over you.
Rather think about the good things you have done in your career so far and look out the ways to make things better. Even if you have done a mistake, understand that it is quite human to do so and try to bring out a better version of yourself.
19. Talk to Someone you Trust
When the problems are not addressed and frustrated parents give you headaches, it is common to feel low. However, rather than keeping the worries with yourself and feel depressed, it is good to talk to someone you trust. They might help you in addressing the problem from a different perspective or else at least give you the strength and courage to face the situation.
Reach out to your better half or a good friend or relative or even an experienced teacher who might have undergone similar situations in their lives.
20. Look after Yourself
After all, you should care about yourself and not lose peace of mind in the process. It is fine to let things go and understand that good and bad experiences are part of life. Eat healthily, go for a light walk, drink lots of water, read a good book, go out with friends, and get a good night’s sleep and start off the next day refreshed.
Hope these important strategies will help all teachers who are looking for ways to deal with difficult parents.
The best thing you can do is to establish constructive and positive relationships with the students as well as the parents.
Build a comfortable zone with the parents where you can freely discuss student problems without any hesitation.
Still, people are different and how they react to situations will be different.
So lower your expectations and be mentally prepared to face such situations during your career and handle it with patience, politeness, and professionalism.
Build a strong mindset to face unfair situations in life and never lose hope and confidence in yourself.
Brain breaks are 3 to 5-minute activities to energize children and help them concentrate on the lesson. These activities break the monotony of learning and will pave students to learn effectively without getting bored. In this blog, we will look into 55 effective brain breaks for kids and students. You will need a max of 5 minutes for each of these activities, but then they are definitely time well spent.
Brain Breaks for Kindergarten Kids
Three to five-year-old kids are bundles of boisterous energy. It is not practically possible to expect kindergarten kids to sit silently and follow the lesson for long. You can use brain breaks to channel the energy into positive pursuits. Let’s take a look at the brain break activities for kindergarten children.
Have you seen cheer waves in a sports stadium? Yes, you can use the same in your classroom. The students stand wave and sit in this activity. It goes on from one row to another till the students have formed a massive wave. You can make this activity more fun by getting them to chant something as they wave.
Jump, like on a Trampoline
This brain breaks for kids will help burn out the excess energy. Ask the kids to stand and jump as high as they can as if they are jumping on a trampoline.
Stir the Pot
This brain break activity is both energetic and creative. Ask the kids to imagine that they are stirring a huge pot. You can tell them what ingredients to add to the pot as they stir or they can come up with things they want to add to the pot. Children will love this for sure.
Make X’s and O’s
Making X’s and O’s are fun ways to exercise and release muscle cramps. Ask children to make an “X” by lifting their hands over their heads and crossing them at the wrists. At the same time, ask them to cross their legs. Next, get them to make an “O” by clasping both their hands together and curling their arms into their chests.
Rub Hands and Place on Eyes
When you find that the kids are feeling a little tired or cold, do this quick exercise. Ask kids to rub their palms vigorously till they feel warm and place the palms on the eyes.
A pattern clap is a great activity to celebrate an occasion. Teach a clap pattern – for example, clap once, clap twice fast, snap fingers, tap feet, and clap once. You can have variations of the clap pattern for different celebrations like a birthday, a job well done, or at the end of class hour.
Frog jump
This is a funny way to liven the class. Have the kids stand in a row and let them go down to a crouched position. Set a finish line and ask them to hop like a frog to the finish line.
Tandem clap
This activity helps build team spirit and get children to enjoy together. Initially say “clap start” and the kids start clapping, suddenly say “Clap stop” and they need to stop clapping. Change the pace of the clap timing, so they stay interested. You can also play and stop music for the tandem clap activity.
Pencil Jumps
This brain break activity helps remove kinks and cramps from the body. Throw a pencil on the floor and ask the child to jump over the pencil for a number of times. You can have one child do at a time or many students jump simultaneously.
Touchdown dance
Have you seen the touchdown dances the sportspersons do when they win a game? Each team has a unique touchdown dance. Similarly, you can create a touchdown dance for your students. Completed a lesson? Finished a test? Celebrate the occasion with a touchdown dance. Get creative with the dance sequences.
Cross Crawl
This exercise is an effective brain break as it works on the corpus callosum, which is a band of nerves that connects the two hemispheres of the brain. Ask the children to stand up and lift the right leg. Ask them to touch the right knee with the left elbow and repeat the same with the other leg.
Tiptoe Walk
This brain breaks can help relax the children and dial down the boisterous energy. Ask the children to walk on their toes around the classroom. Silently or perhaps humming a tune. Once they are relatively calmer, you can start your lesson.
Hand Slap Game
This game is played in twos. The children need to sit or stand facing each other. One child slaps the right hand to the left hand of his/her partner and says the first alphabet. The other child slaps the right hand to the left hand of the first child and says the next alphabet. You can have variations of this game where students say months, days, numbers, or lines of rhyme, one after the other.
Train Dance
Break the monotony of the classroom with a train dance. Arrange kids in a line with each child holding the shoulders of the other in front. Ask them to run around the class with a train’s sound. This activity can amp up the energy levels and help children vent out excess energy.
House, Tree, Rock
This brain break activity requires some space to move. So, clear the chairs and get the students to stand in a circle. Play music or clap hands and ask them to move in a circle. When the music/clap stops, the students need to form groups of three. One child needs to represent a house by lifting the hands above the head to form a triangle. The second child needs to stand with both arms stretched sidewise to represent a tree. The third child represents a rock by squatting on the floor.
Clapping Games
There are many fun clapping games like Say, Say My Playmate, Patty Cake, or Boomerang Chilli Chilli where children need to sing a song and clap in a pattern. You can teach patterns, rhymes, and beats with this activity.
This Brain breaks for students encourages creative thinking. Ask a child to think of his/her favourite animal. He/she needs to either make a sound or act like the animal, and others have to identify the animal.
Brain Breaks for Middle School Kids
The middle school kids are at the age when they still have the innocence and outspokenness of the kindergarten and the seriousness of the teens. It is in this age that children learn and relate to their environment.
They may have more patience to sit in classes compared to KG kids. But then, it is important to have brain breaks once in a while to motivate and energize them.
Let’s take a look at the brain breaks for middle school kids.
Ear-Nose switch
It is a fun game to get the brain cells working. Children need to hold their left ear with their right hand and the nose with their left hand. Repeat with the other hand. The mix up of the hands will lead to hilarious results.
Stretching Exercise
Sitting in the same position for a long time is neither good nor healthy. Get the kids to stand with feet a little apart from each other. Have them place the right hand on their hip and lift the left hand so that it is close to the left ear. Then ask them to bend toward the right as far as they can. Do the same for the other side. You can also ask them to do bends and stretches, either forward or backward. These stretching exercises relax the muscles and remove those cramps that come from sitting in a position for long.
Snap & Wink
This game helps improve concentration. Ask the kids to snap with their left fingers and wink their right eye. The next time, they can swap – snap with their right fingers and wink their left eye. You can have this quick brain break right at the start of the class to get the kids to focus.
Rain Clap
A rain clap is a good activity to get the children’s attention. This break game will be effective in settling down kids after an energetic activity. The rain clap goes like this – ask them to tap the right index finger on the left palm. Then the second finger, third finger, fourth, and fifth finger, till they’re clapping. This point is the storm. Then slowly ask them to clap with four, three, two, and finally one finger, till it gets relatively less noisy. The rain has stopped. The class will be calm after this brain break. You can start your lessons.
Walk the Worksheet
Sometimes kids feel bored to work on the same kind of assignments and worksheets. Do something different this time. Instead of handing out worksheets to kids, fix them on the classroom walls.. Ask the kids to go round the class and find the right order of questions and answer them. Yes, the class may get a little noisy, but then the children will have more fun walking with the worksheet.
Do 5 Actions in a Mixed Sequence
Get the energy levels up with a mixed sequence of 5 actions. For example, 1 – stand, 2 – push-ups, 3 – sit, 4- jump, 5 – squat. Call out the numbers in a random sequence and the children are supposed to do the associated action. It can be fun if the kids mix up the actions and the numbers. This brain break is more than physical activity. It helps build the mind-body coordination.
Partner Shuffle
This partner game can bring fun into the classroom. Pair the kids and have them stand facing each other. Ask them to clap their right hands together as they touch the left toes together at the same time. Switch the side and repeat it. This fun brain break helps blow away the cobwebs, so the children are fresh for the next part of the lesson.
30-Second Facial Gymnastics
Facial gymnastic exercises increase blood flow towards the head and help reduce tension. Just doing a few facial gymnastics can lower the stress levels, and help kids to focus on learning.. Have kids raise and lower their eyebrows, make funny faces, tongue outs, smile, frown and other facial gymnastics in rapid succession in just under 30 seconds.
Word Building
It’s a great game to build vocabulary and teach spelling. One student tells a word and the next student tells another word that starts with the last letter of the first word. The game goes on till one student wins or till your break time runs out.
Doodle Break
Research has shown that children need to work on some task that allows their mind to wander. One such task is doodling. Give the kids a 5-minute break and ask them to doodle something on a sheet of paper. This activity also encourages creativity and innovative thinking.
Higher or Lower
This fun brain break helps change the pace of activity in the classroom and allows kids to release some of the pent up energy. Call a child to the front of the classroom and ask him/her to face the class. Write a number on the blackboard such that the student at the front is not able to see. The student needs to call out a number at random. If the number on the blackboard is higher, the other children have to jump. But, if the number is lower, they should squat. This goes on till the student finds the number.
Watch a Funny Video
Take a break from serious learning to watch an interesting and informative video. There are many animated videos of stories, songs, histories, sports, and lot more that you can show the children. This teaching aid acts both as a brain break and a subconscious learning tool.
Skip to a Beat
Are the children tired of sitting for a long time? Then, this activity can get them energetic again. If you have a skipping rope, you can ask two kids to hold the edges and two or three children to skip over the rope. Don’t have a skipping rope? Pretend to play the same without a rope. It will also help children focus on their steps and the other person at the same time.
True or False
This is a quick brain break activity that will help students to learn about communication, decision making, and innovative thinking. You make a statement. For example, “There are no spiders in Antarctica.” If the students think that the statement is true, they say “True.” Else, you give them an activity that everyone should do. Let the students to discuss it with others to give right answers..
Standing Pretzel
This activity can help remove those kinks that come from sitting for a long time in the same position. Ask the children to stand up and twist their bodies in all possible shapes.
Ball Toss Game
Ask children to stand in a circle. Play music and ask them to pass the ball around. Stop the music and the child holding the ball is “out”. The others need to give him/her a task to do. Once done, the child moves out of the circle and the game continues till there is one left.
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You can also use this activity as a part of your teaching plan. For example, when a child is out, you can ask him/her to recite a poem that they learned in the previous class. Or, you can ask the child to describe the experiment that they recently worked on. It helps children reflect and remember their learning.
Walk and Talk
In a typical class, students will have besties and favourites. There will also be loners who don’t mingle with other students. Help children learn social skills and communication with this interesting activity. Partner children, preferably those who aren’t friends. Each student should have an already prepared list of questions that they need to ask their partner. Once the kids are paired, ask them to walk around the class or the school playground and ask questions to each other.
Rock Paper Scissors
Have an interesting brain break in the middle of a classroom session with Rock Paper Scissors game. Have all the students stand in a circle and play this game till one student wins.
This brain break is a fun learning activity. You need to prepare cards with a word and its opposite beforehand. Distribute the cards to the students. Students need to ask around till they match the word with the opposite. You can also do it for synonyms, idioms and meanings, parts of body and their functions, chemical formula and their full names, and so on.
Give your kids a brain break by playing the classic tic tac toe game. You can draw the squares on the blackboard and get two kids to come forward and play the game.
Copy the Leader
This activity can help to identify leadership qualities. Ask one child to come forward. He/she needs to do some actions and get the rest of the class to copy his/her actions. Who’s able to get the others to copy the actions?
Predictions
Ask open ended questions and see the kind of interesting answers that you get.
What if a day has 12 hours?
What will happen if cats started flying?
This activity encourages creative thinking and also helps build communication skills as children learn to express themselves.
Brain Breaks for High School Kids
The high school teens standing at the cusp of adulthood need a fine blend of freedom and dependency. The kids are at a critical point in their lives to work on their life goals and aspirations. At the same time, they will have many distractions that could lead them astray.
That’s why it is essential to have activities that help relieve their mental stress, calm their minds, and help them focus on the most important things in their lives. The brain break activities for high school kids are more focussed on calming the mind than expelling the energy.
Let’s take a look at a few of them:
Focus on the Breath
Get your high school students concentrate better by learning to focus on their breath. This traditional practise helps to reduce unnecessary thoughts and bring the mind’s focus to one point. Ask children to sit comfortably, close their eyes, and focus on their breath. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes.
Ring a chime or Gong
It’s another activity to calm the mind and help students concentrate. Ask students to close their eyes and sit silently. Ring a chime or a gong at periodic intervals. The students can do this for about five minutes. It will be especially helpful to relax and calm the mind before a test or an exam.
Crossbody Exercise
High school students are expected to sit for long hours. It can cramp the muscles and also make them feel lethargic. Have them do some cross-body exercises that relax the muscles and chase the lethargy away. Exercises can be a combination of yoga and aerobics.
Learn a New Language / Invent a new language
Get the creative juices flowing by encouraging students to learn a new language or perhaps come up with a new language (sign or verbal language.) Every class hour, you can spend 5 to 10 minutes with the new language.
Do Yoga
Yoga is a traditional practice that simultaneously calms and energizes the mind and the body. You can have the students do a few simple yoga asanas in the classroom. It will stimulate their nervous system and help them focus better on the lessons.
Do Nothing for 2 minutes
It may sound simple, but it is not. Ask students to just sit for two minutes doing nothing. Initially, they may fidget, giggle, laugh or talk. But after a few sessions, they will learn to appreciate the silence. This break gives rest to the brain for a few minutes. So, when you start the lesson, the brain will be very receptive.
1-minute Freestyle Dance
“Video Tutorial For Some Free Style Dancing For Kids”
If you feel that students are bored and tired, get them moving with a 1-minute freestyle dance. No rules and no steps to practise, just ask them to dance from their heart. The activity will release their tension and make them feel relaxed and energetic.
Chair Aerobics
This brain breaks will help to increase the energy levels of students. Get them to do a few chair aerobic exercises. The muscles will stretch and the blood circulation will get going. It will help remove the lethargic feeling and energize them.
Friend Connect
Pair up students and give them one minute. In that one minute, they need to find out as much as possible about the other person by asking questions. This activity will be perfect for the first day of school or semester when most of the students don’t know each other. It also helps to build communication and social skills.
Mirror Drill
It’s another pair activity where one person does some actions and the other person mirrors it. For example, if one person waves the right hand, the person standing opposite waves the left hand. This activity helps build left brain right brain coordination and strengthen mind-body coordination.
Mime
Take a break from the lessons and have a mime activity. It can be planned or on-the-spot. Come up with concepts that focus on society, ideologies, beliefs, and such. Let children prepare the dialogues and act out the mime. This activity encourages creativity, innovative thinking, communication and theatre arts.
Snowball or Aeroplane
Take a break from serious learning to have this fun activity. Ask each child to write a question on a piece of paper. They can then crumple the paper into a snowball or make an airplane with it. One by one the students throw the snowball into the air. The person on whom the paper lands need to answer the question. Watch out for some comical, introspective, and embarrassing questions!
Build a Story
In this brain break game, students come up with a creative story based on a cue line that you give. You need to say the first sentence. The first student then builds on the sentence. The next student continues the story by adding another sentence. And it goes on till all the students add a sentence each to build a story. This activity aids creative and innovative thinking. It also builds communication skills.
Who am I?
Give students a break from continuous learning with this interesting activity. Ask a student to come forward and face the class. Write the name of a famous personality on the blackboard, which the participant should not see.. The participant needs to identify the personality by asking questions for which the other students only reply “Yes” or “No”. This activity helps children develop their general knowledge.
The Whisper Game
It’s a fun game that underlines the importance of effective communication. Whisper a sentence in one student’s ear. The first student then whispers what he/she heard, to the next student. This goes on till the last student in the class. The last student then tells the sentence aloud. It will definitely be different from what was whispered first. Play this game to break the monotony in the classroom.
Undo the Knot
This brain breaks require some space to move and about 10 students. Get about 7 to 8 students to stand in a circle holding each other’s hands.
Ask the tenth student to stand outside the classroom. Now, get the ninth student to make a knot in the circle. It can be done by making the students standing in a circle move in and out of the circle without unclasping hands.
Now call the tenth student in and ask him/her to unravel the knot. This activity helps build the team spirit and at the same time makes kids feel happy and energetic.
Effective teaching is about making most of the child’s focus and attention and helping them learn. This fun and interesting brain breaks not just liven up the class, but also stimulate the brain. Try these brain breaks in your class and you will be sure to see a good improvement in the learning.
Being a school principal is rewarding but equally challenging and that is why at least some of them are finding it difficult to be successful in their career.
A principal should be collaborative, confident and sincere with amazing time-management, analytical, problem solving and communication skills. He/she should be able to set the tone for tough learners and be a good leader, excellent listener with an awesome vision.
Here let us have a detailed look at what does an effective principal does to overcome challenges and be successful in their career.
Be a Good Leader
A good principal should obviously be a good leader who takes up ownership of successes and failures that happen in his/her school.
He/she must develop a mindset to value the needs of others around.
One needs to always look for ideas to improve the school, and think of ways to implement these improvements.
Be Proficient at Building Relationships with People
You will come across many types of people daily. A good principal should be able to connect with them without any inhibitions.
Moreover, He/she should learn to earn the trust of people as only teamwork can make anything successful.
Whether they come across teachers, support staff, students, parents or community members, everybody will be unique in their thoughts and attitude.
A principal should be patient enough to consider them and make fair decisions on related matters.
Balance organization with Leadership
Being a school principal gives you enough leadership opportunities; but it is really important not to miss out management duties.
Nobody will listen to a leader who is unable to perform his/her management duties efficiently. So, manage everything without mistakes and set a good example and then lead from the front.
Be Fair and Consistent
It is really important to handle similar cases in a more or less similar way as the thought of being inconsistent and unfair can take away the credibility you have built over time.
Especially, students will look for your past decisions and judge you based on your present decisions.
So, it is vital to scan your previous decisions and document your reasoning and never rush to a final decision on sensitive matters.
Foresee the Ideal and Aim on the Doable
An effective principal should have a proper vision about how the school should look like.
By foreseeing the results, they can systematically aim to create a culture they are looking for.
There is no point in rushing towards it but be reasonable and practical by setting step by step goals towards bigger goals.
The incremental changes that you make towards the goal is more important than meeting the actual goal.
Stay Organized and Prepared
Every new school day comes with a unique set of challenges and it is important to stay organized and prepared to handle them tactfully.
No days are predictable. Being prepared is the best you can do to handle any situation.
Policies and procedures should be ready in place to deal with any tough situations that may come in future to avoid stress and anxiety and do the necessary.
Act as a Spokesperson for the Missing voice
Being a school administrator, there will often be situations when one needs to solve conflicts.
Teachers complaining about students or parents complaining about teachers or kids complaining about teachers are common in a school.
Rather than taking a decision by listening to the initial part of the conflict, it is ideal to represent the missing voice of the other person to have a fair settlement.
Be an Effective Communicator
Being approachable is very important to be a successful principal and the foremost step towards this is to be a good communicator.
You should be able to listen, understand, interrelate, and bond with teachers and students in the best way to offer helping, productive and healing ways.
Reducing the negative attitude within the staff community and building strong positive members to work towards a common goal is vital.
Always Listen and Interpret
Irrespective of their stature, people often mean more than what they convey when raising a problem.
A good principal should listen to it carefully to understand their actual concerns and give the correct solution to their problems.
They can apply communication techniques such as paraphrasing and frank discussions before providing a proper learning feedback.
Reflect Constantly
It is important to reflect on what has been done constantly to make the actions complete.
Following a decision, interaction or action, it is good to ask questions like how this could have been done better or whether the actions were transparent to all.
A constant reflection on the work enables them to enhance their practice on a daily basis.
Be an Amazing Contributor
Rather than pushing others to act wisely towards the success goals and sitting in the comfort zone, it is important to be an amazing contributor and set an example.
Pay attention to the needs and feelings of teachers and do the needful to foster their productivity and satisfaction.
Making a notable contribution to the success of others is what one can do the best to stay successful and inspire others.
Plan for your own Departure
The ultimate goal of an effective administrator is to build enough capacity within the organization rather than thinking themselves as indispensable.
You have to ensure that not a single important task that impacts the running of the school is confined to a set of people.
Setting up redundancy into the structure is an essential part of framing a healthy and sustainable leadership configuration.
Once you join as a school principal, understand the importance of team work in building and meeting the vision.
A good nurturing school atmosphere enables students and teachers to give their best. More than managing just data and processes, it is vital to manage people efficiently to foster improvement in school system.
It is even more important to cultivate leadership in others within the institution. This enables them to assume their roles in recognizing the school vision.
Are you looking to take up a career as a school principal? Then definitely consider these important characteristics to be successful in your career.
Start developing your skills and spend some dedicated time to do enough research on how to practice these skills and make it a habit. The best thing you can do for your school is to create an optimal learning climate.
President of India is known as the first citizen of the country. He is the official head of the Indian state and the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces.
At the same time, vice-President is Rajya Sabha’s ex- officio chairman. India has 14 presidents and 13 Vice-presidents till now.
The president of India is elected by an electoral college that includes the members of both houses of the Parliament. Likewise, the vice president of India is also elected.
An interesting fact is that a person in presidential power can resign by submitting the resignation letter to the Vice-President.
Here’s a list of Presidents of India, starting from Dr. Rajendra Prasad to Ram Nath Kovind.
SL no
Name
Tenure Date
Description
1
Dr. Rajendra Prasad (1884 – 1963)
26 Jan 1950 – 13 May 1962
On December 3rd, 2019 India has celebrated the 135th birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of the country. In his life, he has played the role of a teacher and a lawyer. When India became a republic in 1950, he was elected as the first president by the Constituent Assembly.
2
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888 – 1975)
13 May 1962 – 13 May 1967
A well known Indian philosopher and professor, Dr. Radhakrishnan was the first vice-president and second president of India. His birthday is celebrated as Teachers’ Day every year on 5th September. In 1954, he was honored with Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country.
3
Dr. Zakir Husain (1897–1969)
13 May 1967 – 3 May 1969
He was a great educationist and was the founder of Jamia Milia Islamia.For his dedicated work in the education field, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan in the year 1954 and for his service for the nation, Bharat Ratna was awarded in 1963.It was in his office in 1969, he died of a sudden heart attack.
4
V. V. Giri (Varahagiri Venkata Giri) (1894–1980)
May 03, 1969 – July 20, 1969 August 24, 1969 – August 24, 1974
The only president to be elected as an independent nominee, V. V. Giri was born in Odisha. In 1969, after president Zakir Husain’s death in 1969, V.V. Giri became the acting president and then was elected for the position of President with a narrow majority.
5
Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah (1905–1992)
20 July 1969 – 24 August 1969 6 October 1982 – 31 October 1982
Mohammad Hidayatullah, who served as the 11 Indian Chief Justice and 6th Vice President was also the country’s acting President for two terms, following V.V. Giri’s resignation from the acting President position. In 2003, The Hidayatullah National Law University was established in Raipur in honor of Justice Hidayatullah
6
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1905–1977)
24 August 1974 – 11 February 1977
An active participant of the Indian Freedom Movement, and a strong member of the Indian National Congress since 1925, Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was born in Delhi. On February 1977, just like Dr. Zakir Husain, he also died of a heart attack while being in the position.
7
Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (1913–1996)
25 July 1977 – 25 July 1982
Known as the youngest Indian president ever, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was the CM of Andhra Pradesh, where he was born. He also served as the Lok Sabha Speaker twice in 1967 and 1977 respectively. He died due to pneumonia in Bengaluru (Bangalore) in the year 1996.
8
Giani Zail Singh (1916–1994)
25 July 1982- 25 July 1987
Zail Singh was the country’s first and only Sikh president. He got occupied in politics after being moved by Bhagat Singh’s execution. Later he became a part of the Indian freedom movement. In 1972, he became Punjab’s Chief Minister and Indian president in 1982.
9
Ramaswamy Venkataraman (1910–2009)
25 July 1987 – 25 July 1992
Born in Madras presidency, Ramaswamy Venkataraman was an Indian lawyer and he practiced law in the Madras High Court and the Indian Supreme Court. Eighth president and the seventh vice president of the country, he was also a participant in the historic Quit India Movement.
10
Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918–1999)
25 July 1992 – 25 July 1997
Born in the state of Bhopal, Shankar Dayal Sharma served the presidential position from 1992 to 1997. His contribution to the legal profession has made him a recipient of the ‘Living Legends of Law Award of Recognition’ by the International Bar Association. In 1984, he was appointed as the governor of Andhra Pradesh state and then Punjab governor in 1985
Born in Kottayam district, Kerala, K.R. Narayanan was the first Dalit president of the country. He was also the first sitting president to vote in general elections (1998). A member of INC, he also served as India’s ambassador to the United States as well as China.
12
Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam (1931–2015)
25 July 2002 – 25 July 2007
A successful aerospace scientist known as the “Missile man of India”, who grow up from poverty. Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born in Tamil Nadu. His autobiography was the most inspiring Wings of Fire. The country honored him with Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and Bharat Ratna in 1997.
13
Pratibha Singh Patil (1934–)
25 July 2007 – 25 July 2012
The first and only woman to be the President of India, Pratibha Patil was a lawyer by profession. She also served as the Governor of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2007 and was also Cabinet minister under Maharashtra government diverse times. Also she represented the country in several international councils.
14
Pranab Mukherjee (1935–)
25 July 2012 – 25 July 2017
The 13th Indian president, Pranab Mukherjee became active in politics in 1969 under the guidance of Indira Gandhi. He has also served as minister in defence, commerce, foreign, and finance sector during his career. The country has honored him with the Padma Vibhushan in 2008
15
Ram Nath Kovind (1945–)
25 July 2017 – to date
The current president of India, Ram Nath Kovind is serving the position since 2017. A lawyer by profession, he has practiced in the High Court as well as the Supreme Court in Delhi. He also served as the Governor of Bihar in 2015.
Presidents of India – by Timeline
List of Vice Presidents of India
Sl No
Name
Tenure Date
1
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
13 May 1952 – 12 May 1957 13 May 1957 – 12 May 1962
2
Dr. Zakir Hussain
13 May 1962 – 12 May 1967
3
Dr. V.V Giri
13 May 1967 – 3 May 1969
4
Gopal Swarup Pathak
31 August 1969 – 30 August 1974
5
BD Jatti
31 August 1974 – 30 August 1979
6
Mohammad Hidayatullah
31 August 1979 – 30 August 1984
7
R. Venkataraman
31 August 1984 – 24 July 1987
8
Shankar Dayal Sharma
3 September 1987 – 24 July 1992
9
K R Narayanan
21 August 1992 – 24 July 1997
10
Krishan Kant
21 August 1997 – 27 July 2002
11
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
19 August 2002 – 21 July 2007
12
Mohammad Hamid Ansari
11 August 2007 – 11 August 2012
13
Venkaiah Naidu
11 August 2012 – 11 August 2017
12 August 2017 – Incumbent
Conclusion
India, with its varied and rich cultural heritage, has achieved all-round socio-economic progress since Independence.
Hope this blog helps you to identify the great personalities who occupied the positions of President and Vice-Presidents in India.
India is a land of huge natural diversity. From snow-capped mountains to dry deserts and sandy coastlines, the natural landscape is as diverse as the culture and tradition of the nation.
There are many mountain ranges in India, including the longest and oldest mountain ranges in the world.
All these mountain ranges in India have a profound impact on the weather conditions, lifestyle, religious beliefs, and economic development of the country.
In this blog, we will explore the 15 major mountain ranges in India.
The Himalayan Mountain Ranges is 2,400 kilometers long and traverses through five countries – India, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and Pakistan.
It begins near the Indus River in Pakistan and ends near the Brahmaputra River in India.
The Himalayan states of India are Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir.
When you look at the top view of this mountain range from space, it looks like an arch.
In terms of age, the Himalayas is quite a young mountain range as it was formed around 40 to 50 million years ago.
The word “Himalayas” is derived from Sanskrit and means “The Land of Snow.”
This huge mountain range consists of three parallel ranges, which are known as the Outer Himalayas (Shivalik range), the Greater Himalayas, and the Lesser Himalayas.
The Kali Gandaki Gorge is located at around 8000 kilometers distance from the start of the range. This gorge divides the mountain range into the Eastern and Western sections.
The world’s highest peak – Mount Everest as well as three of the six highest peaks of the world is in the east of the Himalayas, in the Mahalangur Himal region.
The other three peaks are Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Makalu.
It is believed that the Himalayas have more than 1500 glaciers and hundreds of lakes that form the biggest source of freshwater for the Himalayan nations.
The rivers that originate in this mountain range are Ganges, Indus, Saraswathi, Yamuna, Yangtze, Ganga-Brahmaputra, Yarlung, and Nujiang.
The Western Ghats is 1600 kilometers long, and extends from Gujarat to Tamilnadu, traveling through Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Geographical evidence shows that these mountain ranges are older than the Himalayas.
The Western Ghats are believed to have been formed about 150 million years ago.
These mountain ranges have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site for their biodiversity.
These Ghats are home to 7402 species of flowering plants, 6000 species of insects, 1814 species of non-flowering plants, 508 species of birds, 179 species of amphibians, 290 species of freshwater fishes, and 139 species of mammals.
Of these 325 species are in globally threatened status. There are 39 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the Western Ghats region.
The Western Ghats are not just protected for their biodiversity, but also because of their strategic influence on the monsoon rains.
These huge mountains act as a barrier to the south-west monsoon winds and divert the rain-laden winds towards the Indian subcontinent.
The major rivers that originate from the Western Ghats are Cauvery, Godavari, Krishna, Tungabadra, and Tamirabarani.
The Eastern Ghats start from Odissa in the North and travel down to Tamilnadu, parallel to the Bay of Bengal. They pass through certain areas in Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.
Unlike the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats are not a continuous mountain range.
Rivers flowing through the range have eroded the mountains creating huge gaps between stretches of undulating hills.
The four major rivers that flow through the Eastern Ghats are Cauvery, Godavari, Mahanadi, and Krishna. The rivers that originate in the Eastern Ghats are Rushikulya, Vamsadhara, Sarada, Sabari, Nagavalli, Palar, Champavathi, Gosthani, Sileru, Tammileru, Pennai, Swarnamukhi, Penna, Gundlakamma, Kundu, and Vellar.
This discontinuous mountain range is called by different names in different parts. In Odissa, these stretches are known as the Chandragiri-Pottangi mountain system and Garhjat Hills.
In Tamilnadu, these discontinuous stretches are known as Karanthamalai Hills, Sirumalai Hills, Pachamalai, Kollimalai, Kalrayan hills, Palani hills, Mettur hills, Servarayan hills, Javadhu Hills, and Shevaroy Hills.
The Biligiriranga Hills and the Nilgiris Hills form the corridor between the Eastern and Western Ghats. In Karnataka, the mountain stretches are known as Male Mahadeshwara Hills.
In Andhra, they are known as the Seshachalam-Velikonda Range, Palikonda-Lankamalla-Nallamala Ranges, Kondapalli Hills, Papi Hills, Maliya Range, and Madugula Konda range.
The Aravalli Mountain ranges are one of the oldest ranges in the world. Geologists believe that these fold mountains existed even when the Indian subcontinent separated from the Eurasian plate.
Archeological excavations have found Harappa and Indus Valley Civilization sites in these mountain ranges.
The Aravalli Range extends from Delhi and travels in the south-western direction toward Gujarat, passing through South Haryana and Rajasthan.
A major portion of this mountain range lies in Rajasthan. Some parts of this mountain range contain thick forests and in other places have only sand and stone.
These mountains are a rich source of minerals such as rock phosphate, asbestos, talc, apatite, beryl, kyanite, lead, silver, and zinc.
The rich mineral deposits have to lead to excessive mining in this mountain region. Many naturalists are lobbying for the protection of these oldest fold mountains to prevent them from becoming completely destroyed.
These mountain ranges are the natural habitat of many flora and fauna. Plus, they create a natural barrier between eastern Rajasthan and the Thar Desert. The rivers that originate in the Aravalli hills are Sabarmati, Luni, Sakhi, Sahibi, and Banas.
These mountain ranges lie to the south and north-west of the Himalayas. A major part of the Karakoram Range lies in the disputed region between India and Pakistan.
This mountain range also passes through Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Actually, the Pir Panjal range is a part of the Lesser Himalayas Mountain Range.
These mountains start from the Himalayas and separate from the range near the River Sutlej. From there, this range travels separately with Ravi and Beas rivers on one side and the Chenab River on the other side.
This mountain range boasts of the largest glacier outside the poles – The Siachen Glacier. The second highest peak in India and the third highest peak in the world – K2 is also in this mountain range.
There are many passes and tunnels in this mountain range. The Haji Pir Pass located in the western part of this mountain range connects Poonch and Uri.
The other passes are Rohtang Pass, Sinthan Pass, Banihall Pass, and Pir Panjal Pass.
Tunnels such as Jawahar Tunnel, Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel, Atal Tunnel, and Banihal Railway Tunnel have improved accessibility to the villages and towns nestled in the Karakoram and Pir Panjal mountain range.
The Purvanchal mountain range extends from the Himalayas toward the northeastern region of India, south of the Brahmaputra valley.
It travels through Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland.
The hills in this mountain range are Kohima, Patkai, Barail, Khasi–Jaintia, Naga Hills, Lushai, Manipur, and Mizoram Mizo. This mountain range has the wettest place on earth – Cherrapunji.
The Satpura mountain range is triangle shaped. The tip of the triangle is at Ratnapuri and the other two sides run parallel to the Tapti and Narmada Rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea.
This mountain range travels through Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.
The Vindhya mountain range is one of the oldest mountain ranges in India and is a discontinuous range of mountains. It travels from East to West through Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
The Vindhya hills near Champaneer end in a series of hills, which connect this mountain range with the Aravalli mountain range.
Tributaries of Ganga and Yamuna flow into the Vindhya mountain ranges. The tributaries are Ken, Chambal, Betwa, Kali Sindh, Parbati, and Dhasan.
The Zabarwan Range is situated between Pir Panjal and Great Himalayan Range. It comes in the central part of the Kashmir valley in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The north part of Zabarwan range lies in Ganderbal and the south end lies in Pampore.
Madhav peak is the highest peak of this range.
This mountain range possesses rich wildlife and is a home to animals including jackal, leopard cat, musk deer, Himalayan brown bear, red fox, langur, Himalayan weasel, long-tailed marmot, serow, Indian porcupine etc.
9) Eastern Himalaya
Best season to visit: Late October until early May
The Eastern Himalayas comprise the tracts of the Darjeeling Hills of North Bengal, eastern Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.
The Eastern Himalayas can be divided into different climatic regions such as subtropical, sub-arctic, artic, and temperate.
The forests here are evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist, dense, or temperate. The subtropical forests cover the hills to an extent of about 2000m.
This place is home to a huge diversity of animals including clouded leopard, slow loris, the Indian civet, the golden languor, the golden cat, rhinoceros, etc.
Besides, it is also home to birds such as the snowcock, heron, the white-winged wood duck, and more.
According to reports, Eastern Himalayas is home to :
977 birds
269 freshwater fish
977 birds
10,000 types of plants
176 reptiles
300 mammals
105 amphibians
In Eastern Himalayas, a number of wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves have been set up to protect the species from human encroachments and poachers.
This place harbors an amazing diversity of life.
10) Western Himalaya
Best season to visit: Late October until early May
Western Himalayas or Punjab Himalayas are the westernmost part of the vast Himalayan Mountains. It lies in the regions of Kashmir,in the portions administered by India and Pakistan, and also in the northwestern part of Himachal Pradesh.
The Western Himalayas extend to the southeast region for 560 kilometers from Indus River to Sutlej River.
The five tributaries of Indus River from the Punjabi region originate from the Western Himalayas namely Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Sutlej, and Ravi.
The Sivalik Range, Great Himalayas, Zanskar Range, the Pir Panjal Range, and the Dhola Dhar Range are included within Western Himalayas.
The Panchamalai Hills are a low mountain range in the Eastern Ghats System, also known as Pacha is. They lie in the state of Tamil Nadu, 80 km north of Tiruchirapalli, in the parts of southeastern India.
As the name denotes, ‘Pachai’ means ‘green’ in Tamil, the mountain range’s vegetation is greener than some of the other hills.
Pachaimalai hills have an altitude of about 500 m to 1000 meters above sea level.
Major rivers in this range are Kallar River and Sweata Nadi and waterfalls include Mayil Uthu falls, Mangalam Aruvi falls, Koraiyar Falls etc. The mountain ranges consist of small regions like Kombainadu, Athinadu, Thenparanadu.
Kudremukh is a mountain range and the name of a peak situated in Karnataka, India. It is the third highest peak in Karnataka. The mountain is named “Kudremukh because one side of this mountain resembles the face of a horse and hence the name. Kudremukh in Kannada means “horse-faced”.
This mountain range is covered by lush green forests, hills, lakes, and valleys, so is a paradise for the nature lover. It is the second-highest peak after Mullayanagiri.
Literally, ‘Sivalik’ means’ tresses of Shiva’. Sivalik Hills or Churia Hills are part of the outer Himalayas that extends from Indus River about 1500 miles eastwards to Bharathapuzha River. Though only 10 miles wide in places, Sivalik Hills have an average elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 feet. These ranges are the southern- most hills of the Himalayas. There exists a regular course from River Yamuna and River Ravi on the south of Western Himalaya.
Kaimur Range , also known as Kaimur Hills is the eastern portion of the Vindhya Range. It is a hill range running across Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is about 483 kilometers long extending from Madhya Pradesh to Bihar.
The width of this range is about 50 miles. It is one of the most important spot of cultural and archaeological point of view. Antiquarian remains such as coins, potteries, prehistoric rock paintings, inscriptions etc have also been found here.
15) Lower Himalayan Range
Best season to visit: late October until early May
Lower Himalayan Range is also known as Mahabharata Range, Lesser Himalaya, or the Himachal, with an elevation of about 3,700 – 4,500 m. The largest range of this major east-west mountain range is Pir Panjal
The Lower Himalayan Range parallels the much higher High Himalayan range from Indus in Pakistan to Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, and India. It also parallels the Outer Himalayas to the south.
Oldest Mountain Range in India
Aravalli Range
Literally Aravalli means, ‘line of peaks’. Eroded by the ancient mountains, Aravalli Ranges are the oldest range of fold mountains in India. The origin can be traced back to times when the Indian Plate was separated from the Eurasian Plate by an ocean.
Youngest Mountain range in India & Longest Mountain Range in India
Himalayan Range
The most famous Himalayan ranges are the youngest and longest mountain ranges in India. It also has almost every largest peak of the world.
The Himalayan mountain ranges are the primary source of many mighty rivers in India.
So that’s about the major mountain ranges in India. Hope you all have got a clear vision about the major mountain ranges in India, after reading this blog.
So finally,
These mountain ranges in India are treasure troves of natural resources. They travel through the entire length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent.
These are not just homes to the numerous flora and fauna but have also played a vital role in shaping the culture, tradition, and economy of the regions surrounding them.
Exam times are always a period of stress and anxiety to everyone and stress eating is not a solution, but study hacks are!
Study hacks help to make the process simpler and easier.
Here are few study hacks to crack your brain rightly for appearing the exam smartly.
Make use of these study hacks to boost your memory which in turn helps you do better in exams.
1) Walk Before an Exam
Why not take a walk before the exam?
Research shows that exercise can boost your memory and improve brainpower.
Take a walk 20 minutes prior to the exam. It helps to improve brain functioning and enhance performance.
2) Read Out Loud
Sounds crazy!!! Still, give it a go!!
Studies show that reading aloud will help you grasp and remember points much easier than reading silently. By doing so more than 50% of what you have read can be retained in our minds.
Readout loud and get surprised.
3) Reward Yourself
Make it a habit to appreciate and treat you.
You can impart reward techniques. Reward yourself after completing a specific topic. This can stimulate and encourage yourself.
4) Teach what you have Learned
It is an effective technique to test your memory.
You can examine how much you grasped from the learning process. Teach your friends or some stuffed toys, or even talk to the mirror about what you have learned.
5) Generate Mental Connections
Try making connections between things you have learned.
It is an efficient way to remember information. It boosts resourcefulness and intelligence.
For this, mind mapping is an easy way to relate and connect ideas.
6) Draw Diagrams
One of the easiest ways to remember things is by drawing diagrams. It helps to visualize information which can be easily recalled in an exam. It also improves your creative skills.
Practice drawing and labeling diagrams, sometimes it can be asked for the exam.
7) Usage of Easy Fonts
You find it difficult to read certain fonts?
Make use of easy fonts that are friendly to read. Fonts like Times New Roman can be easily read. Make use of it for your notes.
Distraction during study times comes in many ways. Block unwanted sites by using self-control apps. It helps to block certain sites for a specific period of time.
9) Apps to Study on the Go
There are many apps that help you learn. Apps like Flashcards+ and Study Blue helps to integrate all memorizing tricks for learning. Make sure that you use all available resources.
10) Watch a Documentary on the Topic
Documentaries are an easy way to compress a whole set of knowledge into a short time frame. It helps to visualize topics and to remember even minute details. Apart from this, it’s a form of entertainment also.
11) Generate Flash Cards
Flashcards help to strike your memory quickly. It helps to visualize major concepts, formulas, solutions, definitions, quotes, etc.
12) Seize Regular breaks
Always remember to take a brief interval after studying for 45-50 minutes. This practice is helpful for your brain to boost and soak up more information. Studying after break keeps you more focused and concentrated.
Remember not to extend the time period to one hour or more, like anything new after 1 hour 30 minutes does not get absorbed by our brain.
13) Apt Music to Listen
Certain type of music soothes your mind and elevates your mood. Try listening to music as it helps in higher productive learning. Hearing classical music may work.
14) Portable Study Space
We always tend to sit and study in our favorite place. Try to change the place. Changing places help to improve information retention. Change place of study frequently and see the difference.
15) Practice, Practice, and Practice
As practice makes a man perfect, try to attempt mock tests as many as you can. The practice test can help your brain retrieve knowledge. Test your intelligence level and evaluate yourself.
16) Avoid Staying Awake in the Night Before the Exams
Don’t stay up too long in the night before the exam. Make sure you are getting enough sleep.
During your sleep, brain assimilates whatever you have learned. Thus sound sleep will help you remember all answers and difficult formulas you need for the exam.
17) Discover New Ways To Learn
Implement new study methods to help yourself. Make use of technology to the fullest. For example, watch educational TED talks or download useful dictionaries.
18) Group Study
Group study is an effective way to learn and recollect what you’ve learned. It helps to collect new insights and enhance the learning experience. You get to share your ideas and resources. Discussions within-group help in retaining information.
Meditation helps to improve concentration and to stay focused. It also helps to reduce pre-exam stress. Make it a habit to meditate and become stress-free.
20) Apply Scents or Gums to Exercise your Memory
Sounds strange, right?
The method is a quite random one but practically effective. Try spraying a scent with unusual fragrance during studying and spray the same one before the exam. Doing so will help to jog your memory.
21) Use Highlighter
Make use of different color highlighter pens to mark important sentences in your book. It helps you notice vital points in a glance and helps to save time.
22) Do not Multitask
Avoid multitasking during studying and stay focused on what you are learning. The brain shrinks fast while multitasking as it cannot focus on two or more information at the same time.
23) Study in a Quiet Place
Always keep in mind to make use of a quiet environment to study. Avoid studying in a noisy ambiance and crowded place. Switch off all gadgets to avoid distractions.
24) Record Lectures
Try recording lectures and hear the same repeatedly as if hearing a song and memorizing lyrics. The same method can be applied here. This helps to retrieve information during the exam.
Conclusion
These are some of the study hacks to crack your memory. Make use of these tricks and perform well in the exams. Apart from all these, try to stay positive and healthy always. Not all tips and study hacks may help you, as each one’s brain functions differently. Try the one which suits your brain well and achieve a grand success.
