Out-of-the-Box Learning Blog
Read how our innovative learning techniques are transforming our students. They host events and online sessions, guide school tours, and engage in unconventional activities that build confidence, develop life skills and leadership abilities, and improve their communication skills while connecting classroom learning to real-world applications.
Besides innovative teaching methodologies that simplify and make learning fun, Isha Vidhya employs other novel techniques to hone our students’ life skills and equip them to pursue their future goals. Read how these innovations are helping our students, most of whom come from non-English speaking, underprivileged backgrounds, with parents who are often school dropouts.
Hosting an Event
Teachers provide the compering script and guide the novice Master of Ceremonies (MC) to focus on presenting the event and keeping the audience engaged.
Adaline Manjuri was the Master of Ceremonies at the Annual Day event and recollects, “Hosting the program took away my stage fear and helped me read and speak English fluently. I now read aloud boldly in English class and find it easier to open up and interact with strangers.”
Greenhands Volunteering
Students prepare sapling pouches, sow seeds, and tend to the saplings until they are ready to be donated to Cauvery Calling, Isha Outreach’s environment initiative.
Abirami says, “I tend to the saplings during free periods such as Personal Responsibility Time or recess. The activity is relaxing, helps me focus better on lessons, and has taught me team coordination.”
Get Mentored Session Anchoring
Student-anchors are guided to lead the session by interacting with the guest mentor and managing student-mentor discussions.
Dharshini shares, “Anchoring this event helped me overcome my fear of conducting events even though I had hosted offline school events. The spontaneous conversation with the guest mentor was memorable and gave me the confidence that I can handle any responsible task.”
Open Day Support Team
Besides assisting in the event preparations, a few students are trained to explain the teaching methodology and present a guided school tour.
Pathira Kumar recalls, “I gave an explanation about the robots in the Atal Tinkering Lab, and during this activity, the significance of learning with understanding struck me. Since then, I have become even more interested in learning.”
School Visitor’s Tour Guide
At the beginning of the academic year, the Visitor’s Committee teacher-in-charge and experienced students orient and mentor recruits. After mock sessions and some chaperoned rounds, the new guides conduct school tours independently.
Aadhavan reminisces, “At first, I used to speak briefly, but now I speak English fluently and convey details explicitly. When some visitors describe where they came from, I connect with it in my social studies lessons.”
School Inspection Committee
Teachers select and allocate the task of periodically evaluating the school facilities, scrutinizing overall school hygiene maintenance, and updating the Principal and Vice Principal.
It is Arun Kathir’s second year as an inspector. He says, “I’ve enhanced my life skills and learned time-management lessons through this activity. An inspection takes 30 – 45 minutes, so I come to school before classes begin but sometimes manage it within my school time.”
SMS - Self-Management Spaces
Students take full ownership of a project or event and see it through. While their teachers mentor them, students collaborate and organize for a fruitful outcome.
Sathana shares, “The activity involved motivating junior students to think of innovative ideas and participate in the Inspire MANAK competition. Leading the younger students taught me to inspire others and create a positive environment by communicating effectively. I also gained time management skills as we juggled tasks with our studies.”
