Thursday, June 29, 2006

Marks are generated by being part of a system

Output is created never by an individual alone. Image of a hero working in a dungeon alone over a invention and shouting 'Eureka' after his discovery is a myth. That era of creating output alone is over.

Even a sportsplayer who is supposed to play his or her game to succeed has to be part of different systems before his/her contribution can produce rewards. For instance, a tennis player has to part of four systems to ensure that he plays consistently in a tennis circuit: adminstrative system to ensure that tickets, staying and support activity is managed without any hassle, coaching system to ensure that prospective competitors flaws are tracked and specific localised situations are understood, physiotherapists who helps him/her keep fit, and his emotional support system to ensure that he/she feels does not get homesick and 'alone'. Without these four systems, no tennis player can 'perform' consistently. A failure in any of these four systems can derail him/her and therefore affect his/her output in a negative manner.

The same is true of a student who is trying to get good marks in a subject. Depending on which lesson/portion he finds it difficult or easy, he has to use different strategies. He may use other colleagues to understand difficult lessons , or he may use teachers, parents, coaches and other resources.

In a recent interviews in a daily newspaper, i read how the students living far off in Kalyan and Ambernath were using the long commuting time to solve difficult questions by using each other's time and resources. This is one innovative way of using the 'system'.

I have often observed that students do not take help of their colleagues and other systems because they are embarassed in asking questions or find it difficult to say that 'I do not know xyz'.

What other systems are involved in ensuring that a student gets better marks in a subject?

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Careers have to be built

When one thinks of careers, one thinks of work-life. Therefore students blissfully ignore to listen to any discussion which is related to careers. They start listening only when they reach the SSC or HSC level.

Unfortunately opportunities in career can be encashed only when one is equipped for meeting career challenges. When one is not ready or equipped, one gets surprised. The moment passes away. One has to wait for the next opportunity.
Right from the stage when students enter secondary school ( Vth standard in India), they can get equipped with the right skills. They can start building on their strengths, learn the skill to manage their inside-life. As they move ahead to higher secondary levels ( VIIIth standard onwards in India), they can get prepared to take future decision:they have to choose the discipline after they pass HSC or SSC.
In short, students can equip themselves in facing the challenges that they are likely to encounter in the future.
In this blog, we shall enable students to equip for career building. Teachers teaching students and parents of students can also play a major role in building the careers of these students. Therefore we shall discuss all the issues faced by these three constituents in career building of the students.