Page 62 - EW-June-2024

Special Report

I n the first MasterClass of the

morning, Dr. Ameeta Mul-
la Wattal, Chairperson and
Executive Director of Educa-
tion at DLF Foundation Schools, Gur-
gaon and member of the governing
boards of Lady Irwin College, Delhi
and Delhi Teachers University, kick-
started the retreat with a tour de force
hour-long address on ‘Empowering
Teachers for Classrooms of the
Future’.
During this MasterClass lecture
which set the tone for this unprec-
edented leadership retreat, Dr. Wat-
tal emphasised the urgent need for
school leaders to invest teachers with
competencies and skills to develop Dr. Ameeta Wattal: empower teachers call Dr. Trivedi: 12 habits recommendation
the critical thinking skills and cre-
ativity of children. In her widely ac- innovate to build creative classrooms ers respond to leadership and excel.
claimed 70-minute presentation, Dr. of the future.” Therefore, spend time and effort in
Wattal enumerated the academic and After a 20-minute tea break, Dr. devising robust standard operating
life skills that children will need in the Prajapati Trivedi, former Secretary, procedures and codify best man-
21st century. Government of India, and currently agement practices. This will enable
“In creative classrooms, the teacher the London-based Commonwealth principals to build great education
is not the font of wisdom. She learns Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for institutions that manage change
together with students opening their Sustainable Development Goals and without disruption,” he advised the
minds to curiosity, discovery and in- visiting faculty at the Harvard Ken- 70 principals and school leaders from
novation. She doesn’t encourage hy- nedy School of Government, delivered 55 primary-secondaries countrywide
per-competition and builds a culture the second MasterClass of the morn- who convened in Solan for this unique
of peace in her classroom. Integration ing — ‘Building High-performing school leadership retreat.
of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Schools — A Primer for Educa- Before concluding, Dr. Trivedi
Development Goals (SDGs) into les- tion Leaders’. presented his shortlist of “12 habits of
sons and conversations has become Drawing on his experience of train- highly effective governments”, recom-
mandatory as is development of chil- ing over 2,000 senior civil servants mended for academia leaders. Among
dren’s digital, ecological, cultural, from 56 countries of the Common- them: preparing systems and pro-
global and emotional literacy,” said wealth and 17 states of the Indian cesses for management; measuring
Dr. Wattal. Union, Dr. Trivedi opined that “good performance; whole institution plan-
Underscoring the importance of principles of institutional manage- ning; accountability from top-down;
teachers preparing children with the ment are transcendental in their ap- explicit and unambiguous assignment
skills to navigate this century’s two plication” and successful education of accountability; devising appropri-
major crises — climate change and leaders are defined by their capabil- ate incentive systems and effectively
human resource development — she ity to implement innovative ideas and integrating them with HR systems and
said: “Teachers have to innovate to programs at the right time with effec- budgets; building a transparency cul-
bring these issues in classrooms and tive follow-up. “Successful implemen- ture, developing effective communica-
teach children how to evolve from tation depends on effective follow-up, tion strategies and providing strong
consumers into creators, and de- accountability and results-based and unambiguous legal foundation for
velop their reflection, resilience and management. This is critical to build- institutions under their care. “Leaders
relationship building skills. Today’s ing high-performing schools,” said who aspire to build high-performing
teachers need to teach children to do Trivedi, an alum of the London School schools must close the gap between
things differently, not just better,” of Economics and Boston University katni (words) and karni (deeds),” he
said Wattal, concluding with an ex- (USA) with over four decades of expe- advised the august assembly.
hortation to the assembled educators rience in government administration. The morning session ended with
to “empower teachers with the com- “Within good systems with strong a ten-minute presentation by Shub-
petencies to think in new ways and accountable school leaders, teach- hankar Pathak, General Manager,

62 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2024