Page 119 - Gyananda YearBook 2022-23

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 117

& WORKSHOPS

Staff development workshops are an integral part of the teaching profession.

They help teachers develop good interpersonal skills, improve the teaching-
learning pedagogy, and manage classes efficiently, thereby making learning a
joyful experience for the students. The staff had two workshops with Mr.
Philip Burrett, who has a legacy of 44 years of teaching in Delhi, Mumbai, and
Dehradun. He was the Deputy Head of the Doon School for many years and
initiated INME (Infinity Me), an experiential education in an outdoor setting.

Mr. Burrett is an avid cyclist, biker, and long-distance marathoner. He also
enjoys solo motorcycle journeys, psychology, reading, and conducting life
skills and happiness sessions. On July 2, 2022, he conducted a session on
team work, the hierarchy of thinking styles, comfort zones, finding a position
in school, building values and common norms for a team, Karpman’s Drama
Triangle, Dan Pink’s motivational theory, and building team spirit through a
treasure hunt. On January 11, 2023, he emphasised the consequences of

trauma in the making of good and bad leaders, loyalty, and upward
leadership. He also broached upon S.W.O.T. analysis and showed two clips
from a movie ‘Front of the class’.
Teachers also attended several capacity building workshops conducted by
the Central Board of School Education such as Science and Art Integration,

English and Art Integration, capacity building in Art, Mathematics, Hindi,
Health and Wellness, National Education Policy, Career Guidance and one to
help dyslexic children with learning disabilities. A few of our teachers also
attended a Cambridge workshop conducted by Mr. Simon Lind, senior
international education advisor and trainer with Cambridge schools. The
workshop was about exploring differentiation, assessment and
metacognition through the trainer’s lens. Ten of our teachers have
completed the Introductory Cambridge course in their respective subjects.

Such workshops go a long way toward introspecting the teachers’
methodologies and implementing the ways and changes inferred.

Ms. Priyanka Rai