50th Issue of e-newsletter for school and college teachers

1. Nov 2011
Volume 5, Issue 11 Inspiring Teachers
Driving educational change through excellence in teaching
A milestone reached…a long way ahead!
It brings great joy to write this editorial for the 50th issue of our newsletter. It started as a
humble html version in Oct 2007. With articles for personal success, tips for teaching,
online resources and some classroom humour, I spend considerable time putting
together every issue and sometimes wonder if people are reading it. There are some
This month:
regular contributors and on a few occasions I receive some feedback too. But overall, the
Readers’ Views.….2
interaction can definitely be improved. To make it simple for you to send your comments,
Chalkpiece – a tool
from this month onwards, we will have the articles put up on the blog too and you can
or a threat?
Jayashree Dixit ….3 straightway comment upon it. Others can also see and comment.
This month we have included some readers’ comments and also incorporated a change
Readers’ views ….4
suggested by Mrs Indira Narayan and Mr Bhagirathi Behera – about labeling sections for
Faculty of the month
school, college etc.
…5
Please continue to support our endeavour to create value for teaching community by
sending us articles, feedback and most important by forwarding to your friends and
Interesting Links
………….……..6 colleagues. Do ask them to subscribe, its FREE and will always remain so.
--Uma Garimella
List of writers since Oct 2007
1. Dr Divya Nalla, NMREC, Hyderabad 8. Mr Binay Pattanayak, Education
2. Mrs Indira Narayan, St Ann’s HS, Specialist, UNICEF, New Delhi
Secunderabad 9. Education Mr Arnav Anjaria
3. Mr Bhagirathi Behera, Principal Green 10. Ms Jaye Lewis
Valley International School, Malinagar, 11. Mr Sanjay Gulati, Maths Teacher,
Bihar Bhilai
4. Dr Sridhar Chitta, Mahaveer Institute of 12. Ms Sushma Bhalkikar, GMR
Technology Varalakshmi Foundation
5. Prof KV Jayakumar, Director, CWRDM 13. Ms Sofia Stefanidou, Greece
6. Prof PV Narasimham, Former Director, 14. Dr Uma Garimella
AMSSOI, Hyderabad 15. Mr B Shantaram, AAI
7. Dr Anil Kumar Challa, Medical College, 16. Ms Jayashree Dixit, Karvy
Wisconsin (USA) 17. Dr PN Prasad, CfBT-ES

2. Inspiring Teachers Page 2 of 6
Readers’ views on newsletters I feel each and every faculty
It is really great to know that Initially I was not fully should go through this
TA’s newsletter has reached confident of doing that, still I newsletter provided they have
to its 50th issue. I still thought of giving a try. passion and flair for teaching.
remember in each issue there Instead of listing each As a whole I find it very useful,
will be something fresh, incident one-by-one, I can research oriented, motivating
informative content and simply state that today I am, and informative newsletter. I
Madhan Kumar Srinivasan wish a grand success of this
knowledge driven with real- a government school regional
Infosys
life examples. At one medium student, a part of academy in the coming days.
junction, I started waiting for Education & Research Unit of
the next issue thinking to see Infosys. I feel this make sense
what else the Editor can add about the influence of these
in the next issue, because of newsletters. Not only
Dr Siddhartha Ghosh, GNITS,
the fact that the previous communication, these
Hyderabad
issue would be with such a newsletters helps a person to
rich & complete content. But adopt all the skills required Since 2010 I am following your
as expected, I will have for a real teacher and a E-magazine "Inspiring teachers"
something unpredictable in human! I wish all the readers and thanks for publishing few
the next issue. All credit goes all success in their life and articles of mine in previous
to Dr. Uma Garimella and career. issues. When I was a teacher I
her thoughts to contribute followed your inspirational
The Teachers Academy
something to the educational newsletter is like a fresh air work and today as a principal
world. also I am following. Especially
to me. I just keep waiting
Mrs Indira Narayan, If I look at my past I cannot "faculty of the month" page is
what new thing is going to be
HM, St Ann’s HS, think of my present position very useful to educators like us.
added to my knowledge base
Secunderabad without Teacher’s Academy I have one suggestion, kindly
while reading every issue.
and its workshops. In many keep a special page for school
The editorial comments in
The newsletter is very aspects TA influenced my teachers and principals where
every issue are an eye opener
useful – my suggestion is career towards success. I still for me. The faculty of the readers can read about their
to label sections/tips remember the day, when I successful journey. Keep
month helps me to know
useful to a specific met Dr. Garimella and asked working and best of luck.
about friends of different
segment of teachers so her to support in enhancing Bhagirathi Behera, Principal,
educational organizations.
that they can use the tips my English communication Green Valley International
Reading about people who
more effectively. skills. Along with her typical School, Malinagar, BIHAR
are trying to make a change
guidance, she also told me to 8084125247
in the society, motivates me
read the TA’s newsletters in my profession. The
regularly. interesting reads and videos
are always a gear up
mechanism for any faculty.

3. Page 3 of 6 Inspiring Teachers
Common Tips Chalk piece – a tool or a threat? Jayashree Dixit
Inspired by an article in a in, it falls on the clothes and
and vacuum dusters in
Marathi Newspaper, I share the body and hair. This dust
the market. Ask your
thought of wellness of teachers’ doesn't spare your eyes too.
Institution to us these.
community. Chalk contains calcium
2. Use a mask while
Have you ever seen an ad "hand carbonate and is hazardous
cleaning board. Advice
lotion for Teachers"? for lungs. Such asthma is
mask for the students
You might have heard of called Occupation Asthma. .
with asthmatic trouble.
singers taking care of their
Not just teachers, students are 3. If using contact lenses,
What some
throats but have you come teachers say
also exposed to the dust. do not forget to use plain
across a teacher taking care of
glasses while cleaning of I had once a severe eye
her throat? Have you ever infection (stye) due to chalk
Symptoms and board.
thought why teachers cough dust. Even now after a class all
Prevention 4. Use wet/moist my clothes have white dust.
very often?
Usually trouble starts with the dusters/sponge to clean Well to reduce the dust we can
Have you ever thought why a reduce it by using more
sneezing, running nose, board which will prevent expensive chalk called as
teacher gave up using contact "dustless chalks". Strictly
irritation in the throat, dust from spreading
lenses? speaking, it is a "less dust"
breathing trouble and cough – around. chalk.
Answers to these questions lie
leading to asthmatic 5. Use wet chalk while Atul Negi, Professor of
in our own attitude towards the Computer Science,
disorders. Hands and facial writing on board.
teaching profession. University of Hyderabad
skin becomes dry and harder. 6. Clean board from top to
Since ages the education I know a few of my relatives
bottom, coming straight who were teachers and were
industry and society What is more dangerous is
down so that most of the advised by the doctor to quit
has honored the alliance today’s fashion to attribute teaching because they were
dust falls down. having respiratory problems –
between the teacher and the any illness to pollution and like sore throat and cough.
7. Switch off fans while
chalk. However, there is forget about it. The extent of damage also
cleaning.
another dangerous relationship depends on the subject one
Some teachers have to leave 8. Wash hands and face teaches and how much the
between chalk and teacher's board is used.
the profession only because of after the class.
breathing troubles. Indira Narayan, HM, St Ann’s
this trouble. If not, do they 9. Do not neglect your long
It is sad that a teacher who HS, Secunderabad
have to live with it - certainly time sneeze and cough.
builds the student's future is
not. 10. Get your lungs checkup
threatened by a small piece of
(PFM test ) done at least
chalk. Many teachers are now It’s time to revisit our own
on yearly basis.
facing breathing trouble due to teaching to students –
So take care and continue to
heavy exposure to chalk dust. “Prevention is better than
enjoy teaching.
Their voice is choked. cure". So let’s begin with
Read and comment at
taking care of ourselves and
In most institutions, chalk- http://www.theprofessor.in
our students by following
board is still the most dominant
these small tips: /blog/guest-column/chalk-
medium. Chalk dust is breathed
1. There are dust-free chalks piece-a-tool-or-a-threat/

4. Inspiring Teachers Page 4 of 6
Readers’ views on newsletters
I have come in touch with Dr Uma's The quotes,news about various workshops and
mission about 2 years ago, i.e., roughly at meetings, snippets from teachers, and so on; I
the silver jubilee of the newsletter. As has bet the best part of the newsletter is a host of
happened to me several times in several websites and other useful links. The recent
occasions, my first interaction with Dr addition of another column - faculty of the
Picture Caption Uma when I was a participant at a ESCI's month - is a jewel in the crown. It is certainly
Teachers come in all shapes workshop too has been totally different, not an exaggeration if every teacher aspires to
and sizes… rather indifferent! Nevertheless, when I see his/her profile; we get to know about
My right hand is paining so I was back to my institute she sent me an teachers – both born and made - continuing
will write with my left hand – invitation to sign up for the newsletter and with their mission with aplomb.
Annapurna Rachakonda
------------------------------------------ now I am writing a few lines for the golden One suggestion I thought about is to make a
jubilee issue!! The teaching community bigger HTML kind of a page, suitable for on-
had its share of difficulties in the past, line reading; the current attachment you send
compared to the present, but has been over email I print it out and read, and for
constantly inspiring rest of the world. getting into the links alone I do it on-line;
There were more cruel jokes on teachers; Instead, if it is with variable font sizes and as a
however, communication among a larger and colourful HTML page (with a print
cross-section of the community brought page option) it might be more attractive to
new light. Today, we are able to interact even older (not so used to computers)
more freely without prejudice, and we teachers. I do not think of any new column
understand the hidden hierarchy. It is this to be added - too much of information may
understanding that brings us even closer also make it boring; however, after a column
and it is like a converging spiral. This very attains certain mature stage, you may replace
purpose of bringing us together is it with another; all the columns are already
accomplished by the inspiring-teachers' available in the archives anyway.
newsletter, and the growing patronage of Another suggestion would be to bring in a
the newsletter is an index of its fait guest editor once in a quarter or so, and orient
accompli. First, I sincerely appreciate the the newsletter to his/her perspective - this
Herculean task Dr Uma has taken up and would involve more people and hence the
she has been evidently successful at that. newsletter literally touches more people.
She has courageously chosen the path less I wish the academy all success in every
traveled. May God preserve her energy endeavour, and I look forward to read the
forever. Secondly, the newsletter that newsletter as my first email of the month.
appears in our mailbox on dot first of every Dr. Ramakalyan Ayyagari
month has loads of information - some for Associate Professor
quick gulping, and some for pondering Dept. of Instrumentation & Control Engg.,
over later. NIT Trichy

5. Page 5 of 6 Inspiring Teachers
Faculty of the Month – Dr Balasubramanian R Readers’ views
IIT, Roorkee
First of all, I dedicate this IIT-Madras, he is also
noble profession to my known for his teaching. The newsletter is one of
father, Mr. P. Raman who is He has receivd the best the indigenous works
a retired Physics teacher. teacher award on taken up with true and
Frankly speaking, I wanted Teacher’s Day at IIT- sincere effort to inspire
to become a primary school Roorkee. and to promote better
teacher but GOD's grace I Read more about his learning experiences
ended up as a Professor in teaching methods and through useful articles and
IIT. When I was in the NSS other ideas on the site. links to internet sources to
at Madras Christian College, http://www.theprofessor.in access the information
I used to teach Mathematics /balasubramanian.shtml effortlessly. It's the
for 7th Standard students in Readers’ Views on 50th window to the world of
one of the Government issue of Newsletter education with Dr P Aparna
schools in Tambaram, information on wide range
Chennai. When the students Everyone talks of quality of topics related and useful
felt very happy with my of education but it is rare for one's own classroom
teaching, I decided to take to find an institution that teaching and professional
up this noble profession as works for quality through development. It's indeed
my career. I thank my Ph.D teachers. Despite the truly inspiring!!! I wish
supervisor Dr. K. challenges like budgets every teacher who has an
Swaminathan from IIT and low priority for access to internet should
Madras and my role model training, I am glad that be connected to the
Dr Balasubramanian R
Prof. Manoj K. Arora from Teacher’s Academy is newsletter across the
IIT Roorkee to identify me moving ahead. I hope country. Appreciating all
to this world as a teacher many more teachers will the efforts taken up by the
and as a researcher. share their experiences Teacher's Academy,
These are the words of Dr through this newsletter Dr.P.Aparna. HOD, H&M,
Balasubramanian, Assistant and create a brighter GNITS, Secretary, ELT@I
Prof of Mathematics at IIT- future generation. I wish Hyderabad
Roorkee. We are pleased to Teacher’s Academy all the Chapter,9848468330
Dr Divya Nalla
profile him as the Faculty of very best.
This Month. With an Dr Divya Nalla Read all these comments
illustrious postdoctoral Nalla Malla Reddy at
research after his PhD from Engineering College, http://www.theprofessor.
Hyderabad

6. Teacher’s Academy
Hyderabad
PHONE:
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An activity at the recent workshop on leadership and succession planning at ITM, Mussoorie
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Interesting Links
National Workshop for UG Biology Teachers -
https://sites.google.com/site/puneworkshop2012/home
Workshop Technology in Math Education - http://www.math.iitb.ac.in/TIME2011/
See us at: The website for academic publications from India
www.theprofessor.com http://www.swb.co.in/
www.teachersacademy.co
Individualised teaching http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15358964
On Clickers
http://derekbruff.com/teachingwithcrs/?p=450
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/cts/
http://derekbruff.com/teachingwithcrs/?p=5
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/clickers.htm
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/cts/
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/cts/1120_toshare_Conceptestsonly_Fa
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