Background
One of the most loved schools in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, Safehands World School nurtures a thriving learning environment for its 600 students with a dedicated team of 20 teachers. Airy classrooms, age-appropriate infrastructure, well-maintained labs, a fully stocked library and a well-qualified staff are the pride of the school. They have also been using a school management and learning management system since the last 2 years. Safehands goes beyond academics, prioritising holistic development through co-curricular activities. Ahead of its time, the school embraced experiential learning, an innovative approach that uses play-based methods and shares a qualitative assessment of their students for pre-primary.
Challenge
To transform learning through play / Bridge gap between traditional & modern learning.
Solution
AASOKA’s curriculum solution, teacher training.
Impact
Empowered teachers, supportive parents, efficient planning.
Challenges
The teachers, trained in traditional teaching methods, struggled to implement hands-on learning due to lack of training and resources. More than the teachers, the parents found it challenging to embrace new teaching methods, as they primarily hailed from traditional educational backgrounds. They resisted the shift towards play-based learning, fearing it would hurt their children's academic performance. Irrespective of the regular sessions held by the school for parents, the school faced challenges changing mindsets towards a more holistic approach.
Need
The school sought support with lesson plans incorporating play-based teaching and training for teachers to effectively implement them. Additionally, they requested support in educating parents on current educational policies and the importance of shifting the focus from solely quantitative results to a more holistic development that cultivates 21st-century skills in their children.
Solution
Driven by disappointment with their previous academic partner, the school sought a fresh start. Positive feedback from other schools AASOKA's services prompted the school to approach them as a potential learning partner. AASOKA provided a comprehensive solution, including structured lesson plans built around experiential learning, along with engaging resources like flashcards, posters, games with tokens, and dice. AASOKA trainers also encouraged them to use indigenous or local available materials to create their own teaching learning materials. This approach promotes creativity, sustainability, and helps them to connect learning to the students' surrounding environment. Teacher enthusiasm grew with each training session. They eagerly discussed their own creative activities, adaptations of lesson plans and successful classroom implementations.
AASOKA further extended its support by organizing parent orientation sessions. These sessions empowered parents with a clear understanding of the new educational policies, the advantages of play-based learning, and their crucial role in their child's development. The school further benefits from AASOKA's all-in-one platform, which streamlines lesson planning with authentic, reliable content and readily available teacher manuals.
Impact
Collaboration with AASOKA has garnered appreciation from teachers, parents, and students. The school has seen positive changes in classroom lessons, with teachers introducing new interactive ideas. Students show increased interest in activities, and parents are becoming more accepting of modern teaching methods. Parents can see comprehensive reports on their child’s progress. While still in the early stages of implementation, the school has noted improved organization and teacher support, hoping for continued long-term benefits.
"AASOKA has truly changed the game for us at Safehands World School. Their hands-on learning resources and excellent teacher training have brought new energy to our classrooms. Our students are excited, and even parents are on board with modern teaching methods. It's been a fantastic transformation!"
Shah Faisal
Chairman,
Safehands World School