Friday, April 9, 2010

The Mela of International schools and IIT coaching centers

The enigma called International schools Or Concept schools

We in India add either of these nomenclatures to our schools very commonly.
May be because of our centuries old fascination for all that is ‘foreign’ and our misbelief that anything international is better than our own national status.



The graffiti on our walls and the hoardings above our heads scream about International schools, Global Schools, Planet school ( I am still waiting for a universe school or an alien school) or Concept schools.


I was always wondering as to what qualifies a school to be international or a concept based school !

Thanks to the IBO conference at Singapore that I attended last week, my fellow participants who are working in International schools have thrown some light into what can be called as an International school !

A school is not an international school unless it has students of different nationalities.
‘International Schools’ are those where children of expatriates study along with some nationals of the country it is located in.

Some international schools may have the national system of education, with IB methodology or IGCSE or a Cambridge affiliation.

A school that has IGCSE or Cambridge or IBPYP or MYP or DP but all the students are locals, then I suppose it need not be called as an international school but a school which offers international programmes.

Silver Oaks The School of Hyderabad need not call itself as ‘international’ because we do not have any foreign nationals. NRIs are plenty but at the end of the day they are Indians.

We are a school implementing the IBPYP methodology .

Our uniqueness lies in being the first school to take up IBPYP for a homogeneous group of middle and upper middle class at the lowest cost any IB school is charging in the entire world.
Perhaps we are the only functioning school to have taken up this kind of transformation.
To create a learning environment where nearly 1500 young people learn concepts above the content entitles us to call ourselves the concept school.
But this nomenclature has been so misused that we would not like to have it.


We have mastered the art of balancing the national curriculum and the transdisciplinary approach to learning with great ease.

With IB Primary Years Program in the Junior School and the CBSE in the Senior School we are emerging as a leadership school with one more step ahead-
The + 1 step with Grade XI from the 2010-11 session !
Inspite of all this I thank God that we can remain the humble and modest 'Silver Oaks The School of Hyderabad ' !


THE GREAT INDIAN IIT MELA

Education being on the concurrent list in our Constitution, both States and Centre organized their own Boards which actually led into further division of education than providing localized education.

Many states went into accommodating local needs and in the bargain ended up closing the wider gates to their students.

In AP a different kind of localization has gained prominence.
SSC has been branded as if it has the most extensive math and science.

This has been manipulated by the local private schools who mastered the art of coaching students with rote learning.
Extensive publicity on local results led the parents to believe that AP has a special place in IITs and Engineering colleges. And the few who make it to IITs are talked about as if they are the only ones to have gone there.

The fact is that 650 engineering colleges are here in AP out of the nearly 2300 engineering colleges in the country. Obviously everyone will get a seat because the colleges have to fill their seats.

Authentic sources say that 90% of the students who clear the IIT entrance are either CBSE or ICSE students. Rest of the 10% are from different state boards of the country.

The aggressive publicity of the corporate colleges misguide people into believing that anyone who joins them can walk into IITs. This year 4 lakh students are appearing for the IIT entrance from all over the country and out of that 80000 are from AP.

If we research is done I am sure we will come to know how many out of these are walking into the IITs. Aiming high is right but aiming for it without any aptitude is not right.

I heard that these corporate colleges charge minimal fee or no fee for the 2 yrs of Intermediate, if a student gets above 90% in 10th !

Robinhood used to rob the rich and pay the poor.
These corporate colleges rob the mediocre students and pay the above 90% students and in the end none of them make it to the IITs.

Emotions run high and sentiments take charge of parents. They feel it is their parental duty to provide the coaching.In fact the publicity is so convincing that parents cannot see beyond the 2 yrs coaching centers in intermediate.
Colleges only coach how to write for the entrance exams and when the student does not clear he is like ‘dobhi ka kutta- na ghar ka na ghat ka’. 2 years of rote learning will actually stint the thinking skills of these students. They come out like unfeeling robots.

Gullible people are led to believe that AP has a strong edge.

How publicity can mislead people !






246 comments:

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tejitha said...

Its really very inspiring............

May be our school is not called an international school but the students' perspectives are international

From this blog we came to know what actually an international school means.

Tejitha and Meenakshi
VII A

mrudhula said...

the information is intersting & it also gives us knowledge

alekhya said...

the info is educationally interesting

Unknown said...

I am glad to know that 4lakh students attented the IIt examination and 80,000 students were from AP.I fell I am lucky because I study in your school. I am a leader and a IB student.

VINEETH AND ADITYA said...

mam your blog shows that silver oaks is school of hyderabad and gives more information and we understood how IB is formed and useful BY VINEETH ADITYA

Anonymous said...

This is the very intersting &beautiful blog ever i have seen. Your telling that our school is not intertional but is inter national.




BY VARUN

sabareesh&leon said...

Hi maam!this is leon & sabareesh
our opinion about this blog is it
is very interesting the convictions and the messages that you have written & its very inspirating us..! the IBO methodology that you have brought to our school which is an international achievement.The leader in me programme is a successful programme succeeded by our school which made us proud & inspire us.........!

sameera&mrunalini said...

Maam,
it is very interesting .we liked what you said .its agood idea having a blog . we are clear with the concept you told us .All your articles are very nice.
from,sameera& mrunalini.
grade 7a

v.supraja said...

I got to know that 80,000 students
from AP attented IIt examination.I think most of the students of AP are taking IIT course.I think I am glad to get a leader as a principal.

Thankyou mam

sohit said...

It very interesting comment this post is very nice .and very inspiring post .

Anonymous said...

MAM I UNDERSTOOD THE IB METHODOLGY & ALSO MANY THINGS ABOUT 7 HABITS & YOUR BLOG IS FILLED WITH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT IB METHODOLGY.




BY SRITEJ REDDY .N

Soorya,Bhaskar said...

Mam,
your blog is very interesting,
informative and inspiring.We came to know more about international schools


We enjoyed reading your article

ROHIT said...

We are very inspiring about from you. You are the one who can lead us . you has all the leadership qualities .

savanth said...

Good afternoon mam iam savanth of grade seven.Talking about the IB methodology it is so nice and i like itthere are no question and answers and they give every objective and it is easy.about the international school what you said is right in my openion international school means not having AC in the bus classroom having more fee .international school means having the nice process ,teaching method and nice teachers .

SRUTHI said...

hai maam

in am sruthi of vii a


i read your blog it is very inspiring.you made our school an internationalschool. i am thanking you for your support . i am
feeling happy for saying about our school in singapore.thankyou.
sruthi vii A

pavani said...

It's very informative and exciting.
it's reliable and understandable for us.We liked it alot.No words to say.

Sampath, bharadwaj said...

A very good morning mam,

We have read your 7habits they were intresting mam.We promise you that we will follow them.People who see your 7habits they will change their child like a leader anywhere.

PREETHI said...

PREETHI Said
It is very interesting post maam.
I enjoyed the reading. I am very happy that I Compeleted the age of childhood and I STARTED THE TEANAGE.As light speards through all directions i spread the good nature through all sides.
thank you

LAASYA said...

very interesting&cool article ma'am
the difference between a normal,concept&an international school is very nice.

you made many parents to leave their futre opinion to them which i liked the most

srilakshmi.reddy83@gmail.com said...

Hai ma'am
Thanks a ton for throwing a light on what a international school really means.

Neena and Srilakshmi.
Silveroaks.

mita said...

it was wonderful to learn about various schools in hyderabad and as to how they are making themselves as world or global or anything else inspite of not fulfilling the criteria of the particular area.it was nice to hear about the latest trends in IBPYP.we are extremely happy to be a part of silver oaks

Sangeeta Pratti said...

Though I have been in the education field since 13 years there were many loose ends in my awareness about categorisation of schools in the country. Thanx to ur article for removing the myths about Y a school calls itself with name tags. Maybe this should help the parents seeking admissions for their students to make informed choices and identify the correct school to pursue their studies.

Poornimanataraj hrt 3 grade said...

Dear leader
I was thinking before this orientation programme about international school is the costliest education and it will be high standard, which is out of reach for the poor people.
now I am very clear with the concept international school.

megha said...

your article is inspiring for young parents who, really think putting kid in tagged school will make wonder's. but the reality lie far beyond that. Thanks

shireesha said...

dear mam its a real eye opener for all the parents who pressurise their children without knowing their ability and interest. I hope they start thinking in different perspective as world has many oppurtunities not just engg or iit.

anu s s & p l shoba said...

you have thrown enough light on so called branded schools. i think your blog is enlightening our students alot. the way our students are responding on various issues is interesting. thanks for awakening the educated community to know the reality.

magikaruna hrt 3-D said...

hi mam this aruna well to start with the terminologies tagged to the school we ourselves are confused about where should we start to hunt for a good school with different criteria in our mind. we really feel haunted about the fee structure in every ad.and the hidden cost.but now i am clear how to choose a school for my child correctly.i am now aware and confident to ask a school who has put up a fancy tag and what is he really teaching and following. your information is very effective hope i had a priciple and a class teacher like you. thank you.

vaniraj said...

I feel myself selfesteemed to work in such a great institution where the management respects the ideas of the teachers & followup them in better way.I have learn a lot where i can see myself in a different view & moreover which will help me to develop a good & great relation with people.Its the only school where it has no advertisement when i heard it i really felt that God has placed me in a right place where i have to be.Good,Great,Glorious etc i feel that words i know are less to express so feel to be silent.B'coz wn v can'texpress in words silence means a lot.

priya said...

good afternoon mam, the thing that i learned was that it is not the name of the school that matters but teaching learning process in the school.For a good school like silver oaks we dont need any kind of publicity.

manga said...

iam very proud to be a member of
team at silveroaks.we have an
inspiring leader who leads us in her able guidence.

Remya said...

mam, its an eye opener for people who go behind the label of International. Its time for people to come out and explore other professions too. I think parents should understand that there is a life yond IITs. Let us all take a few minutes and broaden our out look beyond and engineer.

Aman and Preeti said...

I think its important for the parents to be aware of what is going on latest in the field of education... our school can play an important role in it.. for that we need to keep ourselves well informed...

prabhakar mathteacher said...

It is very interesting to see your blog with the meaning of international schools.Because of heavy publicity most of the parents think if school have good infrastructure and A.C class rooms then that school is international school.So your blog message is an eye opener for the parents.

suguna said...

its so informative ma'm.....
atleast next generation will not be like robots or clayballs.....becouse now they know what education they need for their future to mould them in to responsible globle citizens......

Seshulaxmi/Vidya said...

Much informative, we hv come to know about international schools and the syllabus which they offer to students. The mela of international school is interesting, a profound description of education is picturised and enable the budding students into ful fledged and responsible citizens.

bhudevi,sunita.k,sireesha said...

As parents we expect our children to compete the world with character and values besides academics. More than branding an institution based on certain criteria, we need to look into the practical aspects of education followed in the institutions for the wholesome development of the children. So we must not be carried away by the brand, or the tags that the educational institutions have, but have a great insight into the larger perspective of education.

Umadevi.p said...

100% I agreed with you.now a days every one is studying engineering or doctor to earn money,and settled in their life. no one is thinking in this way how you do.
i feel that parents should change their way of thinking.

Arun.K.M. silver oaks said...

The blind belief of the parents about the international school is not true. As the good infrastructure doesnt teache anything but gives comfortfor the time being. But you, through your blog generating the awareness of the real international schoolhelping many of the parents to got the real picture of the school and help the child to be the good citizen.

sreenath said...

Thank you mam.you made me to realise what an international school is.Iam waiting to see your blog with some more information related to the education field.Through your blog parents&students are getting enlighted about the current education system.

Ms Nirmala and Ms Umajyothi said...

It is true that people get curious when they hear the word "International School", it immediately rings a bell that they are going to interact with children from different countries and cultures, enjoying classes in A/C rooms and all the luxuries, this is an eye opener for people like that. It is indeed an interesting as well as informative to all who are running behind the concept schools or techno school to enroll their children for their higher education. This should be read and followed by every inquisitive and eager parent to know what is right for their child. Your blog is acting like a torch who is wandering in the dark to know their way.

JAYAPRADA,LEELA said...

madam its very interesting knowing about what is called INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL!if i talk about IIT mela as Educators its our primary duty to make them aware of what corporate world is influencing parents by advertising.they dont charge for the students who gets the 90% marks and they dont insist on attitudes or aptitude.we know all these tatics n we hav done comparisons too.I FEEL HAPPY THAT WE ARE TRAINED TO GIVE CORRECT INFORMATION TO THE SOCIETY.THANQ.

D. suneetha and Madhu. said...

The article is really excellent, but I wonder how many parents will take it seriously and act accordingly.

It is true that the child has a greater exposure in an international school compared to the others. But how do we define an internatinal school is what matters. As a parent, i want my child to have an overall development with values and character. The name of the school doesn't matter so long as the purpose is served.

I hope u r doing a great job acting as an eye opener to the society for the development of character and competence required for the future generations.

deepthi said...

The article u have posted was very informative and interesting.Most of the schools take it as a pride to have a tag line as International school or concept school rather than knowing what it is.Ur article gives a true exposure of international school to all those who are in dilama.

Thanks for ur informative article.

d.anuradha said...

i read ur blog.it was very informative and interesting.it is an eye opener for all the outsiders of this nation.
d.anuradha.(math)

tiasa said...

it is relly special as we all know that good things come afterwards.

suguna said...

hi...ma'm...
waiting 4 ur next post n punch line eagerly....

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