Teaching can never be dull

Lakshmipath Singhania Academy,where she is the principal since 2007,reflects the various new ideas and innovations she has put in the functioning of the institution. As she puts it,“It is a ‘progressive school’ in terms of various changes the institution has imbibed.”

Starting from the assembly of the school to the co-curricular activities and its international collaborations,the school points at a new approach to classroom teaching and out-of-classroom mentoring.

According to Kak,the school has undertaken micro-teaching process wherein a teacher who takes up a new subject,discusses it among the fellow-teachers and they point out strong and weak points of his presentation.

Even during the assembly,after the school prayer,the 1750 children of the school discuss issues like Jan Lokpal Bill to hairstyles the students should have.

“Any child who is not good at studies should not feel left out,” she says. This is also reflected from the focus that is given on various activities in the school.

Besides giving importance to activities like sports,the principle has taken significant steps in giving her students an opportunity to have global exposure. Recently,46 students of the school went to visit NASA. The school has extended ties with various schools across the globe which helps them share their experiences on a regular basis. The school has a tie-up with Carlo Gymnasium School of Germany and William Cassady School of London for regular exchange of teachers and students.

Kak has very clear thoughts on the changing pattern of education in view of doing away with board examinations at class X level and the Right to Education Act. “ The intentions of the government are good but these sweeping changes should be done in a manner that schools do not feel pressure,” she says.

Kak’s school also has a collaboration with a blind school and various other NGO’s under which children from these institutions come to her school occasionally and share the resources. According to her,this exchange helps her students develop empathy for children of other sections of the society.

The award that Kak received this year is not the only recognition that she has received. Five years ago she was honoured by the CBSE for her contribution to academics. A post-graduate in organic chemistry from Christ Church College,she has served a number of other institutions.

She says that though teachers are not yet paid like people in other professions,but their salaries have increased to some extent in last few years. She says more intelligent students should come ahead and take up teaching as their career.