Shikshaanter | Tech Mahindra Foundation

1. "Shikshaantar" Creating Happier Classrooms ‘Shikshaantar’ means creating a difference in education and the Foundation believes that any true transformation can be brought only through learning. In the domain of education, Shikshaantar is the Foundation’s training program for teachers that focuses on creating happier classrooms by empowering teachers and by helping them unleash their potential to the fullest. The vision is to create and nurture a learning community of students, teachers, school leaders, administrators that believes in the possibility of progressive development of children and educators through change in education. The program aims at integration of physical, mental, social and emotional well-being of the students and educators alike. The foundation runs Shikshaantar program in two variants, one in collaboration with partner organisations and another one in the direct mode. The partner programs encompass a high touch approach with activity-based in-person workshops, on-ground support through regular classroom observations and additionally provides teachers with hands-on child-friendly materials to use as teaching aids in the classroom. About 1000 teachers are impacted annually through programs like Science Academy in Hyderabad with Sahayata Trust, Teacher Development of Anerkel Block in Bangalore with Mantra for Change and research-based teacher support to Kolkata Municipal Corporation teachers with Pratichi Trust. On the other hand, the direct-run programs encompass a week-long intensive training session, highly qualified trainers and fully equipped resource centres. The foundation runs these in the form of In-Service Teacher Education Institutes and currently has 2 ITEIs running in collaboration with East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and North Delhi Municipal Corporation. ITEI-EDMC has completed 7 years and has impacted 4500 participants including primary school teachers, principals, school inspectors, whereas the comparatively newer ITEI-NDMC has trained 1855 teachers including Induction Training.

2. In-Service Teacher Education Institute (ITEI) In-Service Teacher Education Institute (ITEI) was initiated as a part of Shikshaantar program to improve the teaching-learning experiences by capacity building programs for all stakeholders. The initiative aims at the continuous professional development of teachers by enhancing teaching skills and bringing quality enrichment in the education system with innovative teaching techniques. ITEIs also work closely with the government departments for improving service delivery for better governance of school education. ITEI provides rigorous workshops in the main four subjects of primary education i.e. Hindi, English, Math and Environmental Studies. In addition, it offers workshops on related themes such as Spoken English, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE), Physical Education, Inclusive Education, School Leadership, Focused Group Teacher Training, etc. Moreover, eminent educationists visit our centres for their monthly lecture series. Srijan, the annual teacher’s fair is a much-awaited event for all its stakeholders. Along with its workshops, ITEI is also a lively hub for discussions on teaching-learning processes, innovative pedagogical strategies, child development, and more. It invites eminent educationists for its lecture series, which is open to all teachers and principals. 15 lecture series have been conducted

3. till date. Its annual teacher fair “Srijan” has become a much-awaited event for all its stakeholders. In the initial 5 years, the trained teachers at ITEI have shown a significant improvement of 40.6% in pedagogy/creative skills, 30.1% in curriculum development, 23.6% in classroom management, 16.4% in self-confidence and so on. ITEI in collaboration with East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) Established in 2013, the In-Service Teacher Education Institute was started in collaboration with East Delhi Municipal Corporation in Dilshad Garden, Delhi. The centre was set up with the aim to enhance the capacity of teachers, principals, school inspectors and other stakeholders in EDMC run schools. With persistent efforts, the quality of education has been enhanced in EDMC Schools with onsite support to the teachers. According to a third party assessment analysis conducted by Kantar Public, 87% of treatment teachers conclusively stated that their skills have been positively impacted with the ITEI teacher training courses. The curriculum of the course is designed by the leaders in the field of education in accordance with their aim for the professional development of educators. ITEI in collaboration with North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Student’s growth has a direct correlation to the teacher’s growth in professional knowledge, skills, and abilities. In-service Teacher Education Institute (ITEI- NDMC) came up in 2018 in association with North Delhi Municipal Corporation at Shakti Nagar in Delhi. Its success has inspired us to bring up ITEI-NDMC – 2 which is coming soon in Rohini, Delhi. The sessions conducted at ITEI provide a platform for educators to explore new practices of creating teaching aid and resources for better engagement of students in the class. Through a series of engaging and interactive workshop sessions, participants are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitude that can benefit the students every day. Our Objectives at ITEI • Substantially increase the supply of effective teachers and school leaders at (a) pre-primary; (b) primary; (c) physical education by providing intensive workshops and school support • Creating a culture of learning that engages all stakeholders and improves well-being at schools. This includes addressing social, academic and emotional engagement by the system.

4. • Creating Platforms for disseminating success stories and best practices • Advocating ‘Proof of concept’ to other MCDs and States. Resources Available At ITEI • Well-stocked library with relevant teaching-learning materials • Sprawling campus with gardens and open spaces for activities • Spacious training rooms with audio-visual systems • Fully equipped computer lab Source : https://techmahindrafoundation.org/education/shikshaantar-teacher-training/