Ms. Joshna took a session on ‘Introduction to IB’. The objective of the session was to transfer the knowledge of IB and its core elements to the team. The session began with an ice breaker to set the pace where all the participants had to focus on their listening skills. This was followed with a discussion on the views and thought on IB. The session provided an insight into IB PYP, its mission and the core elements of IB PYP through discussion and presentation.

Ms. Chaitanya led her team of IB facilitators through an enlightening session on The Key Concepts in IB-PYP. The session began with an engaging warm up activity that led the team to work collaboratively employing the strategy of ‘Think-Pair-Share’. This was followed by a group discussion to bring out the concept of ‘perspective’. She then took her team through the seven key concpets:

1. Form – What is it like?
2. Function – How does it work?
3. Causation – Why is it like this?
4. Connection – How is it connected to other things?
5. Change – How is it Changing?
6. Perspective – What are the points of view?
7. Responsibility – What is our responsibility?

The facilitators were taken through these key concepts that help the learners engage in conceptual thinking and to deal with the knowledge of transdisciplinary themes. The facilitators were made to realise how the students need to apply key concepts in the learning to give their enquiries meaning and direction. The session was concluded with an activity and connected their unit, understood to apply the key concepts and planned their learning engagements.

Ms. Jyoshna Devi led the facilitators of the IB Wing through a session on Team Collaboration. The session began with an activity that put the teachers’ balance and dexterity to the test. They were asked to balance a stick on the tip of a finger and walk to the other end of the room without dropping it. This was followed by a discussion on the word ‘team work’ and the vocabulary related to it. She went on to guide her team to explore various strategies for effective team work. True collaboration means being open to suggestions, critiques and ideas from all team members, even if it demands some course-correction. Innovation and evolution often stem from considering radically different perspectives. The session was brought to a conclusion with an informative video on the topic.

Ms. Radhika took a session for the facilitators of the IB wing of Vista International School on the topic of Planning Learning Engagements. This session helped the teachers realise ways to devise strategies to motivate students to help them engage productively. If students are motivated, it results in better retention of content, increased productivity and more conducive learning-growing process. Teachers were encouraged to devise various strategies to appeal to the diverse proclivities of the learners in a class. They were introduced to engagement strategies such as Jigsaw method, Socrates thinking, Gallery walking, Role playing, Concept mapping etc. Teachers were also given practical demonstrations on how to employ such strategies with connection to the key concept. The thoroughly enjoyable session concluded with the cognizance on how a topic can be dealt in various stages.

Ms. Madhavi Kanchi took a session on Neurographic art, where she introduced various aspects of art and displayed a few artworks too to better explain the elements and principles of art. She engaged the team with an interesting activity where they had to take an A4 sheet and scribble with a pencil without lifting their hand from the paper. The shapes thus formed, were then filled with colours. This activity helps an individual tune out the rest of the world around and just relax. They were then encouraged to use their creativity to beautify their art with adding bold borders or shading.

A Team of adept medical professionals from Continental Hospital visited the campus of VIS to take the teachers through an extremely important training on First Aid. This session, conducted by Healthbasix informed the teachers regarding the various signs and symptoms that could signal the need for medical intervention and the right method to administer aid in said situations.

VIS has always been a school where learning is student-centric. Teachers work as facilitators who aid and guide the students as they work their way through life, building their strengths and working on their weaknesses. Education today is no longer a ‘one-size-fits-all’ program – it is tailor made to suit the proclivities of individual learners. Therefore, it is of paramount importance, that teachers know their learners. In another session taken by the effervescent Dr. Ramakrishna Yelamanchi, the facilitators at VIS gained a deeper discernment on how to ‘Know the Learners’. Replete with anecdotes and lively discussion, this session left the teachers with ample food for thought that would surely help them transform their classroom to a haven of learning.

“Time is what we want most, but use worst” – William Penn

As the teaching staff of VIS re-joined the school post the summer break, they were taken through an extremely informative session on Time Management, by Dr. Ramakrishna Yelamanchi. With an impressive background in the Indian Air Force, as well as the education sector, Dr. Yelamanchi shared valuable insight into the ways one can shape their thinking and daily practices to become more efficient and adept at time management rather than clock management. He emphasised on the need for self-discipline, building rational prioritisation abilities and coming up with positive ways of stress management to ensure that each and everyone can establish a proper work-life balance rather and realise their full potential.

The teachers of VIS had the exciting opportunity to spend a couple of hours with Mr. Gulshan Memoria, who took them through a session on ‘Decoding Productivity’. The extremely interactive session enabled the teachers to delve deep into themselves and figure out their ‘vision’ in life. The session was replete with exciting activities that helped the teachers chalk a pathway that would help them bring their vision to fruition.

Mr. Abdullah Ali Baig Mirza spent an eventful day with the teachers of VIS where he explored the various ‘Innovative Teaching Strategies’ with them. His methods helped them introspect and find out the various ways they can transform their learners and their classroom into a vibrant learning space.