assetscope november 2014

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The Monthly Newsletter

Issue 109 | November, 2014 | www.ei-india.com

COVER Story

Team-Building Games That Promote Critical ThinkingOne of education’s primary goals is to groom the next generation of little humans to succeed in the “real world.”

Yes, there are mounds of curricula they must master in a wide breadth of subjects, but education does not begin and end with a textbook or test. Other skills must be honed, too, not the least of which is how to get along with their peers and work well with others. This is not something that can be cultivated through rote memorization or with strategically placed posters.

Students must be engaged and cooperation must be practised, and often. The following team-building games can promote cooperation and communication, help establish a positive classroom environment and — most importantly — provide fun and a much-needed reprieve from the normal routine.

Few Team-Building Games That Promote Collaborative Critical Thinking:

1. If You Build it…

This team-building game is flexible. Divide students into teams and give them equal amounts of a certain material, like pipe cleaners, blocks, or even dried spaghetti and marshmallows. Then, give them something to construct. The challenge can be variable (Think: Which team can build the tallest, structurally-sound castle? Which team can build a castle the fastest?).

You can recycle this activity throughout the year by adapting the challenge or materials to specific content areas.

Skills: Communication; problem-solving

2. Zoom

Zoom is a classic classroom cooperative game that never seems to go out of style. Form students into a circle and give each a unique picture of an object, animal or whatever else suits your fancy. You begin a story that incorporates whatever happens to be on your assigned photo. The next student continues the story, incorporating their photo, and so on.

Skills: Communication; creative collaboration

3. Minefield

This is another classic team-building game. Arrange some sort of obstacle course and divide students into teams. Students take turns navigating the “mine field” while blindfolded, with only their teammates to guide them. You can also request students to only use certain words or clues to make it challenging or content-area specific.

Skills: Communication; trust

4. The Worst-Case Scenario

Fabricate a scenario in which students would need to work together and solve problems to succeed, -problems like, being stranded on a

deserted island or getting lost at sea. Ask them to work together to concoct a solution that ensures everyone arrives safely. You might ask them to come up with a list of 10 must-have items that would help them most, or a creative passage to safety. Encourage them to vote for everyone to arrive at a final solution.

Skills: Communication, problem-solving

5. Go for Gold

This game is similar to the “If you build it” game: Teams have a common objective, but instead of each one having the same materials, they have access to a whole cache of materials. For instance, the goal might be to create a contraption with pipes, rubber tubing and pieces of cardboard that can carry a marble from point A to point B in a certain number of steps, using only gravity.

Skills: Creative collaboration; communication; problem-solving

Excerpts from the original article – 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

Source: http://www.teachthought.com

Team building games.......

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Student Corner

Imagine a world without novel inventions. History shows that turning the concept of an invention into a working device is not always swift or direct.

BBC 2 has recently telecast a 4 series documentary on world’s major inventions in last two centuries and how these have shaped the fortune of humanity. Each series is of 30 min duration. Episode 1 is on power. Electric power in today’s world has become the lifeline of humankind. The episode reveals a fascinating chain of events that made such everyday miracles possible. Harnessing electric power is a British invention. The episode shows how the invention came about and how this lead to the transport and communication revolution.

Episode 2 is on speed telling stories of invention from the steam locomotive to the steam engine. Episode 3 is on communication. Nothing has shrunk the globe more than our extraordinary ability to talk across the oceans and continents. It tells the story of a handful of extraordinary inventions and innovators who helped build the modern world by harnessing electricity and

Video Review

electromagnetism to enable us to send instant messages across vast distances.

Episode 4 is on visual images, which define our modern world. Our ability to see and record live events from right across the world has shrunk the globe, making virtual neighbours of us all. Experts tell us the amazing story of the greatest and most transformative inventions of all time –

photography, moving pictures and television.

All these episodes separate myth from reality in the lives of the great inventors and celebrate some of the most remarkable stories in the history of science.

These are available in YouTube and are a must for students of higher grades and teachers alike.

The Genius of Invention – BBC SeriesPresented by Michael Mosley, Year – 2013

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Dehradun - The Doon SchoolAhmedabad - Anand Niketan SchoolMumbai - Prime Academy (ICSE)Bangalore - Army Public SchoolNew Delhi - Basava International SchoolChennai - Chettinand Hari Shree VidyalayamGuwahati - Happy Child High SchoolHyderabad - Sanghamitra School

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Test CentresTest Date: 30th November, 2014

www.ei-india.com/talentsearch/

By: Jitu Mishra, Educational Specialist, EI

Educational Initiatives Pvt. Ltd.A/201, Balleshwar Square, Opp. Iskon Temple,S.G. Highway, Ahmedabad-380015Phone : 91-079-66211600Fax : 91-079 66211700 Email : [email protected] : www.ei-india.com

We would like to receive your feedback on the contents of ASSETScope and the activities of EI. Please send your comments / opinions / suggestions to [email protected], [email protected] or to the postal address mentioned on the left. This is a platform meant for you and it would be great to exchange ideas with you.

Bookpost

Mrs. Jayanthi Venkataraman,Principal,Sister Nivedita School,Hyderabad

Who has most influenced you to become an educator, and how did they influence you?–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––The person who has influenced me to become an educator

is my husband, who always believed that teaching is a noble, dignified profession without a doubt. In fact I started this at home with my children when they were in school with easy to understand activities to learn their textual lessons. It just happened one day, when I was dropped in front of a school and the skills I had learnt earlier enabled me an entry to the educational field, from when it became clear to me that teaching is a passion and not just a profession.

What is your approach to classroom management and student discipline?–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Students must be trusted and we should be the tools to build their self esteem and confidence. Punishments will only make students rebels in their later days. I always reason out to explain their erroneous behaviour and make them realize the outcome of such actions. Following the principles of Swami Vivekananda, I work in a school where we uphold values above everything.

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What are your views regarding the ‘Importance of Teacher Training and Development’ in educating Students?–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

In the present scenario Teacher Training is necessary not only to enable students to score 10 CGPA but to also transform them in their thinking from being a human to becoming humane.Students need to blend knowledge skills and values for which the teachers are the sculptors to chisel the students’ future. In today’s tech savvy world of visuals and technology, teachers can prevent the wild imagination of the topics theoretically taught in the class by rote learning so as to inculcate research oriented thinking of ‘how’ and ‘why’.

What is your view regarding the ASSET Test?–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

ASSET is really an asset, a boon to the teachers as well as the students. It rightly fits in the mindscape to fix the loopholes in our educational system to train students to be creative, innovative and to think on problem solving issues. The analytical and statistical report sent to schools mirrors the performance of students and helps clarify their misconceptions. It is a wholesome assessment to take up any competitive exam or to excel in the CBSE course of studies. Overall it enables the learners to develop a thorough practical approach to learning.

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Test Date: 1st - 5th December, 2014www.ei-india.com/asset/

assetscope november 2014

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