December 15, 2021Comments Off on Communique from the Principal’s desk – December 2021
Topic: MCQ based paper- CBSE
The pandemic has certainly flung our routines into a challenge, but the largest challenge is to evaluate where children are in the learning of age appropriate concepts. There is ample engagement with learning, and a lot of it is subtle and not visible. This is for certain. But to assess the gaps in their acquiring age appropriate conceptual learning is the need of the hour. The shift to multiple choice questions is a two headed missile.
On one end there are worries of children forgetting the art of descriptive writing, which is palpably true. This skill can be attended to though, in various formats, without it having to be assessed for now. On the other end global trends of assessment and competitive examinations incline very strongly towards the multiple choice assessment mode.
Contrary to belief, this is not just making a choice from the options provided, but the questions are cleverly composed such that a student has to draw from different concepts, analyse and apply learning to find the appropriate answer choice. The shift very clearly being- from that of rote learning to that of conceptual learning; from that of unadulterated textual response to that which is meta-cognitive.
Of course the compiler of a question paper should remain very mindful of the kind of questions that are created. Questions cannot be based on the format of the original assessment mode, requiring the student to work out lengthy answers to arrive at the options listed. Questions need to be ingenious enough to take cognisance of the fact that it is not the answer but the process of deriving an answer that needs to be assessed. To check if the student knows the concept to be drawn from to arrive at the answer. A test of the examiners ability to check for true learning, I would say!
I had the opportunity to understand a child’ perspective regarding MCQs as the assessment format. Students seem to favour this mode for the challenge it poses. They feel enthused that there is no lengthy writing required and this mode exercises their intellect.
Training a child to focus on conceptual learning and fostering a habit of regular study, in a child, and starting them off on this journey of ownership for their learning at a young age, is a sure dime method of preparing them for an MCQ based assessment mode and lifelong learning.
Of course, not every student is up for this challenge, but that is a choice that is for a student to make!
An excerpt from an EDUTV interview on the same topic a few weeks ago.
June 3, 2017Comments Off on Communique from the Principal’s desk
As we commence brand new academic year at Deens Academy, here is a gist of what was discussed on Orientation day- 27th May 2017
“Every child in our class is someone else’s whole world”, is what we believe at Deens. So as you hand over your whole world to us, we receive them with care and as much appreciation of their little selves as you have for them! We see every child as a unique individual who has unique needs and abilities. In this home away from home, their school moms strive to cater to their differences to the extent possible. In the end it is our endeavour collectively, you and us, to bestow the wind beneath their wings to become independent little beings, who realise their individual potential and work towards being successful.
“It is not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings”
ACADEMICS: At Deens Academy we believe that independence and opportunities to experiment shape the child’s being, children must be taught how to think, not what to think. You will therefore find that this Deenite is increasingly challenged to think beyond and perform independently. We cover a wide array of topics in our indigenously created curriculum which is not covered completely in the textbooks provided.
Any additional information that the child will need will be supplied, but by far the activities surrounding the learning of a concept, the teacher talk, class discussions, related worksheets, related activities, related projects and written work are the reference points for the child while he is revising the topic dealt with.
ASSESSMENT PLAN: In order to chart the progress of your child, we have created assessment plans that cater to application and independent thinking. We believe assessments are for learning and learning is our goal and not the marks that reflect on any report card.
For primary school, assessments will be ongoing, need based and unannounced, planned by teachers to check progress and concept acquisition. The expectation is that your child revisits, each day, whatever has been covered in the classroom and completes all assigned tasks on a daily basis, thus keeping abreast of learning milestones set by the teacher. The grading system is explained on the following page: https://deensacademy.com/curriculum/primary-school/assessments-primary-school/
For middle school, grades 6 to 8-Formative assessments will be conducted as reviews and internal assessments. There will be two reviews altogether in an academic year in addition to the monthly internal assessments. Apart from these formative assessments we also have term end summative assessments conducted at the end of each term – in September and again in March. The assessment patterns of middle school are explained on the following page https://deensacademy.com/curriculum/middle-school/assessments/
FEEDBACK AND COMMUNICATION with the teacher: Feedback on assessment comes to you on a monthly basis for grades 1-5, , and after each assessment cycle for grades 6-10, is available to parents on their Eduflex portal. It is presented as a rubric which graphically indicates your child’s performance on the learning curve.
Feedback will be as regular as your interaction with the teachers, whichever class your child is in. To facilitate this, we have introduced the tool, Smartwork. Smartwork is a web-based tool which helps you communicate with your childs teacher regularly. Smartwork will, if you subscribe for this option, leave an email intimation for you, every time the teacher makes a post for your child. Our request is that you use this tool prudently, respecting the teachers personal time and work hours. Smart work is accessible from the website as Home work update in the Parent menu or directlyhttps://swda2.codebluesoftware.com/login . This login id and password will be sent to you via email by first week of June.
Theme of the year: Deens believes that academics by itself does not lend to a holistic education. We have a conscious view of value acquisition and we are attempting to realise this through a multi pronged approach. To create an awareness of their global responsibility, we have chosen Sustainability- Shtairyam, as our annual theme for this academic session. Read more about it : https://deensacademy.com/theme-of-the-year-2017-18/
Community Service and Enrichment activities : Children of grades 6-12 will undertake community service activities through the year, planned independently by themselves, to imbibe the ethics of ownership of their community. In addition, we have planned a curriculum for Life skills for every grade from 1-8, which involves basic skills of survival, from tying the shoe lace, buttoning up, folding clothes to effectively presenting ones point of view or developing the skill to ask effective questions. Skills that will in the larger sense make them wholesome individuals.
We also offer hobby clubs within school hours for students of grades 4-7, on alternate Fridays of every month, for 1 ½ hours each. These are paid services, facilitated by experts from the field and it is compulsory for every child to be a part of a club. Information on clubs: https://deensacademy.com/club-activities/
Grade 8 : Interact Club which is in association with Rotary Club The aim of this Club would be to provide exposure to the students to various social and environmental issues and to think of solutions which can be taken up by them.
Our Team of facilitators go through rigorous training sessions, prior to commencement of every new session and through the academic year, in order to be updated with current global pedagogical practices, thus being readied to handle your child’s needs. Here are details of our teams
November 6, 2016Comments Off on Communique from the Prinicipal’s desk
How Important Are Textbooks For Your Child The curriculum at Deens is conceived to cater to the requirement of students and to what is currently operational across academic spheres. We match this to the closest text books available in the market.
In keeping with our vision we should like students to explore and discover and not be restricted by these text books, though. Since textbooks are marketed nationally, they carry content which caters to every child in every kind of school, resulting in caches that cover different topics superficially. Some text books present ideas as facts to be accepted, rather than providing a basis for children to think and explore and discover. Many textbooks oversimplify and fragment the subject matter so much that it leaves the child bored or with no avenue to exercise their analytical or creative aptitudes.
We therefore encourage students across grades to leave their text books at home. They will only carry text books for the various language classes each day by the time table.
For this same reason we have done away with text books altogether for computer science, but we will hand over reading material in areas that we deem requires additional information from our end.
Having said that, I do not wish to convey that the textbooks are dysfunctional- they are tools for revision and every child should be encouraged to revisit what has been covered in the classroom using the textbook, each day. It is one resource to acquire knowledge from, but they should not restrict the child’s ability to imagine or explore. Parents should therefore encourage their child to read on from other resources too.
August 21, 2015Comments Off on Welcome note from the principal
Welcome to The Deens Academy,
We invite you to get a glimpse of the school by exploring our website.
The Deens Academy is a CBSE school established May 2006 with over 3500 happy students across 4 campuses. What defines us is our warm and dedicated team of teaching and support staff who work as one cohesive unit to create a learning environment that is lively, motivating and fun for each child.
The school comprises of
A kindergarten section called KiDeens – operating out of 2 feeder campuses (at Borewell road and Ramagondanahalli) and few sections at the Gunjur campus.
Primary (grades 1 to 4), Middle school (grades 5 to 7), Senior school (grades 8-10) at Whitefield on ECC road and in Gunjur.
Senior Secondary ( 11 and 12) presently only at the Whitefield campus.
As you go through our website, you will learn that our ultimate objective at Deens is to provide each child with a strong foundation for life, so that he or she can thrive as a dynamic and well-adjusted citizen of the world.
‘Volksfiesta’ – The People’s Festival, hosted by Deens Academy is here again!
Volksfiesta is an opportunity to showcase talents and build on excellence through competition with the best.
Deens Academy invites you to compete with your best and the brightest contingent for the promise of
taking back the glory symbolized by the ‘Volksfiesta Trophy’ , on the 25th July at our New Campus Deens
Academy, Kathriguppe, Gunjur.
Please read through to familiarize yourself with the guidelines and other arrangements
A parent and two kids from Deens have embarked on an adventure of 15000 kms across 12 countries. Its been five days since the flag off at Bangalore. Expressing her best wishes Shanthi Maam says ” I am hoping that the Baid family has traversed half the country by now and remains in high spirits and vigour . This is a journey that will test grit of mind and physique. Deens wishes them strength.”
Deens Academy Route to Excellence
The curriculum at Deens is conceived to cater to the requirement of students and to what is currently operational across academic spheres. We match this to the closest text books available in the market.
