Kangaroo Kids Institute for Teacher’s Development and Research (KITDR), a division of Kangaroo Kids Education Ltd (KKEL), organised its second Learning Teacher Conference at the Rotary Centre, Juhu, Mumbai on October 1. This year, KITDR organised the conference in collaboration with ETDA (E Cube Teacher Development Academy) and ADAPT (formerly Spastics Society of India).
Conceptualised on the theme ‘Crossing Boundaries, Sharing Journeys’, the conference highlighted the importance of early identification of developmental delays, early intervention and inclusion in preschool. Given that despite excellent preschool programmes, the great majority of the country’s challenged children are unable to access inclusive education, renowned practitioners, entrepreneurs, researchers, special needs experts, teacher development professionals and other educators, shared and exchanged ideas, focusing on best ways and means to promote inclusive early childhood education.
“KKEL believes in supporting inclusion as a practice, providing special support to children with special needs in regular classrooms. Preschools should play a major role by building models and systems that can be easily implemented,” said Lina Ashar, founder-director of KKEL and the Billabong High International schools.
At the event, eight separate workshops discussed issues including support for students in inclusive classrooms, importance of early intervention, developing sustainable systems, role of school managements in establishing home-school partnerships, supporting differentiated instruction and spreading public awareness.
“When I was born, doctors told my parents that I would be a helpless vegetable. But I proved them wrong by acquiring a double Masters. Access and institutional attitudes play a pivotal role in empowering disabled people. Society should create environments to celebrate differences and not despair,” said Malini Chib, author of One Little Finger, speaking on the occasion.
Panasonic-Unesco ecology programme
To promote environmental education for the next generation, the Osaka (Japan)-based Panasonic Corporation and Unesco’s World Heritage Centre (WHC) announced a Youth Education Strategic Partnership agreement in New Delhi on October 4. Under this two-year agreement, Panasonic and WHC will undertake communication and educational activities promoting the Eco Learning and Eco Picture Diary programmes for awareness and development of genext at World Heritage sites. The programme is being introduced in India after being successfully initiated in Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, UAE and the UK.
Under the World Heritage Environmental Learning Programme for India, school students will be taken to the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, Rajasthan. This park, formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is a 29 sq. km freshwater swamp for water birds, and hosts more than 350 bird species including migratory birds from Central Asia and Siberia, and several endangered avians. Under the programme, 420 students of three schools — John Milton Public School, DPS Mathura Refinery and St. Vivekananda Public School — all Agra-based — will present and debate the programmes culminating in the selection of the India contest winner.
“Panasonic, as an environment-conscious organisation not only develops eco-friendly products, but also technologies embedded with ‘eco ideas’ which provide solutions to make everyday domestic and business life simpler, more convenient and energy efficient. We are committed to cultivating an eco brand with strong roots in India to preserve the cultural and natural heritage sites of this country,” said Daizo Ito, president of Panasonic India speaking on the occasion.
MBA redesign workshop series
Directors of the country’s top business management institutes and eminent industry leaders engaged in intense deliberations to redesign current MBA curriculums in India, and infuse innovation and creativity into them at a national workshop in Chennai on October 29. The workshop was organised by the IIM-Ahmedabad Alumni Association (AAA), Chennai Chapter with Anna University, IIM-Ahmedabad and IIM-Calcutta as knowledge partners.
Based on the bestselling book Rethinking the MBA; Management Education at a Crossroad by renowned Harvard professor Srikant Datar, who was present and led the deliberations, the workshop titled ‘Rethinking Management Education with Innovation and Creativity’ attracted participation of some of India’s top academics including Dr. Samir Barua, director of IIM-A; Prof. Shekhar Chaudhuri, director, IIM-C; Dr. Mannar Jawahar, vice chancellor, Anna University, besides senior business executives including Lakshmi Narayan of Cognizant Technologies, and Dr. Aravind Srinivasan of the Aravind Eye Hospital.
The first workshop in this series at IIM-Ahmedabad, focused on corporate governance and ethics, the second in Mumbai had leadership as its theme, and the third in the series at IIM-Calcutta had globalisation as its focus.
Commented Prof. Barua, director of IIM-Ahmedabad: “The initiative is gaining momentum and the fifth workshop in this series to engage the stakeholders across India is scheduled for January. We are looking forward to moving to action post receiving inputs and consulting all stakeholders.”
Steve McMahon Academy kick off
The Genesis Global School, Noida, hosted the first training session of the Steve McMahon Football Academy (SMFA), the official training academy of the Liverpool Football Club. Steve McMahon, a former England and Liverpool Football Club legend and Paul Masefield, former English league player and coach, presided over the inaugural coaching session.
The academy will train children in the eight-16 age group with the objective of targeting them at an early age to develop into players of the future, not just for India’s national team but also to play at the highest level in European clubs.
Speaking on the occasion, Gurbir Singh, director (sports) of Genesis Global School commented: “We are very excited that Steve McMahon has chosen our school for the academy’s first training session. There’s a reservoir of football talent in the country that needs to be groomed from an early age. At the Genesis Global School, we are keen to transform our students into players of the future.”