Back to school: What are the four quadrants of success?

I notice, that of late, my professional media accounts have started buzzing again. My google calendar is throwing up reminders of important meetings. Fortunately, the sear of the desert heat is a tad mitigated. It is time to stack away my holiday suitcases, forward my morning alarm and edit my holiday pics to free up my phone’s memory.

It’s a clarion call for a new day.

The long summer break is done and schools are vigorously preparing to welcome students and faculty back to the fold. As we roll up our sleeves, we are conscious that while vacations are rejuvenating and fun; schools, too, are joyous places where learning is purposeful and engaging.

Here are some things we work towards to give our students the best experience when they return to our premises:

Creating a positive experience: School administrators diligently set up programmes and processes to ensure a smooth transition from the idyllic languor of holidays to the rigour of school routine. Teachers have been creative while festooning their classrooms with welcome boards and designing ice breakers. Ample opportunities to care and share for teachers and students will be the hallmark of school opening.

Easing stakeholders into school routines: Schools, typically, are cognisant of the impact of the sudden change in daily routines and have already dispatched communication to parents to reset timetables at home. ‘Early to bed and early to rise’, is the call of the day. Healthy lunch boxes are encouraged and parents are mentally prepared for the metamorphosis of their household routine. Some students eagerly await school’s reopening to meet their friends and teachers, while others are anxious, especially if the school is new. Schools use focused initiatives, as well as councillors, teachers and student representatives to break the ice and ensure that a friendly helping hand and a kind word is offered to all students. A buddy, teacher or even a parent, is attached to a newcomer to ease the transition.

A fresh beginning with endless possibilities: Since Indian schools commence their academic year in April, it is the start of the second term; for other curricula it is the beginning of a new academic year. But for all students the long summer break ensures that it is time to reset the clock and embrace challenges. How wonderful it is to be able to start anew! Failures, like old ghosts, can be whittled away, with persistent effort and new learning, the muscle of freshly acquired skills can be used for the accomplishment of ambitions and goals. All stakeholders in schools are geared to up their learning curve and smash their hitherto elusive goal: a student to better his academic scores, the athlete to make the school team, a parent to contribute to the school by joining the parent governing body, a teacher to improve her questioning techniques, a school leader to ensure the progress of all school data, the governor to add resources to enhance students’ experience. Indeed, it is the perfect opportunity to set goals.

Goals - macro and micro: Many schools conduct baseline tests or Half Yearly Examinations at the start of this term to reset goals and close any gaps that may be the result of the long lay-off. Students and teachers may set an overall goal and follow up with mini-incremental evidence of progress. School leaders critically study school data and determine the areas that need reinforcement and set goals for the school’s continuous development. A growth mind set is the foundation of these actions and a strong belief in the efficacy of all. A hard look at the strengths and weaknesses of every individual in school and a supportive programme to close the gaps is essential to move students and the school forward.

Making the vacation count: As we embrace the new term, school leaders recognise the importance of holidays and urge students and teachers to continue to use the new skill/ learning acquired. Several students use the benefit of summer internships for their project work or to reinforce their university applications, IT skills or even becoming an expert guitarist or a painter is not to be wasted. The long break for many students is a very busy and useful time, indeed! Another imperative is that the rejuvenation acquired during vacations is not lost by all stakeholders. Sharing of holiday pics, meaningful incidents is a deliberate part of the first staff meeting. We know that well-being and good relationships are key to a great school.

• Back to school in UAE: Teachers urged to use technology as new academic year begins

• UAE