Interview With Principal - Chaman Bhartiya School, Bengaluru

Interview With Principal Anderson- Chaman Bhartiya School, Bengaluru

Careers360 | Could you please share a bit about the legacy of Chaman Bhartiya School, Bangalore?

Anderson | As a new school, we have not accumulated much legacy, as we are currently concluding our third academic year. However, it can be considered our first academic year as we commenced our operations online. Our second year was mainly hybrid, but predominantly online.

Thus, we had to gradually establish all our operations. Originally, we did not plan to operate solely online, but due to the continual spread of COVID, we deemed it more beneficial to have an online school than no school at all. Thus, the initial two years focused primarily on delivering quality online education, and this year we are primarily focused on organising and implementing in-person classes.

Although our school was not initially intended to be an online school, we do incorporate technology heavily in our teaching approach. As such, every student from class 1 onwards has been provided with their own iPad. We believe that technology serves as an excellent creative tool for learning. This has allowed us to have the infrastructure necessary to seamlessly transition to online learning when required, without students struggling to access devices at home.

Our approach to technology as a learning tool is to use it judiciously, ensuring that it is employed only when suitable, and to balance its usage with ample physical activities throughout the day to minimise screen time. Nevertheless, technology plays a vital role in our teaching methodology since it enables us to customise learning experiences.

Careers360 | What is the vision of the school?

Anderson | Our school's vision is centered around cultivating leadership qualities in our students. While we are not a business school, we believe in developing personal and social attributes that are essential for navigating the modern world and making a positive impact on it.

My presence in India is directly related to the amalgamation of my Danish background and the Indian educational approach. As a Danish national and former principal in Denmark, I have spent my entire career working within a holistic framework that places great emphasis on the well-being of children. My intention was to bring the best of both worlds together and see how they can complement each other.

We define leadership as a set of personal qualities that we strive to instil in our students. At the same time, we also recognize that academics play a crucial role in developing leadership skills. Our approach to holistic education is not intended to downplay the importance of academics, but rather to integrate academic development with social and emotional well-being.

We believe that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process, and our school employs both traditional classroom teaching and more student-centric, hands-on learning experiences. Our innovation lab is a prime example of this approach, as students learn to create digital apps, robots, and AI through active problem-solving and project-based learning.

Careers360 | What educational board is the school affiliated with?

Anderson | After class 5, the children can choose between ICSE and IB. Until class 5, we have developed our own curriculum which we call the ‘We Lead curriculum’, which prepares for that choice between ICSE and IB.

Careers360 | What would you say is the typical student to teacher ratio in a classroom?.

Anderson | Our school has a unique approach to classroom design and nomenclature. Rather than referring to teachers and students, we refer to them as facilitators and learners, respectively. Our learner-to-facilitator ratio is maintained at a 10:1, although this does not necessarily translate to class sizes of only one learner. We also offer personalised mentoring programs, where each child is paired with a single teacher.

Careers360 | What are some of the extracurricular offerings provided by the school for the development of its students?

Anderson | As this is our school's inaugural physical year, we are currently in the planning stages for extracurricular activities, which will be implemented in the next academic year. These activities will include a range of conventional clubs, such as those focused on sports, arts and music, public speaking, podcast creation, and artificial intelligence. At our school, we place a great deal of importance on cultivating passion in our students, as we believe it is a crucial element of learning.

This principle is reflected in our mentoring program, which has undergone a pilot project. Starting from class 6 in the upcoming academic year, every learner will have a mentor, who will not necessarily be the teacher who teaches them in the classroom. This program will be integral to helping students find and pursue their passions.

Careers360 | Could you share some highlights about the infrastructure of this school in your first academic year?

Anderson | Our school building is unique, as it draws inspiration from a similar building I oversaw as a principal in Copenhagen. Our learning spaces are designed to be flexible and open, allowing for a more interactive and engaging learning experience. Only 1/3 of lessons take place in traditional classrooms, with the rest occurring in labs, workshops, or open spaces. This approach encourages learners to take a more active role in tackling challenges and problems, by seeking information from textbooks, websites, and other sources to find solutions.

Additionally, our school places a strong emphasis on creativity and innovation, which is why we have established an innovation lab featuring a range of tools and resources, such as physical activities, carpentry tools, app creation software, and even an artificial intelligence studio. The innovation lab is an integral part of our curriculum.

Careers360 | Anything specific you would like to highlight about the academic offerings of this school?

Anderson | Our current focus is to obtain authorisation for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP). To achieve this, we are taking all necessary steps and measures. In the future, we plan to introduce an IP career program in classes 11 and 12. This program will be closely linked to students' future careers and will involve collaboration with various companies to provide practical exposure and experience.

Careers360 | So, are there currently any initiatives being taken up by the school which fosters the overall development of its students?

Anderson | Our school has a vision of nurturing future leaders, and to achieve this, we place great emphasis on problem-based learning. Through this approach, students engage in collaborative projects where they identify real-world problems and work together to find creative solutions. Currently, our focus is on sustainable development goals, which is related to water. All of our students are working on projects that directly address clean water or water resources, with a poetic and lyrical angle also being explored. This is an ongoing process, and we plan to continue implementing such projects regularly. As part of our efforts towards sustainability, we also have a green committee that is working on a hydroponic garden project.

Careers360 | Any advice you would like to give students in context experiencing exam anxiety about the upcoming examinations?

Anderson | It's crucial for children to understand that their test results don't determine their worth as individuals. Many children interpret low marks as a reflection of their value as human beings, which is far from the truth. It's important to emphasise to young people that while we evaluate their test performance, we are not evaluating them as individuals.

Regardless of the outcome, they are inherently valuable, and their worth does not diminish based on their academic performance. It's important to encourage students to do their best and prepare thoroughly for exams, but also to understand that it's not the end of the world if their results don't meet their expectations.