Choosing a CBSE school with a Difference

posted on Jan 28, 2022

The Central Board of Secondary Education is a student-friendly and widely popular Board.

Working towards quality benchmarks in school education consistent with the National goals, the CBSE aims to achieve excellence in every sphere of human endeavour through a robust, vibrant and holistic school education. “The Board is committed to provide quality education to promote intellectual, social and cultural vivacity among its learners.” Several activities are included in the curriculum or the study material, making the process playful, interactive and effective for the learner. Adaptation, innovation, capacity building and empowerment of all stakeholders are central to the scheme of CBSE, which serve to disseminate a sense of belief in the system.

Over a period of time India has seen an unprecedented expansion in school education with an overwhelming rise in the number of students enrolling in CBSE schools, both Government run as well as private schools. With this incremental rise, a parallel demand for improvement in the quality of pedagogical practices has also been noticed. Traditionally, educators have often been seen donning the mantle of information disseminators rather than that of facilitators, who motivate students to become independent self-directed learners. This perception and to some extent a reality too, needs to change to stay true to the essence and ethos of what is ‘good education’.

“Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results.” - John Dewey

Acknowledged as the most influential philosopher of progressive education, John Dewey has been a proponent of reflective or critical thinking, who advocated that teaching- learning practices that are one-dimensional do not empower learners with the requisite skills to engage in critical dialogue or philosophical enquiry, nor do they develop in them the scientific temper to analyze, decode and decipher.  Offering opportunities to students to experience, observe, reflect, critique and communicate should be integral to a holistic educational approach for creating individuals with an understanding of the world and everything related to it.

This ethos is fundamental to the pedagogical approach of The Heritage School.

Pioneers in experiential learning in India  The Heritage School endeavours to make a difference in the life of every stakeholder, for each one to feel empowered to create a better world. The child-centric curriculum focuses on inquiry and exploration as vehicles of learning, instead of content. In an authentic real-life context the teachers and students work collaboratively, where students learn to engage with the community to seek answers, give their constructive inputs and realize their calling in life. Within the CBSE framework, elements of expeditionary learning are integrated. Distinct from didactic or rote learning, Expedition based learning focuses on a theme and all aspects related to the same are explored by teachers and students together, while integrating concepts from scholastic and co-scholastic disciplines. The old-school model of passively learning facts, memorising and reciting them  is no longer desirable. Children should have the fundamental skills of literacy and numeracy, along with skills which include planning, critical thinking, reasoning and creativity, visualizing and decision making, researching and data collection, information synthesizing and utilization of high tech tools. With this combination of skills, and ably guided and mentored by skilled teachers, students become directors and managers of their learning process.

While most schools continue to follow the traditional approach, The Heritage School has put in place pedagogies that make learning a meaningful and joyful experience keeping the learner willingly engaged and forever craving for more. This approach to school education makes The Heritage School stand tall as one of the Best CBSE Schools in Delhi & NCR.

"One of the major advantages of project work is that it makes school more like real life. It's an in-depth investigation of a real-world topic worthy of children's attention and effort."-

Education researcher Sylvia Chard

At The Heritage School Noida, experience, reflection, dialogue and understanding are the foundational pillars that complete the learning process:

1. CHILDREN LEARN BEST BY DOING: This hands-on approach enables them to grapple with a problem, issue or concept using all their senses. The learning experience thus becomes multi- dimensional and an internal, cognitive, sensory and emotional process. This engagement leads the children to the second stage.
2. CHILDREN EXAMINE THEIR LEARNING: The second step sees children examine their learning critically and creatively. Through sustained inquiry, they are able to probe further into the problem, concept or task at hand. This takes the child onto the third stage.
3. THE QUESTIONS THAT ASSAIL A CHILD'S MIND: After having experienced and reflected upon a problem, the mind seeks answers via the dialogic approach. Dialogue helps the child to see the bigger picture, think outside the box, and engage collaboratively with others. It helps to focus on individual and interpersonal learning outcomes.
4. THE CHILD ARRIVES AT HER DESTINATION: After having had meaningful experiences, followed by reflection and dialogue, the child arrives at her destination, a richer and more fulfilled being. This helps the child to think and act independently. This manifests itself not only in terms of grades or marks but also real and meaningful understanding.

Adding the FUN element to learning creates the best educational experience possible. Students are curious and they enjoy what they do and that is where the difference is created!

“The students of the future will demand the learning support that is appropriate for their situation or context. Nothing more, nothing less!” - Marcus Specht