Creating a resilient, adaptive & open-minded generation

Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

The Shri Ram Universal School, (TSUS) Hyderabad in its pursuit of excellence has yet again gone on to put forth an unparalleled display of resilience and has proven that challenges are only opportunities to grow. Guided by the vision statement of the school, there is a continuous thrust on creating sensitive individuals who respond adequately to the world events around them. A crisis such as the pandemic required strengthening of the 3-way handshake even more. The parent, school, and child connect called for a structured and well-planned reinforcement.

When the Pandemic presented the world of education with an unexpected and uncertain future, TSUS embraced the challenge with great agility and a progressive approach. Educators at TSUS have consciously been preparing students for the real-world challenges, enabling them to deal with uncertainties and empowering them to face turbulent times. They left no stone unturned to teach students to become independent decision-makers, adaptive, resilient and open-minded individuals.

Communication is KEY.

Continued communication yields an association that helps develop trust and faith. A well-devised plan that incorporated two-way communication and continuous feedback were instrumental in laying the foundation of the swift shift into the virtual world. Over and above the regular exchange of emails, telecalls, parent surveys, workshops, informal virtual connects over a cup of tea with the parents, helped achieving collective goals. They firmly believe in partnering with parents to ensure that the school and home are extensions of each other.

Fresh and novel ways of building a strong virtual connection were initiated. Shri Samvaad, a platform for heart-to-heart conversations with parents, webinars, orientations were conducted to ensure that the channel of communication remains dynamic and continuous.

A counselling facility called Shri Saathi was set up for parents and students to reach out in case of any emotional distress. Sensitivity, one of the core values of The Shri Ram Universal School, was the driving force behind going the extra mile to check the well- being of parents and students through personalised courtesy calls. Furthermore, to cater to the socio-emotional connect with students ‘Sparkling Saturdays’, a dedicated time to connect with peers and teachers was carved out.

TSUS thrives on the robust culture of staff well-being, more so, during the pandemic, innovative ways of relieving stress and bonding were introduced. Engaging them in therapeutic art workshops like ‘Meditate with Mandala’ was one of the many initiatives in that direction. International Day of Yoga extended the same thought for students, parents and staff alike. Appreciation emails, heart-warming feedback, special notes for teachers on MS teams acted like fuel to sustain the high levels of motivation.

One of the best practices, Shri Milap – the monthly all-hands meet has been yet another stress buster for Team TSUS. Besides breaking the monotony of work this special connect helps foster a culture of collaboration and trust.

Sharpening the saw

At TSUS, the teaching methodology, the values, the curricular and co-curricular activities follow the ‘Shri way’, which recognises the individuality of each child and enables the child to bloom at his/her own pace. There is great emphasis on experiential learning so that the child learns by doing. Teachers invested great efforts into bringing online tools that brought experiential learning into the virtual classrooms.

The use of Augmented Reality(AR) to explain concepts struck the right chord with students as it anchored learning at multiple levels. Continuous training, willingness to learn and collaboration ensured that the transition to the virtual world was seamless.

The tribute to the teaching community which was initiated by The Shri Ram Universal School, Hyderabad in the Academic year 2019-20, Acharya Devo Bhava – Educators’ Conclave was reorganised virtually this October. This was the second edition with the theme Celebrate Teachers. The objective of the conclave was to reach out to thought leaders and educationists from across the country as the need to collaborate and connect was essential during these unprecedented times. The conclave was an opportunity for all the stakeholders to introspect and rethink education and educational pedagogy.

The virtual medium of learning opened up many avenues to carry forward hands-on learning. An extravagant science expo in which students of TSUS conducted numerous experiments using available resources was a remarkable feat. This hallmark event showcased the scientific prowess of students across Shri Educare partner schools in India.

Striking a Balance

A child’s need for creative expression and physical activity for constructive energy release is understood, acknowledged and catered to at TSUS. Keeping this critical aspect of well-being in mind, TSUS Hyderabad has made a conscious effort to incorporate activity classes in the child’s schedule each day.

An interesting art challenge was thrown open for students across the globe in the form of ‘Shri Art Challenge – Awaken the artist in you’, keeping them productively engaged during the onset of the 21 Day lockdown in India.

At TSUS, events are a vital part of the teaching- learning process. It is seen as an amalgamation of expression, perspective, display of talent and skills resulting in immense learning. Values are inculcated in students through the various thoughtfully designed events.

Partnering with Torrins Academy, who are pioneers in music education in the country to devise innovative ways of teaching music during the pandemic was another conscious effort made to ensure constructive engagement. These music classes included Body Percussions, Beat Boxing, Home Percussions apart from vocals. The recent feat in the form of a Collaborative Video released on Children’s Day was a soulful amalgamation of student learning.

The school continued to be home to a vibrant and dedicated community that celebrates and practices art in the form of public speaking, visual arts, music, dance and theatre. Ensuring that students are nurtured holistically, they were provided with various platforms for creative expression.

All aspects of school life including student council elections, assemblies, special events such as Teachers’ day and Independence day celebrations, Founders Day, Van Mahotsav, Science Expo, Shri Jhankar, Hindi Diwas, Telugu Bhasha Dinavotsavam were conducted online with aplomb.

Thus, every challenge has changed into an opportunity and paved the way for the students of TSUS to learn and grow together. The right attitude, a growth mindset, and steadfast determination have enabled The Shri Ram Universal School, Hyderabad to stand tall amidst the prevalent times.

To know more, reach out to the Parent Relationship Team at +91 9014039119 or drop an email to contactus@tsushyderabad.com. One can also schedule an appointment for a guided tour of the lush green campus on their website www.tsushyderabad.com.

To be a part of Shri Family as an educator, write to careers@tsushyderabad.com