How ‘Brother John’ rhyme is making hand hygiene fun for kids

How ‘Brother John’ rhyme is making hand hygiene fun for kids

Singing the steps of good handwashing technique to the tune of a popular nursery rhyme may help young children learn the process and fend off common infections picked up in school, a small Canadian study suggests. Nisha Thampi and colleagues adapted the tune of the song Brother John, also known as Frere Jacques, replacing its lyrics with a six-step handwash practice prescribed by World Health Organization.

Because there didn’t seem to be an existing musical video targeted at children showing the six-step technique using the recommended handwash, Thampi and colleagues decided to develop their own musical mnemonic. They wrote the lyrics with the help of schoolchildren. “To get my own children to wash their hands with the proper technique, I played with each step until it fell into a song pattern that flowed nicely to the tune of Brother John,” Thampi said.

The Brother John lyrics: “Are you sleeping, are you sleeping, Brother John, Brother John, Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing, Ding, ding, dong; ding, ding, dong”

. . . were replaced with: “Scrub your palms, between the fingers, wash the back (one hand), wash the back (other hand) Twirl the tips (one hand) around (other hand), scrub them upside down, Thumb attack (one thumb)! Thumb attack (other thumb)!”

Thampi then used her 8-year-old daughter as a test case. “She heard the first version of the song and helped revise it to have better flow. She demonstrated it to her friends and classmates,” Thampi said.

To test whether the routine would be effective in removing germs, the researchers applied fluorescent markings on the hands of the children, who were between 6 and 9 years old, before they washed with soap and water while singing the song. After the routine, there was a significant reduction in the markings, according to a report in ‘The BMJ’.

“This song is a fun way to teach children how to wash their hands and has the potential to decrease the burden of germs on hands, a very common way of catching an infection,” Thampi said. REUTERS

Source : Source : https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/#

Summer holidays: A time to discover, develop and nurture ....

Summer holidays: A time to discover, develop and nurture your passions and academic aspirations

Summer holidays for middle and high school kids tend to either become a pressure cooker of hustle and bustle or are reduced to doldrums of inactivity. Summer programs help prevent kids from plunging into a state of inertia or turning into gadget junkies. These programs cover academic exploration, cultural immersion, leadership training, social impact work and global networking opportunities. Crucial life skills and fostering growth and independent thinking with peers from across the board is a core component of what they offer. Liberated from their comfort zones and familiar territory, children can shed their inhibitions and explore a gamut of options freely.

A diverse range of opportunities exist both within India and abroad, and cost anywhere from `30,000 to `5,00,000. Enrolling into an intensive program to master diverse new skills like a new language, music, art or theatre, or even an introduction to journalism, medicine or STEM. Summer programs are not limited to summer schools. Students can intern with global companies, serve the community through social change initiatives, prepare for standardised tests or attend leadership camps.

Mumbai-based independent education consulting company The Red Pens’ summer programs fair has a fully vetted, comprehensive selection of summer programs. LCR Capital Partners, a global investment and advisory firm which helps clients secure US residency via the EB-5 Investment Visa Program, are the partners for this fair

Where: Summer Programs Fair, Jade Ballroom at Jade Garden, Nehru Centre, Ground Floor, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli When: January 11 Timings: 11 am to 12 pm (information session) and 12 pm to 5 pm (Summer School Fair) Call: 9820491179 Register: https://theredpen.in/ summer-programs-fair/ E-mail: info@theredpen.in Visit: www.theredpen.in

Source : https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/#

CBSE and CISCE 2020 Board Exam: 10 tips and tricks that might help

CBSE and CISCE 2020 Board Exam: 10 tips and tricks that might help

Posted on 26th December 2019 by Nita Samantaray

CBSE and CISCE 2020 Board Exam: Students can follow these 10 tips and tricks to excel in the upcoming examination.

CBSE and CISCE 2020 Board Exam

As we know CBSE and CISCE have already declared their class 10 and 12 board exam timetable, provoking anxiety among students. So, to help students to deal with exams with a calm mind here are some tips and tricks that shall help the students-

Organize early revision:

The best plan to crack the examination is through rigorous revision. And that can be in any way which makes it easy for you whether practicing the theorems and numerical problems of Mathematics or going through with the chemical formulas in Chemistry, the best way is to do it religiously. So don’t touch the chapters which are untouched or try to learn something last minute rather utilize the remaining time in getting better penetrations on chapters that have already done.

Plan a productive timetable:

Those who optimize their time in the right way are rightly the champions of tomorrow. The making the timetable should include extra hours to the topics which seem hard and complicated, but more manageable topics should also be studied concurrently as they are going to play an important role in scoring well in the examination.

Study each subject on daily studies:

 Provide each subject a fair amount of time. Every subject is essential because they are going to make an impact on one’s scorecard equally. The students should devote extra time to subjects where they lack but other subjects should not be overlooked and be revised regularly and sincerely.

Make notes:

 Making notes while studying is like revising what you know. It shall help them in the last phase of the study; the last-minute browsing before exam day.

Study with friends:

 Though it should be done cautiously as it creates distraction too, to have an honest and sincere group study is always counseled to understand a subject thoroughly and practically. A casual group might end up waving one’s studies.

Study of previous years’ papers:

For greater clarity and better grasp over a subject, a student should also spend some time in solving question papers of the last few years. This shall help the student in trying maximum numbers of questions in the given time slot.

Healthy meal:

 Consumption of a balanced meal each day before and during the exam. Th must constitute a balanced amount of all nutrients — carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals for better immunity and active living to wave off laziness.

Proper breaks:

 A 10-minute break every hour of sitting is good to avoid boredom as well as stiffness.

Sleep well:

 A healthy amount of sleep is the need for the effective functioning of the body and brain. So, try to sleep in a calm and comfortable environment.

Stay positive:

Calming your mind and reaching with the same mind to the examination center 10-15 minutes early and fill your mind with positive thoughts to increase your confidence.

Source : https://www.pagalguy.com/articles/cbse-and-cisce-2020-board-exam-10-tips-and-tricks-that-might-help

CBSE issues new instruction memos to teachers for errors in the checking

CBSE issues new instruction memos to teachers for errors in the checking

As per the mail sent out to the schools, the CBSE board has quoted that the action of the teachers have caused 'grief' to many students. The CBSE board has also asked the school administration to look into this matter.

India Today Web Desk | New Delhi | December 23, 2019

Here's the new notice issued by CBSE to all school teachers. Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE has issued memos to teachers for discrepancy and errors in the checking and computation of CBSE Board Results 2019.

According to Times Now, many teachers - from those who marked the answer sheets to those who were responsible for uploading the marks, have been asked to explain the same.

CBSE on how to conduct the enquiry

CBSE would also be sending out details on how to conduct the enquiry and would accordingly decide on the action against the teachers found responsible for erroneous marking.

CBSE notice for private candidates

CBSE on December 18, 2019 has released a new notice for CBSE board exam candidates. This is a CBSE notice for clarifications regarding subjects offered by Private candidates for Class 12 students for CBSE Board exams 2020.

CBSE Datesheet 2020:

The Central Board of Secondary Education has released the CBSE board exam datesheet for Class 12th and 10th a few days back. The candidates can check the CBSE datesheet 2020 on its official website--cbse.nic.in.

CBSE Board Class 10, Class 12 Date Sheet 2020: How to check CBSE Board timetable

• Log on to the official website of CBSE, cbse.nic.in

• On the homepage, click on the link which says, "Class XII EXAMINATION Datesheet, 2020 or Class X EXAMINATION Datesheet, 2020"

• CBSE Board Date Sheet 2020 will be displayed on the screen

• Check exam dates and timings

• Download it and take print out of the same for future use.

As notified earlier, this year the CBSE Board Exams 2020 will begin from February 15, 2020.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/cbse-board-exams-2020-cbse-datesheet-cbse-notice-divd-1630825-2019-12-23

Make Marathi must in ICSE and CBSE schools: BJP, Sena

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ADJOURNED TWICE

Make Marathi must in ICSE and CBSE schools: BJP, Sena

Ashish.Roy@timesgroup.com

Nagpur:

The state legislative council was adjourned twice on Wednesday as BJP MLCs created a ruckus demanding that schools affiliated to CBSE and ICSE make Marathi a compulsory subject. Shiv Sena MLCs supported this demand.

When school education minister Balasaheb Thorat said he would first study the legislation of other states regarding making the regional language compulsory in CBSE and ICSE schools and then take a decision, BJP MLCs stormed the well of the House and started raising slogans against the government. Sena MLCs stood up on their seats and asked the minister to announce his decision immediately. Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar adjourned the House twice. Finally, Nimbalkar directed Thorat to convene a meeting on the issue and seek suggestions from MLCs.

BJP and Sena MLCs said Marathi medium schools affiliated to the state board were closing down and the number of schools affiliated to CBSE and ICSE were increasing. “These schools do not teach Marathi and the young generation will not get an opportunity to learn the state language. Hence, Marathi should be made compulsory,” they demanded. Thorat said according to the government resolution, dated August 7, 2009, CBSE and ICSE schools should follow a three-language formula till class VIII and have Marathi as the second language. “But teaching Marathi is not compulsory; it should be available as an optional language,” he added.

In August, the erstwhile BJP-Sena government had formed a committee of Marathi literary and education experts, including ministers, to prepare a draft of law to make Marathi mandatory in all boards, including ICSE and CBSE. The committee was expected to prepare a preliminary draft of relevant legislation after a detailed study of regional languages in other states. As part of the state’s three-language formula, schools teach Marathi for around four years till class VIII. Most city schools said they already follow the rule. “Making Marathi language compulsory up to class X would be problem because our boards would then have to hold an exam for the subject,” said the principal of a CBSE school

Source : https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/#

CBSE releases date sheet for Class 10, Class 12 exams 2020

CBSE releases date sheet for Class 10, Class 12 exams 2020; check schedule here

SOURCE: DNA webdesk | DNA Web Team | Updated: Dec 19, 2019

To all the students appearing for CBSE class 10th & 12th board exams, hold your breath. The date sheet for  Class 10 and Class 12 examinations have been released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on its official website cbse.nic.in.

As per the date sheet, the board exam will begin from February 15, 2020 (Monday) and will end on March 30, 2020 (Monday).

CBSE has also released the date sheet for practicals, which will be held from January 1 to February 7, 2020, in respective schools.

Steps to check CBSE Class 12/10 date sheet

1. Go to the official website- cbse.nic.in

2.  Click on the link which says class 12 board exam date sheet/ class 10 board exam date sheet

3. A new page will appear with a pdf file

4. Open the pdf and download it for future reference

For any details, keep an eye on CBSE's official website- cbse.nic.in

Link: https://www.dnaindia.com/education/

Around 6 lakh students to appear for Basic Mathematics in class X

CBSE board exam 2020: 

Around 6 lakh students to appear for Basic Mathematics in class X

Shivangi Mishra| TNN | Updated: Dec 16, 2019, 16:27 IST

Of the total 19 lakh students set to appear for the exam, 13 lakh will appear for the standard question paper

Only 32% of the students across India have chosen to appear for the Basic Mathematics paper in the upcoming class X boards while the rest 68% will appear for the standard version of the question paper.

The Basic Mathematics has been introduced for the first time by the CBSE for students who do not wish to pursue Math in higher classes. The roll-out is aimed at making the assessment more learner-centric and reducing exam-related stress. Despite having two question papers with different difficulty levels, classroom teaching and internal assessment for students opting for either of the levels would remain the same.

"Of the total 19 lakh (approx) students set to appear for class X boards, as many as 6 lakh students have opted for the Basic Mathematics paper while around 13 lakh students will appear for Standard Mathematics," says Sanyam Bhardwaj, controller of examinations, CBSE.

The response to the roll-out has been good and will help improve the performance of the students who earlier had no alternative if they did not want to continue with Mathematics in the higher classes, added Bhardwaj.

Though the Board is happy with the outcome, earlier Education Times had reported that not many parents were in favour of letting their children opt for Basic Mathematics. Most parents considered it an "inferior choice" and coerced their wards to pursue Mathematics even if their child lacked the aptitude. While educationists welcomed the move, they had to extensively counsel parents about career choices sans Mathematics.

The board has also provided flexibility to the students to appear for the Standard Mathematics paper later in July 2020 after appearing for the basic exam in March should they change their mind and pursue the subject in higher classes.

Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/

Why are millennials shifting towards creative careers

Mon Dec 09 2019

Why are millennials shifting towards creative careers

There has been a sharp rise in takers for offbeat courses but most parents continue to be sceptical about letting their children take the creative route, reports Sharangee Dutta

The Indian education system has long been defined by its rote-learning method and textbook-centric teaching. The archaic learning pattern has been blamed for taking away creative thinking from the young minds and embracing creative or offbeat careers is low on their choices. While some changes are seen in the education system with CBSE introducing art-integrated courses and NEP emphasising on creative programmes, a change in the mindset will help in nurturing the natural creativity among youngsters.

A key reason behind this shift is the dissolution of several traditional jobs, says Rimi B Chatterjee, professor, Department of English, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. “From the 50s-70s, the Indian economy absorbed several rote-trained technicians and service providers in PSU, manufacturing and infrastructure firms. But there has been a worldwide slowdown in these sectors, and various jobs have been automated.”

UNCONVENTIONAL AVENUES

The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report 2018-19 shows that enrolments in conventional streams such as engineering have seen a decline of 6,37,781 in the last five years.

But, takers in creative courses including in fine arts, fashion designing and technology, design, linguistics,etc have increased across various disciplines in the last two years. A total of 53,213 students took up various fine arts courses in 2018-19 as against 52,414 in 2017-18. Besides, enrolments in design courses have risen from 20,844 in 2017-18 to 22,545 in 2018-19.

This is due to the creation of new jobs and branches of current jobs that did not exist earlier, says Indrajit Neogi, HOD, Film and Video Design, MIT Institute of Design, Pune. “Earlier, one could not think of streaming videos online or producing shows and films exclusively for digital platforms. This progress has generated novel job roles in video and film editing, production, sound recording, etc, which has made the uncertainty of building an offbeat career subside to some extent,” he says. Also, parents have become far open-minded more keen on encouraging their children to follow their dreams.

“This has happened due to the various job roles that have opened up in creative areas–design, fine arts, writing, music, among others, which have made parents less anxious about their children choosing such a career,” adds Neogi.

BETTER GOVERNANCE

Despite the rising enrolments in creative courses, Mir Imtiyaz, head, Department of Sculpture, Jamia Millia Islamia, refuses that parents have become receptive. He says that orientation programmes for students and parents from the primary education level must be introduced so that “creative fields are not merely seen as extracurricular activities but as subjects for potential job prospects.”

Source : https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/#

73% of Class X students in Delhi govt schools opt for basic maths

73% of Class X students in Delhi govt schools opt for basic maths

Just about 33% of the approximately 18 lakh students who have registered for the examination across India and abroad have chosen basic mathematics.

Written by Sukrita Baruah | New Delhi | Updated: December 11, 2019 6:44:06 am

ALMOST 73% of Delhi government school students have decided to make their lives easier during the 2020 Class X board examinations by opting for the basic mathematics paper, a new option introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which will be a simpler test than the standard mathematics paper.

In contrast, just about 33% of the approximately 18 lakh students who have registered for the examination across India and abroad have chosen basic mathematics.

However, these numbers cannot be seen in isolation. While all the 1,030 schools run by the Delhi government are affiliated to the central board, most state government schools in other states are affiliated to their respective state boards. In these states, most schools affiliated to CBSE are private schools.

In January, the CBSE had announced the basic mathematics option with the stated objective of offering an element of choice to students who don’t want to study mathematics after Class X, and thus reducing exam-related stress. The current Class X batch is the first to benefit. Students who choose the basic option will not be allowed to choose mathematics as a subject in Class XI and XII. However, if they change their mind after the exam, they will be given the option of writing the standard mathematics paper during the compartment examination.

According to data collated by the Delhi government from almost 1, 000 schools, while 41,386 students have opted for standard mathematics, an overwhelming 1,11,001 students have opted for basic mathematics. This means that 72.84% of the children have decided to opt for basic mathematics.

The Indian Express had earlier reported how the Delhi government is focussing on mathematics this year, as the overall Class X pass percentage of its schools is being dragged down because of the large number of students who fail the subject. Of the 1,66,167 students who appeared for the 2019 board examinations, 24,502 had failed in only one subject — mathematics.

Earlier this year, the government had sent out a directive to all its schools saying that “students who are low performers in mathematics (should) be counselled to opt for basic and not standard mathematics”.

The CBSE’s initiative enables students to either opt for basic mathematics or standard mathematics at the time that schools prepare their final list of candidates for the Class X board exam. While the syllabus will be common, the basic mathematics examination will be easier.

“The questions in the standard paper will require more application, analysis and conceptual understanding. The basic paper will be oriented more towards understanding and will require less high order thinking skills,” Joseph Emmanuel, Director (Examination), CBSE, had told The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, according to a senior CBSE official, an average of one in three children have opted for basic mathematics in the over 19,000 secondary level schools affiliated to the board across the country and abroad.

“Of the approximately 18 lakh students who have registered for the examination, over 11 lakh have opted for standard mathematics while over 6 lakh have opted for basic mathematics. This is the first time that it has been introduced and different stakeholders may not have full clarity on it. I think in the coming years, we will see more students opt for it,” the official said.

The principal of a Delhi government school pointed out that “Delhi government schools are the only ‘open for all’ schools which are affiliated to the CBSE. Other government schools under CBSE, such as Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas, are also exclusive. These are schools where we are struggling to make Class VI, VII and VIII students read their textbooks through learning interventions. How will they be able to do Class IX mathematics? Getting a larger number of students to pass mathematics by teaching them how to score the requisite 33% is completely different from making them confident about the subject and want to take it up in Class XI and XII.”

Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/

Educational gaming app STEPapp launched

Educational gaming app STEPapp launched

By: Express News Service | Mumbai | Published: December 14, 2019 8:20:49 am

Apart from allowing students to play and learn, Student Talent Enhancement Programme (STEP) will offer scholarships ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 crore. The app works on the most basic smartphone with minimal data requirement.

Deemed a first-of-its-kind educational gaming app, STEPapp was launched recently with the purpose of building Math and Science proficiency in students from kindergarten to standard 12.

Apart from allowing students to play and learn, Student Talent Enhancement Programme (STEP) will offer scholarships ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 crore. The app works on the most basic smartphone with minimal data requirement.

MD, PACE IIT and Founder CEO, Eduisfun Technologies Praveen Tyagi said, “Board syllabus is mapped to the curriculum of school boards such as ICSE and CBSE. Students can get conceptual clarity in a fun way and their speed and accuracy is gauged. Parents and teachers get detailed reports of the students’ progress, strengths and weaknesses via sms-email on a real time basis.” The app was unveiled in Mumbai by actor Amitabh Bachchan recently, who told students, “Apna kal khud banao (Make your own future).”

Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/