BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
AKANKSHA
Leadership Development
Leadership training at the district level at Akanksha happens at multiple levels.
District Leadership Support
The Master Teacher Model in Pune and Mumbai is a model of how districts can support schools in addressing whole school implementation.
Student Well Being Leads – Oversee capacity building for senior master teachers
Senior Master Teachers – Provides training to support Jr. Master teachers and schools
Jr. Master Teachers – Supports ongoing training and professional development in schools
School Leadership Training
At the beginning of each school year, a 2-hr workshop, titled “Creating Compassionate Schools” is held for school leaders to explore Compassion and envision the concept for their schools.
Master Teacher Training
SEE learning practices at morning circle
Implementation
All teachers are trained in SEE Learning® (Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning). Teachers support several implementation models, from weekly SEE classes with their students to the integration of SEE Learning into another course. These practices are also integrated across supports to tend to the needs of diverse learners.
Values of self-management and self-awareness, communication, collaboration, and compassion are very integral to Akanksha’s student vision, and they are being transacted well to the students through the SEEL curriculum. This is helping them develop in a holistic way as is reported by the teachers and junior master teachers of the 9 schools that have been participating in the Emory SEEL Research project for the past 3 years now.
Community Engagement
There is a conscious effort to introduce many of the practices to parents and community members.
SEE Learning with parents
Student-led practice
Student Voice
Student-led SEE practices enable students to advocate for mental health within their school and enhance individual skills. It also broadly enhances the impact on other students by enhancing participation and perceptions of benefit.
District Alignment
Akanksha’s mission aligns with SEE Learning. To communicate this, they work across the school network to include how SEE learning supports their goals. SEE practices are visible during routines and systems. At LNMPS, teachers are encouraged to share their best practices during staff meetings and cluster meetings. During assemblies, students lead mindfulness, grounding, and resourcing practices.
Professional Learning Session
Communities of Practice
Teachers hold professional development spaces around SEE learning that are led by counselors or master teachers. In sessions like these, the curriculum is discussed at length, best practices are exchanged, learning experience activities are designed, and lessons are broken down for better understanding of the students.
Professional Development and Learning: Teachers have the opportunity to deepen their training and understanding throughout the school year.
Example: Training during ‘Practical Week’ where teachers were given a quiz to gauge their knowledge and understanding of SEE Learning. They also created their own Resource Kit during the session and reflected on some key concepts of resilience and resourcing.
