Future of shapes is shaping the future:

By: Swarna Krishnan

It was one of my regular thirty-minute online class for Class 3 and I had planned to introduce Equilateral triangles to the students. To make it interesting, I had asked them to keep a few matchsticks handy for the class. In one of my previous sessions, I had already introduced the concept of triangle, as a closed figure bounded by 3 straight lines. So, I decided to start this class by asking them to make a triangle using 3 matchsticks. Once the students made the triangle, I asked them to leave it undisturbed for the rest of the class.

Then, I showed them 2 triangles on the screen - a 6-stick triangle and a 9-stick triangle. I was keen to know their observations about the 2 triangles. When asked, they started with answers like “triangles made of match sticks”, “big triangle”, “small triangle” etc. When they started observing closely, one student said, “left side and right side of the triangle have same number of sticks” and another student said, “right side and the bottom of the triangle have same number of sticks”. Finally, a student summed it up by saying, “left side, right side and bottom of the triangle have the same number of sticks”. This made my job easier for the session and I swiftly introduced 3-sided closed figure with equal lengths on all sides as an equilateral triangle.

Then, I asked the students to make a triangle with 12 sticks and check whether it is equilateral or not. Students made triangles using 12 sticks and almost all of them declared it as an equilateral triangle. Then, I asked them to revisit the 3-stick triangle that they had made and promptly everyone declared that as an equilateral triangle. I was convinced that the students have understood the basics of equilateral triangle. With 10 minutes gone by, we entered the testing ground.

I asked the students to make a triangle using 4 sticks and share their observation on whether it is an equilateral triangle. After different permutations, they declared that the triangle is not an equilateral triangle. I repeated the exercise, this time with 5 and 8 sticks. They swiftly responded that both weren’t equilateral triangles. I gave them 10 minutes to try making equilateral triangles with any number of sticks they like. While few students stuck to single digit, majority of them tried using a full match box. I could see them try 15-20 combinations in a span of 10 minutes and some of them had unknowingly deciphered that it is possible to make equilateral triangles only when the number of sticks is in a multiple of 3. When I heard them murmur different logics during the activity, I was quite happy and surprised at the same time and asked few of them to share some interesting bits with the whole class.

Among all these, one student kept making triangles that had 2 sides equal and was quite unhappy about the number of failed attempts he had. That is when I told him he was ahead of the class and he needs to wait for the next class to get introduced to Isosceles triangles.

When I reflect back on these 30-min, I see that the concept of equilateral triangles had barely anything to do with measurements, scale, 60-degree angles, etc. For a Grade 3 student, a matchstick has turned into a measuring instrument and I am sure they can now seamlessly replace that with a scale someday.

This also tells me, geometry is not just about designing or drawing figures and guessing at random. In my school days, I was often tested on my drawing skills and memory of shapes and figures. When I attempt to re-look at the approach now, topics like geometry have very relevant real-life examples and applications that can be used to teach, memorize and practice. Geometry classes that go beyond geometry boxes also unlock the power of imagination, visualization and creativity in students. This way, students can learn and discover figures, properties and shapes like never before. I, as a teacher, just need to help them relate these things back to the topic in hand. In the long term, this practical-to-theory approach helps the students enhance their observation, reasoning and pattern identification skills while also staying in touch with the subject. In the short term, I am glad that my students are as excited as I am to get introduced to Isosceles and scalene triangles in the coming days.

_________

About the author:

Swarna Krishnan, the author, has pursued Bachelors in Engineering from Anna University, Chennai and Masters in Education from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. The author is an enthusiastic teacher and content developer, who believes in the continuous process of new and practical ways of teaching. She can be reached at swarna91g@gmail.com

________

You can download our android app by clicking this link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.justwebsite_info.Credence_Learning

_________

What Your Child Needs Most From You as a Parent:

- > Parents often feel trapped in a cycle of buying educational toys and enforcing strict daily routines. > In reality, true childhood development comes down to three human essentials that money cannot buy. > Modern parents face constant pressure to optimize every hour of their child's day with schedules and gadgets. > Real emotional growth happens simply through connection, space to discover, and a calm presence in moments of chaos. The Three Invisible Essentials of Early Childhood Modern parents are overwhelmed with endless advice, conflicting philosophies, and endless product recommendations. In the rush to optimize every moment of our children's lives, we risk missing the core elements that actually build confidence and emotional security. The truth is, young children do not need perfectly structured days or the latest gadgets; they need three essential, human experiences that only a responsive parent can provide. 1. Intention 2. Commitment 3. Puttin...

Seven key differences between Parenting in India and Dutch:

- A Dutch mother, Ivana, recently shared her experiences living in Mumbai for nine years, highlighting seven key differences between parenting in India. She emphasises that neither approach is "better" or "worse," but rather they involve different trade-offs. Key Differences in Parenting: According to her viral reflections on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWJv7RLDM-z/), the primary contrasts include: * Community vs. Solo Marathon: In the Netherlands, parenting often feels like a "solo marathon". In Mumbai, she experiences a "real village" where family, neighbours, and the building community are always available to help. * Independence vs. Interdependence: Dutch culture raises children to be "fierceley independent," such as cycling to school alone at age eight. Indian parenting focuses on interdependence and being part of a larger, supportive system. * Child-Friendly Public Spaces: She notes that children in India are acce...

Click to read: We have together 850+ Articles, Videos and Resources:

Click below topic you want to read: ⬇️ Download Credence App if not yet downloaded: Browse, read through your area of interest and share the app with your connections.

If you are in your office more than 2 hours without walking, you are not leading the school. You are managing paperwork:

- A school is not run from a desk. It is led from the corridors. In business they call it MBWA — Management By Walking Around. In schools we call it the Walking Headteacher Principle. The best heads are never hidebound in the office. An office-bound head hears reports about the school. A walking head sees the real school. Why You Must Walk: 1. You See The Invisible Child From your office you only see the naughty child who is sent to you. When you walk at break, at toilet time, in the library, you see the quiet child alone, the bullied child, the hungry child. The child who will never knock on your office door. That 2-minute eye contact in the corridor can save a life. 2. You Kill Problems When They Are Small Office head: Hears about a fight after it happened. Walking head: Sees the push, the swear word, the group forming in the corner, and stops it with a "Hello, boys, everything okay?" before it becomes a fight. Discipline drops by 30-40% just by visible presence. 3. Staff ...

ಪ್ರೊ. ಕೆ. ಎಸ್. ನಿಸಾರ್ ಅಹಮದ್ ರವರ ಜೀವನ-

- ಪ್ರೊ. ಕೆ. ಎಸ್. ನಿಸಾರ್ ಅಹಮದ್ ಪ್ರೊ.ಕೆ.ಎಸ್.ನಿಸಾರ್ ಅಹಮದ್ (5 ಫೆಬ್ರುವರಿ 1936 - 3 ಮೇ 2020) ಕನ್ನಡದ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಸಾಹಿತಿಗಳಾಗಿದ್ದರು. ಅವರ ಪೂರ್ಣ ಹೆಸರು 'ಕೊಕ್ಕರೆಹೊಸಳ್ಳಿ ಶೇಖಹೈದರ ನಿಸಾರ್ ಅಹಮದ್'. ಅವರು ಬರೆದ 'ಜೋಗದ ಸಿರಿ ಬೆಳಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತುಂಗೆಯ ತೆನೆ ಬಳುಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ' ಎಂಬ ಪದ್ಯವು ಬಹಳ ಜನಪ್ರಿಯವಾಗಿ ಅವರು ನಿತ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ ಕವಿಯೆಂದೂ ಕರೆಯಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. Image source: Online typing ಜೀವನ- ಪ್ರೊ. ನಿಸಾರ್ ಅಹಮದ್ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ದೇವನಹಳ್ಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಫೆಬ್ರುವರಿ ೫, ೧೯೩೬ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಿಸಿದರು. ೧೯೫೯ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಭೂವಿಜ್ಞಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ನಾತಕೋತ್ತರ ಪದವಿ ಪಡೆದರು. ೧೯೯೪ ರ ವರೆಗೆ ವಿವಿಧ ಸರಕಾರಿ ಕಾಲೇಜುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅಧ್ಯಾಪಕ ಹಾಗು ಪ್ರಾಧ್ಯಾಪಕರಾಗಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಿ ನಿವೃತ್ತರಾದರು. ಜನನ 5 ಫೆಬ್ರುವರಿ 1936 ದೇವನಹಳ್ಳಿ, ಮೈಸೂರು ಸಂಸ್ಥಾನ, ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಮರಣ 3 ಮೇ 2020 (ವಯಸ್ಸು 84)[೧] ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ವೃತ್ತಿ ಸಾಹಿತಿ, ಪ್ರೊಫೆಸರ್ ಭಾಷೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯತೆ ಭಾರತ ಪ್ರಕಾರ/ಶೈಲಿ Fiction ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಚಳುವಳಿ ನವ್ಯ ಕಾವ್ಯ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಕೆಲಸಗಳು ಮನಸು ಗಾಂಧಿ ಬಜಾರು(1960) ನಿತ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಗಳು ಪದ್ಮಶ್ರೀ (೨೦೦೮), ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ (೧೯೮೧) ಕೆಲವು ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯಗಳು : ನಿಸಾರ್ ಅಹಮದ್ ...

The final two steps — Analyse and Prevent — are where institutional improvement happens:

- A parent sends a message at 9:00 in the morning: “My child’s notebook has not been checked properly for the last two weeks.” Nobody responds. At 1:00 PM, the parent sends another message. Still no clear response. The next morning, the parent calls reception. Reception says: “We will inform the coordinator.” The coordinator is busy. Another day passes. By the third day, the original notebook issue is no longer the real problem. Now the parent is angry because: Nobody listened Nobody took ownership Nobody communicated Nobody gave a timeline Nobody closed the issue A small academic concern has become a trust problem. This is how many school complaints escalate. Not because the original issue was impossible to solve. Because the school did not have a system to detect, own, resolve, and close the issue early. Strong schools should not only have a Complaint Handling System. They should have a Parent Complaint Prevention System. The objective is different. Complaint handling asks: “How...

School Operations Manual:

- A school is a complex organization where multiple activities should co-ordinate in sync. Each stake holder - Management, Teacher, Students, Parents and supportive staff, everyone has an important role to play. All these stake holders need to know their job, roles and responsibilities, and also the structure, policy and procedure of their work. Thus a team has come up with a 'school operations manual' to support schools in designing their school policies and procedures, which will help to strengthen the school system. This manual outlines the significant policies and procedures covering a wide spectrum of activities in a school, starting from affiliation, curriculum planning, extra-curricular activities, value education, school administration, statutory compliances, HR, etc. The core objective of this manual is to communicate, describe and help in implementing the best practices, policies and procedures so as to bring standardisation in our schools through collaboration. Ev...

(Reframing behavioral challenges into opportunities) - The 'C-DOO' Framework: Redefining Child Behavior from Connection to Ownership:

- C-DOO Framework—Connection, Discipline, Obedience, and Ownership Introduction: Child development and behavior explain how children grow, learn, and express their inner experiences from birth through adolescence. Research shows that early childhood experiences form the literal blueprint for a child’s lifelong brain structure, emotional health, and learning capacity. Modern studies focus heavily on early brain plasticity, the impact of screen time, and how chronic stress affects a child's development. Researchers are also discovering that children learn self-regulation primarily through calm co-regulation with the trusted adults around them. Understanding these scientific insights gives parents and teachers a clear lens to interpret childhood actions accurately. Instead of viewing challenging behavior as simple defiance, adults can recognize it as a signal of unmet needs or incomplete skill development. This shift in perspective helps parents respond with supportive gu...

Students learn better in mother tongue; reflection from implementation at Niger:

- One teacher says, “It was really hard to teach under the traditional system. The new curriculum makes it much easier. It is easy for me as a teacher because I can easily pass on the learning to the students. And it is easy for students because they receive everything in their own language". - "When students go home and talk about what they learned, the parents can help them and this motivates everybody even more.” Click to read full article :

Free remote learning access for schools and colleges- TCS iON Digital Glass Room:

In the wake of the nation-wide lockdowns, TCS is offering schools and colleges, access to the TCS iON Digital Glass Room, a virtual learning platform, free of cost, so students can continue learning at home through this unprecedented period. The TCS iON Digital Glass Room is a mobile and web education platform for schools and colleges, that empowers educators to engage with students in real-time by sharing lessons, videos, worksheets, assignments and assessments, using interactive methods like polls, debates, quizzes, surveys and many more tools. As an add-on, the platform also provides an embedded live classroom, which simulates live classroom teaching. TCS iON Digital Glass Room is available to educational institutes of all types, irrespective of the medium of instruction, Board/university affiliation, or size. Interested schools and higher education organizations can register for the platform by going to https://learning.tcsionhub.in/hub/glass-room/ Click to open: or copy a...

Edu Research & Insights

Search This Blog