This newsletter provides a summary of events from the Teachers Academy in Hyderabad. It profiles the faculty of the month, Dr. Rajeswari Seshadri, a math professor who discusses the need for changes to examination systems. It also reports on the Adhyaapan mela event for teachers, which included lectures, displays, and competitions around books and ideas. Finally, it shares interesting online resources and videos for teachers and a submission about the differences between a teacher and guru.

1. Oct 2011
Volume 5, Issue 10 Inspiring Teachers
Driving educational change through excellence in teaching
Editor’s Comments
This is the 49th issue of this We profile Dr Rajeswari event a great success. We
newsletter. In our next issue, Seshadri this month, a are motivated to offer this to
we will bring out some maths faculty. She says the any college or school that
readers’ comments on this examination system has to wants it.
Articles this month:
journey of four years. Please change in order to make You can send us a request
Faculty of the Month
……………..….2 do write, if you found students learn the subject. by e-mail.
Adhyaapan something very useful or We also carry a report on Looking forward to a long
………………..3
impressive. If you didn’t like the Mela we did at and fruitful journey with
Jeevan Vidya something, feel free to share. Hyderabad – Adhyaapan. more and more teachers..
Shivir……….4
As usual, mails can be sent to More than 75 teachers
Links and Videos.4 info@inspiring-teachers.com attended and made the --Uma Garimella
Adhyaapan Pics
……………….5
Inspiring Teacher Awards
Guru and teacher
News at Academy
……………….6 POSTPONED
1. TeachersAcademy.co website Due to the prevailing uncertainty in
revamped: This is an annual Hyderabad and closure of most educational
process – we revamp our website institutes due to lack of public transport, we
every Oct. This time, it’s by a bunch have postponed the event. We will notify
of students from Nalla Malla Reddy whenever it is scheduled.
Engineering College, CSE final year. We regret this announcement, and we will
Phanindra, Anurag and Akshay. publish the thank you notes on the website.
Please continue to use our website to thank
2. On Teacher’s Day, on 5th Sept,
your teachers.
we distributed greeting cards to
about 1200 teachers in about 25
colleges in and around Hyderabad.
Student volunteers helped us.
3. One more person has joined our See captions on page 6
team, Santhosh Reddy, MBA.

2. Inspiring Teachers Page 2 of 6
Faculty of the month Dr Rajeswari Seshadri, Pondicherry University
(Read full interview at into teaching profession. of course least internet
www.theprofessor.in) So, rather than being access/browsing and
Dr. Rajeswari Seshadri, influenced, I prepared library facilities. So, I
Reader, Department of myself towards the found it hard to concentrate
Mathematics, Ramanujan profession of teaching. on research.
School of Mathematical Now back to University
Sciences, Pondicherry You have been part of system, I find the facilities
University premier research as good as in IISc, and this
institutes like IISc and ambience and environment
What has influenced
JNC and labs in UK. should help me to do
your decision to take up
How did it affect your constructive research.
teaching?
working style in a After getting Ph.D. and now
I was fortunate to undergo a
college? Now you're at Pondicherry University
rare kind of undergraduate
back in a university. since 2010, I have spent
course B.Sc.Ed. (A four year
What is your overall almost 20 years at various
integrated course of B.Sc.
feeling about this academic institutions. This
and B.Ed.) at Regional
journey between overall journey (both
Rajeswari Seshadri College of Education,
holds a Ph.D from IISc different institutes? National and International)
Mysore offered by NCERT
in Mathematics. was very exciting in terms
She was heading the only in four colleges (at My Ph.D. days at IISc
Maths department at of gaining knowledge and
Bhopal, Bhuvaneshwar, Bangalore and my post-doc
Sir MVIT, Bangalore experience, getting to know
before she joined Ajmeer and Mysore) all over periods at JNCASR,
Pondicherry University. more people of academic
India. As a partial Bangalore; Queen Mary,
and research interests in
With about 20 years of fulfillment of the course University of London; St.
experience in research my area, knowing others’
curriculum, I had to Andrews University in
and teaching, she has way of working style etc.
always been a favorite undergo an 3 months Scotland; Mittag-Leffler
of her students. She is a etc.
internship training in Institute in Stockholm,
simple and loving I only feel (sometimes) that
person. teaching. I think, I found a Sweden all have given me
I have lost out half of my
teacher in myself that time great learnings.
She can be reached at age touring around without
http://www.pondiuni.edu itself. After that I Of course working in a
.in/profile/dr-rajeswari- settling at a good institution
completed my M.Sc.Ed in private college was a bit
seshadri at an earlier stage. I am
Mathematics from the same difficult to adjust to in
happy for what I am now
college and consequently a terms of allocating time
and will do to the best of my
Ph.D. in Mathematics from mainly due to heavy
ability to bring name and
Indian Institute of Science, teaching load and less time
fame to my institution.
Bangalore and have entered available to do research and

3. Page 3 of 6 Inspiring Teachers
Adhyaapan – A mela for teachers
Technology and Book Exhibition: Books
This mela – Adhyaapan, is
Rajamahendra College of were displayed by
another step in creating a
Engineering. Cambridge University Press
day of fun and learning for
and Book Selection Center.
teachers. Apart from
Edu-Corner: The Two contests were
lectures on skills, there was
evolution of education organized around the books
a wonderful display of
from ancient times, - to recall maximum
posters and models. This Caption describing
current challenges and number of book titles with
display was organized into picture or graphic.
opportunities. Trends in author names in a minute
four corners, and at many
teaching today, statistics of and to give the gist of a book
points teachers contributed
education scenario and in one minute.
their ideas and
teachers were asked if
inputs. Almost 80 teachers The display was followed by
Gurukul system was Above: Teachers at the Book
from Sree Datta Group of idea contest – where Exhibition in Adhyaapan.
possible today.
Institutions, Nalla Malla teachers presented their Genres of books starting with
Reddy Engineering College each alphabet were posted on
Guru-Shishya unique solutions to social or
the walls. Teachers had two
and Junior College, Ace educational problems, and
Corner: The relationship contests at the exhibition.
College of Engineering, won prizes. The fun portion
between student and
Vignan Institute of was events with Below: teachers having fun at
teacher has changed over
Technology and Science, St the blindfold paired walk. Many
competitions with cash
time due to social and more such events were put up.
Martin’s Engineering prizes.
cultural changes. This
College, Jahnavi Degree
corner brought out the Overall, the day was full of
and PG College, KGR
attitude a teacher must activities that motivated the
College of Engineering and
possess in order to become teachers and also gave them
Technology, Chaitanya
a role model, a friend and the big picture. It also
Bharathi Institute of
counselor. Visitors could showed how information
Technology, Vignan
add their own points too. can be presented in
Bharathi Institute of
Technology, Princeton interesting ways instead of
Inspiring Teacher
College of Engineering and the traditional lecture.
Corner: This corner
Technology, Scient showcased the stories of Parallel workshops were
Institute of Technology, great teachers. It also conducted – IT Resources
Bhoj Reddy Women’s enumerated 20 reasons to for teachers, Counseling
Engineering College, Balaji become a teacher, the and Mentoring, Working for
Institute of Technology, characteristics of a good PhD by Uma Garimella,
TKR Engineering college, teacher and teaching self- Shankarson Roy and
RVR Institute of profile. Visitors could add
Vikram.
Engineering and their own inputs too.

4. Inspiring Teachers Page 4 of 6
Jeevan Vidya Shivir at IIIT-Hyderabad ; Dec 24-31
A platform for discussing a conduct the shivir. He, being, Human conduct and COST:
wide range of issues besides being an activist Human civilization, and (2) This workshop is conducted
like Education, Reality, from his student days in commitment to work for its with a feeling born out of
Happiness, Success, IIT-Kanpur is a pioneer realisation. responsibility, so there is no
Aspirations and gaining an in combining our tradition "fee" for the workshop.
understanding on Our and values with education. He is an admired teacher and However, the cost of
Nature, Relationships, has an ardent student boarding for each
Environment, Social Issues, He teaches electronics and following, relating to participant comes to about
and communication at all aspects of life. His Rs.150 per head/per day and
Self-Confidence. Do they Harcourt Butler.s extreme simplicity and the cost of food
sound relevant to you? In the Technical remarkable insight makes comes to Rs.100/- per day.
shivir we will have a detailed Institute, Kanpur. He has him a suitable person for Nobody is ever denied
and lengthy discussion on a deep understanding of conducting the workshop. participation in the
these, and in the process try Western as well as Indian workshop due to inability to
to find a holistic and Philosophy. His research HOW TO SIGN UP make a payment. Typically
sustainable solution in the interests apart from these workshops end
light of Jeevan Vidya. theory of electronic Send email to the JV-Team at up being self-financing as
About the prabodhak:- communication are (1) humanvalues@iiit.ac.in with those participants who can,
Professor Ganesh Bagaria understanding of Human your Name and come forward to
from HBTI Kanpur, will Contact num. or call Surya contribute generously.
Bhagavan at 09948010253.
Interesting Reads and Videos Places are limited.
If it feels right – about lack of awarness of what is right and wrong
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/opinion/if-it-feels-right.html?_r=3&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212
A nice website for college faculty
http://www.facultyfocus.com/
How does a slinky fall when extended by it’s own weight and then released? We discover the surprising answer
using a slow motion camera that records 300 frames per second.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCMmmEEyOO0
Disruptive models of education
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RVRNLzIwMTEvMDkvMjIjQXIwMTkwMA%3D%3D
Transformation in Education – from a differently abled perspective
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YftMFOcBcBA&feature=player_embedded
Very innovative use of a plastic bottle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOl4vwhwkW8&feature=youtu.be
A dedicated teacher who made it her purpose to teach prisoners
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article2462750.ece
A beautiful video on eye donation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBvQ_wf2g7w

5. Page 5 of 6 Inspiring Teachers

6. Inspiring Teachers Page 6 of 6
Teacher’s Academy A Guru and a Teacher – Sent by Mrs Rajam Shankar (music therapist)
A teacher takes responsibility of your A teacher instructs you
Hyderabad growth A Guru constructs you
A Guru makes you responsible for your
growth A teacher sharpens your mind
PHONE:
A Guru opens your mind
97011 41118
A teacher gives you things you do not
have and require A teacher shows you the way to
E-MAIL: A Guru takes away things you have and prosperity
info@inspiring-teachers.com do not require A Guru shows the way to serenity
A teacher answers your questions A teacher reaches your mind
A Guru questions your answers A Guru touches your soul
A teacher helps you get out of the maze A teacher gives you knowledge
A Guru destroys the maze A Guru makes you wise
A teacher requires obedience and A teacher gives you maturity
discipline from the pupil A Guru returns you to innocence
A Guru requires trust and humility from
the pupil A teacher instructs you on how to solve
problems
A teacher clothes you and prepares you A Guru shows you how to resolve issues
for the outer journey
A Guru strips you naked and prepares A teacher is a systematic thinker
you for the inner journey A Guru is a lateral thinker
See us at: A teacher is a guide on the path A teacher will punish you with a stick
www.teachersacademy.co A Guru is a pointer to the way A Guru will punish you with compassion
www.theprofessor.in
A teacher sends you on the road to A teacher is to pupil what a father is to
success son
A Guru sends you on the road to freedom A Guru is to pupil what mother is to her
child
A teacher explains the world and its
nature to you One can always find a teacher
A Guru explains yourself and your nature But a Guru has to find and accept you
to you
A teacher leads you by the hand
A teacher makes you understand how to A Guru leads you by example
move about in the world
A Guru shows you where you stand in When a teacher finishes with you,you
relation to the world graduate
When a Guru finishes with you,you
A teacher gives you knowledge and celebrate
boosts your ego
A Guru takes away your knowledge and When the course is over you are thankful
punctures your ego to the teacher
When the discourse is over you are
grateful to the Guru
Captions for Picture on page 1:
Dolly Sandhu Guru-Shishya in a circle of light... step by step; Raj Balaka "En-"Lighten" your Followers" ; Shakuntala
Palankar steps for life; Ashok Agarwala Back to Lantern days. Opportunity for inventions for Young Engineers; Sumathi
Mohan batti jalao ji! ; Rajeswarudu Chembrolu plain speaking "tamasooma jyotirgamaya";Narasimha Rao the 'PROFESSOR"
helps you to reach that light, in other words KNOWLEDGE;Cheparthi Durga Prasad Student... The ever SHINING
star..;Ratna Manjari burning midnight oil, a sure shot way to climb the ladder of success....Lead kindly light; The "professor"
is the beacon light leading the student along the flight of steps...