August 2009
You will be delighted to learn that before the end of 2009, all Indus schools will
be supported by two specialized institutions: the Indus Training and Research Institute
(ITARI), and the Indus School of Leadership.
Under Dr R Joshi's stewardship and a highly competent faculty, ITARI has come of
age. The first batch of nine trainee teachers is already undergoing an 8 months
course in international education. These trainees are academically bright and have
been directly recruited from Bangalore's best colleges.
We ultimately plan to have up to 40 percent of our faculty comprise of 'direct entries'.
Efforts are on to obtain accreditation of a reputed university to award these teachers
a postgraduate diploma in international education.
ITARI will also be responsible for the in-service capacity building of all teachers,
and annual quality evaluation of schools based on the Balanced Scorecard model.
The second backbone institution is the Indus School of Leadership in the Yelagiri
Hills, midway between Bangalore and Chennai. We have leased 12 acres of hilly and
forested site ideal for reconnecting children with themselves and nature. In collaboration
with a well-known US firm, we will be setting up India's first challenge course.
All teachers and students will visit the School of Leadership every year to undergo
challenging leadership programmes.
You are aware that leadership is the central idea of Indus schools. The introduction
of the teaching and leadership institutes will add a completely different dimension
to international education.
Stephen Covey asks this question at the beginning of his book on leadership for
children, "The Leader in Me".
"We only get one chance to prepare our students for a future that none
of us can predict. What are we going to do with that one chance?"
At Indus we have thought long and hard about this chance. It is our hope that our
new initiatives will meet successfully, the urgent needs of preparing teachers and
students to assume the privilege and responsibility that is theirs as Leaders.
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