Innovative approach beyond classroom teaching gets Gurugram principal award
Our goal has been to improve and innovate the education space, and it feels good to be recognised, says Charu Maini, the principal of DAV Public School, Sector 49, Gurugram.
Charu Maini, the principal at DAV Public School in Sector 49, Gurugram, who was among the 50 teachers from across the country to be awarded the National Teachers’ Award by President Droupadi Murmu, believes schools should adopt innovative projects for the holistic development of students.
Apart from regular classes and routine examinations, the school’s overall objective should be to ensure that each student who graduates is a good communicator and a critical thinker in the real world. Under Maini’s leadership, the DAV Sector 49 school has initiated and launched several innovative projects.
For instance, under the project ‘Be FinSmart,’ students are taught how to manage their finances at a basic level so that when they step into their college life, they have some ease in managing their monetary expenses, which is one of today’s major challenges.
Going the extra mile
“I never thought our school would be shortlisted among 30,000 across India,” said Maini. “This award is for those who have done something extra for society. Our goal has been to improve and innovate the education space, and it feels good to be recognised,” she said.
Originally hailing from the small town of Khetri Nagar in Rajasthan, Maini began her academic journey at Delhi University’s prestigious Miranda House, where she pursued her graduation in chemistry and later completed her masters in the same subject.
“Living in a hostel at Miranda House transformed me as a person. It shaped me into a more independent and purpose-driven individual. The kind of exposure I got in Delhi back in the ‘80s helped me understand myself better. I realised I wanted to do something for society, and teaching gave me that satisfaction,” said Maini.
With 32 years of teaching experience, including seven years as a principal, Maini has taught chemistry in private schools in Delhi, Mumbai, and Gurugram.
Since 2006, she has been closely working with the Central Board of Secondary Education as a master trainer, contributing to writing around 24 chemistry books for NCERT, CBSE, and SCERT.
Performance enhancement trophy
To boost students’ happiness quotient and self-confidence, every student is given a performance enhancement trophy annually.
“If a child scores 55% this year, which is more than his last year’s performance, we make sure that he is awarded a performance enhancement trophy to acknowledge the improvement. In this way, both a 90% scorer and a 50% scorer remain motivated to do better, and most importantly, their confidence remains intact,” said Maini.
Education through monuments
To enhance critical thinking of students, the school has initiated a module called “Education through monuments.” In this, students are taught physics, chemistry, and math by taking them on heritage walks to monuments, such as Qutub Minar, where they learn about the intricacies of construction from a scientific perspective.
“This gives students practical experience and makes learning interesting. It also helps them retain concepts and grasp difficult subject matter in a better way,” Maini said.
Life skills awards
The school is also known for its life skills awards: Impetus of Initiative, Custodian of Consciousness, and Icon of Integrity, which are given to the most deserving students. The students are shortlisted based on their performance in a practical exam, which mostly includes situational and ethics-related questions, followed by a voting session by the students themselves.
“I take challenges head on. This award motivates us to do better and come up with better ideas to revolutionise the lives of students who want to make a mark,” said Maini.