MRS. SEEMA JERATH
Principal, DLF Public School, Sahibabad
Work Experience : 34 Years
Achivements : • Hold 30 years of satisfying and outstanding teaching and administrative career.
• School leader for the past 20 years, ensuring continuous progress with a futuristic mindset.
• Authored 30 books for teachers, students and parents.
• Leading numerous Principal Bodies and Academic Teams, such as:
- Vice-Chairperson of the Sahodaya School Complex, Ghaziabad Chapter.
- Joint Secretary and Secretary (Officiating) of National Progressive Schools’ Conference.
- CBSE Master Trainer for all their Programs.
- Member, Advisory Group, English Language Quality Standards Programme (ELQSP), British Council.
- On the Advisory board of WAPIS – Wipro & Chrysalis – a research on ‘Authentic Assessment’.
• Conducted Workshops & leadership programs for school Leaders and Teachers.
• Resource Person for the British Council.
• Invited as a Speaker at national and international forums.
• Panelist at the CCE Round Table Conference.
• Guest faculty for B.Ed. at IGNOU and IP University.
• Coordinated the Early Education Development Programme (EEDP), which works to add fun to education.
• Having functioned at all positions from Pre-Primary teacher to school Principal, always learning at every step, I value the deep connect with all stakeholders who trust me deeply and back me fully, which I consider an achievement, above all.
Accolades : 1. National Award to Teachers 2012 by the Hon’ble President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee.
2. Lokmanilal Lifetime Achievement Award 2013 for Excellence in Education.
3. Dr. Radha Krishnan Excellence Award 2013.
4.Global Teacher Accreditation by the Cambridge Education Foundation, UK and the British Council 2013.
5. School ranked as ‘Asia’s TOP 100 Fastest growing Institutions 2014-15’; a survey by i-Brands for WCRC.
6. School Won the Top Global Prize of $5000 in year 2012 and Best Business Development Prize of $2000 in 2013 under the School Enterprise Challenge by Teach a Man to Fish, UK.
7. School researches consistently receiving Top India awards at CBSE National Science Fair, CSIR Student Innovation Award, Design For Change ‘I Can’ Challenge for the Mission Talaash App, to name a few.
8.Disney Friends for Change, Jury Special Mention Award for Conserving Green Space by adopting and revamping the deserted neighbourhood, Ekta Park.
9.School ranked among Top Schools of the city by numerous educational bodies, each year.
Vision : My defining aim is: Preparing caring, courageous and concerned citizens of the world, for the world!
• To embark each learner on a journey of Self Discovery and Self Learning thereby creating committed, socially responsible global citizens who are nurtured in a safe, child-centered empowering environment rooted in Indian culture.
• To create a humanized school environment.
• To create a ‘thinking’ school, nurturing thinkers, innovators and questioners.
• To emphasize self-discovery, inclusivity and social responsibility.
• To nurture a school where respect for environment goes beyond slogans.
Pedagogy : • A child-centric pedagogy that renders learning as a fun-filled, relevant and meaningful experience with an emphasis on experiential hands-on learning.
• Strong culture of research embedded into the curriculum.
• Components of critical thinking and creativity consciously integrated into the weekly lesson plans thereby attempting to create a question-based school culture as opposed to an answer-based school pedagogy.
• Transformed ‘Classrooms to Thinkrooms’ - a shift from making children study to letting children learn.
• Teachers are empowered as researchers of pedagogy where they are free to think, explore, research and share best practices.
• Ensure that no learner is left behind through specialized intervention programs for slow learners.
I am an Educationist because :
• I understand the finer nuances of education that go to make up Quality Learning.
• I am aligned to the needs of tomorrow and have sown the seeds of transformation within my circle of influence. I am working with my team to address the leadership crisis in India as I strive to create leaders and outstanding citizens who will take India to the direction where it needs to go.
• I have worked from the grass root level and as I reflect on my 30 year long journey as a teacher who’s taught every class from Nursery-XII, using the opportunity to mould the mindsets of pupils, other teachers; as also to perfect my own teaching skills in various capacities as Coordinator, Vice Principal and Principal, I see that I have done all of the above and a lot more.
In the coming years, I see Indian Education at : Education is the seed of a nation’s destiny. And it determines the extent to which a society will progress.
In the coming years, I see Indian Education undergoing an educational revolution that will become the launching pad for national resurgence, and a transformed society.
You are an Epitome of Leadership : Because I have been able to create and sustain a culture of shared responsibility and leadership. Over the last 20 years, I have been able to create a sharing space where is instilled a culture of working with each other rather than working for someone and thus created a united team where each member commands full ownership and accountability of their duties; where there is a desire to be involved and committed; to make a positive difference.
Footprints / Legacy that you leave behind : My belief that ‘life is just a chance to grow a soul’ and ‘whatever drives us should have a purpose - a purpose larger than ourselves’.
My legacy is a school with a soul... where being ‘Good’ is more important than just being ‘Smart’ and where the definition of success is ‘to have the ability to give back more to society than you take from it’.