Personal Growth and Well being of teachers has been identified as a huge gap area in Teacher Development and finds a mandate in the formal document released by NCERT as Guidelines for Professional Development of Teachers post the NEP 2020 release.

Some of the excerpts from the National Education policy document on the Continuous Development of teachers are quoted here
“The NEP 2020 also recommend (Para 5.15) that “Teachers will be given continuous opportunities for self-improvement “
The CPD Guidelines based on the NEP 2022, clearly states “ The conventional institutional arrangements for providing professional development to teachers have been somewhat rigid and structured. They did little in terms of helping the teacher think reflectively in terms of undertaking classroom inquiry, critical observation and reflective analysis of teaching practices. These aspects of reflective practice, crucial for the professional growth of a teacher were by and large missing from most of the INSET programmes. Therefore in most of the INSET Programmes it has been observed that teachers attended such programmes passively, as a routine ‘duty’ to be completed without much intrinsic motivation”

To prepare our teachers for the demands of the NEP 2020, we propose our uniquely curated Self Development Programme, Cygnus to Transform teacher mindsets and help build an Environment conducive to Competency based Learning in the 21st Century.

The Cygnus programme is so designed that it helps in aligning with the SDG goals 4 and 5 of the United Nations, the Cygnus programmes Empower Teachers and give them active tools for their well being to “Be the Change” and create a cultural shift to meet the requirements of the National Educational Policy 2020.

Helping teachers feel and understand their stillness and raise their level of awareness through meditation and mindfulness tools can help in bringing transformations in classrooms to levels that we may not have even imagined. Such transformations have the power to make the teaching and learning experience more meaningful and personalised.

Just saying Happy Classrooms, and classroom management techniques is another layer of conditioning that we are providing to teachers. For long term efficacy, and deeper learning processes to take place, we need to build a growth mindset ourselves. For actual change to happen, we need to dive deeper and make shifts within. To internalise teaching and learning and for actual shifts to happen, we need to ensure that our inner core shifts otherwise everything stays superficial and no real change happens. Real change is a life long process. In Cygnus we share tools that can help make such shifts.

Through honest Journaling, we can understand ourselves, and be aware of our self-limiting beliefs and behaviours by observing, reflecting and contemplating on our teaching practices. Once we are aware of what’s stored within, we can embark on a journey to empower ourselves as teachers. Active and focused journaling can help every teacher, deconstruct Teaching practices and Master their Craft. It is like peeling off each layer of an onion.

Journaling helps to Repeat and Relive favourite experiences. It can also help in processing and releasing low emotions to break negative patterns. This can help in letting go of self-limiting beliefs that can become huge barriers for change. When a paradigm shift is needed in classroom teaching, post the NEP 2020, it is important that we bring about shifts in the culture of our classrooms. Journaling can act as a catalyst for the change.

No, in the Cygnus programme we share tips, tools and ideas that can help you make shifts from a deeper level. We also hand hold to enable effective reflections, mindfulness, observation and metacognitive practices. However, change happens when we want to change and that depends on our own personal motivation and desire. A lot of self practice is needed. We share the tools but the change is in your hands. We empower you to be able to make the shifts. But to do, or not to do is your own choice.

Journaling can be a muscle that when exercised regularly develops a progressive mindset and overcome rigidity. Over time, it can put us on a path of abundance, happiness and fulfilment. Over time, an intrinsic happiness level gets established, which fuels intrinsic motivation, which gets reflected in our classroom interactions. Though, these cannot be quantified by any standardised measures, they can raise learning outcomes in classrooms and lead to more fulfilled teaching. Over time, journaling can be a very personal journey that can give us the power and strength to grow by peeling our personal layers and dive deep into our own being. Cygnus will put you on a self exploratory journey that can help you on your journey of life, and can be a life long practice.

Well, the panchakosh vikas is the holistic development of children where development happens in all five key domains: physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual

The Cygnus programme focuses on a self-exploratory aspect of the teacher. This helps the teacher dive deep beyond just the physical or mental aspects, into the social, emotional and spiritual realms of existence. Once the teacher starts living with a self- directed approach, he/ she can then help in the holistic development and growth of children. Usually in structured educational systems, focus is mostly laid on the physical and cognitive development and seldom on the spiritual development. Social and emotional aspects are gaining popularity and focus now.

No, Cygnus is not at all related to any religion. It is a self-exploratory programme that helps teachers shift their focus towards themselves, their impact in the world and understand their personal strengths and weaknesses.

With the need to develop skills and capacities of creativity, communication, critical thinking, problem solving and empathy, teamwork etc, the need is more for self-directed learning. When learning needs to become more personalised, then the focus needs to be more on the self. Hence, it is important for education systems to be more aligned towards holistic development of children and therefore self-development becomes a critical aspect too.

Cygnus is a very well-paced, easy to use programme that understands that teachers have a lot of pressures in school and may not have too much time left for a personal development programme. Therefore, Cygnus is so designed that it is slow paced and just an hour and a half or two hours per weekend can also help them complete the programme well in time. After the initial few weeks, teachers get deeper into the journaling process and find self-development process a very empowering experience. They then help children to do the same.