Academic Approach

Overview

Balsam Academy Curriculum is much more than a syllabus, which outlines what is to be taught. The objective is to follow practical yet professional approach to develop application-oriented competencies that are precise and measurable. The curriculum encompasses the points listed below to ensure that students are enabled to go beyond mere accumulation of knowledge.

• The learning environment
• Resources
• Teaching approaches and strategies
• Assessment programs and methods
• The values and ethos of the school
• The relationships and behaviours among students and teachers.

These are all interconnected and provide the experiences that contribute to student learning. We have adopted the Competency-based education as recommended by the CBSE and offered by XSeed curriculum in alignment with NEP and NCF.

Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Measures have been taken to frame learning objectives for each chapter /concept in all subjects to map the learning objectives with the learning outcomes prepared by NCERT and offered in XSeed curriculum.

Learning Outcomes (LOs) are statements linked to pedagogical process that indicate what a student is able to accomplish after learning a topic /concept. These include developing significant knowledge and skills along with defining cognitive achievement, values, life skills and attitudes students would demonstrate at the end of a unit.

The LOs provide an opportunity for teachers to reflect on the curriculum, context of learning, content, application and assessment to be designed. Teachers use LOs as a tool for improving educational process.

Pedagogy

Pedagogical processes are child centric and inclusive in nature as the focus is on individual achievement. The idea is to support student's ability to become an independent /self-reliant and lifelong learner by using a variety of interactive methods.

Interdisciplinary Instruction addresses scholastic and co-scholastic areas such as Arts, Sports, Work Education and SEWA. The main teaching-learning processes are Collaborative Learning, Cooperative Learning, Reciprocal Teaching, Discussions, Group Projects, Blended learning with integration of ICT (Flipped Classrooms), Experiential Learning, Problem Based Learning, Case Studies, Portfolios, Presentations, and Projects.

Assessment

Criterion referenced assessments as proposed by Competency Based Education (CBE) has been adopted. Assessments test the application of knowledge and skills to real world problems and demand decision making, match with the Learning Outcomes, are based on critical and creative thinking and assess ability to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Assessments involves Objective as well as Performance Assessments that is skill and application oriented. Rubrics shall be set to help students understand what and how to learn. The assessments shall demonstrate the required level of competency.

A balance between assessment ‘for’, ‘as’ and ‘of’ learning will be maintained for optimum results and minimum stress on students. Multiple methods of assessment like portfolios, presentations, group projects, open ended questions, MCQs, short answer and long answer problems, reflective assignments involving measurement of capacity to analyse and evaluate experience in the light of theories and research evidence, shall be used.

Beyond Academic Approach

Overview

An integrated curriculum approach at Balsam Academy provides continuum of concepts with skills -based learning, and provides opportunities to students to enhance artistic skills, pursue physically active and healthy lifestyle and build life skills. The integrated approach helps to build the strongest possible foundation for children from the elementary years onwards.

Art Education

Art Education is a part of the curriculum at all levels from class 1 to 10.. Two periods in a week for each section of each class is allocated to involve students in the activities as specified in the CBSE Manual. Students explore different media and techniques and their use for creative and productive expression for common use. Opportunities are provided for development of awareness about folk arts, local specific arts, and other cultural components leading to an appreciation of national heritage. Locally available material is used to make different products. Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Language Arts (creative drama, puppetry, poetry) are some of the media of creative arts that are facilitated.

Art Integrated Learning

Arts Integrated Learning is a creative and constructivist teaching-learning approach through which students demonstrate their understanding of a concept through various art forms. It signifies exploration of academic content (ideas, concepts, prior knowledge) and skills sets to be acquired by a student through the various forms of Art.

Art Integrated Project

Art-Integrated Project work for classes I to X is designed to make teaching- learning Competency-Based and joyful. As part of this, at least one Art-Integrated Project in each subject are taken up by all students of classes IX and X from the academic session 2020-21, and students of classes I to VIII are also be encouraged to take at least one Art-Integrated Project (trans-disciplinary project) in a given academic year.

Art Integrated Project are conducted as per the following guidelines: Classes I–VIII, Art Integrated Project should be of trans-disciplinary nature. The project work includes more than one subject and this is considered for Internal Assessment in the subjects concerned.

Classes IX and X, the students take up the art integrated project work as subject enrichment activity in all the subjects for internal assessment. Minimum of one project work for students from classes I –X is mandatory to integrate any art form of the paired State/UT, as defined under Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat Programme.

Health and Physical Education and SEWA

Health and Physical Education includes mental and emotional health of the learners apart from physical health. Health is often a state of physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

A comprehensive view of Health and Physical Education includes and encompasses the three areas of Health Education, Physical Education and Yoga as integral to achieving holistic health (physical, mental, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual). Given the interdisciplinary nature of this subject, it is transacted in innovative ways across the curriculum.

Four Strands of HPE

STRAND 1 GAMES/SPORTS – At least one of following:

• A) Athletics
• B) Team Games
• C) Individual Games
• D) Adventure Sports

STRAND 2 Health and Fitness

• a. Fitness workouts
• b. Mass PT
• c. Yoga
• d. Jogging

Also, students’ Health and Fitness Records are maintained.

STRAND 3 SEWA

SEWA aims to develop a whole person in their intellectual, personal, social, emotional and social growth. Learners engaged in this program are expected to be life-long learners and through experiential learning develop as active citizens, caring and compassionate humans. Students of classes VI to X take on projects that help them to connect to their surroundings, develop responsibility towards a cause and also inculcate DIY confidence.

STRAND 4 Health & Activity Card (for record)

Health and activity card has general instructions such as Aadhaar card number, name of parents, vision of the students, basic body information, fitness components, fitness parameters, skill components, posture evaluation and record of sporting activities such as games, health and fitness. The students from Class IX to X are eligible to get cards.

Library

Library has over 12000 volumes which include books, videos, DVDs, and CDs. Subscription to periodicals is added to continually. The library also provides students and teachers with a range of reference books, encyclopaedia, journals, newspapers, and internet facilities to enrich their classroom learning and knowledge.

To further enhance the literary and language skills selected literary works including stories, poems, videos, articles, biographies, comics etc. are shared with students. Literary weeks are conducted in collaboration with Language departments.

ICT

Our comprehensive selection of ICT resources draws on wider computing areas from ICT literacy and competency skills to choosing careers in IT. Students are encouraged to explore the theory of ICT, while taking a practical approach to graphs, charts, data manipulation and authoring. Our ICT infrastructure is well equipped and utilized effectively. Provisions are made for periodical upgrading. Students have access to computer systems and the student computer ratio is 1:1. Classrooms are equipped with facilities for computer mediated learning. Digital lessons attribute to integrated and multi-disciplinary collaborative learning. The e- learning from home is integrated in the curriculum. ICT training and professional development programs are organized on a continuous basis.