My Good School Season 1, Episode 2 - 'Dil Se' means from the heart! "My Good School Podcast - Dil Se" is about the stories that explain how schools can achieve significantly better teaching standards, foster a sense of community, and help students reach their fullest potential. My Good School Community shares how they connect, communicate, collaborate and create an environment where the joy of learning is brought to life.

Dr Ashok Pandey, the show host and Director Ahlcon Group of Schools, speaks with the stakeholders at Billabong High International School Thane: Mr Sudhir Goenka, Trustee/Management; Ms Kalyani Chaudhuri, Principal; Ms Sanika Joshi, Teacher; Rehan Singh, school student; Ayonnya Bhattacharya. ex-student; and Ms. Prajakta Patil, parent. All the stakeholders share their personal experiences and what goes into the making of a good school.

Established in 2006, Billabong Thane celebrates 15 glorious years of responsibly creating 21st-century learners and empathetic future citizens by imparting knowledge that ensures young minds' holistic growth and development. A school where children feel at home; Where EQ precedes IQ; Teachers are facilitators, life-long mentors, and their students often remain their "kids"; and Where we unite to ideate, innovate and improvise. The school works to create a bond of trust and belonging.

Billabong is a vertical school, where the Principal sits on the second floor, and the school ten storeys, wherein the show host quips that 'the sky's the limit!'. Kalyani walks up and down the building all day long to ensure that she connects with the children and stands tall as a school leader who works to empower every teacher at school. She considers herself the luckiest person every morning and is always excited to touch the lives of all the people - the children, staff and stakeholders. She refers to the school as a temple of learning and shares why she feels on top of the world.

Rehan, a school student, shares his ten plus years at school; he gives all credit to his teachers for their pure love and making every child happy without any expectations. His one-minute speech '...limelight makes me nervous, he would like to thank the people he values most in his life...no matter when he fell they did not let him down.

Sanika again shares her transformation in 11 years; she has grown professional and spiritually. The teacher-taught relationship is full of happiness, and she shares how the thank you book records the joy of learning on the campus.

Ayonnya recalls her relationship with teachers and how they prepared her as a person of high percentile to contribute to society. She shares the bond of friendship, activities, drama, and being the first batch at the school who had an entire decade of school experience, offered her the opportunity to grow up to be a kind and compassionate person. When she was unwell for an extended period, the teachers went beyond the call of duty to help her. The parents of the school are active learning partners and appreciate how the students lead; collaboration between stakeholders.

They have a well-knit parent and teacher body who collaborate to make Billabong a good school.

A passionate Billabong fan thus writes:
"Amidst the din and bustle of a busy street
We have a school where minds and hearts meet.
Uncles, aunties, teachers and friends
Make BHIS a happy place to attend.
Austere but gentle, strict but kind-
This is where rules and liberty lie intertwined.

Oh, Billabong is where we love to go!
Because it helps us explore as we grow.
Here we learn the core values of life,
To continue serving as we strive.
Here we learn to wipe away tears
For ours is a school that genuinely cares."

Website: billabongthane.com

Sandeep Dutt: Helping Schools Deliver Better

Learning ForwardBy Sandeep DuttJul 11, 2020