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Director for Education and Skills at the OECD. He initiated and oversees the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and created a global platform to innovate and transform education and skills policies
Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world, and it’s good to see that most teachers find fulfilment in it.
Our new edition of the Teaching and Learning International Survey, released today, finds that nine in ten teachers are satisfied with their jobs, and almost 95% say they often feel happy while teaching.
This is the world’s largest international survey on teachers and school leaders, sampling around 280 000 teachers across more than 50 education systems around the world. It highlights their experiences in the classroom, their working conditions, and explores themes such as AI in education and increasingly diverse student populations.
Some key findings include:
➡️ While nearly three in four teachers would choose teaching again if given the choice, one in five report a lot of stress.
➡️ A third of teachers now use AI for their work. Of those, one in four use it to assess or mark student work.
➡️ The share of class time spent on discipline has increased in almost all OECD systems, from 13% in 2018 to 16% in 2024 on average.
Read the full results here: https://bit.ly/46UFRCS#TALIS
I walked into a classroom and there were only 3 students waiting.
Two girls and one boy. 🤷♂️
That was all. I waited for five minutes. No one else came.
I assumed the obvious. “They’re not interested.” I decided to cancel the session.
That’s when one of the girls looked at me and said,
“Sir, give me two minutes.” She stepped out and started calling her classmates.
One call became five. Five became ten. Within minutes, 60% of the class walked in.
Here’s what struck me later.
I was replacing another guest lecturer. Students routinely skipped his classes.
But when they heard I was coming, they showed up. Not because I’m smarter.
Not because my content is rare. It showed me something deeper: they wanted to learn but only if they felt connected.
That day reminded me of a hard truth about modern classrooms and modern audiences. People don’t show up for content. They show up for connection.
Here are a few things I’ve been consciously doing as an educator and presenter that have helped me over the years.
1️⃣ A bitter pill served in a sweet casing is easier to accept/swallow
It’s not just about content, it’s also about delivery something many presenters ignore. The syllabus matters. But students need something to hold on to: your energy, your intent, and your clarity.
2️⃣ Emotion decides attention
Logic embedded in emotion makes more sense and stays longer. People don’t first remember what you taught. They remember how you made them feel. If they feel safe and comfortable, they’re willing to listen.
3️⃣ Care earns trust
Credentials may impress institutions, but care impresses people. It’s not who you are. It’s whether they feel you genuinely care. And students can sense that very quickly.
4️⃣ Facilitation creates ownership
Teaching still has value, but today’s minds need facilitation. Students don’t want to sit idle. They want to participate in their own learning. They don’t want ready-made answers. They want involvement in discovering them.
5️⃣ Authority is no longer assumed
It is earned in the room.
By listening.
By inviting voices.
By dropping the ego.
6️⃣ Relevance beats brilliance
You can be extremely intelligent and still lose the room. If students can’t connect your words to their life, they mentally leave even if they’re sitting right in front of you.
7️⃣ Presence matters more than preparation
Students can sense obligation when you’re speaking just to finish an assignment. They can also sense authenticity. The question is simple: Are you genuinely present?
That class filled up not because of persuasion, but because of human connection.
Modern students are not disengaged. They are selective.
They don’t ask, “Is this lecture important?”
They ask, “Is this person worth listening to?”
And that question doesn’t stop at classrooms.
If No One Changed Their Mind, Did Anyone Learn?
There is a quiet illusion at the heart of modern classrooms.
Students complete tasks. They submit answers. They participate. They nod. They perform well on structured questions. And we leave the room with the comforting sense that learning has occurred.
But performance is not the same as intellectual movement.
A student can reproduce information without revising a single belief. They can follow procedures without interrogating assumptions. They can score highly while remaining cognitively unchanged.
And if nothing within them has shifted, then what exactly have we accomplished?
Real learning is not exposure to content. It is the restructuring of thought.
It is the moment a student realises that what they previously held to be obvious is now insufficient. It is the discomfort of revision. It is the recalibration of understanding. That movement is subtle. It does not always announce itself. But it is the only evidence that something meaningful has happened.
Tomorrow, at the end of your lesson, try something deceptively simple.
Instead of asking whether there are any questions, ask this:
What did you change your mind about today?
Then wait.
Give them time to write before anyone speaks. Two quiet minutes is enough.
This question does three things that most classroom routines do not.
First, it makes thinking visible. You are no longer checking whether students were attentive. You are checking whether their mental models shifted.
Second, it trains students to notice their own cognitive development. When learners can articulate how their understanding evolved, they move from passive recipients to reflective participants in their own growth.
Third, it gives you diagnostic precision. If no one changed their mind, you have not yet penetrated the surface of the topic. You may have informed. You may even have entertained. But you have not disrupted prior understanding.
The power of this question lies in what it refuses to accept. It refuses to treat learning as completion. It insists on transformation.
In an era saturated with tools, platforms, and artificial intelligence, the most radical move a teacher can make may not be technological. It may be epistemological. It may be the decision to define learning not as activity, but as cognitive revision.
The classroom does not need more noise. It needs sharper questions.
So here is a question for us as professionals.
When was the last time your lesson caused a genuine shift in how your students saw the world?
And how would you know if it did?
#TeachingExcellence#DeepLearning#ReflectivePractice#GlobalEducation#TeacherLeadership#FutureOfLearning#thegurucool
#Transformation in #Education Over the next decade
Here’s how this transformation might unfold:
1. #Personalized#Learning:
Adaptive Learning Platforms: Education will increasingly leverage AI-driven platforms that tailor lessons, assessments, and feedback to individual student needs, learning styles, and paces. This will allow for more customized learning experiences, where students can progress at their own speed.
Data-Driven Insights: Schools will use data analytics to track student progress more effectively and identify areas where each student needs more support or challenge.
2. #Blended and #Hybrid#LearningModels:
Flexibility in Learning Environments: The pandemic accelerated the adoption of online and hybrid learning models, and this trend is likely to continue. Students will have more options to learn in a combination of in-person and virtual settings, allowing for greater flexibility and accessibility.
Global Classrooms: Technology will enable more cross-cultural and international collaboration, with students participating in global classrooms and working on projects with peers from different parts of the world.
3. Focus on #Skills Over #Content:
Shift to Competency-Based Education: There will be a stronger emphasis on developing critical skills like problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and emotional intelligence rather than merely memorizing content. This shift will prepare students better for the demands of the modern workforce.
Lifelong Learning: Education systems will place more emphasis on lifelong learning, encouraging continuous skill development throughout an individual’s career, rather than focusing solely on formal education during the early years.
4. Enhanced Role of #Teachers:
Facilitators and Coaches: Teachers' roles will evolve from being content deliverers to facilitators of learning, guiding students in their personalized learning journeys and helping them develop the skills needed to succeed.
Professional Development: Continuous professional development for educators will become more critical, with a focus on integrating new technologies and methodologies into their teaching practices.
5. #Equity and #Inclusion:
Closing the Digital Divide: Efforts to ensure all students have access to the necessary technology and resources will be a priority, reducing disparities in educational opportunities.
Inclusive Curricula: There will be a push for curricula that are more inclusive of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures, promoting a more equitable and holistic education for all students.
6. Alternative #Credentialing:
Micro-Credentials and Badges: Traditional degrees may be supplemented or even replaced by micro-credentials, certificates, and digital badges that recognize specific skills or competencies.
Recognition of Informal Learning: More value will be placed on informal and experiential learning, with students able to gain recognition for skills acquired outside of traditional educational settings.
A great deal has been discussed as to what teachers should teach; however, very little has been discussed as to how they should teach.
This is where all things fall apart.
Even though a teacher may have complete knowledge of the subject matter, they may still lose their class in an instant. Not due to lack of discipline from the students or distractions, but simply due to the delivery of the material did not meet the needs of the moment.
Teaching is not merely the transmission of information. Teaching is the design of attention.
Students today are developing within a world that is constantly stimulated by digital content, immediate feedback loops & endless streams of media. Therefore, competing with such a digitally-driven environment utilizing nothing more than textbooks, slides and lectures will be unfair to both the student and the teacher.
Creativity in teaching is not necessarily about being entertaining. Creativity in teaching is about making a connection with your students.
A creative teacher does not simplify the subject matter. They redefine it.
They transform equations into stories.
They change history into human decision-making.
They create scientific discovery into everyday wonder.
They take mistakes and turn them into opportunities for growth rather than embarrassing moments.
The greatest teachers do not begin with answers. They begin with questions that cause students to lean forward.
They adjust their pace to match the declining energy levels of their students.
They change the format of their teaching to help regain the attention of their students.
They alter the manner of explaining the concepts based upon the expression of confusion displayed by the faces of their students prior to them asking questions.
This takes work. This takes compassion.
Creative teaching also encompasses the concept that each student learns differently. Some students require visual aids. Some students require examples. Some students require repetition. Some students require a safe environment to ask "why" without feeling belittled.
When teaching is not creative, students simply memorize. When teaching is creative, students truly understand.
Understanding can last much longer than a grade.
A creative teacher develops confidence, not just competence in their students. Students leave the classroom thinking, "I can learn," not "I am not good at this subject." The beliefs that students develop in regards to their ability to learn shape their career choices, personal choices and self worth long after they leave the classroom.
As we continue to move through a world that is rapidly changing at a rate that is greater than the rate at which textbooks can update, creativity in teaching will be less desirable and more necessary.
Since the most important thing a student can learn is not merely a chapter or equation...the most important lesson a student can learn is that learning can be stimulating, meaningful and human.
- Nataraj Sasid
Learning flourishes when students are exposed to a rich tapestry of strategies that activate different parts of the brain and heart. Beyond memorization and review, innovative approaches like peer teaching, role-playing, project-based learning, and multisensory exploration allow learners to engage deeply and authentically.
For example, when students teach a concept to classmates, they strengthen their communication, metacognition, and confidence. Role-playing historical events or scientific processes builds empathy, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Project-based learning such as designing a community garden or creating a presentation fosters collaboration, creativity, and real-world application. Multisensory strategies like using manipulatives, visuals, movement, and sound especially benefit neurodiverse learners, enhancing retention, focus, and emotional connection to content.
These methods don’t just improve academic outcomes they cultivate lifelong skills like adaptability, initiative, and resilience. When teachers intentionally layer strategies that match students’ strengths and needs, they create classrooms that are inclusive, dynamic, and deeply empowering.
#LearningInEveryWay
An article by Krishna Kumar (Director, NCERT) published in The Indian Express.
"Teacher is Walking Away"
A Matter for Attention: “Teachers Are Leaving Their Jobs – A Bitter Truth”
Because teachers are no longer being allowed to "teach" they’ve been turned into multi-purpose employees.
Across the country’s schools/educational institutions today, a "silent revolution" is underway
Teachers are exhausted, helpless, and disheartened.
They are leaving their jobs some quietly, others emotionally withdrawing from their work.
And the new generation? They no longer even want to become teachers.
Why is this happening?
1. Teachers Trapped in Paperwork
Teaching is no longer the priority.
The daily routine has become —
“Send photos,” “Provide proof,” “Upload reports.” "Provide Records."
Their presence in classrooms is diminishing, while their presence in front of screens is increasing.
2. Excessive Emphasis on Technology
Digital tools, apps, and smart boards are being forced upon every subject, every age group, every level.
Teaching has turned into a mechanical process
with hardly any human connection left.
3. Teachers Turned into Event Managers
Every day now demands the celebration of some occasion
Yoga Day, Mother Language Day, Environment Day...
Instead of improving the quality of education, the new metric of performance has become
How many events were organised?
Both principals and teachers are trapped in this endless “show.”
4. The Plight of Rural Teachers
Two or three teachers are responsible for hundreds of children.
Apart from teaching, they must handle mid-day meals, scholarships, uniforms, bicycles, and endless government reporting.
Education has taken a back seat *data collection* has become their main duty.
5. Mental Stress and Loss of Self-Respect
Constant monitoring and the demand for “proof” have eroded trust.
Dealing with students’ stress,
and coping with parents’ unrealistic expectations
these are emotionally draining teachers.
6. The Core Purpose of Education Is Lost
Teachers face immense pressure to complete the syllabus.
The number of subjects keeps rising.
Schools/Institutions are no longer places for character building.
Education today has turned into a “performance project.”
The relationship between teacher and student once the soul of learning is now lost amid numbers and deadlines.
Students now see teachers as service providers, not as guides or respected figures.
Time to Attention
The focus of education must be the student and the teacher
not reports and statistics.
If teachers are denied freedom, respect, and trust,
then the education of the next generation will become lifeless.
We must learn to trust our teachers again.
Because if the teacher disappears
the school/institution will remain, but education will not.
🧅 Onion Pedagogy: Why Good Teaching Peels, Not Pours
Most classrooms don’t fail because teachers lack effort.
They struggle because learning is treated as linear, while understanding is not.
▪️We explain.
▪️We demonstrate.
▪️We assess.
And then we wonder why students remember but don’t understand.
This is where Onion Pedagogy offers a necessary reset.
🔘The Core Insight
▫️Learning doesn’t happen in one step.
It unfolds in layers.
▫️When teaching skips layers, students don’t become weak—they become confused.
▫️Onion Pedagogy asks one powerful question:
“Which layer of understanding is my learner currently in?”
▫️That question alone can transform lesson planning, questioning, and assessment.
🔘The Five Layers of Understanding
Think of learning as peeling an onion:
1️⃣ Recognition – “I’ve heard this before.”
2️⃣ Meaning – “I can explain it.”
3️⃣ Connection – “I can relate it to my life.”
4️⃣ Reasoning – “I can question and analyse it.”
5️⃣ Transfer – “I can apply or create something new.”
Most teaching reaches Layer 2 and assumes Layer 5 happened.
That assumption is the real gap.
🔘A Simple Classroom Example (Creative Writing)
🔈Topic: Freedom
🔻Students first define freedom
🔻Then question whether freedom is the same for everyone
🔻Then write about a personal experience
🔻Then reflect on what truly limited them
🔻Finally, create a metaphor or short piece
What improves here is not vocabulary.
What improves is thinking clarity.
Good writing becomes a by-product, not the starting demand.
🔘Why Onion Pedagogy Works (Especially in Teacher Training)
✔ Reduces student silence and surface answers
✔ Supports mixed-ability classrooms
✔ Aligns naturally with competency-based education
✔ Improves questioning more than worksheets ever can
Most importantly, it helps teachers diagnose learning, not just deliver content.
⛳A Necessary Warning
Onion Pedagogy is not:
🔸a checklist
🔸a rigid 5-step formula
🔸an excuse to add more activities
It is a thinking lens.
If teachers don’t pause to identify the layer, no strategy will work.
🔘The Bigger Picture
In an age where AI can generate answers instantly,
the real skill is not output—it’s understanding.
Great teaching doesn’t rush to the core.
It peels patiently.
And yes—if learning stings a little,
it usually means the right layer has been reached.
Teach less like pouring information.
Teach more like peeling confusion.
That’s Onion Pedagogy.
#OnionPedagogy#TeacherTraining#PedagogyMatters#TeachingForUnderstanding#InstructionalDesign#EducatorLeadership#21stCenturyLearning
▶️ Pedagogy: Derived from the Greek words "paidos," meaning child, and "agogos," meaning leading, pedagogy refers to the art and science of teaching children. It is traditionally associated with teacher-centered instruction, where the teacher is the primary source of knowledge and students are passive recipients.
▶️ Andragogy: Coined by Malcolm Knowles, andragogy comes from the Greek words "andr," meaning man, and "agogos," meaning leading. It refers to the method and practice of teaching adult learners, emphasizing a learner-centered approach where adults bring their experiences and self-direction into the learning process.
▶️ Heutagogy: Heutagogy, or self-determined learning, extends andragogy by emphasizing the development of learner autonomy and capacity. Coined by Stewart Hase and Chris Kenyon, it encourages learners to determine what and how they learn, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and the ability to learn independently.
▶️ Peeragogy emphasizes learning with and from peers. It's a co-learning model where students learn by teaching each other.
▶️ Geragogy caters specifically to the learning needs of elderly adults, focusing on lifelong learning and enrichment.
▶️ Cybergogy combines elements of both pedagogy and andragogy to facilitate learning in a virtual or digital environment.
▶️ Heuristagogy: Conceived by Dr. Victor L. Berardi, heuristagogy integrates the concept of heuristics into self-directed learning. It combines elements of heuristics (problem-solving techniques and learning from experience) with the principles of heutagogy, supporting learners in developing self-directed learning strategies that are both efficient and adaptive. Heuristagogy emphasizes the use of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) to facilitate and support lifelong learning by focusing on satisficing (achieving satisfactory and sufficient outcomes) rather than optimization.
Source:
1) Pedagogy, Andragogy, Heutagogy, and Heuristagogy: A Primer Knowledge Networks & THE Self-Organizing Learning Ecosystem June 22, 2024 THE+SOLE™ Institute
2) 6 Must Know Learning Theories that Shape 21st Century Instructional Design: Pedagogy, Andragogy, Heutagogy, Peeragogy, Geragogy, and Cybergogy Learning Theories By Anthony Miller
