What will education look like 50 years from now? We do not know this. What we do know, however, is that every child is special, a precious gem! How do we reorganise learning so that we can bring out the noblest and highest in each of them?

This is entirely possible. One of the most important factors that will drive change in our classrooms and motivate all our children is assessments designed around the premise of 'compete with yourself'. Moving away from the summative marks and grades that invariably compare children, new assessments are tools for learning, improvement and empowerment of the individual child. When progress is the goal, every child feels “Yes, I can” instead of “No, I can't”, since every child can progress.

We also most urgently need complete school systems that go beyond piece-meal approaches to transform school communities, inspire every child to become both “good” and “smart”, God-fearing, conscious of others, a team player and a thoughtful leader. When the roots are strong, the tree will be also.

Since coming back to India at my parents’ behest now about five years ago, it has been my priority to serve them. I spent the first nearly four years implementing GEMS at CMS-City Montessori School, my parents’ school in Lucknow. Other schools began to show interest and took up some or all aspects of the GEMS Programme. A few months ago, when the demand for GEMS materials and assessments grew beyond my personal capacity to deliver, we set up The Global Classroom. I am grateful to the Global Classroom team for taking these ideas nationwide and to Mentor and Activity India teams in Bangalore for being our marketing and distribution partners, and to Classteacher Learning Systems for being our technology partners.

The task is vast and challenging. It is, nonetheless, a privilege to work with children, our world's future. Indeed, the best way to shape the future is to nurture it! Let us join hands and work together, share our experiences and make a difference for each and every child in our midst.