A road unexplored
Meeta Mohanty
Published in Teacher Plus in September'2009 issue
‘Life after 3’ is hardly conceived by a teacher as her personal time. It is not unusual to see teachers carrying loads of notebooks or paper bundles for correction almost every other day. Although teaching is considered a half-day job, it is actually challenging and exhausting as most teachers will confess. Every year— a new group of 30-40 children and the ownership of their education lies completely in the hands of the teacher who is supposed to have a magic wand and understand each child’s potential, hone their skills, groom them on good values and turn them into sensitised citizens. Phew! the list is unending when it comes to expectations from the teacher.
However, it is noteworthy to have a close look at the teacher and what kind of support mechanisms s/he gets to nurture the individuality of children. How much of his/ her individuality forms a part and parcel of the school system? I would certainly like to add that though schools have begun to pay attention to the teacher’s professional development in the form of organising seminars and workshops for his/ her enrichment, personal development still remains a road unexplored in many schools.
I used to be a part of an alternative school system where a lot of personal attention was paid to the ‘making of the teacher’ in the real sense. A year and a half ago, I was a facilitator at The Heritage School, Gurgaon which happens to be a school with practices in favour of teachers and students. It is important to upgrade the quality of living of teachers to actually impact the quality of learning in classrooms. Below I have highlighted only a few examples of some teacher-support mechanisms—
· Induction support: As a teacher ushers into a school, s/he is usually clueless about the school system and takes time to settle down and understand the classroom processes. At The Heritage School, Gurgaon, this need is understood and every teacher who enters afresh is given a settlement time to know her/his duties, observe the class- s/he shall be responsible for. A peer- teacher acts as a mentor in guiding the new teacher about the class and introduces her to the parent community through emails, meetings, etc.
· Peer-observations: Teachers at The Heritage School, are free to observe each others’ classes and gain from such observations. Peer-observations are an ongoing voluntary mechanism and do not involve any stress or performance pressure. There is room for all to learn from his/her errors.
· Retreat: Besides ongoing professional development, there are retreats organised for teachers. These retreats span over two to three days and are planned generally in natural spaces where some adventure sports can be organised for teachers. During the retreat, teachers from different class segments commune together as a group, unwind and share their experiences. A lot of resources are invested in personal development and in building teacher community as a coherent whole.
Collective lesson planning and problem solving: This forms the backbone of the teaching community at The Heritage School. Collective lesson planning and reflective sessions, interspersed with hot debates on education, on righteousness of content, pedagogy, etc. form the core component of the teaching-learning process. Day-to-day lesson planning, theme planning, and problem solving is key. If one teacher is facing a difficult situation in her classroom, the entire group/ cohort of teachers support him/ her in troubleshooting. There is support from the management in troubleshooting problems. Every individual is given space to grow, learn from his/ her errors and not operate under any kind of pressure.
Teacher Leadership: The concept of teacher leadership is completely visible in the school—where s/he has a free choice to plan lessons, be him/herself, plan the day, think and discuss what is best for children. Undoubtedly, curriculum in this school is developed by the teachers and assessments are also formative in nature- with portfolio assessment forming one of the key ways of assessing in primary school.
Only an empowered teacher can bring about empowered classrooms. Learning can only take place when teachers and the whole system undergoes transformation. To expect a teacher who is shattered or disintegrated in an obtrusive, compulsive system to bring about change and develop personalities is too demanding a situation. Thus, systemic changes are important and mandatory in the wake of a call for learning-centred classrooms.
The author works with the Oxford University Press, New Delhi. She can be reached at meetaprabir@gmail.com
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
A framework for thinking schools
A framework for thinking schools
Meeta Mohanty
Meeta Mohanty
Published in Teacher Plus Magazine (August'2009 issue)
Of late, the outsourcing of work to professionals and organisations to deal with day to day issues in schools has become a fad. As a result of the cut-throat competition amongst solution providers each agency wants to surpass the others by providing more solutions to the school system to ease the teaching-learning process. While these agencies certainly help facilitate change in the way a school functions, sustaining this change is entirely left to the school and how many schools manage it is a question.
The Problem
The problem, essentially, is to sustain change in schools and to optimise learning in classrooms. Is it possible to sustain change, acknowledging the fact that outsourced professional assistance is an expensive solution and is accessible for a limited period only?
Some thoughts
A system that recognises the need for some external help is a system that learns and will grow. In Peter Senge’s (An American scientist and author of the book ‘The Fifth Discipline’) terms this system has analysed its current reality, its present situation, the problem it faces and is ready to seek help. In other words this system has self- knowledge and shows readiness for change.
Once a school has acknowledged its problems and is ready for help the second step is to look for help. Should the school outsource professionals or is there a scope of resolving the crisis from within? What shall affect a long lasting change? How should one move forward?
The visible trend
Increasingly, many schools are seeking professionals for the following needs:
Day to day lesson planning
Most schools are now seeking professional help for day to day lesson plans to effectively transact their course books. When a school management requests external help for lesson planning it sends a message across that it does not repose faith in its own teachers but trusts professionals who lie outside the school system to prescribe the methodology for teaching. And more often than not these professionals providing solutions to teaching are not practicing teachers.
If a school does need external help then why not organize regular workshops on how to plan lessons, have discussions on the school and class setting, the effective use of available resources in optimising learning in classrooms? What I am articulating for is a common platform; time for teachers to discuss key issues that are peculiar to each of their classes and finding solutions as a group. Rather than looking at class 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D as separate groups led by different section educators, it is possible to treat class 2 as one cohort group and then identify different kinds of learning preferences of children. Collective lesson planning will surely help in minimising problems, finding solutions, collating resources and upgrading one’s knowledge.
Making teaching-learning innovative
Many schools are seeking professional assistance in acquainting teachers with ideas to make the teaching process engaging. Ideas are shared based on some philosophical or pedagogical theory; however such a system does not encourage teachers to develop activities on their own. It is important that teachers develop the capacity to create and design activities on their own. This can only happen when there is a culture of sustained reading and sharing. Expectations from teachers will only materialise when there are systemic changes as well.
Time needs to be set aside on an ongoing basis for reading research, interpreting new syllabi document and engaging in a dialogue. Only this can push thought processes further and develop confidence to ideate and innovate. There needs to be an ethos where teachers can make errors and learn from their new experiments. It is imperative to move from being safe following the tried and tested chalk and talk method to becoming a risk-taker, plan based on one’s gut feelings, one’s interpretation of theories. There is risk in innovating, but yes there is also a sense of accomplishment.
Isn’t this something we also expect of our students? Further as a practice, reflective journal writing can be introduced where teachers can pen down their daily reflections of their classes. This is important as these journals can be a source of assessing one’s new methodologies, and also can offer useful insights about learning and our learners. It is however important that these journals are not regulated and checked by the management as this would alter the entire dynamics and richness of writing, as somehow our schools are yet to function as a whole.
Drafting assessments
Some schools demand professional help in setting question papers—unit and term papers included. Such a demand leaves teachers with no autonomy to draft need -based assessments. Further, all pedagogical deliberations on assessments to be formative, beyond paper and pencil tests seem to be only deliberations with no practical grounding in face of such demand and solutions. If we do seek professional help, instead of asking them to set question papers, let’s ask for how to assess, what goes behind setting a good and valid assessment, how can children be assessed in a formative manner, how to design rubrics that are valid and reliable? Such demand from schools will also push solution providers to move beyond the spoonfeeding mode to more thinking and challenging levels. This will set a premise for a thinking school, where all stakeholders are engaged in thinking— leaders, teachers and children. This is what I call HOTS applied to a school. Higher Order Thinking Skills—is a framework not only for students but also true for a thinking school—a learning organisation.
The basic idea is to push the needs of the school management and solutions provided by organisations to a level where the fundamental paradigm breaks away from giving solutions to thinking together and empowerment at all levels. From questions that move from ‘what’ to ‘hows’ and ‘whys’at all levels. Such an empowerment shall definitely be a breeding ground for a thinking classroom.
The author works with the Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Of late, the outsourcing of work to professionals and organisations to deal with day to day issues in schools has become a fad. As a result of the cut-throat competition amongst solution providers each agency wants to surpass the others by providing more solutions to the school system to ease the teaching-learning process. While these agencies certainly help facilitate change in the way a school functions, sustaining this change is entirely left to the school and how many schools manage it is a question.
The Problem
The problem, essentially, is to sustain change in schools and to optimise learning in classrooms. Is it possible to sustain change, acknowledging the fact that outsourced professional assistance is an expensive solution and is accessible for a limited period only?
Some thoughts
A system that recognises the need for some external help is a system that learns and will grow. In Peter Senge’s (An American scientist and author of the book ‘The Fifth Discipline’) terms this system has analysed its current reality, its present situation, the problem it faces and is ready to seek help. In other words this system has self- knowledge and shows readiness for change.
Once a school has acknowledged its problems and is ready for help the second step is to look for help. Should the school outsource professionals or is there a scope of resolving the crisis from within? What shall affect a long lasting change? How should one move forward?
The visible trend
Increasingly, many schools are seeking professionals for the following needs:
Day to day lesson planning
Most schools are now seeking professional help for day to day lesson plans to effectively transact their course books. When a school management requests external help for lesson planning it sends a message across that it does not repose faith in its own teachers but trusts professionals who lie outside the school system to prescribe the methodology for teaching. And more often than not these professionals providing solutions to teaching are not practicing teachers.
If a school does need external help then why not organize regular workshops on how to plan lessons, have discussions on the school and class setting, the effective use of available resources in optimising learning in classrooms? What I am articulating for is a common platform; time for teachers to discuss key issues that are peculiar to each of their classes and finding solutions as a group. Rather than looking at class 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D as separate groups led by different section educators, it is possible to treat class 2 as one cohort group and then identify different kinds of learning preferences of children. Collective lesson planning will surely help in minimising problems, finding solutions, collating resources and upgrading one’s knowledge.
Making teaching-learning innovative
Many schools are seeking professional assistance in acquainting teachers with ideas to make the teaching process engaging. Ideas are shared based on some philosophical or pedagogical theory; however such a system does not encourage teachers to develop activities on their own. It is important that teachers develop the capacity to create and design activities on their own. This can only happen when there is a culture of sustained reading and sharing. Expectations from teachers will only materialise when there are systemic changes as well.
Time needs to be set aside on an ongoing basis for reading research, interpreting new syllabi document and engaging in a dialogue. Only this can push thought processes further and develop confidence to ideate and innovate. There needs to be an ethos where teachers can make errors and learn from their new experiments. It is imperative to move from being safe following the tried and tested chalk and talk method to becoming a risk-taker, plan based on one’s gut feelings, one’s interpretation of theories. There is risk in innovating, but yes there is also a sense of accomplishment.
Isn’t this something we also expect of our students? Further as a practice, reflective journal writing can be introduced where teachers can pen down their daily reflections of their classes. This is important as these journals can be a source of assessing one’s new methodologies, and also can offer useful insights about learning and our learners. It is however important that these journals are not regulated and checked by the management as this would alter the entire dynamics and richness of writing, as somehow our schools are yet to function as a whole.
Drafting assessments
Some schools demand professional help in setting question papers—unit and term papers included. Such a demand leaves teachers with no autonomy to draft need -based assessments. Further, all pedagogical deliberations on assessments to be formative, beyond paper and pencil tests seem to be only deliberations with no practical grounding in face of such demand and solutions. If we do seek professional help, instead of asking them to set question papers, let’s ask for how to assess, what goes behind setting a good and valid assessment, how can children be assessed in a formative manner, how to design rubrics that are valid and reliable? Such demand from schools will also push solution providers to move beyond the spoonfeeding mode to more thinking and challenging levels. This will set a premise for a thinking school, where all stakeholders are engaged in thinking— leaders, teachers and children. This is what I call HOTS applied to a school. Higher Order Thinking Skills—is a framework not only for students but also true for a thinking school—a learning organisation.
The basic idea is to push the needs of the school management and solutions provided by organisations to a level where the fundamental paradigm breaks away from giving solutions to thinking together and empowerment at all levels. From questions that move from ‘what’ to ‘hows’ and ‘whys’at all levels. Such an empowerment shall definitely be a breeding ground for a thinking classroom.
The author works with the Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Is knowledge in question in India?
Is knowledge questionable in India?
Published in Seminar Magazine, June'2009--'Circuits in Cinema' issue by Meeta Mohanty.
This paper is an attempt to investigate that whether knowledge— explicit or tacit is questionable in Indian education or not? It probes the issue through the medium of various examples that are set in schools— choice of subjects, daily classroom routines, textbooks etc.
The phrase ‘knowledge in question’ seems to be ironic in wake of the rigid curriculum that is imparted in schools in India with a marked degree of impersonation and alienation. I wonder as an educator, a curriculum developer and a teacher educator that nothing has changed from the days when I was schooled till date when I visit schools to address the concerns that relate to teaching & learning process. Most teacher concerns are centered around finding solutions to cope with enormous information contained in textbooks, and they look forward for some tips for planning lessons and making it innovative. By and large the process remains of epitomizing resource persons and looking at them for knowedge. Rarely a teacher attempts to investigate the sources and resources shared in workshops by the resource persons. This conformity to knowledge perpetuates to the grass root levels and is visible in form of unquestioning obedience to texts, teachers and the social norms in classrooms. I wonder that the seeds of inquiry need to be sown in the teachers and systemic changes to be introduced in schools to break away from the pattern of conformity that is visible at all levels.
Skimming through a range of textbooks in our country shall reveal the clientele or the social class it caters to. The illustrations, text, language, setting, selection of content and the pricing, all determines the clientele. Further it is also amazing to look at the tone of certainity with which a book transmits knowledge. This certain tone does add to the sacrosanct stature of the texts and no one whether it is the teacher or the student feels the need to investigate the information shared in the book. It is assumed that what is published is carefully scanned and is correct as the book seems to be attached to the authors and publishers whose knowledge and stature is unquestionable. Thus with all due respect to the author or the publisher, one comes across rare occasions where the knowledge that is published is questioned, reviewed or even tested by the teachers and students who instead become consumers of knowledge. Clearly such passive transmission of texts has its philosophical leanings towards behaviorism* and thus texts and textbooks in schools enjoy the ultimate authority to shape the responses and thereby the personalities of children.
It is not only the published knowledge that is received with a degree of obedience but there is an equally powerful hidden curriculum that is transacted in schools and has a much deeper impact on the child’s psyche. This hidden curriculum operates in form of a stable class atmosphere— the similar physical setting, desks and blackboard, the high placed charts, bulletins and other manipulatives that remain accessible to the teacher, in general. Not only is the physical environment stable, the emotional environment is stable as well. A reflection of this is clearly visible in the difference in space shared by the teacher and the students and also in segregation of seating place of boys and girls that does become sharp in the middle school. Further, some social segregation is also seen as one moves towards higher education. For example professions like teaching seem to be monopolized by women and other professions like adventure sports and sales & marketing are dominated by men. It is not surprising to find feeble representation of women in jobs like plumbing, driving, electrical appliance handling, gardening, ploughing etc. These are jobs that require physical labour and thus mostly opted for by men in India. The same social knowledge finds its reflection in the textbooks. This divide that exists is not a natural divide or the one that exists by chance. It is the result of aggregation of subtle nuances that are communicated in the process of schooling in form of the hidden curriculum. This hidden curriculum is the unspoken curriculum conveyed through teacher’s expectations of seeking help for lifting chairs or doing physical work or outdoor surveys from boys, and on the contrary asking girls to be more involved in cultural activities like presenting a dance or a drama on the stage. Besides the teachers, parents and the society also construct a gender- stereotyped schema by attaching social taboos to girls opting for travel related jobs, or event management or even modeling. Likewise boys are not spared and they too face the pressure of earning that often takes a toll on their creative interests that might be painting, choreography, cooking, anchoring etc. Thus till date what is visible is a conformity to the apparent and the hidden curriculum that are forms of visible or tacit knowledge which forms the essential backbone of the schooling process. Coupled with this is the closed pedagogy where the basic premise is to give knowledge and thus chalk and talk predominates and crushes the individuality, creativity and the inquiring nature of the child.
When I talk of unquestioning obedience, I am also reminded of a popular animated movie developed by National Institute of Design ‘Do flowers Fly?’ that reveals how both the apparent (texts, closed pedagogy) and the hidden curriculum (walking in lines, no peer interaction, no right to speak) operate in schools and take a toll on child’s creativity and sense of inquiry and well being.
Thus knowledge in Indian society remains unquestioned and unparalleled. If any text tries to raise questions vis a vis the dominant social order, it has to be prepared for repercussions. At this point I shall like to draw attention towards the fate of new SCERT Social Science textbooks for class VII in Kerela and the much debated text of Jeevan, a young school boy who was given a choice to choose his religion by his parents. The text was accused to be propagating atheism, though what I believe it questioned was the ascribed status of religion. It did deviate from the dominant social order by giving freedom to a child to choose his religion who is considered to be cognitively immature in our society to take such an important decision. After a lot of burning of textbooks and the political chaos it generated, SCERT had to tone down the text. I wonder again is ‘knowledge in question’ in India?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
By Meeta Mohanty who has taught in both mainstream and alternative schools. She is into developing curriculum & teaching learning materials, teacher education and currently employed as Assistant Product Manager (North) at Oxford University Press India, New Delhi.
References:
http://www.indiatogether.com/2008/nov/edu-textbook.htm
http://www.indiatogether.org/2008/jul/edu-textbook.htm
“Do flowers fly”—web resource available on my blog http://www.myeduexperiences.blogspot.com/
Jackson, Philip W.: Life in Classrooms- The Daily Grind, Holt Rinehart & Winston Publishers, 1990
Kumar, Krishna “What is worth teaching?” Published by Orient Blackswan, 2004
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
No way! the hundred is there
Web Resource-- a wonderful poem
NO WAY – THE HUNDRED IS THERE
The child
is made of one hundred.
The child has
a hundred languages
a hundred hands
a hundred thoughts
a hundred ways of thinking
of playing, of speaking.
a hundred, always a hundred
ways of listening
of marveling, of loving
a hundred joys
for singing and understanding
a hundred worlds
to discover
a hundred worlds
to invent
a hundred worlds
to dream.
The child has
a hundred languages
(and a hundred hundred hundred more)
but they steal ninety-nine.
The school and the culture
separate the head form the body.
They tell the child
to think without hands
to do without head
to listen and not to speak
to understand without joy
to love and to marvel
only at Easter and Christmas.
They tell the child
to discover the world already there
and of the hundred
they steal ninety-nine.
They tell the child
that work and play
reality and fantasy
science and imagination
sky and earth
reason and dream
are things
that do not belong together.
And thus they tell the child
that the hundred is not there.
The child says
“No way – The hundred is there”
Loris Malaguzzi (translated by Lella Gandini)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Re-defining discipline?
Discipline: Influence on Policy and Practise by Meeta Mohanty
This paper is inspired by th teachings of Ms. Namita Ranganathan, Reader, C.I.E., D.U.
Discipline in Latin means ‘to teach or comprehend’. However the schools dictate a different connotation of discipline i.e. to symbolize conformity/ punishments. Discipline forms the social curriculum of the school i.e. transmitted through the expectations , rules & consequences in school. For a child to fair well at school it becomes imperative for him/her to master both the academic & the social curriculum.
A pertinent question to ask here is that can there be a standard code of conduct & pre-decided consequences in a plural country like India where a lot of conflicts arise due to cultural differences. Research studies reveal that children often resort to disruptive behavior due to multitude of reasons as specified below :
Ø Often these children are a victim of coercive interchanges in their families & thus the most effective way to avoid abuse is to become abusive themselves( Patterson,1992).
Ø They face extreme parental inconsistency in rules & consequences.
Ø As a result of unsafe & threatening home & community conditions , children with conduct disorders develop an antisocial cognitive set to bully others.
Ø Disruptive behavior is a form of escapism for them from increasing pressure of academics.
Ø They often are not aware of integrative ways of coping with internal & external conflicts & thus manifest violent behavior as a defense mechanism.
In such a scenario it becomes imperative to educate children to be sensitive & thus provide need based support. This can be achieved by promoting emotional intelligence in schools by:
Ø Building the school capacity to initiate & sustain innovation.
Ø Establish & consistently reinforce school rules , particularly when positively framed , & communicate these rules through school wide campaigns.
Ø Teach social competency skills ( e.g. self control, social problem solving, communication skills ) especially over a long period of time.
Ø Promote emotional intelligence through bullying prevention, mentoring by educators, promoting alternative thinking strategies & teaching integrative ways of coping.
Children resorting to disruptive behavior ought to be sensitively handled & probed thoroughly for the reason for the right intervention & support. Some of the tools that can help the facilitators are:
1) Relaxation training 2) Systematic desensitization 3) Rational analysis
4) Meditation 5) Cognitive restructuring 6) Thought stopping
7) Focus on positives 8) Count your blessings 9) Negotiation & self talks
10)Cognitive modeling 11) Emotional modeling 12) Disputing irrational beliefs
To effectively use these tools an educator ought to be a mental health professional engendering the total well being of the child. S/He ought to keep in mind the four areas of development enshrined in the National Curriculum Framework’05 :
Ø Personal health , physical & psychosocial development.
Ø Movement concepts & motor skills
Ø Relation with significant others
Ø Healthy communities & environment
Generally personal health, hygiene, exercise , academics gets attention in schools leaving aside the other two important arenas of relationship with people and environment. This is what needs attention to resolve the sources of maladjustment and also train children to relate positively to their natural, social, cultural & political environment. This training for citizenship was an important illumination in Gandhi’s Nai Talim , however needs to be revived through practice of democratic or judicious discipline in classrooms. According to Gathercoal ,1993 Judicious Discipline emphasizes the concept that an educator’s professional responsibility is to create an equitable environment that affords every student the opportunity to be successful. It is a philosophy of educating students that encourages self-control by teaching students their rights & responsibilities in a democratic society. It is believed that judicious discipline is the balance between individual rights as guaranteed by the constitution & compelling state interests that serve our society’s need for a safe, healthy & undisputed environment. Judicious discipline entails these rules:
Ø Act in a safe & healthy way . Example: proper footwear in gym, gloves in chemistry labs , moving in corridors, staircase etc.
Ø Treat all property with respect. Example : responsibility to protect toilet walls, classrooms from graffiti, being defaced or malhandled.
Ø Respect the rights & needs of others. Example: use of appropriate language, working in a team etc.
Ø Take responsibility for learning. Example: being punctual for a class, bringing homework etc.
The practice of judicious discipline is analogous to cognitive behavior therapy where the child sets a target behavior, monitors the behavior by keeping a record, changes factors which inhibit target behavior, reinforces one’s approximations to target behavior and consolidates the gains.
As the above mantra applies in self management so does it fit into practice of judicious discipline which ensures:
Ø Improved problem solving skills
Ø Self discipline and internal control among students.
Ø Autonomy to students to resolve their problems.
Ø Good rapport with students and parents
Ø Less stress & more accountability in the system.
Some of the challenges in practice of judicious discipline are:
Ø Giving up power control to students to formulate their rules.
Ø Being genuine, empathetic with children (Rogers)
Ø Giving unconditional positive regard.(Rogers)
Ø Small class size
Ø Being patient, tolerant and consistent
Thus I believe that judicious discipline is a way out from strict codes of discipline which function on the premise of power, control , punishment and authority.Thus a school ought to look genuinely into its school composition, nature of behavioral problems and deal with them sensitively as discipline decides the social curriculum of the school. As enlightened educators we will never want our learners to be inhibited , controlled, passive and breed on fear.
REFERENCES:
Grandmont ,P.Richard “ Judicious discipline – a constitutional approach for public high schools’’ , American Secondary Education 31 (3) Summer 2003.pages 97-117.
Skiba,Russ & Peterson, Reece “Teaching the social curriculum : school discipline as instruction”
National Curriculum Framework ‘05( position papers) on health education.
Discipline in Latin means ‘to teach or comprehend’. However the schools dictate a different connotation of discipline i.e. to symbolize conformity/ punishments. Discipline forms the social curriculum of the school i.e. transmitted through the expectations , rules & consequences in school. For a child to fair well at school it becomes imperative for him/her to master both the academic & the social curriculum.
A pertinent question to ask here is that can there be a standard code of conduct & pre-decided consequences in a plural country like India where a lot of conflicts arise due to cultural differences. Research studies reveal that children often resort to disruptive behavior due to multitude of reasons as specified below :
Ø Often these children are a victim of coercive interchanges in their families & thus the most effective way to avoid abuse is to become abusive themselves( Patterson,1992).
Ø They face extreme parental inconsistency in rules & consequences.
Ø As a result of unsafe & threatening home & community conditions , children with conduct disorders develop an antisocial cognitive set to bully others.
Ø Disruptive behavior is a form of escapism for them from increasing pressure of academics.
Ø They often are not aware of integrative ways of coping with internal & external conflicts & thus manifest violent behavior as a defense mechanism.
In such a scenario it becomes imperative to educate children to be sensitive & thus provide need based support. This can be achieved by promoting emotional intelligence in schools by:
Ø Building the school capacity to initiate & sustain innovation.
Ø Establish & consistently reinforce school rules , particularly when positively framed , & communicate these rules through school wide campaigns.
Ø Teach social competency skills ( e.g. self control, social problem solving, communication skills ) especially over a long period of time.
Ø Promote emotional intelligence through bullying prevention, mentoring by educators, promoting alternative thinking strategies & teaching integrative ways of coping.
Children resorting to disruptive behavior ought to be sensitively handled & probed thoroughly for the reason for the right intervention & support. Some of the tools that can help the facilitators are:
1) Relaxation training 2) Systematic desensitization 3) Rational analysis
4) Meditation 5) Cognitive restructuring 6) Thought stopping
7) Focus on positives 8) Count your blessings 9) Negotiation & self talks
10)Cognitive modeling 11) Emotional modeling 12) Disputing irrational beliefs
To effectively use these tools an educator ought to be a mental health professional engendering the total well being of the child. S/He ought to keep in mind the four areas of development enshrined in the National Curriculum Framework’05 :
Ø Personal health , physical & psychosocial development.
Ø Movement concepts & motor skills
Ø Relation with significant others
Ø Healthy communities & environment
Generally personal health, hygiene, exercise , academics gets attention in schools leaving aside the other two important arenas of relationship with people and environment. This is what needs attention to resolve the sources of maladjustment and also train children to relate positively to their natural, social, cultural & political environment. This training for citizenship was an important illumination in Gandhi’s Nai Talim , however needs to be revived through practice of democratic or judicious discipline in classrooms. According to Gathercoal ,1993 Judicious Discipline emphasizes the concept that an educator’s professional responsibility is to create an equitable environment that affords every student the opportunity to be successful. It is a philosophy of educating students that encourages self-control by teaching students their rights & responsibilities in a democratic society. It is believed that judicious discipline is the balance between individual rights as guaranteed by the constitution & compelling state interests that serve our society’s need for a safe, healthy & undisputed environment. Judicious discipline entails these rules:
Ø Act in a safe & healthy way . Example: proper footwear in gym, gloves in chemistry labs , moving in corridors, staircase etc.
Ø Treat all property with respect. Example : responsibility to protect toilet walls, classrooms from graffiti, being defaced or malhandled.
Ø Respect the rights & needs of others. Example: use of appropriate language, working in a team etc.
Ø Take responsibility for learning. Example: being punctual for a class, bringing homework etc.
The practice of judicious discipline is analogous to cognitive behavior therapy where the child sets a target behavior, monitors the behavior by keeping a record, changes factors which inhibit target behavior, reinforces one’s approximations to target behavior and consolidates the gains.
As the above mantra applies in self management so does it fit into practice of judicious discipline which ensures:
Ø Improved problem solving skills
Ø Self discipline and internal control among students.
Ø Autonomy to students to resolve their problems.
Ø Good rapport with students and parents
Ø Less stress & more accountability in the system.
Some of the challenges in practice of judicious discipline are:
Ø Giving up power control to students to formulate their rules.
Ø Being genuine, empathetic with children (Rogers)
Ø Giving unconditional positive regard.(Rogers)
Ø Small class size
Ø Being patient, tolerant and consistent
Thus I believe that judicious discipline is a way out from strict codes of discipline which function on the premise of power, control , punishment and authority.Thus a school ought to look genuinely into its school composition, nature of behavioral problems and deal with them sensitively as discipline decides the social curriculum of the school. As enlightened educators we will never want our learners to be inhibited , controlled, passive and breed on fear.
REFERENCES:
Grandmont ,P.Richard “ Judicious discipline – a constitutional approach for public high schools’’ , American Secondary Education 31 (3) Summer 2003.pages 97-117.
Skiba,Russ & Peterson, Reece “Teaching the social curriculum : school discipline as instruction”
National Curriculum Framework ‘05( position papers) on health education.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Role of class libraries in promoting reading habits
This paper was presented by me in National Seminar on Libraries at NCERT on 10/ 11 Feb. 2009
Role of class libraries in primary classes
by Meeta Mohanty
The paper deals with the role of classroom libraries in promoting reading habits in primary classes .It spells out the current state of libraries and the problems associated with them. It draws from emergent literacy approach and highlights the merits of class libraries that can be instrumental in developing reading behaviors, strategies, concepts of print etc. in early readers. It suggests some practical ideas that educators can implement with ease to support the concept in school systems.
National Curriculum Framework 2005 highlights the importance of libraries that should serve as a place for holding discussions, story telling and should have a child friendly ambience with a positive ethos, good lighting and seating arrangement. However what is visible in most schools is the apathy towards developing libraries. In most cases libraries serve as storehouse of books stacked in tall, dusty racks and the poor infrastructure makes this place not so user-friendly. Further, in some schools primary children have zero access to library books as they are not allowed to enter main library and in some cases we shall find no allocation of library period in the timetable. Libraries are either used by teachers or students of senior classes for reference work. It rarely becomes a place that is accessible to children and can be used for reading for pleasure. Thus developing reading habit as a goal of library remain unaccomplished in most cases. This happens generally due to the centralized main library which do not provide a ready access to the learners. In this paper I suggest the power of classroom libraries and how it can help in promoting reading habit in young learners.
NCF’2005 guidelines suggest us that the use of library to one period a week seldom allows children to cultivate a taste for reading. Such a limited exposure takes away from children opportunities to handle books and talk about them. Silence is usually observed in main library that is quite contrary to the active nature of the child. Children converse with pictures and text in the books and engage in book talks with peers. This is the whole idea behind class libraries for young children that can also function as activity centers for them. Thus it is worthwhile to allocate space within the classroom where a reading corner or a class library can be started. Such a reading space solves the problem of access and availability of books to children. Further, it also acts as an energizer activity corner where children can be at leisure and read for pleasure.
Such a ready access to books within classroom offers engagement to learners and boosts their literacy levels as class libraries then becomes a significant part of class routines.
Research reveals that students are likely to spend more time reading when they are in classrooms with adequate classroom libraries (Allington & Cunningham, 1996; Krashen, 1998; Routman, 2003). For example, Morrow (2003) and Neuman (1999) note that students read 50-60 percent more in classrooms with libraries than in classrooms without them. Let’s examine some facets of class libraries.
Infrastructure and display
Class libraries can be started with minimum infrastructure. Certain things that can be used are as follows:
· Empty cardboard cartons can be used as a table or a rack depending on the availability of space in the class.
· It is important to display books that reveal their personality and attract young readers. The books need not be stacked where only the spine is visible. The cover page carries the visual appeal.
· Books procured by library which are subsequently hardbound to ensure longevity hide the cover and fail to catch the attention of young readers. Thus as an educator the emphasis should be on usability of the book rather than longevity. Hardbound, dull binding should be avoided.
· Make this reading corner attractive and comfortable by putting a small rug for children to spread themselves and read. Create an environment that is supportive of early writing by making sure paper, crayons, pens, pencils, and markers are available. (Barclay, Benelli, & Curtis, 1995; NAEYC, 1997). Let children write or draw if they feel like responding while reading.
·Use flashy slogans, poems, banners that talks about a new book and motivate children to read. It is analogous to advertizing.
· Novelity is key to motivation and thus the content of class libraries should change frequently. Main libraries can become feeder for these class libraries. They need to be regularly updated with new books from the main library so as to keep the vein of enthusiasm alive.
by Meeta Mohanty
The paper deals with the role of classroom libraries in promoting reading habits in primary classes .It spells out the current state of libraries and the problems associated with them. It draws from emergent literacy approach and highlights the merits of class libraries that can be instrumental in developing reading behaviors, strategies, concepts of print etc. in early readers. It suggests some practical ideas that educators can implement with ease to support the concept in school systems.
National Curriculum Framework 2005 highlights the importance of libraries that should serve as a place for holding discussions, story telling and should have a child friendly ambience with a positive ethos, good lighting and seating arrangement. However what is visible in most schools is the apathy towards developing libraries. In most cases libraries serve as storehouse of books stacked in tall, dusty racks and the poor infrastructure makes this place not so user-friendly. Further, in some schools primary children have zero access to library books as they are not allowed to enter main library and in some cases we shall find no allocation of library period in the timetable. Libraries are either used by teachers or students of senior classes for reference work. It rarely becomes a place that is accessible to children and can be used for reading for pleasure. Thus developing reading habit as a goal of library remain unaccomplished in most cases. This happens generally due to the centralized main library which do not provide a ready access to the learners. In this paper I suggest the power of classroom libraries and how it can help in promoting reading habit in young learners.
NCF’2005 guidelines suggest us that the use of library to one period a week seldom allows children to cultivate a taste for reading. Such a limited exposure takes away from children opportunities to handle books and talk about them. Silence is usually observed in main library that is quite contrary to the active nature of the child. Children converse with pictures and text in the books and engage in book talks with peers. This is the whole idea behind class libraries for young children that can also function as activity centers for them. Thus it is worthwhile to allocate space within the classroom where a reading corner or a class library can be started. Such a reading space solves the problem of access and availability of books to children. Further, it also acts as an energizer activity corner where children can be at leisure and read for pleasure.
Such a ready access to books within classroom offers engagement to learners and boosts their literacy levels as class libraries then becomes a significant part of class routines.
Research reveals that students are likely to spend more time reading when they are in classrooms with adequate classroom libraries (Allington & Cunningham, 1996; Krashen, 1998; Routman, 2003). For example, Morrow (2003) and Neuman (1999) note that students read 50-60 percent more in classrooms with libraries than in classrooms without them. Let’s examine some facets of class libraries.
Infrastructure and display
Class libraries can be started with minimum infrastructure. Certain things that can be used are as follows:
· Empty cardboard cartons can be used as a table or a rack depending on the availability of space in the class.
· It is important to display books that reveal their personality and attract young readers. The books need not be stacked where only the spine is visible. The cover page carries the visual appeal.
· Books procured by library which are subsequently hardbound to ensure longevity hide the cover and fail to catch the attention of young readers. Thus as an educator the emphasis should be on usability of the book rather than longevity. Hardbound, dull binding should be avoided.
· Make this reading corner attractive and comfortable by putting a small rug for children to spread themselves and read. Create an environment that is supportive of early writing by making sure paper, crayons, pens, pencils, and markers are available. (Barclay, Benelli, & Curtis, 1995; NAEYC, 1997). Let children write or draw if they feel like responding while reading.
·Use flashy slogans, poems, banners that talks about a new book and motivate children to read. It is analogous to advertizing.
· Novelity is key to motivation and thus the content of class libraries should change frequently. Main libraries can become feeder for these class libraries. They need to be regularly updated with new books from the main library so as to keep the vein of enthusiasm alive.
Role of librarian
· He/she plays a dynamic role to motivate and educate teachers about the functionality of class libraries.
· He/she can help teachers ideate and make some persuasive slogans, advertisements for books, write abstracts, prepare learning logs, charts, plan activities around the books.
· He/she shall ensure that there is not only circulation of books in class libraries but also the resources prepared by a teacher are shared.
Understanding pedagogy
It is important to understand the reading process if we wish to encourage reading habit in children. Books talk to children in multiple ways. Let’s look at some of these.
· The teacher needs to read aloud the title, sub-title, author’s name, illustrator, and also talk about the illustrations of the cover and the back page.
· Encourage children to predict the plot, share what they see on the cover page, share their experiences and make it a dialogic process. Such things motivate children to read and confirm their predictions.
· Talk about the logos, publishers and with time these talks become a part of child’s language repertoire.
· Pointing to the text is key with early readers that familiarizes them with the directionality of the text and also helps in forming associations with print.
Emergent readers are just beginning to control early reading strategies such as directionality, word-by-word matching, and concepts of print. They use pictures to support reading and rely heavily on their knowledge of language (Holdaway, 1979; Pinnell, 1996b; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998).
· Key words from a book can be displayed on the bulletin as sight words. Key word selection does not imply difficult words or simple phonic based words. These are words meant for sight recognition rather than learning spellings. These can be either repetitive words, nouns, verbs or words that convey emotions.
·Librarians need to encourage teachers to use book talks as a pedagogical tool and also carefully document how children engage with books. Careful observations shall also reveal the taste of that cohort/ class.
Sulzby (1985a) describes children's storybook reading from emergent through conventional reading. She notes that children eventually move from pointing and labeling pictures in a book, to "reading" a story through the illustrations, to telling the story using book language, and finally to reading conventionally using the text of a story. Thus as an educator it is important to provide ample reading exposure to children through regular read aloud and immersing them in a print rich environment.
Content
A class library needs to be equipped with a variety of reading material as follows. It is important to understand that there are multiple sources that children can explore beyond books.
· A variety of children’s literature should be available to readers. This includes wordless picture books, fantasy stories, humorous stories, mysteries, tall tales, biographies, experiential stories, folk tales, fables , poems etc.
· Other reading material like catalogues, brochures, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, menu cards, advertisements etc related to the theme should be available.
Creating ownership
Children should feel class library to be their own and not an inaccessible space. Thus they should be empowered in multiple ways to use this space creatively. Their voices need attention and demand implementation. This can be attained in these ways.
· Children’s projects, diaries, work, journals, self made books ought to be displayed. This should be a space for learning together and not for giving stars, grades and displaying the best. Efforts are important not the final products.
· It is worthwhile to visit resource room or the main library with children and allow them to select material for reading and place it in their class library. Student reading interests need to be considered when selecting books for classroom libraries (Routman, 2003).
· Children can be engaged in making abstracts, slogans etc to attract the readers.
· Wear and tear of books is natural. Children should be engaged in mending books and thus tapes, scissors, glue should be provided to them.
· Encourage children to share the books they read at home and place it in class library for a day or two for others to read.
Set class routines
· Give at least 15-2o minutes for reading daily in the morning. This is the time teacher should also read to set an example.
· Introduce sharing time when children share their reading experiences. This can be a whole class activity and can later be followed up in small groups. This gives children real material and audience to share.
· Engage learners to respond to what they read. This can be oral in the beginning and can shape into written reviews later. The idea is their opinion about the read material and the view point needs to be respected.
Issue books
Books from the class library should be issued to inculcate reading habit in children. Children can select books of their own liking and home works can be framed around these books. Children should know both reading for pleasure and also reading for a purpose/ task. Rosenblatt(1986) calls this as aesthetic or efferent stance to reading. The reader’s stance means what the reader chooses to focus on while reading. A stance reflects the reader’s purpose. The efferent stance pays more attention to the cognitive, the referential, the factual, the analytic, the logical, and the quantitative aspects of meaning. The aesthetic stance pays more attention to the sensuous, the affective, the emotive, and the qualitative aspects of meaning. We usually adopt an efferent stance when reading a newspaper, a textbook, or a legal brief. We usually adopt an aesthetic stance when reading poetry, narratives, and other literary texts. As educators we need to expose children to both. Thus at times we can choose to allow children to read for pleasure and also at times we can give them task focused reading experiences.
Diversify Languages
Emphasis of the class library should not be only English. The purpose is to expose them to languages so that eventually they become proficient readers and writers. Thus it must have material available in the regional language. Children draw parallels between languages and thus cross language exchange needs to be encouraged.
Nature of activities
The teacher can ask children to read and narrate a story, make picture books using the characters of a story but altering the plot, frame riddles about the characters they studied and play a quiz, build story maps. Other literary activities may include writing an introduction for a book, making a poster, role play, letter writing. Entire gamut of genres we want children to explore can actually be blended with the material from the class library.
Economic costs
Some people might just reject the idea of class library thinking it to be too expensive an affair, however it is not. Quality children’s literature is available in market published by National Book Trust, Children’s Book Trust, Eklavya, Pratham, Scholastic, Tulika, Katha amongst many others that can suit the running costs of the library.
One can attain healthy reading and learning levels in a classroom if one allocates space for class libraries that is accessible to children. Children require a literacy rich environment to develop as proficient readers and writers. This can only be possible when they are immersed in language. Class library does provide meaningful engagement to learners and provides a rich learning experience. It requires main libraries to act as feeder libraries. It also entails understanding of the reading process and pedagogy and integration within the day to day planning.
References
Kumar, K. (2000). The child’s Language and the Teacher. New Delhi: NBT
Badheka, G and Pathak, C (1990). Divaswapna. New Delhi: NBT
http://www.nnhermosa.net/articles/readers_stance.html
http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-926/theory.htm
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li100.htm
http://library.adoption.com/Teaching-and-Training-Children
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/em_lit3.html
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5516444/Nonfiction-in-the-classroom-library.html
· He/she plays a dynamic role to motivate and educate teachers about the functionality of class libraries.
· He/she can help teachers ideate and make some persuasive slogans, advertisements for books, write abstracts, prepare learning logs, charts, plan activities around the books.
· He/she shall ensure that there is not only circulation of books in class libraries but also the resources prepared by a teacher are shared.
Understanding pedagogy
It is important to understand the reading process if we wish to encourage reading habit in children. Books talk to children in multiple ways. Let’s look at some of these.
· The teacher needs to read aloud the title, sub-title, author’s name, illustrator, and also talk about the illustrations of the cover and the back page.
· Encourage children to predict the plot, share what they see on the cover page, share their experiences and make it a dialogic process. Such things motivate children to read and confirm their predictions.
· Talk about the logos, publishers and with time these talks become a part of child’s language repertoire.
· Pointing to the text is key with early readers that familiarizes them with the directionality of the text and also helps in forming associations with print.
Emergent readers are just beginning to control early reading strategies such as directionality, word-by-word matching, and concepts of print. They use pictures to support reading and rely heavily on their knowledge of language (Holdaway, 1979; Pinnell, 1996b; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998).
· Key words from a book can be displayed on the bulletin as sight words. Key word selection does not imply difficult words or simple phonic based words. These are words meant for sight recognition rather than learning spellings. These can be either repetitive words, nouns, verbs or words that convey emotions.
·Librarians need to encourage teachers to use book talks as a pedagogical tool and also carefully document how children engage with books. Careful observations shall also reveal the taste of that cohort/ class.
Sulzby (1985a) describes children's storybook reading from emergent through conventional reading. She notes that children eventually move from pointing and labeling pictures in a book, to "reading" a story through the illustrations, to telling the story using book language, and finally to reading conventionally using the text of a story. Thus as an educator it is important to provide ample reading exposure to children through regular read aloud and immersing them in a print rich environment.
Content
A class library needs to be equipped with a variety of reading material as follows. It is important to understand that there are multiple sources that children can explore beyond books.
· A variety of children’s literature should be available to readers. This includes wordless picture books, fantasy stories, humorous stories, mysteries, tall tales, biographies, experiential stories, folk tales, fables , poems etc.
· Other reading material like catalogues, brochures, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, menu cards, advertisements etc related to the theme should be available.
Creating ownership
Children should feel class library to be their own and not an inaccessible space. Thus they should be empowered in multiple ways to use this space creatively. Their voices need attention and demand implementation. This can be attained in these ways.
· Children’s projects, diaries, work, journals, self made books ought to be displayed. This should be a space for learning together and not for giving stars, grades and displaying the best. Efforts are important not the final products.
· It is worthwhile to visit resource room or the main library with children and allow them to select material for reading and place it in their class library. Student reading interests need to be considered when selecting books for classroom libraries (Routman, 2003).
· Children can be engaged in making abstracts, slogans etc to attract the readers.
· Wear and tear of books is natural. Children should be engaged in mending books and thus tapes, scissors, glue should be provided to them.
· Encourage children to share the books they read at home and place it in class library for a day or two for others to read.
Set class routines
· Give at least 15-2o minutes for reading daily in the morning. This is the time teacher should also read to set an example.
· Introduce sharing time when children share their reading experiences. This can be a whole class activity and can later be followed up in small groups. This gives children real material and audience to share.
· Engage learners to respond to what they read. This can be oral in the beginning and can shape into written reviews later. The idea is their opinion about the read material and the view point needs to be respected.
Issue books
Books from the class library should be issued to inculcate reading habit in children. Children can select books of their own liking and home works can be framed around these books. Children should know both reading for pleasure and also reading for a purpose/ task. Rosenblatt(1986) calls this as aesthetic or efferent stance to reading. The reader’s stance means what the reader chooses to focus on while reading. A stance reflects the reader’s purpose. The efferent stance pays more attention to the cognitive, the referential, the factual, the analytic, the logical, and the quantitative aspects of meaning. The aesthetic stance pays more attention to the sensuous, the affective, the emotive, and the qualitative aspects of meaning. We usually adopt an efferent stance when reading a newspaper, a textbook, or a legal brief. We usually adopt an aesthetic stance when reading poetry, narratives, and other literary texts. As educators we need to expose children to both. Thus at times we can choose to allow children to read for pleasure and also at times we can give them task focused reading experiences.
Diversify Languages
Emphasis of the class library should not be only English. The purpose is to expose them to languages so that eventually they become proficient readers and writers. Thus it must have material available in the regional language. Children draw parallels between languages and thus cross language exchange needs to be encouraged.
Nature of activities
The teacher can ask children to read and narrate a story, make picture books using the characters of a story but altering the plot, frame riddles about the characters they studied and play a quiz, build story maps. Other literary activities may include writing an introduction for a book, making a poster, role play, letter writing. Entire gamut of genres we want children to explore can actually be blended with the material from the class library.
Economic costs
Some people might just reject the idea of class library thinking it to be too expensive an affair, however it is not. Quality children’s literature is available in market published by National Book Trust, Children’s Book Trust, Eklavya, Pratham, Scholastic, Tulika, Katha amongst many others that can suit the running costs of the library.
One can attain healthy reading and learning levels in a classroom if one allocates space for class libraries that is accessible to children. Children require a literacy rich environment to develop as proficient readers and writers. This can only be possible when they are immersed in language. Class library does provide meaningful engagement to learners and provides a rich learning experience. It requires main libraries to act as feeder libraries. It also entails understanding of the reading process and pedagogy and integration within the day to day planning.
References
Kumar, K. (2000). The child’s Language and the Teacher. New Delhi: NBT
Badheka, G and Pathak, C (1990). Divaswapna. New Delhi: NBT
http://www.nnhermosa.net/articles/readers_stance.html
http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-926/theory.htm
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li100.htm
http://library.adoption.com/Teaching-and-Training-Children
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/em_lit3.html
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5516444/Nonfiction-in-the-classroom-library.html
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