Thursday, July 23, 2015

Lage Raho Munnabhai

Second Day and Third Day.

I have made a promise to myself that whatever I tell the kids to follow, I should follow it with the same grit and determination. I don't want that duality to exist even if the kids are not aware about what happens in my personal space.So I have made a start myself, It would be very difficult for me to carry on that path,but I will try my level best.And I am making it public just because I want people to remind me about this time and again.
1)No drinking
2)No smoking.
3)No junk food.
4)Be clean,
5)Be on time.

The list is not exhaustive.It will change with time.

Second and Third day have given me even more exposure about what a humongous task I have at my hands.And I am a bit confused about how to go around it. But something which will push me is the light of hope my kids have on their faces.

SLAM OUT LOUD
I took 5 of my kids to this poetry event without any planning and preparation and to my surprise three kids wrote such beautiful poems that they were called on stage to recite the same. I was thinking about the two kids who could not write much.There is definitely a sense of possibility for them.I think from next time onwards I would take few kids just for the sake of exposure even if I know that they lack the knack for it.

LOST MY VOICE/FELL ILL
So finally after the gruelling institute,I think I am showing signs of  fatigue now.The credit goes to Delhi's weather and not my kids.
So what kind of attention grabber you can use when you have lost your voice?
Here is an answer, I used a DAFLI which was used in the street play in my class.It worked pretty well.Different sounds for different things.

CONTENT
I was not able to plan much as I did not get time due to the assessments and my health issues,But I am using my collab's insti plans in my own way.
I have divided my class into 8 groups of 4 each using a rigged chit system,Because I wanted a diverse group without making them feel that I had planned it.
And finally I randomly used the GRAM PANCHAYAT election system which in a way kept them involved. I had not planned it but I had seen ANKITA doing the same in the insti and I tweaked it in my own way.

THE DIFFERENT KIND OF KIDS AND THE KID CALLED NITIN
So I have noticed this from the insti only that different kids behave differently in different situations but there is definitely some correlation and pattern. So there are kids who are good at studies and procedural learning, there are kids who are good at observation,there are kids who are pretty silent in the class but they go berserk when they go outside,there are kids who are so innocently naughty that you don't even want to scold them,there are kids like NITIN who fight in the class but cry when you change their places.I wanted to elaborate on this kid Nitin He has come from a Hindi medium school and is at an emergent level.He has issues of mixing with new people,but I felt spending time with him would definitely work. Today in the class he did not have his lunch because his seat was changed and was crying. I managed to convince him to sit in the other group by giving the whole class the leverage that daily I will give one period when you can sit with whoever you want. And in Sanskrit and Hindi period you can do whatever you want.To my surprise only few kids changed their seats.Let me see how it unfolds in the future.To add to it I ate Nitin's lunch after the school and he didn't have a single bite.But when I was leaving he left with me holding my hands and was standing near his home to bid me bye. That seems to be a good start,But I have to think more about converting these things into student learning.

BREAKING THE EXISTING STRUCTURE
The most difficult part is to break and mould the existing structure according to your need and suitability.I would be blunt enough to say that there are few structures in my class and in my school which do not suit me individually.I need to work through them. Basically we were taught about all idealistic stuff in the insti,few of them are not at all visible in the city.And I knew from the beginning that this would be the case.
And I don't want to get institutionalized as it affects my productivity.Remember that KUEN KA MEDHAK(Frog in the well).I don;t want to end like that.
Personally I need my own reflection time and time to think about things.And the way my class has worked so far and the culture prevalent in the school, it would be very difficult for me to find a middle path.

BELIEF ON FEW THINGS GETTING STRONGER AND FEW ARE STILL IN THE PROSECUTION BOX.
Importance of time: Checked
Importance of planning: to an extent Checked.(No scripting;your own style and according to the class)
Importance of filling those trackers: Most of them are trash,I believe if you spend more time in the class you will definitely get to know your kids more better without even using those trackers.More belief on intuition and qualitative things.
Importance of Assessments: Checked,But the way it is carried out has to be tweaked according to your class, if you push your kids too much with assessments without making them understand its value,you will continue filling in trash in your trackers.
Importance of sessions:Only a few.Waiting for the city conference eagerly :P

PS:This post was titled Lage Raho Munnabhai  because that has to be done and also because I gave an example from this movie to make my kids understand that you can prove your point by embarrassing people and you do not need to fight at all.And I am going to show them this movie tomorrow. :)
And I think I would be irregular in my posts,But this my way of reflection and I would try to keep in touch.
Bole toh bole are kaisi hogi haaye,
Apun ko jaisi mangta hai waisi hogi haay,
Haay re Haay 2

Lage raho Munna Bhai,


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