Valley teachers find insights in Delhi

[Carl Johnson]

NEW DELHI: For 24-year-old Asiya, taking a Class III student out in the open to 'feel the weather' as part of science education was a lesson she will never forget. Asiya, along with five other teachers from various primary schools in Kashmir, is being trained in improvised teaching techniques at a school in Noida.

The teacher exchange programme, 'Hum', is an initiative by Indian Army as a part of their Operation Sadbhavana. Six teachers selected from schools in Bandipore and Srinagar have come down for a weeklong program to Step-By-Step School in Noida. "It will initiate an all-round development for the youth in Kashmir, since educating the teachers will bring about a social change," said Brigadier Anil Puri, commanding officer of the 81st Mountain Brigade and in-charge of the programme.

"In Kashmir, education is all about books and the defined syllabus. Here, they go beyond books," said Asiya, who is a teacher in an army goodwill school in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Wearing a bright pink 'kurti' and a twinkle in her eyes, she is enthusiastic about taking the lessons back home. "Children are bored in classes there. We have to generate interest in the subject. This programme is teaching us skills to do that," she added.

The programme has been a revelation for them. "One of the girls, Shahzada made a very interesting observation about us drawing responses from students rather than imparting knowledge in class," said Vineeta Sinha, one of the Noida school teachers involved in the programme. "They are open to learning new techniques and are eager to take them back to their schools. They have had a very conservative approach to education until now," said Sumita Mukherjee, head of the junior section in the school. They were overwhelmed to see the library and intrigued by the technology used in classes every day; but they adapted well, even to tablet computers, said Sinha.

This is also their first exposure to non-academic activities as part of child development. "We don't have music, exercises, painting, dance or drama in our school," said Parveena, who has been teaching for two years in a small village in Bandipore. Sumita Mukherjee emphasized this strategy for overall development. "We have a 50-50 balance between academic and non-academic activities. Dance is as important as physics here."

The programme has taught a few lessons in life to the teachers in Noida too. "In spite of militancy in their region, they are very positive in their approach and hold liberal views," Sumita said of the visitors. Four teachers from the host school in Noida are scheduled to go to Kashmir for three days as a part of the programme. "They will teach six modules each in English and Mathematics to the teachers and students there," Sumita said. This will help implement the new learning techniques with limited infrastructure present there.

The teachers will be equipped with books and visual learning tools which will help the schools in remote areas of Kashmir take their first steps towards effective education. Children of the Noida school have also been motivated to donate books for their Kashmiri counterparts.

But executing the plans in Kashmir might not be so easy for these young women. "Parents and the headmaster want the syllabus to be completed in stipulated time there. Teachers aren't free to improvise. It might be looked upon as time wastage," said Asiya. Nevertheless, she is hopeful.

Valley teachers find insights in city - The Times of India