Lesson learnt workshop with TLMs exhibition and awareness meeting on RTE-Act



Sudeshna Sinha explaining how she manages English Teachers Network

Lesson learnt workshop with TLMs exhibition and awareness meeting on RTE-Act, 09  in Swanirvar in collaboration with WBEN, Shikshamitra and Local Govt High Schools

WEBN member on RTE awareness

            From 2004, we started taking Environment Studies classes in High Schools. Soon we met some innovative teachers who were very fed up and frustrated with the monotony of conventional teaching. We felt the need of networking so that these innovative teachers could share their ideas to others and also to exchange their experiences with each other. Initially, we realized that in most of the schools Work Education was the most neglected subject and the subject teachers had nothing to do and most of them were assigned to take different classes in the lower section. In July, 2008 we asked the work education teachers of the local High schools for a meeting in Swanirvar. They expressed their dissatisfaction to us and we told them that we could make a network and started some sort of new works in work education classes. Gradually the network started functioning in full phase and all the teachers participated for a monthly meeting cum workshop in Swanirvar. They learnt many new ideas on waste management – making toys and other decorative items form plastics and other waste materials, also learnt many hand held activities like jam jelly making, making greeting cards from hand-made papers, etc. They also implemented these in their respective schools. Gradually, we also proposed local Mathematics and English teachers to make similar network. In June, 09 Mathematics teachers Network and from Nov, 2009 English Teachers Network started. They also got various inputs from us and shared their views and experiences. 

             In Oct, 2010 we invited all the head of the institutions from where we had the assistant teachers who were the members of these networks. On that meeting most the principals expressed their gratitude to us and wished the success of these networks. On that meeting the Teacher In Charge (acting Principal) of Mandra Hazer Ali Smriti Vidhyapit told us that almost 30% students of class V could not read Bengali (mother tongue) and asked for our help. After that our Technical partner, Shikshamitra gave inputs on Bangali for the two months (continuous) and as a result it was found that these weak students started reading News Papers, even they expressed their understanding by their own and also drawing and also were looking confident.

Models made by Students

            In Dec, 2011 all the network teachers requested us to organize a symposium so that they could expressed their achievements to others. At the same time, West Bengal Education Network (WBEN) planning to organize a district level awareness meeting on Right To Education (RTE) Act, 09. We being the member of WBEN offered our meeting hall and campus to hold the meeting. It was decided that on 21^st January, 2012 a meeting on ‘Lesson learnt workshop with TLMs exhibition and awareness on RTE-Act, 09 will be held in Swanirvar in collaboration with WBEN, Shikshamitra and Local Govt High Schools’.

Participants looking English TLMs

Work education models display

            Principals from 14 Govt High schools, 25 Assistant Teachers from different Govt High Schools, 9 school-committee members (elected by the parents vote), 4 Panchayat members, 5 WBEN representatives, 4 experts from Shikshamitra, 3 retired teachers, 10 primary school teachers, 5 Journalists and some parents attended in that meeting. Different charts, posters, models made by the Govt School teachers were displayed. They displayed different TLMs and models on Mathematics, English and on Wok Education. Shikshamitra displayed the TLMs on Bengali. The Govt. teachers not only displayed their TLMs but also were present in the respective stalls and shared their experiences with visiting teachers. Some of them, described their observations and suggestions and usefulness of TLMs making and using in the classes. At the end of the meeting WBEN’s state representative, Chir Ranjan Paul gave us a vivid ideas and utilities of RTE act, 09.

Some Recommendations/ suggestions from the audiences:

1.      One of the Panchayat members who also the secretary of a school requested us for a similar network with the Govt. Primary teachers.

2.      Principals of 3 schools requested us for a motivational workshop.

3.      3 schools who were in our network expressed their willingness to join in the networks; also asked for the similar help in Bengali, Mathematics and English which was done by Shikshamitra in Mandra Hazer Ali Smriti Vidhyapit.

4.      Some of the teachers requested us for a class wise syllabus on Work Education also requested us to link with the market for selling the handicrafts made in the work education classes in the schools.

5.      Some of the teacher asked from the experts on the way to involve parents in the school development.

      6.  Almost all the schools requested us to carry out research to reduce school dropouts. 

Reported by,
Samir Biswas,
Supervisor, KKB, Swanirvar