Positive Initiatives by Swanirvar: Story of some innovative Govt Primary Schools

From 2004, Swanirvar started its regular intervention in Govt Primary schools. In the initial phase our main focus was to give extensive hand held trainings to the primary school teachers on joyful teaching, group works, TLM use, involving traditional knowledge in courses, teaching local History and Geography, continuous evaluation etc. Initially we selected a few schools for regular interventions and classified them into three categories based on our activities.

Use of TLMs in class

In 2005-06, we started work with Bhojpara Fatullapur Purba Para FP School. We gave part time classroom inputs and asked their teachers to be involved in our teacher’s training programme and workshops. In 2009-10, the situation changed when a new Headmaster, Rezaul Karim and a Para-teacher, Montaz Molla joined in that school. These teachers and local Shiksha Bandhu, Amal Mondal cooperated with us and did lot of changes in the school. There were different children committees with the specific roles like cleanliness, cultural activities, sports etc and the teachers actively participated in different subject trainings and workshops. They implemented these ideas that they learnt in the workshops and trainings.  Gradually the school became a centre for joy. Presently there were 74 children ( class-I to IV) and 5 teachers and  the rate of attendance was more than 80%.  

Creative learning

Innovative activities in this school:

1. Group activities and lot of work cards were being used.
2. Innovative and colourful assemble –Song, Rhymes, Bratachari, Recitation,
3. Regular action rhyme classes
4. Active children committees
5. The teachers were participating in trainings, workshops etc
6. Continuous evaluation – use of worksheet etc
7. Innovative English Class room
8. Regular sahitya sabha
9. Regular parents meet

Impacts:

1. School became a centre of joy and amusements
2. Parents are happy – actively participating in meetings and workshops
3. Active children committees –leadership and regards to democratic process
4. Special attention for weak children
5. Curriculum framework and monthly action plan
6. Teachers were implementing many new ideas in the classes.
7. Some children who were not so interested in studies but doing excel in co-curricular activities.

Colourful Assemble: managed by the children 

Colourful Assemble: Fun and cumilative actions

Colourful Assemble:  Amusements and GAmes 

Reported by,

Documentation Team, Swanirvar 

Action Rhyme Workshop in Swanirvar with Primary teachers:

        In 2014-15, Swanirvar is giving inputs to 90 Govt Schools and some NGO schools. Our main programme is qualitative, need based, hand held teachers training and TLM workshop. We also are trying to make a strong teachers network with innovative teachers.

Reading, songs and rhymes are a very important for the development of your child.  They not only help with using and understanding words but give you child and interest in these areas. 

Drill

Song and rhyme teach us about language and help us to remember stories. Children love songs and rhymes with actions.   This encourages them to be involved in group activities.  In participating we not only learn the song but the actions too; both of which need skill and lots of concentration to put the two together at the some time. Reading, songs and rhymes can be used (especially with older children) as a form of relaxation. But most unfortunately, most of the Govt Primary Teachers have no such orientations. We are trying to organize numbers of workshop on these subjects.

       On 7^th and 8th June, 2014 we organized a workshop on ‘Action Rhyme, storytelling and Recitation’ in our main campus at Andharmanik, Baduria. 14 Primary Teachers ( 3 from Tiyas School, Dimond Harbour, 2 teachers from Towards Future, Rajarhat,  2 Teachers from Saisab , Matia and 2 teachers from Prayas , Baduria and 4 others) joined in that workshop.  On 7^th June, they had workshop on song, Recitation and proper use of breathing techniques, Pronunciation, Line breaks are a defining feature of poetry. Decide whether a break requires a pause and, if so, how long to pause, etc

Action rhymes by the teachers from Tiyas School

       On 8^th June,14 they were given orientations of performing physical actions with rhymes and stories. They were also taught the importance of these actions in classrooms, like

1. Helps your child learn to recognize words.
2. Stimulates brain development.
3. Makes learning fun and interactive.
4. Encourages early language acquisition.
5. Gives you an effective tool to stimulate your child.
6. Teaches reading during the window of opportunity for learning language.
7. Entertains your child with children, animals, sing-along songs, and poems, etc.

At the end of the day, they teachers performed singing, some action rhymes which they learned in the workshop.

Trainee teachers performed at the end of the workshop

Trainee teachers performed at the end of the workshop

Reported by,

Documentation Team, Swanirvar 

NEW DEVELOPMENT IN SSK SCHOOLS IN DEGANGA BLOCK:

            Swanirvar is working for the overall quality improvement of 60 Shishu Shiksha Kendra (SSK) of Deganga Block. We are giving inputs since 2011-12. Till 2013 our major inputs were to give extensive hand held trainings and workshops with the teachers.  We had given training to them on – Bengali, English, Mathematics and EVS for class I-IV. We also did Teaching Learning Material (TLM) development workshops on the above subjects and workshops on Art and Crafts with the teachers. Moreover they also got our developed TLMs on Bengali, Math and English.

            From 2013-14 we also gave classroom inputs to the students. Presently, most of the schools were doing innovative and excellent activities with the children. 

Students of Class IV with their leaves

Reports of some innovative activities in SSKs given below.

Uttar Kaliani SSK:

 The teachers of this SSK got extensive trainings from us.  One of the teacher, Baby Palit got orientation on EVS from our staff. She started innovative activities in her school. She asked the 33 students of class-IV to collect the common and locally available leaves found to their home and surrounds. The students collected these and pasted in their exercise books.

After that she asked them to write a few lines on these trees from which they collected their leaves. Also asked them to write the importance of these trees/ fruits/vegetables/flowers etc and its use in their daily life. The students enjoyed the activity and they also collected the information for their elders. They made a complete register of plants available in their areas. These also help them to understand the utility of different plants.

            One of the students, Saniara Khatun who was mentally retarded actively participated in the entire leave collection process. She also made her register beautifully and also collected the information of the trees from her neighbors. When we visited that school she come out with her exercise book and explained to us how she made this.

            Inspired by this, the students of Class-III were also making these register and collecting information under the guidance of their class teacher.   

 

Class-III also making their register 

Saniara with her note book

Paschim Changdana SSK:

        One Retired British teacher, Margarate Flanagan innovated different techniques to teach English to the weak children while she worked in Swanirvar. Our staff got trainings from her and also spread these ideas to the SSK teachers.

Usha Paul, one of the teachers of  Paschim Changdana SSK started English class with the weak children. She was using locally available vegetables, fruits and materials to teach them. The students enjoyed the class  joyfully and they also doing very well in that subject. Presently, many of them could do basic communications with the visitor and shown their interest in English. According to them, they felt scared in English class but presently they were enjoying this session very much. 

English Class with vegetables

Reported by:

Documentation Team, Swanirvar

PRAGGALOY: Summer Youth Camp in Praggaloy: 26-28th May, 2014

PRAGGALOY: Summer Youth Camp in Praggaloy: 26-28th May, 2014: Youth group with Rehana and her son, Tanveer    Praggaloy, Pastoral and Development centre took initiatives to motivate youth ministry...

Exposure visit by NGO staff to see our development models

Visitors meeting the math teachers and TLM use

On 10th Jan, 14 ten NGO( Kajla Jana Kalyan Samity) staff from East Midnapore visited Swanirvar to see our intervention in govt Schools and rural youths. They attended in an English Teachers Network Meeting cum  workshop and observed how we were running these types of workshops with the innovative dynamic local High school teachers.
On 11th Jan, 14 they visited Media High Schools and met different teachers who came to Swanirvar for such different networks. These visitors works in an experimental High school run by the NGO. They also observed how the students run different children committees, library, seed banks, notice boards, science models, maintaining resource centres and other activities. They also met the Head Master of Media High School and other assistant teachers and discussed how a Govt school and NGO could run a joint programme and how Swanirvar was giving inputs and benefiting the students.
On 12th Jan, 14 they visited one of our project villages in Kolsur GP. They met our youth groups and exchanged ideas. They also got hand held exposure on anti superstition show.
Gradually we are trying to spread our models through various means.

Students demonstrating village map

Use of chart posters

Reported by,
Sourendra Nath Sen
KKB Dept, Swanirvar

IMPACTS OF TRAINING'S OF TEACHERS FROM SSKs OF DEGANGA BLOCK: A SHORT REPORT:

We started giving inputs to 60 SSK schools at Deganga Block from 2008-09. From 2008-09 to 2010-11, we gave part time inputs to these schools. But in Nov, 2012, we sit with Block Education Officials. Special Education Officer, SSK supervisors and Shiksha Karmadhakya. They gave us responsibilities for quality development of these 60 SSKs. So far (From April, 2013 to March, 2014) we gave the following trainings:

Total Trainings: 117

No of Teacher Participated: 332

Total student benefited: 8640

We also organized more than 51 TLM workshops with the innovative teachers and 518 qualified enthusiastic parents in 51 Govt Schools: The teachers and parents made lots of TLMs and they also got trainings on TLMs use in the classrooms and Classroom management. So far 2146 students used these TLMs in homes as well as in classrooms.

  

Changes after the trainings:

1.      A few innovative and motivated teachers;

2.      Interactive teaching; action rhymes, story-telling, joyful learning methods have been introduced

3.      Lots of TLMs use in all the SSK schools. 

4.      Group works and individual works

5.      Different sitting arrangements in classrooms as per the choice of the teachers and TLMs use.

6.      Active children committee; Friendship programme, Special days , Sahitya Sabha; Art & Craft

7.      Proper lesson plan; Arranging TLMs and proper classroom management.

8.      Community participation in School Management.

In Sept, 2013, a committee was formed to assess the impacts of the trainings consisting of  3 SSK supervisors, Special education Officer, Prosanto Mandal, supervisor, Primary Education Department, Julkalam Ali, Sr. Trainer, Swanirvar. They visited schools and made the assessment. They found the followings:

·         All the schools were celebrating special days, Rakhi utsab, Sahitya Sabha etc

·         60% schools did the continuous evaluation

·         Almost 80% schools using TLMs and interactive teachings methods.

·         The teachers managing schools efficiently.

·         Some of the teachers doing excel in schools.

·         20% schools overall progress were not satisfactory.

·         20% teachers were not following the trainings methodology, they need special orientations.

·         20% schools had not involved the community in school management.

Recommendation for the academic session 2014-15 by the committee: 

·         All the schools should continue the cultural activities- like Rakhi, Sathya sabha etc

·         There would me need based TLM workshops

·         21 Schools had been identified and there would be parents meeting, workshop, friendship programme, active children committee, Assemble etc

·         Special trainings for these 21 schools – Subject wise trainings ; Teachers development trainings

·         A special TOT for the interactive innovative teachers.

Recognition by the Govt.:

·         Our TLMs are now extensively used by the Govt schools. They are paying little amount from their own fund for these TLMs.

On 30^th January and 13th Feb, 14 State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development (SIPRD) sent 53 Samity Education Officers (SEO) in two batches in field training to the schools where Swanirvar gave regular inputs. They have visited few SSK schools and they also invited us to start the similar interventions in their Blocks. Soon we are planning to extend our models in few blocks.

Field visit of the SEO by SIPRD at Swanirvar

SIPRD team at Baduria Police Station

On 13th Feb, 14 State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development (SIPRD) sent 21 Samity Education Officers (SEO) in a field training to the schools where Swanirvar gave regular inputs. Suparna Ganguly of SIPRD coordinated the entire programme. They visited PRAYAS, the child care centre run by Baduria Police Station in collaboration with Swanirvar. They (SEO) were given basic orientations on how Swanirvar was working with the dropouts and vulnerable children. They also learnt how ‘sound and music’ could be used to motivate them. They also met police officials and some parents.
After that, they visited Jasaikati FP School and saw how the childrens were using TLMs, doing group activities, continuous evaluation, activities of the children committees , class room decoration, hand held experiments, group discussion etc. They also met teachers and got ideas how they got benefited from Swanirvar’s interventions.
Then they visited a school at Magurkhali and saw the sahitya sabha, school friendship, different children committees etc. At the end, there was an experience sharing session at Swanirvar office. They discussed the basic situations of Govt primary schools in their areas and we also discussed how the situation could be improved and how we could help them. There was a session on TLMs development and its use. The SEOs also invited us for conducting training programmes for the Govt Teachers in their Blocks.

Reported by,

Prosanto Mondal 

Sound & Music in Baduria PS School

 

SIPRD visit in Govt School

Samiti Education Officers visit to Govt Primary schools of Deganga and Baduria

Smt. Suparna Ganguly , the Course-Coordinator, SIPRD with Govt Teachers.

SSK supervisor, Mukti Chowdhury and SSk Sahayikas, Mira Halder & Dilara Khatun in Q/A session with SEOs

On 30^th January, 14, a team of Samiti Education Officer (Block Education Officer of West Bengal- from 4 district of West Bengal) came to visit Purba Chandana SSK school of Deganga Block and Laxminathpur FP School of Baduria Block for practical orientations on “Community Participation and Mobilization towards universalization of Elementary Education”. The exposure trip was conducted by State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development (SIPRD),

Kalyani  ; Nadia and was cooperated by Smt. Suparna Ganguly , the Course-Coordinator.SIPRD.

They saw how Swanirvar staffs were giving inputs and made these rural institutions as model institutions. They were given orientations on the followings:

Ø  Use of Teaching Learning Materials and group activities in Classroom

Ø  Sahitya Shaba in schools managed/ organized by the children committee

Ø  Parents meeting, different children committees, school friendship programme. Community involvement  

      Before their trip they informed the local Block Development Officers and Swanirvar. This was the 1^st time a team Govt. Officials leaded by education officials visited the vulnerable SSK schools of Deganga were Swanirvar was giving regular inputs from 2011. They also realized the changes of attitudes of both the teacher and students after our trainings and also observed the effectiveness of innovative TLMs in studies. They also expressed their concern on the proper training for the Teachers working in SSKs and ICDS.  

 

Data collection and Q/A with teachers and SSK supervisors

Data Collection

Sahitya Sabha & children committees

Experience sharing with Govt teachers and learning how Swanirvar is working to strengthen Govt institutions 

Reported by,

Shyama Prasad Mitra

Sr, Trainer, Swanirvar

PRAYASH - CHILD CARE CENTRE AT BADURIA POLICE STATION:

9^th Jan, 2014, PRAYASH, an initiative to main streaming the child labours working in brick kiln and adult literacy centre in collaboration with Baduria police station was inaugurated by Sri Tanmoy Roy Chowdhury, Superintend of Police, North 24 Parganas District. Last two months we did extensive door to door survey to identify the dropouts and underprivileged children and illiterate adults.  The centre was opened for the public on 9^th Jan, 14 by the SP, north 24 Parganas, Mr. Dipankar Bhattacharyya, the Chairman Baduria Municipality, Block Development Officer, Baduria Block, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Avijit Banerjee, OC Baduria PS, Mr. Kollol Ghosh, Councilors of Baduria Municipality, Block Education Officials, Eminent Educationist, representatives from Different Political parties, many Govt Primary School teachers, Swanirvar staff,  guardians of the children were also present in that programme.

The school was inaugurated with the illumination of lamp by the SP, North 24 Parganas. After that there was a small cultural programme by the children. 30 students of PRAYASH perform a chorus and at the end they perform a short drama.

This event got huge media coverage by local print and TV media.

The school is running smoothly from 10^th Jan, 14. So far 30 students were coming to the school on regular basis. The school became very popular in Baduria Market area. Every day, some new children were enrolled in this centre. One of our major focus was to involve the local politicians and Govt teacher to persuade the guardians to send their dropout children to this centre.

This school celebrated two special days on 23^rd Jan- Netaji’s birth day and 26^th Jan- Republic day with the police force in the police station premises. The students sing patriotic songs ( Chorus) and did the parade.  

Reported by,

Biswanath Roy,  T: 8145270884

Successful Mathematics Teachers Network:

TLM Workshop at Swanirvar

         

            Secondary Education department (KKB) of Swanirvar started giving regular inputs to High Schools from 2006. At that time we were mostly focused on hand held experiment based teaching in Environment science. Gradually, our works with the students got well recognized and we felt a need to build a forum with the innovative teachers. Presently we give regular inputs to 12 Govt High Schools and part time inputs to 51 High Schools. One of our objectives was to make subject wise teachers network with the innovative, dynamic teachers who would share their experiences and innovative activities with others, more over they would give hand held orientations to the other teachers from different schools. Gradually the subject teacher’s networks were established on the following subjects – Work education, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English and Bengali.

            In 2009, 6 mathematics teachers from 6 different schools visited Swanirvar and they met our resource person, Swathi Sircar. They had vivid discussion on the following issues – How to run the Network, its planning and strategies, future programmes, ownership etc. From 2009 -13 many new teachers joined in that network and there were 12 interactive trainings cum workshops with the teachers who took Mathematics class in their schools. A lot of tools and TLMs ( teaching learning materials)  were developed and were successfully used in the classes.

            In 2013, Swathi joined in an University and left West Bengal. In her absence, the teachers sit for a meeting on 12^th Nov, 13. There they decided to keep the network alive and the some network members, Sujit Biswas, Bidyut Mazumder, Jahurul Haque, Kamaruzzaman, Jinnal Ali and Asadizzaman took challenging roles to continue its activities. On 7^th Jan, 14 they organized a meeting cum workshop at Swanirvar campus (in collaboration with Swanirvar), they made a number of TLMs for the class V based on the new syllabus that was being effective from Jan, 14. The next workshop will be held on 28^th Jan, 14 for making TLMs for the students of class VI.      

            Their activities and dedication for the qualitative improvements of Mathematics teaching had inspired many teachers and many new teachers from different schools visiting Swanirvar and to the schools where these TLMs were being used on regular basis. Recently, a few teachers from Gopalchalk Sorojini High School , East Medinipur visited Swanirvar and meet them.

Reported by,

Samir Biswas

9732574947