Swanirvar’s intervention in Govt Primary Schools: April-May, 2017

Swanirvar started direct intervention in Govt primary Schools from 2010 academic year in collaboration with Block Education Department(Samity Education Department). Till 2015, we were focus to teacher’s training programme with the objective - EMPOWERING THE GOVT. SCHOOLS RUNNING IN THE VULNERABLE ZONES AND TO ENSURE THE QUALITY EDUCATION FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN.

Teacher's Training - Sandeshkhali-II Block

             Till 2015 academic session, we have trained 3321 Govt Primary School Teachers on the followings:

·       Subject wise trainings: MATH, BENGALI, ENGLISH, EVS for class-I to IV

·       Developing Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs), lesson plan, action rhymes, class management, special trainings on pedagogy and methodologies, developing special class room- subject wise, art & Craft, community involvement, parents meeting and workshops.

·       Refreshers trainings, Participatory monitoring and Evaluation learning, CCE, Administrative training for Teacher in charge.

·       Sahitya Sabha, school friendship, empowering children committees with various responsibilities.

From 2016, we have started direct classroom inputs with the trainee teachers on regular basis. Along with the training and workshops with the trainee teachers, our trainers are visiting the schools and helping the teachers to implement the ideas in school with children. Also we are giving stress on

Ø  Involving innovative and qualified parents in School Development

Ø  Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation

Ø  Activating children committees in Schools.

TLM workshop with Teachers

In April-May, 2017 there were 9 workshops with 217 Govt teachers and few innovative parents. 3412 pcs of TLMs( for Class-I-IV) we made which will help more than 5700 children directly.  Samity Education Officers (SEO) and Academic Supervisors (AS) of Baduria and Sandeshkhali-II Blocks to initiatives to organized these workshops. They had informed the teachers for the trainings, Granted permission to attend the workshops, arranged food and venue. VIBHA, our mentor provided HR cost and training materials.

Beside the teachers training programme, we are giving inputs to the children on leadership to activate strong and effective children committees in schools.

Chairperson's key note address

We are also working intensively with 10 Govt Schools on Nutrition security with the help of Kalyani roy Memorial trust. We are trying to make BMI for the children, developing need based kitchen gardens in school campus, involving parents in nutrition training and kitchen garden management and to improve the nutritious value of the mid day meal in school.

School Garden

--> After the trainings, our trainers are visiting schools for hands on implementations.  Recently, Mr. Debasish Mazumder, Ex-VC of Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya and ADA, Baduria visited our office and met our trainers. He took ideas on developing kitchen gardens in schools for improving mid-day meal – the role of parents and community.

With our trainers 

Reported by:
Training Team, Swanirvar 

NUTRITION AND EDUCATION THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF ECOLOGICAL FARMING IN 20 UNDERPRIVILEGED (ST/SC) CHILDRENS’ HOSTELS IN WEST MEDINIPUR DISTRICT OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

GOAL:

Improving Child Nutrition as well as Education and ensuring their future livelihood through the Promotion of Home Garden Programmes through ecological farming.

MISSION:

To assist a visible number of residential homes for rural children from poor and vulnerable families to become high quality institutions for imparting holistic education. Guide them to gradually move towards a need-based, much more diversified curriculum catering to all kinds of children; and to see that these centres play an active role in enriching rural life in many ways. In a way this is an attempt to interpret Gandhi’s & Tagore’s ideas in today’s context.  

Seva Kendra Calcutta(SKC) and its friend organisation, Swanirvar (jointly working in 22 tribal Hostels of West Medinipore. Swanirvar is working in Education intervention programme and trying to ensure the quality education in these child care centre. 

1st Workshop: 

Seva Kendra Calcutta (SKC) started its new initiative to develop 22 youth hostels(2500 inmates and the residents are tribal boys and girls) running by the catholic priests and sisters in remote areas of West Medinipore district, West Bengal. The objectives of this initiative were 1. To ensure nutrition security for the marginal tribal families through sustainable agriculture. 2. To ensure quality education at the primary level for the underprivileged children.  

SKC   organized three days training cum workshop for the teachers, Boarding masters and gardeners of 22 hostels at Kharagpore. The workshop was held on 20-22 January, 2016 at the SKC Extension campus- Kharagpore unit, Hijli, West Medinipore. Details of the trainings are given below. 

Day-1: Training on livelihood :

The programme was started with morning prayer and with the blessing by Fr. Basil Mandi. Resource person, Nilangshu Gain, director of Swanirvar( www.swanirvar.in) explained the two fold objectives of the SKC Initiative in 22hostels of West Medinipore district. After that, the training on livelihood started. The gardeners and boarding masters got both theoretical and practical orientations on - basic concept of organic agriculture- soil development techniques like bio composting, amrit pani etc, water conservation techniques like pitcher irrigation, mulching, different bed making etc, seed collection- preservation and propagation, techniques of biological pest controlling, etc. They make few beds and did other hands on activities under the guidance of Mr. Gain and Mr. Nishambhu Sarkar. 

Day 2: Training on Nutrition security

This is new concept, previously we were more kin on organic farming but presently SKC campaigned for this holistic idea - sustainable nutrition security for all the families living under poverty line. Dr. Jit Sarkar, a young medical graduate and Mr. Nilangshu Gain had developed this concept by which the marginal communities would be aware of low cost nutritious food, diet plan based on available foods, mother and child care, care for common diseases, etc. 

The participants got ideas on basic classifications of their daily food, role of nutrients and vitamins in body building, common seasonal diseases, etc. They also got ideas on mal-nutrition and techniques to identify the undernourished children in their hostels. They also made two months action plan.

Day 3: Training of teachers:

The primary teachers and boarding masters participated in this programme. They never had any training but they were doing hard works with the children. Govt Teacher and Expert trainer, M/s Rehana Sultana, M/s S. Parveen and renowned artist, Mr. Sojuy Mondal were the resource persons for this programme. They describe the process of child development and the learning process. The participants made 14 different types of Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs) for the children of Class-I. In the second half they participants got ideas of joyful learning, class room management and creative drawing & painting. 

At the end of the workshop, the participants shared their learning and displayed the materials made by them in the workshop. 

2nd Workshop:

Report on the Training of teachers for Class-I & II  on 6-7^th march, 2016 : 

Seva Kendra Calcutta organized two days training cum workshop with teachers and boarding masters from 22 Hostels of West Medinipore District. On 6th March, 2016 twelve teachers from 12 Hostels joined in the training and on 7th March 6 more joined in the session. They were given orientations on class management, teaching methodologies and pedagogies based on the new syllabus. Most of the Hostels are for the primary level children (5-14yrs age) and the Govt have introduced new books from 2015. The teachers and boarding masters had not received any training so they were in crisis to complete the new syllabus. They were also given trainings on development of Teaching learning Materials (TLMs) for class-I and II. They session was conducted by Rehana Sultana, Sr teacher and Govt trainer for Language and she was assisted by Sirin Parvin. The teachers developed TLMs on Bengali for Class-I & II in the two days workshop. 

In the evening , they displayed their works. Fr. Basil Mandi joined in the closing session and the teachers requested him to organised similar workshops on regular basis and for all the subjects. 

3rd Workshop:

It was held on 5th and 6th August, 2016. More than 20 teachers joined in these workshop. They learned the following topics:

1. Training on language- for class-I & II
2. TLM development for Pre-primary level.
3. The art of Class management and joyful learning 

Next workshop is on 16-17th September, 2016.

We are looking for volunteers/ interns (part time) for documentation. 

Contact: Nilangshu: 9732524526

FUN & LEARN DAY IN PRAYASH SCHOOL

27th August, 2016- Swanirvar

       In 2013, Officer in Charge, Baduria Police Station invited Swanirvar in a Police-Civilian meeting at Police station. In that meeting OC, Baduria expressed his concern for the migrated children working in the brick kilns. He also added that there are few dalit and underprivileged children who lived with their parents in the slums adjacent to Police station and Baduria Municipality. He concluded that he made request to local businessmen and they promised but failed keep their promise.

       In October, 2013 Swanirvar did extensive survey and identified the dropouts. We proposed the police officials to start a child care centre in Police station campus to mainstream the dropouts. We submitted the written proposal to the Superintendent of Police, North 24 Parganas and got immediate approval.

       The child care centre, ‘PRAYASH’ started its journey from January, 2014 (http://swainedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/prayash-child-care-centre-at-baduria.html)

       In 2014 and 2015 academic session more than 50 children mainstreamed to Govt Schools and continuing their studies.

       In this child care centre, we not only ensure their age appropriate subjective learnings but also give lot of emphasis on learning - local histories & geography, art & craft activity, music and action rhymes etc. The mainstreamed children are very popular in the Govt Schools for their extra curricular activities.

       Recently, we met Mr. Dilip Mondal, Secretary of Dhumketu Puppet Theatre. They do hands on training with the children on developing puppets and teach them on traditional puppet play and also do some therapy-based works the children in crisis. They are expert in doing this with the juvenile delinquents and also doing the same with children suffering from cancer. Recently a film was made on their good works. They have selected PRAYASH Centre for intervention with Swanirvar.

       1st workshop was held on 27th August, 2016 with 25 children from PRAYASH and few more children from nearby places joined with them. They made paper puppet and at the end they learned the art of puppet play. Few of them were so innovative that they performed with their paper puppets at the end of the workshop. Next workshop will be held on 10th September, 2016.

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