32.What is life without research?

The Nesamony Research Forum was inaugurated  in Nesamony Memorial Christian College, Marthandom  on Friday, 07 October 2011.   Dr. James   R. Daniel, [former Principal of  Scott Christian College,  Nagercoil], who is  blessed  with a gift of the gab,  enlightened the audience through  anecdotes and   hard hitting facts which evoked in everyone present that  the need of the   hour in  campuses across India is nothing but   research with a social relevance.

  

In the course of his speech,  Dr. Daniel  presented a few facts about  research in general and teaching in particular which should interest  teachers in institutions of Higher Learning. The following are excerpts from his speech:

It is  the duty of the teacher to constantly ask critical questions to his students. Teachers should compliment research with teaching and develop a research mindset and attitude. The research you undertake should  be local, indigenous and  be related to issues which the people face. You should learn to integrate yourself with humanity,  think globally and  act locally. That is, you should  learn to implement your programmes  in your place, your city  or your district.  You should strive to fuse, integrate ideas and focus on drawing material  from the primary sources and  not just by downloading as many researchers do.

Remember the popular APPLE motto “Think Different”.

What is important is ‘Quality’... in presentation, citation and in the impact factor.  Unfortunately the trend seen is  that :

 

You copy from one book   and it becomes plagiarism

You copy from ten books and   write a thesis

You copy from hundred books and publish two books!

True,  the ‘publish or perish’  trend in the West is catching on. During the Pan IIT Summit held recently, the goal for IIT students have become ‘Deliver or Die’. 

 

Mr. N. R. Narayana Murthy  of Infosys Technologies Limited who addressed the IIT alumni is supposed to have made two startling statements:

 

1.     The quality of students coming out of IIT’s is a grave concern for all of us... there is a tremendous deterioration in quality. Only 20% of those who pass out are good  and 80% are devoid of  any quality despite the huge investments the  government makes  for IIT’s.

2.     The most obvious reason for the fall in standard is  the tenure system of the faculty. The time has come to introduce  the five year contract appointment system. The tenure system stagnates and corrupts .

Dr. Daniel concluded his  enthralling address by substituting the word ‘research’ for the word ‘money, in a  popular doggerel :

Research is honey

My dear sonny

Without research

Life is funny

.... So, what is life for teachers without  research ?  Any comments ??

31. What course of action will you take?

Gandhi Jayanthi  celebration is on this week [02 to 08 October]. Unfortunately the college cleaning programme  which the teacher trainees of my college undertake  every year is  likely to be postponed  as many of them have gone on a Study Tour. Usually a speaker from the local Gandhi Bhavan addresses the students of  the college this week. And on  such occasions we are reminded of the relevance of the  teachings of Gandhiji.

As a teacher  educator, I have tried my best to nurture in my trainees certain Gandhian values, particularly the ones related to the seven social sins which Gandhiji insisted we should abstain from:  Politics without principles; Wealth without work; Commerce without morality; Education without character; Pleasure without conscience; Science without humanity and Worship without sacrifice.

 Now... teachers, do we really ensure that our new generation learners imbibe  Gandhian values?

In July 2011, Dr.Shashi Tharoor MP,  delivered a special lecture organized by the Kerala Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, College of Gandhian Thought, Research and Action. The Lecture was entitled Emerging Kerala : Some Candid Thoughts.

The  programme was organized by  the Gandhi Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. In the course of  his lecture, several facts and  figures were presented by  the honourable MP to support his line of argument. It made the audience feel that what we need is a sustainable model of development.

Given below are some  facts and figures  which would interest a  teacher-cum-curriculum developer in God’s Own Country, Kerala: 

·             *   Our social development indicator is remarkable...Life expectancy in the United  
         States is 72 and in Kerala 70 ; Literacy  in the US is   98% and in Kerala 96%

·     

*             *  It is a ‘Malayalee miracle’: Rights  have been given to workers and  to women.

 Yet Kerala failed to move...The best in the country flee, migrate...

·         

      * Kerala records the highest suicide rate and alcohol consumption rate.

·         

*    * We import work force  from Orissa and Bihar and we speak of  the educated   unemployed.

·         

*    * The  two crore eggs  and the tonnes of vegetables  we consume everyday comes from Tamilnadu.

·         

*   * We dump waste in places of  pristine natural beauty.

Before concluding his lecture, Dr. Shashi Tharoor insisted on the need for developing a competency in the English language. To illustrate  the necessity of becoming fluent in English,  the honourable MP narrated a story about cats and rats which  his parents told him as a child:

Once  there were some cats who used to be troubled by  rats. [or  cats that troubled rats?...my memory fails me] One day, a new cat joined the fold. On seeing the  fold, scamper after hearing a squeaking sound, the new cat cleared its throat and barked ‘Bow Wow’... and the rats fled. When a member of the fold asked the cat what was that, it said: “You’ll never know when  a new language would become handy!”.

Well,... I must  confess that I am incapable of  capturing  the impressive style of delivery of  the  highly acclaimed writer, Dr. Shashi Tharoor.  What I have done is to recall from memory certain facts and figures that got imprinted in my mind which I am sharing now. 

Well readers.., if  you are a teacher-cum-curriculum developer  what course of action  or development of our State would you take? How can Gandhian values be incorporated in the course of action you intend to take?

30. Whither Gardens

 

In a  gloomy world filled with  strife and conflict, gardens become a space where peace and beauty reign. The colours and textures splashed on the ground lures birds and butterflies. Students will find a quiet place to  hang out… to  engage  their senses.

For the poetic-minded, gardens can offer visions of  the invisible, grasp the intangible and hear the inaudible…It’s a place to work with silence. According to a  British  garden designer and artist, Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932),  A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and  careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.

Schools in Europe have found  multiple benefits for school gardening.  It has been found that gardens give  scope  for children to  learn about water and energy cycles, the food chain, and the peculiar needs of individual species. When children  feel a sense of connection to a certain species or individual plant, they  will even have a reason to care about all the forces that impact that plant’s future. Even teachers can benefit from gardening in schools.  If they so desire they can transfer the gardening skills  to their  own homes which would  benefit their own health and the health of their families.

 

Recently, Dr. Prabodhachandran Nair, a  former Professor of Linguistics,  was invited  to a Workshop  organized at  the Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Mysore. He was   deeply impressed by the layout of the campus and particularly its garden. In a  casual chat he narrated to me, his failure to  fulfil a  simple desire of his viz; to have a garden in the campus of the institution where he served for decades: 

The Professor asked  a newly appointed gardener to clear the weeds and shrubs and plant flower sprouting seedlings around the campus. Without trepidation,  the gardener told the Professor: “Sir I come from an elite Nair family of North Malabar and we never do such menial task”. The Professor adept at repartees quickly retorted “…well then  why don’t you take up the Asst. Collector’s  post now vacant in the  District Collectorate?      

It is a pity that despite the multiple benefits of gardening,  gardens are fast disappearing from  campuses in God’s Own Country, Kerala. The ‘one child one plant’ scheme, introduced by the State government  recently is indeed  commendable, but...  what next? 

 

Any comments or suggestions dear reader?

29-Does environment affect a child’s temperament?

Today, 29 August 2011 was a Government declared holiday for educational institutions in Kerala State. I was planning to clear up some piled up work when I received a call to attend a function at Chempazanthy, the birth place of the saint Sree Narayana Guru who preached about one Caste, one Religion and one God for mankind.

I got the programme timing completely wrong and had arrived at the place as early as 9.30 AM for a function originally scheduled for 12.00 noon. On reaching the spot, now considered holy, I visited the thatched hut in which the Guru was born. This took hardly fifteen minutes and I had over two hours with nothing to do. I could have easily rushed home and returned after two hours. But something about the place made me linger. As I sat under an old tree taking a deep breath and relaxing in the gentle breeze, I noticed something unusual.

Though afflicted with asthma, I felt a lightness of being…The tall trees that surrounded the thatched hut were swaying in rhythm and the plants in the temple nearby was in full blossom spreading a faint fragrance. I gazed around… some ants were scrambling over me not once venturing to prick me. They were apparently whispering to each other and appeared forging an union with Nature. For a moment I recalled Emerson :“The greatest delight which the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable…” 

I saw some children oblivious of adults in the vicinity engaged in games of their invention. The pleasure they gained from it appeared contagious. One child particularly drew my attention. It was playing in the sand and was engrossed in building a tiny ‘shrine’ with twigs and leaves. The child didn’t notice my attempt to capture the ‘structure’ using my Cell Phone Camera.

Returning home and gazing at the images I captured in the morning, thoughts about the nature of the environment of some leading schools in Thiruvananthapuram crossed my mind. An International school in the suburbs of Thiurvananthapuram city boasts of air conditioned high-tech classrooms and campuses with swimming pools. There are many schools in the city with three/four storey buildings and Smart Classrooms. And what do these kids play …? Video games and Cricket!! After all which modern-day parent would encourage his/her child to play in the sand?

Does environment really affect a child’s temperament??

28. To Compete or Cooperate: Whose Competition is it Anyway?

The other day I was invited by a friend of mine to attend an International Conference on ‘Towards A Global Competitive Learning Community - Role of Active Pedagogy’. The final session of the Conference included a Panel Discussion. The pariticipants of the Panel Discussion included two eminent Professors from Kerala and three Professors from the United Kingdom.

After all the five speakers had presented their different perspectives, the facilitator of the Panel Discussion invited the audience to join. I had volunteered first and was permittted to speak.

I drew the attention of the Panelists to the fact that at the Secondary Level in India, a kind of streamlining takes place and depending on ability and aptitude children are directed to pursue Arts, Commerce and Science streams. But in a country like India, the children of the rich middle class often excel. Socio-economic factors do play a major role where, right from childhood they are pruned to compete and become part of a global competitive learning community. Unfortunately a sizable chunk of the population are less privileged and fail to excel at the secondary stage. So I asked the panelists whether the same active learning pedagogy would be suitable for both the successful ones and the unsuccessful ones.

Within  minutes a smart scholar rose up from the audience, grabbed the mic and began an illustration of the possibility of active learning. He even affirmed that emotional problems such as anger can be easily addressed by active learning and went on to narrate an anecdote to the amusement of the professors from the foreign university:... Once a lady continued to be irritated at a co-passenger eating the packet of cookies which she had purchased and even showed the impunity to share it with her. Later the lady found that it was all a mistake and that the packet of cookies she purchased was actually in her bag and the cookies which the man ate and shared with the lady was his own.

I didn’t want a debate... and so I walked up to the diaz and explained how the gentleman had completely missed the point and given me an unsought answer. I once again explained to the Panelists that what I meant was that, nurturing a spirit of competition to excel in life is one thing (perpetuated by the successful middle class in India) and learning to live in a spirit of cooperation (which schools such as the Sathya Sai Trust) perpetuates is another thing. Perhaps more than cognitive skills, spiritual values which the ancient sages in India have stressed are more relevant today! At least, this time I hoped the Panelists would answer my query.

But this is a land of brilliant minds! A lady from the front row shot up like an arrow towards the diaz and began a spirited affirmation of the need and possibility of instilling in learners the spirit of competition! Following the ‘spirtited affirmation’ another lady walked with a measured pace to the diaz and spoke with a softness that would lull all anxiety...She said. “ It is possible for active pedagogy to nurture even the affective domain and the kinesthetic domain of learners! By now, I was completely lost...I believe someone else responded too...but I could hardly follow. Soon, the organizers of the Conference, signalled to the facilitator in the Panel that it is time for tea break which is to be followed by the Valedictory Session. So the Panelists couldn’t speak or even answer my question after four euridite scholars from the audience had given me a ‘satisfactory answer’.

During tea break, as I sat floundering over the quaint responses ... wondering whose competition is it any way... all the three Professors from the foreign University addressed me: First, they said that they were completely ill prepared and were not fully aware of the strong spritual base that need to be considered for any educational programme in India. One of them to my relief told me that in Britain they are currently deeply engaged in finding a form of pedagogy to address the needs of the less privileged.

I felt a bit relieved and began to turn the leaves of a newly released book. Then from behind came a familiar voice... It was the same gentleman who responded to my question... He commenced yet another vigorous illustration of the possibilities of active learning. He said he is a trainer who employs active learning strategy to transform all and asked me “Didn’t Krishna transform Arjuna?”. The sparkle in his eyes and his passionate tone led me to believe that anything is posssible with ‘active pedagogy’. I was completely swept off my feet but there was nowhere to run to. So, I looked into his eyes with the deepest affection possible and told him... well, just now the Panelists from the foreign University told me that they too felt that a different pedagogy is under consideration for the underprivileged in Britain.... There was a completely confused look in the eyes of the gentleman. He rose up from the seat he had sat during his vivacious lecture, shed all grace and disappeared into the crowd.


But my question - should we advocate competion or cooperation still remains unanswered... well ...,can you dear reader, give me a proper answer ??

27.Christmas Messages for Curriculum Committee Members

Last year 2010, three speakers from three different religions- Christian, Hindu and Islam gave messages during the Christmas celebrations in the Government College of Teacher Education, Trivandrum. All the three, spoke profusely about peace and love. I shall cite a few messages given by the three speakers which appealed to me most.

Rev. Fr. George M. John, of the Mar Thoma Church made a reference to a seminar on the medium of instruction organized a few years ago by the Institute of English, University of Kerala. During the deliberations a speaker from the audience, Prof. Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri (the 2010 year winner of the prestigious Vallathol award and Vayalar award) affirmed “: …all said and done, the most important medium for instruction is ‘LOVE’ that flows from the teacher to the student!”


Swami Atmalokananda of the Sri Ramakrishna Mutt in Trivandrum made a reference to a statement once made by Swami Vivekananda: “If one really wants to succeed in life, one ought to possess the intelligence of Sree Sankaracharya, the love of Jesus Christ and the kindness of Sree Buddha”. The speaker also said that we ought to focus not just on bread winning education but man making education!

Jalaluddin, the Imam of Palayam mosque, enlightened the audience on the close relationship between religions. In the Holy Koran in twelve chapters there is a reference to Mother Mary-the only lady mentioned in the Koran! Referring to the history of Kerala, he drew the attention of the audience to the fact that Muslims and Hindus had always lived in harmony in God’s Own Country, Kerala. The wholehearted support the Muslim community in Ponnani gave to the Hindu king- Samudiri of Calicut to fight the foreign invaders is a case in point. The speaker also expressed the hope that during curriculum revisions in Kerala if we consciously include the values upheld by different religions our children will learn to get to know, love and respect members of all religions…


Will the members of the Curriculum Committee in Kerala take heed of these messages?

26. Issues to Ponder on After Trainee Reflection

According to Ghaye (1996): “Reflection is looking back and making sense of your practice. Learning from this and using this learning to affect your future action. It is making sense of your professional life”.
Ghaye, T. etal (1996). An Introduction To Learning Through Critical Reflective Practices. New Castle-upon-Tyne: Pentaxion Press

Now, let us see how far this is true:

Last month (July 2010) I had attended and offered my comments for three consecutive Reflection sessions. (17th, 24th & 31st July). Yesterday (02 August 2010), I had to observe a class by one of my trainees in a local school, and had a glance at the daily reflection entered by the trainee in the Diary. It reads “ The Common Reflection sessions are boring!”. Here one should admit that perceptions of individuals do tend to vary. Now what exactly must have prompted the trainee to write that the sessions are boring? Given below are observations made by a few trainees after their Practice Teaching in the last week of July:

* I am sorry to say that most of my friends perceive the arrival of Supervising teachers/ Teacher Educators to observe classes as ones similar to raids by Income Tax sleuths!

* Engaging classes during Practice Teaching while the Supervising teacher is present in the class is like learning to drive a car with the instructor beside you with half the control in his/her hand!...for their presence acts as a bridle that checks the mischief mongers in the class. But on comparison of pupils in schools we have realized that children are alike everywhere…studious ones, interested ones, mischievous ones and the problem makers.

* When I asked some pupils to read from the Malayalam Course Book there was hesitation, pauses, and umpteen mistakes in pronunciation! Later while introducing a particular lesson related to the Ramayana, I had asked the same pupils to read a couple of lines from the Malayalam version of the epic. To my utter disbelief, the pupils read with a fair degree of accuracy with perfect pronunciation and articulation! … I really do not know whether the pupils are deliberately pretending to be dullards or does it have anything to do with their habit of reading the Ramayana regularly as a religious exercise in their homes.[Incidentally, the second half of the month of July, in Kerala State, South India is treated as the month of the Ramayana, when in devout Hindu families the sacred epic is read/recited everyday as a ritual]


* The trainees have to conduct Diagnostic Tests during Practice Teaching. In one school, there happened to be two trainees from the same optional subject. After the test was rendered in one division by a trainee, the pupils scored high, but when another trainee gave the same Diagnostic Test in another division, the pupils scored low. A couple of days after the test was given, on several occasions, the pupils who scored low used to tell the trainee who conducted the test : “You should learn from your friend who teaches in the other division… see, how liberally he awards marks! What are you going to gain by being stingy?”


Did these appear boring to you? Do you think advice of any kind is necessary here? BUT …don’t they raise a number of questions on the way Practice Teaching is conducted and the nature of the educational environment in schools in Kerala ? Any comments dear reader?