You oughyt to invent or CREATE your own IDEAL teacher's version-not 5-star US/Indo/Rajasthan ones
Right now you are behaving like the million Indians ogling at the developed world every year and pitying oneself on return.
mm
From: umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Assam] 5 star Teacher Training Workshop in Washington DC ,army and morale boosting
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 01:49:34 +0000 (GMT)
Hi,5 star treatment:I attended an In-Service teacher training program at a 5 star Marriott hotel near my house this weekend. About 25 teachers came from three cities including DC, Baltimore andd other counties of Maryland. The trainer was the same how had conducted our induction training the day before we had breakfast and lunch also there. Though we had many parties at Harvard Univ. (or lunches or wine and cheese receptions) in a similar environs -- this one was special since I was now here as an employee where not grades might go down but it would affect my daily bread.Why 5 star hotel? I must say I felt very lightheaded and good after the program. Despite hailing from a place which has some of the top hotels in the world (incl RajVilas of Oberoi group, Sheraton , Park etc incl King'spalaces of Taj group) I had never beein to one inside US. It felt really good - just like business execs are treated - here and in India. My first meal at a 5 star was at Rajputana Sheraton while working for Indian Express. I imagine the cost in India for a group of 40 people would be about Between Rs 200 and Rs 1000 per head or US$5- 22 (incl day's rent) . Which is equal to about 3 days pay for a school teacher in India.Morale boostingIf such a program is held once a year - I think it would raise the morale of the teachers working in remote villages - connecting them with the latest "sophistication" and businesslike environment. I did see teacher training programs conducted within school campus for regular teachers --but the tougher the work environment the more you appreciate such luxuries.I remember reading in prof Reimer's edited book (Unequal Schools ,Unequal Chances) the article by Prof. Schiefelbein analyzing Chilian govt experiment (P900?) with "teacher resource centers" in rural areas where teachers gathered periodically to discuss and learn from each other teaching techniques. This strategy was and is being used in India (as Prof reimers later said that the person who designed the Chilian program later designed India's World Bank funded program in 1990s) . The outcome was that although the teacher did not learn fromeach others techniques -- this did help them connect with each other and increased motivation -in the remote rural areas with few educated and aware people.Rural-urban rotation - my viewFive star treatment once a year for rural teachers -would be like the glittering march past and parades the military conducts - to keep the morale of the troops high (high enough to fight for the country in remote areas).Ofcourse, Indian army ensures that no soldier spends more than six years at a stretch in the field (remote areas) . For extreme places like Siachin Glacier battlefield in Kashmir (6000m or 20,000 feet high) noone stays for more than 6 months. Rural teachers need to circulated to urban areas periodically - their duration in rural terrains depending upon the ruggedness of the environs.--------------------------------------------------------------------THE TRAININGAimsWe discussed various issues while sitting around various round tables and looking at the trainer and the powerpoint presentation. At the outset she mentioned that our non profit believed in using teaching strategies - proven by research - to improve primary school students' achievements - from Black and Latino families. The non profit is closely associated with Harvard university withprofessors from Harvard Grad. scchool of Education working closely with it and being on its board of directors (as mentioned in all its letters also). Harvard Ed. School also has the same motto - edu. improvement thru strategies proven by research.Learning to ReadThe focus was on reading comprehension since if a student cannot read and understand s/he cannot learn any other subject either. Many students know how to do math but when given word problems cannot get it correct unless someone reads them the question. Thus, knowing what is written is important.6 dimenions of reading were discussed as in a six pointed star: 1. phonemic awareness 2. systematic phonics 3. background knowledge and key vocabulary 4. fluency 5. comprhension 6. motivationThe first two (mentioned below) it was said we cannot help kids in ourprogram -since it takes time to develop these skills - better suited to regular school. However some kids cannot even sound out words and prononounce "saw" as "was" since they are familiar with "was" or "on' as "no." One kid is very good at sounding out unfamiliar and long words though - when she feels like it. She is the mischiefmaker.Phonemic awarness refers to the skill & knowledge to understand how phonemes or speech sounds are connected to print. systematic phonics - ability to decode unfamiliar words.Co-construction of knowledge this co-constructivitist theory was told as " Meaning is made not caught" - that info is not flying offf the book and jumping in your chest -it has to be made by interaction. by discussion -ask them leading questions.We had a mock demo of interactive book reading todemonstrate 5 strategies foe Reading part of our afterschool program.first to get the students thinking about the story. Using "Visualization" (by looking at book cover and pictures and title etc) and then making "predictions" about the story. Later "infering" based on personal life and other books we have read - thus making a mental image. then, comprehension and finally wrapping up. Wrapping up is important ('what do u think about this story?')5 strategies of teaching reading - Use "Post It" (small pieces of paper which stick to book pages temporarily -common in US) to place 5 types of questions at various places in the book.Ques.1 - Visualization ques - title, cover picture2. atleast two ques on Turn & Talk - in the pages of the book.3. atleast one visualization question -inside the book4. One vocabulary question (can use index cards -smallpieces of card paper - with the word written on one side -ask its meaning. Then flip it and show the meaning written on the other side)5. One Think Aloud ques. - conclusion/infer/wrap up.--------------------------------------------------------------We discussed after lunch (planned to be 30 minutes but went upto one hour since atleast I do not go to five stars everyday - my first in USA -I liked peach pie - a common item in US but unheard of in India. Apple pie ofcourse is my regular stuff at MacDonalds ) to make sure that 100% of the students reach proficiency levels1. shift focus from curriculum -to instructiona. do lesson plans -have objectivesb. substantial work product in portfolio of each students (folders for keeping the work done by each student)c. time on task - vs off task2. Maximize time on task: a. monitor transitions b. limit non instructional activities3. Reinforce in-service training skills - re; their use in class4. remain aware of scholar's needs (as opposed to weaknesses)5. Provide data-driven instruction : keep records, use Edu-soft (computer software) in-service training6. Share resources across sites.----------------------------------------we also discussed in detail - differentiated instruction and the use of graphc organizers, role play - such as maps or web - to identify the central issues of the book read and how they relate to each other. Also discussed stages of reading development. On cards was how to tackle those for whom english is a second language but did go into it. The trainer practiced on us some ofthe tactics - to quieten the students and draw their attention. Such as synchronized clapping, stretching exercises and gentle touching on the shoulders as means of rapport building and encouragement.Let me try to implement tomorrow onwards - today becos of snow storm we had a holiday. Some might try to use them elsewhere also.any comments?umesh
Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740
1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]
Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
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