The Radio Show

Our formal school time-table content is insufficient to attain all that is required for an overall development of the student.In my class, I felt the need to focus on improving their public speaking, as an extra-mural activity  involving language. Good habits of oral delivery mastered at school will be of value to my students. In their adult working years they may have to make formal presentations at meetings, seminars and all manner of negotiations.

Activities that provide students with non-threatening opportunities to improve their public speaking skills help develop learner confidence and language skills. What a wonderful gift to give our students!

 I had always been wary of public speaking activities in language classrooms. I wondered about the relevance of oratory for my students' language needs and I doubted whether it would be possible to encourage and motivate the students through such a difficult activity. One thing I was sure about - was that it had to be in a different learning environment and it would work.

Sitting in the audience are not just any students. The students comprise of  peers and their junior batch. This activity was a perfomance of only the top 2 teams and in front of a'learning ' audience.They were bonding not only with language but also with their seniors and learning too. It was challenging for them to try to do better than their seniors in the next year.Good habits of oral delivery as in the radio show, mastered  at school will be of value to my students.

The radio show was designed in such a manner that these first timers got a 'private space' to themselves to perform as is done in a recording studio,  Only therir voices would be audible to the audience and all their others movements and fallacies invisible!

When all the presentations had been made, I, as a teacher made comments on their performances with the aim of helping students to improve their performance. Correct usage of phrases, exact pronunciation of words, tempo of delivery and audibility of voice were looked into.

The teacher’s attitude is of course vital. To err is human but we can all learn from our own errors and those of others. They were provided a good opportunity  to speak and others  got a chance to learn through listening and observation.

The juniors put up questions  to develop their positive questioning attitude [Bloom's taxonomy] which helps trigger a higher level of thinking. So questions that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Here a student  is asking the "whys" and the 'hows" of certain things.No one probably ever fails when they ask questions. This is one of the fundamental tools in a successful communication process. Questioning is the key to better understanding of the things that are not clear to us.

This activity helps gain confidence and helps to express clearly and use english language effectively. It enables the students to improve in asking clear questions, and answering their questions audibily and appropriately.It also helps in speaking to a group of people in a particular manner intending to inform, influence or entertain listeners. Radio shows also help to remove reluctance to public speaking and inculcate teamwork spirit.- an important skill in public life too! 

Dramatic Inquiry in the Classroom

I took a keen interest in using Dramatic Inquiry in the classroom as a teaching and learning approach. All of us got to learn quite a few things from the experience. I hope to post some of that on the blog over the next few days or weeks to share our learning with others who may be interested in making their classes more active and interesting places that engage pupils deeply in their learning. My posts will be about their performances on the final day with an audience of 'their peers' and 'my peers'!

"As teachers, we are not destined to teach like other teachers, even when we admire their approaches"

At times I feel the need to get me and my students out of the four walls of the classroom and try new methodologies and strategies to challenge myself and make sure I don’t stagnate standing behind a rigid and inflexible podium.

“Dramatic playing is essential for children’s learning empathy and self-control. Children learn to empathize as they view the world from other people’s perspectives including those of peers, adults, and people in stories.”

The most important thing is to create a respectful, emotionally safe community of learners so everyone feels comfortable working and growing together.

Drama revealed aspects of realistic human conditions- while having fun they were developing skills of coordination, imitation and it helped them to flex their emotional, mental muscles in a controlled setting.

The dramatic approach helped my students to come together as a group. There were arguments but slowly they learnt to make adjustments, they realized ..'United we succeed, Divided we fail' 

I wanted them to feel special as a class..... as a community, as a group- and grow together, evolve together... and I think they did!

As a teacher I just set the tone for it all. They learnt cooperation, planning and decision making skills. It helped them build their self esteem and refined their presentation skills. The best part was when they took immense pride in their work and learnt problem solving. They made their own norms- they made their teams, worked in teams, built trust and mutual respect.

At one point of time they wanted to be graded but during the preparations, they relegated grades to the last seat. Their priorities had changed. They let flow their artistic abilities and vivid imaginations.

The whole class was amazed on how effective dramatic inquiry had provided an endless opportunity to them for personal growth. They had become more responsible, had improved their management and organisational skills, their creativity and imagination...

A student centred class!

An enraptured audience

In the whole process I stood strong - adorning the role of a supporter. I wanted them to take responsibility for their own learning. I wanted the classroom to be student-centered. I believe every student is a potential teacher for the whole group.

It makes sense that dramatic skills can help us become the person we want to be. Dramatic Inquiry has the potential of making our lives better as we will be better understood and may help us become the people we want to be. Drama is all about how we present ourselves. If the student can communicate better, the more likely others will see him/her as he/she wishes to be seen.

The team behind the scenes - Who made things possible !!

Therefore, the skills of drama can help the student become the person that he/she wants to be. 

ALL SMILES

It was  fun learning all the way!

No elaborate words are required - again just like being with them and being there for them when they want my help. What gives me satisfaction at the end of the day are those smiles and kind words of appreciation said with gratitude.ALL SMILES - This is one photograph I cherish always.

A beautiful smile is the biggest 'Trophy"

It is nice to have complied and calculated the number of students that I have taught in my entire career and the number touches close to 28000. An Amazing WOW that I could turn in so much during my career. Children wherever you are- Its nice to feel that I have made a difference for you, left a mark or have been some kind of nice influence in your lives that you will be using them today. God Bless and its my sincere wish that you may excel more.!

Santa and Me!
 
There have been times when I have not really needed to find a reason to make my students smile.The greatest joy comes from seeing them happy and smiling. The Annual Day rhehersals were on. It had been a tiring day. It was 24rth Decemeber and we were all exhausted, but there seemed no respite from the  rigorously practise. It was then, that I got the costume and secretly dressed up as Santa, carried lots of chocolates in my bag and gave everyone a surprise!! Wow! What a surprise it turned out to be!!! Hell broke loose! Everyone was happy and SMILING.How could anyone get angry at SANTA?

"Chocolates for everyone- all I want is a smile please "

 

 

Teachers and students remember that day till date. Making people smile was the biggest gift I could give on that day and  hope the Santa in me keeps it going always.

 

 

The fact tht I  can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return are to  me  continual happiness- personified! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond the Classroom



In a learning enivironment of their choice

The four walls of the classroom are no longer the only 'temples of learning'. Students are more keen on studying in a non informal environment and I make sure that in order to keep their interest  and  improve their learning process I also ''learn" to teach them the way they want to learn

For a student to prove their potential, it is important to liberate them  and feel emancipated.One of the Emancipatory Techniques I have been using over years in harmonising the behavior of students and bringing in a transformation is to encourage learning outside the classroom to promote quality learning. Students expressed a better and experienced  sense of freedom which in turn resulted in improved interest in learning.

'Playing with colors,sitting out  and creating something with them  is learning too'

I have seen many teachers switch themselves off/on to a very formal mode when in class. To believe students would be 'serious' about their subject if they 'looked serious' is not true. Its the way you are inside out that they like and building a rapport with them is being an effective teacher.

 

Working Together as a TEAM

Talent wins games but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.


Team work fosters a deeper understanding and leads to increased ability to apply new knowledge to real life situations.
T-together
E-everyone
A-achieves
M-more

For students, working in groups, is  emancipated learning. They take turns to teach each other, share knowledge, jokes, and there is reinforcement in this method of learning. Coming together is a beginning and then keeping together will lead them to progress, but it is working together that will show them the way to succeed.

 

A teaching strategy which I use predominantly in my classes to increase student centred team based learning pedagogy is Teamwork. I believe this helps in promoting a deeper learning of the subject/topic in question and this occurs through interaction, dialogue, lots of cooperation and collaborations.

The process of team work enables them to develop their researching skills together and so there is interdependence and they also improve their reasoning and  decision making skills, speaking skills and in the whole process build their confidence and most importantly make learning a more enjoyable experience!

Being Responsible for Your Surroundings

 There are so many students and staff in a school and so much of paper is being used with probably little attention being paid to the amount of waste paper that is generated. A single sheet of paper may seem like an insignificant thing. But handling thousands of sheets each day can have a huge impact on the environment. That's especially true in schools, where students and teachers and other staff use lots of paper.

Everyone one of us is responsible for this waste. Let us remember that we are not the only ones living on this planet. There are plants, trees, birds, animals and many other living things - all of whom have an equal right on the resources of this planet.

Saving paper in a school or any institution is a nice way to help save our environment. Protecting the environment has to be part of our everyday life outside our homes as well. Our work may be blatantly polluting the environment and we could cut down the use of paper products. We need to examine every element of our working life and make sure it is a safe working environment for us and the planet.

Extra paper exists in the institution in terms of unused exam answer papers. I launched a massive paper collection “Secret Mission" - students on their secret mission collected all the extra unused exam papers from the whole school. It was a big mission as we have a large student strength. My students collected the paper, classified them and made useful articles out of them which could be put to use again in the form of scrap books, small note pads and writing material.

The class was so happy to be a part of this initiative. All contributed willingly.
Students learned to recycle material in their own small ways and learnt to be socially responsible for the school and classroom environment and yet learn valuable virtues which would go beyond their learning objectives at school.

'lets do our bit for saving the environment''



'Here is our contribution mam!

When the Principal learnt of this ‘secret mission ’one fine day, she invited the students and greatly appreciated their endeavor.My 'Green Agents" who would come on holidays to finish this awesome work. Our small contribution to our planet and community.

 In this project, I would like to appreciate the passion of students, the support of teachers, staff and one and all in the school. I named the students on the mission our “Green Agents”. Kudos to you all for your fervor in this initiative to help make our school and community more eco-savvy!!

Dramatizing Poetry

The group with maximum applause and points

Dramatizing Poetry is all about the teacher using innovative ethodologies to make language learning exciting.The Rime of the Ancient Mariner- Coleridge, and The Frog and the Nightingale- Vikram Seth, are two poems in the curriculum which I have been teaching them to dramatize.

The soft spoken megha...the extra effects being provided and the 'croaker' pooja

 Students break into small groups to prepare a dramatic rendition of the poem.  I only give an introduction to the poem, its background and then do a model reading of the poem. Then I let them use their imagination to make a presentation before the class. They are permitted to use props, music, costumes, sets, posters, models - anything at all, in a given space and time.

Imagination of the students knows no  bounds!

This informal assessment promotes creativity and oral language.This enables the students to explore their linguistic and conceptual aspects.

 

Amazing performance by the team!

Masked to make a mark!

“Dramatizing the poem”  will result in a great outcome in being able to drive home the idea and bring out meanings from what is taught. As a teacher, I facilitated comprehension of plot, idioms, cultural aspects. During this learning process, I  as a teacher, succeeded in stimulating their interest and conversation and in the process  triggered a student participatory language learning experience. This methodology attracted and affected by a new way of presenting the lesson, got them engaged in learning  they will never forget the various skills learnt in the process.. This would make learning very effective and interesting. Certain poems and lessons perfectly fit for dramatization, so why not use it?  

 
                                 

Spin-a-Yarn

 

 

Four headline clips of the newspaper were given on the spot and the learners were required to spin-a-yarn ensuring connectivity with the clips. Based on this they were given exercises to build a story for at least 2-3 minutes.

 

 

 

This activity essentially covered all aspects of writing skills. This activity helped develop coordination between individuals and groups, present imaginative thoughts/ideas in proper language, learn to build up the story from the previous clue, develop confidence, deal with sentence structure, and encourage imaginative ideas and thought development.

This particular team was speaking in public for the very first time. They also learnt to get over ‘panic’. This activity helped them improve their articulation, pronunciation and putting together their thoughts at the right pace depending on the audience and the content. In addition, they learnt to speak impromptu with logical ordering of points. What's more, they gathered confidence to make eye contact and perk up their body language.

Visualising things and making analogies and learning to spin-a-yarn proved to be a fruitful experience!! This team secured the second position in the competition.