പാഠശാല [paatasaala collegemagazine 2006]

ഓടിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‍

2011-05-18T04:25:00.000-07:00

അധ്യാപക പരിശീലനകേന്ദ്രത്തിലെ ഗ്രന്ഥവിചാരിപ്പുകാരന്‍- ബി.എഡ്‌.കോളെജിലെ ലൈബ്രേറിയന്‍ തല്‍ക്കാലം അങ്ങനെയൊന്നു വേഷം മാറിക്കോട്ടെ- പുസ്‌തകോര്‍മ്മകള്‍ ആവണമല്ലോ അവതരിപ്പിേക്കണ്ടത്‌. അക്കൂട്ടത്തിലൊരെണ്ണം നമ്മുടെ ടോട്ടോച്ചാനുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടതാണ്‌.
ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‍ വായിക്കാന്‍ തരട്ടെ? ഓരോ വര്‍ഷവും പുതിയ ബാച്ച്‌ ബി.എഡ്‌. ക്ലാസ്സു തുടങ്ങിയാല്‍ കുട്ടികളോട്‌ ഞാന്‍ ചോദിക്കും.
ടോട്ടോച്ചായനോ? കഥ? നോവല്‍? ഫിക്ഷന്‍ വായിക്കുന്നതിലെ പരമപുച്ഛം ശുദ്ധശാസ്‌ത്ര/ സാമൂഹ്യശാസ്‌ത്ര വിഭാഗം കുട്ടികളുടെ മുഖത്ത്‌ പെട്ടെന്നു തന്നെ തെളിയും (സയന്‍സ്‌ പിള്ള മനസ്സില്‍ കള്ളമില്ലെന്നല്ലേ പ്രമാണം തന്നെ). ഞങ്ങളിതെത്ര കണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു? ലിറ്ററേച്ചറുകാര്‍ ഒന്നും മിണ്ടില്ല. വിയോജന വികാരം മനസ്സില്‍ അടക്കിവയ്‌ക്കും.
ആന്റണി, മംഗള, ശിവരാജ, അഗര്‍വാളാദി ബി.എഡ്‌. ഗൈഡഴുത്തു പ്രവരന്മാരുടെ അഡ്‌വാന്‍സ്‌്‌്‌ഡ്‌്‌ എഡ്യൂക്കേഷണല്‍ സൈക്കോളജി, എഡ്യൂക്കേഷന്‍ ടെക്‌നോളജി ഗണങ്ങളിലെ കനപ്പെട്ട ഉല്‍പ്പങ്ങള്‍ തെരയുന്നതിന്നിടയിലാണ്‌ ഞാനീ പാവപ്പെട്ട `ജനാലയ്‌ക്കരുകിലെ വികൃതിക്കുട്ടിയെ' (വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ രംഗത്തെ ശിശുപക്ഷ സമീപനങ്ങളെ ചൂണ്ടുന്ന ഒരു സുപ്രധാന പുസ്‌തകമാണ്‌ ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‍. തെത്സുകോ കുറോയാനഗി എഴുതി അന്‍വര്‍ വിവര്‍ത്തനം ചെയ്‌ത്‌ എന്‍.ബി.റ്റി. പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ചതാണ്‌ ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‍: ജനാലയ്‌ക്കരുകിലെ വികൃതിക്കുട്ടി) വായനാസമക്ഷം അവതരിപ്പിച്ചത്‌. ഭാവിയിലെ കുട്ടികളെ പഠിപ്പിക്കുവരല്ലെ! ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ അടങ്ങിയിരിക്കാനാവാതെ പോകുന്ന കുട്ടികളുടെ മനസ്സ്‌ ഇവരൊന്നറിയട്ടെ. പാഠപുസ്‌തകത്തില്‍ കാണാത്ത ഇത്തരം അനുഭവങ്ങള്‍ അവരെ നല്ല ചിന്തകള്‍ക്ക്‌ ഉടമകളാക്കട്ടെ! ഇതൊക്കെ വായിച്ച ശേഷമാവണമല്ലോ എനിക്ക്‌ അവരുടെമുന്നില്‍ `താങ്ങ'്‌ ആവുന്ന വിദ്യാഭ്യാസമൊക്കെ അവതരിപ്പിക്കാനുള്ളത്‌.
ടോട്ടോച്ചാനെ കുറിച്ച്‌ കേട്ടപാടെ മുഖം കോട്ടുന്നവരുണ്ട്‌.
പുസ്‌തകക്കവറിലെ ടോട്ടോയുടെ വികൃതിപുരണ്ട ചിത്രം കണ്ട്‌ മുഖം തിരിച്ചവര്‍.
യ്യോ. ഇതുമുഴുവന്‍ എഡ്യൂക്കേഷന്‍ സൈക്കോളജിയാണ്‌. ഇതു വായിക്കാതെന്തു ബി.എഡ്‌. പഠിത്തം?
ഞാന്‍ അറ്റകൈ പ്രയോഗം നടത്തും.
അതുകേട്ടപാടേ പുസ്‌തകത്തെ കൈപ്പറ്റാന്‍ ചിലര്‍ ഒരു നിമിഷ സൗമനസ്യം കാണിക്കും. വേഗത്തിലൊന്നു മറിച്ചുനോക്കും. സംഗതി നോവലാണെന്നു കാണുമ്പോള്‍ പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കും. കഥാപുസ്‌തകമൊക്കെ വായിക്കാന്‍ നേരമില്ല സാര്‍.
പുസ്‌തം വായിക്കാന്‍ നേരമില്ലെന്നു പറയുന്നത്‌ ജീവിക്കാന്‍ സമയമില്ലെന്നു പറയുന്നതു പോലെയാണെന്ന്‌ ജോസഫ്‌ സ്റ്റാന്‍ലിന്‍ പറഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ട്‌. ടിയാന്റെ പേരുപറഞ്ഞത്‌ അവരെയൊന്നു പേടിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ തന്നെയാണ്‌.
യ്യോടി. ഇയാളിത്രയും വാചകമടിച്ചതല്ലേ! ഞാനിതൊന്ന്‌ പരീക്ഷിക്കാന്‍ പോകുകയാണ്‌. പുസ്‌തം വേണ്ടെന്നു പറഞ്ഞവളുടെ കൂട്ടുകാരി ടോട്ടോയെ കൈയിലെടുത്തു. അതെ. വായനക്കാരി തന്നെ മറ്റെവിടെയും പോലെ ലൈബ്രറികളിലും ഇപ്പോള്‍ `കാര'ന്മാര്‍ വരുന്നതേയില്ല.
കൊമ്പിച്ച ടീച്ചറായിട്ടും എനിക്കിതുവരെ ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‍ വായിക്കാന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞിട്ടില്ലല്ലോ. അന്നു കിട്ടിയപ്പോള്‍ ഒഴിവാക്കേണ്ടിയിരുന്നില്ല. ഭാവിയില്‍ നീ ദുഃഖിക്കും. നോക്കിക്കോ.
ടോട്ടോച്ചാനെന്ന കുസൃതിയെ കൈപ്പറ്റാന്‍ വിസമ്മതിച്ചവളെ ഞാനൊന്നുകൂടി വിരട്ടാന്‍.... അതുകേള്‍ക്കെ അവളുടെ മുഖത്ത്‌ പരമപുച്ഛം ഒന്നുകൂടി മിന്നലടിക്കും.
വായനയ്‌ക്കു ശേഷം തിരിച്ചിവളെ കൊണ്ടുവരുമ്പോള്‍ അടുത്തുകൈപ്പറ്റാന്‍ യോഗ്യനായ ഒരു വായനക്കാരനെ കൂടെ കൊണ്ടുവരണേയെന്ന്‌ രജിസ്റ്ററിലെഴുതി ടോട്ടോച്ചാനുമായി പോയവളെ ഞാനോര്‍മ്മിപ്പിക്കും.
അങ്ങനെയങ്ങനെ ഒരു ബാച്ചിലേയ്‌ക്ക്‌ ടോട്ടോച്ചാനെ കടത്തിവിടുന്നതില്‍ ഞാന്‍ വിജയിക്കും. നമ്മുടെ `ജനാലയ്‌ക്കരുകിലെ വികൃതിക്കു`ി' ഹോസ്റ്റലിലേയ്‌ക്കാണ്‌ പോയതെങ്കില്‍ അവള്‍ക്കവിടെ അടങ്ങിയിരിക്കാനാവില്ല. അനവധി കരങ്ങളേറി വികൃതിക്കുട്ടി മുറികളില്‍ നിന്നും മുറികളിലേയ്‌ക്ക്‌ സഞ്ചരിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരിക്കും. കുട്ടികള്‍ക്ക്‌ ടോട്ടോച്ചാനെ താഴെ വയ്‌ക്കാന്‍ തോന്നുകയില്ല. പലപ്പോഴും ഡ്യുഡേറ്റൊക്കെ കഴിഞ്ഞാണവള്‍ തിരിച്ചെത്തുന്നത്‌.
ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‍ എത്തിയാലുടന്‍ അടുത്ത വായനക്കാരനെ കണ്ണാല്‍ ഞാന്‍ പരതും. പഴയ ഡയലോഗുകള്‍ ഒരു തവണ കൂടി ആവര്‍ത്തിച്ചാല്‍ മാത്രമേ അവളെ അടുത്തയാളിനൊപ്പം പിന്നെയും ഇറക്കിവിടാനാവൂ. അങ്ങനെയങ്ങനെ വികൃതിക്കുട്ടിക്ക്‌ ഒരിക്കലും ഷെല്‍ഫില്‍ അടങ്ങിയിരിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയാറില്ല. അവര്‍ കുട്ടികള്‍ക്ക്‌ പരിചിതയാകുന്നു. പലരുടേയും മനസ്സില്‍ കുടിവയ്‌ക്കുന്നു.
സര്‍. ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‍ തിരിച്ചെത്തിയോ?
എനിക്ക്‌ വായിക്കാന്‍ ആ പുസ്‌തകത്തെ ഒന്നു മാറ്റി വയ്‌ക്കാമോ?
ടോട്ടോച്ചാനെ അറിയാനുള്ള കൊതിപൂണ്ട അനേ്വഷണങ്ങളായി. കഴിഞ്ഞ മൂന്നാലു വര്‍ഷങ്ങളായി അങ്ങനെ ടോട്ടോച്ചാന്‌ ഒരിക്കലും കോളെജു ലൈബ്രറിയില്‍ അടിങ്ങിയിരിക്കാനായിട്ടില്ല. നൂറിലധികം പേര്‍ അവളെ സ്വന്തം പേരിലെഴുതി വായിച്ചു. കണക്കില്ലാതെ കൈമറിഞ്ഞത്‌ അതിലുമെത്രയോ ഇരട്ടിയാണ്‌.
ഈ ലോകത്തവതരിക്കുന്ന എല്ലാ പുസ്‌തകങ്ങള്‍ക്കും അത്തരത്തില്‍ വായനക്കാരുണ്ടായിരുന്നെങ്കില്‍! (Every book its reader. ഭാരതീയ ഗ്രന്ഥാലയ ശാസ്‌ത്രകുലപതി ഡോ. എസ്‌. ആര്‍. രംഗനാഥന്റെ പഞ്ചലൈബ്രറി നിയമങ്ങളിലെ മൂന്നാമത്തേത്‌ അങ്ങനെയാണ്‌ പുസ്‌തങ്ങളുടെ ഉപയോഗക്ഷമതയെ വിവക്ഷിക്കുന്നത്‌.)
അദ്ധ്യാപകര്‍ കേന്ദ്രകഥാപാത്രമായി വരുന്ന വിഗ്‌ദറോവയുടെ ഒരു സ്‌കൂള്‍ ടീച്ചറുടെ ഡയറി (വിവ. ടി. എസ്‌. നമ്പൂതിരി), ആന്‍ഫ്രാങ്കിന്റെ ഡയറിക്കുറിപ്പുകള്‍ എന്നിവയും ടോട്ടോച്ചാനെ പിന്തുടര്‍ന്ന്‌ കുട്ടികള്‍ക്ക്‌ പ്രിയപ്പെട്ടവരാകുന്നു. ജീവിതം പൂരിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ ഫിക്ഷനും വായനയ്‌ക്കുമുള്ള പങ്ക്‌ അവര്‍ കണ്ടെത്തുന്നു. അവരുടെ വായന പതിയെ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ്‌ വിഭാഗത്തിലേയ്‌ക്ക്‌ നീങ്ങുന്നു.
ടോട്ടോച്ചാനെടുക്കട്ടെ?
പതിവ്‌ പരിപാടി ഞാന്‍ എം.എഡ.്‌ പഠിക്കാനെത്തിയ ബിന്ദുവിന്‌ മുന്നിലെടുത്തു.
വിദ്യാഭ്യാഖ്യായിക ഗണത്തില്‍പ്പെടുന്ന ആദ്യാധ്യാപകന്‍ (ചിംഗിസ്‌ ഐത്മതോവ്‌. വിവ. കിളിരൂര്‍ രാധാകൃഷ്‌ണന്‍. എന്‍.ബി.റ്റി), ടീച്ചര്‍ (സില്‍വിയ ആസ്റ്റണ്‍ വാര്‍നര്‍. പുന. ഏ. കെ. മൊയ്‌തിന്‍. കേരള ശാസ്‌ത്രസാഹിത്യ പരിഷത്ത്‌), ദിവാസ്വപ്‌നം (ഗിജുഭായി ബധേക പരി. എം. ദിവാകരന്‍ നായര്‍. എന്‍.ബി.റ്റി) എന്നീ പുസ്‌തകങ്ങള്‍ സ്വന്തം ശേഖരത്തില്‍ നിന്നും വായിക്കാന്‍ കൊണ്ടുതന്നെന്റെ ലൈബ്രേറിയന്‍ ഗര്‍വ്വിനെ ബിന്ദു ഞെട്ടിച്ചു കളഞ്ഞു.

വാല്‍ക്കഷണം: 2005 ബാച്ചിലെ കൈകസി കോഴ്‌സ്‌ കഴിഞ്ഞ്‌ എന്നൊക്കെ കോളെജില്‍ വന്നിട്ടുണ്ടോ അന്നൊക്കെ ലൈബ്രറിയില്‍ എത്തിയിരുന്നു.
"സര്‍. എന്റെ ലൈബ്രറി രജിസ്റ്റര്‍ ഒന്നു കാണിക്കൂ."
താന്‍ വായിച്ച പുസ്‌തകങ്ങളുടെ ഓര്‍മ്മ പുതുക്കാനാവാതെ കൈകസിക്ക്‌ കോളെജില്‍ നിന്നു മടങ്ങാനാവില്ല. അതും പുസ്‌തകങ്ങളുമായി ബന്ധിതമായ നല്ല ഓര്‍മ്മയാണ്‌.

P. K.SUDHI

LIBRARIAN

GOVT. COLLEGE OF TEACHER

EDUCATION, THYCAUD

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-14

PAYMENT FREE INFORMATION

2008-04-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

P. K.SUDHI
LIBRARIAN
GOVT. COLLEGE OF TEACHER
EDUCATION, THYCAUD
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-14

Scientific communication has sprouted from personal letters. Before the origin of magazines and periodicals scientists used personal letters for discussing and spreading details of inventions they had made. This is very helpful to flourish research because the existing knowledge accelerates, enhances and directs scientific experiments and efforts for new inventions and discoveries.
In the year 1665 the first journal “Journal des Scavans” started the publication in France by Denis de Sallo. Celebrated births and silent deaths are common in print world, but one interesting thing is that the second journal Philosophical Transactions (1665) by The Royal Society (England) is still continuing its publication. Since then the role of spreading knowledge in higher education and research has been taken over by journals. Materials published in international journals are consulted throughout the world for education, research and technological developments. At present about 205 million articles are published in 24000 journals every year.
The editorial experts of the journals peer review the articles received. They insist on correction if necessary before printing. These processes add validity and reliability to the theme of the article. Publication in one of these highly ranked journals is an honor to the scientist. These kinds of learned publications are inevitable in the arena of active research and learning, because they carry the nascent information. Thus journals have been playing an important role in scientific communication for the last three centuries.
Libraries and information centers use their major portion of budget for purchasing journals and periodicals since they vehement new information. And information becomes the prime commodity in this knowledge society. The amount knowledge utilization is the indication of development of a nation.
As almost all scholarly publications are coming from developed countries and we have to depend on them for our research, we have to spend a huge amount of foreign exchange for the purchase of journals. (The average subscription rate of one science journal is $ 1400.00 and that of a medical journal is $ 5000.00). This high subscription rate of journals form a barrier in the information transfer process and widens the gap between information rich and information poor countries.

At the beginning the journals and periodicals were established and owned by learned societies and institutions whose only concern was the development of research activities. Dissemination of information and knowledge, promotion of research activities for the uplift of mankind were their chief mottos. Later all these publications were taken over by private publishers and they use it for profit making. Now few giant publishers are the owners of almost all leading journals of the world.
Another interesting fact is that the publishers charge the cost of publication from these scientists who authored them. (This amount may reach up to $ 2000.00). Think about the condition of an Indian scientist who devotes his/her energy and time for the discovery, desires to publish his work in an international journal. These commercial publishers neither pay the remuneration for the article nor even grant the copy writ permission. All these indicate that our present states of scientific communications are beneficial only to the publishers.
On the arrival of IT the publishers of periodicals use the help of information communication technology for more benefits. The Internet facility has brought so many drastic changes in the communication scenario. E- publishing is one among them. The World Wide Web acts as a medium of information transfer like newspapers, magazines and periodicals. This digital media is enriched with more advantages than the conventional print media. Along with hard copies (publication in print form) these commercial publishers start digital versions of journals. This also is available only with payment. All these point out that the scholarly communication is under the control of a few publishers. The scientific communication through commercial publishers are not serving the real purpose, and not adequate in the digital age, not only due to the cost factor but also due to the developments in the information communication technology advancements.
The scientists have now realized the depth of exploitation from the publication industry. They have also started to use the magic potentials of the electronic publishing. The authors directly pour their intellectual contributions into the net. They need not wait for the mercy of the publisher for the publication. As soon as the publication is completed, the information is available to the whole world wherever there is the Internet browsing facility. This information is free to all the net users. The writers and readers are freed from the greedy hands of the publishers. The authors need not pay the cost for publication and need not wait to see the article being published. (Some publications require almost one year for this process).
All these leads to a new concept called the Open Access, which means the free availability of publications in Internet, permitting any body to use, download, print, and distribute. This permits us to use the information for other processes without any payment. Here the users of information are more benefited. Open access becomes a revolutionary concept in the socialization of knowledge. It eliminates the barriers of cost in spreading knowledge. This helps the information poor countries much in the development process.
The concept of “publish or perish” concept is changed into “ publish and self-archive”(Open access). In the light of this new idea the authors start to publish the peer-reviewed matter using the web medium, which leads to a new concept called open access publication. They use open access electronic journals to express. (All the digital periodicals of The Indian Academy of Science are open access publications, means any user can use the subject matter without any payment to the publisher). According to the Directory of Open Access Journals DOAJ (http://www.doaj.org/) 2686 digital journals are freely accessible. DOAJ also includes 133266 articles (on 18.5.2007). J-Gate is another Indian initiative in this respect.
To support this concept certain institutions started creating Institutional repositories (Institutional Archives) in the internet with the publications of the scientists who are serving the institution. (Institutional archives created by many institutions like the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore and University of Mysore). This leads to a movement in the scholarly communication called the Open Access Initiative (OPI).
Some publishers also realized the importance of this concept, and the shift in learning and writing. As a result publishers of some digital publications allow free accessibility to certain portions. The well-known science journal Nature offers this facility. Some other publishers permit open access after a period of publication. This concept is known as delayed open access.
Acceptance self-archiving, open access digital journals and open archives initiative indicate the changes in the scholarly communication. All these lead to a payment free information society, which is very essential for the uniform development of the whole world.

2007-11-28T05:55:00.000-08:00

Is the Teacher an Artist or a Scientist ?

2007-09-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

C . Praveen

What does an artist working on clay or wood do?

He handles dead material and imparts life to it through his work . He gives the shape he likes, expresses his own ideas and makes the object as he likes. He imposes his will on the material with which he works, and creates an object.

Is the teacher an artist?

Well… the teacher doesn’t use the chisel and hammer…yet he makes an impact felt. He creates learning situations ,motivates, arranges conditions for the mind and body to grow, introduces changes in the behaviour pattern, and inspires noble thoughts and feelings.

What does the scientist do?

A scientist attempts to provide systematized knowledge of natural phenomena by experimentation and inference. The scientific statements provided are always capable of being tested and it is objective.

Can a teacher be a scientist ?

A teacher can be a scientist too if he draws general principles from skilled investigation and interchange of daily experience. Such principles can be interpreted and applied to the peculiar conditions of his task of teaching which is defined for him by the age , sex, number , environment and future vocation of his students, by the situation of his institution and by other variable factors!

Well… what do you think? Is the teacher an artist or a scientist? Mail your answers to cpteach@rediffmail.com

For more articles by the author please visit http://cpraveenpublications.blogspot.com/

Trend Setting English Club Activities

2007-09-04T04:24:00.000-07:00

- Submitted by C. Praveen, the English Club Coordinator

To many teachers organizing English Club activities in educational institutions is one way of developing in learners a love for the subject. Studies on Club activities reveal the potential benefits of various activities . It also makes clear that Club activities in most institutions invariably depend on the kind of financial support it receives from the authorities. But a teacher training institution in South India , the Government College of Teacher Education , Calicut hardly received any form of financial assistance. Yet it has managed to organize several trendsetting Club activities which others can emulate . Read on to learn more about the English Club activities of the college for the academic year 2006-07
************************

Even before interested members of the college joined the Club the coordinator had planned several activities for the academic year.

The Club Activities planned for the academic year 2006- 07
* Assuming role of mentor during the Communicative English
activity- based classes
* Maintaining the Bulletin Board of the English Club
( Proposed themes: The English language, English Literature,
British Art, English Songs, English Films,
British Culture & Indian English writing)
* Collecting/ editing contributions written in English
for the College Magazine

The Club had well defined objectives too:

The Club Objectives
* To arouse in trainees an interest in the English language
* To improve the ability of trainees to use the English language

* Scheduling and conducting the English Day Programme
* Organizing a workshop on Soft Skills training
* Screening of select English Feature Films

Exercepts From the Club Report
presented by the Club Secretary
on 26 July 2007
Inauguration

On 20.11.2006, the Principal of the college, DR K.Ida Nancy formally inaugurated the Club’s Bullettin Board Display and the Club activities for the academic year.

Meetings

Prior to the organization of various programmes meetings were held especially with trainees of the English Optional group who were active members of the Club.

Activities
* English Methodology Media Fest

On 16.12.2006, the Club on behalf of the Department of English conducted a English Methodology Media Fest. The special invitees of the Fest were the English optional trainees of Govt. CTE, Thalassery. During the much appreciated Media Fest, the co-ordinator of the Club, demonstrated the use of various aids which included Print, Visual , Audio and Audio-visual aids. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect about the Fest was the display of a number of English language leaning Software.

* Guru Greetings

On New Year Day 2007, the Club members presented to all the faculty of the college flowers and specially made greeting cards for the New Year in tune with the Guru Sishya Parampara of ancient India.

* Pedagogy @ Silver Screen

On 14.02.2007,the Coordinator presented a film based programme on teaching, titled Pedagogy@ Silver Screen.. It helped the novice trainees to gear up for our Practice Teaching classes.

* Films
The films screened as part of the Club activities included :
My Fair Lady 2.The Sound of Music
Essential information brochures were supplied prior to screening of the films. During the screening, aspects of the film related to teaching were explained by the coordinator of the club.

* Soft Skills an Introduction

On 29.3.2007,through a Multimedia presentation, the trainees of the college were introduced to Soft Skills – the indispensable skill which modern-day employers are on the look out for.

* Bulletin Board
Every month topics related to English were displayed to foster both reading skills and an interest in English.

* Communicative English Tasks

The Club members especially the English optional group prepared ten types of tasks for the classes on Communicative English. During the activity based class the club members served as mentors for the entire trainees of the college for performing the ten tasks in cycles.

“We ,the members of the English Club are extremely happy that we were able to organize almost all the activities which we had planned to conduct during the academic year. I take this opportunity to thank our Principal , for the unstinting support she gave us for conducting the programmes. I would also like to specially thank our teacher and Co-ordinator of the Club activities , Mr. C. Praveen for organizing the activities which were essentially instructive and profoundly entertaining.”

*********************************

2007-05-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

“A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron”

This quotation from Horace Mann prompted the composition of the following lines:

The Old Sculptor

Chisel in one hand
Hammer on the other
With shivering fingers
He chips and chisels.

Contours change
Features emerge
He pauses and gazes
At the half-done work.

B’tween the past and the present
An aeon has passed
Yet the sculpture, glimmers not
Nor pines for perfection

Hands numb, bleached in shame
At the present , helpless he stares.

- CP

Community Living Camp 2005-06

2007-01-23T05:03:00.001-08:00

Govt College of Teacher Education Kozhikode Community Living Camp 2005-06
Tunchanparamba , Tirur 06 Sep to 08 Sep 2005
A Report by C. PRAVEEN
The old Citizenship Training has reappeared as
Community Living Camp and has found a place in the curriculum of the University of Calicut. Among the affiliated colleges of the University of Calicut, the Govt. College of Teacher Education , Kozhikode was the first to conduct the camp.
This report of the camp throws light on the conditions that affect the conduct of a camp. You will see how Nature and circumstances can upset even the most meticulously planned programmes. It goes on to illustrate how, through the sheer urge to participate in community life, it is possible to transform apparently dismal extraneous conditions into a memorable learning experience .
Community Living Camp
The University of Calicut revised its curriculum in 2005. A three-day Community Living Camp with an allotment of ten marks was included as part of the Practical Work of the BEd. Course. Immediately after the commencement of the course a meeting of the teaching staff of the college was held in the Principalâ€™s Chamber to discuss the curricular programme including the Community Living Camp.
According to the Press and Electronic Media reports,the Community Living Camp held at Thunchanparamba, Tirur was unique in every respect . In fact, it was the first of its kind to be held as part of training programmes for BEd. trainees in Kerala.
Aim and Significance of the Camp
Camps help to create a free and friendly atmosphere. The camp members get an opportunity to interact freely with others which helps them to shed inhibitions and shyness if any. The homely atmosphere in the camp helps one learn from others and the new surrounding. As the member of a new family they learn to share happiness and sorrow and participate in daily living chores like cooking, cleaning etc The camp activities provides scope for developing both social and communication skills.
Planning : Students
A core committee of the trainees was selected well in advance with a representative from each optional classes to discuss, plan and decide the venue, dates etc.Mr. Narayanan was selected as the convener and Mr. Unnikrishnan, the treasurer. After enquiries and help of local social workers, Tunchanparamba, Tirur was selected as the venue.
Planning : Staff
The planning and designing of the camp was a collaborative endeavour of the teaching staff of the college under the supervision of the Principal of the college. Several sittings by teachers in charge of different activities helped in drafting an activity oriented programme schedule which helped achieve the following objectives:
1. Familiarize trainees with community living
2.Familiarize trainees with the organization of
co-curricular activities.
3.Develop an eco-friendly attitude
4.Introduce trainees to the problems and needs of
a proper teacher â€“ community relationship.
5.Acquire skills in discharging the duties of a competent
teacher in the prevailing socio-cultural system.
6.Acquire democratic and social values essential for an
ideal teacher.
Committees : Staff
For the smooth conduct of the camp several committees were formed.
Dr. Krishnakumari and Mr. Ramakrishnan , being residents of Tirur, were given overall supervisory roles. The latter and Mr. K. P Hussain were appointed the Camp Director and Camp Co-ordinator respectively.
Dr. Indira and Mrs M.B. Syamaladevi two lady teachers, members of the programme committee, were in additional charge of directing and assisting the women participants.
The entire activities of the Camp was supervised by a Steering Committee comprising the Principal Dr. Ida Nancy, Prof. C. Abdurahiman and Dr. A. K Raveendranath.
Mr. C. Praveen, also a member of the Programme Committee, was given the additional charge of documenting the entire camp activities in print and video form.
.
Tunchan Gate : Entrance to Tunchanparamba , the Camp Venue
& Saraswati Mandapam
Programme Schedule: Community Living Camp 2005-06
O6 to 08 September 2005
6.9.2005
Morning Session
Session Time Activity
Arrival at Tunchanparamba
1 10.00 -11.00 Familiarizing location
2 11.00-11.30 Assembly : Discussion
3 11.30 -12.00 Basic group formation
Afternoon Session
4 12.00-1.00 Task presentation: Group discussion
1.00 to 2.00 Lunch
5 2.00-3.00 Group discussion: Planning
6 3.00-6.00 Educational Theatre
(Mr. KS Vasudevan & Mr. TK Jose)
7 6.00-7.00 Interaction with a Psychologist
( Dr. T Sasidharan)
8 7.30-9.00 Cultural activity
Supper
7.9.2005
Morning Session
Session Time Activity
Wakeup
1 5.30- 6.30 Yoga
Personal time
7.30- 8.00 Breakfast
2 8.00-1.00 Field work
Afternoon Session
1.oo to 2.00 Meals
3 2.00-3.30 Group work: Report Presentation
4 3.30-4.00 Stage plays
5 4.00-5.00 Panel discussion
(Mr. Sathyanathan â€“Moderator)
(Mr. P Basheer â€“ Introduces
the topic )
6 5.00-7.30 Solo drama : discussion
(Miss Rathi Peruvattur)
7 7.30-9.00 Camp fire
Supper
8.9.2005
Morning session
Session Time Activity
5.00 Wakeup
1 5.30-6.30 Yoga
Personal time
7.30-8.00 Breakfast
2 8.00 - 9.00 Report Presentation
3 9.00-12.00 Field work : Survey
Afternoon session
4 12.00-1.00 Feedback
Meals
5 1.30-2.00 Closing ceremony
Day 1
On 06 Sep 2005 , at 7.30 AM all the participants ( 115 trainees ) with three teaching staff assembled at the Kozhikode railway station. All wore the Delegate Badge. At 8.15 everyone boarded the Kannur-Coimbatore passenger train. It was a delightful start with songs and jokes in the compartments .Those who frequently travel by train introduced the participants to the various landmarks and scenery along the route to Tirur. At Tirur railway station the participants were received by Dr Krishnakumari and Mr. Hussain By 9.30, hiring auto rickshaws all arrived in front of the majestic gate of Tunchanparamba.
The very sight of the place helped many to recall Ezhuthachanâ€™s lines which they had memorized in their childhood.
Inauguration
On entering the venue the participants were directed to the dormitory where they kept their luggage and refreshed themselves. Then everyone assembled in the main hall of Tunchanparamba for the inaugural ceremony. Mr. Praveen assisted by the trainees set up the public address system and the session began with a prayer by Miss Sajina. This was followed by a welcome address by
Mr. Narayanan , Convenor of the Camp Coordination Committee. In her inaugural speech Dr. Ida Nancy, Principal, reminded the participants about the various roles a teacher has to play. â€œThe teacher is a social engineer and is responsible for producing the quality our society demands. This camp provides an opportunity to gain that skill and knowledgeâ€. While rendering felicitations,
Dr. Raveendranath, Dr. Krishnakumari and Mr. Hussain requested for the whole hearted cooperation of the participants .
Immediately after the ceremony, Mr. Ramakrishnan gave general instructions regarding the camp and directed all the participants to go and explore the whole campus.
Familiarizing the Location
Objective:
To familiarize the location
Introduce participants to learning through observation.
The campus had a number of monuments which included the Tunchan Mandapam, Saraswathi Mandapam where children are initiated to the world of learning during Navarathri, The Kalari of Tunchath Ezhuthan ,a grand old tree, the recently renovated tank and the Tunchan Smaraka - (Parrot and stylus).
The participants had the rare opportunity to see ancient palm leaf manuscripts (thaliola) and the stylus( Ezhuthani) supposed to be used by Ezhuthan himself - the Father of Malayalam language.
The participants also had a glimpse of Mahakavi Uloorâ€™s personal library donated to the Research Centre in the campus , Open Air Auditorium and Guest Cottages built in Kerala style architecture.
The buildings now being constructed for a museum did not mar the sight of the coconut tree planted by the doyen of Malayalam literature, Takazhi Sivasankara Pillai and the mango tree planted by the Majroo Sultan Puri, the celebrated north Indian.
The singing birds which dwell in the well maintained garden and trees rejuvenated the participants who had a delightful expression on their faces when they assembled for discussion.
Outdoor Discussion
The participants sat under the shade of a huge mango tree and were asked to report on what they saw. Questions were asked as to the relevance of learning through observation. This helped them to draw insights about this learning strategy which can be easily adapted for learning at many levels.
In the discussions which followed the participants shared their experiences . It provided an opportunity for developing the skills required for conducting learning through observation.
Basic Group Formation
Objective:
1.Facilitate smooth conduct of the camp
2. Familiarize themselves fully with Community living
3. Gather an overall view of the camp
4.Appreciate the importance of group work
5. Ensure equal participation of all camp members in all camp
activities
6. Develop values of cooperative living
The entire camp members were divided into three groups- Sarika, Narayam and Thaliyola. The duties assigned to the three groups were :
* Food arrangement
* Cleaning and Water supply *Documentation and reporting
> All these duties were changed in turn every day .
Task Presentation and Plan of Action
Objective
To familiarize participants with different strategies and methods of learning
Acquire knowledge of constructive classroom processes
Gain knowledge of the social significance of a community over an individual.
To ensure uniformity of the tasks a common theme was chosen: River Nila, its surroundings and its special role in the life and culture of the people of Tirur.
Task/Topic allotted to the different Optional Groups
Optional Task / Topic
Arabic The influence of Arabic language on the
people living in the
costal areas near river Nila
English Attitude of the Community around
Tunchanparamba towards
Learning English
Hindi Preparation of a documentary film script about
Tunchanparamba
Malayalam River, Plot & Author (Puzhayum Kathayum
Kathakrithum)
An interview with the noted writer
Mr. C. Radhakrishnan
Mathematics Use of Geometrical Figures in the
Construction of Houses around
Tunchanparamba
Natural Science A Study of the varied fauna and flora around
Nila River
Physical Science Use and Misuse of Electricity in and around
Tunchanparamba
Social Science Nila River Its History Past and Present : An
Enquiry
Once the tasks were assigned to different optional groups, the participants sat optional wise to prepare the plan of action for the task. They had two sessions one at 1.20 PM till Lunch and the second after Lunch till 2.30PM
Education Theatre
Objective
Introducing participants to education through theatre
Developing creative skills
Introducing participants to the optimal use of the human body for learning
Developing the skill of providing enriched learning experience through histrionic skills
Mr. TK Joshi, a state award winner for Educational Theatre Script Writing and a teacher of Olavattoor High School Malappuram and Mr. KS Vasudevan of Ganapath Boys Hr. Sec School, Kozhikode, introduced the participants to the use of educational theatre for learning.
The activities commenced with an ice- breaking session which involved informal walking, purposeful walking and walking following instructions. The spacious auditorium was ideal for an activity which involved 115 participants. They were asked to act like a child and release the suppressed child in them. Rhythm created through clapping, stamping of feet and singing helped participants realize the educational value of theatrical skills in learning.
Using a stick, a cup, a piece of cardboard and a small wooden piece the participants were asked to conjure up themes to use all the objects in a drama which they were to plan and act out. To many it was an eye opener as they grasped the simple truth the any dull situation or lifeless object could be made vigorous and interesting through dramatization.
The session which continued for over three hours were not interrupted by the heavy rain outside . After a break six groups were formed and they were asked to plan for a performance on the theme â€˜waterâ€™.
From 9.45PM to 11.30PM each of the six groups made stage presentations on the assigned theme . The activity was an exercise in informal and creative learning . Innovative presentations which exploited different aspects related to the theme of water , offered insights into the significance of water conservation .It also provided an opportunity to exhibit the histrionic skill of the participants.
Ezhuthanâ€™s Kalari in Tunchanparamba & Calisthenicsâ€¦Workshop on Educational Theatre
Interaction with a Psychologist
Objective
Introducing participants to psychological interpretation of educational problems
Developing an ability to psychologically analyze social problems
An eminent psychologist, Dr. T Sasidharan of the Dept of Psychology , University of Calicut interacted with the participants in a brief session in the evening.
The topic chosen was â€˜My Respected Student in the Classâ€™.The discussions which followed was enriched through research findings on the topic provided by Dr. Sasidharan
During the session the participants had an opportunity to compare and analyze their own ideas about classroom learning and Teacher â€“ Pupil relationships. They also realized how learning takes place as a result of experience and that each situation is unique and provides a certain kind of learning .
Day 2
On 07 Sep 2005 all woke up at 5.30AM. From 6.10 AM the participants had a Yoga demonstration and practice under the guidance of Mr. P Lakshman. For many , this was a first time experience . It helped them realize ways of relaxing their body and controlling their breathing.
After bath and attending of personal needs ,the participants had a quick breakfast and got ready for the Field trip ignoring the heavy downpour.
In the afternoon three new students who joined the BEd. course that morning introduced themselves and joined the camp.
Fieldwork
Objective
Introduction to data collection and interaction with the community
Developing skills of analysis of data and interpretation of results
Develop skill of interviewing
Learning to work in groups and share ideas
5. Developing the skill of preparing a report
By 8.00 AM the campus was empty save the teachers . By 1.00 PM all the participants returned . Many were drenched in the rain but their spirits were not dampened. After lunch each group sat separately to prepare a report of their Field Trip for presentation.
By 3.30 PM , the English optional group guided by their optional teacher Mr. C Praveen presented a detailed analysis of the topic given to them. They presented the unpleasant truth that the English language has begun to exercise a profound influence on the people living around Tunchanparamba- a memorial dedicated to the father of Malayalam language. Naturally an emotionally charged discussion ensued where students of the Malayalam optional refused to accept the findings of the English Optional group . For students of the Science optional this was indeed an invaluable experience as they learned ways in which arguments and counter arguments could be framed.
As time was running short it was decided to make presentations of reports the following day and if not possible back in the college.
Panel Discussion
Objective
Introduction to panel discussion
Developing the ability to substantiate facts using illustrative examples
3. Grasp issues related to roles teachers are assigned to play
in society
After tea , the participants assembled in the auditorium for a Panel Discussion on the topic â€˜Teacherâ€™s Social Responsibility and Commitmentâ€™. Two panels were formed-one comprising teachers of the locality and departmental trainees and the other the general public comprising residents of Tirur.
The moderator of the discussion was Mr. Sathyanathan a DIET Lecturer. Mr Basher a teacher and regular participant of SCERTâ€™s programmes introduced the topic.
The Mundasseri Bill, teacher insecurity, the absence of a scientific syllabus, indifference and lack of enthusiasm of teachers etc came up for lively discussion. Many arguments were convincing but it suffered the drawback of frequent digression from the original topic of discussion.
Jwala Film Society
Squeezed into the programme schedule were two events which satisfied the request of local residents and lovers of film and literature. The first was the inauguration of the Jwala Film Society by the film producer Mr. Aryadan Shoukat. The second was the release of Jwala News by Mr. Alancode Leelakrishnan a popular Malayalam writer.
Ekakini- Solo Drama
Objective
Introduce participants to a burning social issue
Introducing participants to the possibility of exploiting drama for teaching
Ekakini meaning solitary woman, depicts the hardships a lonely woman has to face in society. Nicknamed â€˜Tarikida Sarojiniâ€™ the lone character played by Miss Rathi Perugvattur is a mind stirring performance of the inner agony of Sarojini who is forced to commit suicide as a revenge to the society around her.
The stage setting and performance helped the participants recall some of the contrivances and techniques they had unconsciously employed for depicting the theme â€˜waterâ€™ The interaction with Miss Rathi helped the participants grasp the subtle nuances of the play , its mode of generating feelings and rousing emotions.
Camp fire
Objective
Introduction to after- dusk informal Community gathering
Developing literary skill
It had rained the whole day and at 10.00 PM when the participants had their supper it was still raining . This forced the organizers to change the venue of the Camp Fire from the quadrangle to the auditorium. A symbolic fire was lit and all the participants sat in a large circular form. The participants sang,
danced and gave memorable mimicry performances. By midnight the organizers had to call it a day.
Educational Theatre & Scene from Ekakiniâ€¦Solo Drama
Day 3
On 08 Sep 2005, the participants got up as in the previous day at 5.30 AM. Following Yoga exercises till 7.30 AM , they returned to the dormitories . After breakfast everyone assembled in the auditorium. The unexpected transport strike forced the organizers to continue with presentation of their Survey report.
The Mathematics, Physical Science and Hindi optional students, made their presentations which was followed by serious discussions and suggestions for improving.
Guest of the day Mr. KP Ramanunni
As both the transport strike and rains continued , the organizers invited the noted poet and administrative officer of Tunchanparamba to interact with the participants.
The guest not only spoke about his works and experience but also about the present scenario of Malayalam literature and the important role of a teacher.
Field Survey: Govt. Old Age Home ,
Rescue Home & Juvenile Home
Objective
1. Familiarize participants with Govt. institutions for the aged,
neglected women and juveniles
2. Introduce participants to problems related to these institutions
3. Enable participants to identify roles a teacher can play in such
institutions
The unexpected transport strike which clashed with the closing ceremony forced participants residing in neighbouring districts to find alternate transport facility to return to their homes. Hence many left the camp at 10. AM.
Thanks to the cooperation of a neighbouring school which allowed the organizers to hire their School buses, the participants got an opportunity to go on a Field Trip to a government run Old Age Home, Rescue Home and Juvenile Home in Tavanur.
The Superintendent Ms. Chandramathi who also accompanied the participants back to the camp venue, described to the participants the feelings, problems and difficulties faced by the inmates of the institutions.
The participants realized the fact that behind the sunny face of society there is a shocking and distressing seamy side.The poor facility available and the negligence and apathy of society in general was made clear to the participants . Many left the institutions with a heavy heart .
Bye to Tunchanparamba
All the remaining participants assembled in the auditorium after lunch . There was a feedback of the camp and after a few minutes of cultural programmes the participants left for their homes around 5 PM.
Panel Discussion & Group Discussion in progress
Camp Impressions
Ms.Meera Baby : â€œâ€¦The camp was a great experience . The approach and attitude of the people in and around Tunchanparamba was cordial . They will always be remembered with loveâ€¦It (the camp) was a miniature community with duties and rights assigned to everyone and everyone did his/her best for the smooth working of the community.â€
Mr.Jyotish Kumar : â€œ The three day stay at Tunchanparamba was an unforgettable experience . We now have understood the relevance of community living in an individualâ€™s life.â€
Ms.Rekha: â€œ On the whole the camp was wonderful, with the majestic, calm meditative venue: the campers living together like a joint family filled with love, affectionate discipline, decent ways and good heartedness! This will surely stay in our hearts for a long timeâ€

2006-09-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

Thoughts on Teachers Day

2006-09-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

KAILASNATH

Teacher, Govt. Girls H S S, Nedumangad

What are my thoughts on ‘education’ on the eve of yet another Teacher’s day? Here I am, a teacher, teaching in Government schools for the last 22 years. Looking back at these long years of teaching experience, I am not in any way happy about all that I’ve so far experienced.

During the years when I was a schoolboy, the classroom was dominated by the presence of an authoritarian teacher wielding his chalk, talk and stick upon young inquisitive minds. The teacher had no regard for what the children were intrinsically and the much touted phrase “child centered education was not in vogue. But now there is a lot of talk and lip service about child centered education, autonomous learning, life long learning, learning to learn, learning to do, live together, learning to be etc. etc. But basically have our classrooms changed? And is there child-centered education in its true sense? I am afraid I have to give an answer in the negative.

Our classrooms are still as they were 50 years back. Still the teacher talks to his class and writes on the black board with chalk and all teaching and learning seems to end there. Still the child anxiously mugs up his textbooks and goes to the exam hall sitting there in grave silence for 2 hours putting down his ‘answers’ to paper.

Where have we gone wrong? Who is to blame? Bureaucracy, hierarchy, or our basic human frailty?I am groping in darkness.

pHotograpH

2006-08-28T03:10:00.000-07:00

2006-08-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

SOCIAL RELEVANCE OF THE WOMAN TEACHER

2006-08-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

ROOBIYA. K. M., RADEENA. D. N.

SOCIAL SCIENCE OPTIONAL

2005-06 BATCH

In the field of education and literacy, Kerala has done extremely well. High life expectancy, low child mortality rates, awareness about hygiene and good health can be counted among the Malayalee’s achievements. And in all these achievements women have played an important part. Because a child’s health habits, concepts and imagination originate from the home or to put it more clearly, from the mother. The child comes to school from this home and the school becomes a second home for him /her.

The child begins the learning process at home through information received and his/her experience. A school should be a place for a continuation and broadening of this learning process. A school should impart social lessons to ready the child to become part of society. It is at this point that we begin to see the social relevance of the woman teacher.

WHY WOMAN TEACHER?

As mentioned earlier, women play a significant role in Kerala’s progress. In a child’s development and evolution of the team spirit, the school, as a miniature form of society is quite important. Interestingly the statistics regarding the number of women teachers also points to the need for more focus as women teachers. In 1957, just after the birth of the state of Kerala, only 41% of the teachers were women. Thereafter in 1976-77, women caught up with men and their numbers got equalised. 30 years later, in 2004-05 the records show that out the total 1,74,881 teachers 1,21,016 are women and only 53,865 are men. Which means that the percentage of women among the teachers has risen from 41% in 1957 to 69.5% in 2005! Women’s supremacy in this field has come to stay (see figure).

Year.........................Male .........................Female

1956-56...........................46128 ...........................31524
1961-62...........................64367 ...........................44490
1966-67...........................70362 ...........................54459
1971-72 ...........................78026........................... 68408
1976-77...........................82224 ...........................81984
1981-82 ...........................82007 ...........................96428
1986-87 ...........................77460 ...........................114124
1991-92 ...........................69577 ...........................121233
1996-97 ...........................62885 ...........................125602

2004-05 ...........................53865...........................121016

source:statistical unit, DPI,trivanrum

In spite of the attractive salary, job security and social respectability why are men staying away from this profession. This is a question nobody is raising. And when the teachers’ organisations select their leaders, the representation of the woman majority is sadly being ignored.

NEW SCHOOL SCENARIO

In changing Kerala, new ideas have been put forward that education should be child centred and that the teacher’s role should be that of a co-student. This increases the social responsibility of the woman teacher. But what is being observed is that while the child’s world becomes wider the women teacher’s world is getting narrow. How can teachers as a whole overcome this malady?

The foremost need is to be able to identify the nature of the child. The woman teacher in her class faces children coming from a variety of social and economical backgrounds, -a miniature edition of society. It is the important that the teacher has the capacity to realise and accept these differences.

Women teachers should be given an upper hand in making education policy making and implementation at school and state level. There is a need for an organised movement to achieve this Apart from this, the woman teacher should be able to understand the changes in society and also put her knowledge into practice. The woman teacher should voluntarily participate in people’s social groups like Kudumbasree, Ayalkkoottam and Gramasabha. Discussing her problems with her colleagues is one way for a woman teacher to arrive at an understanding about her students.

WHAT CAN BE DONE DURING TRAINING

Eighty percent of the candidates studying at the numerous teacher-training centres in Kerala (Govt., aided and unaided) are women. But the mode of training indicates that this fact has been knowingly or unknowingly ignored till now. The B.Ed. curriculum should be designed in such a way that the teacher acquires the ability to take up social responsibility, identify the changes taking place and to decide by her self upon the necessary changes required in her work in accordance with the changes. The present method of ‘promoting’ the teacher’s commitment by increasing the number of record books has to end. In its place a new training method should be evolved that takes into account that the majority of teachers are women. In this way, teacher-training students will learn to think and act by themselves developing their own personalities and also widening the possibilities of knowledge and wisdom.

cover story--page 14

SCHOOL BLOOMS

2006-08-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

News about creative
activities in schools

BUTTERFLIES AT WORK
School : AUPS Thenhippalam, Malappuram District, Keralam.

The school earlier attracted the attention of educationalists by becoming the first school in Kerala to set up a Science Park. The science Park has been designed by linking scientific facts with the everyday experiences of the children. Through the science park, the principles of science are imparted to the students in easily understandable form. Now this school is in the limelight once again with another first among Kerala’s schools. A radio station broadcasting news and general information has started functioning in the school. The radio programmes are written and presented by the students themselves. Apart from this All India Radio’s educational programmes are also broadcast.
The studio of the school radio has been built in the science park. Like the butterflies that flit about all over the science park, the students are busy making preparations for their own radio programmes. The students of the schools are guided in this task by their teacher V.K.Sasibhooshan.

JOYFUL LEARNING
School : Govt. LP School, Pacha Palode, Trivandrum Dist, Keralam.

Students of this school learning is a celebration and their school is like a second home to them. Even Saturday is a working day and the students are happy about it. School beings at 9 A.M. One hour every morning is set apart for Co-curricular activities. The activities include aksharashlokam gatherings, literary meetings, training in Public speaking and other cultural programmes.
Students make good use of the school library. Every Thursday students present reviews of the books they have read. Soumya, a class 4 student read 76 books last year. Now she has begun reading biographies.
Students so about gathering news and regularly bring out handwritten newspaper editions. One is the Rain Special dedicated to the memory of their Classmate. Aparna who is no more. Aparna’s friend Syama has written a ‘rain poem’ for Aparna in the news paper.
The school also has a printed magazine coming out every month called Mazhavillu (The rainbow). A Balasabha selected from the students performs the editional functions. The contribution of guest writers are also included.
The Aksharaslokam team of this school regularly wins the first prize at the district level. For the past five years this school is holding the Championship title in the science Festival.
The driving force behind these vibrant activities is the initiative of two teachers of the school, Hari and Mohankumar. Says Mohankumar “We made best use of the freedom given by DPEP and SSA education programmes. Against the General teand, the teachers of this government school have been always sending their own children to this school. This shows our faith in the method of teaching here’.

SEA OF WORDS
School: Modakkallur AUP School, Kozhikode District, Keralam.

It is a sea of words out here. This school has taken the initiative to release 70 books containing a total of 1400 poems. The Poets are all school children. Last year 100 books were published. The guiding light behind this activity is school teacher N.K. Preman. Preman encourages every student to express his or her literary talent. The students contributions are then beautifully handwritten and released in book form with an attractive cover.
cover story--page 26

TEACHER EDUCATION COLLEGE LIBRARIES –KERALA

2006-08-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

P.K. SUDHI

LIBRARIAN,Govt. College of Teacher Education, TRIVANDRUM

Most of the Teacher Education College Libraries in Kerala are not seen to be catering the needs of students and teachers. This is due to the non-availability of reading materials, new information sources and techniques. The reluctance in the application of modern library operations by the librarians and the poor library-using habit of the teacher education students also worsens the condition.

The poor use of libraries creates so many bad effects in our education system. These teacher education students without any experience in library have no idea about the various information sources and the mode of information seeking. More than that presently they are not using any learned journals textbooks having nascent ideas for their assignments. They are copying the so-called cheap guidebooks.

A well-organized Teacher Education College Library can play a very significant role in the teacher education system. Classic book collection related to all branches in education faculty, collection of digital materials forming part of the digital library e-journals and periodicals would expose the Teacher students to the immense world of information. This will improve not only their ability but their examination results also. They can transmit this quality to their future students when they work as teachers. They can also promote the value and the importance of libraries in the education system.

These libraries also have another important function. An ideal teacher education college library with qualitative collection of resources, the computerized library operations and other library services including the documentation work, will impart very good library sense among the teacher students. As the part of their curriculum, during the library hours these students will acquire some knowledge about the library operations. These also help them to develop the school libraries when they work in a village schools.

cover story--page 20

Community Living Camp: Report

2006-08-04T06:20:00.000-07:00

Submitted by the participants

The three-day Community Living Camp of the students of GCTE, Calicut, at Thunchan Paramba, Tirur, commenced on 6.9.2005. Dr. K. Ida Nancy, Principal, GCTE Kozhikode, inaugurated the camp. The inaugural function began at 10.45 am with a prayer by Sajna VK of English optional. Dr Raveendranath, Dr Krishnakumari, and Sri KP Hussain shared the dais and delivered complimentary speeches. The whole function as well as the camp was video documented by our teacher Sri C Praveen and was assisted by Mr. Ashraf KK (English), Mr. Binu Joseph(English) and Mr. Noushad(Arabic). At 11.05 am, the students were sent out to familiarize the location and thereby to learn through observation. This was followed by an outdoor discussion at 11.50 am where the varied impressions the camp members got on the serene Thunchan Paramba were communicated. The division of the students into three basic groups, the objective of which has to ensure the smooth conduct of the camp and to give the camp members a taste of living in a community, was done at 12.30 pm.
The three groups were

1. Saarika
Captain Mr. Abdul Kareem (English) Vice Captain Smt. Vaheeda P (English)
2. Narayam

Captain

Mr. Franklin ( Malayalam) Vice Captain Smt Neena Valiyathara (Malayalam)
3. Taaliyola
Captain Mr. Ismail (Malayalam) Vice captain Miss Greeshma (Social Science) All three groups were given three tasks Food distribution, Documentation, and Accommodation to be performed in turns. At 12.50 the optional groups were presented with their Field work topics:

* Social Science - An investigative study on the past and present of Nila
* Natural Science - A study of the species diversity on the banks of Nila
* Physical Science - The power consumption in houses around Tunchan Paramba
* Malayalam - Interview with C. Radhakrishnan, giving special emphasis to the influence of Nila on his works and on Malayalam literature in general
* Hindi - Preparation of a documentary film script on Tunchan Paramba
* Arabic - The influence of Arabic on the language of the people living in the coastal region.
* Mathematics - Geometry in the construction of houses on the banks of Nila
* Sanskrit - A study of the evolution and decline of the class dialect in and around Tirur.
* English - Attitude of the community around Tunchan Paramba towards learning English.

All the topics were carefully chosen with the objective of making possible an active interaction of the students with the community, to make them learn through direct observation and to develop in them the ability to plan, execute, analyse and conclude upon a specific task. The task presentation was followed by an optional – wise group discussion at 1.20. Lunch was served by Sarika group at 1.45 pm . After lunch, the group discussion was resumed at 2.30 pm. At 3.30 pm. The camp sprang into action with the workshop on Educational theatre conducted by Sri T. K Joshi and Sri K. S Vasudevan. It was a highly active and interactive session with the objective of developing the creative faculty of the future teachers. The session was suspended in between, for the “Interaction with a Psychologist.” Its objective was to clear the doubts of the camp members, there by giving them a firmer footing in child and educational psychology. Dr. T Sasidharan of the Dept. of Psychology, University of Calicut, engaged the camp members in a question answer session from 7.15 pm to 8.40 pm Supper was served at 8.40 pm. After supper, the workshop on Educational Theatre was resumed at 9.10 pm. The three basic groups split into two and gave a performance on the theme,“Water”. After each performance, there was an interactive session between the presenters and the audience. The workshop was wound up at 11.30 pm and the camp members went to sleep by 12 midnight.On day 2, (7.9.2005) the camp woke up at 5.30 From 6.10 to 6.55, Sri P Lakshmanan, assisted by Mr. Mohammed Ashraf ( English) provided yoga lessons to the camp members . After breakfast at 7.15 am the optional groups left for their respective field tasks by 8.15 am. By 1.00 pm all the optional groups returned after their field task. Then, lunch was served. From 2pm to 3 pm the camp members took to writing the Field report. There was a selected talent presentation from 3.00 to 3.20 pm which was followed by the Field Report presentation till 4.15 pm.The first report presented was of the English optional. After the presentation by Miss Anisha there was a lively discussion on the report. The necessary clarifications to the doubts expressed in the discussion were given by Sri C. Praveen, Mr. Mohamed Ashraf and Mr. Abdul Kareem, The report was summed up by Prof Abdul Rehman. After tea break the panel discussion on “Adhyapakante Janapaksham” was held from 4.40 to 6.50 pm. The objective of this session was to make the camp members realize the necessary social commitment of a teacher. Sri P Basheer introduced the topic and Sri Sathyanathan acted as the moderator. The major points of the debate identified were 1.Mundasseri Bill 2. Consequent security of the teacher 3. Absence of a scientific curriculum and 4. The passionate listening of the teacher to the students. Well renowned teachers, social figures, people from various walks of life and teacher trainees expressed their views in this heated discussion. By 7.00 pm the Press Release of the Community Living Camp was prepared and handed over by the team consisting of Mr.Martin George (Malayalam), Miss Radeena (Social Science), Miss Meera Baby ( English) and Mr. Sudhesh(Malayalam)At 7.10 pm Sri Aryadan Shaukat, the famous cine scriptwriter, inaugurated the solo drama by Smt Rathi Peruvatoor. At the function, the Malayalam poet Sri Alamcode Leela Krishnan released the “ Jwala News” which was received by Miss Reshmi A of Hindi optional. From 8.25 to 9.05pm, was presented the solo drama “Ekakini”. “ Ekakini” is the story of an isolate, Sarojini, who is a social outcaste. Abused by the society, she has become mentally deranged and at the end commits suicide to escape the jeering world. The drama was performed at the camp at the joint effort of GCTE Kozhikode and Jwala Film Society, Tirur. The objective of this undertaking was to give the camp members an idea of the possibilities of drama in education and propagation. From 9.05 to 9.35 pm was held a discussion on the solo drama. The camp members actively interacted with Smt. Rathi Peruyvattoor and expressed their opinions and suggestions. After supper, at 9.35 pm a camp fire was inaugurated by Dr. Indira. The first cultural item presented was an optional wise tribal dance. Then it was the turn of individuals including Sri Ramakrishnan, Dr. Indira, and Sri KP Hussain. The long enjoyable session was concluded at 12.05 am and the camp members went to sleep at 12.30 am. The wake up on the third day (8.9.2005) was again at 5.30 am. The yoga class followed from 6.30 to 7.30 am. The breakfast was served at 7.45 am and from 9.25 onwards the optional Field Report presentation was resumed. The Mathematics optional report was read first on the third day. Then it was the turn of Physical Science, followed by Sanskrit and Hindi. After each presentation, there were active interactive sessions where comments and clarifications were made, the session was suspended in between from 11.30 to 12.30 pm for a talk by Sri K P Ramanunni. As there was an unexpected vehicle strike on that day a few camp members had to leave early after lunch at 1.00 pm. Most of the remaining camp members then visited the Rescue Home, Pratheeksha Bhavan and Old Age Home at Tavanur, at 3.10 pm. The objective of this field trip was to promote direct experience and observation learning, and to familiarize with the seamy side of the community. The camp members had a friendly interaction with the inmates of these institutions. They returned to the camp at 6.10 pm and with a final volley of cultural activities, the camp was dispersed. To sum up, the camp was first of all a great experience. The approach and attitude of the people in and around Thunchan Paramba was very cordial. They will always be remembered with love. Though it was raining heavily all the time and there was an unexpected vehicle strike on the third day of the camp it could not dampen the spirit of the camp members. However, time management was a drawback. The workshop on Educational Theatre, for example was charted to, for three hours duration but it consumed not less than six hours. Other than that the camp as indeed a success. It was a miniature community with duties and rights assigned to every one and every one did his/ her best for the smooth working of the community.

sTAY hUNGRY sTAY fOOLISH

2006-05-04T05:22:00.000-07:00

This is a copy of a speech that Steve Jobs delivered to the graduates of Stanford University in June of 2005. Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks -including death itself.

"I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.The first story is about connecting the dots.I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5 cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.My second story is about love and loss.I was lucky - I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I retuned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.My third story is about death.When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.Thank you all very much."
- Steve Jobs - June 2005

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