Dasra comes calling

RIVER had a very interesting visitor in Shweta Bagai of Dasra, Mumbai. She and her associate, Janhvi, were here for two days and were shown the whole gambit of activities of RIVER. The two were even able to interact with participants of a workshop that is going on currently. They were given an introduction to RIVER by the AO, RIVER, Raju Asirvadam and were explained the MGML concepts at one of the Satellite Schools. Later they had an in-depth discussion with the Directors, Padmanabha and Rama Rao.

SUPPORTIVE SUPERVISION

(Disclaimer : The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the policies of RIVER.)

I will not comment on how supervisions are being done in educational institutions as neither have I done an in depth study of them in those institutions nor am I an expert in these matters. What is written is a seat of the pants suggestions which, hopefully, some MGML practitioner will read and follow or, at least, try out when in that capacity.

Supervision, per se, has the connotation of one who is on a fault finding mission. Certain best practices have been worked out and communicated for all teachers to follow and the role of the supervisor is to ensure that what has been stipulated is being implemented. The supervisor, thus, enters a classroom with the aura of a bogie-man who is going to find any number of mistakes made by a person who is sincerely (so everyone things about himself!) doing his job. I daresay that such a scenario does exist but I will not say that it exists in all schools all the time.

In the implementation of the MGML Methodology the words ‘Supportive Supervision’ takes on a more than normal understanding of those two words. The situation in an MGML classroom is totally different to that of a traditional one – different in modus operandi, different in classroom culture, different in capability and capacity of persons running these classrooms and, in fact, there is no similarity between the two except the four walls of the room. To understand this let us list out the differences:-

a. The MGML classroom has 5 grades in one room as against the 1 grade in one room in the traditional classroom.
b. One Teacher handles 5 grades at the same time in MGML situation whereas there is one teacher for every grade in the traditional one.
c. The MGML Methodology does not use textbooks unlike the traditional one which does.
d. Activity based learning is the forte of MGML children as against the rote method in the traditional system.
e. The rural MGML classroom teacher is not a big B.Ed or well qualified Teacher like the traditional system one.

It must, therefore, be obvious that the Teacher in the MGML methodology needs to be ‘supported’ in executing this system instead of being ‘corrected’. The supervisor thus, coming from a higher formation, must enter a classroom with an attitude of ‘How can I help you’ instead of putting the fear of God into that Teacher and getting all the wrong answers out of sheer nervousness.

A supervisor opens a notebook in a classroom. The child misspells the word father as ‘fother’ throughout the copywriting exercise being done. The teacher has put one big correct tick mark in red across the page! A huge mistake! A memo to the teacher is warranted and justified for being careless and casual. The Supportive Supervisor does not recommend such action The Supportive Supervisor finds out why such mistakes are being done. Is the Teacher overworked? Stressed out? What time of the day are corrections being done? Is the quantum of homework given too much for the Teacher to check? Oh, there are so many reasons for making mistakes. And that is where the caliber of the supervisor comes in.

There is the supervisor who has been with the system right from its inception. The person has been involved right from the first step of production to the final finished product. Knows every teacher implementing this methodology, knows their strengths and weaknesses, knows their capabilities and their limitations after having been with them for decades. Such a supervisor would be more supportive than corrective as against one who has scant knowledge of the methodology itself and yet, being put in that position, is under the terrible notion that great supervision is being done, taking umbrage against every overheard comment that may never have been directed at that person. To be effective in supportive supervision one needs to understand the methodology itself and, more importantly, understand teachers practicing this methodology.

Glaring mistakes are not to be condoned. The stick and carrot method is also required but to be used in an analyzed and calculated manner. A systems analysis is required to arrive at the root cause of why such mistakes are done and support is to be given there. That is supportive supervision.

Aviator

RIVER in Tamil Nadu

“The ABL concept has been taken from the Rishi Valley practices.”

The above is stated in the webpage of the Tamil Nadu Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. In the page enumerating their various new initiatives and projects is a very lucid write up about the MGML Methodology learnt from RIVER and implemented in the State as ABL initiative. Read more about this by clicking here.

Dynamic Grouping in MGML Methodology

Unlike in Mono Grade classrooms wherein the student has one fixed place to sit throughout an academic year, in our system there is dynamic grouping of children. Children sit as per the support that they require when doing an activity. (Click on picture at right to get elarged view)

It has been observed that the following benefits accrue because of this methodology:-

a. Classroom mangement becomes easy.

b. The teacher knows which group needs his/her attention the most.

c. Encourages Peer supported learning.

d. Team work development is a fall-out.

e. Facilitates children learning at their own pace without undue pressure for completion of tasks.

f. Because of this type of seating, gender differentiation is eliminated.

g. While seated in a particular group a child knows what type of support he/she can get/give.

h. Optimal use of classroom space is achieved.

RIVER and the Afan Oromoo Language

Afan Oromoo? Ethiopia? RIVER? Yes, all three came together – the country, the language and the Organization. A partnership that started years ago bloomed into the Ethiopian Rural Education Project (EREP). Four Organizations came together for this monumental work. They were the Western Wollega Bethel Synod, Ethiopia, The Presbytery of Susquehanna Valley, USA, RIVER, India and Wellspring, Inc which played the role of overall coordinator. In November 2007, six persons, Rao, Rama, Venu, E. Ramu and two other RPs spent around a month in Dembi Dolo in Western Wollega. Here the MGML methodology was ‘transcreated’ into Afan Oromoo to be used by the local children there. We are told that the progress is very commendable. For more information on this program click on this link EREP

Types of Training conducted at RIVER

1. We conduct 3 – 5 day Exposure workshops for Policy Makers and Managers.
2. The above is followed by a 10 day Induction workshop for Core Group Resource Persons and Teacher Trainers. We do workshops for 40-50 persons at a time. Organizations that can send only small numbers are clubbed together and a workshop conducted.
3. Once the program gets underway a team from RIVER can go to the site to monitor and give mid-course corrections.

Characteristics of the MGML Methodology

• In a majority of schools in the rural education scene, the Multi Grade situation exists by Default. In our Methodology, the Multi Grade situation is created by Design
• Emphasis is on learning as against teaching – activity based instead of textbook based
• Teacher as a facilitator - Less stress on Teacher
• Learning tasks completed by all – even the last child is covered.
• Self paced learning
• Ensures quality learning
• Creates fearless classrooms; a feeling of joyful learning.
• Fear of examinations is non-existent
• Child is not at a fixed place in a classroom throughout the academic year
• The Methodology has culturally appropriate materials
• Encourages cooperative learning
• Sense of achievement in the child
• Child's ability accurately diagnosed and position fixed on learning continuum
• Child monitored individually and continuously
• Caters for slow learners as much as it does for fast learners
• Community is a major player in the execution of this Methodology.
• Accountability of the Teacher is ensured.

High Powered Team visits RIVER

Seven Principals of different DIETs in New Delhi visited RIVER on March 18, 2009 to know more about the MGML Methodology. This highly intellectual team (each one of them held a Doctorate) evinced a keen interest in this system of learning by children. An overview was given by the AO, RIVER and then a detailed explanation was given at our Satellite School. This was followed by a very searching and in-depth discussion session with Rao and Rama, Directors, RIVER. They left us having giving us the impression that they would like to initiate this methodology in their areas of responsibilities.

Legislative Members visit RIVER

Two Members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council visited us, today, to see the MGML Methodology in action. Mr V Bala Subrahmanyam and Mr Rama Reddy were given a first hand account of the background and the essentials of MGML Learning in a Power Point presentation by Raju Asirvadam. The team then had a healthy discussion with Padmanabha Rao and Rama Rao. They were then taken to see one of our Satellite Schools where they witnessed MGML in practice. While, for Mr Subrahmanyam this was an occasion to re-establish contact with RIVER, for Mr Rama Reddy this was a whole new experience.