SWAMI VIVEKANANDA YOUTH MOVEMENT Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning, Hosahalli REPORT FROM THE MONTH OF APRIL 2014 TO MARCH 2015 Goal: Quality Education, focusing on values, literacy, numeracy and appropriate vocational training through joyful, experiential and child centered learning processes for children in H.D.Kote taluk in the age group of 6 to15, particularly girls. Objectives: Provide quality and value based education from classes I to X adopting child-centric, joyful, and experiential learning processes Facilitate holistic development of children covering their social, emotional, physical and psychological needs by additional soft skill training Provide pre-vocational training in electrical, mechanical and agriculture to the students of Classes VI and X. Location: Hosahalli, Beeramballi post, Heggadadevanakote taluk Mysore district - 571116, Karnataka state. Tel: 08228-269123 Target Audience: Children of all the tribal colonies of H.D.Kote Taluk Facilities available : Primary classes usage of Montessori learning aids and activity oriented learning materials in resource centre (for hands on experience), Laboratory for Experiential Learning in Science. Library with 8760 books, 228 audio cassettes, CD ROMs 555, well equipped indoor-outdoor sports facilities. Computer laboratory for competing with modern world, Xerox machine, Multimedia projector, Internet to have world wide connection, Nature, Summer and Adventure camps. Lot of exposure visits for awareness about the outside world. In the campus, provided conducive environment and tasty/ nutritious food for the children and orientation in life skills. Resource Support to: Scholastic and Co Scholastic activites, Prevocational skills (Introduction to Basic Technology) and training for Learning Facilitators. 1 Methodology: Mind Mapping Methods, Experiential Learning, Peer Group Learning, Team Teaching, Project Works, Activity Oriented Teaching, Multi Level of Learning, Child Centered Learning, Self Centered Learning, Collaborative learning and Integrated methods. Assessment done throughout the year for the overall development of the child. Through: Worksheets Questionnaires Periodic Tests and Examinations Project Works One to one interaction. Quiz Continious Comprehensive Evaluation Month wise Activities at the school: April & May 2014: The School closed for vacation from 15th of April to May 24th. Summer camp was organized for 7th to 9th std of VTCL and VSOE children. This camp was conducted in 2nd week of April by Mr.Prakash Principal of Vidyavardhaka College B’lore and with other resource persons. During the four days camp various activities were conducted like free hand painting, craftwork, quiz, project work on Tribal and Urban culture, Creative games. Nearly 80 children were benefitted from this camp. From 9th to 13th May 2014, the School Head Master Mr.Shivappa and Mr.Kendagannaswamy attended a workshop on Entrepreneurship Development at VLEAD, Mysore. The program was jointly organized by ICREATE & SVYM to develop entrepreneurship skills. On 17 & 18th May 2014, a workshop on Art in Education was conducted by Sri.Roshan Sahi from Bangalore to the teachers. The workshop focused on how to bring art in scholastic learning. This was attended by all the teachers of VTCL which helped the teachers to get ideas to motivate the low achievers & challenging learners to participate in classroom learning & progress according to their own pace & uniqueness. On 22nd May, 2014 Vivekananda Teacher Training and Research Centre (VTTRC) conducted a workshop on 5Es instructional model [Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate & Evaluate] to the teachers of Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning (VTCL) on 5Es model which is an instructional teaching method based on constructivism principle. This was very useful to the school as most of the students are kinesthetic & visual learners. 2 June 2014: The School admission committee was revised and the parent representative of the four tribal communities were selected by ensuring equal participation of both women and men with senior teachers. The committee demanded to extend the enrollment of girls in Gendathur village who also belong to ST but not forest based tribe. This was decided based on the social concern about the community, to prevent early marriages & avoid early motherhood which is predominant in that area. This academic year 425 students were enrolled out of which 213 are (52%) girls (annexure-1) from tribal communities. The students who did not come to the school were regularly monitored by the teachers through visiting the haadies with the help of retention committee. The average attendance of the school for the entire year is 91%(refer annexure-2). In the lower primary section, this year the school introduced the new concept of single teacher to 1st grade to 4th grade.i.e., a teacher facilitating all the subjects of the respective class. It was really helpful for the teachers & students to build rapport, understanding & knowing each other. The classrooms were set up to accomodate students to learn through montessori method. All the materials were purchased, arranged and training was given to the teachers in the new method. In the primary section, this year special focus was given to average and below average children through introducing Innovative Academic tutoring programs. For this the capacity building program was organized to all the teachers on various topics in Communicative English, Effective utilisation of Technology, Child Psychology, Child Centered Education like Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation, Constructivism principles, Instructional models like 5Es 5As, etc. All these trainings were helping the teachers to develop their skills and knowledge to improve the children‘s academic skills. The co-scholastics like Art, Computer, Physical Education, Agriculture, Music, Sports, etc. are integrated to Languages & Mathematics. In High school section, beginning of the year, by seeing the students’ annual academic performance, the school focused on teaching fundamentals (both in language and Math). Then after the remedial teaching classes, gave a rigorous input in academic for the entire school especially for high school section. The timetable was specially designed for teaching each subject for the entire day for one week integrating other mediums like ICT, Library, Art and Sports. Few classes were successfully planned by preparing innovative methodologies and techniques. The children also liked the integrated classes, but were not happy with the whole day learning the same subject. Then after taking feedback from the students and teachers, the school re-looked the entire strategy and shortened the time by giving a half- day for each subject. Then for two to three weeks, this method worked and then gradually children 3 started losing their interest in academics. Like this, consistently alternative methods were adapted to challenge and sustain the interest of the children. For high school section soft skills training were organized and conducted by both internal and external persons to enhance self-esteem, logical, mathematical, problem solving and decision- making skills. The tribal children are not exposed to analytical skills in their day-to-day life. The reason is that, the parents have minimal exposure to the day-to-day utilization or transaction of money, concept of saving etc. Knowing the fact, the school in collaboration with I Create organization, conducted a workshop on ‘Entrepreneurship Development’ for 10th grade students. It was a four-day workshop purely focused to elicit the hidden and enhance the self-esteem, logical, mathematical skills, communication and presentation skills of the students. The whole concept of entrepreneurship was weaved to make contextually relevant to gain the interest & inner spirit of the students. Among them two students were selected for a regional level competition on Entrepreneurship Development Program. The children gained confidence after participating in the Business plan competition and helped them in identifying their strength and build leadership abilities. Hence, the school started giving major roles to students both at school and at hostel. Training on Vocational Skills was provided to the children of 6th to 10th grade. The Instructors conducted classes for the students in both theory and practical focusing on the trades in Electrical & Mechanical. July - 2014 Parents meeting was held in Brahmagiri tribal hamlet (haadi) on July 24th. The retention committee team met the parents and explained to them that school will take action for the benefit of the students like providing bus pass, to keep day scholars in the hostel during rainy season, the parents were also invited to stay at school and hostel to get real life experience. The parents also agreed to it and stayed, later the same was implemented by the school. From 30.07.2014 to 01.08.2014, 26 students of 5th to 10th std participated in an art competition organized by Raviverma Academy Trust. Teachers with the Students who won Prize at competition organized by Ravivarma Rahul, student volunteerAcademy from USA, stayed in Hosahalli for 3 weeks and had prepared a Science lab manual for high school section and a review was conducted by Head of the school with the help of Science teacher and this manual is been used in the lab by the teachers and students. On 17.07.2014 to participate in Taluk level sports, training was given to high school 6 students by 4 Physical EducationTeachers. From 21st to 27th training was organized