Grooving, Learning
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A woman with a book and a pen has the power to move nations. A woman with a mind and a voice has the power to change worlds CONCEPTS TO 06 – Sasha Temerte CLASSROOMS A teen makes dissection more humane Indigo Prasad of San Anselmo wins Grooving, national award for her efforts Learning ENTER THE GROOVE GULLY LEARNING hen family time seems like a precious OUTCOME Photo: GETTY IMAGES commodity,with only The artistes come dressed arin kids who are squeamish about one Sunday meal to- in costumes and bring with slicing into frog cadavers or who hate the W gether,these parents of them the musical instru- smell ofchemical preservatives used in twins decided that this is not what real-frog dissection in their science ments. Children watch them M they want for their little ones.Deeply classes may find inspiration from Indigo Prasad of interested in music,the family de- play, join them, see them in their San Anselmo, California. cided to interweave the concept of attire, it is like a cultural treat — an Indigo,13,a seventh-grader at Mark Day family time,musical bonding and experience of music, history, cul- School,a private K-8 school in San Rafael, happiness therapy together and thus, California,has been named ‘Humane Student of Groove Gully was born. ture, psychology, skill-based learn- the Year’by the group Animalearn,a Jenkin- A start-up by Jay and Bobby ing all woven into one. Kids also town,Pennsylvania-based division ofthe Chauhan,Groove Gully is like a get to build musical instruments. American Anti-Vivisection Society. travelling musical museum that Indigo said she was motivated a few months ago reaches your school’s doorstep. to research more humane alternatives to traditional What is unique about it? Children dissection after learning that she would be expected ofclasses 1 to 10 get to see the rarest to participate in the real-frog dissection this spring, ofrare musical instruments like when her science class starts its anatomy section. morsing (Jews Harp),Taus (Per- “Ninety-five percent ofthe people said virtual dis- sian word ofpeacock),Daman section was ready to replace traditional,”says drums from Ladakh,a Chenda Indigo.She looked into synthetic frogs made by dif- from Kerala,Thavil and Kanjiras ferent companies,such as Tampa-Florida-based Syn- from Tamil Nadu,Pakhawaj and Daver,and Rescue Critters,which sent her some pro- Dhol from north India,Bom,Ks- totypes to review.The school kids said they preferred ing and Padiah from Meghalaya. the synthetic frog cadaver from Syndaver — called Children get to touch,play the ‘Synfrog’— to real frogs because it didn’t smell of instruments with the artistes. formaldehyde and didn’t “feel bad”.According to ‘The They experience Mercury News’,some science teachers,said they feel more than fake frogs take away from an authentic experience of music, they dissection — such as finding mutations or extra get a cul- Q: HOW DID GROOVE GULLY as they see it as a great experiential appendages that could come only from nature. tural les- COME UP? learning zone and it also makes teach- son too. The journey began when we saw that ers’ jobs easier as this way, they get to today how everyone is so absorbed in cover quite a few concepts involving A postcard reaches & the digital world. Bobby and I thought of a geography, history and science in a cre- start-up wherein mindfulness is infused ative way. Students get to retain con- TEACHES this class into children through the world of INTERVIEW cepts faster and don’t need to mem- music. We included a panel of orise them from textbooks. teacher at Exploits Valley Intermedi- psychologists, neuro scientists and art ate,US,is reaching out to people near Q: WHOM DO YOU TEAM UP WITH? therapists, and collectively worked and far to teach students about life in We do draw upon a network of with them to build Groove Gully. A other parts ofthe world.She is ask- artistes from all over the world, ing people to send her class postcards, Q: WHAT DO YOU OFFER? Jay Chauhan (top) & Bobby (right), founders including Mexico, Panama pictures and letters about places where they are liv- We hold worskshops in various Q: HOW PERCEPTIVE ARE and from within ing,have lived or visited. schools pan India, wherein stu- SCHOOLS TO SUCH India as well. Jessica Stuckless teaches dents get a first-hand experience of PROGRAMMES? social studies to five Grade – As told 7 and three Grade 8 stu- ancient musical instruments — the Some schools, particu- dents.“My students are very touch, the feel, the rhythm — besides larly the IB schools, to Malini interested in places around getting to build and play them. are very receptive to it Menon the world and postcards are what they wait for,” says she. anning homework can lead to building VERDICT: WHETHER BAN OR NOT, MAKE HW INTERESTING Ba student’s emotional quotient. For younger grades, it is don't think it will make any dif- hether or not this would be a important to play, Iference. I believe those who Wsmart initiative here is a mingle with family and want to study will do no mat- question festered with innumer- be active. At higher ter what ...and those who able doubts. Firstly, “quality time” grades, one gets more aren't interested will not do it at home needs to be defined in a quality time with par- any way. Continuing with home- definite manner for chil- ents. This, needless to More than 200 schools work will surely help students dren who might oth- say, will increase the who are irregular with studies. erwise be prone to EMOTIONAL STABILITY of students. in UAE cancel it Students and teachers CHITRA SANTOSH, teacher, Gitanjali Devashray, Hyd misuse this privi- NIMISHA, class IX, Gitanjali Devashray, debate on whether lege (read they Hyderabad homework should be here is a larger problem of CURRICULUM would waste more banned or not CORRECTION. With a content-heavy cur- time on their cell anning homework will save time. T riculum and parental expectations, phones). Secondly, chil- Homework mostly involves copying B there is bound to be a spillover dren are epitomised as bundles of and pasting and of work from school to home. energy, which needs to be chan- nobody remembers Expected outcomes of school nelised effectively. Hence, make anything. Making education needs a big revisit. HOMEWORK INTERESTING! classes more interac- MANJU, Principal, PICT Model ISHITA BASU, teacher, La Martiniere tive so that students Girls College, Lucknow can do the learning School, Pune in school itself, can be helpful. If at all, omework is good for children es, provided the system gives more weigh- to REINFORCE what was done tage to ENHANCEMENT OF SKILLS required homework should be RESEARCH-BASED. H Y in school. It also sets a discipline in for 21st century jobs and less ARUSHA GOMBER, class X, GEAR Innovative setting some study time at home. importance to the highest per- International School, Bengaluru In urban India, working parents centage/cut-off marks consid- are unable to devote time to a ered now as eligibility for feel it is impossible to introduce this daily learning seeking admissions. system here without reforming the cur- I regimen rent educational sys- tudents at more than 250 time.Other countries like SARITHA GOUTHAMKRISHNA, prin- government-run schools Finland,have had success with with kids. tem. Children should cipal, The Village Int’l, Kerala in the United Arab less homework,which proponents Hence, it is be given homework Emirates are officially argue allows children more S important. There don’t think it will be feasible due to the that teaches them done with homework. time to think creatively and are several ways TREMENDOUS EXPECTATIONS par- SOMETHING NEW AND The local National newspaper play outdoors. I reports that,starting next week, The decision impacts 23 in which family time ents have from kids and schools. INTERESTING, instead the Education Ministry is abol- schools in Dubai and 233 in Abu can be managed. There are parents who question of making it a chore. ishing homework in public schools Dhabi.As part ofthe changes, MADHULIKA CHANDRAKUMAR, us if there is no homework. MOULI CHOWDHURY, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to help there will be no breaks be- students make the most oftheir tween classes,which will teacher, Sishu Griha High School, KUSUM KANWAR, Principal, class x, Blue Ridge Public School, Pune time in school and have more time stretch 90 minutes-long for Bengaluru Kangaroo Kids, Kandivali, Mumbai for other activities and family teaching and practical activities. believe homework REINFORCES omework brings in discipline, believe banning homework is an f my History teacher asks me on the ilk of the homework. If ITHE LEARNING process. A Hroutine and a certain amount Iexcellent step towards chil- Ito make a project on ‘The cel- it’s something that develops a better solution would be to send of consistency. It is all about the dren’s PERSONAL AND INTER-PER- ebrated sculptures’, I would be STUDENT'S PERSONA and helps students home with creative and right approach. It may involve SONAL DEVELOPMENT as it gives more than excited to mention him/her to form opinions about EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS IN research, looking for EXTENDED them time to be creative about Apollo Belvedere, Athena the world, then homework is the WHICH FAMILY MEMBERS CAN LEARNING than just mere and mindful. Parthenos and so on. It would be small step towards building ALSO TAKE PART. repetitive exercises. CHAITRA ABHIJEET VARTAK, something different from memo- one's platform in his/her career.