With the introduction of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, India has become one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child. As this historic act is gradually being worked into place, only time will reveal its impact on the education of the 9.2 million children in India who are out-of-school. It is, however, an irrefutable fact that this is a significant move to further the cause of education. However enrolment is not the only issue that RTE addresses. Years ago, the question was – are children going to school; Now we must ask - are children in school learning?
We know that much of learning that happens in classrooms is regulated by the teacher. What that means is that in the classroom, the buck (or learning) stops with the teacher - it is therefore important that teachers teach so that learning happens.
A good teacher, however will not just teach, but will instil in children, a desire to learn. This desire cannot be ‘taught’, it must be ‘caught’. Teachers need to motivate children to learn. It is teachers who inspire young minds to pursue knowledge and encourage curiosity. But who will motivate the teacher? Sooner or later, even the most dedicated teacher will become discouraged in an apathetic system and this is why teachers must be given additional support.
‘Teacher motivation’ is not a new practice in the West but here the concept itself is unfamiliar. All our trainings have one focus – the child. We equip teachers with all kinds of skills to teach children better – new pedagogy which is child-centred and child-friendly but perhaps, not teacher-friendly. Therefore, even after being trained in all kinds of methodologies and approaches if the teacher is not motivated, there is very little chance that those trainings will translate into greater classroom output. It is not enough to have trained and skilled teachers in classrooms – the need of the hour is motivated teachers who see the value they bring to the classroom and recognise the difference they can make.
It is with the objective of empowering and releasing motivated teachers into the classroom that SCERT Nagaland in partnership with Pratham Education Foundation is launching ‘I Discover’ - A unique program that has been designed to help teachers to:
1. Discover their purpose
2. Learn about their unique gifts and abilities
3. Grow their strengths
Launching on the 4th and 5th of May 2011, I Discover will begin as a 2-day retreat at Dimapur DIET premises in Virazuma. Along with the retreat, a monthly bulletin – Chalk has been launched and will be circulated to approximately 12,000 teachers across the state. For more details on I Discover or Chalk, please contact Pratham Resource Centre, Dimapur. Phone: 03862 – 230845.
We know that much of learning that happens in classrooms is regulated by the teacher. What that means is that in the classroom, the buck (or learning) stops with the teacher - it is therefore important that teachers teach so that learning happens.
A good teacher, however will not just teach, but will instil in children, a desire to learn. This desire cannot be ‘taught’, it must be ‘caught’. Teachers need to motivate children to learn. It is teachers who inspire young minds to pursue knowledge and encourage curiosity. But who will motivate the teacher? Sooner or later, even the most dedicated teacher will become discouraged in an apathetic system and this is why teachers must be given additional support.
‘Teacher motivation’ is not a new practice in the West but here the concept itself is unfamiliar. All our trainings have one focus – the child. We equip teachers with all kinds of skills to teach children better – new pedagogy which is child-centred and child-friendly but perhaps, not teacher-friendly. Therefore, even after being trained in all kinds of methodologies and approaches if the teacher is not motivated, there is very little chance that those trainings will translate into greater classroom output. It is not enough to have trained and skilled teachers in classrooms – the need of the hour is motivated teachers who see the value they bring to the classroom and recognise the difference they can make.
It is with the objective of empowering and releasing motivated teachers into the classroom that SCERT Nagaland in partnership with Pratham Education Foundation is launching ‘I Discover’ - A unique program that has been designed to help teachers to:
1. Discover their purpose
2. Learn about their unique gifts and abilities
3. Grow their strengths
Launching on the 4th and 5th of May 2011, I Discover will begin as a 2-day retreat at Dimapur DIET premises in Virazuma. Along with the retreat, a monthly bulletin – Chalk has been launched and will be circulated to approximately 12,000 teachers across the state. For more details on I Discover or Chalk, please contact Pratham Resource Centre, Dimapur. Phone: 03862 – 230845.
The writer is the state coordinator for Pratham Education Foundation – the largest NGO working to provide quality education to the underprivileged children of India. In Nagaland, Pratham has been running interventions and programmes since August 2006.
