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| The inaugural session |
Regional Museum of Natural History, Mysore in collaboration with Hasiru Hejje recently organized a TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOP for the middle school teachers working in semi urban environment in the month of September -2014.
40 teachers were selected who are employed in and around the small town BANNURU, T. NARASIPURA TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT. this place is a well-known for its rice market and home for an indigenous sheep breed called “BANNURU KURI/BANDOORU KURI”.
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| Ice-breaker |
Various activities were designed based on their curriculum. It included formal, non-formal learning skills, dealing with learning disability, managing classroom environment, discussions on cognizance
disability etc,. A trek /walk in wild, theater, self counselling and stress
management are other few.
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| Indoor classroom activity |
SRI VIVEKANANDA EDUCATION SOCIETY, a rural
school which follows the Sri RamaKrishna & Sri Vivekananada philosophy
agreed to host the programme.
The programme was inaugurated by Smt. Pushpavati
Amaranath- designated zilla parishat president, Mysore zilla panchayat, Govt of
Karnataka, and a post doctoral fellow in botany from Mysore University. She spoke
on the importance of clean & neat environment in learning and living place,
the essentiality of using a toilet for defecating teacher’s involvement in
creating the urge to use toilet in rural children. The block education officer stressed
upon importance of clean environment and practicing pro-environmental attitude voluntarily.
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| Trek/nature walk |
This outdoor bustle brought down the
nervousness of the teachers and gave a feeling that they too are learners. As
soon as they got acclimatize they were ready to take up the next exercise – a
short walk in the vast garden of the school lined by a running water channel
for cultivation. They were pooled into 8 groups. Each group was entrusted with
a specific task. The outcome was so astounding, which enhanced their enthusiasm
to perform vibrantly.
Walking in the woods session was headed by Mr. Manu Krishnamurthy. An appealing shiny day for trek,
teachers with all cheers ready to welcome whatever comes in their way. The
VODGAL RANGASWAMY BETTA, recently designated as RESERVE FOREST status was ready
to receive this group which had a drizzle in the previous night. The dust free,
pleasant shiny green, the deep blue sky with pieces of cottony clouds sailing,
gave a warm and energetic welcome to the participants. A hillock measuring
about 200 Mt MSL, is studded with secondary scrub jungle species is also
housing innumerable insects, small game and occasional visit of LEOPARDS and
rarely wandering elephants!
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| Nature games |
The group left the school early in
the morning. On reaching the foothill, they were divided into different groups,
& sent to explore the nearby places. As per the whispers heard through the
passing wind, this is for the first time in their life they had come out with
such liberty and guidance.
Slowly along with the rising sun to
the zenith, the group too climbed the hill. They were searching for clues, looking
for the wildlife in the utter silence and anguish. They were introduced to the field
tracking techniques. A group passing near by the steps could find a TAILOR BIRD’S
NEST, which initiated others too to look forward. Some of them could locate
animal palate, feathers, fungus, dry fruit shells etc. Mr. Manu explained how such clues give vital information
of the fauna around them.
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| Ground Orchid |
Mr.S.J.Srinivasa took them to the
other part of the hill which is not in much in use by the villagers. There exixts
the presiding deity RANGANATHA. There the group could find a ground ORCHID too.
They were shown huge honey combs hung underneath huge rock formations caved in.
The collected rain water in some places which houses several variety of aquatic
insects, rarely fish and in this season amphibians.
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| Psychology session |
An interesting, eye opening and mind
blogging interactive session with Smt.Champa Jaiprakash a Psycologist gave
insights on how one can bring the slow learning
children or hyperactive children to the classroom environment. This interaction
blown open a vista of techniques which made a teacher to understand their
pupils better and help them lead a normal life.
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| Theater activity with Jeevan |
Mr. Jeevan, a theater personality took up the next task.Teachers were divided into two heterogeneous
groups on the third day to put on class room and field trials. When one group was
given account of how to reach the children in classroom following the
prescribed syllabus, the other group would perform the same in the field,
equipped with the filed activities.
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| Participants enacting |
The three day event concluded with a befitting valedictory function. There were a whole lot of dignitaries on the dais ranging from the DDPI to local politicians and officials leaving Bannur Town. With a lot of ceremonial talks the right spirit would take off.
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