Shikshamitra

Teacher-Training Program
The Asha-Shikshamitra Initiative
2011-2013
Shikshamitra, 100/18/2, Alipore Road,
Kolkata 700 027, West Bengal, India



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The Asha-Shikshamitra initiative, 2011-2013

For the past few years, Quality of Education (QEd) has been the focus of Asha for Education.
Asha volunteers are constantly debating and brainstorming various ideas to improve the quality of
education provided by Asha supported schools in India. The Asha-Shikshamitra initiative was
conceptualized during the discussions regarding self-sustenance of Asha projects. Training Asha teachers
on improved teaching techniques and providing them with good quality teaching/learning materials are
some of the viable alternatives that can be undertaken to address the issue of poor education quality in
Indian schools. As part of the QEd initiative, Asha is collaborating with an NGO, Shikshamitra to impart
training on improved teaching techniques to the teachers in schools run by Asha for Education.
Shikshamitra is an experimental school which has been experimenting with education for the last five years
and has developed techniques that will help educational projects all over India. Shikshamitra is based
in Kolkata, West Bengal and it is trying to reach out to India-wide-Asha-projects.

The Asha-Shikshamitra collaboration will start from April 2011. Teachers in different Asha projects
will be able to get training in various fields viz. languages, art & craft, environment, maths and science.
Asha project stewards are encouraged to go through the brochure and find out more about the different
training programs that Shikshamitra is offering. If you are interested in getting the teachers from your
project trained by Shikshamitra, please let us know.

In the initial phase (during 2011) only teachers using English, Hindi and Bengali as the medium of
instruction in their schools will be trained by Shikshamitra. Depending on the success of the initiative the
training will be extended to teachers using Oriya and Assamese as vernacular languages. This will be
followed by teacher training in other Indian languages.

Teacher trainings will be offered in 3 phases of 3, 2 & 2 days respectively with follow ups in
between. The three phase training module will be spread over a time period of six months to one year. 1st
follow up usually happens 2 months after Phase I training & Phase II happens 2 months after 1st follow up.
Duration of training may increase by a day depending on the need. Training cost will be Rs. 5,000 Rs.
6,000 per day for upto 14 trainees which includes the food and lodging expenses for trainees i.e. each
trainee will have to pay around Rs. 300 per day for the training (food, lodging and training material
expenses included). The trainees will be provided accommodation at the training site. The cost of training
will be borne by the Asha chapter sending trainees. In special cases GF will provide financial help by
providing half of the training cost to the chapter.

The Asha-Shikshamitra initiative is financed from the General Funds (GF) and stewarded by the
Asha-UFlorida chapter. GF will provide support to the trainers (trainer salary, training materials etc.)
involved in teacher training. However, as explained in the previous paragraph the training expenses (food,
lodging and travel) will be separately paid either by the trainee or by the Asha chapter sending the trainee.
This is an Asha pilot project undertaken for 2 years, April 2011 to March 2013. During this two year period
Shikshamitra will aim to train around 160 Asha teachers (80 teachers per year). If you have any questions
please feel free to write to the project steward Ajoy K Saha, e-mail: ajoysaha AT gmail.com.

More information on this initiative (proposal, budget, future plans etc.) can be obtained from the:
Shikshamitra project page: http://www.ashanet.org/projects/project-view.php?p=1079
Shikshamitra website: http://www.shikshamitra-bengal.org/?page_id=70


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Contents

Page
About Shikshamitra 4
Why do I need to take these programs? What do I gain?..................................................... 4
What if I dont take training on these programs?................................................................... 4
Program details.. 4
Accelerated Reading.. 4
Creative Writing... 6
Foundation English. 7
Primary Math Bridge 7
Middle School Math 8
Environment Education.. 10
Art & Craft. 10
Evaluation..... 11
Logistic details 11
Training costs... 11
Accommodation 11
Contact information. 11
Need assessment for trainee teachers... 12
Questionnaire in English. 13
Questionnaire in Bengali 16


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About Shikshamitra
Shikshamitra is an open learning cum resource centre working in the area of middle school (for students 9
16 year of age) education. Having successfully run a school for 5 years & imparted training to several
govt & NGO school teachers, we have emerged as a training body for teachers, students, parents & related
practitioners.
At present, we offer training on the following programs
1. Accelerated Reading
2. Creative Writing
3. Foundation English
4. Primary Math Formal
5. Primary Math Bridge
6. Middle school math
7. Environment Education
8. Art & Craft
9. Evaluation
Teachers from Asha projects can get training in any/all of the programs listed above.

Why do I need to take these programs? What do I gain?
1. The programs are interesting.
2. I can talk, express better.
3. I learn to enjoy what I teach.
4. I can become creative myself and feel good about myself.
5. Through these programs I also pick up good class management techniques. These will help me to
manage my class better. Even children who have difficulties (learning difficulties and slow learning) will
feel included.
6. I become better accepted, my students will love my teaching and what I teach.
7. Once my students learn to become better readers and writers, they will do well in other subjects, e.g.
math, science
8. I am able to make good & appropriate teaching/learning materials (TLM) and listen better.
9. I can teach / motivate other teachers.

What if I dont take training on these programs?
I miss all the above and
1. I do not pick up easier, more interesting and time saving modes of learning & teaching.
2. I miss the chance of learning techniques to reduce my teaching load.
3. I miss the chance of finding answers to most daily class room problems that I complain of.

Program details
1. Accelerated Reading
The program ventures to create independent readers within a short period of time (4-5 months), who can
read
a. Any simple text with fluency
b. With interest & comprehension
c. Discuss the matter critically
d. Write simple words & sentences


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This reading program is heavily based on the Reading Guarantee Scheme introduced by Prof. Jalaluddin.
The program is suitable for children who are 8 years & above & who belong to one or more than one of the
following categories
Can think, communicate well yet cannot read fluently (but are not dyslexic)
Are school dropouts & have lost their fluency
Know the letters & matras but cannot form words
Are beginners
According to our latest observations, even dyslexic children are benefiting from this method. Mode:
The Barah-khari Chart is used to learn the letters with matras as a whole & then form words at random.
Pictures are used to get the children talking & contributing their own sentences to create a story.
This makes reading meaningful & enjoyable & thereby facilitating better retention.
Successful reading & word formation stimulates children to read further & faster.

Barah-khari chart for language learning:



The process requires a step by step drill & at the same time an ability to instigate children to talk around a
topic or picture to get a discussion started.
In Shikshamitra, students achieved faster & better reading skills once they started on the Accelerated
Reading Program, as opposed to learning letters & matras separately & trying to form words together using
phonetics.


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Similarly success was achieved with class II students in an NGO school (Development Action Society)
while railway platform boys (8-12 age group) of Praajak acquired reading in Malda in their Drop-in Centre.
Achievements in Reading & Writing were noted (in 5 months) among the adolescent girls & young women
(14-25 age group), who are bidi-workers from Dhuliyan, Murshidabad, attending the NFE centres run by
Marfat.
Trainings are offered in 3 phases of 3, 2 & 2 days respectively with follow ups in between.*

2. Creative Writing
When I write, I can see my thoughts on paper. When I put together all that I think in writing you can read
me too, said 13 year old Gulnaz in a school in Bowbazar. Indeed writing is a powerful means of
expression. Confidence gained in writing skills over in all the work that an individual does. It strengthens
communication.
A creative writing program (for 9 yrs old above) enables each child to think critically on her own, write
spontaneously and creatively, according to her or his own abilities.
The child expenses her thoughts freely though simple paragraphs, stories, reviews, comments, interviews,
categorizations, drawings, charts, Venn grams, mnages, etc.)
To write spontaneously and to love the act of writing one must enjoy responding to different stimuli which
will get them started.
Different modes of stimuli are chosen to stimulate different learners and this brings excitement and
challenge to the taste of writing.
Students write in response to different
Written & listening comprehensions exercises
Special worksheets
Theme sheets
Stories
Pictures (their own, story books, prints)
Songs
Poetry
Games & discussions
Acceptance of any form of writing and encouragement are the tools to be used throughout the program.
Even a student struggling with his spellings, handwriting and awkward disposition is to be encouraged &
praised for his effort & creativity.
Recently 4-day session (1 hr every week) on creative writing for 14 students of Nibedita Seva Mandir
(tuition cum activity centre) proved successful once again. The students go to the local govt schools and
are quite used to learning and writing their answers by rote. The sessions got them to think on their own.
The coordinator of the institution found it amazing that the students wanted to write their answers
independently and for the first time refused help from her.
Training is offered for 3 days with follow up.*



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Creative writing using pictures: Students were asked to frame a story from the following pictures


3. Foundation English
The program enables children to pick up the English letters of alphabet, minimum vocabulary of (names,
verbs, prepositions & adjectives) 70-100 words, construct simple sentences & write simple stories of 3-5
lines. They also learn to understand simple spoken English & speak in very simple sentences.
The foundation course can be completed in 6-8 months. It was successfully imparted to class V students in
Media High School, N 24 Pgn, where English was taught everyday for 40 min. Shikshamitra students (9-12
years), who were regular, picked up the basic English within 8 months.
Trainings are offered in 3 phases of 3, 2 & 2 days respectively with follow ups in between.*

4. Primary Math Formal
Our training covers the entire syllabus of class I-IV (West Bengal board) with appropriately designed
materials which have been field tested for many years. Teachers make their own materials during the
workshop & learn to use them in classroom situation.
Trainings are offered in 3 phases of 3 days each with follow ups in between.*

5. Primary Math Bridge


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Through this program, a child learns to do computations encountered in day-to-day life. Our training
enables a teacher
to appreciate the strengths of a child & then take him to the next level
to initiate math with concrete material & then transition to pen & paper
to venture outside textbook & include games
to make appropriate TLM
We include basic number skills, measurements times & money, data handling & practical math, shapes
with a variety of problem sums, puzzles & mental math.
Trainings are offered in 2 phases of 3 days each with follow up in between.*
Algebra using shapes: It helps students visualize and understand the difference between 2x and x
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6. Middle School Math
At present, a vast majority of the children are 1st generation school-goers, who are barely able to cope with
the chalk & talk method. They understand better by working with real objects using their hands. Whereas,
teachers, especially those in govt schools, are more used to pen & paper and very unfamiliar with the vast
domain of simple models that can be designed & made with easily available materials. This creates a
cultural divide. Our workshop on middle school math opens the door to bridge this gap.


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Appropriately designed activities with low-cost TLMs enable children to learn by exploring, experimenting &
discovering things for themselves. Use-of-materials make the abstract become tangible to them. The
activities help children (& teachers) understand the working behind the formulas & thus reduce rote-
memorization.
In our workshop, the teachers work in groups & learn to look at arithmetic, mensuration, algebra, geometry
for class VI-VIII (& IX-X in needed) through materials. They learn to make the material & use it
appropriately. This includes the dos & donts for class demonstration as well. In addition, we illustrate the
interconnections between math & other subjects.
Our training can be based on the govt syllabus. Or, if the trainees have the freedom, it can be based on a
more appropriate one that will be more relevant for the children.
Trainings are offered in 2 phases of 4 days each with follow up in between.*
Geometry using straws: For better understanding of geometry and triangles







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7. Environment Education (EVE)
All love to talk about their own world, one's surroundings. There is so much fun happening all-around us.
EVE is one subject that can bring all that fun inside the class. It can connect the learning from school with
what is acquired from one's environment. Our lives, families & neighbourhoods, newspaper, recent
happenings in the society - all become the source for knowing, understanding, observing & learning. One's
own life experiences become rich elements of teaching & learning.
But if a lot of writing & studying come up in name of EVE, then all the fun is lost. Little bit writing, lots of
discussions, observations, outside & in class - that's what makes it fun. Children are encouraged to express
their opinion freely without any concern of being right or wrong. If you can't say what you are thinking, you
can draw it. The goal is to express yourself completely.
In our EVE program, we explore understanding ones own self, people around each of us & living beings
we usually ignore, what we need to live & recycling. Often these explorations take us outside the classroom
& new topics emerge from ongoing discussions.
Trainings are offered in 2 phases of 2 days each with follow up in between.*

8. Art & Craft (currently offered only within Kolkata)
Our art & craft training program aims to bring out the creative spirit in teachers & give them ideas for their
own classes. Training can be tailored to the individual needs of the organization. Teachers will try some
activities that use various media forms such as painting, stitching, weaving & simple drawing exercises to
show how art can bring beauty as well as problem-solving & creativity into every area of childrens lives.
Art and craft from recycled items: Students develop awareness about the environment


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We look at the lives of different artists & see how artists are an important part of our world & a voice that
needs to be developed as well. We will emphasize using recycled materials (paper, packaging, found
objects) & will show how beautifying a study-learning environment can develop positive values in every
area of a program.
This program is suitable for
Art teachers
Teachers who love art & craft & love to use their hands
NGO personnel who love to do things hands on & want to add aesthetics to their working environment
Trainings are offered for 3 hours per weekly session for 3 months OR 2 days intensive with follow up.*

9. Evaluation
At present a half-yearly & an annual exam interspersed by class tests have taken care of assessment of
children. These are one time tests encouraging a lot of rote without understanding. If a child is nervous or is
good at different activities done at other times, there is no scope for assessing him/her if only exams
prevail!
Evaluation is a process of assessment over a long period of time using different opportunities or situations
through various techniques.
The program exposes the trainees to the need & philosophy of evaluation leading to a lot of interaction &
discussion. This is followed by teaching different ways of evaluation & their appropriate applications, e.g.
Regular assessment of subjects by teachers & students
Assessment of behaviour
End of a topic assessment through project, presentation
Types of question papers; grading a question paper according to childrens ability
Report cards
Highlights: The trainees are exposed to a large number of evaluation tools & encouraged to prepare their
own material.
Trainings are offered for 3-4 days with 1 or 2 follow ups.*

*1
st
follow up is usually 2 months after Phase I training & Phase II is 2 months after 1
st
follow up. Duration
of training may increase by a day depending on the need.

Logistic details
1. Training costs
Rs.5000-6000/- per day for a team of 2-3 trainers + material cost + actual travel cost (if any)
2. Accommodation (with rates for food & stay per person per day)
Up to 14 trainees: in Shikhsamitra for Rs.300 (if the current premises remain)
More than that: at Swanirvar for Rs.250
3. Contact information
Shikshamitra, 100/18/2, Alipore Road, Kolkata 700027, phone: 98300 61057, 98363 02525
Email: shikshamitra.kolkata@gmail.com




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Need assessment for trainee teachers

Teachers for the training will be selected based on their needs and level of motivation to learn new
teaching techniques. Examples of questionnaires that will be provided to teachers interested in getting
trained by Shikshamitra are shown in the following pages. These questions will be translated into the
vernacular languages used by the teachers as medium of instruction in their schools. According to the
feedback received from the trainee teachers they will be placed into different groups depending on their
strengths and weaknesses. The training program will be modified to suit their requirements.







































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1. Questionnaire in English




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2. Questionnaire in Bengali



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