How much of technology?

There was a time when all of a sudden one could see malls springing up in each and every part of Gurgaon.  The mall culture has taken away a lot from the growing up experiences of children.  More and more families prefer to spend their time in malls and have forgotten the gardens, parks, museums and book shops.

And now is a time when schools are springing up in each and every part of Gurgaon.  Schools which look like nothing less than five star hotels, schools which look like huge concrete blocks and give the feel of a cold corporate office.  Lap tops and tablets have replaced the text books and note books, chalk boards have been replaced by smart boards and schools have moved to being technology centric from child centric.  These are the 21st century schools and the people promoting them cannot be differentiated from the guy wearing an orange coloured T Shirt and selling an online grocery store.

One somebody asked me my vision for a 21st century school, my reply was that children were children then and children are children now, they are as curious, as observant and have the same questions.  The environment around them has undergone an immense change.  What you do with what you learn was as important then and remains as important now.  I have nothing against technology but very strongly advocate that it should be for supporting the learning experiences of children and should not be the only way to learn.  It is the easiest to research and find everything on the internet, but that is only information and not learning.  It also leads to over stimulation and can cause damage to a child's own reasoning, creativity and imagination.  Watching a real butterfly in the garden is a more immersive experience for a child than a butterfly on the internet or smart board.

Technology can also dilute learning as the exposure to any topic or content is so much more than what is required or age relevant. A classroom discussion in a teacher's presence establishes a connect with the content and also the teacher.  The findings of a recent study were that when a group of children was asked to write  on a given topic, most of them failed to think on their own and write beyond a specific number of words.  Also there were many spelling and syntax errors.  This was because they had been completely depending on technology to think for them and were not used to writing on paper.

What is required is the right balance and integration of technology in the teaching learning.

The Class of Wonderers and Wanderers

This one is to my class of wonderers and wanderers, the bunch of lively 27 heads in my  Nursery class.  This year you are ready to take on the first board examination and through the mirror I nostalgically take a rear view of your first year in school and mine as your teacher. 

I entered your classroom and was introduced by Amita didi and I can still hear her words ringing in my ears,"So we have one more member in our group and now we are 29.  We have a new didi." You all looked at me and Urvashi made place for me next to her in the circle.  Such a warm way of including and welcoming me in your group.  I call you wonderers and wanderers because you would wander around the school spaces, sometimes collect leaves and flowers or pebbles or sometimes sand in plastic containers.  You would climb up the trees, roll down the grass mound and run bare feet in the corridors. You would spot the dragonflies, observe them flying and would spread you arms to fly like them.  Hunt for snails during rainy season and run up and down the ramp never getting tired.  While you looked at the world around you with a sense of wonder, I looked at you and wondered. Trying to mix the right quantity of water in the sand to get tighter and firmer laddoos, flying paper aeroplanes from the small terrace area and assessing where they go, measuring the sand pit with hand spans and not to forget our first Hamara Manch presentation, 'The Baby Bee Bee Bird'.

In the first Friday meeting that I attended, most of our discussion revolved around Sumair who had not settled in the group and that how could we help him settle. Sumair, for days your mother continued to sit on the ledge outside our group.  I was given the responsibility to bond with you and help you settle. You would sit next to me and always move around holding my hand.  And then one day I asked your mother to leave, you were upset and cried, we went to Moina didi's office and I made you speak to her on the phone.  You looked at me and asked, 'Aapke paas unka phone number hai?' I said yes and you wanted to see the number, I pulled out the paper slip from my pocket and showed the number scribbled on it.  You asked, 'Jitni bhi baar bolunga baat kara doge?' I said yes, and you smiled.  I had the magic number with me and would flash it out of my pocket and show you whenever you wanted to see it.  After a few days you settled completely and were happy in the group.  Helping you settle was seen as a big achievement and I was acknowledged for this in the next Friday meeting.  All I had done was help you place your trust in me.

Most of you would remember the slide in the pre primary school, one day one of your peers stood on top of the slide and peed on it.  Alarmed, all of you ran towards didi and reported.  And when we spoke to your friend, his logical answer was, 'Slide bahut garam thi, usko thanda kar diya kyonki mujhe slide karna tha'.

This and so many other stories.  As you have wandered from one group to the next, I have sailed through voyages of my personal and professional journey, being a wonderer and wanderer in every sense. This class of wonderers and wanderers will always be very special and I wish you all the best as you get ready to take on the board examination.

Saying it all through body language

More than words it is through her body language that a teacher communicates with her students. A nod, a smile, warmth on the face and a friendly gesture communicate that she is approachable and that she is there for them.  A positive body language affirms the faith of students in their teacher and helps her win their confidence.  A hug which communicates - I understand your fears, smile which communicates - I always knew you could do it, pat on the back which communicates - come on I am there for you, a nod that says - yes, I am listening and a look into the eyes that acknowledge's the student's presence.  All this goes a long way in building lasting relationships with children.

"Don't worry that children never listen to you, worry that they are always watching you."  

We are always communicating,  communication which as an ongoing process  of sending and receiving messages – enables us to share knowledge, express attitudes and demonstrate skills. Implementation of the lesson plan in classroom depends on effective communication.  Body language or nonverbal communication includes : Facial Expressions, eye contact, touching, posture, body movements and gestures, tone of voice and spatial distance.

 The most effective and persuasive communication occurs when verbal and nonverbal messages are in sync, there is synergy in the communication. Verbal communication permits instant feedback, nonverbal acts do not.  Teachers must therefore rely on their instinct, understanding of nonverbal communication and feedback from others also from students.  I remember during one of the parent teacher meetings my son, eight years then, looked straight in the eyes of his teacher sitting across the desk and said, "We want you to smile a little more often in the class."  We often hear children share remarks such as "This teacher has a very rude tone of voice", "I am very scared of the Math teacher, there is a permanent frown on her face."  

 Teachers express enthusiasm, warmth, assertiveness, confidence or displeasure through their facial expressions, vocal intonation, gestures and use of space. Teachers reinforce or modify student behavior by their use of smiles, frowns and scowls. When teachers exhibit verbal messages that conflict with nonverbal messages, students become confused. This confusion often affects their attitudes and their learning. Positive expectations bring positive achievements. Negative expectations bring loss of self-confidence and failure.

 Facial expressions include: muscle movements in the forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks, nose, lips and chin which signal emotions.

 Eye movements - the eyes are the most dominant and reliable features of the face and provide a constant channel of communication. Unlike other parts of the face, eyes can both send and receive messages. Teachers usually maintain eye contact and flash visual signals when they want to emphasize particular points. Students' eyes often signal listening and non-listening behavior. Lack of student-teacher eye-contact will often indicate disinterest, inattention, or even dislike for the teacher. Direct teacher eye contact can also express support, disapproval, or neutrality. Teachers can have an individual connection with every student in the classroom by using eye contact.

 Vocal Intonation –  includes a multitude of components: rhythm, pitch, intensity, projection. Vocal intonation influences how others perceive us and provides evidence about our self-confidence and enthusiasm. 

 Body movements and gestures – we communicate by the way we walk, stand, sit, what we do with our shoulders, hands, arms, and legs, how we hold our heads, and the manner in which we position our bodies toward or away from others. Posture often indicates mood and attitude. The body tends to move in harmony with words. We lean forward when we like someone or if the topic being discussed is interesting. On the other hand, we lean away from individuals we have negative attitudes towards, or from topics that do not interest us. In the classroom, students receive nonverbal messages of enthusiasm or boredom communicated through a teacher's body orientation. An observant teacher can also tell when students understand material presented or when students have trouble grasping major concepts. Inappropriate postures and gestures of a teacher will diminish a lesson's delivery. All body movements should be used to accentuate and confirm verbal messages.

Use of space –  Classroom layout and aesthetics can directly impact students' learning. Classroom environments can create moods and establish how much communication takes place. The position of a teacher's desk may serve as a barrier to prevent students from entering his/her space and thus inhibits interaction. 

"They may forget what you said but will never forget how you made them feel."