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My Personal Journey as a LearnerI wanted to enroll my kids in the best school because I believe that schooling has a deep impact in making a child. It greatly affects child’s personality. While searching school for my twin kid’s admission, I was coming across two terms progressive school and conventional school about which I had no clue. I racked my brain to recall things which I had learned during my education but it didn’t help me to understand the terminology. As I had relocated to India after 3 years of my stay in the U.S, I wasn’t aware of the admission timings and admissions were closed in almost all schools by that time. After a week of rigorous search and effort, my kids got enrolled in school and I was intrigued by their teaching methodology. I liked their approach but wasn’t confident about their vision and philosophy of education. There was no clarity in my thoughts and I had many unanswered questions and was feeling puzzled. The school didn’t have any textbooks, notebooks, uniform and no homework whereas kids in my society going to the same grade as my kids had a huge syllabus. I thought my kids would be left behind and how would they survive in this cut throat competitive age? I had various such disturbing questions in my mind. Although, the school tried to make me understand their methodology and vision but It was difficult to believe as I hadn’t seen or heard of anything as such before. I was looking for answers to these questions. The answers were there but I wanted to frame my own answers………..
I was also looking forward to start working but I thought it would be better to learn new teaching methodologies, find my answers first so that I can began with clearer mindset and wider perspective of education.Meanwhile, I got to know about “I AM A TEACHER” and having a background in education, I decided to pursue the course to upgrade my professional skill of existing B.Ed and learn the new methods but there was a big challenge in front of me in pursuing the course. Commuting every day from my home in Noida to Gurugram was making me anxious to reconsider my decision but the support of my family and motherhood gave me the strength to overcome my anxiety. Thus began my journey at IAAT to explore the new horizons…. Here each day I learned something new without studying formally. The journey began with retreat at Junga …. |
The five days at Junga empowered me and revived my confidence to move forward to pursue my dreams and ambition. The retreat was rejuvenating and adventurous. I could realize and feel how I am the person who I am. The journey took me inward and has helped me to realize the potential in me.
The coursework at IAAT has helped me to understand how the teaching-learning can be made more innovative and child-centered. The classroom practices have helped me to hone my teaching skills ensuring children participation.
The MPL classes have helped me to gather tattered pieces of my confidence and move ahead. I realized that I never dreamt big for the risk of failure but actually I could do everything whatever I wished for wholeheartedly. Now I feel, I followed the crowd and was not aware of my strengths and interests.
Earlier whenever I was part of any group, I would make very few friends but here I could connect with many people. The protocol to sit every day with a new person helped me connect with the whole group. I developed the habit of listening to others and found it very helpful as it shows different perspectives to ponder on. I also learned to work in groups and realized that it is very productive as everyone’s contribution provides a rich learning experience.
Being at IAAT, I was more conscious not to form any opinion about anyone in first meeting which helped me to connect with everyone and I realized that each person is a product of various circumstances prevailing around them. I learnt that if I wish to bring any change or resolve any conflict I first need to introspect myself and understand where the person is coming from to analyze the issues.In IAAT, I was in a group full of people with diverse background which brought in new dimension to the learning process. Diversity in thoughts, strengths and interests brings different perspective which provides great learning opportunity.
Earlier I was under the impression that knowledge of teacher is most important tool to conduct the class but gradually I understood that it is least important factor for teaching-learning process. Making your students understand the content is not the real job of teacher as now accessibility to internet has made the content easily available. A successful teacher is one who can make her students to think and question. She has potential to arouse their interest to learn and thus making them lifelong learners. A teacher must focus on finding the strengths and interest of her students, so that she can guide them to choose their path and refrain them from unnecessary competition.
During my practice days, finally I got the opportunity to understand the experiential learning cycle and nuances of teaching. For the first time I experienced different teaching methods (like think-pair- share, working in crews, assessing their peers etc.) adopted in a progressive system. Here the teacher doesn’t starts explaining the concepts straightaway rather first she elicits responses from students to know their prior knowledge and then she provides them experiences so that they construct their own knowledge. She also gives them elaborate feedback to improve and learn. This also makes the learning child centered as students are engaged in teaching -learning process. One of the most important aspect that I have learned is that competing with anyone doesn't helps in learning but knowing yourself does.
This course has made me understand the real purpose of school and teacher is to prepare students for life and not to train students to excel in exams. If children are aware of their strengths they can choose their path wisely and succeed with flying colours. Now I look at situations with varied perspective and my thoughts are clearer and I am ready to move ahead in my journey with broader vision and confidence.
The coursework at IAAT has helped me to understand how the teaching-learning can be made more innovative and child-centered. The classroom practices have helped me to hone my teaching skills ensuring children participation.
The MPL classes have helped me to gather tattered pieces of my confidence and move ahead. I realized that I never dreamt big for the risk of failure but actually I could do everything whatever I wished for wholeheartedly. Now I feel, I followed the crowd and was not aware of my strengths and interests.
Earlier whenever I was part of any group, I would make very few friends but here I could connect with many people. The protocol to sit every day with a new person helped me connect with the whole group. I developed the habit of listening to others and found it very helpful as it shows different perspectives to ponder on. I also learned to work in groups and realized that it is very productive as everyone’s contribution provides a rich learning experience.
Being at IAAT, I was more conscious not to form any opinion about anyone in first meeting which helped me to connect with everyone and I realized that each person is a product of various circumstances prevailing around them. I learnt that if I wish to bring any change or resolve any conflict I first need to introspect myself and understand where the person is coming from to analyze the issues.In IAAT, I was in a group full of people with diverse background which brought in new dimension to the learning process. Diversity in thoughts, strengths and interests brings different perspective which provides great learning opportunity.
Earlier I was under the impression that knowledge of teacher is most important tool to conduct the class but gradually I understood that it is least important factor for teaching-learning process. Making your students understand the content is not the real job of teacher as now accessibility to internet has made the content easily available. A successful teacher is one who can make her students to think and question. She has potential to arouse their interest to learn and thus making them lifelong learners. A teacher must focus on finding the strengths and interest of her students, so that she can guide them to choose their path and refrain them from unnecessary competition.
During my practice days, finally I got the opportunity to understand the experiential learning cycle and nuances of teaching. For the first time I experienced different teaching methods (like think-pair- share, working in crews, assessing their peers etc.) adopted in a progressive system. Here the teacher doesn’t starts explaining the concepts straightaway rather first she elicits responses from students to know their prior knowledge and then she provides them experiences so that they construct their own knowledge. She also gives them elaborate feedback to improve and learn. This also makes the learning child centered as students are engaged in teaching -learning process. One of the most important aspect that I have learned is that competing with anyone doesn't helps in learning but knowing yourself does.
This course has made me understand the real purpose of school and teacher is to prepare students for life and not to train students to excel in exams. If children are aware of their strengths they can choose their path wisely and succeed with flying colours. Now I look at situations with varied perspective and my thoughts are clearer and I am ready to move ahead in my journey with broader vision and confidence.
Me as an Observer
Observation is a skill which develops over a period of time. I also developed this skill during this coursework. The observations need to be free of judgement and it helps us to find the patterns and peculiarities. It provides us with very minute details if done carefully. This is a very important tools for teachers because it helps them in finding their strengths and interests. Unfortunately, it is not given attention during school days and children only form opinion based on information which they get in books. Observation helps them to relate the text to real life situations.
It helped me a lot in my case study and making the child profile. My observations helped me to know the child and realize that even without communicating a lot can be understood just by observing the child. This tool can help a lot to find the strengths and interests of children.
Student Profile , PRT-4
It helped me a lot in my case study and making the child profile. My observations helped me to know the child and realize that even without communicating a lot can be understood just by observing the child. This tool can help a lot to find the strengths and interests of children.
Student Profile , PRT-4
