Monday, June 23, 2008

Training of trainers workshop, Chittoor


Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand.

A three day workshop was conducted by ECL Hyderabad as a part of mission ensuring children learn in Gusty winds of Horsely Hills of Chittoor District.
Demystifying the text to ensure the children to learn remained the fundamental motive for three day workshop. In puffy winds over the hilly Horsely Hills of Chittoor District of Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh, the ECL members participated with vigor and passion to make the workshop an inspiring accomplishment. The workshop served as a channel for ECL members to professionalize themselves in order to comprehend the basic notion of pedagogy. Elevating the grade specific competencies of children in language, mathematics and science across curriculum's was the vital tenet of the workshop. The meticulous approach of the wholehearted team enabled the facilitators to finish their undertaking in an effortless manner.
9th June 2008-11th june
The workshop began with a moralistic story narrated by Ms.Lalitha Naidu, DGM ECL Hyderabad. The initial talk ensured the participants how shedding the differences, egos and maintaining homogeneity serve as vehement element to work in a group. This was followed by Former President A.P.J Abdul Kalam Azad's Pearls of wisdom. It is always important to come out the stereotype and think in a practical way. Instead of negating the potentialities India a nation has, it is duty of every senior citizen to ensure developed India for the younger generation. Rather than criticizing the system, it is the individual self that need to be the part of the system to change the system.
The session was supplemented by Preetha Bhakta's ,DGM ERG Hyderabad, impeccable speech about ways of coordinating with each other. The speech followed by “tie with the rope” exercise which focused on interpreting actions in non verbal communication. With spectrum of people one need to assimilate, imbibe the plurality thus to give group smooth texture. The exercise made the milieu exciting in which few errors were detected. Most of the people don't like to cross the barriers thus reluctant of networking with each other. To solve this problem participants were taught of group etiquettes. Some times it becomes important to compromise the age old practices with modern strategies.
With this the ARC members were introduced to identify causes and issues in case study about Swalalamban Abhiyaan, an NGO.the whole group was fractioned into eight groups. Immense enthusiasm was shown by the groups to live up to their highest potential. The group representatives put all efforts to prove their superiority over the other in tackling the problem. Later all groups were conglomerated into a single group. The group was then partitioned into two groups, one headed by PO's ECL Hyderabad Mr. Shastri and Mr. Naveen respectively.
The two groups were supposed to speak for and against the question given to them. Arguable debate was instantaneously stirred up. The fiery contestants tried hard to dominate the session by using their vocal chords maximally. With this the exercise came to end and participants were felicitated for their enormous zeal in participating the debate. The whole exercise was referred as a technique for creating a milieu for introspection.
Monitoring mechanism of ECL Hyderabad was screened afterwards in which several methods of material/worksheet development were explained. Mr. Shastri then installed incalculable spirit to the group with his dynamism. Post dinner cultural program was organized which was the embodiment of how culture and tradition need to be preserved to understand the basic connotation of life.
The next morning started with yoga where participation from everyone was mandatory. It followed by lessons about the repercussions of procrastination. Then route was taken to track the Horsely Hills . Many of the girls surpassed their male counterparts to reach the top of the hill, thus breaking the notion of male chauvinism. The overwhelming coordination in the team was epitome of making the impossible possible. A “kabadi” match was being played on the top of the hill by men staff. Later the female staff formed two groups and started played Kho- Kho. The time constraint prevented the referee to announce the winner, thus route was taken back to plain fields to split for the lunch. The realization of non availability of cook put all the approaching staff in bewilderment. Without arguing the decision was taken to get ready for the exercise. The whole team especially females showed immense interest in cooking the food. Soon after the delicious lunch, an energizing exercise was instigated to freshen up the tired minds. In the exercise all were questioned about their individual experiences in tracking the hills. The individual experiences were then related to professional ways of performing task.
After this exciting session the ARC members were given lessons about micro teaching, facilitation. Dinner followed this informative session followed again by cultural program. The performers entertained the audiences by giving their best shot.
The final day of the workshop revolved around the role of facilitators in bringing best out of children. With this the questionnaire was prepared to analyze the agenda for cluster meeting. Workshop ended with feedback taken from the participants in order to know their view about the workshop.
Place -Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Project- Ensuring Children Learn
Participants-63
Deputy General Managers (DGM's)- 2
Program Officers (PO's) -4
assistant Managers (AM's)- 2
Academic research Coordinators (ARC's)-41
Nanhi Kali Coordinators (NKC's)- 5
Associates-6
Community Mobilizing Coordinators (CMC's)-2
Assistant Project Officers (APO's)-1