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Primary: Teachers' News & Views

Primary Department News

Mrs. Sayeeda Mulla has been appointed as Assistant Head of Primary Department.

Personal attention scheme

Starting from this academic year 2004-2005, students who are very weak in their basics and whose parents wish for them to avail of this facility have been enrolled for this scheme. The teachers in charge of these students have no more than five students at a time in the class, which is a supplement to the regular class and hence is taken either before or after classes.
The progress of these students are monitored regularly, and feedbacks are given to the Head of Department ,Miss Tuba at regular intervals. Where necessary, in cases of learning disabilities, the help of staff who are specially trained in this field is sought.

Peace Education Programme

This year the Peace Education programme has been launched for all the classes, from Std. I to Std.V. Some of the material for Std. IV and V is still being tested out under the able guidance of Dr. T. Rost, the developer of this programme.

Peace Education is a very unique concept of education. It trains the children from a very early age to be empathetic,teaches them conflict resolution, develops emotional intelligence and higher level thinking,develops in them a keen sense of morality and a sense of right and wrong and enables them from this early age to be mediators. This also leads to development of their personality, the students become better speakers( because of the constant co-operative learning techniques used), better listeners, writers and readers, and not only that, they also become better artists as they learn to express themselves through their art.

Peace-celebration

At the end of every peace education programme for the school year, the class has an opportunity to have a peace celebration which can last for a week or more. Students get an opportunity to develop their own programme under the teachers´ guidance. This also includes a time of sharing what they learnt during the year with the rest of the school. They may do so through poems, songs, skits, essays, mimes, dances, whichever way suits them best. The Peace celebration we had last year included many of these ways. Students with the help of their peace -education teachers also made special badges and quotation cards to give to the other students, staff and visitors. They also had a display table where they put up some of the work they had done during the year. The whole primary school joined in to celebrate this occasion. The students made a special Thank You card for Dr. T Rost which they presented to him during this occasion.

Co-operative Learning

Co-operative learning is being used as a major teaching-learning tool in the primary section. All the teaching staff have received training in this from Dr. T.Rost. Some of the staff have been doing it for years under his guidance. New staff are trained to use this tool, too. Every Tuesday the staff have an in-house training session co-ordinated by Dr. T.Rost.

The students are introduced to different learning structures useful in addressing different needs, the specialty of these structures is that not only does it aid the teaching-learning process, it also builds moral values in a child. Students are introduced to structures like:-
A. Group Building which includes structures like:- Community Circle, Round robin, Round table etc.
B. Class Building Structures like :
The Friendship Chain, Student Notice Board ,etc.

C. Mastery Structures like:-
Sequential Numbered Heads Together, Choral Response,etc.
D. Thinking Skill Structures like:-
Pair Discussion, Think - Pair - Share, Think-Round robin,etc.
E. Information Sharing Structures like:-
Team Interview, Blackboard Share, Carousel,etc.
F. Communication Skill Structures like:-
Talking Chips, The Yarn-Yarn,etc.
Some teachers use these structures as much as 50% to 60% of the time. These structures involve some standards of co-operative learning like Happy Talk, Active Listening, Everyone Participates, etc.

During the course of the year students have a chance to express their views in front of the whole class, thus enabling them to become eloquent speakers, adding to their self-esteem. Yes, it does them a world of good!!

Teachers are first introduced to some classroom management skills that have to be imparted to the students, like following the Quiet Signal, Social Skills, Class Rules, Seating Arrangements, Positive Attention, etc. These handy management techniques help in managing the class much more efficiently, and also saves a lot of time.

Through co-operative learning, the child not only develops academically, but also develops their inter and intra personal intelligence.

Co-operative games

Co-operative games are a very important part of co-operative learning. The specialty of these games is that all the participants emerge as winners, there are no losers. In this world of competition today where people are out to win at all costs, even if it means stepping over others, we are trying to focus on the concept of peace and co-operation using these tools. These games are of different levels, ranging from low activity level to high activity level. People of all age groups can play these games. These games help develop co-operation and unity, it also helps break down the differences between the students as they all co-operate to reach a common goal. They can´t help but realise how important each being is.

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