Teacher workshop- Be the Change Maker

On Tuesday, 26 March 2019, Development Advisor, Ms. Susan Thomas, conducted an incredibly interesting workshop, Be the Change Maker. The teachers were in for a great surprise as a gamut of games and activities were about to be unleashed upon them!

To start with, the teachers had a classroom warm up game that completely enthralled them. Through this game we realised that although we are unique in ourselves, we have much in common with others. The same musy be applied in the classroom. By knowing each one, and what each can do, the love of learning, excitement about life, and self-confidence becomes a bedrock for a lifelong growth and success.

Next, an earthen bowl, filled with stones, was passed around with specific instructions. Each educator was directed to pick a stone, observe it closely, give it a nice name, have a little chat with it and finally compose a Didactic Sink-in poem about it.

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The educators read aloud their poems by turn. We reflected upon the activity and then Ms. Thomas explained that if we personify an inanimate object and see positivity in it, then children, when they play this game, would be able to appreciate the good in everyone around them. This can be used as an important lesson to reinforce grammar. It could be used to talk about the message of stereotyping and prejudices. She also shared how this kind of an activity could raise the self esteem in kids as they read aloud their poems.

It was time for yet another game- Jump In - Jump Out. This energiser was a lot of fun and the participants seemed in high spirits. Although the instructions were clear, their execution challenged the educators presence of mind e.g. Say what I say and do what I do, Say the opposite of what I say and do what I do and Say what I say and do the opposite of what I do.

Along with fun-filled activities, teachers were taught the inspirational song to be the change maker- Duniya Ko Change Karna Hai Toh as well as the song Koi Tang Karey Toh about child safety.

When talking about children and their wholesome development, Dr. Howard Gardeners theory of Multiple Intelligences comes into prominence. Through an effective power point presentation, Ms. Thomas, threw light upon the eight Identified Intelligences , supported by apt examples. In this interactive session, educators were given examples of various types of learning abilities of children and then asked to identify the category of Intelligences they fall in. This turned out to be a highly contested quiz round.

Various kinds of intelligences were discussed e.g. Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence, Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Math-Logic, Spatial Intelligence, Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence, Musical Intelligence, Naturalistic Intelligence, Interpersonal Intelligence and Intrapersonal Intelligence.

The enthusiasm of Ms. Susan Thomas and her readiness to relay her baton of wisdom to the young team of teachers is commendable. The session was very thought provoking and we felt motivated to attempt some of the ideas discussed.