I strongly believe that “sharing knowledge is gaining knowledge”. Teaching was never a dream or wish for me! It all started when I volunteered to facilitate arts to students and in this process, I learned a lot and took all opportunities wholeheartedly.
Art is not about drawing or painting. In entirety, it enhances one’s perception and makes us better in our interactions, acceptance of others, collaboration with others, and of course creativity. In short, art is one of the best forms of communication as well said “A picture is worth a thousand words”. It helps us share our thoughts and ideas to others in a very detailed and creative way. As I engage in arts with children, I not only teach students but also learn these critical aspects of art.
Working with students is always fun and not just a ‘hard time’. I have always noticed one thing that whenever one makes an attempt to teach something to someone, in that process one also learns something new. To me, this is the beauty of the teaching profession. It gives immense happiness and satisfaction especially when I engage with young minds like these in the photograph given below:
Lockdown’s due to pandemic brought to us sufferings as well as opportunities. On the one hand, we all had to go through a lot of difficult times as compared to our earlier days and routines. But, on the other side, it opened up a lot to take our creativity to the next level and learn something new to make our lives better.
To me, it was all about using digital media and making the best use of time in a productive manner. I learned some new skills and new ways of teaching to accommodate more students across campuses which would have been impossible otherwise.
I find digital media more fun and also a creative space for learning. But, it cannot completely replace the Canvas which gives me a more practical feel and a fruitful experience of the process of arts while teaching and learning Art.
By
Mr. Karthik E
Visual Artist
Ekya EBTM
Children have an innate love for stories. Fulfilling this need requires meticulous planning in a class curriculum. Preparing myself for storytelling class would require me to visit our school library and choose books as they are plenty - fairy tales, fables, behavioral stories, folk tales, and so on. After picking the books I head back to class ready to read a story to eager children.
Reading a book is always enjoyed by the little ones as they get to see colorful pictures that are appealing. Sometimes even a classic would be thoroughly enjoyed by the little ones huddled in front of me. Everyone would want a front-row seat as close to me as possible just to get a peek at the pictures in the book. Pictures provide an immediate vision of characters. They help to keep the children's’ attention and instantly respond to characters. To conduct an uninterrupted class it becomes necessary to lay down some ground rules before I begin -
Students would abide by the rules reluctantly just to listen to their favorite story and some would also try to sneak to my sides to get a glimpse of the pictures in the book. Sometimes a short story would take a long time to finish as students would be eager to share their thoughts and experiences as the story progressed. All in all, a very warm and endearing sight to see a teacher reading to a small group of students around her.
Virtual storytelling,‘Oh dear! I had butterflies in my stomach. I had to make careful plans to make it as interesting as before especially now when the need for this is a lot more. I realized that it may be an essential tool in helping students stay connected to us. As I started my research I realized I had more options than I had in a physical classroom. I could choose both online books to read as well as read-along story videos. On a virtual platform, I could reach out to more students than in a physical classroom. Not to forget the many parents and grandparents who were enjoying the stories reliving their childhood along with the children.
Ground rules were different on a virtual platform. There was no sneaking to peek at the pictures in the book. See the power of pictures!! Screen share and ‘voila’ all the children got to see the pictures at the same time as I read the books. No more “Can you show us the picture ma’am.” Children also get an opportunity to speak after the story. We have been left surprised by the students’ comments and understanding of the stories and morals.
I included stories to help students cope with the present situation of staying indoors. Post-story session students came up with numerous suggestions on how they could keep themselves entertained and busy as they continued to stay indoors. In a story on recycling waste, some of the students showed how they made things from waste and gave varied ideas.
Taking students into a different world was something I achieved through stories. I can never forget the amazement the students expressed when we explored the deep oceans with the story ‘ A house for a hermit crab’ by Eric Carle. I remember the day one of the students could not stop laughing after a funny story.
Storytelling helps in making students curious, build their imagination, and develop communication skills. It helps students understand their culture and other cultures and experience different worlds through their imaginations. In the current scenario, a storytelling session has played a crucial role in keeping the students mentally healthy. They feel connected to school which is their second home and also to their peers which is vital in reassuring our students that all of us together are facing the same challenges.
Storytelling can help increase students’ willingness to communicate their thoughts and feelings. To help students become confident speakers ‘story weaving’ was introduced. It was great fun to listen to the stories the children wove around images shown to them. The stories were very short at first and became longer as they got familiar with the activity.
There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that there is no limit to a child’s imagination. I had to come up with another way of encouraging students to use their imaginations and creativity. Through storytelling, students could be helped improve their memory skills and retell a plot using words that help in building vocabulary. Storytelling enhances listening skills in the students which are vital in their learning process.
Recycled craft
The idea of the activity - recreating a story the way they would like to end. It was amazing to hear so many different endings to the story ‘The thirsty crow’. The enthusiastic participation of students was worth watching in the ‘story relay’. The story took different twists and turns as one child carried the story from the previous one. There was no end to their story until a buzzer was sounded. Students enjoyed as much as everyone else listening to them narrate the stories.
Virtual storytelling has widened my horizon to explore and make storytelling more enjoyable than before. Using technology to my advantage has made me a better teacher. No matter what situation I confront, I know I can find a solution.
By
Asma Tabassum Ahmed
Pre primary ( Montessori)
Ekya BTM
“Talent wins games… but Intelligence wins championships”
The Game Fusion Club is an after school activity which happens once a week between 3-4 pm on Tuesdays. Students from across the five Ekya & CMR campuses joined this virtual session. The objective of this club is to engage students in online gaming and boost memory and focus.
The benefits of virtual gaming include developing creativity, nurturing relationships, and enhancing strategic thinking. It also helps build perseverance, resilience, and improves communication. The experience also builds skills that help students in the future as they focus on various career options. The more complex multi-player games teach strategy, analytics and help assess the risks and rewards, and calls for players to react quickly to changes in the game. The skills acquired become handy in the jobs they take up which rely on problem-solving and strategic thinking. As games allow children to immerse themselves in the virtual world and connect to people from around the world, it could be a great way for them to learn about different perspectives and cultures as well.
The Club showcase was organized as two sessions for Grades 7&8 and Grades 5&6 respectively and about 150 students participated and had fun gaming online. The session began with an introduction to the Club activities and the benefits of the same. This was followed by a presentation of the five games to be played by the participants. The five games were Cricket World cup, Four Pics One Words, Jigsaw Puzzle, Sudoku, and Crossword. Each game was shown and explained by the Club members and Teachers; instructions with links to the same were provided through the chatbox.
The students were then assigned to breakout rooms along with a teacher and a Club member who assisted them in a time of online gaming. Students were asked to choose one, two, or more from the options provided and play the game. It was a synergetic session as students tried their luck at the different games and shared their victories with the other members in the Breakout room.
The game time was followed by a reflection activity on the showcase; student experiences were documented on Mentimeter. Students responded on what they liked best about the session and which game they enjoyed the most; names of games that they knew of that could be played online were also shared. The showcase was a success as students enjoyed the fun, interaction, and gaming experience.
It was yet another exhilarating experience!
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