Hi all,
I would like to share how the context of my teaching influenced my profession.
In the initial period of my career I had worked as a Secretary handling all secretarial functions and finance in a company. I would like to share my outdoor experience as an instructor and how I switched over to teach young tiny tots. I had to adapt a varied scale on content and contextualize to different learning skills.
It all started in 1995 where I joined my husband’s company as an outdoor instructor where the curriculum/content had to be taught practically. There were hardly any handouts/ lectures/ worksheets. It was challenging to transmit my own understanding to teenagers who use to register their names for camps with their own mindset i.e., as fun & adventurous trip. I taught them bird watching, trekking, outdoor ethics & soft skills (pot painting, tie &dye) etc. I realized that kids learn better with practical teaching. I decided that I would help my son with the same and started creating worksheets on LAR/MAT/ARTS and saw amazing changes and joy of learning.
My son’s teacher’s appreciation influenced me to teach in a traditional school. Initially there was limited chance to contextualize practically as I was teaching in a traditional school. However, I made my way to experiment new methods as I slipped into creating worksheets for slow learners which turned out be very effective learning. I had hands on classroom and outdoor experience, which helped me a lot when I flew to US where I taught back packing, planning the ration/clothing etc. It was a more challenging role, as most kids registered their name to the course to upgrade their graduation as they found it was cheaper than joining tuitions. Most kids were addicted to drug, depressed and had ADD kids basically teen members of 18 to 20 years of age.
I played a role as a mother/sister/friend to most kids and helped them come out of their problem to some extent. All they required was a good listener and to be affectionate where it involved building a strong student teacher rapport all along.
No sooner I discovered that they became fond of me. I decided to spend quality time and conveyed the message informally during evacuation/free time.
Back home in 2006, I worked as program leader for three months in Coorg and Tons in Uttar kashi, which basically involved practical learning, most aditi kids had registered to Coorg camp.
In Gurgaon in 2007, I got an opportunity to work as a mentor in a pre-school where in I actually got my hands on experience in multiple intelligence. Since it was mine as well as the school’s first year, I experimented on articulating/creating worksheets/making bulletin boards, record observation, planning lessons, reports, feedback on the lesson and also it was the first time I taught yoga to children like asana, calming their minds, working with emotions (social/personal) to rest their varied mindsets. This was the place where I recognized this kind of teaching, which resulted in effective learning. The school always eyeballed on my class room/kids. I got very good recognition by one and all
I have cashed on to good skills and learnt better in Gurgaon and during induction- as to how to cater to varied learning skills, I am enthusiastic to learn and practice as the years pass by and be one of the best mentor and supporter to the students to mould themselves confidently and reach their mile stone.
Sunitha Ravikumar
I would like to share how the context of my teaching influenced my profession.
In the initial period of my career I had worked as a Secretary handling all secretarial functions and finance in a company. I would like to share my outdoor experience as an instructor and how I switched over to teach young tiny tots. I had to adapt a varied scale on content and contextualize to different learning skills.
It all started in 1995 where I joined my husband’s company as an outdoor instructor where the curriculum/content had to be taught practically. There were hardly any handouts/ lectures/ worksheets. It was challenging to transmit my own understanding to teenagers who use to register their names for camps with their own mindset i.e., as fun & adventurous trip. I taught them bird watching, trekking, outdoor ethics & soft skills (pot painting, tie &dye) etc. I realized that kids learn better with practical teaching. I decided that I would help my son with the same and started creating worksheets on LAR/MAT/ARTS and saw amazing changes and joy of learning.
My son’s teacher’s appreciation influenced me to teach in a traditional school. Initially there was limited chance to contextualize practically as I was teaching in a traditional school. However, I made my way to experiment new methods as I slipped into creating worksheets for slow learners which turned out be very effective learning. I had hands on classroom and outdoor experience, which helped me a lot when I flew to US where I taught back packing, planning the ration/clothing etc. It was a more challenging role, as most kids registered their name to the course to upgrade their graduation as they found it was cheaper than joining tuitions. Most kids were addicted to drug, depressed and had ADD kids basically teen members of 18 to 20 years of age.
I played a role as a mother/sister/friend to most kids and helped them come out of their problem to some extent. All they required was a good listener and to be affectionate where it involved building a strong student teacher rapport all along.
No sooner I discovered that they became fond of me. I decided to spend quality time and conveyed the message informally during evacuation/free time.
Back home in 2006, I worked as program leader for three months in Coorg and Tons in Uttar kashi, which basically involved practical learning, most aditi kids had registered to Coorg camp.
In Gurgaon in 2007, I got an opportunity to work as a mentor in a pre-school where in I actually got my hands on experience in multiple intelligence. Since it was mine as well as the school’s first year, I experimented on articulating/creating worksheets/making bulletin boards, record observation, planning lessons, reports, feedback on the lesson and also it was the first time I taught yoga to children like asana, calming their minds, working with emotions (social/personal) to rest their varied mindsets. This was the place where I recognized this kind of teaching, which resulted in effective learning. The school always eyeballed on my class room/kids. I got very good recognition by one and all
I have cashed on to good skills and learnt better in Gurgaon and during induction- as to how to cater to varied learning skills, I am enthusiastic to learn and practice as the years pass by and be one of the best mentor and supporter to the students to mould themselves confidently and reach their mile stone.
Sunitha Ravikumar
Very interesting journey indeed!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have dealt with a wide variety of content in very different contexts. Can you cite some instances of how the outdoor context in whohc you worked has influenced your current practice. Does it affect the content that you teach now? Does it influence the way in whohc you deal with your current content?
Tara
Hi! Sunitha
ReplyDeleteYou really have a varied experience. It was nice to read it. I really appreciate, the way you have taken out ur time in reading and working towards your goal.