Yesterday I did an experiment
in Grade 7th. After my class I asked students about Malala.
Advaita replied "she is a Pakistani who got Noble peace prize for showing her courage against Taliban for Girl's education".
I was glad that she knew about it. Then I asked about do they know who won Noble peace prize from India ? What I observed was a dead silence. Then somebody said "someone who have worked against child labour".
I said yes and introduced the name Kailash Satyarthi. Then I gave an open ended question for them. Chotu (imaginary name) works in a dhaba, surely he deserves a better life than that but removing him from his livelihood do you think will do any good for him if he is the only bread earner for his family and himself ? Got some responses. Insia qouted Mid day meal which was rebutted by what Chotu will do on holidays ? Mid day meal quality is poor and also one cant survive on one meal per day. Got other responses too but they were projectiles with no directions bombed to seek attention so not mentioning it here. I asked how many of them are having domestic help at there home ? After seeing 6-7 hands I asked whether she/he is an adult or a child, I was very happy to get the answer "adult" from all of them. I dragged the discussion and connected it to the Cracker manufacturing units of Shivkasi and informed the class about how small kids are trapped in child labour in cracker factories. Then requested them not to waste too much money on crackers and buy some books instead. Also mentioned how lucky our students are that there parents are able to send them to school they should encash this opportunity and give there best so that one day they too can do something about child labour in India.
The Chotu question was kept open ended to develop Problem solving skills in students. This whole discussion was done in the last 5 minutes of the class and got extended for about 2-3 minutes of lunch break ie approx took 7 to 8 minutes.We need not to have a strict classroom for life skills. If a teacher is allowed to work on his own intellectualism we will have thinkers in our class not just Macaulayian Clerks.
Note : This post is based on a classroom discussion held in Grade 7th of Presidium School. Image courtesy Google picture search.
Advaita replied "she is a Pakistani who got Noble peace prize for showing her courage against Taliban for Girl's education".
I was glad that she knew about it. Then I asked about do they know who won Noble peace prize from India ? What I observed was a dead silence. Then somebody said "someone who have worked against child labour".
I said yes and introduced the name Kailash Satyarthi. Then I gave an open ended question for them. Chotu (imaginary name) works in a dhaba, surely he deserves a better life than that but removing him from his livelihood do you think will do any good for him if he is the only bread earner for his family and himself ? Got some responses. Insia qouted Mid day meal which was rebutted by what Chotu will do on holidays ? Mid day meal quality is poor and also one cant survive on one meal per day. Got other responses too but they were projectiles with no directions bombed to seek attention so not mentioning it here. I asked how many of them are having domestic help at there home ? After seeing 6-7 hands I asked whether she/he is an adult or a child, I was very happy to get the answer "adult" from all of them. I dragged the discussion and connected it to the Cracker manufacturing units of Shivkasi and informed the class about how small kids are trapped in child labour in cracker factories. Then requested them not to waste too much money on crackers and buy some books instead. Also mentioned how lucky our students are that there parents are able to send them to school they should encash this opportunity and give there best so that one day they too can do something about child labour in India.
The Chotu question was kept open ended to develop Problem solving skills in students. This whole discussion was done in the last 5 minutes of the class and got extended for about 2-3 minutes of lunch break ie approx took 7 to 8 minutes.We need not to have a strict classroom for life skills. If a teacher is allowed to work on his own intellectualism we will have thinkers in our class not just Macaulayian Clerks.
Note : This post is based on a classroom discussion held in Grade 7th of Presidium School. Image courtesy Google picture search.
