Looking for positive loop hole?

Some grey zone:

We are trap in the paradox. If problem lies in the system or the people constituting the system? We are also trap strategically by the traditional approach and we are struggling to find the lock and break ourselves free from this maze.

Definitive areas of concerns:

Professional development for teachers is one least invested domain or least functional in our education system. A large scale change would never be realize without addressing these shortcoming. But waiting for the giant to wake up is neither an option we could opt for. So how do, outsider organization like us get imprinted in to the system? There could be three ways of strategic route we have been exploring. First, facilitating efficiently the development program for teachers in the system (like SSA summer training). Second, using available option which are not functional in the system (like block level workshops). Third, establishing complimentary space for teacher’s professional development (like VTF). This way we could capitalized ourselves as a serious player in the system not taken for granted. Bargaining/negotiating/engagement with education functionaries at various level (from nodal, Block, district level, state level) would have to be done to facilitate our engagement.

Now the resources in term of human/knowledge resources or other resources w provide runs at the risks of replacing the non-functioning govt. Edu. System or keeping some unit dormant.  Balancing them and strategically working to strengthen the system should be our sole purpose. Replacement of govt. System or strengthening them has a narrow line of differentiation. So, this should be handle in great concern.  Coherence between our short terms objectives with long term goals should be reflect in every strategy we consider. Now, engaging them is not a life time process though learning and development is. So, where is the idea of sufficiency drawn?

Teachers in govt. education system are teachers who have good or well verse content knowledge. They clearing the teacher eligibility test itself speaks sufficiently. The understanding of where to begin engaging with teachers is very important for they did not come to us as a blank slate. Some of their prior knowledge and experience are to be encourage and facilitated and some to be question and destroyed. Looking at the reality of various universities, college and B.Ed. institute the content knowledge and pedagogy of teachers are still at stake. 

Why do we work with teacher to develop them as teacher’s educators? Assuming that they will one day go ahead and occupy a more responsible post which means it demand more in-depth understanding, qualified or experience teacher’s educator and functionaries.

Another assumption is that education is a dynamic process. Many new approach will come and go. Some may come instantly and some gradually according to the driving policy or need of the time.
When this come teachers with learning attitude would be needed. They would be the load who will make the transition possible. There is no one process or the process of teaching in education. The more the multiple pattern of teaching particular topic the more liberating and empowering it would be for teachers.

However the diversity of education it should directly address the aims of education. Teachers are deprive of so many fundamental elements in education. They are deprive of the knowledge of pedagogy approach and perspective of the subject. Scholastic centric education and total denial of non-scholastic education is the concern of urgent. Their practices are hardly visualized in the light of the larger goal of education. These are the areas where our intervention should focus on.

The idea that about 20% teachers willing to work irrespective of all odds should be ponder further. This figure is not a static figure but a porous classification. One teachers may be not be willing to work someday but become a pioneer someday and vice versa. Thus attracting or pulling maximum load in to this group can be address by large scale intervention and reaching out to the maximum. Engagement in scale and intensity thus is both needed.

There are well-defined monitoring mechanism in the education system. But, banking on it to improve the system is not a choice for us. There are teachers who are not waiting for inspection to present their show to the functionaries. There are teachers who are waiting for genuine assistance, feedback and appreciation on their daily task. Thus, this spell our task of recognizing teachers and acknowledging them of their needs and efforts.

 The kind of class room and children available for teachers in the school is also of a particular case. It is not a class with set of situation or children waiting eagerly waiting wanted to be taught or learn. But children bind to numerous baggage of burden and disadvantages. Thus our component of school practice become very crucial and important in understanding the challenges of the teachers. This could be consider as the fourth strategic route.  

Our credentials required:

We can only justify our presence if we are serious, have in-depth understanding, and authentic in our approach.

Our intervention would only be meaningful if we ourselves could grab the essentiality of the public education and what it’s role in nation or society building.  

We can propel the motivation of teachers if we could approach them empathetically and less suspicion.

The curriculum framework of engaging with should be well design.

The understanding of Andragogy among our team member is also essential.

The tools and resources we used during our engagement should be in reach within the premises or the budget of the school.

Our block level intervention should be in terms with our large scale intervention.

Challenges and risk:

What could we do about modules or content which are not in context with our teachers or are to tough to grab? Do we try to find a middle path? Or are we still going ahead anyway? Example like English new text book.

Most of the teachers who are at primary level and who engage with us in a very meaningful manner often get promoted to secondary level. Creating a void in the primary level. How do we manage this?