Reached Chennai on 14th July evening. Then went to Vivekananda Kendra, Chennai for lodging. Next day i.e. 15th July, we all the teacher staff went to visit two schools where they are following ABL. There we observed how teachers guiding the ABL students of their school. We learnt the implementation of the study materials and the importance of reinforcement by the self learning students.
We also noticed the ladder in which lots of cards and milestone were reduced. The logos, were also common for all the subjects and recycling according to the milestone. We also noticed the involvement of the low-lying –board, used by the little students and the activities hanged by the students in the class room. We also noticed the techniques , they follow to judge the quality of the students. They gave the name ‘SABL’, (Simplified Activity Based Learning).
On the 2nd day, i.e. 16th July, we again visited two different schools, where we observed about the Mind-Map and how it helps teacher to give the summery of a story to the students easily. Either then all the things are almost same as notices earlier in the other schools.
After that we went to the office of the State Project Director, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Chennai, TamilNadu, where we took part in a discussion about the importance and benefits of SABL with a ppt presentation. SSA SPD Senior consultant Su. R Malathi has shared her views with us there.
On the same date at night, we started for Rishi Valley, Andhra Pradesh and reached at the dawn of 17th July. After taking little rest and breakfast, we set for an introduction with Rama Didi, Director of RISHI VALLEY INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (RIVER) along with her associates . During discussions following important points were put forwarded:
1. Changes required according to the time, place and necessities.
2. Technology should be introduced but only as a tool for reinforcement and evaluation purpose only but it should not be a replacement of teacher.
3. In RIVER they follow MGML system i.e. Multi Grade Multi Level .
4. Maximum books which are in use are not multilevel, they are mono-level where as, in a class we find multi level students like slow-learners , average-learners and fast-learners , so according to that class the teacher must change his/her techniques.
5. We must try to find out positive minded parents for ABL and provide required motivation and guidance to involve them for further motivation of other parents of ABL students.
6. RIVER TIDE (Technology Initiative for the Development of Education)- A new initiative of Rishi Valley Educational Resources .
;After that we were divided into two groups to visit two different ABL classes at the same time. There we again learnt how to manage the small kids and how they follow the ladder. There we found the introduction of Tab, for students to handle for reinforcement learning and for teachers through which they can evaluate the students and for keeping the records of those evaluations. After having lunch there, we started for THIRUPATHI, on the same day. After visiting and offering prayer at Thirupathi at night, we started for Chennai at the same night.
On 18th July, at night we all the teachers set for a discussion regarding the experiences that we gathered during our visit to different institutions. The discussion was quite livelier where all the teachers put forward their views and experiences gathered.
On 19th evening, we all set with proff. Ratnavallu , there we shared our experiences and the changes that SSA Tamil Nadu has adopted, and introduced SABL in place of ABL. He opined that the changes are not necessary to introduce in our schools in the same way as followed here. Changes can be made according to the need of the school.
During our stay at Chennai SSA State Project Cordinator Sri R Raghuram has guided and escorted us to different Chennai corporation schools.
We started from Chennai in the morning of 20th July
