The results of the learning outcome audit is alarming (PISA)...but why is it alarming? people have been saying the same thing for years. ... maybe not that we have escaped being at the bottom by the skin of our teeth. We are in the same position in the HDI too... so it's not surprising.
But apart from speeches, will anyone do anything?
The problem with this situation is ..once there have been 5 -10 years of bad education, then there is no hope --for the next generation will be taught by those who have not learned anything during their education.
Assuming people wake up , and the govt, ngos and everybody gears up to improve our schools, maybe build toilets for the children, maybe get blackboards fixed... but the teachers will not know enough to teach anything to these children. So how will the learning outcomes improve?
It is really scary.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Sunday, 8 January 2012
WiS again
Women in science-- discussed again. We talk, do studies that come to conclusions which anyone standing at your local bus stop could tell you, but nothing happens.
If at all there is some improvement in the lot of women in science, it is because they themselves have changed and society as a whole sees the economic benefit of having an earning wife, and hence mother/mother-in-law pitches in. Then what of the mother/m-i-l's career? She has to take premature retirement? Or cancel her post retirement plans?
I am sorry to see that there are no creative solutions offered by any of the scientists themselves, though some of the top institutions have put in place some systems.. TIFR has set up up a childcare facility.... proposed by the women's cell(Why only women? Are they are going to take care of cloned children?) Many IITs have in-house childcare facilities as I see from their websites.
But can women work part time? Can they work from home if their field of research permits? Can their husbands if in the same instt. be given time off?
Secondly, what of women working in other institutions? Have the CSIR/ DRDO /other such labs taken up this issue seriously? What about Universities?
Is it enough for the PM and Nirupama Rao to talk?
http://midwaypersonal.blogspot.com/2009/03/wis.html
If at all there is some improvement in the lot of women in science, it is because they themselves have changed and society as a whole sees the economic benefit of having an earning wife, and hence mother/mother-in-law pitches in. Then what of the mother/m-i-l's career? She has to take premature retirement? Or cancel her post retirement plans?
I am sorry to see that there are no creative solutions offered by any of the scientists themselves, though some of the top institutions have put in place some systems.. TIFR has set up up a childcare facility.... proposed by the women's cell(Why only women? Are they are going to take care of cloned children?) Many IITs have in-house childcare facilities as I see from their websites.
But can women work part time? Can they work from home if their field of research permits? Can their husbands if in the same instt. be given time off?
Secondly, what of women working in other institutions? Have the CSIR/ DRDO /other such labs taken up this issue seriously? What about Universities?
Is it enough for the PM and Nirupama Rao to talk?
http://midwaypersonal.blogspot.com/2009/03/wis.html
Thursday, 5 January 2012
JS
When I was 16 or so, the Statesman brought out a magazine 'Junior Statesman' which soon changed to 'JS' Desmond Doig and Jug Suraiya were editors (not sure who was what). There used to be regular contributions from a pair ..Papiya and Tuk tuk Ghosh. These two girls used to write amusing stuff. I was suddenly reminded of them and idly wondered who they were. I googled them just now and am horrified to learn that Papiya was murdered.
http://www.patnadaily.com/index.php/features2/129-papiya-ghosh/6634-papiya-ghosh-from-js-to-an-end.html#disqus_thread
Life is scary sometimes.
http://www.patnadaily.com/index.php/features2/129-papiya-ghosh/6634-papiya-ghosh-from-js-to-an-end.html#disqus_thread
Life is scary sometimes.
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Pepsico and water
When Pepsico states that they give back more water than they consume, what does it mean?
The aquafina bottle states this was achieved by water harvesting and that the claim has been endorsed by an independent audit.
All this is part of the feeling most of us have that a particular amount of water is ours, a particular piece of land is ours...
Long back when I first read Chief Seattle's speech in Illustrated Weekly, I was moved. In those days, environment concerns had not arisen. We still believed the resources could be consumed for ever. Still, the power of the speech was moving.
I cannot remember the exact words, but the sense I got was that like the sky, land cannot be fenced and divided and owned.
Now, in the present context, it is more than just moving..........it is prophetic. We own water, we own land, we own the skies above our land and maritime boundaries mean we own the oceans and by doing so, we haven't done ourselves any good.
The aquafina bottle states this was achieved by water harvesting and that the claim has been endorsed by an independent audit.
All this is part of the feeling most of us have that a particular amount of water is ours, a particular piece of land is ours...
Long back when I first read Chief Seattle's speech in Illustrated Weekly, I was moved. In those days, environment concerns had not arisen. We still believed the resources could be consumed for ever. Still, the power of the speech was moving.
I cannot remember the exact words, but the sense I got was that like the sky, land cannot be fenced and divided and owned.
Now, in the present context, it is more than just moving..........it is prophetic. We own water, we own land, we own the skies above our land and maritime boundaries mean we own the oceans and by doing so, we haven't done ourselves any good.
Monday, 2 January 2012
Farming in the Nilgiris
I had visited an NGO couple of years back---a nice farm in a tribal village. They practise biodynamic farming. I liked the fact that they use organic methods of farming....a green house full of beans plants laden with beans and not a leaf that was eaten by predatory insects.
However, the biodynamic method involves the zodiac signs in some manner I did not quite understand. It also involves killing a deer and using its rumen/stomach/or some such organ for producing an inoculate with which the cowdung mixture is fermented. None of this I understood completely from what my guide told me and made me sorry for the deer.
In the same NGO's office, I met one of their people who told me about their work. They dry herbs grown in the villages and then package and sell them. They were also training the local people in traditional farming practices. I was surprised by this. I would have thought the local villagers were the experts!
However, the biodynamic method involves the zodiac signs in some manner I did not quite understand. It also involves killing a deer and using its rumen/stomach/or some such organ for producing an inoculate with which the cowdung mixture is fermented. None of this I understood completely from what my guide told me and made me sorry for the deer.
In the same NGO's office, I met one of their people who told me about their work. They dry herbs grown in the villages and then package and sell them. They were also training the local people in traditional farming practices. I was surprised by this. I would have thought the local villagers were the experts!
Monday, 26 December 2011
teaching science
The PM says young people are not studying math. The same can be said for science.
This is because from the beginning math and science are viewed as difficult. They are also taught in a way that makes them difficult. The same continues in college.
There must be a way of teaching math and science that makes them easy to learn, fun and gives a sense of wonder and of achievement.
I know what it is not....It is not learning formulae and quickly plugging them in the right places to solve 'problems'. This way, children become computers ..... programmable to 'do science'.
It is also not the way some people do.......Johnny you be sodium and give this electron to Jenny here.... Reconciling realities to models is a difficult enough process. If we make up silly models, they have to unlearn weird ideas and relearn new ones.
Science should be presented as a part of life, as answer to some questions of how and why.
But what is a good way to teach science to kids?
I am still wondering... I hope to reach some conclusion by 2013 when I plan to start teaching small children.......any good idea will be appreciated!
This is because from the beginning math and science are viewed as difficult. They are also taught in a way that makes them difficult. The same continues in college.
There must be a way of teaching math and science that makes them easy to learn, fun and gives a sense of wonder and of achievement.
I know what it is not....It is not learning formulae and quickly plugging them in the right places to solve 'problems'. This way, children become computers ..... programmable to 'do science'.
It is also not the way some people do.......Johnny you be sodium and give this electron to Jenny here.... Reconciling realities to models is a difficult enough process. If we make up silly models, they have to unlearn weird ideas and relearn new ones.
Science should be presented as a part of life, as answer to some questions of how and why.
But what is a good way to teach science to kids?
I am still wondering... I hope to reach some conclusion by 2013 when I plan to start teaching small children.......any good idea will be appreciated!
Friday, 23 December 2011
TV
In 1978, there was Doordarshan and our hostel common room had one black and white TV. On Wed evenings, the common room would fill up with girls all ready to watch 'chitrahaar'.
Now my Tv more than 100 channels, but I am never able to find something to watch.
News channels are on infinite loops. They are becoming worse than the serials.
Serials are good for watching in snatches...5 minutes now and 5 minutes day after tomorrow....taht's all one needs to follow them if one wishes to do so. But now news too is just like that....once in two days is all you need to see it all.
Now my Tv more than 100 channels, but I am never able to find something to watch.
News channels are on infinite loops. They are becoming worse than the serials.
Serials are good for watching in snatches...5 minutes now and 5 minutes day after tomorrow....taht's all one needs to follow them if one wishes to do so. But now news too is just like that....once in two days is all you need to see it all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)