Photos of the computer lab
While usually there aren’t too many exciting photo opportunities inside a computer lab, here’s a couple of photos of students working intently
Afternoon batch restarted after month-long break; concern area now the first two batches
The computer classes are coming out of an initial adjustment period. Our new teacher has been slowly but surely gaining familiarity with the students, the material and our practical & demo-focused teaching methodology. The students are largely being patient and getting used to this, but providing critical feedback in order to to help make the experience better for everyone.
The afternoon batch (2-4pm) was restarted mid-April after a month-long break while most students gave their exams (note: While none of the students are in college, nearly all of them are studying through correspondence). There has definitely been some loss of learning in that one month, and catch-up classes were taken to rebuild their understanding of fundamentals.
The effect of this month-long gap was probably most evident in the results of the Unit I (Fundamentals) test that was administered, with the Evening batch doing much better on average. Based on learnings from the first two batches, and brainstorming among GDL staff, we have decided to implement a dual test approach. Students are administered a surprise preliminary test after each unit. The results are then compiled, and general gaps identified. After covering these topics, the students are given the ‘real’ test within the week. This way, we ensure that students learn, and still meet our high standards for passing (currently at 80%).
The other main reason is that is also helps us avoid doing catch-up classes after the batch is over. Nowhere is this challenge more felt than with the first two batches, who finished their final exams just before college exam season started. The results show that only one student actually passed the course, and now it is becoming quite difficult to find a common time to bring all the students from these batches in, do catch-up courses with them and re-administer the tests.
Next week promises to be another round of tests, as well as our first set of structured one-on-one Personal Meetings, guided by the test results and a feedback form filled by the student.
New trainer in computer class, new class being offered
This week brought on a few exciting changes to the computer class.
Most notably, a new trainer from Jaipur joined us. It is an exciting development for the computer classes and the Bagar Employment Institute (BEI - umbrella org for our vocational training) because he brings dedication, knowledge and creativity to the program. His first week has been promising, with most students responding really well to him. As he is gets more familiar with our training style, he will be a real asset to BEI going forward. Our previous instructor is actively helping with his transition as he himself moves on to a new role in helping set up our new initiative - Bagar Employment Exchange (BEX).
The other major development is a new class being offered: “Introduction to the Internet” - a 6 day, 2 hours a day crash course on navigation the World Wide Web, searching for relevant content, communicating through emails and conversing through ‘chat’ programs. The idea for this course was presented by students of our Spoken English/Retail class, who had completed a basic computer literacy course but did not have exposure to the Internet.
BEI in general is preparing itself for the summer rush, as the exam season in Bagar starts to wrap-up.
Eye Camp follow-up this week
All of GDL is getting together to organize the follow-up to the eye camp this week. The camp was held March 9th, and the follow-up is being held 30 days later this Wednesday, April 9 2008. The major logistical challenge will be to remind the 59 patients from far-flung *dhaanis* (and no phone connections) to come for the follow-up eye examination. We are planning to be creative about this: using Word of Mouth through our personal & Piramal e-स्वास्थ्य (Piramal e-swaasthya - a rural healthcare initiative by Piramal Healthcare) networks where possible, and brute force (i.e. two men on a motor-bike) where that’s not possible. It should be a straightforward procedure lasting 2-3 minutes to check for how well the eye is repairing, as well as check for refraction and prescribe eyeglasses to those needing it. The eyeglasses will be provided free-of-cost to the patients too.
Sports Day brings young people together
It has been a few weeks since I posted. There has been a lot of activity here at GDL. Last Sunday, we organized a Sports Day. The day kicked off with a 5K race and was culminated with the final match of a three day cricket tournament. It was a great community event a lot of kids came out from as far as Haryana came over to participate.
Highlights from Sports Day and the few days leading up to it included (1) seeing the girls’ playing cricket on the field of the boys’ school and (2) having the realization that everything we at GDL did to organize the event could have been done by any group of kids. In fact, the cricket tournament was essentially run by three or four local guys! Unfortunately, there were some blocks in the road as well. Most markedly was the number of cheating claims that participants made. Sports Day was definitely case and point that we cannot make everyone happy.
Overall, though, the amount of energy and excitement revolving around Sports Day was really motivating and I’m really proud that we could facilitate an event that the community was so excited about!
Business Development as a Means of Empowerment
This week, I sought to do business development for Source for Change, our women-run, rural BPO. With managerial and administrative duties taking up a lot of my time, I have not been able to dedicate time to the BPO. Our Business Process Associates (BPAs) have, therefore, started to take on responsibility for business development.
On Friday, one of our BPAs came up with the idea of visiting the local Electricity Board to find a data-entry project. On Saturday, the women and I went to the Electricity Board, where they presented Source for Change, its’ accomplishments and asked for data-entry business. Although the Electricity Board, Water Board and local municipal government had no interest in giving data-entry projects to our organization, I was still extremely excited about the BPAs willingness to take responsibility for business development. Additionally, it was amazing how far along the women had come in terms of their empowerment. About five months ago, when Source for Change started, the women we work with covered their faces when going out in public. Now the women are empowered to take responsibility for business development and ask local persons for data-entry projects. I am humbled and inspired by the BPAs and their ability to grab opportunity, take on responsibility and tackle unknown dimensions such as business development.
Post-Career Day
Last Sunday was Career Day. The number of people who showed up was around 400. Better than last time, which is great considering it is exam time. But it was not the 1000 we were targeting.
The highlights of the career fair were: the aptitude test, the interview and customer service film, the science & technology table, as well as the BEI course tables!
Although the Career Fair did not reach the number of people that we had intended it to, it did achieve its main objective. The Career Fair was a great way to generate interest for the class. Since Sunday, there has been a steady stream of people signing up for all the classes. The amount of trust that people already have in BEI is remarkable.
Moving ahead on curriculum
The Past Week: 01.20.08 01.26.08
*As I gear up for the Retail Training course which is to begin on the 4th of February, I have two major goals: curriculum development and marketing. Prior to this, I taught five students for six weeks. My thought process in starting with a small group was to allow those students to become strong brand ambassadors for the Retail Training course. I stopped the course for about a two-week period because I was unable to make enough time for curriculum development and promotion of upcoming courses. *
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*Honing in on curriculum, my progress towards preparing for my course in the last week has been very slow. My six-week teaching experience has given me a good sense of how people acquire English fluency in the Bagar context, how to manage a classroom and how to engage and keep students interested. However, I think having this much knowledge has proven challenging in that now I know there is so much more to learn in order to make my curriculum high quality and comprehensive in nature. *
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*So because I have only a limited number of days before the course starts, I have decided that restrategizing is in order so I can meet the February 4thdeadline. Instead of creating thorough lesson plans weeks in advance, I’m putting together tentative objectives for each week and creating a database of activities from which I can find activities that fall under each of these objectives. *
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*If anyone has any other ideas on curriculum development, I welcome your suggestions: radhika.batra@gmail.com. *
empowering our advisory committee
*One of GDL’s newest initiatives is BEI, Bagar Employment Institute which my team members and I started up as a means to provide industry relevant training to community members. While we see value in charging for our classes, we also don’t want the fees to be a barrier for people to take them. Hence, we’ve decided to give scholarships to deserving candidates. However, even with our contacts in the community, it’s difficult for us to determine who should receive scholarships just by talking to or interviewing them. With that in mind, we created an advisory committee comprised of seven community members who will decide whether scholarship applicants should indeed get scholarships (either partial or full). *
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*Thus far, we’ve had two meetings with the advisory committee. The first introduced them to the idea behind the committee and the second was an update of what we had done in the month between the first and second meetings in terms of our courses. In the second meeting, advisory members were asked to attend the career day that we were organizing as one of BEI’s promotional events and as a way to heighten awareness about different careers, industries and job preparation. *
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*On the day of the event (today), only four of the seven advisory committee members came. I know I shouldn’t undervalue the importance of those who came but I would have liked if they all had attended. So the question I have now (before the next advisory committee meeting in about three weeks) is, how do I get advisory committee members rallied around BEI and their role in it? Perhaps getting publicly recognized for their role would help. The counter to that though is that if many students begin learning that they are the individuals who are deciding on who gets scholarships, they may start getting too much unneeded attention from such students. *
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*I still have three weeks until the next meeting to think about other ways to involve them in BEI or how to make their own involvement more interesting for them. *
Career Day
Tomorrow is career day. We are organizing the career day primarily as an advertising mechanism, but it has also proven to be a great way to interact with the community and build awareness regarding the career building process.
This week has been pretty stressful because I had expected to get certain resources more easily than we did. I had promised myself that things would not be last minute, but things did not go as planned. Although we did not get the recruiters or managers we were initially looking for, we will definitely be delivering. There is going to be a lot happening tomorrow: Aptitude tests, a resume booth, the sure-to-be AWESOME interview skit that the computer class students prepared, and many people coming to share their vast array of experiences. We have people sending us resources and volunteers galore coming to help us out. There is definitely power in numbers, and this Career Day is really a testament to how far our network stretches out GDL has certainly come a long way!