Translations!

There should be a lot of song and dance in the class! We're starting with simple poems; unlike the typically gruesome nursery hrymes!

Here's some poetry that SA exposed me to, when I was a child:

1)
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the great big ocean,
And the lovely land!

2)
This I learnt from the shadow of the tree
did sway upon a wall,
My shadow self, my influence,
May fall,
Where I may never be.

Just thought that this, being in English, may still seem complicated to kids. And if I actually study and explain it in the class like their textbook poems, they will stop thinking of it as simple poetry which they can hum anytime. And hence, a Hindi poetic translation is a must!

१)
ठुकराकर  मन की अकड़
बूंद  बूंद जब हो गए एक,
एक दूजे का हात पकड़
कण कण जब हो गए एक,
तब बना यह विशाल सागर
और बनी यह धरा मनोहर|

२)
एक पेड़  की परछाई
दूर दिवार पर थी छाई,
जिसे  देख मैं समझ पाई-
मेरा प्रभाव, मेरी परछाई,
वहा भी हो सकती हैं छाई,
जहा कभी मैं खुद न पहुच पाई|

Mon, Aug 3, 2009 at 7:36 PM

0) THE BASIC NECESSITY TO BE A TEACHER: A teacher should know at least 5 different and creative "punishments" at a time. A teacher cannot afford to be so stupid as to physically hit students everytime there's need for some punishment.

New volunteers:
1) Should be made to simply observe at least 5 classes before they start conducting classes on their own.
2) Can get better attached with kids while playing games.
3) Conducting activities in the class where 2-3 kids can be assigned to each new volunteer helps the volunteer know kids better.
4) Details in the attachment.

Discipline:
1) ALWAYS REMEMBER: DISCIPLINE IS A TOTALLY RELATIVE CONCEPT. I might be obsessed with kids sitting properly in a line while in class, someone else might allow kids to sit wherever they want and get better results!
2) So, whenever we ask kids to follow a certain rule in the class, always ask ourselves "Why???".
3) Try this- When some of the kids start fighting in the class, call the attention of the rest to them and say to those fighting, "C'mon kids, fight! We are all watching you fight for such small and stupid reasons! C'mon, you can be even more stupid and keep on fighting!!" ........ And they stop! They actually realise that they are being stupid.
4) Once a level of comfort and love is reached between the kids and us, conducting an unruly class becomes really easy. When kids are not paying attention to what we have to say, try to make them talk more, let them answer more. Keep a keen eye on all the kids all the time and make sure they understand everything that goes on.
5) If one has to face a totally bored bunch of kids and conduct some important activity, tell them, "Hey! Today we'll do something really really really boring! Let's see who gets bored more!" ........ Well, this isn't funny, it works. Take my word! :')
6) Ask them to make the rules for the class. They follow their owns rules with better conviction.
7) This list can go on if I don't stop myself here. You can get better ideas through the entire blog.