A monthly newsletter with inspiring ideas and useful resources for teachers and faculty

1. May 2012
Volume 6, Issue 5 Inspiring Teachers
Driving educational change through excellence in teaching
Travel is a learning experience
This month I have spent about transported from one scientists now believe that
15 days away from home and phase of day to another, travel also makes us solve
this itself is a learning from one climate to problems in a more creative
experience. Sometimes we another, from one culture way – because the mind
This month: travel because we have to (but to another in a matter of becomes flexible and agile
if you think hard, this is also hours. Whether you are while dealing with unusual or
Chasm between jobs
and eductaion negotiable), but at times we on business or pleasure, a unexpected things. And when
Uma Garimella..….2 can travel because we want to. new place is likely to we get back home, our mind
Prof Waghodekar, We travel because it is one of make you relaxed yet has changed and is ready to
FOM……….. …. . 3 the basic human desires. With alert, and brings a change attack the problems!
Interesting links …4
flights and taxis, now we get from routine. But
Sharing Time
The month that was.. College Champions
Dr B Palanki …….4
• A visit to Center for Development of Teaching and
A unique model of engaging faculty
Learning at National University of Singapore, 9th
and building a truly distributed
April.
team
• A brief interactive session at Global Indian
• To make faculty as stakeholders
International School at Singapore, 11th April
• To help enhance the profile of
• 5-day CCE training for about 45 teachers at MALCO
faculty through consultancy and
Matriculation High School, Mettur Dam. The
research options
descriptors in co-scholastic areas were discussed
At the end of one year engagement,
using Jigsaw reading, teachers participated in debate
apart from the performance based
and GDs and assessed using the CCE rubric. Life
cash incentives, the faculty will get
Skills assessment and using inexpensive resources
visibility in academic and industry
for designing learning activities were some other
circles, expand their horizons and
highlights. Trainers: Uma Garimella and
get an impressive profile. For
Shankarson Roy.
details read:
• One day session on inexpensive resources
http://theprofessor.in/careers.shtml
(newspapers and hands-on science) and reflective
teaching at Jubilee Hills Public School, Hyderabad.
Trainers: Uma Garimella, Madhu Phani (Yardstick)

2. The chasm between Inspiring Teachers Page 2 of 5
education and jobs
I am not using the word said, MCA. I am sure his first All the jobs require the
industry ….somehow people choice may have been an IT employee to have enthusiasm
seem to think of only certain job…but that’s besides the and to have reading
jobs when we use the word point. comprehension (we did that in
industry. For example, school, remember?) which will
So what is all this about
teaching jobs are not part of put them on the path to
engineering curriculum and
‘industry’ and neither are the learning what is required in
wanting to give technical
various odd jobs which that job. After some training,
skills? For one thing, by calling
people get into when they when they start working, they
it engineering degrees, we have
are not industry ready! I am need an ability to conceptualize
only brought ourselves agony.
also not using the word ‘gap’, a problem and look for a
Because, there is a certain
since it seems to be very solution. This may mean
expectation from such
More and more, I feel that by
huge. searching on the internet (with
graduates – which MOST of
putting our youth in college,
the right keywords), finding a
I was with a principal of a them lack – neither a natural
we are only delaying their on-
real expert and asking the right
college when a person from inclination/aptitude, nor
the-job learning. Since in any
question, or sometimes just
Titan Industries was acquired in the program. No
case, what is taught (if any),
looking at some data and doing
speaking about hiring fresh amount of industry/ institute
is not used in the jobs that are some analysis. She should also
graduate engineers. He meetings is going to change
there in the market. Perhaps, have interpersonal skills and
specifically asked for that as long as students don’t
this is how the western culture speaking/writing skills.
Mechanical Engineers who know what to learn from that
evolved, where people start
had confidence and curriculum. No amount of In some jobs, some
working, and they pick up a
communication skills with adding/deleting courses is fundamental concepts that
degree that will be useful to
career goals (oh aren’t we going to help anyone. Any were studied may come in
them much later in life. So
fed up these C words?) Since number of ‘guest lectures’ to handy. But if we go back to the
when we go to students and
he asked for mechanical, we bridge the gap is not going to car sales executive and watch
tell them to use learning
thought he was going to put enlighten anyone. salesman – even if they sound a
strategies and work on
them in production. But no, little extreme examples – all
projects, and they turn back But then I think deeper and I
he had other ideas. He they need is to understand the
and ask us to show jobs in see some light. This
wanted them for their shops product, deal with customer
those areas, we may not have curriculum is only a test bed to
and not shop floor. Why questions and be pleasant. As
an answer. (And here I am learn ‘thinking’. Stop believing
Mechanical? They will stay. they go along, with open ears
talking of the average that anything from the
hmm and eyes, they should learn
engineering student in an curriculum is going to be
more about the product and the
average college. The premier In another incident, I met a directly or indirectly useful in
customer and get better.
institute is a different game young executive who gave any job (save a very small
altogether. Or I am not aware me a test drive of a new car. percentage …or a large Comment online at
of the game at least!) I asked him if he was from percentage if someone wants http://tinyurl.com/8656
MBA or automobile to teach..but I will come to that bmc Cont’d on page 4
Engineering. Neither. He in a moment)

3. Page 3 of 5 Inspiring Teachers
Faculty of the month - Prof PRAbhakar Waghodekar
materials, notes and particular?
presentations to all students. Language plays a vital role in
In class mostly interaction education. If one fails to
takes place. I refer only understand this coding
standard books and perception of a subject
handbooks. Solve the drastically reduces, interest .
numerical. Show some CDs, in the subject vanishes. In Dr Prabhakar
and load latest literature Waghodekar is a
fact, compared to other veteran in teaching with
including CII, MPI reports and languages, English is an 43 yrs of experience.
International published articles He has been
easier one. The root cause is
relentlessly working for
(3-5 in a Semester) to students today faculty hardly refers to bringing international
When you were younger,
that is normally beyond quality to engineering
what kind of teaching books of international status
and professional
syllabus. and they rely on books education. He was
methods did you use?
instrumental in
How do your colleagues written by local authors,
For theory: thorough establishing several
react to your ideas and written in local English, a colleges and
preparation, solving each and programmes of study in
initiatives? How do you guide type book,
every numerical problem Maharashtra. He wrote
respond? examination oriented, and twelve e-books for free
from book of international circulation on topics in
many a times appear as
status, using teaching aids Some are appreciating, some management, teaching,
reference books in syllabus. project/seminars and
like drawing diagrams on criticizing. They say sending soft skills.
It is the first and foremost
rolling boards, use of slides course material through e-mail With a PhD from IIT
duty of teacher to hand over Kharagpur, which won
and transparencies. For makes students lazy. I respond the research award for
a list of standard books to
practical: to attend it them, I have to do lot of his guide, and
students and all his teaching numerous other awards
minimum for 2 hours, dis- planning and homework to in both research and
need to be in line with these
assemble and assemble the keep myself on track, I am teaching, Prof
books. Four years duration Waghodekar held
parts, taking to nearby growing with my students and several positions as
is enough to reach to the
industry and neat journal students save lot of time for faculty in Mechanical
level. Referring standard Engineering as well as
writing as per schedule taking down notes in the class an administrator. He is
books while in final year say
already circulated. and more brainstorming takes now advisor at
for electives, both students Marathwada Institute of
place. Some are convinced a Technology,
Now you are a very and faculty develop
few are not. Aurangabad.
senior professor, do you inferiority complex. In this
still teach? How? What is the role of respect Maharashtra is not
language in learning? different, save a few
Teach mostly at PG level,
What is the trend in institutes located in metros.
occasionally for final year
Maharashtra in general
elective. I use extensively Read more at
and your college in
internet, sending all my www.theprofessor.in

4. Inspiring Teachers Page 4 of 5
Interesting Links
♦ Articles on education
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2012/04/25/rethinking-science-education-in-india/
♦ Student projects
http://students.egfi-k12.org/student-inventors-manu-sharma/
♦ IIM Students see the other India
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-
sundaymagazine/article3292289.ece
♦ Learning Difficulties
http://ripples-cel.blogspot.in/
♦ General resources
http://www.channel4learning.com/
♦ Pre-school sites
Funny or Sad?
http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/preschool.asp
http://www.storyplace.org/storyplace.asp
http://www.thomasandfriends.com/uk/Thomas.mvc/Home
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/earlyyears/earlyyearslinks.htm
♦ Telugu Lessons
http://www.sahiti.org/learn/written.jsp
http://www.sahiti.org/learn/spoken.jsp
http://www.learningtelugu.org/
http://www.teluguwebsite.com/telugu_Alphabets.html
Alicia Catalano ♦ Hindi Lessons
"To be tested or not to be http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/mideast/hindi/
tested. That is the
♦ Games in finance/economics
questions."
http://www.thirteen.org/finance/games/index.html
Phani Acharya
"standardized schedule to
go mad"
The father of a student phoned at 9 pm and said that one of the teachers is refusing
to give back the notes prepared by his daughter and that I should ensure that the
same is returned. I told him that his daughter should meet me the next day in the
college so that I would do the needful. The next day she came. I told her that it is very
easy for me to instruct the teacher to return the notes, but it might cause a little
bitterness. Instead, the student should approach the teacher once again and talk
sweetly and get back the notes. If all the methods used by the student fail, then I
would step in. I told the student that she has to learn not just the subject but also
how to manage people. Tomorrow, you will have to manage your bosses, colleagues,
subordinated, mother-in-law, husband, children. I also told her that she should avoid
using her father for such issues and that she should boldly attempt on her own. I told
her the saying in Telugu that for some one to climb a palm tree, how high can be
supported. She then tried her own methods and succeeded in retrieving her notes.
The next day she came back smiling and said that she learned a very valuable lesson.
Dr Balakrishna Palanki, Principal, Anjamma Agi Reddy Engineering
College for Women, Hyderabad

5. Chasm - education and jobs
Page 5 of 5 Inspiring Teachers Cont’d from page 2
When jobs are more and go from text book experiments and noting down
Teacher’s Academy ‘technical’, the domain may examples to usage and fabricated observations, but
change (from car and watch to communicating in our life. inquiring about the
Hyderabad
may be banks, markets, Nobody ever thinks that he is experiments, spend some
platforms, and even rockets), going to use those ‘artificial’ time in the society and see
PHONE:
97011 41118 but the principle remains the example sentences of the text what is needed by the people
same. This applies equally well books in life. and by the jobs. They should
E-MAIL: to the growing number of indulge in discussions and
info@inspiring-teachers.com Then why physics? why
freshers who want to be collaborations, searching and
electronics? is there any job
entrepreneurs in any segment, collating – using technology
in the world where people are
those who want to make films, as a tool. They should also
given some material and
those who want to be in sports, learn to spend some time with
asked to reproduce the same
those who want to go for themselves to understand
after a few weeks? But, that’s
higher education abroad et what is important and what is
what we are preparing them
cetera. not.
for.
And when I look at the And when things are learnt
So if students are also told
curriculum in this angle, it is like this, the youngster who
that they are learning these
all the more important to teach graduates from the college
subjects to ‘think’ in a certain
it in such a way that these will be more prepared to take
way, to use some basic
basic skills are developed. on any job.
See us at: principles for problem
www.theprofessor.com Unfortunately, universities And a teaching job too
solving, to be able to read and
www.teachersacademy.co requires all these. Most often,
and colleges are missing this comprehend new information
point and their assessment people who are not suitable
and to use it as a basis for
system is checking the mastery higher level thinking like for any other job end up in
of the content of the teaching. And they seem to be
application and analysis, to
curriculum and not the spirit. getting way with it. All
be able to build things with
And so are the students – who their hands and heads, and to because there are compliance
are always aligned to the issues and the count of
be enthusiastic about new
exams. And so are the teachers is one part of it. In
things..then may be their
Help us reach more people teachers, who have to attitude towards learning will
fact, I would say, more care
Do read the blog and leave your complete the syllabus and get should be taken in selecting
be more open and their
comments on-line results. teachers than anyone else.
expectations from the college
http://www.theprofessor.in/blog/ Because the future of our kids
When we learn a language, we and from the placements will
Click on like and youth is in their hands.
learn simple words and be realistic, if they don’t get
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Th And now, more than ever
sentences, we build a small these ‘employability’ skills.
e-Professor/203174356365130 before, the future of India is
vocabulary and the rules of For this teachers and
in their hands since more
grammar. But the real learning students need to use well
than 50% of the population is
is when we use the basic rules written books, spend more
under the age of 25!
and apply in new situations time in working in the labs –
not just setting up