Today we visited a very progressive educational facility called Purnapramiti. This school is very unique. The class sizes are small, allowing abundant student-teacher interaction. The school also teaches Sanskrit. The school implements current strategies and methodologies that I have read about in research papers and learned about in grad school. These strategies include: thematic learning, learning through activities and inquiry, and emphasis on cultural and spiritual significance. These strategies emphasize global competencies such as communicating effectively, collaboration, and cultural awareness. Based on the conversations I had with students, this is a very effective model, but there also seems to be a lot of intrinsic motivation to learn. Would this work with the special education and at-risk students in my classroom who come from severely troubled backgrounds lacking support? When I asked about students with special needs, one teacher told me that they are not admitted into the school. The concept of inclusion is a challenge for schools around the globe.
Our guest speaker today discussed several topics in Indian history and culture. One thing that is difficult for me to understand is the caste system. For many people in the west, the caste system is seen as an injustice. However, from the religious perspective, the caste system is based on karma. If you were a bad person in a past life, you will be reborn as an untouchable. Although the caste system is prohibited, you can still see evidence of its importance in the culture. For example, marrying out of your caste is frowned upon. Something else our speaker mentioned was the concern that schools that teach exclusively in English cause students to abandon their cultural roots. This is also a concern for my students that are immigrants from Mexico. Therefore, my essential question that I will explore will be "How does the educational system promote students to retain their cultural heritage?" I finally sent off my visa application on Friday. I hope I did everything correctly! I have been researching Bangalore, our first destination. It is known as the "Silicon Valley" of India. There are also a few international schools in India. I am so excited to see how schools are different in India, and how their school day is structured. I am also curious to experience the diversity of the city!!
Well, the school year is almost over! There are less than two weeks left of May. As June approaches, I am thinking about monsoon season in India. I have read that it begins in June and lasts through September. Since my trip takes place during July, I may see a great deal of the monsoon. I mean, how do you dress for such severe weather? I have always said "I love rain!", but this is going to be days of heavy downpour at a time! I guess it also depends on my location in India. I guess I will just have to take a couple pairs of waterproof shoes!
For lunch today, I had Palak Paneer- creamed spinach with soft Indian Cheese. It was good, but the spices were very strong- turmeric, garlic and ginger, etc. It definitely cleared up my sinuses. I am trying to get used to the flavors. I can't wait to try authentic Indian food!
After checking our teacher mail boxes last year, my colleague/ mentor handed me a brochure advertising the opening of the TGC application cycle, and said "I think you would be interested in this". I began my application that day! I was accepted, and now I will be going to India soon to learn exciting new global education strategies to share with my district!
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