One of the challenging issues teachers facing is to allow each student reach his/her highest potentials and enjoy the process. How can learning be done and students have fun. Simple - hands on learning.
Hands-on learning, related to inquiry based learning is not a new technique. In fact, it goes back to the education philosopher, Dewey. Dewey declared in his Pedagogic Creed (1897) that ideas result from action and devolve for the sake of better control of action.
Recently, as part of the ongoing topic-Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body, pre-primary children made a massive food pyramid on the classroom floor. All the food items were brought by the teachers. Children arranged food items to each corresponding compartment of the food pyramid, which is approximately 15 feet in size, quite wonderfully. Later, even the nursery children, the smallest ones of the group, were seen passing remarks about the food pyramid; thus establishing the great possibilities of hands on learning.
The excitement of Janamashtmi began a week before with girls and boys forming strategies to build a human pyramid for the ‘matki phodo’ ( breaking the pot ) and also practicing a few Dandia steps.
Eagerly awaited, the festive day of Krishna’s birth anniversary arrived on Monday, 22 August. All of us @ Sancta Maria came decked up in traditional attire to celebrate the day. The pre-primary section was spotted with little Krishnas and gopis frisking around!
After the initial studies in the morning, the children moved out to the sand pit where the pots dangled high up the tree. The height did not deter the spirits of our children. They formed the pyramid… one child upon the other…. And finally BANG!! The pot was broken! The sweets rained from the pot! It was fun gathering the sweets!
Then came the music and the beat of dandiya! Children danced joyfully to the dandiya beats!
Thus ended yet another festive day of this festive month.
