URBAN LIVING - A BANE OR A BOON

URBAN LIVING IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE ATTRACTIVE AMONG THE RURAL POPULATION OF OUR COUNTRY, BECAUSE OF THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR ATTACHED TO THE URBAN LIVING.

MORE AND MORE RURAL PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO THE URBAN CITIES EITHER IN SEARCH OF EMPLOYMENT,  EDUCATION, BETTER LIVING CONDITION OR IN SEARCH OF HIGH PROFILE ENTERTAINMENT AVENUES.

BUT HARDLY DO THEY REALISE THE PROBLEMS THE URBAN POPULACE FACES AND THE STRESS OF URBAN LIVING, THE MASS MIGRATION OF RURAL POPULACE TO THE URBAN CITIES RESULTS IN OVERCROWDING OF CITIES, WHICH RESULTS IN INCREASE IN DEMAND OF RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES AND SANITATION NEEDS, AND HENCE THE COST OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS GO UP EXHORBITANTLY, WHICH RESULTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLUMS IN THESE URBAN CITIES WHERE THE MIGRANTS SETTLE DOWN SINCE THEY COULD NOT AFFORD DECENT RESIDENTIAL ACCOMODATION.

THE INCREASE IN SLUMS CAUSES SANITATION AND HEALTH PROBLEMS, INCREASE IN OUT BREAK OF DEADLY DISEASES, AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS BOTH FOR THE MIGRANTS AS WELL AS THE POPULATION OF THAT CITY.

THE MIGRATION OF LABOR FROM RURAL AREAS TO THE CITY, CAUSES SHORTAGE OF AGRICULTURAL LABOR IN THE VILLAGES, DUE TO WHICH THE AGRICULTURE OUTPUT DECLINES VERY SHARPLY THUS CREATING A SHORTAGE IN FOOD PRODUCTS WHICH CAUSES HIGH INFLATION.

THE INCREASE IN THE POPULATION IN THE URBAN AREAS ALSO INCREASES THE BURDEN ON THE LIMITED INFRASTRUCTURE OF  URBAN CITIES, LIKE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC ON THE CITY ROADS  INCREASED BURDEN ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, RESULTING IN SHORTAGE OF DRINKING WATER, AND ENERGY NEEDS LIKE ELECTRICITY AND COOKING AND VEHICULAR FUEL NEEDS, CAUSING NOISE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WHICH LEADS TO MANY HEALTH AILMENTS AMONG THE MIGRANTS AS WELL AS THE URBAN CITIZENS.

THUS URBAN MIGRATION IS A BANE BOTH FOR THE MIGRANTS AS WELL AS FOR THE URBAN CITIZENS.

Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his son’s Head Master

Respected Teacher,

My son will have to learn I know that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for ever scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend.

It will take time, I know; but teach him, if you can, that a dollar earned is far more valuable than five found.

Teach him to learn to lose and also to enjoy winning.

Steer him away from envy, if you can.

Teach him the secret of quite laughter. Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to tick.

Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books.. but also give him quiet time to ponder over the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on a green hill –side.

In school teach him it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat.

Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if every one tells him they are wrong.

Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when every one is getting on the bandwagon.

Teach him to listen to all men but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness.

Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders; but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob… and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right.

Treat him gently; but do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order; but see what you can do. He is such a fine little fellow, my son.


Abraham Lincoln. 

Posted by: Sajini & Elizabeth

Healthy Eating for a Healthy Life!

NUTRIENTS?

• Protein- for building and repair
• Fat and CHO- for energy and growth
• Vitamins & Minerals- for good health
• Fibre- to prevent constipation
• Water- to remove toxins

Guidelines for healthy eating

-Include variety of foods to meet macro and micronutrient requirements.

-Fat consumption upto 35 % of energy.

-Low in salt.  

-Avoid excess fibre.

-Restrict sugary foods to mealtimes.

Helpful steps

-Change whole milk to semi-skimmed around 2 years.

-Fruits and vegetables to be 5 servings/ day.

-Serve meals at regular times, in a family setting.

WHY IS BREAKFAST IMPORTANT?

-It provides a major source of  child’s daily energy supply.

-Children who eat breakfast are better nourished.

-They can meet their daily need for essential vitamins and minerals.

-Children who eat breakfast learn better, are more alert and active.

-Offer quick and nutritious choices like juice, yogurt and fruit.

-Progress to 2 servings of cereal, 1 serving of milk.

OVERWEIGHT/ OBESITY:

RESTRICT or  BEST AVOID

High- fat foods- butter, cheese,chocolate, cream, ice-cream, potato chips, pastries

High- carbohydrate foods- cake, cookies, noodles, honey, sugar, sweets             

 Beverages- soft drinks, carbonated beverages, sweetened drink mixes

CALORIE BURNING CHART  (EXERCISE TIPS)

-Begin gradually.

-Be sure to warm up, cool down.

-Incorporate activity in daily living (walking, climbing stairs).

-Choose activities you enjoy.

-Wear comfortable clothing, good shoes.

-Do not exercise outdoors in frigid/ very hot climates.

-Drink a lot of water.

FOOD ALLERGY

Food Intolerance- it is a reproducible and unpleasant reaction.

Food allergy- evidence of abnormal immunological reaction to food.

Psychologically-based food reactions- emotions associated with food cause food avoidance. Emotions may cause unpleasant bodily reactions.

TARGET DIET

FIVE WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY

-Eat sensibility.

-Drink enough fluids.  

-Exercise regularly.

-Watch your weight.

-Get yourself checked periodically

-Laila and Asha

Todays youth and our traditions

               Coming up from its colonial past India today is one of the fastest growing nations in the world. After being dominated by the British for about 200 years the Indians especially urban people have developed a habit of copying the West. 

The problem is more widespread in cities and big towns.The people especially the youth are becoming more and more westernized.. Right from the way of their dressing till their attitude. This is because they are taken in by the glamour and Multi National companies.

The youth so often called as YOUNGISTAN has been neglecting its own very rich culture and traditions in order to adapt the Western ideas. They have their mindset that what the WEST is doing is right and one should follow it without hesitation. The youth of India does not perceive its identity as traditional  Indians any more. They think that their centuries old traditions are outdated and prevent modern development.They should learn from countries like Japan which is one of  the leading economies of the world and also one of the most advanced country in terms of modernization but it still follows and respects its old traditions and cultures.

In the end, I would like to  say BE WHAT YOU ARE and  not simply copy the WEST. Its high time that we realize that we need to foster and protect the  culture and heritage because without it India would no longer remain as INCREDIBLE INDIA.

Grade 1A singing in French

We found a moment in the library during our French lesson and recorded the song. Singing with no help from me :) our traditional Bonjour song. We are progressing nicely and kids enjoy the classes a lot. So do i.

Book release in grade 4

Children of grade 4 have had an exciting project as a part of the English class. They have written a book on their own! The day of the official book release has come and Mrs. Shetty was the guest of honor to release them by untying a pretty ribbon tied around the book. Not everyone was ready for the release but we had 5 shining writers who were. Sishir, Anoushka, Aryanvi, Mahati and Sahiti.

The rest will get a chance with the postponed release but I could clearly see it on their faces that they regretted not being done on time. Surely that was a valuable learning for them and in my opinion as long as kids feel they wish they did it on time, we are on a good way. The only thing we should fear would be indifference. I am sure everyone will now feel motivated to finish their books as soon as possible.

The children have picked their own topics, built their characters and have on average aimed for 3 chapters. The books ended up neatly decorated and over flowing with imagination of our enthusiastic authors. They will be placed in our school library for other children to enjoy their stories.

Elements of Magic by Anoushka

Space Ranger Jupiter by Mahati

A funny moment when release didn't go smoothly
because Aryanvi tied a knot to her ribbon :)

People are amazing!

Enjoy! (Click on the link)

Class picnic or team building?

We all value and understand the importance of a pleasant work environment and a great team of colleagues. These are definitely some of fundamental reasons for any employee to come to work happily. There are others of course but for everyone getting along with colleagues would certainly be high on the priority list.
I was thinking about how this applies to the classroom environment and realized it is probably not much different for kids. I think for most of them coming to school happily is because they are surrounded by their friends in a safe environment. They are a part of a peer group, a team of classmates and so much is going on socially in each team. It makes sense then to try to help them connect as a team in every possible way.

In this spirit of building a strong, happy team in grade 4 we decided to have our very own class picnic. A simple act but a brilliant opportunity for kids to interact on a whole different level, free to bond in their own way. I first thought i will plan all the games, activities, the treasure hunt - browsing for the best ideas for class picnics to make sure i don't miss anything out. Then it occurred to me that kids don't want another day of instructions, no matter how fun. They just wanted to be free of all that and hang out. So, I let them be.

We ended up having a lovely morning, playing games and sharing food. Everyone doing whatever they wanted in their own way, their own pace. Precious interactions that will definitely contribute towards us being a better, happier class. That is more then any class teacher can hope for.

Freedom: Where The Mind Is Without Fear

Freedom: Where The Mind Is Without Fear 

Where The Mind Is Without Fear by Rabindranath Tagore
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls… Contd below

The poem, Where The Mind Is Without Fear, by Rabindranath Tagore, was written before India’s independence and shared his vision of what a new, independent and awakened nation would be. The message of the poem is also applicable to our individual struggles for personal freedom and growth. When I read the poem today, it struck a chord and resonated deep inside; prompting loads of questions: As a writer/blogger, do you feel free to express all of your views? Do you feel stymied by public opinion or social decorum? Do you worry that your boss might be unhappy with your writings? Do you feel the weight of your family values and upbringing standing in the way? I ask these questions because there are times when I wonder why I changed my mind about a post or reluctantly avoided delving into an emotionally charged subject. I tell friends I don’t need the agida but I’m not sure that is the full story

 Posted by: Ms. Kaushki & Shelja

A Post Independence Thanksgiving

Lord, I Thank You.

I thank you….

For public servants, teachers, police officers who serve faithfully;

faithful even when we fail to thank them...

For those who never stop doing good work

just because no one expresses gratitude......

We thank You today for the brave people of our land;

those who are more interested in being right than in being popular.

We are thankful for our freedom - 

For the freedom to choose our religion;

For the freedom to choose our profession, trade, career...

For the freedom to travel from state to state

Without passing armed border guards;

For the freedom to write letters to the Editor,

To place an advertisement in the papers,

Or rent a hall to speak.

We thank You, Lord,

For our Human Rights - 

For the right to vote and elect men and women who pass the law of this land;

For the right to vote out of office those who prove unworthy of our trust.

I am thankful today for all the medical miracles we take for granted;

Insulin, oxygen, aspirin, eye glasses [!!!] :)

Pace makers, hearing aids, and artificial limbs.

Thank you for the doctors who save lives of people they have never seen

And whose name means nothing to them...

Thank you for the men and women of the Armed Forces

Who risk their lives guarding the country borders

So that we people may sleep peacefully..

Lord, 

I am thankful today..

For the beauty of the world that surrounds me....

The thousand greens and the refreshing waters....

For the tall trees that clap their hands in praise

And bow their branches prayerfully in the wind..and in the sun...

Amen.

Poem-e-Math

Study of quantity, structure and space,
of Shapes,motions and many other case
Mathematics uses abstract and mind
what else does it do, let us here find

Numbers form the base of this wonderous application
Counting gives a hand, to do numerous calculation
Shapes are the building blocks to understanding math
Maths is the "Queen of sciences"Carl Friedrich said

Arithematic play with numbers and perform many action
Division, multiplication,Addition, Subtraction
Other important concepts, objects and technique used
Includes Base and exponent,Radicals and Roots
Percent,Powers,Long division,prime and composite number
Simplifying,Prime factorization,Divisibility and divisor

Algebra applies arithmetic to variable expressions
Rewrite them simplifying and solve the equations
It also deals with functions depending on the querry
Use of graphs and feilds,as per the need, may vary.

The branch concerened with properties,relationships and
measurement of points,lines,angles,surfaces and solid
Is the prodigious part of maths- named geomerty
And to work with its sections, is such a frolic

Trigonometry is the measurement of figures with three angles
Relationship between the sides,lenghts,angles of triangles
Basic trigonometric functions-sin,cos,tan,cosec,sec,cot
Having the theta angle to give problems -the shot

Calculus comprises of several subfields of "real analysis"
Differential,Integral,Vector calculus and many other theisis
Many more feathers are there, to this brainstorming hat
Natural/Social sciences,medicine,engineering-all uses math

Mathematics word came from the greek word mathema-means to learn
For few it seems bamboozle, for some its a great fun

Triglav adventure

I climbed the highest mountain of Slovenia. I think it is nothing short of totally cool to climb the highest mountain of any country.  Needless to say I could never climb the Kanchenjunga with its impressive 8586 meters, so Indians have it tough but our highest mountain is Triglav and it rises up to 2864 meters making  it well in my reach. Yes, even if I am no longer in the best of shape because I still dare.

Triglav is not only our highest mountain which seems just  high enough to fit beautifully into our small country with a population that would not been able to even fill the shoes of Hyderabad. It is also an important symbol of Slovenia. To us, Triglav is at least as high as Kanchenjunga. You know, in our hearts.

Twelve years has passed since I last visited this beautiful summit. I clearly remember that I was practically running up back then. There was even a group of people that I was catching up fast with and they placed a bet on how old I am to be able to keep such a fast pace. I was fit as a fiddle and felt like a mountain goat on a mission. Almost everything was competition to me back then. Twelve years is a long time so this time around I had my doubts that I can even make it in one day. Most of the people do it as a two day trip breaking the climb in half thus making it quite comfortable. Some of the competitive spirit is still alive and kicking inside of me though so I didn’t want to settle for the average. I wanted to climb up and down in a day.

To be able to do so I had to rise early to make sure I have a long day ahead of me and no pressure about the pace. When the morning alarm rang at 3 am I couldn’t believe I was doing it. I jumped out of the bed already dressed for the climb. I swung my loaded backpack over my shoulder, grabbed the helmet, poles and the small head light and headed towards the lobby where my climbing shoes were awaiting for their first major hike. I stepped outside and there was nothing but stars above me. Enclosed by light gray-shaded mountains and a grand dark blue sky with millions of stars smack in the middle of it all.

 I turned on my head light and started walking. The head light limits what you see to nothing much, leaving a lot of room for imagination. I was terribly grateful for the fact that there are no predatory animals in these parts. No tigers here! I thought of India for a second. How happy I am to get a break from it. How unhappy that it offers so little in terms of a normal daily outdoor life. Most of the time is spent indoors and I am a total outdoorsy person. My focus gets back to the climb. I can’t see how steep the trail has become but I can feel it in my legs and my breathing. My body clearly revolting a bit as to say: “Who, for the love of god, is making me work so hard when I was supposed to rest and sleep?” Oh, well, dear body you better not let me down right now. I am counting on you to deliver. So quit complaining and just do your job. Yes, lots of internal dialogues were going on the first two hours as the climb was steep and night was dark and body not too happy with the situation. After two hours we reached our first check point of a kind. The trail split in 3 options and when I looked up at ours I saw this vertical wall and I became quite worried how on earth I am going to proceed. Mountains are funny sometimes. They tease you and test you. They don’t reveal the paths until you are right there and you can see it for yourself that it is doable and nothing to worry about.

So, not knowing and not seeing the path I was seriously worried. The clock showed 5 a.m. and the sunrise  painted the sky orangey red. Darkness was gone. My head lamp vent into my backpack and it was time for breakfasts except I couldn’t make myself even eat a morsel of anything. My stomach gave clear signs that it is not going to keep anything in and it dared me to try. “I’ll eat later,” I said to myself hoping I will feel better later on.

I hit the most technical part of the climb and gained a new perspective. All iz well (whistle, whistle, whistle). As if all my experience from long back kicked in I started to really enjoy the climb. It was all of a sudden no big deal. Even my stomach settled so I presumed I was just nervous before. Next two hours really went by extremely fast as I was very focused on climbing and grabbing good, solid grips – shaking every rock a bit to see that it won’t give in. My nerves back to calm self made my stomach rumble. I was hungry. Yay! I had a power bar and a plain yogurt. Somehow the sandwiches still didn’t appeal to my senses. Four hours passed and somehow the routine set in. We were half way to the top with no new surprises ahead of us. We have done the toughest part now we just have to endure more of it. Next 3 hours dragged. I was running out of water and got very excited when I saw first snow patches and heard water trickle silently somewhere beneath the snow. I found the source of the water sound and refilled my empty bottles. Ahhhh! Felt better instantly refreshed by the cold water tasting exactly like snow.

I knew we were nearing the summit and my spirits were high. Meeting other climbers and greeting them cheerfully. Everyone always asks: “Which direction did you come from?” Our answer impressed! Our direction is considered the most beautiful but also technically difficult.

I got a spring back to my legs and arms – since I was using all four most of the time – and I knew that only one more hour is left for me to reach the top. Admittedly, I had a thousands of  “Are we there yet?” questions that I kept suppressing but then I saw it. The gray Aljaz tower came to my sight. At last! After 8 hours of decent hiking and climbing we have reached the top! It was beautiful. Sunny. Peaceful. Vast. Impressive. I was not on the top of the world, but I was on the top of Slovenia that means a world to me.

On top of Triglav. Grey Aljaz tower stands there since 1895.

A vision of a Teacher

A VISION OF A TEACHER

A vision for a school can be most clearly developed by describing what teachers and students would actually be doing. Observation and experience show that one of the most important things that professionals do in high-performing organizations is learn from one another. Whether an organization’s focus is banking, engineering, or medicine, there are daily opportunities for dialogue with colleagues to empower them to identify, reflect, and experiment with ways to improve practice. Similarly, one attribute of an ideal school is the existence of a professional culture that supports teachers' continuous efforts to improve what is taught and how it is taught. As Hall and Hord (1987, preface) noted, "Change is a process and not an event"-that is, school improvement must be seen as continuous process.

Teachers develop and lead initiatives at school to integrate technology into the curriculum in new ways. The need for continuous improvement is based on the recognition that perfection will never be achieved-we will always be engaged in "work in progress."  Likewise, the best teachers are those who continuously observe, try out, and evaluate the effects of different instructional methods on student outcomes.

As good teachers recognize that textbooks are no substitute for identifying critical curricular goals, nor do current standardized tests offer an adequate basis for developing a coherent curriculum. The emergence of standards in the various content areas, however, has been a positive development, because they can help teachers identify critical student outcomes and develop appropriate assessment methods to measure them.

In the absence of establishing shared goals based on standards, new instructional methods will be baseless, and change-rather than improvement-will continue to be the norm.

The key to success requires that teachers should be encouraged to experiment with promising instructional methods as well as the responsibility to evaluate effectiveness.

D. Rama Madhav

Janmashtami @ Sancta Maria

Sancta Marians celebrated Janmashtami today. When this event was announced everyone was very excited and looked forward to the event. All the kids and members of staff participated on this occasion. Preparations were planned well in advance and executed to perfection.

Kids came in traditional attire and were enthusiastic about the celebration right from the morning. Dandia sticks were hand made by staff members in school. The kids also took part in a “Dahi Handi” breaking event. While the senior kids had to sweat a lot to break the handi the elementary kids took all of us by surprise when one of them broke the handi in the first minute itself. While some kids had a pout on their face due to the lost opportunity of  breaking the handi, they all forgot about it when the whole school started dancing to a medley of old Hindi songs in the greens. The era of the songs didn’t matter and everyone was swaying to the melodious tunes.

Posted by: Meena & Shailja

Best time of MY LIFE

When I read this i felt like sharing this article with you....here it goes

Best Time of My Life,

It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.

My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn't full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas's age, so I asked him, "What was the best time of your life?"

Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, "Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question:

"When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents, that was the best time of my life.

"When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.

"When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.

"When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.

"The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life.

"When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life.

"When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.

"And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life."

So friends enjoy life every moment and you will be contended always :-)

From

Shalini Suresh and Sarbjit

Reiki for children

REIKI for Children

Reiki is a complete system of natural healing. It is 100 percent pure, organic, natural and holistic. Reiki works with your whole being on all levels. It is the most primal and basic of healing available.

Everyone has the ability to perform Reiki healing and anyone can learn it. Reiki is ideal for children because in the process of learning Reiki, they learn about their bodies, their inner spirit, their personal power and their connection to the universal life force, which is universal love.

It is ideal for children because in the process of learning Reiki, they learn about their bodies, their inner spirit, their personal power and their connection to the universal life force, which is universal love.

The calming practice of Reiki promotes relaxation and confidence. Children are able unplug and get the time they need and deserve to tap into the Universal Life Energy. They enjoy their “me” time and hold on to the lasting effects. The gift of Reiki at a young age promotes a healthy way of living throughout their adult lives, helping them make better choices and create balance.

Benefits for Reiki Children and Teens:

* Less likely to show signs of excitability and depression
* Improves concentration improving test scores
* Enhances relaxation and sleep
* Calms and promotes balance
* Enhances self-awareness and self-esteem
* Helps with asthma

As adults, we are always looking for the perfect words to describe or explain something. Usually, we get quite longwinded just trying to get to the point. Children, on the other hand, have a simple explanation of life, if we would just learn to listen to them.

For example, explaining "Reiki" to some new inquiring person: I will go into "spiritually guided life force energy", "electromagnetic energy fields", "chakras and auras", "meridian lines", and even explanations on "negative psychic energy blocks". Sometimes that's just enough to get that bug-eyed, over-informed look on someone's face.

My son, Krishna has taught me just how easy it is to explain "Reiki". One evening after school, Krishna, then seven years old, had not been feeling well.  I decided to give him a Reiki session. After about 10 minutes of Reiki, I asked him if he felt the energy. Without a second of hesitation, a big smile came over his face and he said, "Oh yes Amma! I feel the Goodness!"

Children’s unwavering faith makes it easy for them to accept Reiki in their lives. My children always ask me for Reiki for everything that they feel is important or that needs healing. After I give Reiki they tell me it all is good!

-Madhu (Reiki Master) and Gowri

Is ICT a life skill??

Is ICT a life skill??

I started my classes this year by asking my learners what is ICT. I wanted to know what their perception of the subject is.

They were definitely surprised to learn that the subject encompasses several technologies that deal with processing of data and the communication with that processed data. The younger ones were concerned “Does that mean playing games in the lab or not?” while the older ones wondered aloud “Well, that definitely sounds like a lot of internet surfing “. These initial brainstorming sessions made me think too about the aim of ICT as a subject.

Swimming is a life skill that every child is encouraged to learn as it helps them stay fit and confident, to keep themselves and others safe in and around water and entertain/relax themselves in a pool. Not all learners who enter the pool become competitive swimmers but it makes swimming no less important and more so a life skill.

On the same terms, I thought ICT would aid the learners in their professional work, to know how to make their tasks easier and of course, help them relax when they want to switch off from their work.

So, I would say, for the generations now and ahead, ICT is a life skill. It helps them present their ideas, opinions and views in myriad ways. Every job, whichever profession that could belong to, requires them to collect, organize, present and store data and in various forms too (text, pictures, audios and videos). Being well versed with a word processor, possessing good presentation skills and excellent spreading capability are mandatory for any career, my learners choose. Understanding of how any programmed information system works, helps my learner harness its power.

Hmmmm…… Now, I understand my job fully and am enthused with fresh ideas, raring to go in teaching my learners this essential life skill that will make them work smarter rather than harder to achieve their goals and dreams.

Impact of ICT in teaching and learning

Learning Technology Research

The Role of the Teacher in the Use of ICT

Steve Wheeler

Keynote Speech delivered to the National Czech Teachers Conference
University of Western Bohemia, Czech Republic
May 20, 2000

---

Abstract

In this age of rapid change and uncertainty, there is one thing of which we can be certain - teachers will need to adapt to change if they are to survive and keep pace with new methods and technologies. Arguably the area of most rapid change is that of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). One of the questions being asked by many teachers is: What will be the long term impact of the introduction of these technologies into the classroom? Another question being raised is: What kind of skills will teachers need to acquire in order to be effective in an ICT based learning environment? This paper will address these two important questions by highlighting the experiences of teachers using ICT in the United Kingdom, and offering some further examples of established ICT teaching and learning applications in schools in the USA.

Introduction

A great deal of research and development has been conducted in order to bring Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to its current state of art. ICT was originally intended to serve as a means of improving efficiency in the educational process (Jones and Knezek, 1993). Furthermore, it has been shown that the use of ICT in education can help improve memory retention, increase motivation and generally deepen understanding (Dede, 1998). ICT can also be used to promote collaborative learning, including role playing, group problem solving activities and articulated projects (Forcheri and Molfino, 2000). Generally, ICT is promoting new approaches to working and learning, and new ways of interacting (Balacheff, 1993). Consequently, the introduction of ICT into UK and US schools has provoked a host of new questions about the evolving nature of pedagogy.
Whether or not changes in pedagogy are contingent on trends and innovations, is a moot point. The question that should be asked, however, is: What will be the long term impact of ICT on the teaching and learning process? It is well documented that ICT changes the nature of motivation to learn (Forcheri and Molfino, 2000). Another important question is: What kind of skills will teachers need to acquire in order to be effective in an ICT based learning environment?

Key Questions

There is currently great debate about how teachers should adapt current teaching skills and practice to accommodate the introduction of ICT. These changes are comprehensive, embracing teaching methodology, assessment of learning, student tracking, communication, and evaluation. The distributed nature of ICT learning, and the impact it creates on both learners and teachers are crucial issues. The concept of shared resources, and shared working spaces, and particularly the notion of collaborative learning may be particularly difficult for some teachers to accept. Most critically, the question of the extent to which teachers relinquish control and let learners drive their own learning may create the greatest barrier to the adoption of ICT in the classroom.

The UK Experience

In the UK, the government is encouraging schools to embrace ICT as a fundamental part of the fabric of the curriculum. In 1998-1999, the UK government's funding for ICT development in schools, known as the National Grid for Learning (NGfL) finally began to have an impact. The funding provided by NGfL has resulted in a growth of connections to the Internet in primary schools. In March 1998 only 17 per cent of primary schools in the UK had Internet access. By March 1999 this had increased to 62 per cent and in the same period there was also an increase of Internet connectivity in secondary schools from 83 to 93 per cent (DfEE, 2000: 18). Many secondary schools and an increasing number of primary schools are now developing websites and announcing their presence in cyberspace. The use of web pages to post school news and homework assignments is soon to become common practice, as is the submission of work via e-mail from the child's home to the teacher's mailbox. This culture is already well established in many Australian and American schools.
This, however is just the first step in introducing ICT into schools. It is expected that all British teachers will be offered training in the use of ICT by 2002, and the UK Government has committed to spending £230 million to drive this training initiative forward (DfEE, 2000: 18). British teachers are also being supported in the purchase of a personal home computer, with a further fund of £20 million being offered. Teachers can expect to purchase a computer and modem at approximately half the retail price for exclusive home use. Through these initiatives it is envisaged that many more teachers will be encouraged to explore the possibilities of ICT, and increase their confidence in the use of computers. It is possible that entirely new working practices will evolve, where teachers work in a more collaborative manner, both with colleagues and with children. Finally, schools in some pilot areas are being encouraged to work together in clusters using ICT as a communication method. This approach enables schools to collaborate, sharing teaching and learning materials, which can be made available cost effectively to larger distributions of children. This method of working will also enabled key staff to provide on the job training to their colleagues from a centralised resource base (DfEE, 2000: 19).

What ICT Brings to the Classroom

Many are predicting that ICT will bring about several benefits to the learner and the teacher. These include sharing of resources and learning environments as well as the promotion of collaborative learning and a general move towards greater learner autonomy. I shall briefly discuss each of these benefits in turn, offering some examples.

Shared learning resources. One of the most striking examples of ICT in action in American schools is the apposite use of video systems to transmit television programmes and information throughout an entire school and even between schools in the same district. In the Faribault Schools in Minnesota, this integrated approach to the regional sharing of learning resources is enabling elementary and senior schools to minimise expenditure by concentrating time and effort into creating centralised services. Students and teachers enjoy the facility to share information wherever they are in the school. Television monitors provide details of timetables, projects and assessment, mealtime menus and a host of other useful up-to-the-minute information. There are also regular play-outs of short films and videos created by children, and some schools can use several channels for broadcast purposes.

Shared learning spaces. Networked computing facilities create a distributed environment where learners can share work spaces, communicate with each other and their teachers in text form, and access a wide variety of resources from internal and external databases via web based systems through the Internet. In Broad Clyst Primary School in East Devon, pupils as young as 8 years old use networked software to communicate with each other and their teacher, whilst 10 year olds converse with 'pen pals' in other countries using e-mail. Using these shared systems, pupils develop transferable skills such as literary construction, keyboard techniques and written communication skills, whilst simultaneously acquiring knowledge of other cultures, languages and traditions. Furthermore, children are able to make links between internal thinking and external social interaction via the keyboard, to improve their social and intellectual developments in the best constructivist tradition (Vygotsky, 1962). Children are quickly mastering the ability to communicate effectively using these new technologies because the experience has been made enjoyable in an unthreatening environment, and there are immediate perceived and actual benefits.

The promotion of collaborative learning. Reil (2000) argues that much of what we now see as individual learning will change to become collaborative in nature. Reasoning and intellectual development is embedded in the familiar social situations of everyday life (Donaldson, 1978) so the social context of learning has a great deal of importance. Collaborative learning is therefore taking an increasing profile in the curricula of many schools, with ICT playing a central role. Schools in the UK are already starting to use discussion lists, and other forms of computer mediated communication (CMC) to promote collaboration in a variety of learning tasks and group projects.

The move towards autonomous learning. At the same time, computers - and the power they bring to the student to access, manipulate, modify, store and retrieve information - will promote greater autonomy in learning. Inevitably, the use of ICT in the classroom will change the role of the learner, enabling children to exert more choice over how they approach study, requiring less direction from teachers. Students will be able to direct their own studies to a greater extent, with the teacher acting as a guide or moderator rather than as a director (Forsyth, 1996: 31). This facilitation will take on many facets and will also radically change the nature of the role of the teacher as we currently understand it. Consider for example the students at a local Devon school who are able to use a software based music laboratory in their lunch hours to write, record and produce their own music CDs. Microphones and keyboards have been purchased to encourage the creativity the children are discovering within these self-driven extra curricular activities. Minimal teacher management is required.

Engineering the New Role of the Teacher

Teachers have been polarised in their acceptance of the new technologies. Whilst some have enthusiastically integrated computers, CMC and the Internet into the classroom, other have been cautious in their welcome, and some have simply rejected the technologies. There is a level of justifiable cynicism based on previous experience of computer based applications such as CAL. Ironically, some enthusiasts have inadvertently damaged the reputation of ICT by poor classroom practice - using the technology for the sake of its novelty value, or failing to think through the issues before implementing the technology (Littlejohn, et al, 1999).
With the inevitable proliferation of ICT in the classroom, the role of the teacher must change, and here are four key reasons why this must happen:

Firstly, the role of the teacher must change because ICT will cause certain teaching resources to become obsolete. For example, the use of overhead projectors and chalkboards may no longer be necessary if learners all have access to the same networked resource on which the teacher is presenting information. Furthermore, if students are distributed throughout several classrooms - which is becoming more common place - localised resources such as projectors and chalkboards become redundant and new electronic forms of distributed communication must be employed.

Secondly, ICT may also make some assessment methods redundant. Low level (factual) knowledge for example, has been traditionally tested by the use of multiple choice questions. In an ICT environment, on-line tests can easily be used which instantly provide the teacher with a wide range of information associated with the learner's score. Comparisons of previous scores and dates of assessment for example, will indicate a child's progress, and each student can be allocated an individual action plan data base stored in electronic format into which each successive test's results can be entered automatically.

Thirdly, the role of the teacher must change in the sense that it is no longer sufficient for teachers merely to impart content knowledge. It will however, be crucial for teachers to encourage critical thinking skills, promote information literacy, and nurture collaborative working practices to prepare children for a new world in which no job is guaranteed for life, and where people switch careers several times. One of the most ubiquitous forms of ICT - the Internet - gives access to an exponentially growing storehouse of information sources, almost unlimited networks of people and computers, and unprecedented learning and research opportunities. The Internet is a network of networks, providing opportunities for inquiry-based learning where teachers and students are able to access some of the world's largest information archives. Students and teachers are able to connect with each other, learn flexibly, and collaborate with others around the world. Generally speaking, geographical distance is no longer a barrier, and the age of the 'borderless' provision of education is upon us (THES, March 2000). Teaching strategies and resources can be shared through communication with other educators and may be integrated across the curriculum. The Internet provides a wealth of information to the extent that it is now impossible to comprehensively track the amount of information available. Unfortunately, misinformation and inaccuracies are similarly present in great numbers on the Internet so one of the new roles of the teacher within the electronic classroom will be to separate out quality information from misinformation. Identification, classification and authentication of electronic information sources will be critical new tasks for teachers.

Finally, teachers must begin to reappraise the methods by which they meet childrens' learning needs and match curricula to the requirements of human thought. The Internet can be an excellent way to adapt information to meet the characteristics of human information processing. Traditional methods of imparting knowledge, such as lectures, books and this conference paper, are characterised by a linear progression of information. Human minds are more adaptable than this, using non-linear strategies for problem solving, representation and the storage and retrieval of information (See for example Collins and Quillian, 1969; Collins and Loftus, 1975). Hypertext software enables teachers to provide their students with the non-linear means to match non-linear human thinking processes (Semenov, 2000: 29-30).
In order to put these new roles into context, I shall offer some case studies of actual ICT based learning environments in elementary schools in the US.

The US Experience

As has been previously detailed, schools in the United States are investing in centralised media systems that will enable information to be broadcast to many schools at one time. The Faribault system in Minnesota involves 6 schools linked with a common cabled computer and media network. Students and teachers can view monitors showing a comprehensive range of information from lunch-time menus to global news bulletins. Students write, produce and present their own television programmes that are broadcast on the network. These are autonomous, but guided activities, with teachers on hand to provide technical or organisational help if it is required. In Minneapolis, an entire year of 90 students on one externally funded project were each loaned a laptop computer. Flexible ways of working and learning were observed, as students came to terms with any-time any-place learning. Teachers monitored activities, facilitating rather than directing, in order to encourage the most creative uses of the mobile technology. During the entire project only one laptop computer was lost.
Networks of the new Apple MacIntosh iMac computers are also much in evidence in US schools, where children are instructed from the first grade (5 years) onwards. Large screen video projection facilities are used to guide the students, application sharing is used to take control of individual or grouped workstations to provide tutorials, and each student is given a personal e-mail address. Like their UK counterparts, American children as young as 7 years old are being encouraged to seek out, and maintain correspondence with overseas pen pals. Students as young as 5 years old are learning to use ICT as a regular resource to think and communicate, thereby enhancing the learning process. The role of the teacher here also, is to enable rather than to control learning activities.

Trends and Alternative Futures

So what of the future impact of information and communication technologies in the classroom? If it is difficult to predict future technological trends, it is almost impossible to forsee how these emerging technologies might be used in teaching and learning contexts. The following quotations bear witness to this problem:

'One day every town in America will have its own telephone'. (U.S. Mayor, 1880).

'Within the next decade the film will replace print'. (Thomas Edison, 1913).

'I forsee a world market for maybe 5 computers'. (Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943).*

'I predict a time when computers will weigh no more than one and a half tons'. (Popular Mechanics, 1949).*

'I forsee no reason for people to have a computer in their home'. (Ken Olson, President of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977).*
(* Quotes taken from Riel, 2000: 20-21)
One thing we can be certain of is that ICT technologies will inevitably proliferate, possibly to the point where they become personal technologies, in a similar fashion to the Sony Walkman or the mobile telephone. Indeed, the third generation of mobile telephones, due for release this year, will connect via low orbit Iridium satellites, and will have the capability not only to connect from anywhere on the planet, but also to receive high quality video and gain quick access to the Internet. These technologies will truly usher in the age of 'any time, any place' learning. Below are a few of the emerging ICT applications with appropriate web sites for further reference.
Wearable computer systems are already being beta-tested and several universities, (notably MIT in the United States) have established advanced research programmes to explore the many possibilities and applications, particularly in teaching and learning. The Internet, if bandwidth and costs will allow, will become even more ubiquitous than at present, providing vast, almost infinite quantities of learning material, stored around the world, and accessible direct into the classroom, workplace or home - in fact, anywhere. Worldboard systems will provide location specific information, working in conjunction with wearable wireless computer and communications technology. Tele-immersion through the use of virtual reality technology may eventually become a reality for some schools. In the United States, Xerox and other companies are racing to be the first to produce a usable form of digital paper. A booklet, with pages no more than twice as thick as a normal sheet of paper, will act as portable a series of wafer thin computer screens. The spine of the book acts as data storage, containing up to 100 medium sized text books, downloadable direct from the publisher via the Internet.
Wireless, seamless, anytime, anywhere communication is happening, and we must be prepared for the changes this will bring to our classrooms, as well as to our society in general. The impact on compulsory education from these technologies will be not be slow in coming.

Conclusion

Rapid changes in technology will ensure that ICT will proliferate in the classroom. It is predicted that there will be many benefits for both the learner and the teacher, including the promotion of shared working space and resources, better access to information, the promotion of collaborative learning and radical new ways of teaching and learning. ICT will also require a modification of the role of the teacher, who in addition to classroom teaching, will have other skills and responsibilities. Many will become specialists in the use of distributed learning techniques, the design and development of shared working spaces and resources, and virtual guides for students who use electronic media. Ultimately, the use of ICT will enhance the learning experiences for children, helping them to think and communicate creatively. ICT will also prepare our children for successful lives and careers in an increasingly technological world.