Teacher Readiness for Holistic Education - Co-scholastic learning

TEACHER READINESS FOR HOLISTIC EDUCATION

Saumil Majmudar
CEO and Co-Founder, EduSports B.Tech-IIT Bombay (1993) PGDM- IIM Bangalore (1995)
saumil@edusports.in

CHANGING ROLE OF TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS
With education boards and parents stressing the need to educate children holistically and integrate the co-scholastic areas into the curriculum and make them inclusive, schools have started partnering with service providers (e.g. EduSports for sports/PE, School Cinema for life skills etc.) to tap into their expertise in the different co-scholastic areas. In addition to facilitating learning inside the classroom, teachers have been drafted into new roles that require managing these programmes and ensuring their successful implementation. Schools now expect teachers to work as strong individuals, who make decisions and cope with the stress of doing multiple-tasks. At the same time teachers are expected to be able to be experts in these areas, work in teams, guide colleagues and parents, liaison with different service providers to ensure the programme objectives are met and the school gets maximum value from these partnerships.
CHALLENGES FACED BY TEACHERS WITH THEIR CHANGING ROLES
The changing roles inside and outside of classrooms bring with them newer challenges for the teachers. The key challenges faced by teachers across different learning areas (scholastic & co-scholastic areas) can be broadly summarized as:
a. Staying ahead of the curve (use of new media, curriculum and assessment tools)
b. Making learning truly inclusive (catering to every child’s needs)
c. Enabling participative learning
d. Managing relationships (parents, other teachers, service providers)
e. Project management & multi-tasking
f. Programme monitoring & tracking


ENSURING TEACHER READINESS FOR HOLISTIC EDUCATION- FRAMEWORK
Finding answers to a few key questions before implementing any programme takes the help of teachers is the best way to ensure the programme objectives are met. The key questions are:
1. What will motivate the teachers to implement the programme in your school?
2. How usable are the tools provided to the teachers? What exactly is expected of the teachers over the course of the engagement?
3. How will the system of execution/feedback sustain itself over the long run?
4. How will the interventions be effective, yet at the same time, cause minimal disruption to the existing systems in the school? How frequent are the interventions?
5. How will different stakeholders be connected effectively?
The framework below could serve as guidance for school leaders to enable teachers with the right programme/tools/processes to go beyond their role as instructors and successfully run different programmes in the school in partnership with other teachers or external service providers.




ENSURING TEACHER READINESS FOR SPORTS/PE- THE EDUSPORTS WAY
The framework presented in the previous section is based on EduSports’ learnings of enabling over 4000 teachers across 160+ schools to run/support/monitor an inclusive and structured PE programme. The programme with the vision of ‘Developing a Healthier School’ has been fairly successful in improving the health of all the stakeholders and creating champions out of children.

The learnings from the tools/processes used to enable the teachers in these EduSports partner schools are replicable across other co-scholastic areas of learning and perfect fit into school contexts that require teachers to play the role of facilitators/internal champions for a programme provided by an external service provider.

ENSURING TEACHER READINESS FOR SPORTS/PE- KEY LEARNINGS
In this journey of enabling over 4000 teachers across 160+ schools to run/support/manage a structured sports/PE programme in their schools, EduSports has had the opportunity of learning with the schools on ways to continuously improve the programme effectiveness and in this context, ways to enable teachers better. In this section, we share some of the key learnings.
1. Mapping on to systems/processes that the teachers are comfortable with is critical to ensure seamless adoption of the programme
2. Inclusion- The key to ensure the programme gets the right importance/support
3. It is important to get the configuration right for each & every school
4. The tools used have to be intuitive and must directly link to programme objectives to work
5. Well begun in not half done
6. One time interventions are not sufficient

FEEDBACK AND RESULTS
Over the last 2 years, EduSports has been successful in enabling over 4000 teachers across 160+ schools with the tools and processes needed to ensure an inclusive and structured PE programme is executed. The fact that schools have seen a significant improvement in skill & fitness levels as well as enthusiasm levels of children towards sports & physical activity over the last 2 years is a testimony of the fact that the programme and more specifically the tools used to run the programme have been effective. The reactions from a teacher at the Zee School, South Bangalore perfectly sums up the story- “The teacher associated with Edu Sports makes us own lesson plans and he teaches us how to execute them and even tries to integrate values such as applauding when a core participant wins, saying a thank you, apologizing, all these concepts which are very difficult to be brought into a small child as young as a child in first standard in the classroom is very easily taught to them in the form of an hour of EduSports”.

Parents: Caution! - The New Sports Headlines – and What should you do about it?

Parents: Caution! - The New Sports Headlines – and What should you do about it?

Match Fixing.

Corruption

Doping

Some more corruption

These are the Sports Headlines nowadays.

Clearly, things have changed now.

But as a parent, why should you care?

Here’s why: When your child browses through the newspapers, what is he learning about the world?

Take a look at the Headlines of the Main Page. Find any news that makes you feel good? More corruption, more misuse of power, more poor performance by civic bodies – and more bad news….

There was a time – not too long ago – when Sports Headlines used to be about Victory, Sporting Spirit, Tough Luck, Good Losers……..the Agony and the Ecstacy of the Magic of Sport!

When a child read those headlines, they inspired the child to try harder on the field. The images of the sports heroes – the real heroes – and the story of their backgrounds made every child feel “Hey! If he can do it, so can I!”

Even if the main page headlines were depressing, the Sports headlines provided a great source of positive information for our children. And many children first turn to the sports page.

Are today’s sports headlines a reflection of the state of sport today? Maybe. Maybe not. But it really does not matter. As a parent, I am extremely concerned that nothing in today’s newspapers makes me feel good about the world around me. And now, the last source of positive information – the Sports page – has also dried up.

Here is why every parent should be concerned:

- With reducing opportunities to experience sport, children today are not able to experience the ups and downs that are part of any game. If our children are not playing enough, they are therefore not experiencing “failure” enough. The ability to be a good loser only comes with the experience of playing often enough and knowing that it is a game – and someone had to win, someone had to lose. We run the risk of creating a generation of bad losers unless as parents and responsible adults, we don’t intervene and provide more opportunities to play for our children.

- Since children are not playing enough, they are building their versions of sport through the media they consume. After the FIFA Football World Cup 2010 in South Africa, a lot of small kids (including my 4 year old) started diving and falling after every few minutes of running around with the ball. For them, that’s what football was about. All children knew what a Red card was – and that players tend to get very rough during the game. Yes, it is all a part of the game – but is that what you want your 5 year old to learn about football? Or would you rather help him experience the magic of teamwork, the joy of scoring a goal after combining beautifully with your team-mate, the happiness in having just a good game with his buddies?

- Sports Heroes are the real heroes. They have *really* done something most of us cannot do. They have made sacrifices to reach where they are today; they work very hard on their skills every day; they focus, they practice, they learn from their mistakes, they know how to deal with failure; how to bounce back etc etc. Stuff that all parents want their child to know. If the child is reading about how the sports heroes are fixing games and doping, what will the child take away?

So, what should a parent do?

1. Explain the context of the Headlines and in Sports. Help her understand that the bad news is only a small part of the overall sports world – and that there is a lot of good stuff happening! Point out the great skill, the great teamwork, the great enthusiasm that is on display.

2. Get the child to experience the positive side of sport by encouraging more play in a competitive but fun manner.

3. Explain to a child how the Sports heroes became heroes. Where did they grow up? Where did they play? How did they find the money to pursue their dream? How many times did they lose out before making the cut? There is enough literature available on just about every athlete in the world. Now, that’s an interesting story to tell!

Sports offers a fantastic source of positive energy and information for our children. Parents need to tap into it and present the magic of sport to the child.

India's First School Health Survey

INDIA’s FIRST SCHOOL HEALTH SURVEY

This shares the results of India’s first ever school health assessment conducted by EduSports in 2009-2010. The findings are aimed at creating awareness amongst parents/ schools/ doctors about the state of health amongst children in the age group of 5 to 14 years.

KEY FINDINGS

• Problems of obesity and over-weight manifest themselves more prominently from an age of 8 and upwards.
• 25% of children above 8 years are obese/over-weight compared to 19% in the ages of 7 and below
• There is very little difference in the health levels of children across genders.
• Girls across age-groups tend to be slightly healthier (Normal BMI) compared to the boys in the similar age-groups. (~5% difference)
• There is no significant difference in the health levels of children between metros and non-metros.
• 54% of children in metros with the right BMI vs. 57% in the non-metros

ACTION STEPS/WATCHOUTS

It is essential:

1. To monitor if children lead ‘physically active lives’ (enough time to play, right physical activity) as they grow older to ensure they do not turn out to be obese/ over weight? (Esp. ages 8 and above)

2. To ensure children across genders and town-classes get access to the ‘Right level and type of Physical Activities’ to lead healthy lives. Hence, it is critical to understand that problems of obesity/over-weight are not metro/region/gender specific.

METHODOLOGY

The health assessment was conducted in 2009-2010 across 21 EduSports partner schools in 15 cities. It involved a cross sectional study (a single assessment of the sample) across 4098 children (2200 boys and 1898 girls) in the age group of 5 to 14 years. The different metrics measured include Body Mass Index, aerobic & anaerobic capacities, muscle strength, endurance and flexibility measurements.

DETAILS

1. BMI Data (Sample of 4098 children in EduSports partner schools)

2. List of Cities where the study was conducted- Bangalore, Chennai, NCR (Noida, Gurgaon), Lucknow, Indore, Raipur, Madurai, Coimbatore, Mohali, Baroda, Amritsar, Panipat, Moga, Mangalore

Football and Our New Identity!

During the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, I had the privilege of spending an entire month in Europe – travelling to various cities in Germany watching games LIVE as well as on giant screens with thousands of other fans.

Before the World Cup started, I recall having a 10 minute “discussion” with a French fan on the train to Berlin. Just that he did not speak English and I did not speak French – but we discussed the best players, the top teams and he was sure France will win!

During the Brazil-Croatia game, I was in the stadium wearing a Brazil shirt – and a bunch of Croats sitting behind me asked me if I had come from Brazil. They were surprised to know I was from India – and then even more curious to know why I was supporting Brazil. “Why don’t you support Croatia?” asked one of them and handed me a Croat scarf (I still have it at home) and a Croat noise-making balloon.

Back then, I did not have an answer for this Croat friend of mine. I still don’t. I also found it amazing to have a conversation with a French guy without knowing French. But after watching the current excitement, clearly there is something in the magic of sport that is able to make level-headed individuals do all kinds of crazy things to support a country that has *NO* connection with their own country.

Now, the 2010 FIFA World Cup – “The Biggest Show on Earth” is ON. Some fantastic games. Some not so fantastic. But there is a constant buzz in the air (almost like the vuvuzela’s buzz in the stadium) about what’s going to happen; how the Group of Death will pan out; how Spain will not choke this time and how Germans are looking ominous.

Most of these football fanatics are male. So, clearly the FIFA 2010 World Cup is not like IPL – that had the lady of the house also following the action (or was she following SRK?)

Boys - ageing from 7 years to 75 – are glued to the TV, staying up late at night, watching some great football and rooting for their teams.

Hold on! “Their” teams? These are not Football Clubs that are playing. Clubs that make their money by having more fans across the world – and selling them merchandise. These are not IPL teams that claim to represent your city or region. These are countries competing for the biggest prize of them all – and India is NOT playing (in case you had not noticed).

Why are millions of Indians rooting for Brazil? For Argentina? For Spain? For any African team?

Some say it is because of the quality of football they play. Some say it is because of the spirit they play with. Some say they are supporting the underdog.

Whatever the reason, it is interesting that we are able to completely identify with another country’s national team and support it as passionately as we would support our own.

You know what? Sometimes, reasons are not important. The fact is that this “new identity” thing happens. It is real. You can see it all around you.

If Sports has the power to give so many of us a new identity, create so much of positive energy and enthusiasm, help break barriers (notice how easy it is to talk to another guy who is also watching football?), shouldn’t we have more of it?

For the next generation, shouldn’t we “hand down” this joy, this euphoric feeling that sports gives us?

Shouldn’t we find ways to get our kids to experience the magic of sport as well?

Play? Really?

Play: Scientific Experiments conducted by Children

SPORTS FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN

Parents, the world over, are getting increasingly concerned over their child’s health & fitness. Society is seeing an increasing level of child obesity and therefore associated physical and psychological ailments.

Developing healthy & fit children should start with understanding what a child’s body and mind is “designed” for. A lot of health & fitness programs start with the adult context – and thereby miss out on the key elements that will work with children. E.g. Kids should not be going to gyms. Their bodies are not designed for such highly structured, repetitive activites as well as weights. Kids should not diet. While there is a certain balance necessary for any person, diet as a means of weight control for children is inappropriate given that the child’s body is developing.

Children are designed to play. Period. And this is how nature ensures that children stay healthy & fit!

From the time they are born, children learn through play.

Through play, children learn about the world around them, they learn about their own body, learn how to interact with others; learn what gets them a pat on the back and what gets them a scolding. Play helps children understand how various aspects of the world around them work and interact.

From a child’s physiological development perspective, at an early age, exposure to multiple physical activities is key as a child’s body is developing and different “games” help different parts of the body.

Also, from a psychological perspective, different activities expose the child to different aspects of teamwork, leadership, goal setting, dealing with failure etc.

While it is important to ensure that children get opportunities to play, it is also key to ensure that they enjoy the experience . The only reason children play is to have fun. They do not play for health & fitness. Nor do they play because it will help them become better leaders!

If they have fun, they will continue to seek out physical activity for life – and thereby stay healthy & fit.

So, how can we ensure that they are having fun? Some of the key elements are:

1) Age-appropriate Play Spaces: In addition to child safety, the area that the child plays in should be appropriate to the child’s age and skill level. Getting a small child to play in a large stadium can unnerve the child. Similarly, if the child is playing basketball, ensure that the height of the post is adjusted to a level where the child can realistically score a few baskets – and therefore enjoy the experience.

2) Age-appropriate play equipment: For each age, there is a certain level to which a child can manage a particular equipment. In the basketball example, taking an adult level basketball for small kids will ruin their technique for life. Children will start throwing the basketball like a shotput!

3) Inclusion: The activity should ensure that all the children are included - and is not designed for those children who already have a sporting ability. This ensures that all children stay interested in the playing experience – and don’t switch off from sports.

4) Introduction to fundamental skills: It is important that some time is spent on ensuring that children learn the fundamentals before engaging in game-play. In the absence of the foundation, the “sporty” kids will outperform the rest – and the remaining kids will not enjoy the experience.

So, next time, you find your child not getting excited about physical activity and sports, do take a moment and analyse the nature of the experience you have provided the child. Ask yourself if you would stay committed to playing regularly given the nature of the experience. There might be some simple, yet startling answers there!

Future of Sports for Kids?

What is the future of Sports for Kids?

Is it never going to be the way it was when we grew : lush, green outfields. Lots of open space. Multiple games going around, kids making up rules as they go etc etc.

In India: It does seem like this is increasingly another of our so-called "glorious past"! Given the changing urban landscape, haphazard planning and lack of focus on kids, play spaces are disappearing.

But thats not the point of this post. Given the change, what does it mean for our kids - and what will the future be? Tempting to write: "Que sera sera" - but for all the reasons that most of us know (and some listed in earlier posts), it is important to pay attention to this.

If we assume space (or a lot of it) is not going to be easily available, do we let kids just stop playing? One way of measuring value of something is to imagine life without it! Are you ok with your kids not playing from this point onwards?
Most people vigorously reject the idea.
If that is true, and we dont have spaces, what do we do to ensure that kids still get the health and fitness - as well as the social skills that they learn *only* through mediums like sport. Not in their classroom.

Is it time to think through a radical redesign of apartment complexes - such that there are multiple configurable playspaces?

Is it time to design a "magic box" that converts your kids bedroom into an activity zone?

Or will the future be played in front of the television through Wii? Maybe.

Dont know the answer - but clearly, there is a problem to be solved - and hence an opportunity!

Where do the children play?

When we started SportzVillage back in 2003 - trying to get more kids to play, i had the good fortune of meeting a very evolved IAS officer. Someone who connected immediately on the need for kids to play - and said my conversation with him reminded him of a song by Cat Stevens: "Where do the children play?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjdVOfnYkyA

Well I think it's fine, building jumbo planes.
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train.
Switch on summer from a slot machine.
Yes, get what you want to if you want, 'cause you can get anything.
I know we've come a long way, We're changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Well you roll on roads over fresh green grass.
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas.
And you make them long, and you make them tough.
But they just go on and on, and it seems that you can't get off.
Oh, I know we've come a long way, We're changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Well you've cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air.
But will you keep on building higher 'til there's no more room up there?
Will you make us laugh, will you make us cry?
Will you tell us when to live, will you tell us when to die?
I know we've come a long way, We're changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?
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Makes you think, doesn't it?