From November 12 to 14, 2018, a three-day Teacher Education Camp on “Innovative Pedagogical Interventions & Creative Teaching Aptitude” was held at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Lawspet, in Puducherry for In-service Teachers working with the Directorate of School Education (DSE), Puducherry. Participants underwent a transcendental journey via this camp on creative learning approach to Integral Education. The programme, in which 30 teachers participated, was developed by Theatre Arts in Education practitioner Ravi Shankar and was facilitated, along with Education Enthusiasts Kiran and Hrishikesh, as an additional part of Sri Aurobindo Society’s transformative initiatives started as Rupantar.
The camp provided all the participants a wider perspective on the aspects of Education and its role in the times we live in today. Participants enjoyed experiencing the process of creative teaching through project works based on theatre and visual arts. The entire process sensitized them towards their role as compassionate and creative teachers and elevated them to the summit of their consciousness. The process of exploring the contextual and creative approach to integrated learning processes connected them to their inner realm of unitive qualities. Finally, the programme culminated with deeper reflection, which resulted in chalking out their plan of action in regard to using all the innovative practices explored during these three days, to foster the integral development of the students. With the vibrations of renewed enthusiasm, joy and perspectives, they celebrated their valediction.
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This activity-oriented Pedagogical Interventions will help me as a teacher to fulfil our children’s needs in today's life situation. This makes learning an enjoyable thing. This programme helped me understand the ways of interrelating different subjects to bring out the expected learning outcomes. ELOs can be attained easily through drama. – A Kayathri – K.T. Kuppampet
It was a quite interesting, innovative and very creative. We all felt like little kids for three days; thought and played like school kids. Play way methods, theatre, discussions, self-learning, team work, activity-based learning, freedom, fear free classrooms make these pedagogical interventions very relevant to teaching learning processes. – P. Visakan – G. P. S. Gopalankadai
It is a nice training programme with lots of inputs. I would say this was a psychological training. Many aspects I learnt personally irrespective of many bottlenecks faced during the training session. Thank you for letting me discover the talent inside me. Culture and relationships were given importance in this programme. – M. Karthick – G.P.S. Chinnalcalapet, Zone 1
It felt good to experience many fresh ideas and new things in order to engage our pupils in classroom situations. All credit goes to these three days’ camp. I felt and dreamt the second day at my home about doing this in my school. – Karthigueyane. R. – G. P. S, Arunthathipuram
Yes! This programme will really bring about a change in our education system. These Pedagogical Interventions will stimulate the whole being of the child. – S. Vasanths –G. P. S, Alankyppam
This programme offers a very easy way and learning outcomes can be fulfilled. I am very happy to know this type of Pedagogical Interventions. I wish, each and every teacher should attend this training programme to upgrade their teaching methods. – S. Pachaiyappan - G.P.S. Kaduvanur Zone -4 Villianur
It is very useful for our education system. I have experienced new ideas for teaching with enjoyment and happiness. It covered all the areas during the session. Tamil, English, Maths, EVS. It is possible to attain all the learning outcomes through this methodology. – P. Sinnarasu – G.P.S. Anandhapuram
Nowadays kids are not allowed to engage in enough physical work and thinking process. They are like machines following elders of their surroundings. This type of activities and freedom will bring out the liveliness, childhood, interests, happiness. – J. Suguna – G.P.S. Kalithalkuppam
In each activity, we can meet three or more expected learning outcomes. That was the best part of this training. – J. Tharani – G. P. S. Agaram Zone-5
This is a very powerful training programme for our education system. – D. Girija – G. P. S. Ellapillaichavady
It helped me to break some barriers inside me. It involves all subjects. I learnt, how to creatively stimulate children’ emotions. – J. Tracy Veronica – G. P. S. Kurusulcuppam
This training was so good. Ideas and discussions are very clear. Learning was done without burden. More applicable ideas were given. It is more relevant to our education system . . . all kinds of children will be able to learn through this method without fear. This training programme will help to cover expected training outcomes in children. – R. Vasantha – G.P.S. Chettipet.
This programme showed us how we can easily connect a concept of one subject with other subjects. It helped us to attain learning outcomes with a single concept. This programme also teaches us how to use discarded materials usefully. – P. Padhamanaban – G.P.S. Embalam
We experienced how to work beyond our boundaries. Also got more positive energy and stimulation to have more activities in our classroom. We may interpret and incorporate the expected learning outcomes with the activities like role play, drama and so on. Through this, we may attain the ELOs. – M. Myvizhi - G.P.S. Ariyur Zone 5