It has been soooooo long since I signed in.....but you see I had gone to Rajpur, Gujarat to conduct...facilitate...participate...[ in] a drama camp. I will soon write about it. But At this moment I have some thoughts to share....

“If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.”

(Carl G Jung, 1875-1961, Swiss psychiatrist and humanist)

Never Doubt

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.-Margaret Mead

Have you thought of why we use the quote written above ?!

Each component of Margaret Mead’s compelling formula for changing the world is an essential element.

Her direct to “never doubt” tells skeptics that they are wrong – you really can change the world – and it also emphasizes the transformative power that belief plays for those who have successfully wanted to change the world.

History has demonstrated that small teams of thoughtful committed people have achieved extraordinary things. The Civil Rights Movement began as a series of small groups carrying out small actions, such as sitting down at a segregated lunch counter. India’s historic independence from Great Britain began as a series of small strategic actions from a dedicated few. Habitat for Humanity began with a few people building houses for the poor in a small town in Georgia and has since built more than 175,000 houses in countries around the world.

A “small group” give emphasis to the remarkable power of teamwork to transform, to inspire, and to succeed. Teams can accomplish amazing and seemingly impossible things because they have the ability to generate new energies. Just as the whole is greater than the sum of its parts because the whole includes the connections between each part, high achieving teams generate more energy, will, passion, and ideas than the sum of what their individual members alone could muster.

To be successful, a team must also be “thoughtful,” constantly generating strategies, tactics, and analyses for success.

Nevertheless the critical component for success is “commitment.” Those who succeed in world-changing activities have an unwavering, passionate, almost irrational commitment to their cause. Any of us can choose to use this formula, to find a cause we are passionately committed to, to recruit a team as passionate as ourselves, to generate ideas and strategies, and to stay the course, to be committed, fundamentally committed, until success is achieved.

Reflect on what is your commitment? What are you doing to achieve it? Are you really really trying?

Hi ,I am sharing this 'action research template' with all my teachers in Gujarat ..especially those involved with me in Making -magic in Gujarat. It is drawn by Jack Whitehead... all who have followed my teacher-training sessions have heard about Jack and his work... I am also including some links for teachers who want to use this template but do not exactly what is expected....Jack in his mail had included some action plans carried out by himself , Sonia, Marie ..etc...I would suggest try it out... and write back and tell me how and what you think...this is a way as Jack says... 'to share your commitment to improve your practice...' And as I have said repeatedly ...to improve as a teacher we cannot wait for GCERT , SSA ... the heads.. the bureaucrats...politicians..ministers...so on and so forth...to help us. WE HAVE TO GET UP AND DO SOMETHING for ourselves and our students... http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/soniahutchisonarplanning.pdf Marie Huxtable http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/mariehuxtablearplanning.pdf Andrew Henon http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/andrewhenonarplanning.pdf Joan Walton http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/joanwaltonarplanning.pdf Nigel Harrisson http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/nigelharrissonarplanning.pdf Christine Jones http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/chrisjonesarplanning.pdf Jack Whitehead http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/jackwhiteheadarplanning.pdf Action Planning Template http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/actionplanning/arplannertemplate.doc

Framework and rationale for research

Issue / Question	Response
What really matters to me? What do I care passionately about? What kind of difference do I want to make in the world?
What are my values and why?
What is my concern?
Why am I concerned?
What kind of experiences can I describe to show the reasons for my concerns?
What can I do about it?
What will I do about it?
How do I evaluate the educational influences of my actions?
How do I demonstrate the validity of the account of my educational influence in learning?
How do I modify my concerns, ideas and actions in the light of my evaluation?

greetings

Dearest Friends,

Wishing you the best...

Swaroop Rawal

Check out this link....

http://www.afternoondc.in/city-news/in-a-nutshell/article_11391

Hello everyone,

Check out this site for some info on my book...learning disabilities in a nutshell

www.dkagencies.com/doc/from/1063/to/1123/bkId/.../details.html

Paresh and me with our sons Anirudha and Aditya..

reading from the book

Book Launch..with Paresh, Ms. Vimla Patil, and Satish Shah

Different ways to Walk

Different ways to Walk

There are many different ways to walk. In the lesson generally introduce them one at a time, with time for discussion in between. I would prefer to introduce them over a period of time ....Go slowly do not be in a rush... As the students walk coach …."Do not stop! Keep walking!....." Coach them through each of these changes. ....."Now let us walk as low…. as short as we can! Try and reach ground level. …and still walk… no crawling !!!.. Now walk heavy..like an elephant ..stomp each foot.."

• Change the dimension/ size of the movement. A movement can be made wider or narrower, higher or lower, deeper or shallower. One can make the walk wider or narrower by widening or narrowing the stance and swinging the arms further away or closer to the body. Once can make the walk higher or lower by walking on tiptoe or slouching. One can make the walk deeper by taking larger steps or swinging the arms further forward and back.

· Change the tempo/ rhythm of the movement. A movement can be made slower or faster.

· Change the power of the movement. Demonstrate by walking how a movement can be light or heavy. An angry person may walk heavily; a happy child may move lightly.

· Change the direction of the movement. A movement can be direct-... to a specific point without going off the path-... indirect- like wandering without any particular place in mind.

· Change the tension/force of the movement. The muscles can be loose and relaxed or tense and tight.

· Change the focus of the movement. It is easy for students to understand and really helps with emotional work. Focus is basically the direction of the gaze, with usually a matching bend of the body. Imagine the difference between a sad child walking about staring at the floor and a confident or happy child walking about with his chin up.

Result and Analysis - Phase II Programme Evaluation

1	Program content	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
2	Chief Tutor’s knowledge	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
3	Chief Tutor’s delivery	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
4	Tutor’s knowledge	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
5	Tutor’s delivery	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
6	Effectiveness of instructional methods	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
7	Overall quality of the program	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
8	Was opportunity given to ask questions	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
9	Opportunity for hands-on learning	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
10	Classroom environment helpful to learning	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
11	Did you enjoy the training	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
12	Did you consider the training relevant	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
13	Did you consider the time length of the program sufficient	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
14	Was it a good use of your time	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
15	Ease and comfort of experience	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
16	Is there change in you in the direction or area that was intended in the training	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
17	Was there noticeable and measurable change in the activity and performance when you went back to your classroom	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
18	Perceived practicality and potential for applying the learning in your classroom	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
19	Can you use the relevant skills and knowledge in the classroom	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
20	Could you apply the change in personal life	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
21	Do you think the change in behaviour and new level of knowledge will be sustainable	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion
22	Will you be able to transfer your learning to another person	1	2	3	4	5	No Opinion

The average of the total programme is 98 marks

The total points being 110 marks

Thus the programme receives an average 4.5 marks

Putting it at nearly excellent

Some answers to the Participants---

Question
9	6 of the 60 participants felt that there was average opportunity for hands-on learning. This is really surprising as a huge 50% of the programme was formatted as a practical lesson. I believe more than 50% hands-on learning is not possible as there has to be at least 50% time spent for lecture and dialogue.
12	5 of the 60 participants gave this point 3 marks and 21 participants 4 . Bringing the average to 4. This is very surprising as ONLY Life Skills education using drama was ever discussed and taught in all the sessions. So the question of giving average marks -3 is not applicable.
13	Considering time length. This is the only point that has received 3 -1/ poor mark and 3 -2 marks and 8 -3 marks suggesting the participants would like this programme to go on for longer.
15	There were 3 participants who felt unease- English. Understanding their problem all the other tutors spoke only in Gujarati.
	The rest of the questions have very personal answers and no explanation can be given for them.

The following are some suggestions given by the participants

Suggestions

• The participants would like a lengthier programme with reference to days and time as they feel 10 days are not enough to cover the topics of a life skills programme. Moreover, life skills are taught using drama, hence the participants had to additionally learn how to use drama-in-education. All in all 5 weekends / 10 days is too short for such a demanding, intensive and profound course.
• The participants feel the need to get together at least twice a year to re-cap and up-date learning and knowledge.
• The time duration between two sessions should be longer like maybe two months. This is to ensure that the participants can carry out the new learning in their schools.

• Medium of teaching should only be Gujarati or Hindi. The participants experience difficulty in understanding ‘research language English’.
• The participants feel the need for written material and notes of the lecture contents and games.
• The participants would like to learn more drama/ theatre games.
• The participants are keen to learn additional life skills not covered in Phase II, for example problem solving, critical thinking, creative thinking and decision making. They would like to gain deeper knowledge of the subject- ‘understanding self’

Feedback

• The participants ‘love’ [sic] this training because it is different from others.
• The participants appreciated the unique method of teaching feel fortunate to have attended this course.
• The participants learned a lot about themselves. They gained a great deal of self confidence in themselves and have become more confident in their personal and professional life.
• The participants observed a remarkable change in their students after they have taught them the lessons learned in this workshop. The participants also perceived a change in teacher behaviour.
• The participants have noticed a change in the relationship between the teacher and the students.
• Teachers acquired a new definition of the teaching profession.
• The participants feel this work shop can make a big change in the whole education system in our country.
• This training has built a fantastic bond and an incredible relation between all the trainees and the trainers.
• The experience from this programme has proved to be a life enriching experience for participants. The participants are eager to continue this programme for life time. They believe that this programme should be a life-long learning experience.
• The participants felt they have attended something worth while at last. They believe they were fortunate to have attended this course as they thought that the programme was very effective and inspiring. The participants felt that the tutors’ conviction about issues like role of the teacher in the students’ life and meaning of work in the teachers’ life, commitment and loyalty to one’s profession as a teacher and maintaining standards of ethics gave them a new sense of direction and achievement. Most participants had no hesitation to say this is the best program they have so far attended. Furthermore, following this training the participants feel proud of the fact that they are teachers. Additionally, the participants have now got the perfect idea what a teacher should do in the classroom