Strategy change in Asha Fellow Ravi Aluganti’s program

 

Introduction

 

Ravi Aluganti has been an Asha Fellow for the last 3 years. He works in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh. His main objective is to make learning a child-centered activity rather than a teacher-directed one. Towards this end, he has created many teaching aids and associated methods of teaching which he implements in the 15 primary schools participating in his program. This proposal describes the changed strategy he proposes to adopt to improve the impact in this field.

 

The objectives and principles guiding Ravi Aluganti’s work are:

 

 

Current Program

 

Keeping the above objectives/considerations in mind, Ravi Aluganti has been developing activities for children of classes 1 to 5 so that. The activities that are being developed in the following areas, but subjects are taught in an integrated manner wherever possible - (a) Language Learning, (b)  Mathematics (c)  Environmental studies and (d)  Art and Craft.

 

Currently there are 15(fifteen) primary schools in the villages around Madanapalle On every working day, Ravi  goes to two schools and spends half a day in each school getting the children to do the above activities. Sometimes the teachers also participate. He has been able to understand the children and work with them. He has built a working rapport with all the teachers.

 

Why change in strategy

 

The change in strategy has been necessitated as a solution to the following set of problems

 

·         Insufficient interactions with children (Limited visits by Ravi, teachers absent/leave, large number of government holidays, long summer holidays)

·         Teacher turnover (there are regular teacher transfers, takes time to build rapport with new teachers, teachers who get transferred take away the material that is given to the school)

·         Teachers indifference (it is very difficult to motivate some elderly teachers - security in jobs and unions make some teachers lazy and thus they are not ready for new ideas)

·         School timings are restrictive - Since we have to visit only during the school hours, we are not able to interact with all classes. Sometimes my visits clash with regular school programmes such as tests and exams)

·         Lack of Continuity in activities (there is no guarantee that all teachers will continue the activities which we do with the children; one lesson or part of a lesson is learnt through activity the other lessons are done in the routine way)

·         Change of governments/policies

 

Proposed programme

 

Many of the above-mentioned problems can be addressed if we create a system in villages where we have a constant touch with the children throughout the year. The reworked strategy involves the following features:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs involved