ഒരു കുട്ട കളിപ്പാട്ടവും ഒരു വട്ടി പെൻസിലും: EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING AT GOVT. MODEL LPS THYCAUD.
On 18th November, 2022, first year B.Ed students of GCTE made a visit to Govt Model LPS, Thycaud as part of experiental learning and as a training prior to the school induction programme. The aim of the visit was to make the upcoming student teachers, aware about how a school functions and the major objective was to show us the first modernized pre-primary school in India. It motivated us how to construct a well enabled and equipped school and study space for kids. Rahul sir and Issac sir guided and accompanied us throughout the visit. After the assembly we reached there at 10 am and the teachers warmly welcomed us and we got a chance to witness the specialties of the school and factors that make it stand out from the rest. The infrastructure, learning environment, scaffolders & learners were beyond our imagination and expectation.
We gifted them a basket full of pencils and toys and a bunch of flowers. We gave them christmas tree and some decorative items to embellish the tree and which can be used by the students at the time of Christmas. We also presented them with a bundle of colour papers for doing paper craft.
The student teachers, school kids and school teachers gathered in the activity hall where the B.Ed students, performed a variety of programmes for the students ensuring their participation in them. This included Magic through Maths headed by Keerthana Anil; the rendition of song "Kukuru kukuru kurukan" by student teachers; science experiments under the aegis of Harsha and Rakesh, story telling by Devika, action song under the leadership of Vignesh, and word games by Bhushra. The action song was first enacted by my fellow students and later they were given an opportunity to perform it on the stage. The students actively participated in all those activities. By the end of these programmes, I understand that the children of the school are really brilliant and talented. Not a single child is reluctant to do the activities. I gifted my poetry collection "Unheard Voices" to the school library.Towards the end of the program our Vice Principal Dr. Joly. S presented a momento as a token of our love. We also donated some children's books for them.
After that the teachers briefed us about the origin of the school, its evolution and various other significance. Then we were given an opportunity to go and see the classrooms, pictured corridors, nursery activity room, library and studio Maatrikam. It was a memorable day in my life. All the teachers in the school made me awestruck by their sincerity and commitmet towards the school and the students. They constantly repeated the words എന്റെ വിദ്യാലയം എന്റെ അഭിമാനം which influenced me a lot. They adviced and wished each and every one of us to be a good teachers in future and to take pride in the schools in which we work.
About the School: The school was established in 1910 and at that time there were 2000 students but after the arrival various school in the localities the students dwindled to just 100 in the year 2010. At the time of covid-19 pandemic, the school headmaster decided to flourish and modify the school. Smart classrooms are being set up for students of Class I and II. The school had received Samagra Shiksha, Kerala, funding for upgrade of its pre-primary section to excellence. After covid times, the teachers also went the extra mile since those students have not had any experience of primary schooling, and they wanted the children to explore all the possibilities that offline classes provided. Since funding was an issue at short notice, the staff members made contributions. The teachers together contributed 1.3 lakh for work on the classrooms. This rennovation was done so that the students will be able to get real life experiences after the covid-19 pandemic. School authorities say they had 200 students last year, but this year the number has increased to 300. Now the school teachers and non teaching staffs numbering to 30 are successfully moving to other ventures under the leadership of Shaji Sir, the current principal of the school. Students are taught in 3 mediums namely English, Malayalam and Tamil which is a rare thing. Moreover this is the first Indian Govt pre-primary school to reach international standards and it acts as a model to other schools in the city.
Outside View : When we firsr enter the school it has a large courtyard which consist of a pond, park and a garden. The garden had lots of trees, shrubs, climbers and colourful flowers. There is also a vegetables garden in which they grow organic veggies and leafy vegetables which they use to make curries in the mid day meal program.There is a den, currently under construction, through which the children can walk or slide to reach the opposite side. A ferocious lion figure dominates the top of the cave.
Inside view
1. Nursery activity room: The activity hall is vibrantly painted thematically including a roof that portrayed a day starting from dawn to night. There is sun, moon, stars, clouds and rainbow. There were separate corners for acting, drawing, reading, clay modelling, mathematics, music and the like in accordance with varying predilections of the learners. The child who passes through thia activity room realises his/her innate talent. There is also a picture of Bala Bhaskar in the musical corner as he was once a student in this Lp school.
2. Maatrikam Studio: There is an indoor official studio titled "Maatrikam". Here online classes were recorded during the covid times and the videos for the school youtube channel Kaliveedu is being shot.
3. Classroms: The classrooms, on the first floor of the building are for Class I and Class II. Furniture in the classrooms has been made more child-friendly. Their height too has been reduced to suit the younger children. They are colourful too, in rainbow colours instead of drab monotones.The walls of the classrooms have been painted to resemble themes from their textbooks. The Class I wall depicts the cover of their Malayalam textbook that is from the first chapter "Tarayude Veedu" and is immensely relatable to children. Even other subjects such as Mathematics can be learnt by taking a look at the classroom wall.Work on the other three classrooms is nearing completion. They too have similar thematic walls and colourful furniture. The classrooms also have projectors, digital board, white board, and so on.
4. Corridors: The school varandas are painted with map, important monuments, personalities etc. Vaious landmarks of the world, India and Kerala are depicted. Indian parliament, Taj Mahal, Qutab Minar, Palayam church, Padmanabha Swami temple are a few. There are also wall libraries in some places. The corridors are also inscribed with the words of some great personalities.
As a future teacher, this day enabled me to figure out the real changes that a teacher need to bring in to the society. This school visit ignited me to change myself into a more efficient student teacher. The sincerity, dedication and the commitment shown by the teachers to the students, their parents and above all to their school is praiseworthy. They transformed the school to a home. And now its not the second home to children but their first home!!!
