Lessons Learned….somewhere between standing before a class and sitting in one.

I’ve been working with Bookworm since November last year. Having started off with the team as a volunteer for MOP and now, since June, coordinating the School Book Treasury Program; there have been scarce moments that have not been learning experiences for me.

Yet another learning opportunity was presented to me by Sujata in the form of course audits of the Masters of Elementary Education program at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). This meant a 3 weeks contact period in college. This, I thought, would be good for our work and would help me understand the learning process a lot better.

The 2 courses I opted to do were Materials Design and Development and First Language Pedagogy. Both subjects provided me with multiple awakenings as well as substantial points to ponder.

The experience I had acquired in the field suddenly met the theory behind it in the 21 days at TISS. The predicament of the students I meet in multi lingual classes who are being flooded with a barrage of stimuli in terms of language, inconsiderate texts and often irrelevant material was now clearer.

In the duration of the course we discussed the general nature of language, how children learn language, how social differences exist in how language is learnt, social differentiation and teaching literacy amongst other things.

I’ve come to better understanding the concept of emergent literacy and how crucial it is for a child to receive sufficient exposure to material that will assist in the development of their literacy skills. Discussion with people in class with so much of their own varied experiences gave a wealth of information.

While I’m still learning, from texts and from my work with Bookworm, I have an improved outlook towards how learning happens, how the system is working with elementary education and also, things I need to pay more attention to being in the field.

I look forward to the learning that is yet to come…

3 comments

  1. Pradeep Gupta

    Hello Krystal,
    Lovely to read about your experience in the area of elementary education, especially relating to language pedagogy and children’s books.
    Aarohi is working at the grassroots in villages of Kumaon ( please visit our website to learn more).
    We run a middle school catering to 170 children from 12 villages and would be interested in associating with Bookworm, Goa, to further the interest of children in reading and building capabilities in language(s). It is a multi-lingual society here… Kumaoni, Hindi & English… and there is no escaping that…!!!
    If life in the mountains excites you and the team at Bookworm, lets think about how we can get associated.
    Warm regards,
    Pradeep

  2. sujata

    Dear Pradeep

    Thank you for writing. I am replying on behalf of Krystal who will also be delighted you wrote us:-)

    We are heartened that our work lives intersect around books linking the mountains and the sea. That has the makings of a story book already.

    We must network, link with you and share our work and learn from you, because I am very convinced that we can truly grow these ideas with hand holding and collaboration. Books enable all this.

    December is an overwhelming month for us at Bookworm, we are also organising a mini Children’s Literature Festival in partnership with the larger Goa Arts and Lit Festival amongst other things. So, in 2013, we will connect again and make firm plans to climb your mountains.
    If you would like to come see us by the sea, between now and then, please let us know.

    Best and in partnership

    Sujata

    1. Krystal

      Pradeep,

      I’m so glad that you’ve gotten in touch with us!

      Taking a book from here to the mountains sounds like a fantastic journey, and I would love to understand more deeply the work that you do.

      A Sujata said, December is a bit of a hectic month for us at Bookworm, but this interaction next month will be a lovely way to start the new year!

      I look forward to this!

      Warm regards.

Leave a Reply