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Opportunity at SIDH - TEACH!!!

Bodhshala Model Primary School Initiative

Education is a process that enables students and teachers to lead a happy and meaningful life. It is about understanding ‘reality ‘at all its levels - the self, the other, the society, nature, and the inter-relationships between all of these. It is about learning skills and developing abilities that will enable one to turn this understanding into a living reality.

The world today, from the metropolises of the United States to the villages of India, is heading towards an unsustainable future defined by consumerism and materialism. The effect is disharmony at all levels mentioned above.

Here at SIDH, our primary mission is to use education as a tool for social change and to encourage a more meaningful exploration and dialogue, not only in the social and political spheres but also within individual mindsets. We envision this process as being critical to re-establishing a sense of harmony.

If you feel that it’s time to stop just criticizing the “system” and time to start creating the world that we imagine, then this opportunity is for you.

We are looking for teachers for our new “Model Primary School”.

Background information:
SIDH, located in the Tehri district of Uttaranchal Pradesh, is an organization working exclusively on the issue of quality education. Its vision is to establish an education process that helps individuals to achieve harmony in the self, ‘swatantrata’, and through that, harmony in society and with Nature, ‘swarajya’.

SIDH plans to start a model primary school from February 2007 on its Bodhigram campus for the local village community of Kempty, about 11 km. from the popular hill town of Mussoorie. Kempty is a fast developing small rural town that has government offices, bank, post office, telephone call centers, schools, hotels, clinics, shops, etc. that primarily serve the surrounding population of about 35 villages. SIDH’s Bodhigram campus, about half a kilometre from Kempty, already has a middle school (class 6 to 8) called Bodhshala where 65 students from 20 surrounding villages are studying.

Over 16 years of rich experience in primary schooling coupled with the need to show-case the practicality of its understanding on quality schooling makes SIDH an ideal organization to run a model primary school of holistic and relevant education.

Model School Vision:
To establish a pioneering center of primary schooling that starts the process of education for children and facilitators towards ‘Right Understanding’ and, accordingly, to ‘Right/Responsible Living’.

What do we intend to do in this new school:
At SIDH, holistic and relevant education is viewed as a process that leads to understanding of reality – which includes the ‘self’, the ‘other’, the ‘society’, and Nature and their inter-relationships. This understanding then becomes the basis of responsible living, which ultimately leads to a happy and meaningful life. At the “Model School”, we intend to create spaces that will facilitate this process for students and teachers.

How do we intend to do this?

This is where the new incoming teachers fit into the picture. We already have some ideas from our previous learnings and experiences. They include:

o Creating spaces for dialogue and self-reflection because this will help a child develop his/her own understanding and realize his/her self-worth
- To both stimulating the child’s 5 senses, and drawing the child’s attention to feelings, thoughts, and desires
- To encourage the natural curiosity of the child, instead of dampening it.
- Enabling children to become critical thinkers by teaching them how to think and not what to think

o Emphasis on ‘learning by doing’ so that children acquire skills necessary to become self-dependent and develop their abilities for self-expression.
- Productive work such as gardening, card-making, cooking, and sewing.
- Activities such as singing, theatre, dance, arts & crafts, films, games, music, and sports.

o Learning from reality, instead of only from text-books
- Thematic project work that is based on the ‘live’ and ‘local’ environment.
- Integration of subjects whenever possible.

o Shifting from reward & punishment based discipline to developing the child’s self-discipline through an ‘understanding’ and dialogic approach.
- Using student and teacher self-reflection and group reflection to facilitate the shift
- To discuss group and individual behavior through the use of classroom meetings and individual conferences

The Model School will be a bi-lingual school instructing in and learning both Hindi and English. We will begin with pre-primary, class one, and two. We will add the following classes (third, fourth, etc) in subsequent years and plan on upgrading it to a middle school and then high school.

In addition, since SIDH sees its role as a training and advocacy institute as well, the expectation for the Model School teaching staff is to develop into teacher-trainers so that they can share their experiences and spread their practice by conducting trainings for other educators.

Teacher Expectations

• Committed to creatively integrating local knowledge/culture into educational framework, thereby valuing and empowering students’ cultural backgrounds
• Able to push students to think critically
• Committed to purposeful long-term planning and continual assessment of student holistic progress
• Willing to collaborate with colleagues in designing units and lessons that integrate all content areas for thematic, project-based learning
• Continual self-reflection and desire for growth
• Committed to viewing this opportunity as a life-style and not a “job”
• Builds relationships with students’ families through regular communication about students’ progress (holistically) and ways in which families can support their children’s learning.
• Holds high expectations for self and students

Teacher Preferred Qualifications

• Flexible, resourceful, energetic, passionate, and committed to creating an exceptional model school
• Open-minded , critical thinker that is motivated to be part of a new experiment in education
• Comfortable in Hindi and English
• Computer literate – finding information on internet, email, document writing, etc.
• Creative talents (dance, music, handicrafts, etc.) which can be integrated into curriculum
• Experience with young children

Logistics

• Minimum two-year commitment
• Committed to living either in Kempty (students’ home village) or at the SIDH campus
• Approximately 4,000 Rs stipend
• Starting date of Dec 2006 / Jan 2007.

Contact Us
If you are interested in this position, please contact Jitendra-ji at: santoshijeet12@gmail.com.

InSPIRE

Myself and some others are planning a summer program for young NRI's (ages 18-24). The following is the "Concept Document". There are definitely many opportunities to get involved (could be paid), including:
- Website design
- Helping to put together a reader
- Selecting relative films
- Finances/Accounts
- Coordinator for the entire 6-week program - 1 batch or both batches (be with the group for the entire time)
- Logistical planning in India - travel, lodging, food, first-aid, emergency planning, cost estimation, etc.
- Planning specific exposures/interactions/experiences in India

InSPIRE

India Summer Program Inspiring Reflective Exploration

InSPIRE is a 6-week long immersion program that reconnects young Indians from abroad to India. The goal is for the participants to re-evaluate their aspirations as they explore and challenge their assumptions about themselves and their relationship with the world around them.

Looking deeper at India. Looking deeper at your Self.

And the interrelatedness of the world.

The program will be launched at the end of May 2007. In the first year, there will be two different batches with 20 to 30 participants in each batch. The prospective dates are: 26th May to 8th July, and 7th August to 19th September. The participants will be between the ages of 18 and 24.

Background
Over the past years, there seems to be a growing trend for Indian youth abroad to want to come back to India for various reasons. Some want to give back to their ‘motherland’. Others want to understand what it means to be “Indian”. There are those that want to explore spirituality, and those that want to tour the land and travel. Whatever the reason, many young Indians abroad seem to have the desire to come to India.

In the United States and countries of the “West”, NRIs’ understanding of India usually comes from what’s in the news and from the perspectives of their families. Many other perspectives that are closer to the ground reality are often missed.

In the “West” and in Indian city life today we are often unaware of what goes into producing the goods and services that we consume, and shielded from the consequences of our actions. All we know is what happens at the point of consumption, not aware of the before or after.

College students are at the period of life when they are deciding what their next step will be – career, post-graduation, social work, etc. Many times they feel that their options are limited.

Vision/Purpose
We’d like to create a space and open up avenues to help figure out what to do with our lives and why. This experience would enable us to explore what it means to be Indian by seeing India through a different lens and engaging in mutual learning and sharing process with various communities/NGOs in India. Through these experiences, we hope that participants will be able to recognize and re-discover one’s relationship with India. As we explore and understand our aspirations and our interrelatedness we anticipate a sense of personal responsibility being developed that eventually leads to a global consciousness. This program also aims at building a fluid network of young Indians to continually share ideas, visions and thoughts leading to inspiration, exploration of aspirations and Self-understanding, which will lead towards positive collective action.

Exploration -> Understanding -> Integrity and Personal Responsibility -> Global Consciousness and Productive, Collective Action

Itinerary
We are going to attempt to realize our vision through a process of self-exploration. This exploration will be instigated by exposures, sessions, examination of various issues in India from multiple perspectives, readings, films, dialogues and activities that develop personal responsibility. At each “site”, we will also figure out ways to add something of value back to the organization, cause, and/or community.

Delhi: 4 days
Introductions of participants, and of the program. Orientation. Expectations. Cultural context. Interacting with college counterparts and various connected movements. Looking at social, environmental, developmental and other urban concerns and inspirational work by people within their own communities.
Doing this through:
- Manzil
- Yamuna Walk
- Beyond Borders, Pravah, etc.
- CSE
- Hazard Centre

Coca-Cola Factory, Benares: 5 days
Exploring interrelatedness of major corporations, economic globalization, environmental issues, social issues, local and indigenous lifestyle and one’s aspirations in the US and in India
- Interactions with those involved in the protest, villagers affected by the factory, and people from the factory to represent the Coca-Cola viewpoint.

Narmada Dam, MP, NBA: 7 days
Looking at multiple perspectives of development
- Specifically at development of dams
- Effect on indigenous population
- Benefits of dams: irrigation and power

Manav Sadhna, Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad: 7 days
Experiencing the ‘spirit’ of service being lived and feeling the power of relationships, love and positive thought. Becoming inspired
- Discussions
- Doing service work
- Meeting other NRI’s who are involved with work in India.

SIDH: 14 days
Interactive sessions about decolonisation and Gandhi; exploration of the Self, the other, society, nature and the inter-relations of each; supplementing this through learning from exposure to village life; re-looking at the purpose of education; introduction to Yoga and meditation; exploring our own sense of responsibility and contribution through regular productive work; tuning into our senses through activities such as rafting and trekking in nature.

Understanding the importance of being aware of what you’re consuming, where it comes from, what it does – to you and others. Exploring the connectedness and range of impact of our lives. Looking anew at our concepts of development and our aspirations.

Bija Vidhyapeeth: 3 days
Looking into farming issues in India
- Workshop on the Green Revolution, BT Cotton, farmer suicides, use of pesticides and fertilizers, possibilities of organic farming and it’s benefits, environmentally sustainable living
- discussion – where does our food actually come from? what does it contain?
- Participation in organic farming; trainings, such as compost making, gardening, etc.

Delhi: 2 days
- Evaluation, feedback



Contact Us
If you want more information, have ideas, or would like to join us, please contact us.
Email: Raj - rkanani@gmail.com, Asha - ashabpatel@gmail.com
Phone: Chaiti - 09873977582

SIDH's New Website

SIDH's new website is up and running! Even more new updates should be added soon, including dates for events, and opportunities for work/volunteering.

http://www.sidhsri.com