Date: Nov 26–29, 2015
Place: Sri Aurobindo Centre of New Education, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Monica Kochar, an educationist and trainer of Integral Education, interacted with the Maths teachers of Sri Aurobindo Centre of New Education, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, for three days from November 26 to 29, 2015 on systems of evaluation.
To meet the objective of her visit, Monica engaged in the following activities:
1. Diagnostic tests of grades 6, 7, and 8 students to assess the level of maths learning. She designed test papers for students that were easy to self-assess. With the help of the answer sheet shared, students were able to assess themselves.
2. Setting up of evaluation systems inbuilt in teaching plans for teachers of grades 6 to 12. With intense discussions with teachers and brainstorming sessions, the group arrived at a consensus on a system that allows continuous evaluation and increases rigour of maths. The teachers agreed that while creativity was not an issue, rigour in maths needed rework. The teachers agreed on a system that included continuous diagnostic tests of short duration to be conducted while teaching. And additional points were covered separately in another document. Teachers came up with their concerns during this session and Monica took the inner approach to teaching—detachment from results as a way of working—using their concerns as a starting point.
3. Micro-teaching sessions of all teachers of grades 1 to 12. During these sessions, each teacher taught rest of the group in a very positive and healthy environment. ‘How would you introduce a topic’ was the focus and following the teaching, there was a general discussion. Throughout there was good-natured teasing of the ‘teacher’ and the rapport was quite evident. Each teacher was asked to share their ‘takeaway points’ as a result of the teaching session. Both the senior and primary teachers noted expansion of their perspective as a consequence of observing each other.
4. Individual meetings with teachers of grades 6 to 12 to design lessons that have continuous evaluation built in. Monica worked with teachers individually to design a lesson plan and also to provide feedback on existing ones. This was very fruitful as the shy teachers were able to ask their questions and share concerns.
Overall, keeping the focus fixed as a single idea worked well and the teachers were able to grasp the idea of ‘continuous evaluation’ very well.
Some feedback from the teachers:
1. Comprehended the idea of ‘evaluation continuously’ very well.
2. Understood the concept of the need for detachment from results.