SAIIER Annual Report 2014-2015: My Nation project

Methodically learning to write English sentences		Natural Horsemanship program
My Nation project

Introduction

Entity::Aikiyam School encourages teachers to include project-based learning among their regular teaching every year. Project based learning is a dynamic approach of teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges, simultaneously developing cross-curriculum skills while working in small collaborative groups. Through this approach students are engaged with learning and are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects. This method helps children analyze specific topics, contextualize their local knowledge, and generalize what they have learned to apply to other situations.

This year Aikiyam teachers focused on one topic, 'My Nation'.

Activities of the year

The whole school was involved in this project, with kindergarten through 8th grade children participating in various ways. In planning their curriculum and classes, teachers narrowed down the topic of ‘My Nation’ according to the lessons that children had to learn. Some of the project topics that emerged were: bio reserves of India, Indian transport, rivers of India, India and its states, ancient kingdoms of Tamil Nadu, and Indian village houses

The project execution started at the beginning of October 2014 and continued through March 2015. At the beginning of each project, the teacher set hypotheses and chose questions that need to be analyzed through the project. Then project plans were worked out in the classroom, with the students and including the students’ suggestions. Pupils used books, internet, and teacher-supplied materials to learn about their project topics. The project plans included activities like clay and wood craft work, book making, writing short plays, poster making and model making. Students also took field trips that related to what they were learning.

Children gave performances, created stories, and acted in and produced a creative short film called ‘Trip to Delhi’. In that movie they explain how people plan for a trip, choose the mode of transportation, and travel to different places in real life. Students made posters about rare animal species of India, like Bengal Tigers and rhinoceros, and listed how the country can protect and help increase their populations. Young children made beautiful models of the houses of their village. Findings from student projects were shared with other classes.

Outcomes

Students learned about social, cultural, historical, and environmental aspects of India. Pupils also learned that India has all the climatic, topographical and geographical features of a continent. The project helped children understand India and its different landscapes, rivers and the areas that they flow in, different rulers who ruled their states, etc. They found that India has a well developed transport network, and that people in India can move to different parts of their country without any difficulty.

Reflections

Children were very interested to know the importance of bio reserves and their connection with the existing wildlife. The children performed a play on national integration and secularism, which showed the audience that they have a good understanding of the importance of tolerance among people.

The materials created by the children (posters, books, models, drawings) can help other children learn and understand about the vastness and diversity of their Nation. These can also be used as models by other teachers who want to carry out such classroom projects.

Conclusion

Children normally learn about things that are around them first, and with the help of that understanding they can imagine things that are far away. Through the ‘My Nation’ project, children found and understood the reality of Indian diversity.