Ok! so we have talked a lot abt our Robotics designs on this blog so far? We would love to hear your ideas on the same? If you are based out of Delhi and are interested in Robotics, we may have the answers for you :).
What kind of robot do you want to make today? Let us know! by writing a comment below:
Showing posts with label india. Show all posts
Showing posts with label india. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Friday, March 23, 2007
Rain Water Harvesting?
So a follow-up to the yesterday's post:
How would you teach the concept of rain water harvesting to a 7 year old? or do you need to teach this concept to the child's parents?
Let's see if the viewers have an interesting take on this. BTW, these are few of the concepts that would be part of our soon to be launched block Classes -- so let's brainstorm so that the children of tomorrow are the most enlightened, courageous and thoughtful that India has ever produced :).
How would you teach the concept of rain water harvesting to a 7 year old? or do you need to teach this concept to the child's parents?
Let's see if the viewers have an interesting take on this. BTW, these are few of the concepts that would be part of our soon to be launched block Classes -- so let's brainstorm so that the children of tomorrow are the most enlightened, courageous and thoughtful that India has ever produced :).
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
colors/chaos of India
Yesterday! again I got this question why back to India? I heard about this new Nike commercial on cricket in India. I thought that it may aptly explain the reasons of why I completely belong to India and not somewhere else :).
True! urban India is completely chaotic and we all have contributed to it and possibly we all will solve this problem as well (I sincerely wish in my lifetime). However, you cannot discount the guts and never-dying-spirit of a common Indian who manages to smile amidst all this chaos. And, that's something that brought me back to my motherland.
True! urban India is completely chaotic and we all have contributed to it and possibly we all will solve this problem as well (I sincerely wish in my lifetime). However, you cannot discount the guts and never-dying-spirit of a common Indian who manages to smile amidst all this chaos. And, that's something that brought me back to my motherland.
Monday, January 15, 2007
r2i
the title stands for return to India (r2i) -- I was earlier adamant with Yogita that I would not talk about my background and stay in US on this blog. However, everytime I am involved in a decent conversation with anyone about my stay in US and leaving my cozy job voluntarily -- I have to go through this long discussion of whether the decision was 'right'. To me the decision was crystal clear about what I am getting into and more importantly the reasons behind it. However, what sickens me is the simple fact that why can't a person come back to his/her country and be a contributing citizen in the society that helped him/her shape in what he/she is -- is it so illogical afterall? 
The other reason that I have given this heading the importance (see the hdr above) is because I do want to share my experiences with others so that everyone understands that India offers a lot of opportunities -- and not only problems. Even if there are problems, who else is more capable to solve then the educated youth of the society.
If you differ in your opinion on this basic premise, please share your opinions.
(BTW, the above picture was taken by Yogita and I on our last day in Seattle).
The other reason that I have given this heading the importance (see the hdr above) is because I do want to share my experiences with others so that everyone understands that India offers a lot of opportunities -- and not only problems. Even if there are problems, who else is more capable to solve then the educated youth of the society.
If you differ in your opinion on this basic premise, please share your opinions.
(BTW, the above picture was taken by Yogita and I on our last day in Seattle).
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Indian Montessori Congress 2007
Anyone who has any stake in the education of the child education should definitely attend this Indian Montessory Congress 2007. I think it's a must for the educationists and NTT course holders. If you are planning to be in Bangalore during this time and have interest in knowing more about buildingblocks, please let me know through the comments section.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
what's our wealth?
An observation that was impressed upon us in our Macro Economics class by Professor Karma was that the wealth of any nation is it's people. This is truer for some nations than others. For instance, our nation India has been built only by the human resources as we have not been blessed with natural resources (read oil) like Saudi Arabia, Iran or some of the countries in the world.
Whatever modest achievements, we have had, have been through our people's enterprise, perseverance and grit. So, essentially our true wealth lies in our people rather than any particular mineral, stone or whatever. So our goal should be to pay most attention to the grooming our people. This is a question that I would like to pose to the audience of this blog -- are we really doing that?
Is our government, rising above the petty partisan politics, ready to consider education as an equally important asset as roads or electricity. Our we as individuals ensuring that we become a stakeholder in the education of not our own kids, however of the whole society itself. I am sure the answers to all these questions are very grim and so is the future of nation.
I have thought about this a lot and have also worked on a long-term solution. I will post my solution on the blog in next couple of days. However, would be interested in listening to yours as well.
Further, we just launched a new feedback form on our website as we consider that the parents and teachers are the most important stakeholders in the whole educational reform process and we intend to learn a lot from their suggestions -- if you happen to be one of those concerned with the wealth of this nation, please give suggestions over here.
Whatever modest achievements, we have had, have been through our people's enterprise, perseverance and grit. So, essentially our true wealth lies in our people rather than any particular mineral, stone or whatever. So our goal should be to pay most attention to the grooming our people. This is a question that I would like to pose to the audience of this blog -- are we really doing that?
Is our government, rising above the petty partisan politics, ready to consider education as an equally important asset as roads or electricity. Our we as individuals ensuring that we become a stakeholder in the education of not our own kids, however of the whole society itself. I am sure the answers to all these questions are very grim and so is the future of nation.
I have thought about this a lot and have also worked on a long-term solution. I will post my solution on the blog in next couple of days. However, would be interested in listening to yours as well.
Further, we just launched a new feedback form on our website as we consider that the parents and teachers are the most important stakeholders in the whole educational reform process and we intend to learn a lot from their suggestions -- if you happen to be one of those concerned with the wealth of this nation, please give suggestions over here.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Reggio Emilia Approach of preschooling
My continued exploration of children's development in India led me to find this interesting offering by ibambini. Ibambini is trying to promote an Italin approach to child care and education called Reggio Emilia approach. I took excerpts of this concept from here.
What is Reggio Emilia?
There is much about Reggio Emilia's approach to child care and education that distinguishes it from other efforts both inside and outside of Italy, and attracts worldwide attention. Of special interest is the emphasis on children's symbolic languages in the context of a project-oriented curriculum. The Reggio Emilia approach is made possible through a carefully articulated and collaborative approach to the care and education of young children.
In the USA particularly, the experiences of the city of Reggio Emilia have been reified into the "Reggio Emilia Approach", a new curriculum model of excellence, which heavily reinforces existing instrumental developmentalist discourses of education. This 'branding' of Reggio Emilia, obscures the postmodern accent in the dialogues that the pedagogues of Reggio Emilia have attempted to establish. Critiques of the US 'Reggio Approach' which have targeted attempts to establish normative Reggio 'curricula' have largely been ignored. The work in Sweden by Gunilla Dahlberg, and her UK colleague, Peter Moss, provide unsettling counterpoints to the monolithic arguments of the proponents of the 'Reggio Approach'.
Cornerstones of Reggio Emilia approach are:
Community participation:
Reggio Emilia's tradition of community support for families with young children expands on Italy's cultural view of children as the collective responsibility of the state. In Reggio Emilia, the infant/toddler and pre-primary program is a vital part of the community, as reflected in the high level of financial support.
There is no hierarchy among the teachers (consequently no teacher). This staffing plan, coupled with the policy of keeping the same group of children and teachers together for a period of three years, facilitates the sense of community that characterizes relationships among adults and children.
Teachers as learners:
This one core aspect of Reggio Emilia approach that really distinguishes it from others. Teachers' long-term commitment to enhancing their understanding of children is at the crux of the Reggio Emilia approach. Their resistance to the American use of the term model to describe their program reflects the continuing evolution of their ideas and practices. They compensate for the meager preservice training of Italian early childhood teachers by providing extensive staff development opportunities, with goals determined by the teachers themselves. Teacher autonomy is evident in the absence of teacher manuals, curriculum guides, or achievement tests. The lack of externally imposed mandates is joined by the imperative that teachers become skilled observers of children in order to inform their curriculum planning and implementation.
The hundred languages:
As children proceed in an investigation, generating and testing their hypotheses, they are encouraged to depict their understanding through one of many symbolic languages, including drawing, sculpture, dramatic play, and writing. They work together towards the resolution of problems that arise. Teachers facilitate and then observe debates regarding the extent to which a child's drawing or other form of representation lives up to the expressed intent. Revision of drawings (and ideas) is encouraged, and teachers allow children to repeat activities and modify each other's work in the collective aim of better understanding the topic. Teachers foster children's involvement in the processes of exploration and evaluation, acknowledging the importance of their evolving products as vehicles for exchange.
Very interesting concept and idea. buildingBlocks plans to develop a similar concept, however, contextual to the Indian ethos and culture.
What is Reggio Emilia?
There is much about Reggio Emilia's approach to child care and education that distinguishes it from other efforts both inside and outside of Italy, and attracts worldwide attention. Of special interest is the emphasis on children's symbolic languages in the context of a project-oriented curriculum. The Reggio Emilia approach is made possible through a carefully articulated and collaborative approach to the care and education of young children.
In the USA particularly, the experiences of the city of Reggio Emilia have been reified into the "Reggio Emilia Approach", a new curriculum model of excellence, which heavily reinforces existing instrumental developmentalist discourses of education. This 'branding' of Reggio Emilia, obscures the postmodern accent in the dialogues that the pedagogues of Reggio Emilia have attempted to establish. Critiques of the US 'Reggio Approach' which have targeted attempts to establish normative Reggio 'curricula' have largely been ignored. The work in Sweden by Gunilla Dahlberg, and her UK colleague, Peter Moss, provide unsettling counterpoints to the monolithic arguments of the proponents of the 'Reggio Approach'.
Cornerstones of Reggio Emilia approach are:
Community participation:
Reggio Emilia's tradition of community support for families with young children expands on Italy's cultural view of children as the collective responsibility of the state. In Reggio Emilia, the infant/toddler and pre-primary program is a vital part of the community, as reflected in the high level of financial support.
The parents' role mirrors the community's, at both the schoolwide and the classroom level. Parents are expected to take part in discussions about school policy, child development concerns, and curriculum planning and evaluation. Because a majority of parents--including mothers--are employed, meetings are held in the evenings so that all who wish to participate can do so.
Administrative Policies and Organizational Structure:There is no hierarchy among the teachers (consequently no teacher). This staffing plan, coupled with the policy of keeping the same group of children and teachers together for a period of three years, facilitates the sense of community that characterizes relationships among adults and children.
Teachers as learners:
This one core aspect of Reggio Emilia approach that really distinguishes it from others. Teachers' long-term commitment to enhancing their understanding of children is at the crux of the Reggio Emilia approach. Their resistance to the American use of the term model to describe their program reflects the continuing evolution of their ideas and practices. They compensate for the meager preservice training of Italian early childhood teachers by providing extensive staff development opportunities, with goals determined by the teachers themselves. Teacher autonomy is evident in the absence of teacher manuals, curriculum guides, or achievement tests. The lack of externally imposed mandates is joined by the imperative that teachers become skilled observers of children in order to inform their curriculum planning and implementation.
Teachers routinely divide responsibilities in the class so that one can systematically observe, take notes, and record conversations between children. These observations are shared with other teachers and the atelierista and parents in curriculum planning and evaluation. Teachers of several schools often work and learn together under the leadership of the pedagogista as they explore ways of expanding on children's spontaneous activities.
The role of enviornment:The organization of the physical environment is crucial to Reggio Emilia's early childhood program, and is often referred to as the child's "third teacher". Major aims in the planning of new spaces and the remodeling of old ones include the integration of each classroom with the rest of the school, and the school with the surrounding community. The preschools are generally filled with indoor plants and vines, and awash with natural light.
Other supportive elements of the environment include ample space for supplies, frequently rearranged to draw attention to their aesthetic features. In each classroom there are studio spaces in the form of a large, centrally located atelier and a smaller mini-atelier, and clearly designated spaces for large- and small-group activities. Throughout the school, there is an effort to create opportunities for children to interact. Thus, the single dress-up area is in the center piazza; classrooms are connected with phones, passageways or windows; and lunchrooms and bathrooms are designed to encourage playful encounters.The hundred languages:
As children proceed in an investigation, generating and testing their hypotheses, they are encouraged to depict their understanding through one of many symbolic languages, including drawing, sculpture, dramatic play, and writing. They work together towards the resolution of problems that arise. Teachers facilitate and then observe debates regarding the extent to which a child's drawing or other form of representation lives up to the expressed intent. Revision of drawings (and ideas) is encouraged, and teachers allow children to repeat activities and modify each other's work in the collective aim of better understanding the topic. Teachers foster children's involvement in the processes of exploration and evaluation, acknowledging the importance of their evolving products as vehicles for exchange.
Very interesting concept and idea. buildingBlocks plans to develop a similar concept, however, contextual to the Indian ethos and culture.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
What is this blog about?
This blog is intended to discuss various aspects about a child's development. I am going through this exercise as my current professional venture is trying to address this problem, I thought it would be good discuss about this in the public domain. I intend to explore the past, present and future of various methodologies involved in child's development in this public forum.
This way my ideas, opinions and assumptions would get verified and may have universal application. In case if you have interest in learning about my company (Building Blocks), please feel to send me a note on tarun dot bhalla at gmail dot com.
Thanks,
Tarun
This way my ideas, opinions and assumptions would get verified and may have universal application. In case if you have interest in learning about my company (Building Blocks), please feel to send me a note on tarun dot bhalla at gmail dot com.
Thanks,
Tarun
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