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st. mary’s college of teacher education
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contents
Principal’s Message.................................................................................2 Editorial.......................................................................................................3 Importance of B. S. Bloom’s Taxonomy....................................... 4-6 8th March - International Women’s Day..........................................7 As We Celebrate Our Independence.................................................8 A Meeting with the Parents..................................................................9 Continuous And Comprehensive Evaluation.........................10-11
The Pioneer 2013 Dream, dare, achieve
You are my Brother too…...................................................................12 PHOTO GALLERY – Section I......................................... 13-24 The Attitudes of Life............................................................................. 25 Creativity - What is it all About?................................................. 26-29 Farewell For Ms Euodia B. Myrthong.............................................. 30 Workshop on Counselling............................................................31-32 God’s Love Endures Forever - A Short Story.......................... 33-35 A Report on the College Fest............................................................ 36 PHOTO GALLERY – Section II........................................37-48 Importance of History and the History Teacher................... 49-52 Our Search.........................................................................................53-54 A Cup of Tea............................................................................................ 55 Making Something Out of Nothing..........................................56-57 How to manage stress?................................................................. 58-59 Evangeline............................................................................................... 60 You Did Us Proud Batch 2012............................................ 61 PHOTO GALLERY – Section III.......................................62-67 You Did Us Proud Batch 2013............................................ 68 A View from the Window................................................................... 69 Felicitation Programme................................................................ 70-71 A Thank You Note........................................................................... 72-73 Report on Umsning Visit...............................................................74-75 National Assessment Accreditation Council Peer Team Visit................................................................. 76-77 We learned in SMCTE....................................................................78-80
Advisor
Dr. (Sr.) Clarissa Wallang
EDITor
Ms. Sharmistha Purkayastha
Design
Reginald Sunn reginaldsunn12@gmail.com
Printed at
Bhabani Offset & Imaging Systems Pvt. Ltd. Guwahati
St. Mary’s College Of Teacher Education
Shillong 793 003, Meghalaya, India
Dear Staff and Student-teachers It is a joy at the end of 2013, to be able to look back on the achievements of the past and plan for the future; I cannot thank God and each of you enough for making things happen. The year 2013 was the year when St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education (SMCTE) ventured for RE-ACCREDITATION and we were all geared up to the visit of the NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) Peer Team comprising of eminent academic experts. The whole process was to validate the Self-Study Report and to help the College in quality assurance. Everyone was actively involved including the members of the Governing Body and those of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell. Their immense contribution and attention to minute detail are highly commendable. The College needs to forge its pathway ahead and feel confident that all of us stakeholders press on to the best of our ability; be it the management, the staff or the students so as to produce nothing less than the best in all our endeavours. The thrust is on us to initiate measures to improve the quality of education. Therefore there is need for an increasing awareness of the critical role teachers play in meeting the demands for quality education. Teachers play a pivotal role in bringing the desired change in the students who can transform the country and ultimately bring about global change. Student-teachers are to be nurtured into persons who have the basic skills and problemsolving capabilities that they need to address any challenge coming in the way in their professional life. In spite of time constraints and the stress of academic workload; they have learned better time management skills using their free time meaningfully, occupied by more productive work. We call upon our Student-teachers to continue to enter wholeheartedly into all programmes organised for them, for their own growth and development and for the benefit of those whom they will cater to in the near future. St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education was conceived for the integral education of teachers who are persons of integrity and commitment. Equipped with skills and competencies in their vocation, they craft a holistic development of every person under their care, nurture and empower her/him to face the challenges of life. Serving in truth and dedication, our teachers endeavour to turn out productive and enlightened citizens through the process of education in schools. I wish that together, we enflesh this vision into a reality for the society we are in and for the country as a whole. GOD BLESS AND ALL THE BEST FOR 2014!
Dr. (Sr.) Clarissa Wallang Principal
editorial Dear Friends, Greetings from all of us at St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education. “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops” are the words of Henry Adams and certainly there cannot be any doubt on that. A teacher has a great responsibility in moulding and shaping the lives of multitudes of individuals, who will shape the destiny of our country. It is therefore mandatory for every individual who chooses to be a teacher to realize his/ her task and work sincerely towards creating a society where individuals are ingrained with a sense of moral, political and social obligations. All of us as teachers need an inbuilt value system in ourselves, which translates itself into positive influence on the children and the young minds we cater to in our classrooms and outside. It would be wonderful to practise what the famous scientist, Albert Einstein said, ‘Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.’ The academic year 2013 witnessed a flurry of events culminating in the visit of the Peer Team of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to the College for its re-accreditation. It is believed that hard work always pay, and true enough, the College has been re-accredited with ‘A’ Grade with CGPA 3.12 for all the work it had been doing since the last time NAAC visited the College for accreditation in 2006. Congratulations and sincere gratitude to all who have toiled hard for the welfare of the College. Celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of the College in the last part of the
year 2012 set the ball rolling for achieving new milestones for the College and the management, faculty and staff then set to work afresh for the academic programmes and co-curricular activities that had to take place for the batch of students of 2013. The exciting year though came to an end with the College corridors going silent in winter, after the celebration of the Platinum Jubilee, it buzzed back to life with the orientation programme and all the other activities of the new batch. It is always seen that the students of our College are provided with the best of training in order that they do not lack any kind of opportunity in becoming the best teacher. Thus, a number of activities, including Workshops, Seminars, Extension Programmes, were planned throughout the session to create efficient and effective teachers. A glimpse of which is given in The Pioneer in the form of photographs and articles, all of which have been carefully recorded by studentteachers under the leadership of Sonia Dkhar and Caroline Tage, who had painstakingly noted and edited, respectively, all that took place in the academic year 2013. The joy of re-accreditation was still in the air when the B.Ed. results (declared just when The Pioneer was in its final stages) brought the greatest of excitement to all of us in the College. The excellent performance of the student-teachers by dint of hard work made the College proud. True success is counted on what one does achieve on a day-to-day life; and, therefore, life has to move on with renewed
commitment as teachers in the College and in different schools we work in, keeping in mind that our primary focus has to be the student community we have committed ourselves to serve. St Mary’s College of Teacher Education would like to express the deepest of condolences on the passing away of Rev. Fr. Sabatino Tedeschi, nephew of Mother Anne and one of the benefactors of the College, who had assisted the College in building the present infrastructure. We also deeply mourn the sad demise of Mother M. St. Anne, renowned Principal of the College, who had been a great educationist. Her contribution towards the College is immensely appreciated and she will forever remain a fountainhead of strength and inspiration for all associated with the College. The support and encouragement of our Principal, Dr. (Sr) Clarissa Wallang, are highly appreciated in bringing The Pioneer in the present form. I would also like to extend my gratitude towards my colleagues and non-teaching staff and also to all my dear students for without their co-operation and contribution The Pioneer 2013 would not have been published. I sincerely thank each and every individual who has helped us in bringing out The Pioneer 2013 from its beginning to its publication. Wish every one of you the very best in your life.
Sharmistha Purkayastha
Iahunlang Mary Nongrum
Importance of Bloom’s Taxonomy in Preparing Question Papers
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he word education has a wide range of connotations, and it is very difficult to give its precise definition. Education does not merely mean the acquisition of knowledge or experience, but rather the development of habits, attitudes and skills that help one to lead a full and worthwhile life. We cannot ‘draw out’ anything from anywhere unless we have put something in to begin with. The child is not like an artesian well, in which we put a funnel and water gushes out. He is like a bank, where something must be put in before we can expect to draw anything out. It may be that once or twice a bright and quick child may display the promise of talent, but this is not always true. Unless knowledge and experience is given to the child we cannot draw out the best from him. The child inherits certain powers or talents, which are referred to as innate powers. Education is that 4
which can bring out these innate powers, and can develop them and make them manifest. Teaching is one of the most important activities, and provides valuable education to children in order that they can exhibit their best. It is therefore of the utmost importance to teach in the most suitable manner and with all possible expertise to inculcate the best learning patterns in children. Teaching is a meaningful and purposeful activity, and teaching objectives are identified after analysing the content to be taught. The teaching objectives are determined in the planning stage. The teacher can identify his teaching objectives with the help of his knowledge and understanding of educational objectives. The educational objectives are the change that we try to produce in the child, and are given in the form of statements. They are broad and philosophical in
nature. The teaching objectives are specific and psychological in nature. The teaching strategies and tactics are selected on the basis of teaching-learning objectives. According to the educational psychologist B.S. Bloom, “Educational objectives are not only the goals towards which the curriculum is shaped and towards which instruction is guided, but they are also the goals that provide the detailed specification of the construction and use of evaluative technique.” In 1956, a committee of educators chaired by Bloom proposed a classification of learning objectives within education, which was later known as Bloom’s Taxonomy. Bloom also edited the first volume of the standard
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text, “Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals”. This refers to a classification of the different learning objectives that educators set for students. Bloom classified learning objectives into three categories: 1) Cognitive objectives; 2) Affective objectives; and 3) Psychomotor objectives. In the 1990s, two of Bloom’s former students, Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl, revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and in 2001 published “Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy”. Key to this is the use of verbs rather than nouns for each of the categories and a rearrangement of the sequence within the taxonomy. They are
arranged below in increasing order from Lower-order Thinking Skills (LOTS) to Higher-order Thinking Skills (HOTS).
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Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
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It is very important to study and understand the concept of educational objectives in order to achieve the aims of teaching science. It is essential that teachers first identify the objectives to be achieved. These objectives can be achieved by following any one of the taxonomies of educational objectives. The most appropriate and effectively used taxonomy is Bloom’s Taxonomy. In this taxonomy, verbs are listed according to three domains, that is, cognitive, affective and psychomotor, to make children learn with their head, heart and hands. These objectives will help the teacher to achieve the 5
overall aims of education. This taxonomy is also very important and helpful for the teacher to frame question papers that are effective or, in other words, which evaluate the different levels of achievement of the learners. By using verbs, the teacher will be able to test a particular objective. Through these question papers one can identify whether the teacher is testing the child’s thinking power or just their memory power. By using this taxonomy in the teaching-learning process, the teacher will be able to reduce rote learning or cramming and instead increase logical thinking and reasoning. Thus, the need arises to know whether teachers make use of Bloom’s Taxonomy of educational
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objectives while preparing question papers. Keeping this in view, I conducted a study on the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy while preparing question papers at the secondary level, taking two schools in Shillong as the sample of my study, and a number of facts have been identified, some of which are listed below: 1. Most teachers who have completed teacher training courses are aware of educational objectives, and they confirmed that they prepare blueprints while making question papers, though they consider this to be time-consuming. 2. It was identified that the teachers did not explain the concepts clearly enough for the students to be able to answer applicationbased questions, and therefore when the HOTS were tested, the students failed to perform efficiently. 3. The study also brought to light that the teachers of one school use applicationbased questions in addition to knowledge-
and understanding-based questions, while the other school makes use of only the knowledge-based questions. 4. Last but not least, the study revealed the effectiveness and variation in the setting of the question paper of one school in comparison to the other. It illustrated how one of the schools made the question papers more interesting and challenging for the students than the other school through the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Hence, it can be concluded that all teachers must be aware of the importance of Bloom’s Taxonomy of educational objectives, and that they should effectively use them in framing question papers in order that they know what they intend to test in the students. This will help them to develop the HOTS in their students, which will enable the students to think beyond mere memorization of facts. It is also important that the question pattern should cover all aspects of learning from the LOTS of mere remembering to the HOTS of applying the gained knowledge to real-life situations. Thus, it should be borne in mind that to improve the learning outcomes of students it is essential for a teacher to identify the domains he is testing with reference to the educational objectives.
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8th MARCH
INTERNATIONAL
Women’s Day Reported by the Documentation Team
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he eighth day of March is highly insignificant to many people around the world and to a large section of people in our own country too. The celebration of Women’s Day may be considered by many as futile, but SMCTE recognized the importance of this day and turned it into a meaningful and productive event for its student teachers. The Women’s Day celebration programme began with the assembly conducted by a group of students from Section A, which was followed by a beautiful welcome song. After this, Dr. Ranee, the resource person, was introduced to the student teachers by Sister Juli. She was to enlighten the students on the sensitive issue of HIV. Dr. Ranee began her talk by citing the ways through which women become infected with HIV. She revealed the fact that women are at a greater risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV in comparison to men. Women are less likely to be able to negotiate, and hence millions of women have been indirectly affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. She also mentioned that in 2011 around 58% of people infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa were women. An estimated 25 million HIV-related deaths have occurred in the last decade, and about 2.08 million Indians are living st. mary’s college of teacher education
with HIV according to a survey done in 2011. Dr. Ranee also mentioned the Meghalaya statistics as follows. In the year 2009-2010, the number of persons tested was 8700, out of which 132 were found to be HIV positive. In the year 2010-2011, the number of persons tested was 16935, and the number of HIV-positive persons was 255. In the year 2011-2012, the number of people tested increased to 28719, and the number of persons affected by HIV was 364. The aforementioned statistics clearly reveal that people are starting to become aware of this dreadful disease. It is now that attempts should be made to educate the present generation in different interactive sessions about the adverse effects of unsafe sex and unhealthy habits such as drug abuse. The aim of the programme arranged on Women’s Day was thus to make the students of the College, who are largely women, aware of their vulnerability to infection with this deadly disease, and hopefully by the end of the talk this was achieved. The session was concluded with a Vote of Thanks given by Fr. Johnson Mathew, and though the programme was not too long, it was or will certainly be an eyeopener for those who attended it.
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As We Celebrate Our Independence I As Reported by Sonia Dkhar
t feels so great to be a part of the world’s largest democracy. We live in a free nation today because of the struggle of the leaders of yesteryear. Freedom from the external powers is so much a part of us now that most Indians have forgotten the value of Independence Day. St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education thus attempts to inculcate in its student teachers a love for the nation. If one teacher realizes the value of living in a free nation and learns to respect it, he/she can instill the same emotion in hundreds of pupils. It is with such hopefulness that Independence Day is celebrated at SMCTE with great enthusiasm. It also reminds us of the sacrifice of our freedom fighters and we thus value the freedom that we now have as a nation. A Powerpoint presentation was prepared to commemorate Independence Day, which portrayed the freedom enjoyed by its citizens. This was followed by a song presented by Grace and friends. A colourful dance that expressed oneness and honour for Mother India was then beautifully performed by Liesle and her group. Another presentation was shown through different slides, which were explained by Beauty Nongsiej, a student-teacher, on the importance of Independence Day. The Principal of the Institution gave a few words on the importance of Independence Day and what should be 8
remembered on such an auspicious day. After a brief but strong message by the Principal, Philahun and Group presented a song. It was again time for a few words and one of the student-teachers, Nazia, came forward on behalf of all her classmates to speak on what Independence Day means to her and her contemporaries. A dance expressing the beauty of India’s diversity and colour was then performed by Rituparna and Group. Last but not least was a skit presented by Fr. Roshan and Group, which showcased the struggle for freedom in the past and the present views of people on Independence Day. The auditorium echoed with approving claps and laughter as Fr. Roshan, Fr. Johnson, Fr, Silanand and Bro. Ankur danced to the lively beat of “Jai Ho!” The programme then drew to a close as everyone stood and sang the National Anthem, which was followed by the Vote of Thanks given by Sr. Ribahun. It was a day different from others as every student realized the value of freedom and the importance of such a day through the various items produced by their fellow classmates. Every student-teacher must have certainly left the room with a pledge that they would safeguard the dignity of their nation by shaping individuals who would love, respect and honour their motherland – India.
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A MEETING WITH THE PARENTS/GUARDIANS As Reported by Caroline Tage
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imple…but deep”. These words best describe the Parents/Guardians Meet organized by the management and staff of St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education on 17th August 2013. The Parents/Guardians Meet with the student teachers began at 10:30 am in the college auditorium, and for the next two and a half hours the resource person, Rev. Br. Kevin, kept the audience rapt with his enlightening Powerpoint presentation. The session started with tea and snacks, after which Mrs. Inrilin Marwein gave the welcome address. Br. Kevin then began the session with an exercise in two simple parts; the first part was an exercise of looking back into the past and the second was about looking into the future. Br. Kevin used the story of Nachiketa from Hindu mythology to explain three important relationships: of a child or ward with its parents, with god, and with life and death. The hunger for st. mary’s college of teacher education
right relationships exists in every heart, and as was quoted by the resource person, “Thank God for hunger… people who are not hungry are sick”. Br. Kevin then talked about the three A’s that are important for every individual: Affection, Acceptance and Achievements. He also stated two commandments for every parent/guardian in order to establish an effective relationship with his child/ward. The whole session was thus about building the right relationship between the parent/guardian and the child/ward in order to help the parents and the student-teachers to understand and appreciate one another and grow together. The session ended with a still moment, which was followed by a beautiful song. Time was then given for interaction among the parents, which was followed by a few words by the Principal, Dr. (Sr) Clarissa Wallang, and a Vote of Thanks was extended by the Vice-Principal, Dr. (Mrs) Ruth Sangma.
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Continuous And Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) A New Perspective on Education Reported by the Documentation Team
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earning has no boundaries; it starts at birth and ends in the grave. It is for this reason that the evaluation system, which takes into consideration only some aspects of a child’s growth, needs to change. It has to see to the all-round development of a child in order that the full potential of the child is identified. It cannot be a one-time process in the way that the present system of evaluation functions. It is necessary that the present-day teachers understand the importance of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) to building a society of multiple expertise. The seminar on CCE was thus organized and presented by the teaching faculty of SMCTE in order to enlighten the student teachers about the chief objectives behind this new form of evaluation and its impact on education. The seminar consisted of five sessions, which are touched upon below. Session 1
Mrs. Alfa M. Kurbah This session was taken up by Mrs. Alfa M. Kurbah and it dealt mostly with the genesis and meaning of CCE. Mrs. Kurbah stated that CCE has its origin in the Mudaliar Commission, which stresses the performance of the child at school. The National Curriculum Framework of 2005 recommended that CCE be used at the school level. She mentioned that, most teachers have reservations 10
about CCE, but she explained through her presentation why one should not be afraid of it, but rather how CCE helps in reducing stress and anxiety. She mentioned that CCE comprises of two concepts, i.e., the scholastic area (that relates to the cognitive domain and aspects of development, e.g. assignments, projects) and the co-scholastic area (that covers mostly the affective and psychomotor domains). She then referred to the fact that in CCE, assessment is mostly of
two types: formative assessment (feedback, homework, etc.) and summative assessment (end of term test). Mrs. Kurbah proceeded with the three aspects that CCE focuses on: (1) Assessment for learning, (2) Assessment of learning and (3) Assessment as learning. She also mentioned some of the objectives of CCE: To develop cognitive, affective and psychomotor domain skills; To emphasize the thought process; To make evaluation an integral part of the teachinglearning process; To use the evaluation for improvement followed by remediation;
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her presentation, she quoted the famous adage, “I hear, I forget; I see I remember; and I do I understand”. In this manner, Mrs. Marwein showed how CCE would benefit students. Session 4
Ms. Darihun Kharnongrum Ms. Kharnongrum elaborated on the tools and techniques used in CCE. She cited the various observation techniques and the advantages of observation and explained them using the Checklist as a tool of observation and the Project method as a technique of evaluation. To use evaluation as a quality control device; and To determine social utility. Mrs. Kurbah also stated that CCE is a method of communicating the measurement of students’ achievement and involves the use of a set of symbols (letter grades A, B, C…). CCE involves two types of grading: Direct (qualitative terms and performance) and Absolute (direct conversion of grades into a 3-point scale and a 5-point scale). According to her, the CCE scheme provides a holistic evaluation that not only helps students but teachers as well. Session 2
Ms. Dianghun Shullai In this session, Ms. Dianghun
Shullai concentrated mainly on the Right to Education Act. She spoke about its meaning, the history of the Bill, the importance of the Bill, and the reason for the chosen age group. Session 3
Mrs. Inrilin Marwein Mrs. Marwein’s presentation highlighted the factors that hinder the learning process. The chief factor, she stated, is the defective method of teaching. Teachers mostly follow the traditional method, which implies that usually it is only the teachers who talk. There is more information and less explanation, children are not encouraged, and stress is placed only on memory-level learning. There is also lack of planning on the part of teachers. To support
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Session 5
Mrs. Calmy Kharlukhi Mrs. Kharlukhi stated the reasons for the failure of CCE in Meghalaya. The lack of a sense of accountability on the part of teachers, she said, was the chief reason why CCE hadn’t been successful in the state. She encouraged the student-teachers not to follow the same path, but to bring about a change in attitude by taking up teaching not merely as a job, but as a vocation. She quoted Winston Churchill’s famous line, “We make a living with what we get; we make a life with what we give”. She concluded by saying that we should treat every child like our own. The seminar came to a close with a Powerpoint presentation titled ‘I Can Make a Difference’ prepared by the teacher-educators. 11
Caroline Tage
You are my brother too… Why did he do this, brother? Why did he do this to me? Didn’t he know me, brother… Didn’t he know you? But I played with him, brother And sang with his sister… And I thought he was my brother too. Wasn’t he the one, brother sitting behind you as you scanned the streets on your skinny bicycle? Wasn’t he the one, brother who raided his mother’s kitchen to treat you and I… I who sang with his sister? Then why did he thrust this metal through my soul… Why did he stop my joyful, merry song? Didn’t you tell him, brother that we didn’t crush his flowers, It wasn’t you and I who burnt down his house. Didn’t you tell him, brother That I cried when his mother
lay there at the gateway… and didn’t open her eyes. But now your voice grows faint… I only see your tears washing away the features of your face. Don’t cry dear brother Maybe he didn’t know… But now I’m going to a better world. There are green fields, brother Flowers blooming around his house He is there, with his sister And his mother’s beckoning me… I’m going to them, brother No, he has no gun now. I’ll laugh with his father And sing with his sister And I’ll tell him of all the things he didn’t know. I’ll tell him that I loved him as I loved you… I’ll tell him that he was my brother too.
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The Attitudes of Life Fr. Johnson Mathew
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he difference between a good day and a bad day lies in the type of attitude one holds”. It is our attitude that contributes much to our success. It is said that 85% of what we do depends on our attitude and the remaining 15% amounts to our ability, adaptability and availability of the resources around us. It is not what is outside of us that makes us worthy but rather what is inside us. Each one of us is an acre of diamonds, a heap of gold and a bundle of talents. We often compare ourselves with others and worry about all that we do not have, which may be found in others. One needs to compare oneself only with oneself, for each person is uniquely worthy, valuable, capable and rich. It is commonly stated that “the grass is greener on the other side” and we often only know how to enjoy what is on the other side, while seldom recognizing, appreciating
and rejoicing in our own worth. We do not realize that there are many who admire us and marvel at us, or at the things we do or the way we are. Nobody can replace us. No one is as powerful as oneself. We need to grab every opportunity to be a good person, to discover our worth, to admire and to nurture the good things that we have. The same opportunity will never knock at the door a second time. Consider that every moment is great, every person is worthy and the events we experience will add great things to our lives. The right attitude can do wonders in our lives. Goliath’s attitude was one of belittling the other – “He is too small to hit me”. David had a positive optimism – “He is too big to miss my stone. All know what the result of their respective attitudes was. Three factors that influence our attitudes are environment, experience and education. Environment is the places we inhabit; our home, school, workplace – all these influence our attitudes. Behaviour changes according to the experience of the person, for positive experience leads to positive attitude. It is not only in the classroom that we learn, but also from the people, things and events around us. We are drowning in information but starving for knowledge. Teachers
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are the pillars of education and children are opportunities; thus, what we think, say and do has an impact on the lives of the children in our care. Education ought to teach us not only how to make a living but most importantly how to live. People with a positive attitude are those who are caring, confident, have high expectations of themselves and anticipate positive outcomes. They increase productivity, foster teamwork, solve problems, improve quality, breed loyalty, foster better relationships, reduce stress, help others to contribute and have a pleasing personality. They are people who focus on the positive side of life, look for good things in others, develop an attitude of gratitude, thank people for good and bad as we can learn from both, take time to smell the roses, count their blessings and not their troubles, appreciate themselves and others, build positive self-esteem, do good to those who cannot repay them, say no to negative influences, begin the day with positive thinking, learn to laugh at themselves, take responsibility, and possess a “stop wishing and start fishing” mentality. Hence, let us find the diamond hidden within us, march forward with a positive attitude and bring out the radiance of treasure within each of us for a brighter tomorrow. 25 25
Ms Darihun J Kharnongrum Lecturer
A
ll of us wondered how people, animals, plants and trees have come to exist in this world. Who created them? It is Almighty God – He created all of us and all that is revealed in nature; He possesses the finest creative abilities. According to Indian philosophy, we are constituents of the Supreme Power, in the same way that the rays of the sun are the constituent parts of their creator, the sun. Therefore, each of us possesses creative abilities. Each of us is a unique creation but does not possess the same creative abilities as our peers. Some of us are endowed with high levels of creative talent to contribute to advancements in the fields of art, literature, science, business, teaching and other spheres of human activity, and are responsible for propounding new ideas and bringing about social and cultural change. Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln and Homi Bhaba were some of the creative individuals who left their mark on their chosen fields.
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CREAT What is It
There are many definitions of creativity. Some of which are as follows: Stagner and Karwoski define it as “Creativity implies the production of a totally or partially novel identity”. Spearman (1931) says that “Creativity is the power of the human mind to create new contents by transforming relations and thereby generating new correlates”. Drevdahl (1956) states, “Creativity is the capacity of a person to produce compositions, products or ideas which are essentially new or novel and previously unknown to the producer”. David Ausubel (1963) states, “Creativity is a generalized constellation of intellectual abilities, personality variables and problem-solving traits”. And according to Stein (1974), “Creativity is a process which results in novel work that is accepted as tenable, useful or satisfying to a group of people at some point of time”.
There seems, however, to be considerable lack of agreement among these scholars regarding the true nature and concept of creativity – its process as well as its product. Some of them consider it to be purely a fiction of the mind, a component of cognitive behaviour, while Ausuble and others maintain that it is an attribute of the person as a whole involving his total behaviour and the functioning of his whole personality. By incorporating all these viewpoints we may describe creativity as the capacity or ability of an individual to create, discover or produce a new or novel idea or objects, including the re-arrangement or re-shaping of what is already known to him, which proves to be a unique personal experience. Development of Creativity There is no doubt that people like Gandhiji and Abraham Lincoln were blessed with creative abilities, but the role of environment in terms of education, training
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ATIVITY all about?
and opportunities in their development cannot be ignored. Good education, proper care and provision of opportunities for creative expression inspire, stimulate and sharpen the creative mind, and it is in this sphere that parents, society and teachers make a significant contribution. They are required to help children in nourishing and utilizing their creative abilities to the utmost. The educational process should therefore be aimed at developing creative abilities in children. Creativity as a natural endowment needs stimulation and nourishment. Most creative talent, unless it is given proper training, education and opportunities for expression, is wanted. Moreover, as emphasized earlier, creativity, though not equal, is universal. It is not the monopoly of a few geniuses. Every one of us possesses some creative abilities and it is not only geniuses who are needed to create, manifest and produce .
It is therefore essential for teachers as well as parents to realize the need for creating an environment conducive to the full growth and development of the creative abilities of children. Proper stimulation and nurturing of the traits that help to develop creativity can be considered as follows: 1) Freedom to respond Often teachers and parents expect routine, fixed responses from children and thus kill the creative spark by breeding conformity and passivity. We should give adequate freedom to our children in responding to a situation. They should be encouraged to think out as many ideas as they can for the solution to a problem. 2) Opportunity for ego involvement Feelings like “This is my creation” and “I have solved it” give much satisfaction to children. A child can be expected to put determined effort into creative activities only when his/her ego is involved, i.e., when
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he/she feels that a particular creative work is the outcome of his efforts. 3) Encouraging originality and flexibility Originality on the part of children in any form should be encouraged. Passive submission to the facts, unquestioning mimicry and rote memorization discourage creative expression and should therefore be discouraged as much as possible. If children seek to change their methods of learning a task or solving a problem, they should be encouraged to do so. Adequate training can also be given by getting them to answer problems such as ‘How would you draw an angle if you did not have a proper instrument for drawing it?’ or ‘How would you cross a river if there were no bridge over it?’ 4) Removal of hesitation and fear It has often been found that there seems to be great hesitation mixed with a sense of inferiority and fear among students in taking up the initiative for 27
creative expression. We often come across comments such as “I know what I mean but I cannot write (or speak) before others”. Such fear should be discouraged and removed as far as possible. Teachers and parents should encourage and persuade such children to express themselves by saying or writing something – no matter how rudimentary it may be. 5) Providing appropriate opportunities and atmosphere for creative expression A healthy atmosphere favourable for creative thinking and expression is essential for the stimulation and nourishment of creativity among children. There is a need for a sympathetic atmosphere in school and at home, and the co-curricular activities in school also enable the students to think laterally, which provide opportunities for creative expression. Religious festivals and social gatherings can also provide opportunities for creative expression. Even regular classwork can be arranged in such a way as to stimulate and develop creative thinking among children. 6) Developing healthy habits among children Industriousness, persistence, self-reliance and self-confidence are some of the qualities that are helpful in creative output. Children should therefore be 28
helped to imbibe these qualities. 7) Using the creative resources of the community Children should be encouraged to visit the Centre of Arts, scientific and industrial creative work. This may stimulate and inspire them to become involved in creative work. Creative artists, scientists and creative persons may also occasionally be invited to the school to interact with the children in an effort to enhance their scope of knowledge and kindle the spark of creativity in them. 8) Avoidance of blocks to creative thinking Factors such as conservation, faulty methods of teaching, unsympathetic treatment, fixed and rigid habits of work, anxiety and frustration are known to be detrimental to the growth of creativity among children. As far as possible, parents and teachers should therefore try to avoid such factors in raising and educating children. 9) Proper organization of the curriculum The school curriculum should be organized primarily on the basis of concepts rather than facts. It should also cater more to the individual needs of each student than to the generalized needs of all students. It should be flexible and make provision for studying and working without the constant threat of evaluation. In a nutshell, the curriculum
should reflect what is expected from creative children in terms of fluency, flexibility, originality, divergent thinking, inventiveness and elaboration, etc. 10) Reform of the evaluation system The present education system is completely examination oriented, and appropriate reform must be carried out if creativity is to be nurtured. The emphasis on rote memorization, fixed and rigid single responses, convergent thinking, etc., which kills children’s creativity, should be abandoned and a proper evaluation system should be adopted to encourage complete and balanced experiences in developing creative behaviour. The above points are some of the ways and means of developing or nurturing and stimulating creativity in children. Although creativity is innate, the influence of cultural background, experiences in education and training in the nurturing of creativity cannot be ruled out. Relationship between creativity and intelligence Creativity is a person’s ability to create something new or novel. It is said to have some link or relationship with intelligence. According to Alfred Binet, “Intelligence is the capacity of an individual to carry on abstract thinking”. There seems to be a co-relation between intelligence
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and creativity, but research findings and observation have demonstrated that this is not the case. One is not the essential or necessary prerequisite of the other. Those found scoring high on intelligence tests may demonstrate few or no signs of creativity, whereas individuals performing poorly on intelligence tests may sometimes create something very original. Taking a consolidated view of the researches conducted on this issue, it may be concluded that although intelligence and creativity component of one’s personality can function independently, a certain minimum level of intelligence is a necessary precondition for successful creative expression. Were it not so, a person of below average mental ability could also be creative, but in real-life situations we rarely come across such instances. Conversely, although creative people generally tend to be relatively intelligent, beyond a certain level, a higher IQ does not necessarily predict creativity. In other words, as Kitano and Kirby (1986) state, “an individual can be extremely bright but uncreative or highly creative but not necessarily intellectually gifted”. Therefore, no clear relationship has been shown to exist between intelligence and creativity. However, when we talk of thinking, some degree of
intelligence is required as creativity rest more on divergent thinking than on convergent thinking. Divergent thinking involves broad scanning operations, enabling a person to formulate a general multipurpose solution; this is put into use when one is confronted with a problem that has many possible solutions. Convergent thinking, on the other hand, requires a narrow process leading the individual to pinpoint the most appropriate solution or response. It is important in situations that require the production of only one correct solution. Divergent thinking has been considered to be more characteristic of highly creative individuals rather than of those not rated as being highly creative. This is why in tests designed to evaluate creativity one is required to list as many uses as possible for articles such as a knife or a brick, and to provide as many solutions to a problem as possible. Tests of this kind requiring divergent thinking are therefore scored for divergence, i.e. the number, diversity and uniqueness of the responses, and not for the convergent outcomes in the form of one single correct answer as is usually done in tests of intelligence. In another sense, creativity cannot be separated from intelligence, in spite of the fact that intelligence and creativity may function independently, and
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creativity involves divergent thinking as opposed to convergent thinking employed in the demonstration of intelligence it is not possible to entirely separate creativity from intelligence. This is because thinking is neither purely divergent nor purely convergent and always has elements of both that are simultaneously involved in the creative process and intellectual process. It therefore follows that for a person to be considered creative, he must have an above average level of intelligence. It can be concluded that creativity is a natural endowment, but it needs stimulation and nourishment. Nor is it independent in itself; in creativity some amount of intelligence is required. The only difference is that creative capacity varies from person to person. No two persons possess the same capacity for creativity; everyone is unique and possesses distinctive creative abilities. Bibliogr aphy
1) Mangal, S.K.
“Advanced Educational Psychology”, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi-110 001.
2) Mangal, S.K.
“Psychological Fundations of Education”, Prakash Brothers, Ludhiana. 29
to Ms.Euodia B. Myrthong Reported by the Documentation Team
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he 1st of June 2013 was a day of joy as well as gloom, as SMCTE bade farewell to one of its teachereducators, Ms. Euodia B. Myrthong. She had taught in the College from 2007 to the
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middle of 2013. She was also an alumnus of the College. She had served the college with complete sincerity and dedication. The farewell programme, which was hosted by Ms. Sharmistha Purkayastha, began with a prayer by the student-teachers, which was followed by a welcome speech given by the Principal, Dr. (Sr.) Clarissa Wallang. A token of appreciation was then presented to Ms. Myrthong by Dr. (Mrs.) Ruth. N. Sangma, the Vice-Principal. Veronica Lyngdoh, a student-teacher, then mesmerised the audience with her beautiful voice. It was followed by a speech by Mrs. Antonia Sohtun, President of the Student-Council, on behalf of all the student-teachers of SMCTE. Mrs Alfa M. Kurbah
next composed a song ‘on the spot’ to be presented by all the teachers and the Principal for Ms. Myrthong to show how she would be remembered in the institution. The programme continued with an entertaining dance performance by Rituparna and group. It was then time for Ms. Myrthong to express her feelings. She spoke of God’s plans for each and everyone, and said that we should be thankful to the Lord for all that we are. She also encouraged all the student-teachers to work hard and use time efficiently. She concluded her speech by thanking everyone and wishing everyone to do well in life. The day came to an end with the vote of thanks given by Ms. Sharmistha Purkayastha, who had been, time and again, reminding all of us of the qualities of Ms. Myrthong by virtue of which she had achieved such success of becoming an Assistant Professor in the University.
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Workshop on Counselling Reported by the Documentation Team
Date - 4th & 5th Apr il 2013 Time - 9.0 0 a.m. – 3.0 0 p.m. Day 1 - 4th Apr il , 2013
The programme was facilitated by Father Johnson and Nazia welcomed us all with a short welcome address. The resource person Mrs. Arlene Kharnongrum then took over the session giving us insight into things we had never realised before. She not only gave a detailed talk on emotions, but also cheered us with her lively song and dance. The session was divided into three parts PART 1
Part 1 dealt mostly with an introduction to emotions. Mrs. Kharnongrum said that emotions could be both good and bad depending on our experience. She
then differentiated between emotions and feelings; most of us had thought of these as interchangeable, but in reality this is not the case. She continued by discussing the destructive nature of emotions, which results because we do not know how to control our emotions and channel them in the right direction. She also said that the world around us plays an important role in moulding our emotions. She explained the difference between an emotion and a culture, and how some cultures try to manipulate emotions by directing people when to show and when to hide their emotions.
said that emotions control our thinking, behaviour and actions, and even our physical being is affected by them to a certain extent. She mentioned that sometimes due to our attitude of ignoring our emotions we may also suffer from physical illness. She then discussed how we can express our emotions, and the methods people use to avoid feeling their emotions and the symptoms of repression of emotions. She then discussed some of the methods or steps to release emotions, such as screaming out loud or going for a walk or drive alone.
PART 2
In the last part, Mrs. Kharnongrum talked about emotional intelligence, its definition, the difference between intelligence quotient
In the second part, Mrs. Kharnongrum answered the question as to why we should bother about emotions. She st. mary’s college of teacher education | THE PIONEER 2013
PART 3
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and emotional quotient, approaches and elements. Day 2 -5th Apr il , 2013
On the second day of the workshop, Mrs. Kharnongrum talked about stress and also gave us some tips on how to manage it. First, we were divided into groups and asked to perform certain activities. She not only got the student teachers to sing and dance but also to perform an exercise that was truly relaxing. As on the previous day, the session was divided into three parts. PART 1
In the first part, Mrs. Kharnongrum concentrated on stress management. She said that stress is the wear and tear of the body; some of the feelings associated with stress are worry, tension, fear and anxiety. She then explained the different types of stress, such as positive, negative, external and internal. She then talked exclusively about external stress, which is divided into physical environment, social interaction, organisation, family crisis and major life events. The physical-environment factors that cause stress are awkward position, poor posture, inadequate lighting, extreme weather conditions, confined space and so on. The social factors that cause stress are rudeness, bossiness, aggressiveness and lack of acceptance. Rules and 32
regulations, budget and difficult targets to be accomplished are some of the organisational factors that cause stress. Deaths in the family or issues related to childbirth are some of the causes of stress relating to family crisis and major life events. Mrs. Kharnongrum continued by informing us about how our lifestyle also leads to stress, which can include drug abuse, lack of sleep and an overloaded schedule. PART 2
In the second part of the day’s session, Mrs. Kharnongrum informed us that people are affected by stress at their workplaces and that some of the factors influencing work stress are uncertainty and conflict. The drive for success is a result of influence by western societies, craving for status,
etc., which also lead to different types of stress. PART 3
In the third and last part of the session, Mrs. Kharnongrum described some of the preventive measures to overcome stress, such as being assertive, management of time and identification of one’s goal. Thus, with lots of fun, learning and laughter, the two-day workshop came to an end. Iowanka Syiemlieh, on behalf of all the student teachers of St. Marys College of Teacher Education, conveyed our deepest gratitude to Mrs. Kharnongrum, and the Principal of the College also expressed her joy at having Mrs. Kharnongrum with us and her appreciation of her effort to release us of the stress that each of us goes through at different points in our lives.
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Balamboklin Allya
God’s Love Endures Forever (A Short Story)
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houghts of walking alone down the darkest alley in her locality had been disturbing Jenna that whole day. Her friend and colleague had left at lunch time to spend the evening with her family, leaving Jenna to leave the office without a companion. What made her more frightened was the news that had been on T.V. about an unidentified man who had been attacking young women at night for the past three weeks, and what she had heard from one of her colleagues was about a suspicious man seen loitering around Jenna’s locality every night. Jenna had always been fearless about such things; that night her fearlessness seemed to abandon her. Yet she mustered up her courage and left the office around 8 o’clock confident that she would reach home safe and sound. Jenna reached the spot where most women from st. mary’s college of teacher education
her locality were afraid to go alone, especially at night. She started walking. As she walked, her head felt heavy, her heart started pounding and goose-bumps started to appear on her arms. Her mind kept on telling her to turn back and a sudden fear crept up on her; she felt her whole body shivering. Perhaps, she thought, it would be best for me to turn back and stay in a motel just for tonight. But she could not, as she had come too far and was already near her house. At that moment, she stopped abruptly as she heard footsteps that were not her own. She turned back but could not see anybody. She started walking again as fast as she could without turning to look behind her. Jenna had been a daily reader of the Bible and a pious woman. But lately she had been keeping God at the back of her mind because of her
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so-called ‘busy and hectic’ daily schedule. She felt that, of late, her life was too complicated and confusing, and that God and prayer would not make her life easier or less confusing. She had considered them to be trivial matters that contributed nothing to her life. This was because she had not seen her wants and desires materialize according to her whims and wishes. For instance, she had prayed to God to give her a profitable job and a higher post where she could earn lots of money, and to let the man she adored fall in love with her. Yet this was not according to God’s plan for her life. This was why she thought to herself that God did not care for her and that He had given up on her. Although she belonged to a Christian family who had firm faith in God and His promises perhaps the fact that after leaving her home and not contacting her family for almost five years had made her wayward. She had somewhat given up her faith and hope in God and let herself become tied up with worldly sinful acts. Yet God’s love endures forever. At that moment, Jenna stopped and stood still and looked up and saw a tall man in the blackest overcoat she had ever seen, standing just a few steps away from her. She thought of running, but her legs would not obey her mind and they were numb. She tried to call for help, but her vocal cords seemed to be blocked. At that precise moment, she remembered a verse from Isaiah 58:11 that stated, “The Lord will guide you forever”. Then verse upon verse came flooding into her heart and mind and a powerful prayer came to her lips. She bent down on her knees and prayed. She prayed as she had never prayed before, even when she was a faithful Christian. Jenna did not know what she was praying for: whether she was praying to God to save her from the man, praying for Him to forgive her, or praying for Him to free her from the clutching snares of sin. But she could sense that it resonated and was ascending to God’s throne. She felt as though God was working to change her life and welcome her again into His loving care and 34
guidance. When Jenna opened her eyes, instead of seeing the man approaching to attack her she saw that he was being led by two policemen into a police car and that
another police man was helping her to her feet. She could not comprehend what was happening and could not hear the commotion being made by the people all around her. She looked up at the man and saw that he too was dumbfounded and confused and could only stare at her while getting into the car. Jenna had been saved not only from the man but also from the snares of sin. That night Jenna realized that she could not face the world without God’s guidance and that she had experienced a miracle: a miracle that brought her from the wrong way to the right and from darkness to light. She realized God’s enduring love even for a sinner like her. That night Jenna picked up her Bible, read some verses from it and humbly submitted herself to God in prayer. She found peace that miraculous night.
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ONE- TO TEN LETTER WORDS The most selfish oneletter word – ‘I’.
Avoid It.
The most satisfying two-letter word – ‘WE’.
USE IT.
The most poisonous three-letter word – ‘EGO’.
WISDOM EVERGREEN Intellectual assets are more valuable
than material ones. The difficult is done at once; the impossible takes a little longer. While yearning for excess, we lose the necessities. Blessings never come in pairs; misfortunes never come alone. Quarrels will end, but words once spoken never die. The heart that truly loves has no room for grudges. Visits always give pleasure – if not at arrival, then at least at departure. There’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle. Everyone is wise for his own profit. It is not enough to run; one must start in time. The person who wants a rose must accept the thorn. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
The most used fourletter word – ‘LOVE’.
VALUE IT.
The most pleasing five-letter word – ‘SMILE’.
KEEP IT.
The fastest-spreading six-letter word – ‘RUMOUR’.
IGNORE IT.
The most hardworking seven-letter word – ‘SUCCESS’.
ACHIEVE IT
The most envious eight-letter word – ‘JEALOUSY’.
DISTANCE IT.
The most powerful nine-letter word – ‘KNOWLEDGE’.
ACQUIRE IT.
The most divine ten-letter word – ‘FRIENDSHIP’.
Compiled By
Balamboklin Allya st. mary’s college of teacher education
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A Report on the
College Fest T Reported by the Documentation Team
he student-teachers of SMCTE got a break from their hectic schedule in October as the mood in the college lightened with the celebration of College Fest 2013. The Cultural Fest began with a Morning Prayer prepared by Father Roshan and Group. This was followed by a speech given by Dr. (Sr.) Clarissa Wallang, Principal of St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education. Haphilaioh and Group gave a melodious start to the programme with their song, which was followed by the first round of Mrs. SMCTE, that is, the Formal Round. Then a lively Khasi song was presented by Sister Ribahun and Group, who were all dolled up in traditional Khasi attire. Soon after, the first rounds of Miss SMCTE and Mr. SMCTE, that is, the Traditional Round, were conducted. Persara and Group then entertained the crowd with their western dance, which was followed by the second round of Mrs. SMCTE, which was the Creative Round. A Hindi song was then presented by Paulomi and Group, which was followed by the Creative Round of Miss SMCTE and the Role-playing Round of Mr. SMCTE. Father Silanand then showcased a surprise item, which added to the liveliness of the programme. The contestants of Mrs. SMCTE then walked the ramp in their traditional
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attire for the third round, which was also the Question Round. Isha Thour then charmed the audience with her Punjabi dance. This was followed by the Formalcum-Question Round of Mr. SMCTE. The audience was then given a pleasant surprise as Ms. Alfa Kurbah joined Rituparna and Group in their mixed dance performance. The final round of Miss SMCTE then followed, which was the Formal-cum-Question Round. While the judges tabulated the marks, all the teachers and student-teachers were entertained by comedy from Donicia, an alumnus of the institute. The Conference Hall resounded with laughter and all the B. Ed-related tensions were forgotten during these moments. Finally, the results for Mr. SMCTE, Mrs. SMCTE and Miss SMCTE were declared. Father Roshan, Mrs. Antonia Sohtun and Miss. Caroline Tage were crowned Mr, Mrs and Miss SMCTE, respectively. After the crowning of the winners, Mrs. I. Marwein gave the Vote of Thanks and thus an exciting and memorable day concluded.
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Beauty Nongsiej
IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY AND THE HISTORY TEACHER
H
istory has an important role to play in the field of education. It acquaints future citizens with the past and prepares such a background in their conception, on the basis of which they may build up their present and prepare for their future. It is on account of this that the teaching of history is so important. History deals with the social, political and economic aspects of our lives. The ancient Greeks were great seekers of knowledge and wisdom. One of the subjects that added to their wisdom was history. The English word ‘history’ is derived from the Greek noun ‘historia’. History, or ‘historia’, simply means enquiry or research. Learning by enquiry about the past of humankind was later developed into a discipline by the ancient Greek historians Herodotus, popularly known as the ‘Father
of History’, and Thucydides. Since then, historical writings have become varied in form and theme, reflecting the dominant interests of historians. History records humankind’s doings in society and explains the state of our civilizations. It records humankind’s steps and slips. It provides us with the opportunity to learn from the stumbles and tumbles of our forefathers. In the broadest sense, history embraces every aspect of human life. It lays the foundation of education by showing how humankind repeats errors and what these errors are. There was a time when history was considered a mere collection of legendary stories, heroic ballads and folk-tales, meant to be recited for their moral values, and at the same time to delight the audience. Today, no phase of human activity falls outside the field and jurisdiction of history.
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It starts in the past, makes the present its sheet-anchor and points to the future. History is the study of human and their behaviour in the past, actions that are not available for direct observation. Historical imagination is the capacity of an individual to draw inferences about past events, to form mental pictures of past happenings and try to find the meaning hidden behind past human actions. It depends on the ingenuity of the history teacher, his/her way of presenting the facts, his/her own interest in history and also on the availability of materials to make the past real. A good history teacher can and should help his/her students to see with their mind’s eye. The most important factor in the entire educational programme is the teachers. It is the teacher on whom
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the real success or future of any method, aid, device or procedure depends. It is he/ she who is in the position to evaluate the extent to which the aims and objectives of teaching have been achieved. This is even truer of a teacher of history, who not only deals with the successes and failures of humans in the past but also with the current and recurrent events and happenings of the world of today. According to Lord Bryce, “The teacher of history must have the power of realizing the dead past in the living present, must in fact have a touch of imagination, as well as a vastly larger amount of positive knowledge”. History is a subject in which in addition to the prescribed subject matter, the teacher is also required to deal with attitudes, skills and appreciations. It is he/she who is expected to produce intelligent citizens and responsible leaders for the next generation. It is he/ she who is to handle the raw
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human material and develop it for successful democratic living. It is his/her duty to transform this material into well-adjusted, well-informed and happy citizens who will participate successfully in matters of national and international importance. As such, the future of the child, the future of the school, the future of the community, the future of the nation and the future of humankind at large depends upon the history teacher. In spite of the development of new types of mechanical teaching aids and an increasing emphasis on child-centred education, it is still the case that the teacher can make history an interesting and useful subject. The story of humans has to be interpreted in as objective and sincere a manner as possible. This explains why the teacher occupies a responsible and important position. However, the subject of history has suffered very much from poor-quality teaching, especially at the elementary
level. It has generally been felt that anyone can teach history, and that all that is necessary is a textbook and the ability to read it. The teacher’s task is merely to see that the children know the facts presented in the book. Sadly, this attitude towards the teaching of history still exists. A history class is frequently given to a physical education teacher, a drawing teacher or a music teacher. When one considers the aims and objectives of education and the role that history is destined to play in accomplishing these aims, one wonders why the teacher of history has been neglected and dealt with very indifferently in so many of our country’s schools. The Secondary Education Commission says that “Even the best curriculum and the most perfect syllabus remain dead unless quickened into life by the right methods of teaching and the right kind of teachers”. The teacher occupies a very important position in the whole process of history
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teaching. His /her tasks are many and varied. A teacher of history has a responsible role to play because the success of education depends on his/ her daily work. He/she should have some essential qualities to equip him/herself in the process of teaching. He/she should possess qualities of personality, character and intellect. He/ she should be a master of the subject and techniques and have a professional attitude and willingness to grow. However, we should remember that he/ she has his/her own limitations. So it is not expected that all teachers of history must possess all the qualities to be perfect in all aspects and respects. A history teacher should also have human qualities like a passion
for life, compassion for his/her students, empathy, inspiration, dedication to excellence, willingness to help and support his/her students when they are in need and celebrate their accomplishments. As has been mentioned, not all teachers are perfect or possess all the essential qualities needed for teaching history. This is one of the drawbacks, as school students especially in rural areas suffer when they go to towns and cities for higher studies, since they do not have a strong foundation in history from the early phase of their school life. A history teacher, even if he/she is not a master of the subject, should work hard and understand the subject; the teacher must have thorough knowledge before he/
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she is required to teach. Only then can he/she create interest in the students to learn more about relating the past to the present, and not only make the students learn the facts presented in the textbook. The history teacher’s own interest, enthusiasm and understanding of what should be accomplished are matters that determine the success or failure of the history teachinglearning process. If the teacher of history is to serve as a guide and teacher, he/ she must be well informed about the current affairs and contemporary problems of the day and the latest discoveries that are reshaping history. He/she should have a broad knowledge of current issues 51
and their origin. He/she must listen to news broadcasts, read current news items, study and analyse reports and editorials, and participate in school and community projects and discussions. All these will enable the teacher to judge the relative reliability of different sources and train students in critical appraisal and in distinguishing facts from opinions. The varying degrees of success, however, seem to indicate that the ability of the teacher, rather than the quality of the medium or the method, is the determining factor. History is often said to be the “queen” of the social sciences. It is a wonderful treasure trove of information and can offer
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guidance for the solution to all human problems pertaining to science and art, language and literature, social and political life, philosophical speculation, and economic development. A realistic study of these adds a new dimension to understanding. It can help in the training of able statespersons and intelligent and useful citizens. It trains the mental faculties, quickens and deepens understanding, and gives insight into the working of social, economic, political and technological forces. Bacon says, “Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to
contend.” Thus, the history teacher should be a person of balanced judgement, a person of courage, and a scholar of social sciences and current affairs. He/she should be a person of good personality, with faith in him/ herself, faith in his/her subject, faith in truth and faith in the kinship of humankind. He/ she should possess sound academic and professional training and be able to make a rich contribution to the true ends of teaching history. Lastly, he/she should understand the true concept of history as the common study of all humankind and should be able to bring home this important fact to his/her students.
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Ms. Sharmistha Purkayastha
Lecturer, Methodology of Teaching English
Our Search‌
W
e grumble about everything, we complain at the drop of a hat, we are unhappy about almost everything around us and the list is never ending. But did anyone of us ever think of a life without the basic necessities. Did we ever work to gather money to buy books or were we not taken to a doctor, when seriously ill, because our parents did not have money? No, we never thought about such things as no one has the time to think about all these issues or we do not want to think about them. God has provided us with almost everything and yet we
have no time to feel grateful to Him for all the blessings He has showered on us. On the other hand, we are extremely busy complaining about the worldly discomforts like the heating system of the house not functioning or the favourite car has gone out for servicing and thus how can we go to work or the smart phone that we purchased the other day does not have the latest application and so on and so forth.
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The world is changing at such a rapid pace that we forget to count on the blessings we are endowed with but are busy racing against each other to reach the top. And certainly many of us do reach the peak without knowing what to do next. It is true that after a certain level of achievement, one gets more and more hungry for name and fame, and life becomes meaningless. It is then we try to fill the vagueness of our identity with the things of the material world. Yes, the material things become an essential part of our lives and we start looking for joy
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and peace in the possession of all the latest and complicated gadgets available in the market. In no time we have our hands on almost all the possible materials within our reach. Once again, we reach a point where we do not know what we exactly want from our lives. We may continue to achieve all that we aspire for and reach the top every time we start a journey but when we look behind, we may have none to be a part of the success we have achieved through our toil. It can be seen that we may win the race every time we are in a competition but that does not surely give us joy or peace at heart. This clearly exhibits that we do not know for sure what actually brings joy and what can truly content us. It is, therefore, time we hold on, stop racing and think what our priorities in life are. We need to think, 54
what we are looking for. We need to listen to our inner-voice and search for all that gives us perpetual peace and joy. Values, traditions, customs, rituals are some words that can bring ease to the heart of every individual. It can never be bought in the materialistic world. It can be handed over to us by our teachers or parents, and in the same way we can pass it down to our children, students or youngsters. These are not just words that are once told by the elders to the youngsters to be forgotten but they are true words of wisdom, which needs to be ingrained in the hearts and souls of the present generation. Their worth should be made to realize to the present age in all manner possible; and that is possible only when the teachers and the parents together shoulder the responsibility of educating
their students and children, the need and importance of accumulating values, traditions, customs or rituals. They should not be discarded by saying that they are things of the past generation and does not hold good in the fast-paced world in which we exist, rather they must be upheld with all might for they are the only learning that can provide us with the true bliss that all seek for. When our hearts are at peace, we will find joy in everything and all that we achieve will have meaning. It will be witnessed then that the march towards success is not hollow but it is rather an act of fulfillment that not only quenches the soul of a single individual instead accomplishes the purpose of humankind, the most wondrous creation of the Almighty God, in this beautiful world crafted for His loving children.
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Persara shullai
A Cup of Tea Life is like having a cup of tea You sit by the window with a book on your lap While soft wisp of steam curl up from the teacup You fill the cup; assume a mid distant gaze, And take a careless little sip. Only to realize, somebody forget to put in the sugar. Too lazy to limber upon, you somehow struggle through the sugarless cup Till you ruefully discover __ Undissolved sugar crystals sitting at the bottom.
Making Something Out of Nothing Reported by the Documentation Team
Day 1 he workshop on Teaching Aids began with a prayer followed by a Powerpoint presentation titled ‘Lincoln’s letter to son’s teacher’. As regards teaching, Br. Maurice said that one should be as concerned with ‘how’ one teaches as one is traditionally concerned with ‘what’ one teaches. While teaching, it is very important to see what, why and how one teaches. What one teaches deals mainly with whether or not the teaching is concerned with the course content. Why one teaches depends on each teacher; it can be for result, vocation or profession. How one teaches will be governed by what type of teachers one has had in life, and this in turn will determine what skills one has and what needs to be built on.
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Br. Maurice then asked us some questions, such as: Who was your favourite teacher in school? Why was he/she your favourite teacher? Which particular class/ classes do you remember? He also asked whether the students like to imitate their teachers and many
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questions of a similar kind. After this he moved on to explain the function of the human brain and said that the brain has two sides. The right part deals with colour, imagination, etc., while the left part deals with words, lines, logic, etc. People mostly use the left side of their brain. He said that according to him, imagination is more important than knowledge. Imagination embraces the entire world and brings out new things, stimulating progress and giving birth to evaluation. It is therefore quite important to activate the right side of the brain in order to think and act differently. He continued the session by explaining the different types of intelligence in an individual and how one can develop them in themselves to create something beautiful that can be used for a great teaching experience. He listed the following types of intelligence: Linguistic Logical or mathematical Spatial
Musical Kinaesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalistic After helping the students to understand the different types of intelligence, Br. Maurice raised the question as to why they are afraid of teaching aids and their use. Some of the reasons that came up were lack of time, expenses involved and most importantly lack of skills in being able to make the teaching aids. On the other hand, when he enquired about the benefits of using teaching aids in the classroom, it was found that the students believed that the use of teaching aids helps students to develop love for the subject, breaks the monotony of regular classroom teaching and stimulates creativity. With the knowledge that he gathered from the students in relation to the advantages of using teaching aids in the classroom, Br. Maurice introduced them to the concept of low-cost teaching aids. He informed them that
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aside from being inexpensive, low-cost teaching aids are easy to find and there is no fear of breaking them, they are easy to handle, they encourage love for the subject and they infuse learning with fun. Some other advantages that he mentioned were that teaching aids cater to all types of students and help in revising and recycling material, students learn to care for the environment, and the creativity of the teacher and students is also enhanced. He then shared with us some useful ideas in order that the fear of making teaching aids disappears from the students, who listed the cons of using teaching aids in the day-today classroom situation. Some of the innovative ideas are as follows: Collection of objects- such as old toys A tool kit Share ideas with each other Combine different ideas Learn to draw stick figures and use the blackboard Make puppets Learn crafts such as origami Create positive attitude and never give up. Br. Maurice told us that everything
is connected to everything else. Thus, one can use science with art and craft to teach other subjects, or can combine two or more ideas to create a new one and then record and make a note of one’s creation, for which some amount of incubation time is needed. He also demonstrated some of his ideas as he mentioned them. He made creation look very simple and easy. The students were interested and motivated to create, as he said, something out of nothing. The student teachers were then divided into different groups on the basis of the method paper that they selected. Each group was told to work together and make a teaching aid out of the waste materials that they were instructed to bring. With this the first day of the workshop came to an end. Day 2 The second day started with a review of the previous day. All the student teachers were told to get back in their respective groups in order to complete the work that had been given to them on the previous day. Br.Maurice moved from one group to the next encouraging them and also guiding them if necessary in their
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making of the teaching aids with the objects that they had in their possession. After making the teaching aid, each group presented their work and explained something about the teaching aid. Br. Maurice also explained that a static model should be made into a working model as often as possible for it is then more effective in the teaching-learning situation. To sum up, Br.Maurice reminded the students that there should be fun in the teaching-learning situation. He also repeated the fact that children learn best by doing and therefore as teachers we should encourage our students to make teaching aids and also teach them how to make them as this will help them to retain for a longer period of time what they have learned. Finally, he requested that we, as future teachers, try to use teaching aids while teaching to make a difference in our learning system. At the end, a Vote of Thanks was given by Fr. Roshan on behalf of St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education to Br. Maurice for his inspirational two-day workshop on teaching aids. It certainly made a difference to many of the students involved in the workshop.
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Mrs. Alfa Mary Kurbah Lecturer
How to manage stress?
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tress management refers to the wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at controlling a person’s levels of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of improving everyday functioning. The term ‘stress’ refers only to a stress with significant negative consequences, or distress. Stress produces numerous symptoms, which vary according to persons, situations and severity. These can include physical health decline as well as depression. The process of stress management is named as one of the keys to a happy 58
and successful life in modern society. Although life provides numerous demands that can prove difficult to handle, stress management provides a number of ways to manage anxiety and maintain overall well-being. It is always noticed that people are under stress due to many factors. Therefore, in order to manage stress and to carry out the work or studies smoothly we need to avoid unnecessary stress and should know our own limits. Therefore, to be successful in managing stress we need to: Learn how to say“no”
Know your limits and stick to
them. Whether in your personal or professional life, taking on more than you can handle is a recipe for stress. Avoid people who stress you out
If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you cannot turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely. Take control of your environment
If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic gets you tense, take a longer route but with less traffic. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
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Avoid hot-button topics
If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it is the topic of discussion. Prepare down your to-do list Analyze your schedule, responsibilities and daily tasks. If you have got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that are not truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up
If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you do not voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same. Be willing to compromise
When you ask someone to change their behaviour, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you will have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground. Manage your time better
Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you are stretched too thin and running behind, it is hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you do not overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you are under.
Reframe problems
Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause.
Focus on the positive
When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in the right perspective.
Do not try to control the uncontrollable
Many things in life are beyond our control — particularly the behaviour of other people. So, it is wise to focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems, rather than stressing out over them.
Learn to forgive
Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on. You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health. Thus, one needs to keep the following health tips in mind to be able to rescue oneself from the clutches of stress: Exercise regularly
Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week.
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Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension. Eat a healthy diet
Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
Reduce caffeine and sugar
The temporary “highs” caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate and sugar snacks in your diet, you will feel more relaxed and will be able to sleep better. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs
Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Do not avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind. Get enough sleep Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Fatigue will increase your stress as it may cause you to think irrationally. In conclusion, it will not be incorrect to mention that stress will have no place in one’s life if managed judiciously. It can no longer burden us with anxiety or put us down with its weight since we have the entire recipe to control and manage it efficiently. 59
Carolyne Tage
Evangeline Eyes that bared your innocent soul… Eyes that spoke without a word… Eyes that pierced and wrenched my soul… Will I never see you no more? The last I saw them they were wet with pain, And yet your sweetness through them did flow. I tried to look for a sty, a flaw… but all I could see was the truth that hurts, and the Question that searched me to the core! On nights like these I think of those eyes staring at the deadening space… On nights like these I think of those eyes still piercing, still pure, still weeping dry tears. I think of those eyes that looked at my soul… that look so trusting, so raw… I think of those eyes still looking at those dreams discarded and trampled on long ago. On nights like these I think of those eyes, That made me theirs the moment I met them… Yes, I think of those eyes On nights like these… I think of my Evangeline.
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Haphilaioh N. Kharmon
“A View From The Window” I fell in love with him unknowingly And it grew like flowers in the spring. Is it love and only love from my side? Or will he love me more from deep inside. Would I find him near when I need him And to lead me when the lights are dim. How I long and dreamed to be together In a world of love now and forever. Is it love that when he looks at me I can feel eternity so close to me. I feel so free… like a bird in the air, And my life free from despair. I keep on waiting… still hoping That he’ll come carry me… am I dreaming? So lovingly that I’ll give up paradise Just to fall asleep looking in his eyes. Oh, when Lord can I call him mine, Please make it happen in this lifetime.
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Felicitation Programme Reported by the Documentation Team
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s soon as the results of the final exams were declared, it was time to recognize and appreciate the efforts of all the outgoing students of St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education, who had brought laurels to the Institute by performing remarkably well in the Final Examination held in December 2012. The Felicitation Programme began with a procession of the achievers along with the Chief Guest, Prof. P. K. Gupta (Dean
of School of Education - NEHU), the Principal and the teachereducators. After everyone was comfortably seated in the College Auditorium, Fr. Silanand and Sr. Ribahun conducted a prayer service with the help of a Powerpoint presentation. The prayer was an opportunity for the outgoing student-teachers to show their gratitude to God the Almighty for their success in the examination, and it also demonstrated to the present batch of student-teachers that everything is possible in the
hands of God, and that it is thus important to have faith in Him and discharge one’s duties effectively and efficiently. The Chief Guest, Prof. P.K. Gupta, the Principal, the Vice-Principal, teacher-educator Mrs. Inrilin Marwein, a representative of the outgoing batch of student-teachers and a representative of the present batch of student-teachers were then called to the stage to light 70
the lamp, which symbolized the spirit of learning remaining in our hearts, thus giving light to all around us. This was followed by the presentation of a bouquet by Sangeeta, one of the studentteachers, to the Chief Guest. The achievers were then given a warm welcome by the present student-teachers through a beautiful, melodious song sung by Veronica, one of our present student-teachers. Dr. (Sr) Clarissa Wallang then said a few words to welcome all the distinguished guests and the Batch of 2012, who were to be felicitated. Her welcome speech was followed by a Jaintia traditional dance presented by the student-teachers of the 2013 Batch. The dance was greatly enjoyed and received thunderous applause from the audience. Mrs. Alfa M. Kurbah then led the achievers in taking a pledge that they would continue to hold on to the virtues and principles of the College, that they would live a life dedicated to the service of teaching, and that they would forever guide and nurture the lives of all their dear students. This was followed by the distribution of mementoes and certificates by the Chief Guest and the Invitees to the studentteachers of 2012, who had made the Institute proud with their hard work and determination to reach their goal. There were four student-teachers who held positions on the merit list and a
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number of them who received distinctions in their respective subjects. Once the awarding of the mementoes and certificates was finished, it was time to listen to the achievers talk about their toil and struggle to achieve their goal and the infinite joy they feel in their hearts at receiving the tokens of appreciation from the dignitaries. Barihunlang Wankhar, one of the achievers, took the opportunity to speak on behalf of her classmates and share her experiences at SMCTE as a student-teacher. Her words were an encouragement for the present batch of student teachers. They were motivated to produce their best and continue their saga of brilliance and excellence at the Institute. A Powerpoint presentation titled ‘Down Memory Lane’ was then presented to create an atmosphere of nostalgia and it
gave a glimpse of the time spent by the outgoing student- teachers at SMCTE. The presentation was prepared by a group of existing student-teachers, assisted and supervised by Mrs. Inrilin Marwein, and their effort was highly appreciated by the student-teachers of 2012. Prof. Gupta then brought the crowd back to the present from the memories of the previous year through his words. He first congratulated the students for their achievement, and continued by saying that having completed 75 years of existence, SMCTE is one of the oldest and most well-reputed teacher training colleges not only in the North East, but in the whole country. He remarked that starting an Institution and taking it to the highest level is not an easy task. He then congratulated the Principal and the teacher-educators for
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providing quality education to the student- teachers. He also shared his own experience as a student teacher. Prof. Gupta stated that not everybody can teach, for teaching is both an art and a science; hence, it is important as teachers to know about the different techniques of teaching and to apply them effectively and efficiently in the classroom. It is also the duty of every teacher to see that the potential of a child is fully developed and utilized. In conclusion, he wished the best for the outgoing student teachers of the 2012 Batch, and prayed that wherever they go and teach, they will receive satisfaction and happiness in their work. After this encouraging speech by Professor Gupta, a Vote of Thanks was extended by Caroline Tage, and with this the Felicitation Programme of 2013 came to an end. 71
by Caroline Tage
A Thank You Note to Them … 72
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o. They did not know the difference between Adidas and Nike, or Puma and Reebok… But they did know which clothes would keep us warm in winters and fresh in summers. They did not know about fancy restaurants; in fact, even a plain cake baked at home would’ve been a joyous achievement for them. But they could starve themselves, if necessary, to feed us. Yes, I’m talking about parents – those people who give us a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father would be like. I’m talking about parents whose world revolves around us – their children, parents for whom duty and responsibility were all synonymous with love. I’m talking about those parents who spent sleepless nights without any complaint, so that nothing would encroach upon our world of dreams and slumber. As we’re living in a world where almost everything seems to have become simpler and faster, I wonder… I wonder how parents could carry their children around then, when today even a pram seems to be troublesome. I wonder how parents would keep changing (and washing) dozens of nappies (cloth, of course), when today it seems so cumbersome, despite the uncountable ‘simple’ versions available. I wonder how they entertained us when today even playing with children is a tiresome job. Television shows have replaced evening walks and lullabies, not to forget the ‘insta-food’ (Oh so ‘nutritious’), preparing which is also a Herculean job for some. Well, the list goes on… and I wonder… with everything becoming so advanced and easy, are we even trying to make parenthood as easy as the click of a button? Are love and responsibility also shriveling and becoming as tiny as our slim gadgets. In the present age, we often hear parents complaining about their children today. And the most uttered complaints are “too lazy”, “stubborn”, “demanding”, “spend more time on Facebook than with family”…this list is not very short either. But pray, aren’t they just images of what we’ve become ourselves? How can they even know what hard work and patience and ‘family’ are all about when we ourselves have chosen the ‘easy way’ to bring them st. mary’s college of teacher education
up? The child is hungry – give him junk food. The child wants to play – turn on the television. The child wants your attention – leave him with friends or neighbors… we have such simple solutions for everything. Yet we complain. I started writing this piece with the intention of appreciating those parents who didn’t have much, but still strove to provide their children with ‘the best that they could’. Those parents who are perhaps now neglected or ignored for being ‘oh-so-outdated’. But as I continued writing I realized how inferior we are to them in one aspect – DEDICATION. I don’t say that they were all perfect, nobody is. And I also agree that modern life is truly taxing, especially when both parents are working. But are we really so busy that we don’t even have time to love our children? Is this an unavoidable fact that we will all have to accept? Will I also succumb to this ‘less-love’ ‘less pain’ and ‘more comfort’ lifestyle? Well, that’s a question that only time will answer. But, as I mentioned earlier, that wasn’t my purpose of writing this article. And therefore, I conclude with what I began. That there exists a generation of parents who knew that parenting was a difficult task, and yet embraced it whole-heartedly, giving it ALL THAT THEY HAD, who did not have the easy and simple options that we have today and yet raised us With Love and Without Complaints, investing all their Time, Labor and Dreams on Us. Blessed are we to have been born of such parents… May we not become blind to their goodness and unspoken sacrifice, may we not ignore their wisdom carried away by our self-pride…and may we never reject their genuine love and concern for us, who may have become ‘great, all-knowing, successful persons’, but are STILL THEIR CHILDREN. And instead of boasting of our quick and easy lifestyle, may we learn and RE-LEARN from them what we have lost. To those parents who deserve so much more love than we have given them. To my own parents who couldn’t give their children the world, but Made Us Their World. For all that you’ve done, this is the least I could do… THANK YOU.
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Ms. Sharmistha Purkayastha Lecturer, Methodology of Teaching of English
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t. Mary’s College of Teacher Education has been providing quality education to the teachers involved in moulding the lives of the generations to come since the beginning of the twentieth century. It has created teachers of great excellence over the years within its classrooms and now it is spreading its wings beyond its boundaries to help the teachers in their specific zones to learn and value the importance of training. It is with this view that the student-teachers, teachers and the Principal of the college visited St. Michael’s Higher Secondary School, Umsning, to conduct a training programme to the teachers of the school, and the student-teachers to teach the students in the real classrooms with the skills gained from their teachers in their classrooms. On the 26th of July, 2013, four buses filled with the teachers and the student-teachers of SMCTE took off from the college to experience life in a school where they had to demonstrate their skills of teaching. It was a bright day and almost all the studentteachers were present and excited about the extension programme. The teachers of the college were also set and ready to deliver their best to the teachers of the school. The 74
Report on Umsning Visit Principal, with her staff and students, reached Umsning, which is approximately 30 kms from the college, at around 8.15 a.m. The school started its assembly at 8.45 a.m. in which the student-teachers also took part. After the assembly, the student-teachers took charge of the students and they were sent to their respective classrooms to learn new things in an innovative way, while the teachers of the school assembled in the training hall to attend the training programme conducted by the SMCTE teachers.
There were around 30 teachers of the school and another 30 teachers from the adjoining areas were invited for the training programme, and these teachers were then given ‘Training of Skills’ by the SMCTE teachers, whereby they, with the help of latest technologies and their own expertise, explained the importance of the core skills in teaching. The first skill, the Skill of Probing Questioning, was taken by Mrs. Sharmistha Purkayastha, followed by the second Skill of Reinforcement
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delivered by Mrs. Inrilin Marwein. The Skill of Stimulus Variation was presented by Dr. Ruth Sangma. The fourth Skill of Explaining was taken care of by Ms. Kathleen Nengnong and the fifth skill, which is a little different from the other four skills, the Skill of Classroom Management, was taken by Mrs. Alfa. Mary Kurbah. After the different skills were illustrated to them, the teachers of the different schools were asked to participate in a peer teaching in order to gauge their understanding of the core skills
and also to incorporate some active participation on the part of the teachers. They were given some time to discuss and decide on who will teach and what they would teach. As the stipulated time was over, the teachers, who were formed into different groups based on the subject they teach in the school, presented the topic with the inclusion of the respective skill they chose to demonstrate. The SMCTE teachers provided with observations and suggestions for improvement. With this the teacher training programme
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came to an end. On the other hand, the studentteachers from SMCTE were moving from one class to the next after every period to effectively teach the students of the school with the different types of teaching aids they carried to create a valuable teaching-learning situation. The students were supervised by another two dedicated teachers of SMCTE, Ms. Dianghun Shullai and Ms. Darihun Kharnongrum, to perform their best and the participants were enthralled by the knowledge imparted to them by the student-teachers of SMCTE. Nearly 60 classes were taken by the student-teachers of SMCTE throughout the day and all were effective as the students could benefit from the improvised way of teaching. As all good things come to an end, this day of spreading knowledge and gaining invaluable experience had to be concluded. The programme was concluded with some feedback and words of gratitude to one another. At about 3.30 p.m., the Principal, with her staff and the student-teachers, retreated towards their homes, well content with the success of the endeavour made by both St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education, Shillong, and St. Michael’s Higher Secondary School, Umsning, to deliver and to receive knowledge for the betterment of the society. 75
National Assessment and Accreditation Council Peer Team Visit Mrs. Alfa Mary Kurbah, Lecturer and NAAC Coordinator
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he National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India to assess and accredit institutions of higher education in the country. It is an outcome of the recommendations of the National Policy in Education (1986), which laid special emphasis on upholding the quality of higher education in India. To address the issues of quality, the National Policy on Education (1986) and the Plan of
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Action (POA-1992) advocated the establishment of an independent national accreditation body. Consequently, the NAAC was established in 1994 with its headquarters at Bangalore. The NAAC Peer Team visited our College for re-accreditation on 28th November, 2013, and so it is a day to be remembered by all involved in the activities of the Institution. Prof. Riaz Khan S., former Vice Chairperson, National Council of Teachers’ Education (NCTE), was the Chairperson of the Peer Team, which came to assess
the functioning of the college. Prof. R.P. Vadhera, Faculty of Education, Mizoram University, was the Member Co-ordinator and Dr (Mrs) Satinder Dhillon, Former Principal, Dev Samaj College of Education, Chandigarh was a Member. Although, there was a lot of inhibition about how the Peer Team would be, but after meeting them, all fear and anxiety dissolved as they were friendly, jovial and highly resourceful. On 27th of November, the Members of the Peer Team were escorted to
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Shillong from Gopinath Bordoloi Airport, Guwahati, which is the nearest airport from Shillong, by Dr. (Mrs) R.N. Sangma, VicePrincipal of the College. The Principal and Staff of St. Mary’s College of Teacher Education welcomed the Peer Team Members at Eldorado Hotel, Dhanketi, Shillong, the place of stay. A cordial relationship between the College and the Peer Team began on the very day of their arrival with a short and friendly introduction of the Peer Team with the Principal and the Staff of the College. On the 28th of November, which was the first day of their visit to the college, a formal welcome was extended to the Members of the Peer Team, which was immediately followed by their first session, and that was a meeting of the Peer-Team Members with the Principal and the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) Members of the college, after which they interacted with the Faculty of the college. A number of facts were identified by the Peer Team Members while interacting with the faculty, for instance, they found that the teaching staff use many innovative methods while teaching. They could also identify that in addition to the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the teacher-educators also use an open and interactive learning atmosphere so that student-teachers can learn in a fearless environment. In
the second session, I, being the College co-ordinator for the Visit, took the Peer Team Members for a campus tour, showing them all the different academic units and laboratories existing in the College. The afternoon was marked by a luncheon meeting with the Governing Body Members, which spanned for almost an hour or little more and it was precious due to the friendly conversation based on the management issues of the College. After the luncheon meeting, the Co-ordinator continued taking the Peer Team Members to the Supporting Services of the College like canteen, common room, infirmary and the like. The interaction with the studentteachers took place at 4.00 PM the same day. The studentteachers cherished the time they spent with the Members of the Peer Team. Soon after the interaction with the studentteachers, the Peer Team without wasting any time interacted with the Alumni and parents. The time spent in interaction with the student-teachers, alumni and the parents of the present student-teachers was not too long but it was well appreciated by the Members of the Peer Team. On the second day, the 29th of November, the Co-ordinator took the Peer Team Members to the schools, where the studentteachers practise teaching during their internship. St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Jaiaw,
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and St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Laitumkhrah, had been selected for the purpose as they, like the college, belong to the Congregation of Our Lady of The Missions (RNDM). The Peer Team Members were also able to have a glance of the city during their visit to the two schools. In the afternoon, the Peer Team Members visited the administrative and finance section of the institution and also checked the documentary evidence, and they appreciated the effectiveness and tidiness of the work of the office staff. On the third day, the 30th of November, the Peer Team finalised the report with the Principal and then shared their observations about the College in the Exit Meeting attended by the members of the management, the Principal, the Vice Principal, the faculty and the non-teaching staff of the College. All at SMCTE had been eagerly waiting for the NAAC Reaccreditation result. After a wait of about three months, the 66th Executive Committee Meeting of NAAC held on February 21, 2014 re- accredited the College with ‘A’ Grade with 3.12 CGPA (Calculated Grade Point Average) – a commendable improvement by the College indeed. The College has not only achieved the distinction of being the only CTE to be accredited by NAAC in the state of Meghalaya but also now re-accredited. We are very grateful to everyone who has contributed to the development of the College. 77
We learned in smcte...
I have gained confidence from SMCTE. Badalin Lawriniang
SMCTE has taught me to unearth the hidden capabilities within myself.
SMCTE taught me to be supportive and friendly. Ibanroi Susngi
SMCTE taught me to be spiritual. Kyrmen Phawa
Caroline Tage
I have learned to accept change with a positive attitude from SMCTE.
I have learned how to impart quality education in SMCTE.
The need to be strong in all situations is what I have learned from SMCTE.
Balamboklin Allya
Darihun Lyngkhoi
Isha Thour
Hard-work and dedication is what I have learned from SMCTE. Lasiewdor Syiemlieh
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st. mary’s college of teacher education
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SMCTE taught me the role of an effective teacher. Wandaphylla Kharsyntiew
SMCTE has imbibed in me the spirit to learn, grow and shine and has boosted up in me the capacity to do more in life.
I have learned from SMCTE that teaching is not a mere job but a true vocation.
I have learned to manage the class confidently in SMCTE. Bettynola Nonglang
Arboris Thongni
RituparnaDuttaChowdhury
SMCTE taught me that teaching is a highly honoured profession. Iadalyne Ryntathiang
I have learned sincerity, dedication and the spirit of hard-work from SMCTE.
The need to reach out to students in need is learned from SMCTE.
Iowanka Syiemlieh
SMCTE has taught me to do things from the heart and not just for the sake of doing it.
The effective methods of teaching is learned from SMCTE.
Magita Kharnaior
I have learned to be committed.
Batlarity Nongbri
Sr. Juli Tom
I have learned to improve my teaching skills from SMCTE. Janailin Nongkhlaw
Kholia Krehe
SMCTE has prepared me to face the modern students with the help of technology. Sr. Ribahun Kharmawphlang
SMCTE taught me to teach with confidence in addition to other necessary qualities of a teacher.
Modern techniques of teaching is learned from SMCTE.
Dashisha M. Thongney
Iahunlang Mary Nongrum
I have learned to teach effectively and with confidence from SMCTE
Diakmenlang Kharbuli
Beauty Nongsiej
Sangeeta Singh
The creative methods of teaching is learnt from SMCTE.
SMCTE taught me to approach the students in a refined and polite manner.
SMCTE taught me to teach with confidence. Wanailin Lyngkhoi
SMCTE taught me to teach effectively. Antonia I Sohtun
Habilahunlang L. Nonglait
How to face the crowd fearlessly is learned from SMCTE by me.
Developed positive qualities of being a teacher from SMCTE.
A.Philahun Nongrum st. mary’s college of teacher education
I have learned the skills of teaching from SMCTE.
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Caroleen P. Lyndem 79
How to be a teacher of the best quality is learned from SMCTE by me.
Learned to build self-esteem.
I learned the importance of being good to all in SMCTE.
Persara Shullai
Sunita Singha
Rusilin Mallai
Liesle Laloo
SMCTE taught me the need to spread the light of education amongst the youth.
SMCTE taught me the art of teaching.
I have learned to build effective relationship in SMCTE. Phindarisha Kharkongor
SMCTE taught me the importance of skills and techniques in teaching.
The effective methods of teaching are learned from SMCTE. Susanna Jyrwa
S. Dipti Ranee
Lista Thongni
I have learned to enjoy the art of teaching from SMCTE. I have learned new methods and techniques of teaching in SMCTE.
Learned the new and improvised teaching skills.
Portina Shanpru
Saralin Kharkongor
I have learned creativity from SMCTE.
SMCTE taught to keep faith in oneself.
I have learned how to face the students bravely in SMCTE. Sweety Rynjah
Meriscy L. Mawlong
I have realized the effectiveness of teaching with correct techniques from SMCTE. Mondari Rapthap
Prosilaris Kshiar
Sibilon Kurbah
SMCTE taught me proper school management.
SMCTE taught me to be an effective teacher. Fr. Silanand Sorang
Rossalinda Kharrngi
SMCTE taught me to make a difference in the students through teaching. Nazia Jyrwa
I have learned that nothing is impossible with hard-work. Rosy Nengnong
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I have learned to be responsible. Sonia Dkhar
I have learned to be an effective teacher. Teirilin Mylliemngap
Learned the spirit of togetherness. Veronica Lyngdoh
Faith in self is what I have learned from SMCTE. Wahida A. Choudhury
st. mary’s college of teacher education
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st. mary’s college of teacher education
| THE PIONEER 2013
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