Pedagogy
Curriculum
Teaching Learning Materials
Bodhsalas: An Overview
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Curriculum Frameworks
The curriculum
frameworks at Bodh represent the institutional approach and pedagogy. The frameworks
reflect the focus on holistic development. They also seek to balance flexible and
context appropriate approaches with certain key, accepted parameters/targets of
education. This balance is critical as deprived children need to overcome educational
backlogs as well as stand on equal footing with their counterparts elsewhere.
The frameworks have been devised based on guidelines and key references such as
the National Curriculum Framework (2005), National Council for Education Research
and Training (NCERT) and the Rajasthan State Board prescribed syllabi. Efforts of
other civil society agencies including NGOs, academic institutions etc., are also
referred to.
Significantly, classroom planning (a daily affair for the teachers) provides space
for incorporating and addressing immediate experiences and needs. This also facilitates
greater flexibility and innovation. Promising practices are identified and assessed
through discussions at various forums (teachers’ meetings, workshops). Suitable
practices/aspects are then replicated at a larger component level across multiple
schools.
Pre School (3- 5 years, Shala Poorv): The emphasis is on the key
areas of child development
- cognitive, language, physical, socio emotional, creative
and aesthetic. The activities at the pre school centre are largely based on games.
Arts (drawing, music and dance) constitute another key aspect. The rich cultural
heritage is integrated with the continuation of the same language, songs and activities
that the child experiences at home. In fact, the pre school centres are run by mother
teachers – women from the community who are provided the necessary training. They
further facilitate the transition of the child from home to the school environment.
These centres are run at the bodhshalas for three hours (Monday-Saturday).
Elementary (6 – 13 years): At Bodh, the elementary section is further
divided into Shala Arambh (Classes I-II or Early Primary), Shala Madhya (Classes
III- V) and Shala Samooh (Classes VI-VIII). The overall emphasis is on facilitating
children into becoming independent learners. At the Shala Arambh level, the focus
is on building early language, literacy and numeracy skills. The aim, as the children
move to Shala Madhya level, is to equip them to perform at comparable levels when
they reach class V.
Hindi is often the second language for most children. The English language is even
further removed from their contexts. Children are encouraged to play with the alphabets,
understand and coin words that they are familiar with. The teaching practices follow
the continuum of developing the related listening, speaking, reading and writing
skills.
The emphasis on building on children’s existing knowledge
and experience and conceptual
clarity is equally relevant for other subjects such as Mathematics, Environmental
Studies etc. There is a gradual movement from concrete to abstract. Mathematics,
in particular, is seen as a subject that can help facilitate logical thinking. There
is a comprehensive arts component as well (see details below). The interlinkages
between all the subjects are stressed.
Subject teaching is increasingly aligned with prescribed syllabi at the Shala Samooh
level. Here, children are helped in preparing for the Class VIII examinations (Rajasthan
State Board)
Secondary and Senior Secondary (13-18 years): The section covers
the critical class range of IX-XII. This section constitutes a comparably new domain
of work for Bodh and the required framework is being evolved. The overall focus
is on enhancing the disciplinary understanding in subjects through appropriate teaching
learning processes.
Vocational Education: The component aims at providing students
new
avenues of growth and exposure and also enhancing related skills. The content
is structured in the form of a foundation course. Currently, it encompasses tailoring,
computer education, electronics and carpentry. Designed for class VIII and above,
these are currently being offered in urban bodhshalas and the Manas Ganga Senior
Secondary Girls Residential School. Computer education is an exception – this is
initiated in class VI. There are plans to gradually integrate the overall component
across all schools in the rural and urban programmes.
Contextual understanding and skills are also being enhanced by the inclusion of
animal husbandry and agriculture as part of the vocational education component.
These aspects are of particular relevance and use for students from the rural context.
There are plans to increase the range and reach of vocational education options.
These include short courses for teaching (particularly at pre school level), nursing,
accounting etc.
Arts and Craft: At Bodh, arts and craft are seen as an integral
part of the curriculum. The objective is to encourage creativity and self expression
and also, enhance aesthetic sense. The component includes drawing and painting,
collage making, clay modeling, music (vocal and instrumental), and dance. Overall,
the focus is on enhancing children’s understanding of the rich and varied artistic
heritage in the country and elsewhere. Thus, the curriculum seeks to balance classical
and folk forms, understanding nuances/technicalities as well as creating space for
individual expression. Significantly, grades/marks are not given. Teachers maintain
descriptive notes on each child and this is used as the basis for further planning
and work.
At the pre school level, dance, music and dramatics are taken as an integrated whole.
Children are encouraged to join in singing and dancing on bal geet (children songs).
Activities linked to drawing, painting and clay modeling and collage making are
part of the daily routine. A similar trend is followed in class I and II, with further
additions such as copying shapes, origami etc. The exposure to varied forms and
mediums is increased with each successive class.
In rural bodhshalas, teachers are provided the necessary training and they undertake
the component related activities. In urban bodhshalas and Manas Ganga Senior Secondary
Girls Residential School, more focused work has been done with professionally trained,
subject teachers. The classical elements have been incorporated in these schools.
Specific curriculum has been prepared for classes III-IX for drawing and painting,
clay modeling and collage making, music (vocal) and dance (kathak). In music, the
curriculum covers classical, semi classical, jan geet (community songs), bal geet
(children songs), other forms of folk music and Rabindra sangeet. In the other arts
and craft sub components, children are encouraged to develop an understanding of
the basics and the medium involved and to utilise materials creatively. Considerable
work has been done on dramatics as well. Practice and presentation of specified
aspects/technicalities are facilitated for all the art and craft sub components.
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