School is fun
R. KRITHIKA
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FACE motivates under-privileged children to study. Hema Rao has successfully introduced this approach in a school in Chennai.
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N. Balaji
In one of classrooms in Olcott Memorial High School, Chennai, 25 kids stand in a circle singing, "Tell me who I am." A small woman in the circle urges them to step forward and tell the others what they would like to be. Shyly, but with growing confidence, the kids begin to speak. Most of the girls opt for safety — they want to be teachers, except one bright-eyed miss who wants to be "a collector". The boys came up with more choices— policemen, doctors, radiologists, even social service. And they're all very clear that to achieve their ambitions, they will have to finish school and go on to "higher education".
Dropping out of school is a common problem, especially among poor children. How does one motivate them to continue with an education, which most see as without value? In an attempt to help under-privileged kids through school, Hema Rao started the Facilitated Approach to Complementary Education (FACE) for pre-teens. The programme tries to link the classroom to their world by using the Four Ex Methods: Expose, Explore, Experience and Express.
"Many of our children come from a very poor background," says Lakshmi Suryanarayan, headmistress. "They see a lot of negative things: single parent families, desertion, domestic violence, gender discrimination, promiscuity. Many go to work before and after school. School represents a haven where they can just be. My concern is to have a responsible, caring adult around them who can also motivate them to learn."
Hema was given an hour every day (the time allotted for Scouts and Guides) after school for her programme. "What I'm doing fits in quite well with the message of the Scouts and Guides," she shrugs. The most important thing, to her, is the open house discussion. There are no taboo topics — "one child asked me about AIDS and, on the basis of that discussion, even presented a class project". Rainwater harvesting, pollution, health, gender discrimination... the list is never ending just like the kids' curiosity. By exposing the children to a situation, Hema prods the kids into thinking for themselves, encourages brainstorming and independent thinking.
At times, in consultation with the teachers, Hema also takes up some parts of the curriculum, so that when they finally tackle it in the class, it's like a familiar friend. "All I'm trying to do is to relate the activities to the classroom. The kids like the informal, no-books set up. Many are first-generation learners."
Both the children and parents have slowly begun to realise the value of education, feels the headmistress. She laughs: "They've even learnt to blame the school when the child doesn't do well, and that's a good sign." The school has its share of problem kids. Some have learning disabilities, some are bullyboys trying to emulate the local dada but most are just like any other child looking up to film stars and cricketers. "That's more with the boys," say Lokesh and Vijayakumar, teachers who are associated with FACE. "The girls are more caught up with being a teacher," smiles Jyoti, another teacher with FACE.
"The trouble is lack of volunteers," says Hema ruefully. "All we want is people who are interested in and enjoy being around children. Some come as observers, some come on short stints but no one stays. It's not like we can pay them anything. This is purely voluntary. We really need people to come forward with their time."
Hema also conducts workshops for the teachers and has evolved a method of evaluation in the classroom. Regular meetings with the parents also helps both the students and the teachers in keeping track of their progress. The programme has helped the children cope better with their studies, agree the school authorities.
"Whether the programme is a success or not, we can't say now," says Hema. "We'll know only when the first batch of kids pass out. Till then we'll keep working, in the hope that we're making a difference in their lives."
Hema Rao can be contacted at New No. 4, IVth St., Venkateswara Nagar, Karpagam Garden Extn, Adyar, Chennai - 600020. Ph: 044-24913917. juiwale@hathway.com
What the children say:
Madhubala: We've learnt about keeping our environment clean, whether at school or home.
Anbazhagan: When we first came for class, we'd run in, shout, scream, push each other. (Thoughtfully) We've learnt to be more disciplined.
Sher Shah: We learn to speak English. (His classmates jeer that he's just back from England.)
Bhoopalan: We learn to work with our hands — origami, pottery, things like that.
Vijaykumar: We've learnt how we should behave, to be good people.
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