Description

A noteworthy practice among the score of socially beneficial activities done is that of ABCD (Any Body Can Do), an on-going student initiative with our Principal as patron, and Rahul Babu, PG student as Secretary that began in 2016. A teacher convenor co-ordinates the activities and our students and teachers take lead in the initiative. The objective is to provide succour to the deprived and disadvantaged. Flash mobs are conducted to raise funds and foster awareness about the endeavour. On 23 June 2017, a grand ‘Praveshanotsavam’ (reception) was organised for the students of Lower Primary Tribal School of Vlavetti forest area, Kottur, Kerala, and distributed study materials and books. Lack of access to public transport and basic amenities are just a few issues that stop children from attending the school regularly. As a next step, the team ABCD wrote an article in the popular daily The New Indian Express highlighting the plight of the tribal children. The matter reached District Tourism Promotion Council and a one day tour “KaattilNinnuNaattilekku” (From the Wilderness to the City lights) was arranged on September 27, World Tourism Day. In addition to this, there are activities related to old age homes and rehabilitation centres. ABCD as a youth service initiative tried to establish a rationale connecting students’ needs and support service providers. For them, it was a valuable opportunity for selfless service.More funds and support are required for such activity oriented programmes.

Description

CSCC established in the College in 1961 as an independent Sub Centre by the Government of Kerala has the specific objective of providing free and concessional intensive coaching to eligible candidates appearing for All India Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. The Civil Service aspirants on and off campus are profited from the coaching centre. They are primarily given free Prelims exam coaching, main coaching and intensive interview-oriented training with the help of civil service officers and former UPSC members. The expenses in connection with coaching are predominantly met by the PTA funds along with the donations of students and government allocation of the college. The classes are for two batches of 50 students (40 seats for the general category and 10 for SC/ST students). Scholarships are given for ten outstanding students. CSCC has successfully completed 74 batches of students. The best part is that while other coaching centres charge heavy fees, CSCC is the only centre which affords free and concessional coaching for the aspirants. The staff of the college is not enough to meet the needs of CSCC. The classes are principally handled by our faculty who give it as service gratis. Due to paucity of funds, the PTA can only disburse minimum wage and honorarium to experts and invited guests. The college has submitted a proposal to the govt to revise the minimum wage of Rs. 500 and honorarium of Rs.150.

Description

An understanding of learning groups and the power of meta-cognition (learning to learn) can alter practices in the classroom, in faculty conversations, and between institutions. Our contribution to the scholarship of teaching and learning is to provide an example of a learning group in first year general college chemistry where a post-modern examination of teaching and learning becomes irreducible: without isolated parts. This examination seeks living well (Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle), continuous unfolding interpretation (Hans-Georg Gadamer) and practical experience as education (John Dewey). Learning groups of students, of faculty, and of institutional development experts — enabled by documentation and dialogue — offer an opportunity for self-sufficient and continuous improvement in teaching and learning in a democratic way. We show how documentation of a learning group can be a provocation to insitutional learning groups,

Description

Collected here, without examples or detailed explanations, are practices that constitute excellence in college teaching. These elements represent the broad range of the most effective actions educators take, and requisite conditions educators establish, to facilitate learning. I have tried to make this listing brief, to serve more as a reference to the scope of excellent teaching techniques than as a source of enlightenment. Recognizing that what we do as educators is difficult to describe, I advance this list of dimensions of excellence as a starting point for discussions about the performances we strive for and may help each other obtain. While education leadership is widely researched and described, we who do this are rarely rewarded for it. Among the reasons for that, I think, is the lack of a common language about best practices. Instead of directly addressing learning to lead learners well, we often erroneously assume teachers know how to teach because they used to be students.