507 Q & A

NIOS D.El.Ed

Important Long Questions

Course 507 Block 1

BY

Dr.MUHAMMED SALEEM MT

 1 Question: Discuss the roles of different institution of society.

Answer: Every individual is a member one society or other society. As a member of society, you must be aware of different institutions of society playing significant contribution towards continuity. To understand society, social relationship and its dynamics, it is pertinent to know its basic constituent units i.e. social institutions and social processes. Social institution refers to ‘a set of norms’ applied to various aspects of human behavior regulated by well established, easily recognized and relatively stable norms for smooth functioning of society and social relations. There are some important institutions like family, education, religion, economy, polity which play different roles following the norms and values of one particular society.

Family is the first school where children start their initial learning. The role of teacher played mother and other members of family. Even in the formal school system, different roles like teacher, pupil and parents are members of society and always carry their cultural baggage and values of same society. This common cultural baggage also led to common reference of learning and similar constructions. Throughout the ages the family has been a fundamental social institution at the core of the society. Family is a basic unit of any community and society which acts as joining institution between individual and society. It has almost universal existence across the world. It discharges many functions to society and individual from regulating marital bond, legitimate reproduction, care for young, controls human behavior and functioning as an economic unit at least for consumption. It discharges this role with other associated institutions, like marriage and kinship. Family exist almost all human society, however, varies in terms of structure and function from society to society and time to time.

2. Religion: Religion is also one universal institution that exists from primitive to post-modern society. French sociologist Emile Durkhiem defined religion as unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things. Except Karl Marx, there is consensus that religion is functional role in society However, sometimes its rigidity also becomes dysfunctional. One of the most important functions of religion is social control.

3. Economy: Economy institution refers the rules, procedures and norms of production, distribution, consumption as well as working system and patterns. Economic activities and needs are very of any society irrespective of its stages of development. Karl Marx considered economy is the basic structure of any society on which other institutions are dependent.

4. Education: The process of education takes place in every society. However, its forms may from one society to another society. There are two common functions of education in every society. First universal function of education is to socialize the members of society and transmit the culture to the next generation. Second is to fulfill society’s needs pertaining to human resource. Major socializing agencies are community, family, peer group and formal educational institutions. Besides this, there are many other functions of education are social mobility and intergenerational change. Present democratic system based on the principle of equal opportunity, competition and achievement, therefore, any educated and competent can enhance his/ her status.

5. Polity: Each society has some or other system of rules. Political institutions are defined as a system of control through its organizations and legal or legitimate use of force. According to T. B. Bottomore, polity is mainly concern with division of power and authority in society.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Question: Describe the features of unity in Indian society.

Answer: Unity in diversity a well known identity of India you must be hearing since childhood. Since ancient period, this feature has been identified by many foreign travelers – Megasthnese (315 BC), Fa Hsien (405-11 AD), Marco Polo (1288 AD), Ibn Batuta (1325-51 AD) and others. Here we will discuss unity in diversity with reference to its connotations and existing Indian social reality. The factors of diversity in Indian society are multiple races, numerous caste and sub-caste groups, all major religions, sects and cults, distinct communities, different cultural regions and languages.

The features of unity played significant role in Indian nation building.

1. One political entity: Politically, almost whole sub-continent was under one kingdom such as Chadra Gupta Murya and Gupta period in ancient India. Since Mughol Period and British period clearly marked as one political regime. Therefore, Indian sub-continent from ancient period to modern period more or less has political unity except few aberrations.

2. Territorial integrity of Indian sub-continent: Geographically, whole subcontinent has one identity separated by Himalayas and Indian Sea. Though

it varies within as Northern Himalayan, Aravali ranges, Peninsular India and united by mighty river system which encompasses entire sub-continent.

3. Common culture: Common cultural initiatives reflected throughout the Indian history. The emperor Asoka worked for unit to India by achieving cultural and religious harmony with non-violence principles. Mogul emperor Akbar projected the concept of a religion Din-i-illahi, also called a synthesis of Hinduism and Islam. Above all, we can observe our villages where different religious groups live together share their lifestyle, joint each other festivals and tied with one thread of Indianness.

4. Varna System: Single Varna model and Varna ashram system encompassing whole India into one society. Varna model of social classification is not restricted to any particular region rather explains all the social groups of India and their specific role and status.

5. Historicity: Long common historicity of Indian sub-continent makes it unique cultural tradition. More than 5000 years old society shows its uniqueness in terms of cultural syncretism, assimilation, and absorption as well as formation new socio-cultural groups. If we see the number of caste and sub-castes then find many groups emerge in the process of social mobility.

6. The existence of caste system outside Hindu religion: The castes and subcastes are categories of Hindu social order whereas long

common historicity reveals the existence of social stratification and caste other than Hindu believers.

3 Question: How School and society correlated? Or Discuss the influences of society to education process.

Answer: School is a part of society, teacher, learner, and parents are very much drawn from same unequal and stratified society. Schools cannot be taken in isolation. Society also play significant role in the development of education system. The role of socio-cultural factors, political conditions and economic milieu determines the nature of educational institutions, its objectives and curriculum development.

The Influence of Society to Education Process

(a) Socio- cultural influence: Education of any society has direct correlations with its socio-cultural factors. The process of education evolved in its social structure, social norms and values system. School is one such creation of human society to transfer the existing cultural content from one generation to next generation. In informal setting, socialization is a process through which community transact or educate their members about the norms and values of the society. Traditionally, education provided by religious institutions like Christian missionaries, Islamic Madarsa, Buddhist monasteries and other religious organizations. These institutions have the proselytizing feature and they inculcate their religious ideals. These are not limited established religions, each community transmit their norms and values. In this process of education and socialization, we also transmit the biases and differences of our society- i.e. hierarchy, stratification and inherent inequality.

(b) Economic aspects: Equality of opportunity is a core value of democracy and Indian constitutional provision of education. Yet it has become increasingly clear that equalization of opportunity is exceedingly difficult to achieve in present economic condition. The economic process creating more and more as well widening the gap between rich and poor. According to Apple (2004) certain knowledge has linkages with economic production, areas of studies highly demand in market situation like professional coursesengineering, medical MCA, MBA and other applied courses are higher demand in Indian context. Therefore, economy of society is important factor which has deep rooted implications on educational development and human development of any region.

(c) Political conditions and its influence: The nature of state, political parties, its ideology and policy directs the nature of education system and its policy in society. Democratic states profess ideals of democratic education development; however, inherent inequality is the weakness of these states.

Indian democracy could not achieve the goal the goal of common school system. All democratic societies fail to provide education for all, particularly the deprive and marginalized sections could not have equal access to education owing to differential status. Contrary to this, socialist states claim for common education system but inculcate their own political ideology rather secular education. Communist regime of USSR and Nazi socialist principle of Germany are two best example of this. In 1933, under Nazi German education system schools were designed to mould children to get them unquestioningly accepts Nazi doctrines. Similarly, USSR, after 1917, used education to continue their communist agenda and educational institutions become the place of political socialization rather the search of truth.

4 Question: Explain the linkages between community and school.

Answer: Education has a social context in which it must be understood. To begin with, this context is observable in the local community which plays a vital role in understanding and giving direction to the educational process. In India, the local communities are varied depending upon nature of habitations that comprise it. The educational needs of different types of communities vary according to their nature.

Community composition

The structural composition of community determines education in many ways. Thus a community with a heterogeneous population with diverse castes, languages, religions and ethnicity may pose a challenge to education system in that community or may enrich the system depending on the mutual relationship and harmony between various population subgroups. The hierarchical caste or socioeconomic systems may lead to exclusion of lower caste and poor people from the education system. The attitudes towards minority ethnic or religious groups may influence the education of these groups. The language spoken in the community should play a deterministic role in the medium of instruction in the school.

Occupational and economic factors

Poverty may impede education of many children due to other competing needs for survival. People may not be able to afford to spend on education or may prefer to send their children for work instead of school.

Customs, traditions and belief system

Community traditions and customs based on and shaping its belief system may affect the education process in the community children. For example, a community having belief that children are disabled as a result of punishment by God for their (or their parents) sins in previous lives, may consider education of disabled children as an interference in “karma These children and their families may be stigmatized and excluded “ from the education system. Gender discrimination Community beliefs and practices about the gender roles may be discriminative against the girls leading to their exclusion from schools from the very beginning, or early dropout.

Attitudes towards underprivileged and marginalized groups

The community may have a negative attitudes disabled, underprivileged and marginalized groups due to their belief system sand exploitative practices which may hamper in proper participation of these groups in education process. While the nature of local community determines and influences, the nature of educational facilities to be provided, the educational institutions also influence

the local community. From the education perspective we cannot consider school as an island with no link to the outside world i.e. community. Schools cannot and should not operate as separate entities from the community. To bridge the huge gap between school and community both should come closer. For this dialogue is fundamental Dialogue between whom? Dialogue between community and school. Teacher is the most active agent made this dialogue possible through school and community interface.. Since each group in the community plays a different role in contributing to children’s education, there must be efforts to bridge the gap between them in order to maximize the contributions. Education takes place most efficiently and effectively when these different groups of people collaborate. For the betterment of the community.

5 Question: Illustrate the influence of community on the cultural development of the learner.

Answer: Language makes link with the culture, which is one of the fundamental right of all human beings to celebrate and enjoy their own culture. According to Article 29 of the convention on the Rights of the child, Education of the child shall be directed to the development of respect for the child’s parents his /her own cultural identity, language and values.

National Policy on Education (1986) and the Programme of Action (1992)

envisage a cultural perspective of education for the development of child’s personality and discover his/her inherent potentials. The objective of the cultural perspective of education to inspire the teachers and students to collect folk song, folk tale, riddles, local history, folk game and myths from the community which have rich learning potentials for the child’ cultural development and overall personality development and it is a source of self learning in the community by sharing experiences with others. The Community plays a important role in the cultural development of the child. The local culture if studied minutely reflects another realm of learning which can be foundation of institutionalized knowledge. The local history, its folk traditions, art,craft, etc. have immense educational potentials and can be used by teacher to make the teaching -learning process more enjoyable.

Examples from tribal social life and village

For example, the Mahul Tree has a lot of significance in the tribal socioeconomic and cultural life and children could be taught about its importance in various spheres of life. The fruit of the tree is used as a vegetable and cooked and eaten as a curry. While the seed is used to extract oil, the by product of the seed (pedia) is used as manure in the cornfield. It is also used as a medicine for cows during winter. The seed when burnt emits smoke which is used to cure any swelling on the neck. Liquor is extracted from the flower and apart from drinking purpose, it is used as an antiseptic and also helps treat piles. The trunk of the tree is useful in the household for firewood.

Festival-a facet of culture

Now let us talk about different festivals which we celebrate in 12 months in a year . Every region and every community has its own festivals spread over the year. There is festival to celebrate every season and reason. So far the

celebration of national festival i.e Independence day and Republic day which never had to do anything with region and community .But now we can see the same spirit in many religious or community specific festivals. Some such festivals which have cut through all castes and communities i.e Christmas the , Diwali, Navratri/ Durgapuja, Lohri, Basant panchmi /Sufi Basant, and Id. As we know Christmas is a beautiful festival of Christians spreading love and cheer all around. But now-a-days we find every school celebrates this festival complete with christmas tree, Santa distributing pleasantries to children, and singing carols etc. for its cheerful spirit. Like this Diwali is the biggest festival of India but its presence felt in other countries due to its beauty. The beauty of earthen lamps candles on dark Amavasya night ,the fun of crackers lights up every heart. So irrespective of Hindu and non- Hindu every house is decorated with lights and enjoy the happiness.

5 Question: Explain how education and socialization are interrelated? What is the influence of community in the life skill development of the learners? Discuss

Answer: Education is generally seen as the foundation of society which brings economic wealth, social prosperity and political stability. It is a major aspect of development of any modern society and most significant indicator of overall development of any region. Emile Durkheim emphasis the role of education system in the preservation of society and culture, particularly, it is very important in complex societies where families and other primary groups are not fully equipped to prepare the young for adulthood that is expected by larger society.

Social Functions of Education

Education is concerned with all people and considered as basic social need of all societies. John Dewey viewed that being a social need it performs major functions to the society as following.

(a) Transmission of culture: Human beings are world building creature. The sum total of such creations, its preservation and transmission to the next generation are the core concern of any culture. The culture makes a distinction with other creatures. Each society has its own cultural heritage which they preserve and transmit to next generation. The most important role

of education is to transmit the tradition, culture, skill and knowledge to the new members of the society. Thus culture is the most common link between society and education.

(b) Reduce inequality and disparity: Education gives us knowledge and knowledge is power. Education plays a significant role to society by solving its problems. Rabindrinath Tagore writes “In finding the solution to our problem, we shall have helped to solve the world problem as well....If India can offer to the world her solution, it will be a contribution to humanity.” Through education one can acquire knowledge and participate in the process of empowerment. Indian traditional education system was neither open to all nor it had any uniformity. It was elitist in character and supported with religious purpose rather based on rationality which has created socioeconomic inequality.

(c) Social mobility and social change: Social stratification is a universal social fact. Social mobility refers the movement of individual and group position or status in the social hierarchy of any society. There are two important factors of social mobility- education and income status. Now, free and compulsory education to all provides opportunity to enhance one’s educational and income status. In India, since independence Equality of education opportunity has proved which was earlier restricted.

(d) Development of new knowledge: Education is the way to acquire knowledge to achieve success in its life. Through education we develop new knowledge or addition to the existing knowledge to fulfill our new necessity. As we know that necessity is the mother of inventions. From simple savage society till present postmodern society, we can observe the drastic changes due to many inventions and discoveries.

(e) Individual development- Education is very important for an individual’s success in life. Education provides pupils teaching skills that prepare them physically, mentally and socially for the world of work in later life.

Meaning of life skills- Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal with the demands and challenges of everyday living.(WHO) Life skills are individual skills/abilities that each one of us passes and yet need to enhance in order to meet the challenges of life. Effective acquisition of life skills can influence the way one feels about oneself and others can enhance one’s productive, efficacy, self-esteem and self-confidence. They also provide tools and techniques to improve interpersonal relations .Life skills are needed for effectively utilising the existing folk lore, folk traditions, local history, local belief, customs and discriminations, of the

community which have immense educational potential to make teaching learning process more enjoyable and effective.

Explanation of life skills

There are ten core skills which are broadly divided in three general categories i.e. thinking skills, Social skills and Emotional skills. As a teacher, you should explain each skill by using simple language and giving simple examples. Life skills are put to use in specific situations. Opportunities have to be provided

for developing these life skills among the learners. The process is as important as the content. Life skill can influence the way we feel about ourselves and the way others perceive us.

Thinking Skills

1. Creative thinking

2. Creative thinking helps us respond adaptively and flexibly in our everyday life situation. It is about looking beyond our direct experience, exploring available alternatives and the various consequences of our actions or non action.

3. Creative thinking is a novel way of seeking of doing things that is characteristic of four components

- fluency,

- flexibility,

- originality and

- elaboration.

Critical thinking

(i) Critical thinking enables us to analyze information and experience objectively and assess the factors that influence that way we think and act.

(ii) It is important for any of our crucial life decisions e.g. What option do I have?

(iii) What can each option lend to?

(iv) Is this really what I want?

3. Decision making

(i) Decision making helps to deal constructively with decisions about our lives.

(ii) These can have consequences for health if adolescents actively make decision about their actions by assessing the different options and the effects that different options and different decisions may have.

4. Problem solving

(i) Problem solving skills empower us not only to control our problem, but can turn them to opportunities.

(ii) It also leads to decision making and managing emotions and stress.

Social Skills

1. Self Awareness

Self awareness is the ability to understand our strengths, weaknesses, values, outlook character, our needs, desires, aspirations, ourselves, feelings e.g. I like myself even though I am imperfect.

2. Effective communication

Effective communication is the ability to express, both verbally and nonverbally, in ways that are culturally acceptable.

3. Interpersonal relationship skills

(i) It helps relate with people in a positive way.

(ii) It also means being able to make and maintain friendly relationships, which can be of great importance to our mental and social well being.

(iii) It may also mean being able to end relationships constructively.

4. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to be sensitive to another person’s solution, as in the

case of AIDS sufferers, or people with mental illnesses, who may be

stigmatized and ostracized by the very people they depend upon for support.

Emotional Skills

1. Coping with emotions

(i) It involves recognizing emotions within us and others, being aware of how emotions influence behaviour and being able to respond to emotions appropriately.

(ii) Intense emotions like anger or sadness can have negative effects on our health if we do not respond appropriately.

2. Coping with stress

Coping with stress means recognizing the sources of stress in our lives, recognizing how this affects us, and acting in ways that help us control our levels of stress, by changing our environment or lifestyle and learning how to relax.

6 Question: Describe the need of involving the community in school education. Discuss how the community can be involved in improving school education? Give at least five ways.

Answer: Community has been defined by Gins Berg in the following words, “By community is to be understood a group of social beings living a common life including all the infinite variety and complexity of relations which result

from common life, or constitute it.” The members of the community have a common life. They hold common social, religious and cultural functions. The festivals, social gatherings, and religious rights are common features of a community. There is a spirit of service, sacrifice and co-operation among the various members which form a community. Every community has a culture of its own- its traditions, customs, ideas, ways and manners. The social, economic, political and cultural life of the community is unique.

The community exerts its own influence on the growing child consciously and unconsciously. The community moulds his nature, his habits and his ideas unconsciously but more effectively. The child moves, out into the community as soon as he can walk and talk. He imitates’ the manners of the people that surround him. For example- if he lives in the community of enlighted people he develops tastes for reading, if he moves in the society of artists he develops a taste for art. So, the community exerts its own influence upon the child.

The patterns of different communities are different. Their attitudes and modes of behavior are different from each other. For example- there is a great difference between the rural and urban communities. We have, therefore, a great difference between the rural and urban children

Community has an educative interaction on the child in a number of ways-

1. Community Sets its Own Schools: Schools are set up by the community to educate its members. For example , the missionaries run their own schools and train, thir children in their own way of life. They have their own educational AIMS.

2. Cultural Influence: Every community has a culture of its own. When the community runs its own school, it wants that the students should become attached and devoted to it. It expects from the persons receiving education in the schools preserve its culture. Even language of the community becomes the language of the child.

. Community involvement helps to raise a responsible child. It encourages parents/communities to actively participate in their children’s learning in schools by visiting schools to monitor hygiene and teaching/learning process in the classroom, discuss pupils’ performance with teachers and provide support to their children’s quality learning. Oftentimes, the onus for providing a well-rounded educational experience for every student falls directly on the shoulders of the school administrators, teachers, faculty, and staff. However, this limited perspective overlooks the fact that much of a child’s life and

education occurs outside the classroom. What happens before the school day starts and after it ends can be just as important and impactful in the lives of your students as what happens during the traditional school day. This is why community engagement and involvement in schools is such an important facet of the educational process. Consistent community involvement and engagement at all levels of the school have been shown time and time again to have significant short and long term benefits.

According to a recent policy from the National Education Association (NEA), “when schools, parents, families, and communities work together to support learning, students tend to earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, stay in school longer, and enroll in higher level programs”.With these important benefits in mind, it’s clear that a focus on increasing community involvement programs and opportunities should be a consistent goal for your school.

Community can be involved through different ways:

(a) Participation in the surveys for out of school children, awareness building campaigns on issue of child labour, enrolment drives;

(b) Participation in the school mapping exercise, location of the school, availability of schooling infrastructure like building, classrooms, toilet and drinking water facility;

(c) Involvement through the contribution of money, materials, and labour;

(d) Involvement through ‘attendance’ (e.g. at parents’ meetings at school),

visiting schools to monitor hygiene and teaching/learning in the classroom,

discuss pupil’s performance with teachers;

(e) Involvement through consultation on a particular issue like how to improve

the infrastructure or teaching methodology;

(f) Participation in the delivery of a service, teaching when the teacher is absent or teaching a vocational skills/ music to the students;

(g) Monitoring the attendance of children, regularity of teachers;

(h) Monitoring the incentives like free text books, uniform reach to the students, monitoring the regularity and quality of mid day meal.

7 Question: What are the main objectives of Right to Education Act, 2009? Discuss the multifarious roles of a teacher under this act.

Answer: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE), is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009, which describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21a of the Indian Constitution. India became one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child when the Act came into force on 1 April 2010.

Salient features of the RTE Act 2009

(a) The Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools.

(b) The government schools shall provide free education to all the children. Free education is to be given to provide equal opportunity to all the children to

attend school and the expenses should not become a hindrance in pursuing or completing elementary education.

(c) The State shall provide school in the ‘neighbourhood’ within three years from the enactment of act. Children in every habitation will have access to primary school within a walking distance of 1km and to upper primary school within 3 km.

(d) Private schools shall admit at least 25% of the children in their schools from poor families.

(e) The Act also provides that no child shall be held back or required to pass a board examination until the completion of elementary education i.e VIIIth standard.

(f) The act also mentions that each child is given age appropriate education which implies that children will be enrolled in the class that corresponds to their age. For example if nine year old has not been to school or dropped out earlier, he/she will be enrolled in class IV. To enable the 9 year to cope in class

IV ‘special training/ bridge course’ will be provided on the premises to bring the child upto the age appropriate level.

(g) Schools shall have adequate number of teachers and classrooms- there is a provision for a teacher for every 30 children at primary level

(h) Schools will have separate toilet for girls and boys.

(i) Schools will be managed by School Management Committees.

(j) RTE reiterates that access not only denote physical access but also ensuring social access by way of addressing exclusionary practices in the school, especially those based on caste, class, gender and special needs.

(k) School mapping exercises will have to incorporate social mapping which means that the children from socio economic backward groups are enrolled. Community and other civil organisation will help in the identification of such children and help in their enrolment. Involvement of civil society organisation and community is desirable to reach to the children living in remote areas, unsaved population in villages, squatter settlements, in orphanage and on street.

A teacher has multifarious role in educational system. He/she acts as a manager to the whole educational transaction especially at the school and local level. The various roles are:

(a) Teacher as instructor and as a facilitator of learning in the classroom. NCF

2005 talks that a teacher should be co-constructor of knowledge in the classroom.

(b) Teacher as a manager of all the activities of teaching and learning. A teacher has to act as manager who organizes the educational activities of the classroom as well as the school. Have you ever organised any function or activity in classroom. How many things you need? Yes a long list of resources and you go about arranging for that. If it is too long and time is limited? You depute someone to get it i.e. manage to get the activity organised. So as a teacher you have to have to manage, coordinate and provide leadership to students and other persons for successful completion of the task at hand.

(c) Teacher as a Counselor helps the students to reach their maximum potential in life. He/she helps the child to make right choices with respect to courses career. He/she also works on building capacity in the children to find solutions to their problems both academic as well personal. Thus, the teacher guides the child to solve his/her own problem and not give readymade answers. A teacher has to be sensitive, observant, empathetic and objective besides being loving and caring to win the trust of the students to come up with their problems. The journey from unknown to known is lead by him/ her.

(d) Teacher as producer of Knowledge when he does research at the school level in the form of action research and the particular problem when solved leads to introduction of new methods.

(e) Teacher acts as a School-community bridge. School is a subsystem of community in which it is located. It cannot be isolated from the community. RTE has given special mention to this special linkage between the community

and the school. The teacher should explore the symbiotic relationship between

the community and the school for the benefit of both. School will depend on the community for its resources and the community will be benefited by the school for its development and the vibrancy.

(f) Teacher also acts as an agent of Social change. This is the role which begins from school to community and society at large. When Nehru had emphasized on scientific temper it was for a teacher to inculcate it in children. NPE had reiterated the fact that education has an enculturing role and furthers the goals of democracy enshrined in our constitution. Teacher is the agent who translates these social goals into the classrooms of India and prepares the next generation towards the vision of nation.

(g) Teacher as a leader who guides the class, school and community as well. He/she should have leadership skills to lead the way towards development. Leadership skills like decision making, management of available resources, finding solutions to unforeseen problems. It is also an important role of a effective teacher.

 1 Question: What kind of facilities should be made available in school? Discuss in the light f RTE, Act provision 2009.

Answer: FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY, SITTING SPACE

As per the RTE Act 2009 quality of school infrastructure is a major determinant of school access. The Act envisions an attractive, motivating and healthy environment of the school, so as to attract, enroll and retain students. For this, the RTE Act lays down some norms and standards for all aspects of school infrastructure. These are – Schools will have a composite building, with specific features. It must have requisite number of rooms, toilets and drinking water facilities, MDM scheme, Kitchen shed, fence / boundary walls, playground, sport equipment, TLM, library and laboratory. Barrier free access – This implies that design of the school building should enable all children including children with disability to move around freely and use all its facilities right from school entrance, classroom, playgrounds, toilets, libraries, laboratories. If existing school buildings do not have such facilities the RTE Act has provisions for them to modify them. Schools must incorporate safety features for resistance against hazards. These hazards may be natural like earthquakes, floods or human made like fires or construction related. Safety features should be incorporated in the building design itself.

FACILITIES FOR MID-DAY MEAL

We are aware that the mid day meals (MDM) scheme is one of the world’s largest school nutrition programme that extends to nearly 12 crore children across 12.65 lakh schools and EGS centres across the country. The scheme

must be operational in your school too. The school meal programme helps to boost enrolment and is effective in promoting attendance. It is an incentive not only for the children (who enjoy the meal) but also for parents (it is an implicit subsidy). The MDM scheme serves as an attraction for children who are otherwise reluctant to attend school. The RTE Act 2009 has special provisions for drinking water and sanitation facilities in schools. As a school teacher you should be aware of the existence of such facilities in the school premises as per mandates of the RTE Act 2009. Most schools except some rural schools are covered under SSA, for provision of toilets, urinals and drinking water supply. The rural schools outside the purview of SSA, are catered to by the Department of Drinking Water Supply in the Ministry of Rural Development.

2 Question: Explain the concept of child-centered approach. What kind of role a teacher should play in this approach? Explain.

Answer: In the traditional methods the teacher controlled the classroom processes and the learners were passive recipients. The underlying philosophy in child centered approaches is ‘costructivism’, according to which learners construct new knowledge based on their previous experiences. Learners devise their own learning strategies. The teacher’s role is that of a facilitator, who designs the learning tasks and guides the learner during the process. Child centered approach can be adopted through strategies like experiential learning. Here the process of learning begins with action and promotes reflective thinking by the learner. Another approach is problem solving where the students formulate hypothesis, suggest solutions, conduct experiments, generalize, arrive at solutions and compare their results. These approaches facilitate development of thinking, observation and enquiry skills.

Role of a Teacher in child-centered approach:

RTE Act recognizes the importance of adopting child friendly, child centered pedagogy for holistic development of child’s personality. The role of the teacher is visualized as a facilitator who motivates children to relate learning with their daily life and construct knowledge. Various aspects of the learner which the teacher should be knowledgeable about are:

•                    • Physical development and health of the learner. Learning experiences specific to the learner’s development stage can then be provided.

•                    • Mental abilities and potential of the learner. Learners differ in their linguistic, spatial, mathematical, musical, kinesthetical abilities. Suitable learning experiences can then be provided to build upon the existing levels.

•                    • Culture. Learning is greatly influenced by cultural experiences of the learner, i.e., experiences gained at home, in the community, in school and with peers. Teacher needs to understand the cultural context and provide learning experiences accordingly.

As a teacher we thus have a crucial role to play as a capable facilitator in the holistic development of the child by imparting quality education through the school. You should be aware of the child’s entitlements and be prepared to understand the child’s world.

3 Question: Discuss the multifarious role of a teacher in educational system.

Answer: A teacher has multifarious role in educational system. He/she acts as a manager to the whole educational transaction especially at the school and local level. The various roles are:-

• Teacher as instructor and as a facilitator of learning in the classroom. NCF 2005 talks that a teacher should be co-constructor of knowledge in the classroom.

• Teacher as a manager of all the activities of teaching and learning. A teacher has to act as manager who organizes the educational activities of the classroom as well as the school. Have you ever organised any function or activity in classroom. How many things you need? Yes a long list of resources and you go about arranging for that. If it is too long and time is limited? You depute someone to get it i.e. manage to get the activity organised. So as a teacher you have to have to manage, coordinate and provide leadership to students and other persons for successful completion of the task at hand

• Teacher as a Counselor helps the students to reach their maximum potential in life. He/she helps the child to make right choices with respect to courses career. He/she also works on building capacity in the children to find

solutions to their problems both academic as well personal. Thus, the teacher guides the child to solve his/her own problem and not give readymade answers. A teacher has to be sensitive, observant, empathetic and objective besides being loving and caring to win the trust of the students to come up with their problems. The journey from unknown to known is lead by him/ her.

• Teacher as producer of Knowledge when he does research at the school level in the form of action research and the particular problem when solved leads to introduction of new methods.

• Teacher acts as a School-community bridge. School is a subsystem of community in which it is located. It cannot be isolated from the community. RTE has given special mention to this special linkage between the community and the school. The teacher should explore the symbiotic relationship between the community and the school for the benefit of both. School will depend on the community for its resources and the community will be benefited by the school for its development and the vibrancy.

• Teacher also acts as an agent of Social change. This is the role which begins from school to community and society at large. When Nehru had emphasized on scientific temper it was for a teacher to inculcate it in children.

• Teacher as a leader who guides the class, school and community as well. He/she should have leadership skills to lead the way towards development. Leadership skills like decision making, management of available resources, finding solutions to unforeseen problems. It is also an important role of a effective teacher.

4 Question: Discuss the role of the teacher in the context of community development.

Answer: In the context of the community, a teacher has a very dynamic role. He works with the various aspects of community and in turns develops his/her own professional skills. These include:

(i) Many children in the government sector are first generation learners; one of the major challenges for a teacher is to promote the importance of

education among parents particularly those in rural areas so that they send their children to school. A proactive role by teacher will build faith in parents so that they will come forward and enroll their children in schools. Teacher should with the help from SMC ensure fulfill enrolment in the schools. Teacher in turn develops and exercises social, leadership, and managerial skills as part of professional development.

(ii) Teachers should also be part of the national literacy campaigns and adult education programmes organized to educate adults who have not had an opportunity to go to schools in their childhood. They can motivate them by bringing forward the advantages of being educated in spite of the fact that it seems difficult at times. This will help them to have a clear picture of the educational status of the community and they will be able to assess the support they will get in total enrolment and subsequent retention in school.

(iii) The community especially our rural folk need awareness programmes regarding health and development issues like vaccination, birth control measures, woman’ health during pregnancy and child birth, cleanliness in and outside home, contagious diseases, personal hygiene. Teacher, being an educated person with a wider perspective should either directly inform people or lead them to proper sources of information like a doctor. These awareness programmes are also applicable to school environment. The health and hygiene of children needs to be taken care off.

(iv) Sometimes teacher is the highest qualified person in the community. Therefore, community members especially, parents of students expect a teacher to be a model for their children than they are themselves. They want a teacher to be a role model for children to imitate and follow. His/her personality develops to reach towards a humanistic behavior.

(v) In rural community where a majority of the adult population is likely to be illiterate or less educated, a teacher is looked upon to play the role of a guide, philosopher and a counselor. The community members when faced by any problem would approach a teacher for seeking solutions to their problems. Teacher to begin with solves problems based on theoretical knowledge he had and later experience makes him a competent counselor.

(vi) In urban localities, the teacher can be a binding force for the community which may be not be as cohesive as rural community. Here his role as leader who motivates and brings everyone together is very important.

5 Question: Discuss the different style of leadership.

Answer: Leadership style connotes the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans and motivating people. Simply stating leadership style refers to a leader’s behavior. There are mainly four types of leadership styles: Autocratic style, Laissez Faire Style, Easygoing Style and Democratic Style.

AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP

Autocratic leadership style means all decision-making powers are centralized in the leader, as with dictators. Leaders do not entertain any suggestions or initiatives from subordinates. This type of leader tells his/her subordinates what he/ she wants done and how he/she wants it done and does not entertain any advice or suggestion. He/she is a rigid disciplinarian and believes that praise and appreciation will spoil the students. This style of leadership is indicative of a ‘tell and do’ manager. Leadership here is usually a solo performance. The head of the institution runs the show seeking little advice from the subordinates. He/she makes his/her own decisions, delegating as little independent responsibility as possible. Communication is usually one way: he/she talks and you listen. Autocratic leadership is also more concerned with ends than means. What matters is result. The process and people involved are less important. This type of leadership has a distorting effect on the development of the employees or subordinates. Frequent use of threats and punishment will reduce their effectiveness.

LAISSEZ FAIRE LEADERSHIP

A Laissez faire leader allows the employees to make their decisions. The leader often busies him/her in paper work so as to stay away from group members. The leader feels the big part of his/her job is to keep students and staff from creating turmoil in the school. Leadership is pessimistic about people. Its message is: “You cannot change the way people work, so why try?”The leader is not an initiator of change. Rather he/she spends time looking after the maintenance of the department and protecting himself/herself. The leader only conveys the decisions that are made by a higher authority without providing initiative or personal direction. This type of leadership postpones decisions whenever possible. He/ she feels putting decisions off is safer than making them. The leadership favours traditional,

tried-and-true ways of doing things, because they are safer than the new or experimental. The teacher leader dislikes taking risks, even calculated ones.

EASYGOING LEADERSHIP

Easygoing leadership means it is loose and unstructured. It has little use for procedures, rules, regulations and systems. The philosophy adhered to is that the job concerned with the school and community will get done even without a structure if the members are relaxed, happy and pleased with their jobs. The leader thinks the most important job as a leader is to be friendly, tolerant and compassionate. If a student or a community member makes a mistake, the teacher leader is likely to overlook it. The leadership is undemanding; it prefers to keep them happy and let them have their own way whenever he/she can. This type of leadership hands out positive reinforcements too easily and would rather not talk about unsatisfactory performance. Easygoing leadership invests much energy in direct person-to-person contact. It spends much time in chatting about things that have nothing to do with the job. Gossips on politics, sports, entertainment, family matters and other trivial issues occupy most of his/her time.

6 Question: What is community mobilization? Why it is important for a school system? As a teacher what qualities and skills you need to have to become an effective community mobilize? Discuss.

Answer: The community has an important role to identify and use available resources and plan accordingly. Where there is a mechanism of local self-government, important decisions are usually made at the local level by the local people themselves. This is the best possible way for development of community. This is called community mobilization where people plan and do things. They take charge of transforming their community and their lives. Thus community mobilization is a capacity building process through which community individuals, groups or organizations plan, carry out and evaluate activities on a participatory and sustained basis for their development, either on their own initiative or stimulated by others. Community mobilization is very important for the success of any intervention/ programme as it helps in:

(i) Creating demand for interventions

(ii) Increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of interventions

(iii) Contributing additional resources to the response

(iv) Reaching the most vulnerable

(v) Addressing the underlying issues affecting education: gender disparities, lack of awareness

(vi)Increasing community ownership and sustainability

A mobilizer is a person who mobilizes i.e gets things moving. She/he is a catalyst that creates an atmosphere to achieve a common goal of importance to the community by:

(i) Bringing the people together

(ii) Building trust

(iii) Encouraging participation

(iv) Facilitating discussion and decision making

(v) Helping things to run smoothly

(vi) Facilitation in the community mobilization process

Qualities and skills teachers need to have to become an effective community mobilize:-

1.Self awareness: A good community leader should be knowledge of his or her strengthens and weaknesses. This will enable the leader to exploit better his abilities while seeking help from others for his or her weak areas. Leading others with the knowledge of self ease’s a leaders job since it allows for the selection of the best-fit roles and the sharing of responsibilities with others.

2.Eagerness to learn and adap:. As a community leader, earning respect from members is one of the key enablers of ones roles. To do so, learning to listen from others, appreciating their input and changing courses of action is essential.

3.Empath:. As a leader its important that you recognize how the community perceives you as their leader. Empathy allows one to imagine different viewpoints from the community members as well as understand their feelings. With this perspective, a leader may be perceived as one who cares and this will increase his or her creditability in the community.

4.Honesty and integrity: A leader must ensure that he is trustworthy to the community and to other leaders. Trust facilitates productive space for discussions and desired social change. Once trust is broken, respect is diminished and productivity is eliminated.

5.Dedication: As a community leader, who most likely is playing a voluntary role, its important that you recognize your own benefits from the role. Time spent on a community role can only be beneficial if it’s seen to create space for desirable social change both for the leader and the community. This

recognition will create energy and dedication to one’s roles given the sometimes difficulty and draining role of community leadership.

6.Servic:. Involving oneself in general community services is a yet another great quality of a community leader. As a leader being seen to serve your own members creates respect and legitimatizes one’s role in the community.

7.Interpersonal skills: A community leader should be able to interact with other members of the community with ease. This calls for good communication and collaboration skills. Being able to negotiate, mediate, listen to others, and articulate arguments and to work with members external to the community is essential.

8.Forward-thinking: Forward thinking is about being visionary as a leader, one should dream for his community and effectively share the dream. He should be able to think of the future and set sustainable goals by developing his/her own critical thinking skills and involving the younger generations.

9.Intelligence: A competent leader is seen as one who can take care of the tough stuff that may happen to him or the community. Intelligence here is beyond being smart to include high levels of both emotional and social intelligence.

10.Motivation: Lastly, a great leader inspires as to create the desired social change. He does this in a variety of ways but always remembers to include others in his thought process and courses of action.

7 Question: Explain the concept of human and finance resources in school management process.

Answer: There are three types of resources, which are needed to manage a school-

Human Resources : Human resources are very important to create income or wealth in a community or society or country. To some extent this also applies to the schooling. Here the teachers and school man agreement puts human effort in converting raw, students into educated and trained persons who are capable of making their living and enhance their family’s quality of life and at the same time contribute in country’s income. But the risk factor in schooling is not so strong since the schooling of students is done on paid remuneration. Teachers are paid remuneration and their risk factor is not comparable to the farmers. Farmers lose their investment in case of failure of

crops as in case of teachers this does not happen.

Material Resources: It means the material goods which are the possession of the school. They are very important for academic excellence of the school. Material resources of a school imply land, school building, classroom, library, and the teaching material.

Financial Resources: All the goods and services so produced and then converted into ‘money form’ can be defined as financial resources. You should know that in an economy, all the goods and services produced are either for personal consumption or for sale in the market. The surplus of goods and services are made available for sale in the market, then in return ‘one gets’ money for the sold goods and services. These sold goods and services converted into ‘money form’, are considered as financial resources. It also implies that when the surplus of goods and services is more, this surplus volume of goods and services generates more income and we can say that financial resources of the country are higher. That is why, the capacity of generating more surpluses of goods and services in a country for sale in the market generates more wealth in the country and that country can become economically strong and provide more financial resources for the development. The countries that generate more wealth are considered more advanced. Countries which produce less wealth are considered less advanced. This development can also be considered for education in terms of more educational institutions, more physical facilities in these institutions, more teachers etc.

8 Question: Explain Participatory management and Non-Participatory Management.

Answer: The process of management is mainly a social process because the activities performed to achieve the goals are concerned largely with relations between people. The manager works with and through the people and achieves results for the benefit of people. On the basis of peoples, participation there can be two types of management processes:

Participatory management is the practice of empowering employees to participate in organizational decision making. This practice grew out of the human relations movement in the 1920s, and is based on some of the principles discovered by scholars doing research in management and

organization studies. When participatory management is practiced, employees are encouraged to voice their opinions about their working conditions in a safe environment, protected from the potential defensiveness. Participatory management encourages involvement of stakeholders at all levels in analysis of problems, development of strategies and implementation. We are likely to modify our own behaviour when we participate in problem analysis and solution and likely to carry out decisions. Participatory management means that staff, not only the designated managers, have input and influence over the decisions that affect the organization. In participatory management, the designated managers (or manager) still have (or has) the final responsibility for making decisions and answering for them, but members of the staff who are affected by those decisions are actively sought to provide observations, analysis, suggestions and recommendations in the executive decision making process.

Non-Participatory Management

In this type of management the manager does not involve the employees in the decision-making process. He takes all the decisions by himself and imposes the responsibility of actions on the employees. This practice discourages the employees and their efficiency is also negatively affected. Thus the output will also be not up to the expected level. The relationship between the manager and the employees does not remain cordial and there will be lack of belongingness among the employees for the organization. This management practice does not empower the employees and their professional growth also. The achievement of organisational goals is difficult under such management. Here the manager is an autocratic leader who only dictates the actions. In modern word this type of management is not supposed to be successful.

9 Question: Explain the financial sources of income for funding school development.

Answer:

GOVERNMENT

In a country, major financial sources of income come from government. When

you consider government, it constitutes the following:-

(1) Central Government

(2) State Government

(3) Local-self-government (Local bodies)

In India, there is federal system which means that there is government at the Centre as per Indian Constitution and State Governments as well. Under the provision of Constitution, Central Government receives revenue (income) on some taxes, surplus profit from Central Government Undertakings, external aid etc. Similarly, the State/UT Governments also generate revenue (income) under the provision of Constitution. If we add the revenue of both Central and State/ UT Governments then, we can say or call it as revenue (income) of the Government. As we have in this Unit a separate category of Local bodies it is explained separately though Local bodies is part of the government, but by nature of their functional responsibility to provide services to the community is categorized separately. This is explained later in this section.

OTHER AGENCIES

In India, education is expanding. Government (Central and State Government) cannot meet alone the demand of education facilities on large scale in cities and towns. India is a vast country. Think of providing primary education through opening new primary schools in every nook and corner of the country. Right to Education Act (2009) has become operational since 1st April, 2010. Children of age-group 6-14 have to be provided schooling facilities on universal and compulsory basis. To provide schools for Classes I-VIII, we require land to build schools, teachers and other facilities. Government alone cannot meet this large amount of funds. Under such circumstances, the government seeks finance (funds) from other agencies. In recent years private bodies/organizations/trusts/societ- ies/ business houses and even external agencies like World Bank, have been helping the country for establishing primary and upper primary schools. To meet the expenditure on school buildings, facilities, teacher’s salaries, books, etc., schools receive funds from these other agencies.

LOCAL BODIES

Local bodies constitute (i)municipal boards/committee in urban areas, (ii)Zila Board/Parishad for rural areas, (iii) Village Panchayats in a village. In a democratic India, there are three tier system of government. At the Centre, there is a Central Government, at the State level, there is a State Government and at the district, there are Municipal Boards/Committees for urban territory of a district and Zila Board/Zila Parishad for rural territory of a district. Rural areas have down the line blocks/Talukas. At the village level, there is Village Panchayats. But blocks/panchayats are governed by a District Collector. In

States/UTs, administration down the district level may have different nomenclature of block or panchayats. But for smooth running of administration, district is sub-divided.

ENDOWMENT

Endowment is a ‘corpus fund’ endowed by an individual or family or trust/society for a special purpose or general purpose.. The idea behind such endowment is ‘charity’ to an institution for a good social cause. In Indian context, educational institutions – schools, colleges have been receiving ‘endowment’. This has been a good practice for creating ‘endowments’. An institution from this endowment fund receives a regular income from interest for meeting the expenditure of ‘specific purpose’ item. Say for example, ‘merit-cum-means scholarship’ or say maintenance of school building (general purpose). But now the income from endowment has been declining. Families are now establishing their own institutions.

SAVINGS

Savings are the surpluses of income after meeting expenditure over a particular heads of expenditure. In a school system, funds are received as block grant from time to time whereas expenditure is incurred when the activity or programme is organized. Funds received as ‘block’ grant is deposited in a post-office or Bank, interest earned or savings occur due to ‘surplus’ fund, may help the educational institutions (schools) to meet other ‘miscellaneous’ expenditure. But these savings are legitimate source of income and are adjusted to meet the ‘deficit’ (shortage) i.e. excess of expenditure over income.

EXAMINATION FEES AND OTHER FEES

Primary or upper primary schools run by the government do not charge any fee from students. But, government-aided or private unaided schools charge different type of fees from students. These fees may be of the following types:-

(a) Tuition fees (b) examination fees

(c) Computer fees (d) pupil’s fund, etc.

10 Question: Describe the different functions of management.

Answer: The functions of management are discussed below:

PLANNING

Planning is the basic function of management that involves setting objectives and determining a course of action for achieving these objectives. It involves five questions i. e.What to do? When to do? Where to do? Who is to do? How to do? Planning requires that managers be aware of environmental conditions facing their organization and forecast future conditions. It also requires that managers be good decision-makers. As in the above example the Principal of the school observed the school environment deeply to understand the functioning and problems of the school. She was a good decision maker as she took quick decision after analysis of the situation. She used democratic approach in decision making. Thus planning is based on scientific estimates of future actions.

BUDGETING

A budget is defined as management’s quantitative expression of plans for a forthcoming period. Budgets are prepared at various levels of an organization. The master budget is defined as the overall financial plan for the period, which reflects the organization’s goals and objectives. Budgeting, when done properly, can serve as a planning and controlling system. The school’s goals and performance objectives are documented in financial terms.

ORGANIZING

After deciding the objectives and the ways and means of achieving them, the next step is to bring together manpower and material resources required for carrying out the plans. “To manage a school means to provide it with everything useful for its functioning- raw materials, tools, capital and personnel.” Organization structure (the network of authority- responsibility relationships) serves as the framework through which management coordinates individual efforts. Organizing function may be defined as identifying and grouping the activities to be performed, assigning them among the individuals and creating authority- responsibility relationships among various positions.

DIRECTING

Ms. Laxmi , the Head of School in the described story guided the teachers to implement the task properly. Thus we can say that a manager may plan and organize, but no tangible results can be achieved until the plan is implemented. This is done by directing, which literally means moving into action. Directing is that part of the management process which actuates the organization members to work efficiently and effectively for the attainment of the desired objectives. It is concerned with the execution of plans.

CONTROLLING

Controlling involves ensuring that performance does not deviate from standards. Controlling consists of three steps, which include establishing performance standards, comparing actua performance against standards, and taking corrective action when necessary. Performance standards are often stated in monetary terms such as revenue, costs, or profits, but may also be stated in other terms, such as in above example the % increase in the attendance of students is the performance standard.

COORDINATION

An organization consists of several persons, each of them performing a specialized job. Therefore, it becomes necessary to create harmony between different individuals and tasks. Synchronization of the specialized activities and efforts of members of a group for the accomplishment of group objectives is known as coordination. It is the orderly arrangement of group efforts to provide unity of action in the pursuit of a common goal. It involves unifying, integrating and harmonizing the activities of different departments and individuals for the achievement of common objectives.

DECISION MAKING

You have observed that Ms Laxmi, after joining the new school took decision to take action for solving the problem which needed immediate solution at that time. Now you may understand that. Decision-Making is an essential aspect of modern management. It is primary function of management. A manager’s major job is sound/rational decision-making. He takes hundreds of decisions consciously and subconsciously. Decision-making is the key part of manager’s activities. Decisions are important as they determine both managerial and organizational actions. Decision making is an intellectual process which involves selection of one course of action out of many alternatives. Decision-making will be followed by second function of management called planning.

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