Note: I added some pictures to the previous blog entry.
I have just completed my first full week in Kolkata! Everything has been amazing, enthralling, and wonderful! I am so indebted to my host teacher Sachi and my unofficial co-host Dr. Subrata Basu for making everything possible and run so smoothly given the plethora of potentially threatening variables (like, say, a city-wide taxi and bus strike?)
The attacks in Mumbai notwithstanding, things have settled into a familiar pace and rhythm. The first three days of last week were spent at the school. On Thursday and Friday I attended a workshop with several Indian ILEP teacher exchange alumni, including my host teacher Sachi. It was held at the American Center (complete with tight security!) which is part of the US Consulate here. The topic was Myers-Briggs personality trait inventory. I have had some experience with this, but it was seen through the fresh focus of cultural interaction. The instructor was educated in the US, including earning a graduate degree from University of Michigan (our Illinois Big Ten arch-rival!), and served as an excellent facilitator. I met some pretty fascinating and talented folks!
I promised in the previous post that I would talk more about Midul, our driver here in Kolkata. The pantheon of crazy driving is littered with relative declarations – “no one is crazier than X!” (Fill in: Chicago, New York, Paris, Rome, etc.). I am here to tell you, friend, that I have borne witness to the unquestioned acme of motor insanity – the streets of Kolkata. If I was forced to drive here, I would certainly be in an accident within hours, and I know many people that would simply pull over to the side of the road and pull the trigger. There is no way to describe how the system works – every vehicle jockeys for position like a scene in The Road Warrior. Despite the apparent chaos, there is a subtle dance that occurs with each interaction. Horns are used frequently, but not superfluously; every beep seems to have its meaning and significance. To the mix of cars and taxis, add trolleys, filled buses, auto-rickshaws (basically three-wheeled, covered golf carts driven by a scooter chassis), human rickshaws, scooters, motorcycles, road equipment, horse-drawn carriages, and not to mention millions of pedestrians. Each participant has different operating speed, maneuverability, and squishability, but all have the same goal – to occupy the same physical spot that everyone else wants. At first, the experience is overwhelming to both the senses and logic. You experience more close calls in ten minutes than an average American driver (or pedestrian) has in a lifetime. However, I can say that after seven days, I have become accustomed to everything being a close call. I am in awe of Madul’s ability! (A side note, accidents DO happen, and I saw the results of a fairly recent broadside one morning last week. Both vehicles were private passenger cars, which makes me realize even more that this activity is better ‘left to the professionals”. The one benefit from the strike was that the streets were virtually deserted – eerily so, like you would see in an apocalyptic movie, which made me realize the huge percentage of traffic contributed to by public transport.
One big surprise in the Indian educational system is that many schools have classes on Saturday, including Kendriya Vidyalaya, Command Hospital. Instead of being in the classroom with students, I led a workshop for my fellow teachers. This is expected of visiting teachers as part of the exchange. The topic was “The Use of Emerging Technology in the Classroom”. I am blessed to be a colleague and friend of one of the true gurus of educational technology, Paul Andersen from Bozeman High School. His insight into this subject has rubbed off on me considerably enough so that I feel competent to introduce these concepts to others. I have also participated in a Qwest grant – utilizing the Montana Learning Center near Helena, Montana – which brought several teachers from around the state together to discuss how technology can be applied to further educational goals. In such a short time, I felt as thought the best tack to take would be to introduce them to some of the applications I have personally used, because if I can do it, anyone can do it!
The state of technology at the school is comparable to the ways things were at Bozeman High School about eight or so years ago. Most teachers have their own computer – although often a desk model at home – and email is ubiquitous. There is a full, broadband-connected computer center, and a few LCD projectors. This represents the triumvirate of what I consider to be the ‘Teacher’s Tech Bill of Rights”. With a connected computer and an LCD projector, a world of possibilities is opened for the teacher. Lacking these materials does not make one a bad teacher; conversely, having all three does not necessarily guarantee quality instruction. Further, in my book, a good teacher without tech gadgets beats a poor one with all the toys hands-down. That being said, a good teacher with tech savvy is a formidable combination.
I chose to offer the smorgasbord of tech applications, stressing the lowest-cost, most effective ones I personally know. A discussion of using Powerpoint effectively was the only examination of a tool that had any cost whatsoever. We looked at open source freeware - such as Jing and Audacity for creating podcasts and OpenOffice as a free, alternative suite of programs comparable to Windows Office, using Google docs or blogging as a way to develop a rudimentary class website, social media such as Twitter and Facebook – both an introduction for some of the participants, as well as potential uses in the classroom, uses of Wikipedia (now with a Bengali translation, discussed today in the Calcutta Telegraph!), and finally, using Moodle – also free – as an interactive classroom management system.
I hope to accomplish three goals:
1) Be sensitive to the discrepancy in access to technology between my school in Montana and my school here in Kolkata. In time, decreasing costs and increasing public pressure will certainly close this gap. When I look at where BHS was only a short time ago and where it is now, I have to marvel. I recalled to the class having a Sony Vaio in 2000 (with a whopping 128Mb RAM and 20G hard drive) and thinking that I couldn’t imagine ever wanting a computer with greater capability. That beast cost almost $1500 then, which would now probably get you 3 serviceable set-ups.
2) Encourage the teachers to explore these applications on their own and adopt the ones they feel would be a good fit for them either now or in the near future as more students and the school become equipped.
3) Be a leader in technology in their school. As I said, I am fortunate to work with someone who is truly at the cutting edge of technology, and also with a group of teachers – the “Tech Junkies” – that spend a lunch a week just talking about tech stuff. The conversation inevitably steers toward education in general, and it includes some of the most dynamic instructors, administrators, and students I have encountered. I would hope that at least a couple of the teachers who attended would be inspired to try to start-up a similar group in their schools.
On Sunday, we had a later start than usual, meeting at 2pm. I spent the morning with a new friend and fellow Ramakrishna Mission resident Christian, a German ex-pat currently seeking professional employment in Kolkata. He has lived here previously – and at the mission – and decided to come back and try his luck. We went out for coffee (yes, coffee…mmmmm!) and chatted about his prospects and impressions of India.
After meeting up with Sachi and Dr. Basu, our day's excursion was to the Howrah Botanical Gardens, across the Hooghly River (a branch of the sacred Ganges). Among the many examples of sub-tropical flora is an incredible banyan tree. As it extends outwards, taproots extend down from the branches. Once rooted, they become buttressing posts that allow for seemingly unending chain of trunks; a single tree creates an entire forest! We stopped for a brief ice cream treat to beat the heat before we journeyed on.
Our next stop was the Belur Math Shrine, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Order. The grounds were teeming with local Sunday tourists and devotees. A trip through the main exhibit allowed a fascinating glimpse across the relatively recent history of this religious sect. Although Hindu in flavor, it also encompasses Christian, Buddhist and Muslim traditions, in keeping with the founder’s belief of tolerance to the extreme for other religious views. The shrines themselves are magnificent and I could imagine - during a quieter time, perhaps - that they would elicit reverence and reflection. Sadly, pictures are not allowed (Sachi tried to put that rule to the test!), so I had to rely on pictures of the affiliated university to suffice.
On Sunday night was something I was anticipating since I first got my schedule – dinner at Sachi’s house! I had yet to meet his family and I wanted to be able to personally thank his wife and daughter for allowing me to steal him for so much time during my extended stay in Kolkata. Without their support (much like the support I have from my family at home), this experience would be neither enjoyable nor possible. According to Dr. Basu’s gentle barbs, Sachi’s house is ‘in the suburbs’, but I was not aware of really leaving the city environs. It is very different from my house, which sits on a quiet street in a quiet neighborhood in Bozeman, but there is no doubt whatsoever that this is ‘home’. It is on the second floor of a fairly lively street and the adjacent flat belongs to his sister and brother-in-law. Sachi’s mother also lives alternatively with both of her children, but spends a little more time with his sister, who is hearing-impaired. Soma prepared an incredible Bengali meal of curried chicken (my favorite) with delicious, lightly-spiced basmati rice. As a surprise, we had a bowl of freshly popped popcorn as a pre-meal snack. Sachi, the incomparable host he is, heard me mention popcorn as one of my favorite snacks sometime during the week, and he ensured that his guest – his friend – would be satisfied. He was also gracious to find a couple of beers for us to share. The place we shopped was out of Kingfisher, and the only choice left was called “Thunderbolt” – the name says it all there. At 8%, it provided considerable kick, and we agreed it wasn’t the best quaff of our lives, but it was still enjoyed by at least two of us! I appreciated all of the Herculean efforts made in the name of hospitality; it was a most special evening and one I will certainly cherish.
I have just completed my first full week in Kolkata! Everything has been amazing, enthralling, and wonderful! I am so indebted to my host teacher Sachi and my unofficial co-host Dr. Subrata Basu for making everything possible and run so smoothly given the plethora of potentially threatening variables (like, say, a city-wide taxi and bus strike?)
 |
| Sachi and Dr. Basu |
The attacks in Mumbai notwithstanding, things have settled into a familiar pace and rhythm. The first three days of last week were spent at the school. On Thursday and Friday I attended a workshop with several Indian ILEP teacher exchange alumni, including my host teacher Sachi. It was held at the American Center (complete with tight security!) which is part of the US Consulate here. The topic was Myers-Briggs personality trait inventory. I have had some experience with this, but it was seen through the fresh focus of cultural interaction. The instructor was educated in the US, including earning a graduate degree from University of Michigan (our Illinois Big Ten arch-rival!), and served as an excellent facilitator. I met some pretty fascinating and talented folks!
I promised in the previous post that I would talk more about Midul, our driver here in Kolkata. The pantheon of crazy driving is littered with relative declarations – “no one is crazier than X!” (Fill in: Chicago, New York, Paris, Rome, etc.). I am here to tell you, friend, that I have borne witness to the unquestioned acme of motor insanity – the streets of Kolkata. If I was forced to drive here, I would certainly be in an accident within hours, and I know many people that would simply pull over to the side of the road and pull the trigger. There is no way to describe how the system works – every vehicle jockeys for position like a scene in The Road Warrior. Despite the apparent chaos, there is a subtle dance that occurs with each interaction. Horns are used frequently, but not superfluously; every beep seems to have its meaning and significance. To the mix of cars and taxis, add trolleys, filled buses, auto-rickshaws (basically three-wheeled, covered golf carts driven by a scooter chassis), human rickshaws, scooters, motorcycles, road equipment, horse-drawn carriages, and not to mention millions of pedestrians. Each participant has different operating speed, maneuverability, and squishability, but all have the same goal – to occupy the same physical spot that everyone else wants. At first, the experience is overwhelming to both the senses and logic. You experience more close calls in ten minutes than an average American driver (or pedestrian) has in a lifetime. However, I can say that after seven days, I have become accustomed to everything being a close call. I am in awe of Madul’s ability! (A side note, accidents DO happen, and I saw the results of a fairly recent broadside one morning last week. Both vehicles were private passenger cars, which makes me realize even more that this activity is better ‘left to the professionals”. The one benefit from the strike was that the streets were virtually deserted – eerily so, like you would see in an apocalyptic movie, which made me realize the huge percentage of traffic contributed to by public transport.
 | ||
| Wait, I see a space! |
 | |||
| Midul - bad-ass with the gas! |
One big surprise in the Indian educational system is that many schools have classes on Saturday, including Kendriya Vidyalaya, Command Hospital. Instead of being in the classroom with students, I led a workshop for my fellow teachers. This is expected of visiting teachers as part of the exchange. The topic was “The Use of Emerging Technology in the Classroom”. I am blessed to be a colleague and friend of one of the true gurus of educational technology, Paul Andersen from Bozeman High School. His insight into this subject has rubbed off on me considerably enough so that I feel competent to introduce these concepts to others. I have also participated in a Qwest grant – utilizing the Montana Learning Center near Helena, Montana – which brought several teachers from around the state together to discuss how technology can be applied to further educational goals. In such a short time, I felt as thought the best tack to take would be to introduce them to some of the applications I have personally used, because if I can do it, anyone can do it!
The state of technology at the school is comparable to the ways things were at Bozeman High School about eight or so years ago. Most teachers have their own computer – although often a desk model at home – and email is ubiquitous. There is a full, broadband-connected computer center, and a few LCD projectors. This represents the triumvirate of what I consider to be the ‘Teacher’s Tech Bill of Rights”. With a connected computer and an LCD projector, a world of possibilities is opened for the teacher. Lacking these materials does not make one a bad teacher; conversely, having all three does not necessarily guarantee quality instruction. Further, in my book, a good teacher without tech gadgets beats a poor one with all the toys hands-down. That being said, a good teacher with tech savvy is a formidable combination.
 |
| Opening the Workshop (I get a lot of flowers here!) |
I chose to offer the smorgasbord of tech applications, stressing the lowest-cost, most effective ones I personally know. A discussion of using Powerpoint effectively was the only examination of a tool that had any cost whatsoever. We looked at open source freeware - such as Jing and Audacity for creating podcasts and OpenOffice as a free, alternative suite of programs comparable to Windows Office, using Google docs or blogging as a way to develop a rudimentary class website, social media such as Twitter and Facebook – both an introduction for some of the participants, as well as potential uses in the classroom, uses of Wikipedia (now with a Bengali translation, discussed today in the Calcutta Telegraph!), and finally, using Moodle – also free – as an interactive classroom management system.
 |
| Captivating, eh? |
I hope to accomplish three goals:
1) Be sensitive to the discrepancy in access to technology between my school in Montana and my school here in Kolkata. In time, decreasing costs and increasing public pressure will certainly close this gap. When I look at where BHS was only a short time ago and where it is now, I have to marvel. I recalled to the class having a Sony Vaio in 2000 (with a whopping 128Mb RAM and 20G hard drive) and thinking that I couldn’t imagine ever wanting a computer with greater capability. That beast cost almost $1500 then, which would now probably get you 3 serviceable set-ups.
2) Encourage the teachers to explore these applications on their own and adopt the ones they feel would be a good fit for them either now or in the near future as more students and the school become equipped.
3) Be a leader in technology in their school. As I said, I am fortunate to work with someone who is truly at the cutting edge of technology, and also with a group of teachers – the “Tech Junkies” – that spend a lunch a week just talking about tech stuff. The conversation inevitably steers toward education in general, and it includes some of the most dynamic instructors, administrators, and students I have encountered. I would hope that at least a couple of the teachers who attended would be inspired to try to start-up a similar group in their schools.
On Sunday, we had a later start than usual, meeting at 2pm. I spent the morning with a new friend and fellow Ramakrishna Mission resident Christian, a German ex-pat currently seeking professional employment in Kolkata. He has lived here previously – and at the mission – and decided to come back and try his luck. We went out for coffee (yes, coffee…mmmmm!) and chatted about his prospects and impressions of India.
After meeting up with Sachi and Dr. Basu, our day's excursion was to the Howrah Botanical Gardens, across the Hooghly River (a branch of the sacred Ganges). Among the many examples of sub-tropical flora is an incredible banyan tree. As it extends outwards, taproots extend down from the branches. Once rooted, they become buttressing posts that allow for seemingly unending chain of trunks; a single tree creates an entire forest! We stopped for a brief ice cream treat to beat the heat before we journeyed on.
 |
| Dr. Basu + Mango Popcicle |
 |
| Banyan Tree (Possibly the world's largest!) |
Our next stop was the Belur Math Shrine, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Order. The grounds were teeming with local Sunday tourists and devotees. A trip through the main exhibit allowed a fascinating glimpse across the relatively recent history of this religious sect. Although Hindu in flavor, it also encompasses Christian, Buddhist and Muslim traditions, in keeping with the founder’s belief of tolerance to the extreme for other religious views. The shrines themselves are magnificent and I could imagine - during a quieter time, perhaps - that they would elicit reverence and reflection. Sadly, pictures are not allowed (Sachi tried to put that rule to the test!), so I had to rely on pictures of the affiliated university to suffice.
On Sunday night was something I was anticipating since I first got my schedule – dinner at Sachi’s house! I had yet to meet his family and I wanted to be able to personally thank his wife and daughter for allowing me to steal him for so much time during my extended stay in Kolkata. Without their support (much like the support I have from my family at home), this experience would be neither enjoyable nor possible. According to Dr. Basu’s gentle barbs, Sachi’s house is ‘in the suburbs’, but I was not aware of really leaving the city environs. It is very different from my house, which sits on a quiet street in a quiet neighborhood in Bozeman, but there is no doubt whatsoever that this is ‘home’. It is on the second floor of a fairly lively street and the adjacent flat belongs to his sister and brother-in-law. Sachi’s mother also lives alternatively with both of her children, but spends a little more time with his sister, who is hearing-impaired. Soma prepared an incredible Bengali meal of curried chicken (my favorite) with delicious, lightly-spiced basmati rice. As a surprise, we had a bowl of freshly popped popcorn as a pre-meal snack. Sachi, the incomparable host he is, heard me mention popcorn as one of my favorite snacks sometime during the week, and he ensured that his guest – his friend – would be satisfied. He was also gracious to find a couple of beers for us to share. The place we shopped was out of Kingfisher, and the only choice left was called “Thunderbolt” – the name says it all there. At 8%, it provided considerable kick, and we agreed it wasn’t the best quaff of our lives, but it was still enjoyed by at least two of us! I appreciated all of the Herculean efforts made in the name of hospitality; it was a most special evening and one I will certainly cherish.
 |
| Thunderbolt: Indian Lightnin' |
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