JAMYANG DENDUP (CLASS II)

There are many stories for the man to narrate. Over the years, when people are celebrating the success story of their  achievement, there comes a group people who doesn't have even a proper shelter or meals in a day. A nations making donations and helping others, while forgetting ones own citizens, the situations are out of our controls, which needs our rethinking and attentions to make it right.

 

This is a story of Jamyang Dendup who comes from Nganglam. He is reading in class II. He was admitted to GLSS last year(2020). He has been recognized as CP. He is doing well in the classes unlike other SEN children. He finds difficulty in coordinating the walk or using the muscles for writing and speaking. The cognitive is fine and he is learning equal as general student

we see  future in him, unlike other children, he is following all the norms and rules of the school. Everyday as he finds the way to classroom, walking over the railing, sitting in a classroom and learning the unlearn lesson is what makes him so special in the class.

 As the school strives to provide help and support in nurturing their dreams and motivations in life, I have been working closely with the School SEN team members in seeing  welfare of those 17 SEN Children.

PARENTS TEACHER MEETING(TERM I) 2021

This year parents teacher meeting was held on Sunday,11th March,2021. As usual meeting was chaired by Zobel Gup. The agendas were tabulated and discussed for resolutions. I presented on the services rendered for  SEN children. I don't want to write the agendas and its resolutions but I want to share some thing that I want to express as my observation.

As I sat over the meeting, sensing the discussion the agendas and  points, I found the meeting was based on ones projections and perceptions. It shouldn't dilute the essence of meeting and the points of meeting. My expectation was to hear the ways and ideas to nurture our children together. Most of the views and the opinion expressed were just on one sided ideas. The entire meetings were dominated by false ideas. It was found that public doesn't have even a respect for the School workers.  Teachers eating lunch from the mess kitchen should not matter them as all their miscellaneous work are not paid as teachers work.

Teachers here are finding a hard time to manage water scarcity and public doesn't have any support to address this problem. As a leader, as a community, I feel teachers deserve a respect  and  have right for resources . 

 Finally, as I wait for the next meeting, I would like to hear the ways and ideas to cater the learning needs of our children and communities from the common floor. Not as someone's views and opinions.

                                                 SEN SCHOOL IN PEMAGATSHEL

Gonpasingma lss is a heart of learning center for Children with special needs in Pema Gatshel.

A school stands on the apex of Zobel village, catering the needs of nearby villages.
 If you take a distance view from the adjacent motor road, it presents you with an immediate invitation to the place. Historically the place was founded by the local priest Yalo and Kalo as a new hermitage sites for propagating the Peling traditions, thus the name Gonpasingma.

school in a distance view from road point

I never dream of being in the place, until I was placed by the Dzogkhag to serve the school.  Once as a primary school goer I had been to this school to participate in the talent hood haunt competition. I remember sleeping in the dusted hostel fighting hard against the chilly aired room. Since then, the place became once again the strange place in my memory. 
Another picture of the school was, students studying in the school were found to have red cheeks due to severe cold weather, thus making it easy for the identification of the previous school. My brother also studied in the school and it was this school that he was shaped and molded to a man of today.
 Once School was well known for producing a good Dzongkha calligrapher. Under the strict monitoring of lopen Jamba.  My brother nearly dropped the school, when he had failed in handwriting improvement.  

It is also well-known for the water scarcity and producing an abundant potatoes harvest from the place.
Today school is housing a special room for the differently abled children. It was instituted since 2015 and it is connecting the children from nearby villages like Restang, Norkhe,Zobel and Mongling.
GLSS  being a place for the special child; teachers too were special. Teachers’ receives numerous workshops to fulfill the need of those needy students unlike other teachers and other school.

Teachers discussing the story of Special Child

The School caters the learning need of differently abled children such as autism, hearing impairments and speech impairments.
I have been teaching in this school for last five years. My experience of teaching the students were like finding the jewels from the dust. As challenged by the working experience and meeting the learning needs of a teacher, I still find the joy of being in the SEN program.
Every child is treated as special. And teachers do believes in their hard-work and commitment to be the agents of change for those special souls. 

                                                      Pullout classes
                

For an inch of change in children, its the collective efforts of all the concern teachers and the offices in looking a change.
School is also transforming structurally. Completion of ongoing ramp constructions for the wheel-chaired students will add another structural transformation to the school. There is also a call for the need of changing the old classroom structures for the special children.
GLSS SEN school is a special school in Pema Gatshel. What if there is no such room for those students, they are likely to become a complete waste to the family and to the nation as a whole. Or they could have become a perfect cow herder or victim of stigma in the public. Understanding the nature of disability is a complicated concept for all but inclusion is the vision of school.

Respecting the diverse needs of the children, working together for the common cause and goal is what makes GLSS  a center of INCLUSIVE learning for all.

Therefore, it is important for all of us to be aware of the special, abled and differently abled person in life. You or I may be the next person to sit on wheel chair, so, there lies a question of respecting and accepting them. Everyone should become one in system of ours.

Covid-19 days 2020

Namo Buddhaya- first day lockdown Arts! It's a day when all were under the control of virus.  

 Going back to what year 2020 has been to all of us, many would say challenging, unforgettable,fearful and panicking year for all. 

My Atsara- I like the antics of it, mixtures of emotions

 It has been a historical, a World surrendering to a minute virus. Every closure of homes and institution taught us there are days beyond our control. 

Personally, I got a good days to take inward journey of life. I spent whole day executing what should I do next after completing one planned task.   

Guru Dorji Drollo and Paro Taktsang

Generally, as I think back what the days have been to my daily routines, it just appeared to be just following after school routines. But schooling and normal offices were closed to death end. Every new days got worse with the virus menace.

Imitation of act- 

There wasnt any contact teaching taking inside a classroom but worried for my students. Everytime, we followed the instructions of school administration and teachers were helpless, few volunteered to teach in video lesson via BBs. They all did incredible job in the different platform.  

Instructional hours shortened for students, the case of covid patients increasing, time and again waiting for lockdown has been an odd year. We did as what we could do in such a confusing moment! Some instructions were mandatory to teach while some were not so encouraging to do.

In those days of ups and downs- I managed to learnt the arts and skills of playing archery. Which every Bhutanese man wishes to champion the target hitting. We managed to play three days match among friends.

Arrow case- bought from Thimphu, gift from Pema(love)

This year has been a painful year for all of us, sudden lockdown and travel restriction are the lesson of the Covid-19, a  small space to internalize the richness of ones life. I have some passion in learning arts, though it wasn't a master piece. For few days and weeks, I learnt the basic colour mixtures and turning into crafts. I also learnt wood craving. I did Tsepatra and Lungta crafting. It taught me to work harder, if you want to produce a  fine craft.

Did Dilgo khentse Rimpochey in black and white- it took two hours to complete(fabric colours)not really a perfect art.

The survival of all became a question 

when death becomes a everyday story.
My days were spent learning to feel the authenticity Arts, it natures the true souls and presents you the simplicity, richness and brilliance of living. It also brings the joy of living,how we appreciate the basic perceptions in Arts. It may matters to those who feel it and it may flower the beauty of life too.

I take this year as a year of learning to adapt with change. But lockdown days comes with new hope of new normal.

I spent most of my days into learning paintings. It wasn't a master piece but I would cherish it as my memory that Covid-19 has given to me.

My king and Queen.covid ARTS

  
This year  taught us to be temporary and everything is not under anyone's control.  As I close this note, I may be next being to vanish as and when but those small Arts should tell my story with time.

 

Report on mobile Teachings(SIM)

 It has been a hard time for all, surrendering to the grip of  Covid-19 threats. It has resulted in the closure of every learning institutions and homes. Most dreadful silence over ruled us when every one is locked inside a room. The closure of various schools have had greater impacts to students learning. Students were  lost in their own track of learning at their homes and teachers were dragged out of academic field . 

To meet the learning needs of students, Gonpasingma LSS teachers visited homes and six designated catchment areas. (Tshelingor/Wulaktang,School Areas, Khenadang/Chungkhar,Ngangmalam/Zobel, KheriGonpa/Shomarjug/Thung).

Catchment Area;Tshelingor/Wulaktang

Managing to reach different villages and teaching the students through SIM was enriching learning experience for all the students and teachers. Teachers were abled to see the real picture of village life and learning in students. Students and parents were resorted in finding various means of learning via social media outlets and printed SIMs. Teachers learnt that students in a village, they had a limited time to learning and almost forgotten what they have learnt in the school. Beside learning the SIM few students had to attend the chores of the homes and guard the maize field. Students were  exposed to learning the basic survival needs and life skills in the villages.

lost in an action-teaching and monitoring the SIM- Nangmalang

Teachers welcoming with warm hospitality and a smiling faces from villagers were some of the beautiful thing  experienced in the lives of a teacher. Teachers had a good time listening and learning the stories and myth of their villages. 

Reaching the message of individual  safety from Covid-19 and following the protocols were the part of lessons that engrained the whole idea of teaching to students.

Given the schedule to reach the catchment areas was a challenge during harsh weather and in the bumpy roads. After reaching villages and seeing the true face of students were never happened for few, they were out of the stations. Few students left the school for various reasons. Teaching students  through various media outlet was challenging. Some students didn't have access to internet connections while some don't own  phones.   

Catchment Area: Resnang

Finally, it was a different story for all the teachers and students in the journey of teaching and learning. It has been a new time for all to synchronize the learning process and managing the learning for self. when no classroom teaching could take place, it has given us to rethink and reimagine the map of educations in Bhutan.      

Catchment Area-Zobel

To meet the learning need of students in Covid time, teachers have been visiting home reaching the teaching learning materials and SIMs.

Students have been following and learning the different key stages of SIMs. 

In Zobel, there were Fiften Students classes from PP to VIII. One student is out of home.

Findings in students

1. Many students haven't completed the SIM activities.

2. Few SIMs were missplaced and haven't returned  for corrections.

3. Learning from SIM for lower classes are questionable.

4.Few Students just attempted the activity without understanding the concepts from SIMs.

5. Still students were found lost in their learning track when teacher's guidance is less.

Finally reaching Zobel and receiving the warm hospitality from students parents was memorable. 

Home visit-Tshelingor/ Wulaktang

Dated-16th September 2020

All staff gathered in school courtyard to discuss on the multiple issues on covid 19 crisis and its impacts on reaching education to students.

It has been for several months without having any face to face contact with students and teachers. It worsen when the nation was in complete lockdown for several weeks, Only a means at such time was providing key stages of SIMs for the students.

From Tshelingor we

1.collected all the note books assigned works for asessement.

2. Handed the SIM volume II for all classes.

3. Instructed how to write and maintain the notes and answer script for SIM volume ll.

Observations

1. One student maintained only a note and written all the answer script on it.

2. Coming to identified area for collecting the SIM especially in remote villages students are open to risk many possible threats to wild animals and exploitation if not taken care.

3. Self Learning is queationable for lower classes students.

Findings

1. Many parents were concerned for their childrens learning.

2. Students were lost and out of track for learning.

3. Reaching and handing the SIMs to students in monsoon season was challenging.

In short reaching the SIM to students and its learning impacts should fulfill the vision of Education when covid-19 is over rulling the nations.

Reaching SIM to Resnang

For second round of visit to village led by Principal, this time was to Resnang, for reaching the copies of SIM to students.

Afternoon journey by a pickup bolero in a slippery and muddy road of Anim Gonpa and Gayzoor wasn't a safe travel for the team.

Travelling scene in a hired bolero.

However, making to the Resnang lhakhang and seeing the gathered faces of five students made a good day for us.

After taking an attendence, Principal handed over the SIM( printed version and original copies) to students.

Principal sir asked Pema Wangmo whether she likes to join school or not, she said that she was very eager to rejoin the school if it starts earlier.

Venue: Community Lhakhang

Having asked for the learning progress at home, most of them said that they are not able to learn effectively like School but Principal sir informed well of the situation and asked to learn collaboratively by sharing the materials among classmates if it is inadequate. 

After asking few questions, I briefed on the assessments records and tools.

Principal sir encouraged all of them to keep the records of the activities completed from  SIM and ask to report to concern subject teachers and class teachers postively in a wechat group.

After a group snapshot, we shared a chewing gum as a gesture of love for students and headed back to School.

Attached Documents in pics

Report on EIE- Wed,8th July,2020

For a day long visit, a team led by Principal sir(Mr Kelzang Chodup) and Academic Head (Mr Karma Yenten) headed to our designated villages for reaching out information and handing over learning materials to the students.

Students from Chungkhar- one student is out of station.(near community lhakhang.)

In attending to the calls of Education in emergency need all the teachers of Gonpasingma LSS were deployed for meeting and discusing with students to address learning needs and challenges of the current situation.

The visiting and monitoring team were asked to fullfill following duties as end endorsed by School Administration on Moday,6th July,2020.

1. Reach learning materials of students to their respective places,(who hails from Kherigonpa,Shomarthung and Shomarjug,Khenadang and Chungkhar.)

2. Findout the number of students who received accredited volume of SIMs.

3. Share information on assessments methods and promotions based on SIM activities as informed by the REC.

4. Inform every students to be in their respective homes to trace their learning information.

5. Report the activities of students via Social media outlets( wechat,facebook)to concern class teacher for assessments and corrections.

6. Ask to take back their belongings from hostels to the ones who were classes Six and below.

7. Re-Inform the students to wear mask and practice healthy habits to combat Covid-19 thread in mass gatherings.

It was found that classes seven and Eight students received neither SIM nor any differnt learning instruction learnings (except one(cl-viii)) other than the textbooks and notebooks issued in tbe beginning of academic year.

List of students from Kherigonpa and Shomar-Jug and Thung.

Two students were absent during the time of our meetings. One from Chungkhar is out of home and one from Shomarjug has joined the monastic body.

Only few students from classes six and below were handed with SIM and they are using it as a means of learning materials.

Findings of the SIM recipients

My team assured that school is going to make multiple copies of SIM and reach to every students in the next round of visit by the concern teachers.

It was learnt that teaching and learning processes are limited to students as they were compromising their duties at home and their own studies.

Kherigonpa students- with P.sir and team.(infront of Memey Drakpa's house.)

A team also suggested to students for seeking help from teachers during the times of confusing concepts and activities in the SIM.

Students from Khenadang and team.( near junction towards community lhakhang.)

Finally the team encouraged all the students to take ownership of learning and perform the task according to teacher's instruction.

Team members:

1. Principal Kelzang Chodup

2. Mr Karma Yenten

3. Mr Singye Dorji

4. Mr Sherab Tenzin

Report-compiled by Nima Zangpo.

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