yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

Some snippets, concerning adults, from an interesting book -  Conservation Education and Outreach Techniques Susan K Jacbson, Mallory D Mc Duff and Martha C Monroe Publisher: Oxford University Press Print ISBN-13: 9780198567714 Learning and teaching with adults (and youths) Maturity generally brings in a different set of priorities for learning, especially a greater sense of self-direction, more experiences from which to draw upon, and a desire to learn things that can immediately be useful in work or social situations. In the likely event of a diverse group of adult learners, it is important to use a variety of learning strategies to appeal to the wildest possible set of learners, allow adults to choose their subgroups or task, and permit a variety of responses and outcomes. As a result, most adult training workshops include icebreakers to introduce people, large group information-delivery, small group discussions, engaging activities,  and opportunit...

We used to have discussion on this term; removal from habitat would have within its ambit species hunted, trapped as also those kept as pets! " First slide of the PPT has to be attention-grabbing "  I begin this post recalling the above piece of advise from a close friend ( though not quite on lines of hunting / pets ): This was on way to Phura (near Palak Dil ). Just as we had begun to feel pleased that the 8 – 10 hour pick-up ride ( during which we used to stand, sit or lie on rice-filled sacks ) was coming to an end I came across this. I initially thought I was imagining on account of an extra-bumpy ride and then somehow banged the pick-up ( sign for the driver to halt! ). Its size made the otherwise questioning me go into a stunned silence. This was on way to Tlangkawn ( road towards KVK ). As I took rest, near a turn, I saw a young boy with a bag and gun that belied his size. I shared water and showed him the binoculars and camera, I then ca...

Some snippets from an interesting paper ( While the entire paper is interesting I found this portion to be all the more pertinent and have taken the liberty to remove the references and cull 600 odd words from a 21 page paper ) Place-Based education at Island Community School Aimee Howley, Marged Howley, Christi Camper and Heike Perko The Journal of Environment Education 42 (4), 216 – 236, 2011 Placed-Based Education (PBE) and Environmental Education (EE): Definitions and Comparisons PBE is a progressive form of education in which students use their own communities as the source of issues to investigate the location for learning, and, indeed, as an important motivation for learning. Its aim, according to some scholars, is to promote students’ understanding of the interdependence of their lives with those of others in their communities. To strengthen student-community connections, PBE offers opportunities for students to explore the geography, ecology, sociology, ...

Shared my meagre understanding on CCAs at Rishi Valley during a recent trip. The setting was amazing ( entire school in the evening at the assembly hall ) and am absolutely indebted to Rishi Valley for the opportunity.  Two conversations of the evening stand out. During afternoon tea one student shared that she and her friends were excited not because of the talk but because of the dinner that was to precede the talk; just in case I had any illusions. After the talk ( and questions that followed ) one student came up and as I bent down he put his hand on my shoulder and said 'shy ok - so talking like this'; his tone was very much like that of one of my closest friends.  Select slides and accompanying 'bullets' are placed below Control and management ( decision making ) rest with community Community is closely related to ecosystem  Efforts lead to conservation Not necessarily strict preservation but multiple ( flexible ) rules ...

Kaustubh's very encouraging email got me back to putting in place this post on discussions with students pursuing ecology ( at Rishi Valley ). We discussed what ( if anything! ), from my meager experiences in the region, I could bring in that would add value for the students. We, after a not so long conversation, narrowed down on jhum ( shifting or slash and burn cultivation ). Share some of the questions I faced below. Couple of these have been more pertinent and thought provoking than those I have heard in my meanderings in the region. Some of these are tricky and answers ( as placed here ) may appear a tad too simplified but I understand the session served its purpose and we had a nice time!   Is jhum rice different from wet rice? ( ~ sure it is .... ) Are their varieties of rice in jhum? ( ~ of course, I am not aware of these though!.... ) Does government decide where jhum will be done? How? ( ~ we discussed who decides and how this has been 'affe...

Some random thoughts from recent train journeys ** About an hour from Delhi – I see - An absolutely stunning August landscape Green of the flowing bajra Earthly brown of the huts against the lively colours of flowing chunris worn by women Amidst these - two pairs of snow white Sarus Cranes stand tall ** How I wish to walk into the untamed open lands - I see from the train Climb these rocks up and down - touch the trees and lie down As I look at the sky high above Different species of birds - I happen to see Some I recognize and others not - wonder what they indicate – if at all Feel good to not know too much of nature - mystery is good at times ** Train moves on - as trains do It’s touch makes the signals go red As it overtakes the Egrets in the green vastness - dotted by electricity towers Rains hit my - fresh from sleep - face Time - as if -gets the train swagger ** Hillocks appear small and also vast at same time Wonder i...

Continuing with the lovely time at Rishi Valley : Would I want to chat with students in the Sociology class? Well I would - but what do I chat on? This was how the conversation on the topic started. Suggestions from teachers then made things easier for me: How about talking on meetings ( and interactions ) when you initially went to the villages in Mizoram? Also what you observed in and learnt from the villages during initial days– especially in context of your work? As I started jotting notes I was clear that I would talk of initial days in Baghmara ( South Garo Hills, Meghalaya ) and put to use neither images nor power-point. Images in this post are those scanned from the album of monsoon 2004. These I dug out only last evening and I have put in the image names I then used. As I write I recall Rama Bijapurkar in Telegraph writing that power-points hardly had power and seldom conveyed the point! In the space below I share some of these notes and questions that followed:...

During a recent trip to Rishi Valley I was asked if I would like to address the junior assembly ( which I happily agreed to ) and warned that the students asked too many questions !! I shared the story of my walk to a meeting place at a village in Nagaland I started from the foot-ball field, which also has a volley-ball court, at one end of the village I then came across young people at the amphitheatre Just nearby was a community place with painted walls Couple of pines had fallen at the corner As I walked further I saw people had stocked firewood  Reaching next locality I saw a house with a tin-roof (oil-cans) While another had beautiful carving and different colour Just besides was a house which had maximum look-alikes  Around the corner I saw the garage which looked familiar I reached the destination and saw the wooden-box which I recalled from last time; a grain storage-place Tea was getting ready at the center of the roo...

This post shares random snippets from a fascinating book I recently read. The Failure of Environmental Education (And how we can fix it) Charles Saylan and Daniel T Blumstein University of California Press ISBN 978 – 0 – 520 – 26539 - 4 Before the snippets : some thoughts on the book I bumped into online ~ Green Book Reviews Current Science ULCA   “A historical perspective is essential to informed decision making, particularly when assessing the state of natural resources, and environmental education must take the lead in providing it” “The lifeblood of community is communication. It is the social glue that holds people together. If communication falters, differences become more difficult to resolve because common ground is harder to find. News travels faster around the planet, but it is worth noting that dissemination of information is not the same as communication. There are inherent limitations to communication when people are physic...