Text book culture in schools

I have sharing my learning experience in visited Karnataka government school. In that school there was a primary and high school section in one campus. When I reached there all the children were standing, talking and playing with their groups before started assembly, by 9:30 assembly started, I observe that there was same pattern of assembly, like any other school, children standing in a queue when they doing prayer. I saw there was a separate queue, for those children who coming late, we understood they were punished for late coming.

I talked to principal about the school; she told us the 1 acre land for school donated by a person. She said, in high school 612 students are enrolled, and mostly 60% children came from SC and ST caste background and they have low socio economic background. She told about classrooms, she said that each class is having three sections (8th, 9th and 10th). The school is Kannada medium, 180 rupees annual fee only for boys and girls do not pay any kind of money, they are getting free education, also school provide them free uniform, free textbook, mid-day meal and scholarships. If Students from SC-ST background getting more than 60% marks then they are eligible for scholarship of 5000 rupees annum. This school is following state curriculum.

Setting of school:  This school has small compound, there is three building, two old buildings and one building is newly constructed, which is used for primary classes. During our visit we observe, the school has lack of space for playground and classes. There is a small ground where assembly goes on and children using that open space for playing. There were 1200 students studying including both primary and high school classes. I realise that there is huge difference between teacher students ratio. one teacher behind 75 students.  

We observe two classes of ninth standard first was Hindi class and second was English class.

 class observation- 

I observe a ninth standard Hindi class, first three things observe in beginning, there was huge strength of 75 students in class, it was very congested class, girls and boys sitting in separate places, ratio of girls and boys were equal but girls were more shy compare with boys. Teacher has played a role of Ringmaster. She was not trying to build constructive atmosphere for students. She teaches only those things which was written in their text book, not tried to use children knowledge and experience about particular subject. In our curriculum class we had learnt about Textbook culture, I directly connected and saw that culture in this classroom. Teacher fully depend on textbook, she read lesson without expressions and randomly asked some students for reading text after her reading. One interesting thing we observe that, Hindi teacher was not familiar with Hindi language she has Kannada language background, so that’s why she was told false and wrong meaning of some words to children. I felt during our observation, she asked only those four or five students who can read and speak better. 

After the class I talked  with teacher about her lesson plan and what difficulties she facing in everyday teaching. She said big problem is strength of class, she not able to concentrate ever students. She makes lesson plan of every lesson before each class. 

English class observation- 

That was interesting class, teacher tried to make the class interesting with use of some activities. The chapter she taught that was Secret of Happiness, so she not started with only textbook, rather ask to students when you are feel happy, students given many answers about happiness. During the open discussion some students said about joint and single family issue.  Then she makes two groups one group was said about in favour of joint family and other one was with single family, both groups were discussed about the topic. That was interesting debate and technique used by her. After that she started to teach lesson from textbook.

These activities make connection students with chapter and topic, students knows lot of things about that topic by their home environment. During that class observation we felt that English teacher for has used better techniques and activities for teach students. After the activities she asks students for reading text randomly, and she tried to give opportunity to every students. After the reading she said to students underline the words which were they do not understand, and then said their meanings and make sentences of those words. 

That class was interesting and in our view teacher was semi constructivist. She has good knowledge of her subject.

After that I talked to school principal and some teacher of school, they told lot of things. Teachers said that they have no space to teach outside from textbook, they have pressure to complete course.