Long Day in the Lab

I work in the computer lab everyday with Veeresh, the system administrator, Pawan, the computer teacher, and Ganga, an English teacher who has been able to spend all his time with me while I am here at School this month. He has been doing the actual teaching of students because we have been doing activities related to curriculum. I would have a hard time being understood by the students. And I think I would be totally exhausted by 5:00 if I had to do that myself. As it is, I am just very tired. Ganga has been able to work with the groups of 7th, 8th and 9th grade students that are being rotated through the lab in groups of 14. There are two classes of 40 students in each grade. I am confident that after I leave he will be able to continue to integrate internet activities for other teachers.
Today students were searching for information using Google, and copying and pasting it into a Word document.

Here are some pictures of the monkeys that come and go from the yard outside Ravi's house, where I am living.

What to Do?

Each Day I have to figure out what to have students do in the computer lab, using the internet.
We have been doing some simple educational interactive programs in science. Yesterday I tried to use Google Maps to do some things, but the network was very slow. But kids were still amazed.
This morning I went in with not a clue what to do. Because the power was out for the first hour, I was able to work out a good activity with Ganga, the English teacher who is with me every day in the lab.
We had the kids use Wikipedia to look up some specific facts about India and cut and paste that into a Word document. We did that with four classes, and it went very well. A couple of administrators stopped by and they were impressed.
Ganga asked me if there was something we could do using Phonetics later this week. I was doubtful, but we did a Google search and found just what he was looking for, an interactive game using Phonetics.
Things seem to just come together, as I stand amazed.
I had a bit of a watery eye as I stood in the middle of the lab, passively watching the teacher and students all working productively together.
After school, Pawan, the computer teacher, invited Oliver an me to go to his house for some tea.
Here are some pictures of his house.

Before and After School Learning

On Monday night I was invited to the home of Ganga, one of the teachers at the school.
He has students come to his front porch for classes every morning for two hours before school, and every evening from 7:00 to 8:30. This is beyond the school’s program for students, but many of them do this. It is a way for teachers to earn extra money on their own and for students to learn more. This seems to be a very common practice in Yemmiganur. Here are some pictures.
His home is very simple, and you can see some pictures of the rooms in his house.

All of the students either walk or ride their bicycles to school. The streets are busy with people even to late in the night.

I am starting to feel relaxed and confident in being here. My work in the computer lab has been limited by frequent power outages, and by the slow Internet speed (512K). But we have been able to do some good things in the lab with the students and a few teachers. I have been gradually learning the names of many people and that helps me to feel more connected. Everyone I meet is so happy to see me and talk with me.

These Last Few Days

Much has happened these last few days.
We were able to successfully install the software that allows a teacher to control all of the displays of the students' computers in order to demonstrate an activity on the internet. Three ninth grade classes have used the lab to work on an interactive biology program that lets them place different bones and muscles and organs in their correct body positions. Teachers and students were very excited to experience this type of activity in the lab. It is a great step forward in integrating the newly networked computer lab into their curriculum, and I think they see the possibilities. One teacher, Ganga, was able to teach a couple of the classes without my support. I am excited about the possibility that they will be able to make this technology serve them after I leave in three weeks.

• First Class in Computer Lab Using Internet
  
• Computer Lab Teacher and Helpers 
• Interactive Programs from Thinkfinity

First Day at School

I was very tired and dejected last night, and I thought I wouldn't be able to stay in India.
But after spending my first day working in the computer lab today, and teaching three classes, I am still very tired, but I feel a new energy and confidence in being able to continue this project. I was able to set some boundaries on what I will do. And I really liked spending time with the students. Many of my fears about the demands that would be put on my time went away when I finally said no to some of things that Oliver had suggested that I would do. I now think that I can do this, and that I will enjoy it.
Here are some pictures of the Machani Somappa School.

A Walk Around Town

Today, Tuesday, is a Muslim holiday, and the schools are closed. Oliver and I walked through the streets of Yemmiganur. The people in the town are all happy to shake hands. The children especially are excited to hear me say, "Hello, my name is Martin. What is your name?" They have all learned how to respond to that in English. Oliver keeps telliing me that my white face is only the second one to come to this town.
Here are some pictures of our walk.

Drive to Yemmiganur

On Monday we left the hotel In Bangalore and drove five hours to Yemmiganur. On the way we stopped at a spring fabrication factory in Anantapur, owned by the Machani family. They have supported my trip and stay, and are benefactors of the school. The pictures show a town we passed through and a temple we stopped at.
In Yemmiganur I got settled into my room. I slept about 12 hours last night.

Two Days in Bangalore

I have spent the last two days in Bangalore, and we are driving tomorrow to the town where I will be for the rest of the month, Yemmiganur.
Oliver and I have been driven around by our driver, Siddapa, and our translator, Urukundu, both of whom are from Yemmiganur and will be with us while we are there.
Bangalore is so big and crowded, the traffic is fast and wild, the streets are very rough, the sidewalks are often full of trash or holes. There are cows in busy city streets. It is different than any thing I have ever seen. We went to a Krishna ceremony last night that was very large and energetic.
It has been exhausting for me to make the time adjustment, have my day filled with site seeing, and not having much time alone. But I am doing well, and once I am settled into my room in Yemmiganur I will be able to rest and carve out for myself the time and space I need to relax.
See some Pictures

I am in India

My flights from Portland to Bangalore, through Washington and Frankfort, Germany, were long but smooth, and I am safely and excitedly in India.
This is amazing. I am looking forward to my first day, in about two hours.

Testing our connection

I will be flying from Portland, Maine, to Bangalore, India, on Thursday afternoon.
These last few days before I leave are filled with excitement and wonder for me.

Packing my bag.

I want to check with you to be sure you are able to receive this post, and to make sure you understand how this will work for you to follow what I am doing in India.
If you get a message in your email, would you let me know by contacting me through the "contact" tab in my blog.

While I am in India

I have begun to send Email messages to some good friends, inviting you to follow me while I am in India. I will be writing "posts" on this "blog", Indian Odyssey, as often as I can.

If you sign up in the right hand column  through "FOLLOW BY EMAIL" then whenever I put a post on Indian Odyssey you will receive an Email notifying you, with a link to that post.

See if you can send a comment to this post by clicking comments at the bottom of this message block. This will be a public message to all who are following this blog. You can "comment as" anonymous if you don't have any of the other accounts.

If you want to send me a private message go to the Contact tab and open the link to my e-mail address.

This is how I will keep in touch with friends while I am in India. Join me.

Martin

Speaking English

I will be spending some time working with an English teacher in the classroom, interacting with the teacher and students in their learning of the English language.
This will connect me in a more direct and dynamic way with the students than if I were just busy fussing with computers and software and problem solving.