The Buzz @ TTF

October to December 2023

And just like that 2023 has flown by!

This was the first fully-functional year for schools after the pandemic lockdowns and school closures. TTF has been 'buzzingly' busy with conferences, workshops, school audits, Reading and SEL assessments, demo sessions, etc. keeping all our staff & team members fully engaged and hands-on.

We hope that 2023 has been as satisfying for everyone, and here's hoping that 2024 brings just as much 'busyness', along with good health and abundant opportunities for growth and fulfillment.

Here's a wrap-up of the last quarter!

As part of United Way, Bengaluru's CSR initiative, volunteers from the organisation and TTF painted the walls of the Govt Kannada Modern Primary School (GKMPS) school in Kengeri, Bangalore. 4 classrooms and outer walls of the building were painted and recreational activities were conducted for children Grades 1 – 8.

Team TTF conducted an initial Baseline Assessment of children from Govt Schools in Bangalore Rural and Haveri districts to assess their current reading levels in Kannada and their social-emotional skills. This project is being supported by United Way Bengaluru. Moreover, Phase 1 of training 1000 Govt. Primary School teachers on this project has also commenced.

 41 teachers from Doddaballapur were trained for 3 days on Whole School Quality Circle Time (QCT) and TTF’s Indian Social & Emotional Learning Framework (ISELF). They were also given a round of School Based Support. This project, supported by CBM, aims to foster the social-emotional skills of children using Jenny Mosley’s Whole School Ecosystemic Model of QCT.

TTF has embarked on a 3-year (2023-26) Sustained Development Programme for 120 Govt. teachers from 15 schools in Dindori block of Nashik district with the aim of catalysing change in teaching-learning practices and consequently improving students’ learning outcomes. A Baseline Assessment was conducted for over 1200 students to assess their existing Literacy levels in English, as well as their Numeracy & Social Emotional skills. Based on the findings from the assessment, lesson plans in English and Maths were carefully curated and over 100 demo lessons have been delivered so far across 15 Zilla Parishad Schools. The teachers shadow the demo lessons delivered by the TTF facilitators and then translate the learnings in their classroom transactions.
Vijaya Chavan of Zilla Parishad School, Pade, Dindori says,“ We really liked the way the facilitators from TTF demonstrated simple techniques of questioning through Group Work, use of teaching aids and increased involvement of the students in the lesson.”

A rapidly changing world needs teachers who constantly upgrade their pedagogy skills, supported ably by their school management.
Some schools like Bharati Vidyapeeth Rabindranath Tagore School of Excellence (BVRTSE), Pune and Lodha School, Palava prioritized short, contemporary workshops to enhance teacher skills.
Deepa Tomar from BVRTSE, writes on the workshop on Learning in Groups,'For rapport building group activities are very helpful and slow learners (sic) also benefit from these activities.' 

Other schools, like Sishu Griha have signed up for the Prerena programme favouring sustained teacher development programmes for 8 Kannada language teachers.

Ramya, one of the participants, writes ' The workshop has taught me ways to engage students who are not interested in class and also how to focus on slow learners (sic).' 

TTF held a General Workshop on Whole School Quality Time for 20 educators from a range of Bangalore schools.

With a focus on developing 5 essential skills (thinking, looking, speaking, looking and concentrating), besides self esteem, collaboration, mutual trust, respect and empathy, QCT enables participants to foster Social and Emotional Learning and Well-being in students and teachers alike.
Veena Damodar Kamath from Sri Kumaran Children's Home, Tata Silk Farm says that her take away from this workshop was the 'Importance of demonstrating confidence at all times and the need to take care of oneself physically, emotionally and spiritually so that the same can be reflected at work.'

While Sweta Jagadish from Basil Woods International School, Gunjur wrote, 'It was a really valuable workshop. It was amazing to see how the students opened up to Maya during the Circle Time Demo. A therapeutic experience for them and very insightful for us adults."