Do you understand?

An elementary teacher at Taktse shared with me that the only question she was ever asked as a student was: Do you understand?  There was no choice in the answer. It was "Yes". If she said "No", she was talked down to, made to feel not smart enough and ridiculed either directly or subtly. 

This, she explained, was the big difference between the traditional Indian education she and almost all the other teachers at Taktse experienced and what Taktse strives for.  At Taktse students are challenged with deeper level questions and are expected to generate their own questions in return. It is also the heart of the struggle for the teachers, because their model of secondary education was so different from the experience they are trying to create for their students. They do not have a first hand experience to draw upon. 

I am seeing that this plays into their style of behavior management and approaching students as uniquely different.  Irrespective of age or grade, each student comes with a different set of skills yet we as educators want to get them all to the same end point.  This is the developmental principal of equifinality.  It is something ALL educators encounter everyday, irrespective of culture: how to differentiate, accommodate and modify appropriately for each student behaviorally and academically. 

Second Day

This was my view upon waking up. Alas it lasted for only 15 minutes before the clouds rolled in. 

Students seem to have similar concerns around the world. The opening activity for the senior students today was to list out ways they would like to see their school change (see below). I don't think it would be much different in Maine. The principal, Mr. Lauenstein, emphasized how important and valuable the ability to be critical is. It is a gift he said, and with that gift also comes the responsibility to be self-aware and find ways to contribute to change positively.

I am observing across elementary classrooms for the next few days in order to learn how curriculum, teaching practices and student engagement looks across classrooms. There is one class per grade (class size varies from 14 to 22), except for Kindergarten which has 35 students and four teachers. Each classroom has a lead teacher and one or two paraprofessional teachers.  On Friday I will then  meet with teachers to discuss my observations and decide next steps.

Students write down ways they would like to see their school improve. 

Kindergarteners at morning meeting. 

First graders working on word work and sentences. 

A first grader copies vocabulary words in his notebook.  Good penmanship is valued

Popcorn words for first graders.

Comprehension check cues in third grade classroom.

Second graders work on spelling. 

First day at Taktse

We have arrived! Three full travel days, one bout of heat stroke, two rickshaw rides, one harrowing 6 hour mountainous taxi ride and four meals of dal and rice. We the spent the first day at school today. The children have buddies. I spoke at length with several teachers and my role is emerging. I am rushing to post this lest the power goes out again.  Internet access is limited to the school only now, so I will write more later!

Here are food and restaurant pictures for Mr. Filieo's social studies class who is studying India now and will be designing a restaurant for their project ...see below.

Also for Mr. Noreus' Social Study classes I thought they would be interested to know how violence against women is seen here. On our first day here there was a full page article in the Delhi newspaper on this issue, with social caste playing a role in explanations. Also notice the pictures below of "women only" subway cars. Is this a good solution? Could it be implemented in a major U.S. City?

Lunch at these school, rice and Dahl and chicken, "non-veg" 

Reading in the library

Dara and her new friends

Snack, tea and ??? It was delicious and crunchy and I put chills in it

Tea time at 3pm

First graders read in the library

Walking to school on day one

Dinner in Delhi

Signs marking the Women Only subway car

Sikkim has been declared on "Organic State"

Travel Day!

We are off! We fly tonight from Boston to Paris, then Paris to New Delhi arriving very late Saturday night. We stay one day in New Delhi to acclimate to the time change and then depart Monday for Bagdogra. From there we take a 5 hours taxi ride up into the Himalayas, stopping along the way to obtain an inner line permit for Sikkim. We arrive at the school late Monday night in Gangtok (near Katmandu on the map).  Internet access may be sparse along the way but we will update as possible. 

The Culture Map

It is hard to predict just what my biggest "take aways" will be from this awesome experience I am about to embark on. However I have a feeling that learning how bridge cultural perspectives will be my biggest challenge.

How can I truly look from outside my own cultural lens?
Are there absolutes on child development and education?
Or are these principles only relative to the context?

These kinds of questions were central to my training as a psychologist. I published research with disadvantaged African American teenage girls on issues of identity and early pregnancy. I published research with Puerto Rican mothers on issues of acculturation and mother-infant attachment.  And I worked in several inner city schools in Baltimore.  I, myself, am bicultural and bilingual (Cuban and American).  However, during my last 10 years in Cape Elizabeth the opportunity to learn about cultural differences has not been as obvious.  But our Portland and our state are changing.  And our school's mission also challenges our students to be part of "global communities" and participate in a "dynamic and diverse world".

In The Culture Map by Erin Meyer issues of cross cultural interpersonal communication are thoughtfully laid out. (see CNN video clip)

There are eight dimensions she proposes:

• Communicating (low context vs. high context)
• Evaluating (direct vs. indirect feedback)
• Persuading (principals vs. applications)
• Leading (egalitarian vs. hierarchical)
• Deciding (consensual vs. top down)
• Trusting (task based vs. relationship based)
• Disagreeing (confrontational vs. avoiding confrontation)
• Scheduling (linear time vs. flexible time)

I will keep returning to these during my fellowship. But here are two -- Communicating and Evaluating -- that I think I will immediately put to use. 

Americans are low context communicators. We value explicit, simple and direct language.  We assume our listeners do not share the same context as ours, so we simplify.  When giving presentations the adage is: Tell them what you will say, say it, tell them what you said. As evidence for this English is one of the languages with the greatest number of words (more than 500,000 by some estimates), suggesting a high degree of specificity for each and every word. 

Indians, on the other hand, are high context communicators. Messages are nuanced and multi-layered. You listen as much to what as said as to what is not said. Inferencing and "reading between the lines" is critical. You must "listen to the air".  As evidence of this Hindi, one of the most common languages in India, has a high percentage of words that can be interpreted in multiple ways depending on the context.

From The Culture Map, by Erin Meyer

The other dimension is how negative feedback is given. In the US, negative feedback is typically sandwiched between positive feedback so as to soften the blow.  Across all countries we fall along the middle of the continuum, with Germans and Dutch on the very direct end of the continuum and Japanese on the indirect end.  In India, feedback is give more indirectly in general than the US, unless a superior is directing a subordinate.  Then feedback can be given in a very direct and seemingly harsh way (to the US observer). 

What does this mean for my first days at Taktse?

I will listen with all my senses taking into account the words spoken, not spoken, body language of the speaker, body language of the other listeners. I try to "see" the implicit assumptions and ask about them. I will try to listen to what is meant, as opposed to what is said. I will ask clarifying questions. Sometimes a "yes", may really mean "no". 

I will withhold judgements and feedback until fully immersing myself in the school culture, routines and instruction.  When I do offer feedback, I will offer it slowly over time and across meetings, not in quickly in a bulleted format in one sitting.  I may use "downgraders" (kind of, sort of, a bit, maybe). 

Phew!.... and if all else fails, Meyer recommends self-deprecating humor. 

Plate Techtonics

Here is the latest thinking on the fault line running along the Himalayas right through where the Taktse School sits in Sikkim.

"In terms of plate tectonics, India is running into Asia at one and a half to two inches a year, leading to earthquakes." NYTimes, May 19, 2015

Active classrooms

I leave in 5 days and am finishing my preparations!

Here is a glimpse into the classrooms and philosophy of Taktse International School.  The curriculum is designed to be active, progressive and emphasize synthesis of concepts. Students are encouraged to be independent thinkers, ask questions and share their opinions.  Sometimes these behaviors are contrary to Indian cultural norms which poses interesting conflicts.

What questions does this video raise for you?

Guided Reading

Taktse uses a guided reading program aligned with Fountas and Pinnell. Students are taught strategies to that allow them to independently read and make meaning of text.  Guided reading happens daily. Benchmark assessments are undertaken periodically to inform instruction.

Click here to see a video of the program in action.

Latest Earthquake in Nepal

The latest earthquake in Nepal occurred about 200 miles as the crow files from Gangtok and the Taktse School. I am anxiously waiting to hear of conditions at the school.

This map, from the NYT, shows the location of both earthquakes in Nepal. Sikkim is to the right.

The school is safe

The school was luckily relatively unscathed by the recent earthquake in nearby Nepal.  However a large quake did strike Sikkim in 2011 as it falls on the same fault line along the Himalayas.

Here is a message from the principal.

We are all concerned about the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday, April 25th.  While we felt the tremors at Taktse, we want to reassure you that no one at school was hurt and there is only very minor damage to our building.  We are also fortunate that the families of our Nepali students are safe.  We very much appreciate the care for our well being expressed by many of you and want to make sure you know that we came through this tragedy safely.

 

Best,

Pintso Lauenstein-Denjonpga

Principal

Taktse International School

Getting ready

I am excited! On May 25th I will begin a new professional development adventure as a visiting psychologist and Resource Fellow at the Taktse International School (pronounced "talk-see") near the city of Gangtok in Sikkim, India.  I expect to learn a lot about Indian culture and history and through this lens learn how to translate my knowledge of psychological principles and school practices into a form that teachers can use in this progressive and unique school.

The school is a progressive non-profit coeducational school that serves about 220 students in grades K through 12.  The curriculum is designed to produce "compassionate and ethical leaders" who are prepared to meet the "challenges of rapid modernization, the growth of mass consumerism, a growing disparity in wealth and a degradation of environmental resources" so common in developing countries such as India. 

What questions do you have about Indian schools?