teacher education for primary stage

8/13/2019 Teacher Education for Primary Stage

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Enlightened, emancipated and empowered teachers lead communities and nations in their marchtowards better and higher quality of life. They reveal and elaborate the secrets of attaining highervalues in life and nurture empathy for the fellow beings. Teachers are the torch bearers increating social cohesion, national integration and a learning society. They not only disseminateknowledge but also create and generate new knowledge. They are responsible for acculturatingrole of education. No nation can even marginally slacken its efforts in giving necessaryprofessional inputs to its teachers and along with that due status to their stature and profession.

The educational expansion, universalisation of elementary education, vocationalisation ofsecondary education, higher and professional education and overall quality of education aremajor challenges before the country. Evidently the quality of education is a direct consequenceand outcome of the quality of teachers and teacher education system. The task of bringingqualitative change in institutional efficacy of the teacher education system in itself is a huge andchallenging one. The last five decades have witnessed several attempts to change, modify andindigenise the inherited system of teacher education. The system however continues to functionmore or less on the same principles, similar content and approaches characterised by continuityand unwillingness to change. ver the years the magnitude of the task has increased manifold.

The existing programmes of teacher education at primary and secondary stages are generally

based upon the teacher education curriculum framework brought out by the N!TE in "#$%. Therewas another attempt to revise the curriculum in "#%%. &ost of the institutions now conductprogrammes and courses which were revised prior to "#%% document. The developments andchanges over the last two decades require a fresh look at the teacher education. The feeling hasbeen echoed by sensitive and concerned teachers and teacher educators. The establishment ofthe N!TE as a statutory body in "##' has brought this issue at the centre(stage. !onsequently,N!TE began the process of nation(wide consultations to evolve a strategy to develop a newcurriculum framework on teacher education. )fter several consultations, a discussion documentwas developed and published in *eptember "##+..

The discussion document was an outcome of a strategy which envisaged intensive national levelconsultations with institutions of teacher education at various stages with eminent teachereducators, teachers and thinkers in education. )ccordingly, a discussion document was made

available to all the teacher training institutions in the country seeking their views on the shape offuture teacher education. This was done by means of a structured questionnaire with full flexibilityto communicate their views in any way and on any aspect they considered fit. &ore than --eminent educationists, thinkers, teachers and teacher educators were individually consulted. naddition, "- workshops at regional and national levels were organised at various places in thecountry with the help and collaboration of several institutions and organisations includinguniversity departments, *!E/Ts, teacher education institutions, school managements andprincipals, ndian )ssociation of Teacher Educators and )ll ndia 0rimary Teachers 1ederation.These were organised at )hmedabad, )nnamalai, 0atna, 2aranasi, *hillong, 3daipur, 4oa,5arangal, Thiruvananthapuram, 6ahadurgarh and 7elhi. The recommendations and suggestionswhich the N!TE received were analysed and studied. The discussion document was accordinglyrecast in the form of a tentative curriculum framework. This was presented to eminenteducationists in a national seminar held at 7elhi in &arch, "##%. The scholars examined thedocument and made suggestions which were incorporated after discussion by the drafting

committee.

The foremost consideration in preparing the document has been the need for creating andensuring autonomy to the institutions, organisations and other bodies responsible for curriculumdevelopment in teacher education. *uch an autonomy should lead to an inbuilt accountabilityassuring the optimal efficiency of these institutions. Every effort has been made not to beprescriptive. The document reposes full faith in the capacity and capability of teacher educators toevolve a detailed curriculum based on the suggestions contained in this document. *uch acurriculum would respond to the specific regional needs and aspirations of the people and the


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requirements of a developing learning society. t would augment the inherent strength of ndiannation which is characterised by unity and diversity. The document would reveal full faith in thecapacity of curriculum developers to evolve sensitive, need(specific and relevant pedagogy. Theywill have the necessary understanding and the vision that would take note of perceived futurescenario. t reposes faith in the capacity of teachers and teacher educators to experiment withnew ideas and alternative practices for bringing improvement in the programme of teachereducation. The intention to protect academic freedom and practice institutional autonomy arecoupled with the fond hope that the outcome would be characterised by quality with greaterprofessional responsiveness, responsibility and intrinsic sense of accountability to the learningsociety and the system.

The programmes suggested are not classroom(based alone but also expect to receive greaterinputs from outside the institutions in close tandem with social, cultural and economic imperativesthat are directly linked to the education system. t would greatly reduce isolation of the teachereducation system in practical terms and would liberate the teachers and teacher educators fromthe prescribed traditional pedagogical, transactional strategies and evaluation principles. t wouldlead to greater innovativeness, self(assurance and self(confidence on their part. 5hen thoroughlyanalysed and understood, the curriculum framework should provide sufficient insight to preparereflective, reverberative and contemplative practitioners in classrooms and outside. t should leadto the development of dynamic and futuristic pedagogy and include acquisition of competenciesneeded for effective performance with inbuilt commitment to realise the broader objectives ofeducation and teacher education.

)n examination of the curriculum framework would reveal that it envisages a curriculum rooted inndian reality and culture and promotes a mutually supportive system of teacher education inwhich the training institutions and community interaction is implicit in much larger magnitude.5hile it focusses on affective and conative domains by highlighting commitment andperformance, it also apportions adequate weightage to the cognitive through the development ofscientific and technological literacy, use of information technology and emerging communicationsystems. 5hile the objectives for each stage are context(based, stage(specific transactionstrategies have been suggested which have tremendous scope for refinement at the time ofdevelopment of the total curriculum by the institutions and individuals concerned. t introduces theconcept of pedagogical analysis in a focussed perspective and highlights its significance inpreparation of teachers with incisive and analytical competencies. This would be highly neededfor future teachers who will have to regularly bring new ideas and concepts in the curricula and atthe same time learn to discard what becomes redundant. This document highlights with dueprominence programmes and strategies that are critical to the national development, particularlythe aspects of secularism, national integration, social cohesion and value inculcation.

7eveloped on the foundations of trust, autonomy, flexibility and accountability, the objective ofthis framework is to generate fresh thinking and action. t highlights the need for value inculcationwithin the constitutional ideology and ndian ethos . t aims to prepare futuristic, dynamic andforward(looking teachers with high level of competencies, commitment and willingness toperform.

)fter dissemination of this framework, the N!TE would collaborate with institutions to organiseintensive discussions on its content and evolve strategies to bring about the changes suggestedalong with other innovations that may emerge in future. The N!TE expresses its gratefulness toall those who have participated in the process of nation(wide consultations. t also places onrecord its gratitude to the members of the drafting committee who have worked painstakingly indeveloping earlier the discussion document and also the present framework. 0rof. !.8. )nand,0rof. .*. 7ewal, 0rof. 9.N. 9oshi and 0rof. *.N. *ingh are senior educationists of the countrywho are highly respected for their scholarship, understanding and commitment. They were dulyassisted by the N!TE team consisting of *hri *.:. 4rover and 7r.:.5alia who also deserveappreciation for their efforts.


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CHAPTER - 1

CONTEXT AND CONCERNS

1.1 IntroductionTeacher education is an integral component of the educational system. t is intimatelyconnected with society and is conditioned by the ethos, culture and character of a nation.The constitutional goals, the directive principles of the state policy, the socio(economicproblems and the growth of knowledge, the emerging expectations and the changesoperating in education, etc. call for an appropriate response from a futuristic educationsystem and provide the perspective within which teacher education programmes need tobe viewed.

5hen ndia attained freedom, the then existing educational system was accepted assuch because it was thought that an abrupt departure from the same would be disturbingand destabilising. Thus a predisposition to retain the system acquired preponderance and

all that was envisaged by way of changes was its rearrangement. !onsequently,education including teacher education largely remained isolated from the needs andaspirations of the people. 7uring the last five decades certain efforts have been made toindigeni;e the system. The gaps, however, are still wide and visible. The imperatives forbuilding the bridges may be as follows"#'?@ observed that a major factor responsible for the educationalreconstruction at the secondary stage is teachers= professional training. The Education!ommission >"#+A(++@ stressed that =in a world based on science and technology it iseducation that determines the level of prosperity, welfare and security of the people= andthat =a sound programme of professional education of teachers is essential for thequalitative improvement of education.=

ndia has a large system of education. There are nearly '.#% lakh 0rimary *chools, ".$+lakh Elementary *chools and #% thousand Bigh C Bigher *econdary *chools in thecountry, about "?-- teacher education institutions for elementary teachers and nearly$-- colleges of education C university departments preparing teachers for secondary andhigher secondary schools. ut of about A.' million teachers in the country nearly ?million are teaching at the primaryC elementary levelD. ) si;eable number of them areuntrained or under(trained. n certain regions, like the North(East, there are even under(qualified teachers. )s far as in(service education is concerned the situation is not veryencouraging. t is estimated that on an average A- of the teachers are provided in(service teacher education once over a period of five years. /egarding non(formaleducation, though a number of models are in vogue in various states in the country,much more needs to be done to prepare teachers and other functionaries for the system.

The 0rogramme of )ction >0) "##@ has emphasised teacher education as acontinuous process, its pre(service and in(service components being inseparable. The0), among others, has pointed out the following in respect of teacher education 7ETs@ have already beenestablished by "##$(#%. The 7ETs are charged with the responsibility of organising pre(service and in(service programmes in addition to being the nodal resource centres forelementary education at district level. 8ikewise, !olleges of Teacher Education >!TEs@and nstitutions of )dvanced *tudy in Education >)*Es@ have been given theresponsibility of introducing innovations in teacher education programmes at thesecondary and higher secondary stages and in vocational education.


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The National !ouncil for Teacher Education >N!TE@ as a non(statutory body >"#$?("##?@took several steps as regards quality improvement in teacher education. ts majorcontribution was to prepare Teacher Education !urriculum 1ramework in "#$%.!onsequently, teacher education curricula witnessed changes in teacher preparationprogrammes in various universities and boards in the country. ) similar effort was madein "#%%.

7uring the last decade, new thrusts have been posed due to rapid changes in theeducational, political, social and economic contexts at the national and internationallevels. !urriculum reconstruction has also become imperative in the light of someperceptible gaps in teacher education. Teacher education by and large, is conventional inits nature and purpose. The integration of theory and practice and consequent curricularresponse to the requirements of the school system still remains inadequate. Teachersare prepared in competencies and skills which do not necessarily equip them forbecoming professionally effective. Their familiarity with latest educational developmentsremains insufficient. rganised and stipulatory learning experiences whenever available,rarely contribute to enhancing teachers= capacities for self(directed life long learning. Thesystem still prepares teachers who do not necessarily become professionally competentand committed at the completion of initial teacher preparation programmes. ) largenumber of teacher training institutions do not practice what they preach. *everal of theskills acquired and methodologies learnt are seldom practiced in actual school system.This highlights the need to bring realism and dynamism in the curriculum.

1.3 Contitutiona! "oa!The !onstitution of ndia solemnly resolves Gto constitute ndia into a sovereign, socialist,secular and democratic republic and secure to all its citi;ens< justice(social, economicand politicalF liberty of thought, expression, faith, belief and worshipF equality of statusand of opportunityF and to promote among them all fraternity assuring the dignity of theindividual and the integrity of the nation.G These are the main goals which the nationexpects to be realised through education. Teacher preparation must not lose sight of thisbasic thrust so as to empower teachers to inculcate the same among the students.

n order to reinforce faith in democratic socialism, secularism, justice, liberty, freedom etc.the role of education needs to be understood in its true perspective. 7emocracy is aprocess of building consensus among the citi;ens on matters of common concern. texpects high morality from them, protects the interest and preserves their uniqueness,dignity and individuality. Huality of democracy depends on its citi;ens willing to dischargetheir responsibilities towards the self, the family, the community, the nation and humanityat large. 7emocracy is a way of life and its values need to be imbibed through educationand practised in the day(to(day life. 7emocratic socialism attempts to achieve a synthesisbetween individual freedom and social compulsion and combines liberty withresponsibility and authority with accountability. The ndian situation demands citi;enscapable of making conscious and purposive efforts directed towards social cohesion andliving together harmoniously.

ndian *ociety is plural and heterogeneous with an underlying current of unity. Theimposition of a homogeneous and uniform curriculum of teacher education may provecounter productive under this situation. Except for identifying certain basics andessentials, regional autonomy must be exercised for developing regionCculture specificcurriculum of teacher education. ndian reality demands that plurality should be used forstrengthening national solidarity and social cohesion.

The ndian state is secular. The ndian society, however, is religious. To resolve thisdichotomy between the state and polity, the principle of equal respect for all the religionsD


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has been accepted. This is the essence of ndian secularism. The teachers themselveshave to internalise the imperatives of secularism in national context and interpret thesame effectively to the learners. That alone would develop the right attitudes among allciti;ens irrespective of their own backgrounds. n ndia religion is also the source of valueand morality. The teachers have to develop values and morality in a different context.Teacher education has to respond to this reality.

9ustice, liberty, equality of status and of opportunity and promoting fraternity constituteanother set of inter(related goals. 9ustice protects the rights of the weak and ensuresimpartiality. To ensure justice and fulfil the constitutional commitments in this regard,certain positive and legal provisions have been made by the state. *pecial measuressuch as reservation in educational institutions, financial support, scholarships, hostelfacilities, etc. have been extended to the under(privileged groups like *cheduled !astes,*cheduled Tribes, ther 6ackward !lasses etc. t implies change in attitudes and valuesthrough education, in which the role of teachers needs to be stressed. 8iberty of thought,expression, faith, belief and worship is another constitutional goal which education isexpected to help realise. ndian !onstitution ensures equality of status and opportunity toall its citi;ens. The objective is to minimise social and economic disparities, inequality ofpower and life chances by positive discrimination in favour of the weak. The education ofteachers should equip them with the competencies needed to deal with discrimination,disparities and inequalities. 1raternity stands for acceptance of universal brotherhood,respect for human personality and feeling of oneness irrespective of linguistic, racial,cultural and religious diversities.

1.# Teacher Education and Pro$!e% of the Nation

t is universally acknowledged that education is an effective means for socialreconstruction and to a great extent it offers solutions to the problems a society is facedwith. These problems may be economic, social, cultural, political, moral, ecological andeducational. *ince the teachers play a major role in education of children, their owneducation becomes a matter of vital concern. Teacher education must, therefore, createnecessary awareness among teachers about their new roles and responsibilities.

Education of teachers needs to strengthen and stress upon the main attributes of aprofession, such as, the systematic theory, rigourous training over a specified duration,authority, community sanction, ethical code and culture, generating knowledge throughresearch and specialisation. t is acknowledged that formal professional training oncontinuous basis is necessary for becoming a good teacher as it caters to thedevelopment of one=s personality and sharpening of communication skills andcommitment to a code of conduct.

Economic Problems& 0overty, unemployment, and low rate of growth and productivityare some of the major economic problems of the country which have led to thecompulsions of the backward economy. These problems seek immediate solution anddemand a realistic co(ordination between economic planning and manpower planning.

Education can help find solutions if it is properly coordinated with manpower needs.ntroduction of work education and vocationalisation of education in secondary schoolswill have to be given a modern and meaningful direction. The attitude towards the workculture needs a transformation. The ndian society needs education with specialemphasis on science and technology, vocational inputs and realistic work experiences.Teacher education curriculum, therefore, has to promote such attitudes as are necessaryfor the emergence of a new economic order. )longwith the vocational competencies andskills a new work culture will have to be created which necessarily involves theinculcation of dignity of work, the spirit of self(reliance and scientific temper among


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students. The courses of teacher education need to be enriched to enable teachers tounderstand the attributes of modernity and development.

Social Problems :!asteism, communalism and regionalism are some of the problems inthe body politic of the society which misguide the youth. ncreasing delinquency,violence, terrorism and fissiparous tendencies and use of inappropriate means to get

one=s ends served are threats to the national integration and social cohesion. 7emocracy,violence and terrorism cannot coexist. Education has to develop a peace lovingpersonality and the programme of teacher education has to contribute in this regard.

The explosion of population with all its allied disturbing trends is not only neutralising theeconomic gains but also creating many problems for the country. ndian society stillsuffers from evils like child labour, child marriage, untouchability, discriminatory treatmentto women, violation of human rights, etc. and most of the people are unaware of theirlegal rights.

&odern model of development which puts man against nature by making it an object ofexploitation has disturbed the harmony and equilibrium between the two. tsconsequences are visible in serious environmental degradation, pollution and ecological

imbalances.

*trengthening national and social cohesion in a diverse and plural society, acceleratingthe process of economic growth, improving the life of the downtrodden and the peopleliving below the poverty line, removing the widely prevalent ignorance, superstition andprejudices from the masses, inculcating scientific temper and developing a criticalawareness about the social realities of ndian life are some of the issues which call forimmediate attention. Teachers and the teacher educators have a special role to play insuch efforts.

Problems of Cultural Reconstruction: Education is the process of transmission ofdynamic and responsive components of cultural heritage and its continuous enrichment.There is a need to reinterpret the ndian culture in its distinct identity and composite

strength. ts capacity to absorb the sublime from the other cultures needs to behighlighted. The teachers will have to play their role in cultural transmission andreconstruction.

Crises of Values and Morality & There has been a persistent erosion of values in thesociety. n the present day context certain values need to be redefined and reinstalled.There are situations when the values imparted and inculcated in schools are notgenerally practised in society. 2alue education demands a planned and purposiveapproach. t is through education and as of necessity through teacher educationprogrammes that the task of inculcating values can be substantially accomplished.5hereas values are emotive, the other related significant dimension is that of moraleducation which is essentially conative in character. &orals are situation(specific anddemand immediate decision and action and yet there are morals which are considered to

be eternal and universal. Through committed teachers, the art of ensuring moraldevelopment in a secular, multi(religious and multi(ethnic society needs to be cultivated.

1.' Pro$!e% (ithin Education S)te%

The nation has yet to fulfil the constitutional commitment to provide free and compulsoryeducation to all children till they attain "A years of age. ndia is also a party to the globalcommitment for achieving the goal of Education for )ll by the year ---. The educationsystem however, has to respond to several major issues and problems which have


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hindered the progress in this regard. &aintenance of educational standards against thepressure of increasing enrolment, relevance and quality of school education, efficacy ofschool functioning under the decentrali;ed role of political power through the enactmentof 0anchayati /aj )ct are some of the pertinent issues. n addition, specific requirementsand need of social and economical groups of the society and of the minority communities,vocationali;ation of education, scientific and technological literacy, alienation of youth,rush for urbanisation, perceived urban orientation of educational system and itsinflexibility to respond to rural, tribal and regional requirements are some of the dominantissues. These would determine the nature and shape of teacher education programmesand the efficacy and functioning of teachers in their new and emerging multifaceted roles.

Isolation of Teacher Education& Teacher education institutions which were considered=islands of isolation= have gradually developed linkages with schools, peer institutions,universities and other institutions of higher learning as also the community. Bowever,much remains to be done in this direction. The curriculum of the school, its actualtransactional modalities, examination system, management processes and its ethos needto be the main thrust areas of teacher education programmes. To achieve these ends,teacher educators need to be made conversant with various aspects of schoolexperiences. t is observed in day(to(day functioning that teacher educators often tend tolose contact with content areas relevant to their own disciplines resulting into gaps incommunication and latest information. t is, therefore, a felt need in the present(daycontext that teacher education institutions keep in continuous touch with institutions ofhigher learning and peer institutions for effective transmission of knowledge and itsupgradation.

The breaking of isolation from the community is essential for enabling teachers andteacher educators to reconstruct pedagogical and educational principles and practices inthe light of experiences gained from mutually beneficial community interactions. Teacheras a professional and intellectual cannot remain indifferent to the events that are takingplace in society. The academic and social issues are inter(related and inter(dependent. ncontemporary context, the role of the teacher is no longer confined to teaching alone. Theteachers are expected to play an active role in the developmental activities responding toprogress of the community.

Expanding Scope of Teacher Education &Education of teachers is not an end in itself.ts target is the school. )ny change in the nature, purpose, quality and character of theschool demands a concomitant change in teacher education, specially in its curriculum.The implementation of the "- I scheme at the school level has transformed thecomplexion of education to a considerable extent from the pre(primary to the I stage.There has been an increase not only in the quantum of knowledge, but also in its natureand purpose. n addition, new transactional techniques and strategies have also beenevolved. !ertain new subjects have replaced the old ones whereas some others havechanged their context, content, orientation, theme and philosophy. These changes at theschool level, out of necessity, demand a new pedagogy and evaluation techniques. 6utthe changes at the level of teacher education have not adequately responded to theemerging realities at the school level. )ll that the teachers are expected to do in their

work places need to be reflected in the teacher education activities and programmes.

The teaching community has to face the challenges thrown by science and technology.There has been an explosion not only of scientific and technological knowledge but alsoin the means and techniques of acquiring knowledge. The scientific researches anddevelopments related to theories of heredity, learning, mental health, neurology,attention, motivation etc. can no longer be treated alien to teacher educationprogrammes.


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Eoling a Culture!Specific Pedagogy & Every region and state has its typical culturalidentity, and there is a need to utilise the same as a basis for developing meaningful,relevant pedagogies. *ince there is no one universal way in which the children learn,there is a strong need for looking into the cultural context in which a child is placed. )child in a tribal society may process information in an altogether different manner ascompared to the one from the urban area and high socio(economic stratum. 0edagogy,therefore, should be culture(specific. !ultural practices such as story(telling, dramatics,puppetry, folk(play, community living, etc. should become a strong basis of pedagogyinstead of using one uniform, mechanistic way of student learning. !ultural specificityshould get embedded in the pedagogical practices which should be evolved for tribal,rural, urban communities and other ethnic groups.

1.* Ine+ara$i!it) of Pre-er,ice and In-er,ice Education

) learning society visualises education as a continuing activity. This is equally applicableto teacher education. The policy stipulation on inseparability of the pre(service and in(service education of teachers and emphasis on continuing education need to be givenpragmatic shape at the implementation stage. The curriculum of pre(service and in(service teacher education has to be redesigned to maintain continuity between the two.

Teachers who are being educated today will have to devote major part of their life toeducation during the twentyfirst century. f the present rate of explosion of knowledgecontinues, in a few years the teachers will find themselves in a world where their presentknowledge and teaching skills to an extent would become obsolete. They will have toface the challenge of electronic media and information technology.

1. Reearch and Inno,ationne of the major inputs towards enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in schoolsas well as the teacher education institutions would be the extent to which researchoutputs and the outcomes of innovations are utili;ed by the system. /esearches onteacher education have been and are being conducted in universities, national levelinstitutions and other establishments but their utility for the teacher educator or the

classroom teacher remains rather low. &ajority of the researches are undertaken toobtain a degree and hence the focus on its possible utility and relevance gets misplaced.The situation is compounded by non(availability of appropriate disseminationmechanisms, like journals, publication of findings in different forms and opportunities tothe target group to get an access to these. nstitutional capabilities and resources need tobe augmented, enabling them to undertake relevant researches.

There is a definite requirement of bringing in research methods and methodologies inappropriate form in teacher education at preservice and inservice programmes. To anextent, it finds a place in master level courses in education though in some universitiesthe same is not insisted upon. The structure and design of future courses andprogrammes need to take this aspect into account. 0reparation of teacher educators canno longer be completed without adequate grounding in various aspects of research.

/esearches must respond to policy issues, curriculum issues, evaluative procedures andpractices, training strategies, classroom practices etc. The areas of teacher preparationfor children with special needs, gifted children and children from groups with specificcultural, social and economic needs can no longer be ignored. *urveys and studies alsoneed to be encouraged. These may be exploratory or diagnostic in nature. The newinitiatives and innovations need to be encouraged and studied. 5herever consideredappropriate, these could be brought into the system of teacher education for wider andgainful use.


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The concept of field interaction and laboratory area approach in the context ofestablishment of 7ETs is indeed timely. /esearches, innovations and surveys mustbecome an integral part of the training programmes of teacher education institutionsirrespective of the stages. The trainees need to be familiarised with innovations ingeneral and innovative practices in teacher education in particular.

1. Other Critica! ConcernThe factors and forces influencing teacher education are many, some of which have beendiscussed in the preceding sections, certain others are being mentioned hereunderhuman and material@ and their utilisation

( to develop an acquaintance with basics of *cientific and Technological8iteracy


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( to develop a repertoire of childrenKs games, songs and literature

( to empower student(teachers towards creating learning readinessamong young learners

Curriculum %rame$or& : The framework given here is suggestive and not a prescriptive

one. t has considerable space for flexibility, innovation and use of locally availablecommunity resources. The following curriculum framework is suggested for formulatinga0lan of )ction for developing programmes and activities, devising strategies ofnegotiating the curricular inputs and methods of obtaining feed(back. These are pre(requisites for improving the interaction processes directed towards the realisation ofoptimum enrichment of experiences at the early childhood stage.

nclusion of the following components of theory and practice are suggestedimplementing developmentally appropriate curriculum@.

( 0lanning, management and administration of E!!Eprogrammes

( &ethods and &aterials for facilitating the growth anddevelopment of pre(school child through activities forclasses to2@ has been guided by general and specific objectives of teacher education andperceived characteristics of curriculum development. The specific objectives of primaryteacher education may include the following*305@. ts centralpurpose is to shift the centrality of education from excessive verbalism to practicality. thas raised certain academic questions apart from the availability of teachers and otherresources. These questions may be summarised as follows /ural Economics@, etc.

( /esource 0ersons may include principals and school teachers, teachereducators, experts from different academic disciplines and administration andsocial activitists.

( 0articipation of Non(governmental rganisations and voluntary agencies maybe encouraged in implementation of the programme.

#.11 Ditance Education7istance education is emerging as an alternative to the formal education system. Theemphasis on education for all, explosion of population alongwith the desire for education,limitation of the formal system in providing greater accessibility and the risingexpectations from education are some of the factors for its increasing demand. The newcommunication technology has brought it within the reach of all. riginally designed toprovide alternative educational avenues to the poor and the working people for highereducation, it has now developed as a parallel system in ndia from the primary to tertiarylevels and covers not only liberal but scientific and professional studies as well.

7istance education implies the provision of educational opportunity at the place of learnerfrom a distance by means of multiple media such as self(learning materials, audio(visualgadgets and short(term personal contact programmes. nformation technology andcybernetics are simultaneously being utilised for upgrading the knowledge and skills.

n order that learning through distance education mode becomes effective, the followingcategories of functionaries need special inputs of training for persons involved in4N3@, and others. Expertise exists toplan and design effective programmes in these sectors.

CHAPTER - '

PREPARATION O0 TEACHERS 0OR ST6DENTS >ITH SPECIA8 NEEDS

'.1 Introduction7emocracy intrinsically implies provision of equality of educational opportunity to allaccording to the learner=s age, ability, and aptitude. t envisages equality not only in termsof access, but also in achievement and the life chances. Every child in the classroom isunique and therefore, deserves individual attention. There are also children having mildor moderate disabilities who can be served by the general classroom teachers only if theyare properly sensitised to the needs of such children. *imilarly, gifted and talentedchildren also need to be identified and provided necessary educational inputs. n addition,there may be children lagging behind due to specific learning difficulties which may haveremained unidentified.

'.2 O$7ecti,eTeachers with different skill levels are needed for special education programmes. &ost ofthe general classroom teachers require sensitisation programmes whereas someteachers require specialised training to deal with severely disabled children.

The general training objectives in the area of special education are listed below


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( to create an awareness among all student teachers about education of childrenwith special needs.

( to equip student teachers with skills to manage mild and moderately disabledchildren in general classrooms.

( to prepare resource teachers to serve specific categories of disabilities.

( to prepare multi(category resource teachers to serve more than one category ofdisability.

The general training objectives mentioned above will lead to the course objectives. Thesewill vary between the levels of training like sensitisation, single category specialisation,multi(category specialisation. The course objectives may include the follwowing gifted and talented@ in specially identified institutions

( n(service education programmes.

CHAPTER - *

ED6CATION O0 TEACHERS 0OR PH9SICA8 ED6CATION

*.1 Introduction

0hysical education is an integral part of the education system. t aims at building a sound body, asharp mind and wholesome personality. t is essential for the cultivation of vitality, courage, self(confidence, cooperativeness, leadership, obedience, discipline and positive attitude towards lifeand the world. The great educational thinkers like 0lato, /ousseau, 4andhi, )urobindo and/ussell have laid great emphasis on it. 0hysical education stresses Elementary@ programme may comprise the following courses.

( !ontemporary ndian *ociety


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( 0hilosophy of Education

( Educational *ociology, *ocial and !ultural )nthropology

( !hild 0sychology including the researches in life and medical sciences havingbearing on elementary education and psychology of teaching and learning with

reference to child

( !urriculum 7evelopment, Transaction and Evaluation

( !omparative Education with reference to developed and developing countries.

( 0edagogical )nalysis of *chool *ubjects

( /esearch &ethodology

( 7issertation

( 1ield 5ork, 0ractical and nternship

Co,era4e= e%+hai and focu in the a$o,e coure (i!! $e on e!e%entar)education ector.

"ptional Courses

( &anagement, 1inance and 0lanning of Education

( Bistory and 0roblems of Education

( Educational Technology

( Education of !hildren with *pecial Needs

( )lternative Education

( 4uidance and !ounselling

( 0re( *chool Education

( *econdary Education

These are some of the areas. &ore of these could be added. 1urther, several courses

within each area could be devised.

The !ourse *tructure in &.Ed >0re(0rimary@ &.Ed >*econdary@ etc. be suitably adjustedaccordingly with reference to the stage or category concerned.

.* Stren4thenin4 the Pro4ra%%e)n altogether fresh look is necessary for first developing need(based programmes for thepreparation of teacher educators and then working out well planned strategies for


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( Establishment of institutions for preparation of teacher educators for specialeducation at different stages. These may be open to primary and secondarytrained graduates willing to become teacher educators. *uch programmes needto be designed with particular focus on the practicum that would familiari;e thetrainees with school situations in totality.

( Networking of various institutions and organisations for designing and carryingout collaborative programmes by pooling and sharing of resources.

The fact that our education system has inadequate facilities for preparation andorientation of teacher educators has been a major factor for not taking due care of theeducation and training of teacher educators in several respects. 5ith the policy focuschanging to quality and relevance of education, it is necessary that only those, who areprofessionally competent, committed and willing, are charged with the responsibility ofpreparing teachers for the nation. Teachers for various stages, levels and categories areprepared professionally by teacher educators. The quality and character of teacherstherefore, would largely depend on the professional education of teacher educators.Towards this, t is necessary, therefore, that their education should be given a neworientation and improved qualitatively and adjusted properly with the demands of the new

curriculum.

CHAPTER -

;ANA"IN" THE S9STE;

This !urriculum 1ramework is characterised, by among other things, ample measure offlexibility and responsiveness to the needs of teacher education system in the country.Teacher education institutions and organisations at various levels will initiate the processof development of curriculum after indepth perusal of this document . The exercise has tobe need(based and in tune with demands and directions of the National 0olicy onEducation. The extent of success in implementation would largely depend on the supportand assistance provided by the management system.

mposition of a rigid and uniform management system ignoring the regional variationsand cultural diversity of ndian society may not be conducive to achieving the targets ofteacher education. !onsultative in policy planning and decentralised implementation arebound to be more acceptable and productive. nstitutional autonomy for theexperimentation of innovative ideas and practices needs to be assured. This, however,would be possible only if autonomy and corresponding accountability are blendedtogether. )ccountability within the system is to be transparently reflected and judged tothe extent to which it responds to the regional expectations and requirements. Thesystem need not merely be concerned with the needs of the present but also be dynamicand forward looking.

"b#ecties

( to contribute effectively in development and promotion of professional efficiencyamong the teachers and teacher educators.

( to promote the sense of commitment and belongingness.

( to assure optimal utilisation of resources.


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( to increase their general awareness about education and society.

( to enhance institutional linkages with other institutions and the society.

( to make the system functional at the optimum level.

( to correlate teacher education and manpower needs.

( to achieve a mutually supportive collaboration with different agencies engagedin human resource development and welfare activities.

( to help and participate in enhancing overall institutional efficacy.

Curriculum Planning : 5hile developing the curriculum of teacher education,disciplinary and professional components need to be interwoven to improve the quality.

)n attempt of this kind will give it a more meaningful direction. The research findings inthe areas of life sciences, anthropology, etc., when included in the curriculum of teachereducation, will increase its relevance and make it more functional. The use of indigenouseducational thought will enhance its relevance to ndian situation. 2arious types ofdichotomies and misconceptions need to be carefully identified and subsequentlyweeded out from the content of studies.

The increased duration of the programme of teacher education may be properly utilisedfor the professional development of teachers. t would also require inclusion of additionalinputs of theoretical, pedagogical and practical components and proper allocation of timeand resources for improving the quality of teacher education.

Implementation Strategies : )ny sudden and abrupt departure from the prevailingpractices would only destabilise the existing programme and may prove to be counter(productive. The teachers must be fully exposed to philosophy and purpose of thiscurriculum framework. ) time bound programme for its implementation should be

prepared, its priorities be fixed and strategies evolved after careful planning. The gaps ofthe existing system be identified and removed.

n this document certain alternative models of teacher education have been proposed. twill depend on the concerned organisationCinstitutions to select one or the other forimplementation after due consideration of its possible professional gains and availabilityof resources and expertise.

) favourable climate at the national level needs to be created for implementation of therecommendations. *eminars and meetings of teachers, teacher educators, administrativefunctionaries at the state level will have to be arranged. The regional language versionsof this document will be widely circulated. The N4s working in the field of education andother welfare activities may be involved. The meetings of Education *ecretaries, 70s,

0rincipals of 7ETs, 0rincipals of !TEsC)*Es, 7irectors of *!E/Ts, !hairmen of1aculties of Education, Beads of 7epartments of Education and conveners of the 6oardsof studies may be arranged. *hort term training programme in the form of seminars,workshops, summer schools and orientation courses may be organised. These exercisesof awareness generation will prepare institutions, universities, state 4ovts. bodies andothers to evolve specific plans of implementation in their own areas. The N!TE shouldtake the responsibility of assisting in preparation of relevant materials. The professionalassociation of teachers and teacher educators will have to come forward and play aconstructive role for upgrading the quality of teacher education. 1or putting the


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suggestions into actual practice supplementary materials will be required in the form ofteachers= guides, handbooks etc.

Role of the State : 5ithin the educational system, there is a need of creating a separatecadre of teacher educators with an inbuilt provision for upward mobility. *uch anarrangement is bound to be more professional. 5ith improved professional competencies

they would perform better as supervisors, administrators and policy planners.

mprovement in the standard of teacher education may require additional inputs in termsof money, material and manpower. )rrangements for these will have to be made and thepriorities of implementation will have to be fixed. The changes which require no financialinvolvement should be implemented first. The optimum use of money, men and materialbe made by curtailing non(academic expenditure. 5henever required, adequate inputsfor the professional development of teachers be made available The expenditure oneducation, particularly on teacher education, is an investment in nation=s future.

nstitutions willing to launch innovative pre(service, in(service teacher trainingprogrammes specially of long duration, should be given financial assistance over a periodof time. This special assistance should come from centrally sponsored schemes.

N!TE has been mandated to ensure planned and co(ordinated development of teachereducation. *ince the task is massive, there is a need to revive the concept ofestablishment of *tate 6oards of Teacher Education >*6TE@. These 6oards in closecollaboration with *!E/Ts and N!TE may draw state level long term plans to ensurethat

teacher education for primary stage

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