Kya style hai...

While taking photos of play, few kids came and asked to take their photos. Told them this camera can't take "straight face" photos, it needs something special. Then followed some real fun...

Turahalli Tigers

Show-stoppers

Hum kisi se kam nahi

Action scene...

Friendship handshake

1000 Watt smiles

Some games... not usual running around!

In our endeavour to build all-round development of children, Chilume supplied sport goods to Turahalli and Yadalam schools. Items include, throw ball, foot ball, badminton set, ropes, ring, volleyball, chess and net for badminton/volleyball. One last challenge to conclude sports procurement to put two poles for net which can stand for at least 6 months.

Today when volunteers visited school, it was wonderful to see kids enjoying these games. We too played few games with them and loved it. We feel, good sports infrastructure can be good attraction for kids to come to school. Currently I hardly see any importance given to sport, NGOs can chip in here and make it better.

Some snaps of fun below.

Ballpen movie

Songs from Ballpen movie are fresh and inspirational, they are close to my heart. When I was discussing songs for school function with teachers, I suggested these songs and played it for them in youtube. Headmistress, teachers and even kids liked it and included as part of program.

Unfortunately I couldn't come in time to see the performance of kids on Ballpen movie song. Learning this, kids sang this separately for me. It's touching... thank you preetiya makkale!

Link for original one is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0pLvw-9HPo

Looking for one volunteer for singing practice. Please let us know if you are interested.

Challenges in unconventional English teaching:

We are following unconventional way of English teaching. This method was not devised from education experts, but it is result of our thought process to make it simpler and acceptable to kids. "Acceptable" in the sense, it seems like kids have put filter on English or they have just given up on this crazy language.

Ignoring grammar and spelling mistakes may not seems to be wise or relating English with Kannada Kagunita may be wrong. But conventional methods or government syllabus didn't work in these schools. We need to try different methods.

We need to remember two things:
- This course is introduction and compliments government syllabus. We need to attend grammar and spelling part with regular syllabus.
- Its not by heart method, kids has to understand and learn. Course material facilitate this.

Its been 15 days days we started this course, initial results are positive. Still long way to go to see results.

Orientation for English course

Chiulme volunteers conducted orientation session with Turahalli and Yadalam government school teachers. Though few of the teachers involved in material preparation, it is necessary to provide details on
- What is the background in preparing this material
- What are the topics covered
- How to teach?
- What is that we want to achieve at end of the course and end of the year.

It was nice spirited session for 2 hours, held in Yadalam government school. After session, we took teachers to lunch to appreciate and encourage teachers effort. Few snaps of meeting are below.

English course material - Level#1

After two months of effort, we have received English course material - Level 1. First set of copies smelled like sandalwood. Its happy moment for Chilume volunteers and teachers involved in preparing this.

What was the need of this material?

- Though English class starts at first standard, understanding  even at 5th/7th found to be minimum, i.e. restricted to writing A-Z in order.

- English teaching is done in traditional by-heart method without understanding anything about it.

- Kids were clueless with simple random alphabet identification and spellings for simple words like 'school', 'book', 'pencil'.

- Worst part was, even teacher looked clueless, even though they have put their effort.

So we have designed a book:

- Which is focussed on letter pronunciation (not hi-fi phonics, but simple ones relating to Kannada kagunita akshara).

- Translating simple pronunciation to letters.

This material doesn't talk anything about grammar.

Welcome to Chilume Foundation blog!

Earlier update on our work in Uttarahalli government school was quite simple, summarize the work done in 6 weeks in few bullet points and send it across the mail. Hoping that someone reads more than "Old paper collection this weekend" :) 

Two problems with earlier approach:
- No regular update on school work
- It catered only Chartered Beverly Hills residents.

Thanks to suggestion given by Divya Ratnakar Pai, started this blog to provide regular update on work being done. This will also help us to provide regular update to non-CBH good hearts!

Below is the brief introduction of Chilume:

Chilume Foundation:
Chilume foundation is a charitable trust founded to uplift basic education level in government schools. Currently it is operational in two schools in Uttarahalli area.

Background:
In Feb 2013, as part of social responsibility initiative, few residents of CBH have taken up a task to help neighboring schools. Funds are collected from selling news paper of CBH residents and donation. These funds are used for donating water filter, computers, sponsoring education trips and other necessities of schools. Volunteers also took class in English and other subjects. As the time passed, we felt these activities are not contributing much in bringing up quality of education or make difference in kids growth. Hence volunteers’ brain stormed and identified need of focused effort to bring up education level and formal organization to drive this effort.

During conversation with founder of “Sikshana” founder ES Ramamurthy, we understood approximately 60% of the 7th standard students can’t do 2nd standard arithmetic and 35% of the students can’t read 2nd standard Kannada. And effort should be put in to bring up this to create strong foundation for students.

Goals of Chilume Foundation:
• Bringing up basic education level
• Recognize bright students and encourage them
• Provide conducive learning environment

Execution Plan:
• Identify students who don’t meet minimum expectation as explained above.
• One month of dedicated class on subject from the appointed teacher from Chilume.
• Evaluate improvements and plan for next class.

Main expenditures of Trust:
• Salary of teacher 
• Teaching material
• Education trips
• Awards for good students.

Trustees:
Rajendra Baniyavar
Vinay Balakrishnan
Bindu Nair

Contact Details:
e-Mail: chilume.foundation@gmail.com