Why we need too many TLM in school

-Shweta Joshi [MAD 2016]

Learning resources plays an important role in transecting the knowledge in more childcentric way. After joining the APF, I came across the word TLM. In one of myinitial school visit, first time I see that they were available in school, butnot used in classroom. Gradually as I got engaged with the books like “Rekha Chamolike diary, How children fails”, I understood why we need to use that and how wecan prepare various TLM from local available resources. So I decided to useavailable thing in my classroom transaction. Things like- standing trees,blossomed flowered, grasses, match sticks, grass were my initial TLM.  I found them relevant.  I observe that when children use them they dovarious senses coordinates and so their attention span has increased.

While working with the primary school, I found that it is very difficult to bound our plan in one subject, and so there is need to prepare our self for learning the steps to transfer early literacy.

Unfortunately, the time also came when I got less attractive to create more TLM b taking the account of getting less time for that preparation.  I got to face difficulties in my classroom management. The thoughts like- they are mischievous, handing those children are hard for me, I can’t have spent my all time in TLM preparation comes to my mind many times. And these making my work tougher day by day.

After having discussion with various members, and reflecting my school practice one thing I clearly realized that, I am not able to cater all students need as I have only few of the materials and if I want my work to go smooth then I have to spent good time in preparation and of course generating TLMs.

So again I started to look for the TLM and realized that I can use one TLM for multiple purpose. Everyday just spending 15- 20 mints in planning for the next day and collecting suitable TLMs/ modifying available TLM as per the plan has started solving my issues. Books, stories, Poems, Various available kits, scarps/ use materials in TLC session, resource generated from students were becoming my TLMs.

Having enough resources start helping me in classroom management. I could see some progress of work each day. Now children could see what they have created and this give both of us satisfaction. It also helped me to make children attracted to use them, so that they can generate something. Now they seem more eager to follow few instructions of mine in using them, working in group, listening each other and appreciating each work.

It also helps mein time management. I feel now I am able to give time to each student. onething which need to keep in mind is that, using TLM doesn’t mean you are freeto not to look at their work, instead we need to give them more attention andfacilitation whenever they need.  

Following arefew TLM which I have used in class-

• Flowers, trees, plants and naturalview-For counting, provoking  discussion, creative writing, story telling
• Available Kits in TLC and schools– Mathematics, identification, Englishnames
• Charts available in school- identification, discussion
• Prepared chats- Hindi, English, discussion,drawing
• Match sticks and available games– counting, addition/subtraction,creativity,
• Small materials in home- classification, writing, discussion
• Things in children’s bag– encouraging children to use theirown resources, building connection, writing, discussion
• Places around school- observation, discussion, writing
• Flash cards and drawing– Reading, counting, Englishtalking
• Book from TLC and school library– Reading, writing, discussion,observation,

Using various resources also helped to share values like- group work, taking care of resources, sharing things and thoughts

When I realized that TLM as a tool for classroom management-

Today we had monthly exam for class 3, 4 and 5. So sir tell me that he will be busy with the documentation and conducing exams for the whole day and I need to look class 1 and 2 for the whole day. At the end of the day I feel that today I was able to do well with each student.

Here is the summary of my day (till now I have figured that possible way which work for me to engage with students and more or less it become a regular schedule)-

After the prayer session I got engaged with class 1 and 2. By the time I want to start the day by poem, they have opened their books and wanted to do Hindi. So we made a circle and I asked them if they want to listen a story. As they all agreed so I start one story by showing them the picture book. I tell them the story on first page and then asked them to made storey for each page. They all made good storey with large explanation. Then I give few students to class 2 and asked them to write their own story. Then I took that book with class 1 and Krish of class 2 as he doesn’t want to write. I read few pages for them one by one and asked them to repeated. In between we talked about the things which come in the picture.

Then class one was given the chart of Amman aaj laga de jhoole, we did action on the poem, talked about jhoole and then they just start reading the chart.

Since they ember each line of that pomp so they read that in one short. Then I read that poem one word by one word and tell them do that same. I observe that very fatly they started reading correctly and word by word. Then I asked them to write and draw that also. Since Jamuna denied to do so I write the lines, which she was telling me on her copy then I asked her to draw what she think about Jhoole and copy the lines, then we will read that.  she drawled that and copied the lines and we discuss this drawing and read together again.  

Krishna copied that story from that picture book. I asked him to read few words for me from his book. He did that.

Then class two draw their story and then they asked to read each other story. Also I was keep talking with them in between, but not intervened much.

Post to lunch we engaged with maths. For class 1 used number kit and Chana dal as TLM for counting, and for class 2 another kit for the addition game. I realized that they are not understand the game. Spending few time with them made me to realized that they are forgotten the additions, which they were doing properly few days back. So I just try to use that game to understand their counting ability and we start with small addition.

Even today also I struggle to manage my time for each class, but using proper amount of TLM helped me to cater the different need, up to some extent and managed my day at school.