IITians teach madrasa teachers physics, maths
~~Seema Chishti
~~Seema Chishti
 |
| Thirty maulanas are attending the 5-day workshop in Taleemabad, near Jamia Hamdard |
New Delhi, Sun May 26 2013: A team of physicists from IIT-Delhi is conducting a five-day workshop to teach the subject to madrasa instructors in Taleemabad, near Jamia Hamdard. Speaking to a class of 30 madrasa instructors-turned-students, Vipin Tripathi, Dr Sanat Mohanty and Dr Pawan Kumar began their workshop by talking about bridges. The earnest maulanas, from Delhi and Faridabad, participate enthusiastically, as they are asked to figure out why a corrugated sheet makes for a sturdier bridge than a plain one. Principles like elasticity are explained effortlessly as instructors talk of building a bridge in a village.
The metaphor is carefully chosen, as Dr Sanat Mohanty, an IIT professor, tells them that the idea is to respect differences.
"There are several ways of handling oppression. We need different tools to tackle it. Just sheer power is sometimes not enough. We need to enhance our capabilities, understand and improve critical thinking among youngsters and allow them to play with complex ideas, theories, be able to distinguish right from wrong and handle injustice. And build bridges with people different from us," he says.
Teaching the madrasa instructors is one of many such initiatives piloted by Sadbhav Mission, a 24-year old organisation working for peace and amity by enhancing the skills of those considered marginalised, helping them find virtue in education, beyond careers, and to enable them claim their rights.
Led by former IIT professor Vipin Tripathi, who has done similar work in Gujarat, Bhagalpur and Azamgarh, Sadbhav Mission's objective is to de-jargonise mathematics and science and use fundamental principles, to help teachers, who live in neglected areas, discover a sense of liberation in science and strengthen rational thinking.
After two days of physics and engineering, there would be three days for mathematics, where principles of banking, accounts, elementary calculations of profit and loss and plotting graphs would be explained, enabling those present to manage small businesses and organise their lives.
Ismail Ghazi of Hamdard Education Society, who has organised this workshop, said: "Several people, who have only attended a few workshops, have set up computer training schools, small training centres, or even helped their students organise household accounts or manage their shops better."
Naeem Azhar, a mathematics teacher at Milli Model School in Abul Fazal Enclave who attended the workshop, said: "I have learnt some new ideas on how to explain complex things to students."
Yamuna Vihar-based Shaoor Ahmed of the Shiksha Adhikar Abhiyan, says: "We have to start a movement that makes the government ensure that India is educated, irrespective of class or community."
The metaphor is carefully chosen, as Dr Sanat Mohanty, an IIT professor, tells them that the idea is to respect differences.
"There are several ways of handling oppression. We need different tools to tackle it. Just sheer power is sometimes not enough. We need to enhance our capabilities, understand and improve critical thinking among youngsters and allow them to play with complex ideas, theories, be able to distinguish right from wrong and handle injustice. And build bridges with people different from us," he says.
Teaching the madrasa instructors is one of many such initiatives piloted by Sadbhav Mission, a 24-year old organisation working for peace and amity by enhancing the skills of those considered marginalised, helping them find virtue in education, beyond careers, and to enable them claim their rights.
Led by former IIT professor Vipin Tripathi, who has done similar work in Gujarat, Bhagalpur and Azamgarh, Sadbhav Mission's objective is to de-jargonise mathematics and science and use fundamental principles, to help teachers, who live in neglected areas, discover a sense of liberation in science and strengthen rational thinking.
After two days of physics and engineering, there would be three days for mathematics, where principles of banking, accounts, elementary calculations of profit and loss and plotting graphs would be explained, enabling those present to manage small businesses and organise their lives.
Ismail Ghazi of Hamdard Education Society, who has organised this workshop, said: "Several people, who have only attended a few workshops, have set up computer training schools, small training centres, or even helped their students organise household accounts or manage their shops better."
Naeem Azhar, a mathematics teacher at Milli Model School in Abul Fazal Enclave who attended the workshop, said: "I have learnt some new ideas on how to explain complex things to students."
Yamuna Vihar-based Shaoor Ahmed of the Shiksha Adhikar Abhiyan, says: "We have to start a movement that makes the government ensure that India is educated, irrespective of class or community."
Courtesy: The Indian Express
