Bharti Foundation ensures rural children continue to learn during lockdown
- Through its presence in 16 States, Bharti Foundation ensures that a large number of rural children in India continue to learn during lockdown
- Close to 1,000 class-wise WhatsApp groups have been created to reach out to Satya Bharti School students on their parents’ mobile phones.
In this phase of social distancing, to ensure that learning continues for underprivileged children without any impediments, Bharti Foundation adapts online methods to facilitate remote learning for students. Although majority of families of the underprivileged children do not have a personal computer, the Foundation has ensured that teachers remotely reach out to students through the following ways:
- WhatsApp as a Tool: Class-wise WhatsApp groups have been formed, which are being used for effective dissemination and communication, video call lessons, sharing homework assignments, etc. Activity-based learning at home is also being encouraged by giving topical assignments. The same practice is being adapted in the partnered government schools by involving the Principals and Head Teachers.
Along with WhatsApp, various online teaching learning tools, such as TicTac Learn, Hello English, Khan Academy, Toon Magic (Eng), Toon Masti (Hindi), Ticklinks, Diksha and Doubtnut are being used wherever possible. - Teachers’ Engagement: Online Trainings and capacity building sessions to ensure that teachers are up-to-date and motivated. Mentoring and monitoring of lesson planning with feedback on improvement of transaction, TLM preparation and usage with integration of online/virtual tools for teaching-learning is consistently upgraded and sustained to ensure learning happens at home for students during lockdown.
- Home Assignments: Homework and assignments delivery over the phone based on simple tasks/activities that can be performed at home. These are also aligned to the grade appropriate learning goals.
- Parents’ Involvement: As Satya Bharti Teachers are recruited locally, they are not only sensitive to the circumstances of students, but their bonding with parents and the community has ensured that parents are fully supportive in this endeavor. Teachers are contacting the parents on phone on a daily basis to ensure that students are studying. Parents have been actively involved in their child’s learning process at home and are sending pictures of their children’s homework and reports to teachers in the groups, every single day.