Thursday, August 6, 2015

Taste of India in two Coastal Cities


                                    


Here is a cool video from the Travel Channel on how urban Indians work, play, pray and of course eat! In it Anthony Bourdain shows how Kolkata and Mumbai remind him of his hometown, New York City.  It’s about the interweaving of classes, cultures, and finding comparisons like between the Howrah Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge.  Though I don’t think Jimmy John's can compete with  lunch delivered by a dabbawalla.










Saturday, July 25, 2015

Developing Human Capital in India and the United States


Before my International Field Experience in India my research questions was framed around the inquiry of how India is addressing the needs of learning disabled students so they are best equipped to enter the workforce after high school. Based on classroom observations and interviews with staff and students, I discovered there was not a special education system in place and the classroom culture did not promote differentiation based on academic or behavior needs.  My research question evolved into: “What is the changing role of India and the US to help develop career skills for under-represented populations?”

Friday, July 24, 2015

Arts for All!




Jubilee Hills supports arts as an important component of education.  Here is a picture of the art studio.  The art class environment feels like an authentic studio.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

The Meaning of a Name...




I have met so many kind, welcoming people in India with thoughtful, beautiful names.  
People just naturally told me the meaning behind their name, such as prosperity, ray of hope...

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Rickshaw ride to school...Mom and Dad, please don't watch

Join me on a 12 minute auto rickshaw ride from the Taj Banjara Hotel to Jubilee Hills schools. This was a relatively low traffic morning with little congestion or delays. We are going through a few of the more affluent areas of Hyderabad, you will see paved streets and medians help keep traffic on the correct sides of the road.


                                                                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzqZfWFEHl8
                                                           
Please read the following questions and watch the video to uncover the answers:


1)      Is there a ten second increment of no horns?
2)      What gesture did the driver make to move traffic along?
3)      In India do you drive on the right or left hand side of the road?
4)      What do you think the ride was like on the morning of a monsoon rain?
5)      How hard would it be to pull a rickshaw by bicycle or a camel?
6)      Are there any times when traffic stands still?
7)      Are motorcycle riders wearing helmets?
8)      Are children wearing seatbelts or in car seats?
9)      Are there more people walking on the sidewalk or the streets?
10)   What is the most amount of people you can find on one motorcycle?
       On a different day, I saw a family of four.
11)   Do you see any advertisements on the side of rickshaws?
12)   What stores or restaurants do we pass that you recognize?
13)   Compared to your experience driving in the US, is there more or less road rage and why?
14)   Are there any accidents?  Could there be accidents, why or why not?
15)   Do you notice any trash or unkempt areas?
16) Are there street vendors?
17) Are people dressed for work, school, fun, or no particular occasion?
18) What language does the rickshaw driver speak?
19) What is the average kilometers per liter of fuel used by a rickshaw?
20) What is the fee charged to two passengers for this rickshaw ride?

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Learning Styles Across Culture



At first glance the Dunn and Dunn learning styles model skews one direction in India - auditory.  So much learning in all grade levels is taught in a verbal, rote fashion.   It is a shared learning style propelled by the current education system in India, and molded by sheer student numbers, with up to 40 students in one classroom.



When students in the upper grades complete daily homework they show discipline and are more intrapersonal in their approach.   Opting for a quiet, neat environment with no music, friends, distractions, movement, gum chewing, highlighters, or even flash cards.  Homework and academic success are top priorities which will lead to careers of innovation. Thomas Friedman could not have said it better when he told his daughters, “Finish your homework. Kids in India are starving for your job.”



Friday, July 17, 2015

Saris are a symbol for the nation



Months before I found out my teaching assignment this summer would be in India, I heard a story on NPR called: “Love Is Saying 'Sari': The Quest to Save a South Asian Tradition.”  I used it for a lesson in my business class on textiles around the world.  Please take a listen to the story and you will discover why many students into fashion were intrigued.