Givology is excited to be partnering with AID INDIA, an organization that strives to reach India's poorest and provide them [i]quality[/i] education through sustainable village centric in and after-school programs geared to raising standards. Last week we had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Sampath on his work and accomplishments with the foundation. So far, Dr Sampath's work has been able to impact 11 Districts, 500 Villages, and 25,000 Children. Here is a transcript of his insights.
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[b]How did you find the Eureka initiative?[/b]
While I was completing my graduate studies at the University of Maryland, I became very involved in the Association for India's Development (AID). I wanted to focus on improving the education and health in India, and I quickly realized that I was trying to tackle too broad of a problem. I began to focus on children's education, because I felt that I could make the biggest impact in this area. I realized that there was a lack of quality learning.
Sitting in a classroom, I realized that a major issue was that people were not concerned in what information students learned, but rather that many concepts were covered. Students could only tell me that teachers were speaking, they could not necessarily tell me what the lesson was on. I found that when talking to teachers, they would simply point out to me why these kids were unable to learn. Many students were told that they were incapable. They were told that they can only be laborers because that is all they were capable of. Their efforts in school were futile. I realized that the problem with educating those who were prevented in succeeding was the quality of education they were receiving. This reiterated to me the gaps in the education system that I could help improve.
[b]How does the Eureka Work?[/b]
We recognized that there was a huge problem in the education system--children in India were unable to do basic addition or subtraction and were illiterate in their own native language. We recognized that education was the way that we could make the biggest impact and that is the premise we founded the Eureka education programs as an initiative of AID India.
We improve the quality of education. We do this by identifying the young children who are not allowed to go further. We found that there were a couple obstacles that were hindering these children. Firstly, many of these students often come from uneducated families. As a result, they have limited support for their studies at home and they have very low confidence in themselves. Additionally, we found that there were many teachers who believed that these students were unable to learn. In other words, because no one believed in these students--they didn't even believe in themselves--they were unable to succeed.
To combat these issues, we built a three part model, which we have found best supports these children:
[i]1) Home Support[/i]
[i]2) Extra School Support[/i]
[i]3) Teacher Trainings[/i]
We created after school programs in the schools which allowed students the opportunity to express themselves. We provided scholarships to students to make sure they had access to learning. We made certificates for the students to praise their successes, as well as reward them for their efforts, which encouraged them to keep trying. We provided students the attention and praise they needed, and deserved, to effectively learn. we hope to bring this to all of India.
[b]AID INDIA focuses on the quality of education, not just access. How is your program able to keep track of impact?[/b]
At the beginning of the school year, each child is accessed in literacy and mathematics. From these assessments, a matrix called [b]"Skill Chart" [/b]is created for each child. On this matrix, different skills that the students need to focus on are listed out an d a blank is left next to each item on the list. Only once that skill is observed of that child will a check be placed. This system allows teachers to know what particular skills each student is lacking and needs to focus on. Students are able to be accountable for their own learning. We set up three month goals and they are able to check their tracker. It motivates students to work harder. In our program, children are celebrated for learning. We have certificates to praise them for their successes, but we also have a system that celebrates and encourages students even if they are not able to reach their goals in time. We are a community that values learning. At the end of the term, students are re-evaluated to track exactly how much they are learning.
[b]You are a person who has given generously to support your organization. What do you think is the importance of giving? [/b]
I have put in a lot of time and effort into the foundation. I have become extremely educated in empathy. However, I do not really consider what I have done to be "giving." I believe that I have benefitted more than I have given. I have gained numerous learning experiences from my work with the foundation. My work is something that I could not have not done. It has provided me the feeling that I am doing something purposeful. it has made me feel valuable. And ultimately, I believe that is what we all strive for as human beings.
[b]What do you hope to see the Foundation Accomplish in the future?[/b]
I have put in a lot of time and effort in to the foundation. I have become extremely educated in empathy. However, I do not really consider what I have done to be "giving." I believe that I have benefitted more than I have given. I have gained numerous learning experiences from my work with the foundation. My work is something that I could not have not done. It has provided me the feeling that I am doing something purposeful. It has made me feel valuable. And ultimately, I believe that is what we all strive for as human beings.
[b]What do you hope to see the Foundation Accomplish in the future?[/b]
There are three things that I hope for with the Foundation. Firstly, I hope we will impact children we are working in a way that is not necessarily obvious or measurable. I hope that every single child we work with improves in all facets of their lives. Secondly, I hope to expand to more villages that we are in need. I also hope to improve the institutions that we are already in. Thirdly, I hope to make our work a part of the country's education system.
I hope that we will always remember to focus on the quality of education, rather than on a pay roll. We need to switch the mindset to not base measurements on the nation's "average" but the nation's most disadvantaged. We need to improve the quality of education for all.
[b]More about AID INDIA: AID INDIA[/b] is a non-profit organization, founded in 1996, by a group of IIT and BITS alumni who quit corporate careers to work on various development initiatives. AID INDIA's education initiative [b]"EurekaChild," [/b]where [b]"Eureka"[/b] represents the spirit of discovery, focuses primarily on education quality improvement programs in Tamilnadu. All AID INDIA's projects aim to instill this spirit in every child.
Over the past several years, AID INDIA has worked with several thousand Government schools, NGOs and village center in over 10 districts of Tamilnadu. AID INDIA's [b]"Padippum Inikkum"[/b] Tamil reading skills program reached out to teachers and children in more than 8000 schools all over the state.
Several studies have repeatedly shown that though both Government and Private schools in rural areas have well qualified teachers, the learning levels are quite lower than the expected levels. This is primarily because most teachers are not able to identify the specific areas where a child is lagging behind due to lack of a better systematic tracking mechanism that will help them focus on these children better. Learnings from the "Padippum Inikkum" program and demand for a good quality education, led to the conceptualization of AID INDIA's flagship Eureka SuperKidz program in 2010, Eureka SuperKidz is an innovative and sustainable village centric in and after-school program, that has been focusing on learning levels of underprivileged and marginalized children from standards 3-5. This program helps children attain basic skills in Tamil, Math and English. This program helps children attain basic skills in Tamil, Math and English. The teachers focus on learning goals and measure every child's skill through a simple visual tool called the [b]"Skill Chart." [/b]The Skill Chart has specific goals for each month and each child's name attending the center is also mapped on it. This tool helps focus more on children who need additional help and support to attain skills.
The Eureka SuperKidz program has been especially designed integrating the following key elements:
[ul][li]Specific learning goals for every month.[/li][li]Attractive learning materials and activities in Tamil, Math and English to make learning fun and interesting.[/li][li]Regular evaluation and tracking through [b]Skill Chart[/b] to identify and focus on children lagging in a particular skill.[/li][li]Training teachers through interactive and innovative methods. [/li][li]Village levels events that showcase the achievements of children and tutors, to promote parent engagement and community involvement.[/li][li][b]"Eureka SuperKidz"[/b] certificates to all children enrolled in the program on achieving the targeted skills in each of the subjects. [/li][li][b]"Eureka Super Teacher" [/b]certificates awarded to teachers who have been instrumental in bringing a remarkable change in the learning levels of children.[/li][/ul]
[b]More about Dr. Sampath:[/b] Dr. Balaji Sampath, a B. Tech in Electronics from IIT Madras. PhD holder in Electronic from UMaryland, College Park. As a graduate student he mobilized 500 volunteers and and started 25 chapters of Association for India's Development in the USA. After returning to India and started working full time on social issues in 1997 and founded AID India. He worked with Center for Ecology and Rural Development and the People's Science Movement on health and education programs. He organized People's Health Assembly Campaign in 2000 at a national level, received several awards for his work in reading and science education--Ashoka Fellowship, Lemelson Innovator's Award, Rotary Distinguished Service Award--, demonstrates weekly science programs for children on TV since August 2006, author of several books and videos on education, science popularization and health.
29 MAR 2015