Best Practices
Practice 1. Classroom Orientation of Students: An Essential and Sincere Effort
Objective of the Practice
It is normal for students to come to educational institutions for the purpose of education. So it is very natural to ask why the college has taken classroom orientation of students seriously as a best practice. The answer to this question lies in the particular socio-economic and ecological position of Nayagram Pandit Raghunath Murmu Govt. College. Nayagram Pandit Raghunath Murmu Government College is located in the sprawling Jangalmahal of the newly formed Jhargram district of West Bengal in an area dominated by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. . Although the light of education is slowly coming to these regions, the overall awareness about education is still lacking among the people of this region. Naturally, there is a lack of awareness among the students. The College has noticed the continuing need for such an orientation program for the high school pass outs as the trend towards regular classes is not well observed. And for that particular purpose the College has considered this as its best practice.
The Context
The college is located in the tribal belt of Jangalmahal, so many of the students who get admission to the college are first generation learners and they are not well-off financially. For many students, attending college is considered to be a financial burden so they cannot seek help outside the classroom, such as tuition. But if they attend the class regularly with interest, they will not only succeed in the examination, but shall be able to get a promising future.
The Practice
Following are the steps taken by the college consistently and continuously for classroom orientation of the students:-
- The first friendly meeting of Principal, teaching and non-teaching staff with newly admitted students
- Fresher’s welcome ceremony
- Syllabus discussion meeting
- Providing classrooms with all facilities
- Power point presentation and smart classroom system
- Providing class notes and study material
- Ready Answer Sample for Examination
- Celebration of Various Commemorative Days
- Encouragement to participate in various competitive examinations
- Systematic basic computer class for all students
- Communicative English class for all students
- Encouraging students especially in sports
The first step in the year-round continuous program that the college undertakes for the classroom orientation of the students is to familiarise the new students with all the teaching staff and academic staff of the college after admission to the college. The college believes that student-faculty cooperation and rapport-building is the first step in students’ college orientation as well as classroom orientation. As a result, the initial distance and fear of new students coming to the college is largely eliminated. Then the fresher’s welcome ceremony organised by the senior students of the college gives a final shape to this phase. Students embrace the college. Then the college organises a discussion meeting on the syllabus, where the details of the syllabus are explained to the students through a thorough discussion on the syllabus, so that there is no doubt among the students about the syllabus. Stakeholders are always careful about the class room in the college. Smart classes are provided to the students according to their needs. Power point presentation is arranged. Class notes and study material are also provided. The college has taken this measure keeping in mind the socio-economic condition of the students who come mostly from marginalised sections. Along with that they were given some samples of standard answer. Celebrations of various remarkable days held in the college throughout the year make them enthusiastic. Besides, some special initiatives have been taken by the college considering the future competitive exam of the students. Like computer training, communicative English classes etc. Apart from this, the college has taken appropriate initiatives to encourage the students towards sports – which makes the students college and classroom oriented throughout the year.
Evidence of Success
What is success? And what is the evidence of all the success? Swami Vivekananda compared education to light because it dispels the darkness in our minds. Is there really any evidence that the classroom orientation that Nayagaram College has prioritized as its best practice has spread the light of education throughout its catchment area ? Probably not. Even then it can be said that as a result of this classroom orientation , some of the students have been able to pursue higher education in various universities. A handful of students are engaged in research after passing the NET SET exam. Many are engaged in government jobs, while others have set up their start-up businesses .
Problems encountered and resources required
In spite of all efforts, no work is 100 percent successful, similarly, the efforts taken by Nayagram PRM College since its inception may not be said to have been entirely successful, but it can be said that success has come to some extent. The main obstacle observed in making students fully classroom- oriented is the economic insecurity of the people here. Many people are unable to pay even the small tuition fees fixed by the government because of their financial infrastructure. When the college was forced to take online classes during the pandemic period, many students were not available in the online classes due to their incapacity to purchase smart phones or recharge problems or internet problems in remote areas. Anyway, now that we have passed that pandemic time, gradually, the classrooms are being filled again with the happy presence of students. Apart from this, there is a need to increase the number of books in the library which can play a role in making the students college -oriented as well as interested in the classroom.
Practice: 2 - Greening of the College Campus: A Continuous Effort
Objectives of the Practice
A suitable environment in the classroom plays an important role in the creation of the ambience of reading and a healthy and normal mental functioning of the students. The environment is not only limited to the classroom, but also includes the entire scope of the educational institution including the classroom. Therefore, just as advanced modern classrooms have been arranged in the modern education system for teaching, the natural healthy environment and its beauty of the campus of the educational institution plays a helpful role in awakening the students’ mental vitality, well-being and inherent creativity. This harmonious co-existence of the internal environment of the classrooms of the college with the external environment of the college is definitely desirable and from that standpoint the college has seriously considered the greening of the college campus. And naturally the college has included this issue in its list of best practices.
The Context
Nayagram Pandit Raghunath Murmu Government College is a newly established college. So it had to focus primarily on several things— making the classroom student-oriented and slowly building aspects of its infrastructure. Greening of the college campus is one of the many infrastructural aspects. Although the college is situated in the midst of lush jungles, the campus of Nayagram College was lacking a green ambience. Hence, the college has taken greening of the college campus seriously and has taken gradual steps towards this issue from the very beginning. Although it cannot be said to have been complete, the college has now succeeded to a large extent in building up a green campus .
The Practice
With the aim of greening the college campus, the college has been continuously taking various steps since its inception, some of the notable steps are:-
- Planting saplings ( Briksha ropan )
- Gardening
- Watering of plants
- Nameplate tagging
- Celebration of Environment Day
Nayagram College has taken many steps in this regard from the beginning, one of which is regularly planting some new trees every year. A kind of festive mood can be observed in the college centred around this plantation. all stakeholders participate in this festival with great joy. The college campus also has a beautiful flower garden. This garden has not only enhanced the internal beauty of the college but also played a helpful role in shaping the academic environment of the college. The college is always taking proper steps for the maintenance of these gardens and trees. Apart from this, arrangements have been made for internal roads and tree nameplates etc. of the college. The college observes World Environment Day every year. The theme of the program is: “Fly the flag of desert victory in the void O mighty soul...” (মরুবিজয়ের কেতন উড়াও শূন্যে হে প্রবল প্রাণ – রবীন্দ্রনাথ।)
Evidence of Success
The college campus which at the beginning was just a field without trees – it can be said to be like a desert in the midst of a vast oasis of jungle – now has become green and blue. Ever since the inception of the college, the college campus has become greener through continuous activities i.e. tree plantation programme. This practice has made the learning environment of the college conducive and conducive to teacher-teaching and student learning.
Problems encounter and resources required
It can be said that primarily financial supply is the main obstacle in this regard. Secondly, if a trained and experienced staff can be appointed to look after the college garden and maintain the trees, it would be much more fruitful.