Making a Difference: How Small Contributions Can Have a Big Impact During the Covid Pandemi

 A small contribution during Covid Pandemic

Darvesh Karim

AKU-IED/PDCN, Gilgit 

During the years 2020 and 2021 due to CORONA virus, lockdown situation and disturbed educational processes prevailed throughout the years. In general, educational institutions all over the world and especially in Pakistan were closed and formal educational processes and discourses were at complete halt. Schools, colleges, universities, and the individuals working in education sector were trying their level best to get their courses online.

I have been working as a teacher educator in a reputed educational institution and affiliated with a team to implement some educational projects in the far-flung and remotest regions of Gilgit-Baltitsan. But due to Covid pandemic, all the project activities were also seized. Hence to keep ourselves connected with our project schoolteachers; we tried our level best to remain connected through social media platforms. This resulted a positive interaction and communication with the schools and teachers. As an affiliate of education, I think the stuff shared with our project schoolteachers should also be shared with the winder community via open social media platforms like YouTube, so that this material could be beneficial to the individuals interested. Hence, the stuff has been uploaded and available on the links provided below. This content includes the following videos:

1.      What is Covid?

This video is an attempt to convey the message to the students about the virus, that why this virus is called covid-19 and why it is named as corona? It is a short video, but for some initial information about the Covid-19, it could be beneficial for students particularly.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDJn9x3OXoE&t=5s

2.      12 Tips for Parents

During lockdown, the Aga Khan Foundation released 12 tips for parents and families on how they can help their children in their current educational journey. I felt that these tips need to be made easier and accessible to parents and other family members, so that they can benefit. These are indeed outstanding tips for parents and families with school age children. These tips can also be useful even after the Covid-19 lockdown situation.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOQrw6Jcuo0&t=3s

3.      15 Activities for Parents with Children

During lockdown, parents also had to worry about how to keep their children engaged at home in addition to educational activities. As parents, if we try to focus on the positive aspects of this difficult and disturbing situation instead of taking it in a negative way, we can make this situation pleasant for ourselves and for our children at home.  Keeping this notion in mind, I proposed various activities and made a video containing 15 interesting initiatives we can take with our children at home. All these activities also articulated in Urdu and published in the local newspapers. These activities are quite relevant to initiate with kids at home in normal situations too.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqHv9QyQ6Pc&t=2s

4.      Professional Development of Teachers

Since a lot has been done for the students at the government level and by the educational institutions after the Covid-19 lockdown, however, no special attention has been given to the professional development of teachers. Hence, I also prepared three special videos for professional development of teachers suggesting 5 tips and effective utilization of ICT devices and social media platforms.

Link 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHJB3OTdLWU&t=1s

Link 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tpy_BPwwQs

Link 3:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaGPIOfzxv8

Finally, I encourage you all to please visit these videos, share, and comment. I believe that some of the tips and tricks are still valid even after Covid-Lockdown and these activities and tips can be used in normal situation too.

 

February 28, 2022

 

https://pamirtimes.net/2022/02/10/a-practical-model-to-enhance-community-involvement-in-schools/

A practical model to enhance Community Involvement in Schools

 

Darvesh Karim, Faculty, AKU-IED/PDCN.

Whole School Improvement is often defined as improvement for all learners (stakeholders) including students, teachers, non-teaching staff, and parents, which improves all the aspects of the school to enhance students’ learning. WSIP identifies six dimensions of a school for focused input and improvement to enhance students’ learning outcomes. The dimensions are Leadership, Management and Administration; Quality of Teaching and Learning; Curriculum Enrichment and Staff Development; Building, Accommodation and Resources; Social, Moral and Spiritual Development of Students and Health Education; Community Participation.   Wherever an educational project is implemented in schools, AKU-IED/PDCN tries to ensure implementing these six dimensions in schools, which have always proven success and improvement.

While working with different schools and teachers as a teacher-educator, it has been our priority to initiate context relevant activities in schools and provide teacher trainings for a smooth implementation of these activities. In this short writeup a practical model to enhance ‘community participation in schools’ based on field experience is being shared.

Community participation has always been a focus for schools; however, it always varies in different contexts. Some schools are very successful in the process of community involvement, while some need more efforts to succeed. This writeup suggest some activities for school management through which they can increase and ensure community participation which will allow the school to bridge the successful connection between school and the community.

Firstly, it has always been our strong recommendation that to improve the community participation, the first and far most element is the school atmosphere, which should be warm, friendly, and welcoming towards parents and community members. The school leadership and management should inculcate this behavior in students as well as in teaching and non-teaching staff. They should never feel shy, hesitant, confused and questioning towards the parent and community who visit school. The friendly and welcoming atmosphere of the school will surely attract the parents and community towards school. To engage the communities in the affairs of school, the most basic factor which will lay the foundation of school-community relationship is the welcoming behavior of school’s management, staff, and students.

Secondly, a proper SMC – School Management Committee should be formed by taking the consent from the individuals. This voluntary body should be formed not on the paper but with the individual’s consent who are willing to contribute time, their knowledge, and skills for the noble cause of education in their village. Sometimes, just to fulfill the formality schools use to identify names, who don’t visit school and do not take interest in school affairs. If this formation is done purposefully and seriously, then a successful parental involvement will initiate and we may dominantly notice that a member of SMC will always be available in school. School headteacher or teachers do not need to call the SMC for help, but there would be a system already intact. To make this system more powerful, school management may plan a regular parent teacher meeting at school on weekly basis or fortnightly. SMC will always make it sure that the required/called parents must attend the meeting with teachers. During these meetings SMC members also present and they discuss with the parents about the children educational performance, areas of improvement, homework and its quality, health & hygiene condition, timetable for children at home and many more. This regular interaction with community will boost up a sense of ownership with school.

Furthermore, school management with the coordination of SMC and teachers, may establish a timetable for home to be followed by the students.  To make it sure that the given timetable is followed properly at home by the students, SMC members pay surprise visits to different homes. Before doing so, they should always coordinate with the teachers keeping students’ performance in class and their home tasks quality. These surprise visits will give an opportunity to support the families and students for a better performance and to help/identify the struggling students. These visits will also alert parents and students to follow the given home timetable for a common good.

Recognition is a positive re-enforcement to boost educational outcomes. Recognizing students’ performance in education, sports and other co-curricular activities can increase self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment for the individuals who secure high. This encouragement can also aspire other students towards a positive competition. This element could be triggered by SMC with the coordination of school management efficiently. This will increase positive competition among students to increase their grades in the annual examination.

Likewise, every year, schools use to celebrate different local, national, and international events in school and all these celebrations should be included in annual school development plan (SDP). These events can be celebrated with the coordination of SMC and parents. To arrange these celebrations in terms of finance and communication to social/political figures to participate in the event, SMC can be involved. During these events, political/social/religious notables would be the chief guests.

It has been experienced that some schools also initiate the following activities for parents to enhance school-community relationship:

·        Awareness sessions for parents	·        Sessions for SMC on different topics
·        Parents’ Day Celebration	·        Mother support Groups (MSGs)
·        Meetings with mothers	·        Sessions for mothers
·        Involvement of Influential people (Political, Social, Religious) as Guest speakers in Assembly	·        Plan talent shows, award ceremonies, book fairs etc. for parents to attend.
·        Facilitate training of teaching and non-teaching staff to communicate with parents in multi-lingual, cultural differences, and respect in mind.	·        Create flexible volunteering opportunities like different days, times, tasks for parents to participate.
·        Phone calls/text message/WhatsApp Messages or creating a Facebook group for school.	·        Positive behavior as well as negative behaviors shown by the students at school should be communicated to parents through various means of communication

All these initiatives may ensure the community participation positively and a great teamwork among headteacher, teachers, SMC and community will emerge. There must be an open and honest communication between all the stakeholders in terms of their defined roles, and they do not need to intervene to others role. All will be performing their responsibilities according to a set rule and defined responsibilities.  During the weekly/fortnightly meetings they will evaluate their roles and responsibilities hence a system of mutual accountability will be intact and there will be a sense of ownership among all the stakeholders.

Finally, this writeup suggests that individuals and communities can play a vital role in the school improvement process. However, to attract useful and committed individuals for this voluntary body, potential individuals should be contacted and with their consent who are willing to contribute time, their knowledge, and skills should be included in the body. Schools always need guidance, support, and practice to create appropriate environment and welcoming behavior for effective partnerships.

 

اسکولوں میں والدین اور کمیونٹی کی شمولیت کو بڑھانے کے عملی اقدامات۔ (Darvesh Karim, AKU-IED/PDCN Gilgit) https://epaper.dailyrehbar.com/index.php?route=daily-news&val=9509 Translate Tweet

اسکولوں میں والدین اور کمیونٹی کی شمولیت کو بڑھانے کے عملی اقدامات۔ (Darvesh Karim, AKU-IED/PDCN Gilgit) https://epaper.dailyrehbar.com/index.php?route=daily-news&val=9509…

 

Empowering Education: A Portal for Connecting Contributions to Learning

Articles, Research-Based Papers, Reflective Papers, Innovative Success Stories, and proposals

DARVESH KARIM

1)      An experience of Parental involvement in education was articulated in Daily Newspaper Dawn on Sunday, 11 July 2010. http://www.dawn.com/news/546465/parental-involvement-in-education - Darvesh Karim - Daily Dawn, Islamabad – 2010

2)      What Works in Education in Pakistan and Why? The Case of PDCN’s Whole School Improvement Programme in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan. International Journal of Business and Social Sciences, Vol. 2, No. 6; (pp132-145) Shafa, M.D., Karim, D., and Alam, S. (2011)  - http://www.ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_2_No_16_September_2011/15.pdf - Mola Dad Shafa, Darvesh Karim, Sultan Alam - International Journal of Business and Social Sciences - 2011

3)      Field experience during the Whole School Improvement Program – Global Hands Washing Day report – Weekly Waadi – October 24 – 30, 2011. http://dailyk2.com/index.php?pid=4&eid=1&nid=3&tnid=1534&date=1319414400 - Darvesh Karim - Weekly Waadi - 2011

4)      Drugs Abuse - June 26, 2011- http://pamirtimes.net/2011/06/26/opinion-drug-abuse - Darvesh Karim - Pamir Times – Online - 2011

5)      World Environment Day - June 05, 2011 - http://pamirtimes.net/2011/06/05/opinion-reflecting-on-the-world-environment-day.  -Darvesh Karim - Pamir Times – Online - 2011

6)      An extracted article of one of my researches has published in the International Journal of Information Communication and Technology Education (IJICTE) in Issue #30 (Vol 8 Nr 2 - March 2012). http://www.igi-global.com/article/exploring-head-deputy-headteachers-attitude/65575  - Darvesh Karim - International Journal of Information Communication and Technology Education (IJICTE) - 2012

7)      Book published on May 24, 2012 with the title Initiative for an effective and long lasting IT integration in Education through Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany https://www.lap-publishing.com/catalog/details/store/gb/book/978-3-659-11430-4/initiative-for-an-effective-long-lasting-it-integration-in-education?search=Long%20Lasting%20IT  - Darvesh Karim - Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany - 2012

8)      Book published on May 25, 2012 with the title A success story of the holistic development of a school through Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany - February 22, 2014 - https://www.lap-publishing.com/catalog/details/store/gb/book/978-3-659-13805-8/a-success-story-of-the-holistic-development-of-a-school?search=A%20success%20story  - Darvesh Karim - Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany - 2012

9)      Published a research article in an International Journal, "Business Management Dynamics" Vol.3, No.4, Oct 2013, pp.33-44 - WSIP an exciting educational voyage, which boosted students’ motivation towards learning. http://bmdynamics.com/issue_pdf/bmd110415-%2033-44.pdf  - Darvesh Karim - Business Management Dynamics - 2013

10)  Strategic thinking September 16, 2013 - http://pamirtimes.net/2013/09/16/strategic-thinking-core-strategic-planning/  - Darvesh Karim - Pamir Times – Online - 2013

11)  Published a research article in an International Journal, "International Journal of Innovation and Research in Educational Sciences", Volume 2, Issue 5, ISSN (Online): 2349–5219 Managing Conflict by School Leadership: A Case Study of a School from Gilgit – Baltistan on September 05, 2015 - http://ijires.org/index.php/issues?view=publication&task=show&id=106 - Darvesh Karim - Journal of Innovation and Research in Educational Sciences - 2015

12)  Published a research article in monthly “Kanjuut Today”, Volume 1, Issue 1 : 33-38 in August 2015 – A First Step towards an effective ICT integration at school level in Gilgit-Baltistan. Darvesh Karim - Kanjuut Today - 2015

13)  Assumptions challenges on Pamir Times on 10.09-2015 - http://pamirtimes.net/2015/09/10/a-reflection-on-my-challenged-assumptions/- Darvesh Karim - Pamir Times – Online - 2015

14)  Scholarly written article published on http://oec.org.pk/articles/transitional-voyage-to-emerge-into-learning-communities-for-schools-in-pakistan/ on September 18, 2015.- Darvesh Karim - Organization for Educational Change – 2015

15)  Generated and got verification/approval from AKU-IED and telecasted TWO short video clips on local cable TV to educate the community in response to Covid-19 during 2020. These clips are also available online on YouTube now. Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOQrw6Jcuo0&t=27s  and https://youtu.be/VDJn9x3OXoE - Darvesh Karim - Local Cable network and YouTube Channel - 2020

16)  Generated video presentations for local TV cable TV and for social media site on:          

Effective utilization of ICT devices and resources during Covid-19 - Facebook Part II

Tip For Parents during Covid-19

Teachers Professional Development during Covid-19

12 Tips for families to support their kids during Covid=19 at home

Why is ‘Corona’ called Corona? - Darvesh Karim - Local Cable Network & YouTube - 2020

17)  Published a short article in two local Urdu newspapers (Salam & Rahbar) and an online news platform (Pamir Times) on Covid-19. This publication has also been highlighted in AKU media reporting. Link: https://urdu.pamirtimes.net/2020/06/09/asd-2245/ - Darvesh Karim - Daily Newspapers Salamm, Rahbar and Pamir Times – Online - 2020

18)  Research article title “The effective role of SMC/MSG to boost-up home-school relationship in a remote primary school of Gilgit-Baltistan. - Darvesh Karim - Abida Begum   - Jan. – Jul. 2021 - writing retreat - 2021

19)  An Urdu article “Ba heysiyat e ustad school ka ek khushgawar din” published on Zero Period Educational Magazine -  https://zeroperiod.com.pk/%d8%a8%d8%ad%db%8c%d8%ab%db%8c%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%af%d8%8c%d8%a7%d8%b3%da%a9%d9%88%d9%84-%da%a9%d8%a7-%d8%a7%db%8c%da%a9-%db%8c%d8%a7%d8%af%da%af%d8%a7%d8%b1-%d8%af%d9%86/  - Darvesh Karim - Zero Period Educational Magazine – Online   2021

20)  A day well spent – an article on Zero Period Educational Magazine - https://zeroperiod.com.pk/a-day-well-spent/ - Darvesh Karim - Zero Period Educational Magazine – Online     2021

21)  A mini research paper published in an educational platform https://zeroperiod.com.pk/how-gender-is-treated-at-schools-a-reflective-note/ Darvesh Karim - Zero Period Educational Magazine – Online - 2021

22) A small writeup on how to boost-up parental involvement in schools published on Pamir Times - February 10, 2022 - https://pamirtimes.net/2022/02/10/a-practical-model-to-enhance-community-involvement-in-schools/

23) An Urdu article titled "Schoolon may waldain or community ki shamoliyat badhaanay k amli aqdamaat" published today in local news papers 'Roznama Rehbar' and 'Roznama Baidar' on February 11, 2022 - https://epaper.dailyrehbar.com/index.php?route=daily-news&val=9509 and