Day 7: Return to TVSA

Tess Raley
We returned to TVSA today to observe the students in their classroom setting. The school succeeded in continually impressing us. The students were active, attentive, and creative. During the day I observed three classes. The first was a history class where the focus had been on the evolution of clothing and economic factors that are considered when manufacturing garments to be worn. The students were assigned to take this knowledge to design a new school uniform! It was the application of learning in these settings that I found truly remarkable. Next, I sat in on a math lab which was focusing on the subject of area. Not just formula's and equations, but why it was important to know an objects area, and what area essential represents! The teacher gave each student 12 square blocks to create figures and express the concept that different shapes can have the same area. These kids desgined trees, pyramids, crosses, boats, words, etc. and knew that the area had to remain the same!

We also got to watch the 5th grade celebrate the Pongal Festival (similar to an American Thanksgiving) songs and dances were done depicted the harvest, and then handmade kits were flown outside while eating the delicious Pongal (a sweet rice dish)!

My foot was hurting from all of the bug bites, and one of the children's parents (who was a doctor) offered to look at it for me (to clarify, he gave me some medication and my foot was near-healed in 24 hours). While I was talking to him and his wife, they talked constantly about how much they liked the education their 2 children were receiving and how it is shown to be effective through the ability of their 5th grade daughter to assist her 1st grade brother in his work. I have to believe that that right there is the best witness to a good education: becoming the educator!

After leaving the school, we started discussing areas around the school's system that need improvement and could not find any truly lacking immediate factors in this wonderful school! Was it worth the 7-hour bus ride getting here just to see this school: absolutely.