Devarattam, the ritualistic and social dance performed in Arumbuhalnagar.

Devarattam performed in Arumbuhalnagar

Devarattam, the ritualistic and social dance, Devarattam of the Kambala Nayakar community was recently performed in Arumbuhalnagar to entertain with ICHEC-2011 team.Devarattam is a pure folk dance still preserved by the descendents of Veerapandiya Kattabomman dynasty at Thottiyapatty of Karur District. In former days Devarattam was performed once a year near the temple and that too restricted to that community alone. Folklore research scholars have found that Devarattam is a combination of ancient 'muntherkuruvai' and 'pintherkuruvai' of the ancient Tamil Kings. It was performed in front of and at the chariot on the victorious return of the King and his army from battle field. Sometimes even the king and his marshalls would dance on the chariot deck. The soldiers and female dancers would form in lines and dance behind the chariot. Today, this dance does not have any songs but only danced to the beat of Urumi Melam, He dances the first step, which others follow. Nowadays Devarattam is performed at weddings and other festive and ritual occasions by Nayakars and the main occupation of Nayakars was hunting. The origin of the dance is also reflected in its main form, which is the tracing of the hunting movements by the human body. Today, the movements also reflect household, agricultural and festive activities, which are a part of the daily lives of the people. These movements have been abstracted and stylized in single units of rhythm used repetitively. The percussion instrument Devadhundubhi beats out the rhythm for Devarattam.-Govin

“Physiotherapists must be compassionate, caring, patient, and capable of commanding the respect and trust of people within their care”-P.Chitra, SEVAI.

P.Chitra with a teacher in her wheel chair in SEVAI Community College

“Physiotherapists must be compassionate, caring, patient, and capable of commanding the respect and trust of people within their care” said Ms.P.Chitra, Project Director of SEVAI in a special educators and Physiotherapists get-together in Arumbuhalnagar on Saturday, 30th July. She further said,”SEVAI-IED-SSA team works to enable, educate, and empower the physically challenged, who are otherwise severely stigmatized, and whose potential is overlooked in many developing nations due to their handicap. These ground-breaking special education programs have attracted public attention, and promote advocacy, self-esteem, and higher education and vocational training for physically challenged. Physiotherapy care given in SEVAI for persons with disabling physical conditions and help them develops and maintain their daily living and work skills. SEVAI Physiotherapists help physically challenged compensate for Speaking to Physiotherapists of SEVAI,Mrs.P.Chitra, Project Director, SEVAI further said, “Physiotherapists require unequivocal the loss of functions, as well as improve motor skills and reasoning and perceptual abilities. The Physiotherapy profession calls for the best of those individuals who practice it; Physiotherapists must be compassionate, caring, patient, and capable of commanding the respect and trust of people within their care. The well-trained professional is familiar with a wide range of activities that will be employed as a matter of course in the patient’s recovery. Persons suffering from coordination problems, for example, may be given manual art projects, such as creative handicrafts, to improve hand-eye coordination. Practical activities such as gardening and weaving increase strength and dexterity. Physiotherapists face significant challenges when dealing with persons with permanent physical handicaps, such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or spinal cord injuries. They develop and teach patients how to operate adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs, splints, and other devices that allow individuals with limitations to exercise a measure of control over their environment. Physiotherapists who work with the physically disabled must have strength, agility, and stamina to help patients in and out of beds and wheelchairs and allow patients to lean on them while they assist them with various exercises, such as walking and lifting weights. Not all therapists need to be physically strong and powerful, but all, including industrial therapists who assist their clients in finding and holding jobs, are challenged to inspire trust, motivate progress, and demonstrate concern and compassion”.-Govin

Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education expands its activities during Emerald plus jubilee decade-Dr.K.Govindaraju

Dr.K.Menna,Dr.K.Govindaraju,Dr.M.S.Palanichamy and Dr.K.Manivasan  in the function

Trichy: 30, July 2011:“Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education proposes to expand its activities during Emerald plus jubilee decade” said Dr.K.Govindaraju, the president of Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education while addressing the field level functionaries of Women Self Help Groups in Arumbuhalnagar on the occasion of Emerald jubilee decade completion function of Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education held in Arumbuhalnagar in Trichy District on Saturday, the 30^th July. Dr.K.Govindaraju recalled the Literacy and continuing Education services of then District Collectors those received Malcolm Adisheshiah awards in recognition of their implementing the continuing education programme in 2003. Prof.M.S. Palanichamy, then Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Open University. Dr.K.Govindaraju said,”On the occasion as Chairman, Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education, I  conveyed that the Mc Levy award was given in recognition of the contribution by the Collector, K. Manivasan, in implementing the programme for the benefit of women inmates of the Tiruchi Central Prisons. The Malcolm Adiseshiah Award went to four District Collectors — M. A. Siddique (Dharmapuri), A. C. Mohandas (Vellore), J. Radhakrishnan (Sivaganga) and K. Rajaraman (Tuticorin) and the Chennai Corporation Commissioner, M.P.Vijayakumar, and the Syndicate Sub-Committee Convener, Bharathidasan University, Dr.K. Meena. The Malcolm S.Adiseshiah emerald jubilee award was bagged by the District Collectors, Hiteshkumar Makwana (Pudukottai), P. Annamalai (Karur), S. Vijayakumar (Ramanathapuram), R. Venkatesan (Kancheepuram) and S. Chandramohan (Tiruvallur).

District Collectors those received Malcolm awards,Dr.K.Govindarajan presided

Tamil Nadu Board of Continuing Education also Presented Emerald Jubilee Malcolm S Adeseshiah Award to Dr. K Gopal I.A.S., Collector, Viluppuram for his commendable contribution towards implementing Child labor rehabilitation and Continuing Education Programme.  This apart, 11 individuals and institutions, including the Chief Educational Officer, Karaikal, four non-governmental organisations also bagged the Emerald Jubilee Awards”. Dr.K.Govindaraju further said, “Tamilnadu Government currently has a political will to create awareness among the women and other disadvantaged groups on the importance of awreness, communicative Literacy and Livelihood promotion of the women groups through continuing education project. The Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education had for a long time been concerned with ways to make its expertise and facilities available to qualified personnel in continuing education, and research UNITS. On a small scale, the Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education facilities were always being used through short-term/refresher courses, but these activities were not coordinated by a single entry. The current chairman said “A renowned economist Dr. Malcolm S. Adisehiah who had been a Deputy Secretary General of UNESCO for 22 long years returned to his motherland. He had visited more than 130 countries. On his return, probably he was very much disappointed to see the percentage of literate population. He had a firm belief that a literate person would prove himself to be a etter citizen and try to stand on his own legs. Keeping this in view, he decided to have an organization exclusively for the promotion of Adult Education and the outcome of it was the formation of Tamil Nadu Board of Continuing Education in 1972, and duly registered in 1975 under Tamilnadu Societies Registration Act 1975; 114/1975. Project Director of South Zone Board of Continuing Education, Mrs.P.Chitra welcomed the gathering.Mrs.Percy Lal, District Manager of Link Workers proposed vote of thanks.-Govin

Special attention required in rural schools for the retention of adolescent girls.

Siblings care by a girl  in Dasilnaickanoor

It is appreciated that SSA's commitment to universalize elementary education necessarily implies equal & universal participation of all children regardless of religion, caste, creed, sex etc. Tamilnadu SSA gives special attention to certain disadvantaged groups of children also. Girls, who comprise almost one half of the eligible child population, fall into this category of children requiring special attention as their participation in school education has to be given due special attention. The enrolment has been undertaken with full commitment and the same time the retention care is also to be given on priority basis especially for most disadvantaged population. Educating girls is commonly perceived as unnecessary by certain communities; mainly on account of the role they have been assigned in running the house and also because they will eventually leave their parental homes after marriage where their skills in household chores will hold them in better stead. Poor retention of girls is attributed to two main factors. The first is the tendency of parents to withdraw them from school on attainment of adolescent age as they become capable of fulfilling certain domestic needs of sustenance activities & sibling care while the second is the school environment itself which neither encourages girls nor is able to bring out the best in them. During the seasons of harvest, marriages, festivals, etc. girls' attendance at school suffer a setback as they are kept back at home. In the absence of any mechanism to address their need as a result of these periods of absenteeism, their achievement suffers. Thus begins the cycle of teachers' neglect in the classroom leading to disinterest and de-motivation eventually resulting in their leaving school. Ensuring equal opportunity for boys and girls is not adequate enough. The question of 'Gender equity' often demands additional support and facility for ensuring girls' education equivalent to others. A girl doing poorly probably needs special attention in class, and perhaps even in family and community, while an intelligent girl may demand for attention that teacher should show towards every student in class. The teacher may also have to look into facilities, she is allowed in her family to increase the rate of improvement.-Govin

Green manuring results in increased yields of the crops in SEVAI-PVF projects of organic farming:

Green manure cultivated in Marutham fields of Sirugamani

SEVAI-PVF: Marutham project uses Green undecomposed plants as manure in Amoor, Sirugamani areas. Green manuring is growing in the field plants belong to leguminous family and incorporating into the soil after sufficient growth. The practice of ploughing or turning into soil under-composed green plant tissue for the purpose of improving physical condition as well as fertility of the soil is referred to as green manuring and the manure obtained by this method is known as green manure. The plants, grown for green manure are known as green manure crops. Since organic production systems are knowledge based, new entrants and transitional producers become familiar with sound and sustainable agricultural practices. Transitional producers are prepared to read appropriate information, conduct their own trials and participate in formal and informal training events in SEVAI. Switching from conventional to organic farming is more than substituting synthetic materials to organic allowed materials. Organic farming is a holistic system that relies on sound practices. Growth and nitrogen fixation is higher with green manure. The advantages of the green manure are: Improves soil structure, Increases water holding capacity and Decreases soil loss by erosion, Steps to a Successful Organic Transition. Green manure supplies organic matter to the soil.

The organic residues from green manure also help to provide the stability of soil structure needed for optimum plant growth. Humus formed from green manure increases the absorptive capacity of soil, promotes aeration, drainage and granulation, which help the plant growth. Green manuring improves the structure of the soil. Organic matter stimulates the activity of soil micro-organisms. ) Addition of Nitrogen: The green manuring crop supplies additional nitrogen to organic matter, if it is a legume crop, which has the ability to fix nitrogen from the air with the help of its root nodule bacteria (e.g. Rhizobium). The legume crop adds nitrogen for the succeeding crop. The legumes crop leave the soil in better physical condition and richer in nitrogen content. They return the plant nutrients of deeper layers to the upper top soil. Nutrient and Soil Conservation: Green manuring crops act as cover crop. They protect the soil from erosion and nutrient loss by taking up soluble nutrients which might otherwise have been lost in drainage water or due to erosion. Green manuring crops make available phosphorous and other nutrients for the succeeding crops. Green manure has a marked residual effect also. Green manuring Increases the biochemical activity: The organic matter added to soil by way of green manure acts as food for micro-organisms. The organic matter stimulates the activity of micro-organisms and they stimulate the biochemical changes accordingly. Green manuring increases crop yield: Green manure increases the organic matter and nitrogen content of the soil. It is proved that green manuring results in increased yields of the crops.-Govin

SEVAI Caregivers working with the mentally challenged are gracious

Periyakka takes care of intellectually challenged in a class room situation

Periyakka, a Caregiver working with the mentally challenged children provides a number of services to the Special Residential Bridge Course (SRBC) run by SEVAI under SSA in Arumbuhalnagar Trichy and in doing so she helps to make day-to-day life easier for pupils of their SRBC. The care giver, Periyakka is skilled from physical labour to the ability to think on the spot with hard work, but is very rewarding. When working with the mentally disabled, Periyakka performs a number of duties on a day-to-day basis. These duties include planning and preparing meals, helping their pupils get dressed and accomplish simple personal hygiene tasks, taking them to the doctor, etc.. She is compassionate, positive, caring and nurturing. She also possesses some physical strength because some job responsibilities such as bathing require some heavy lifting. Caregiver Periyakka also has the ability to maintain records on important information of the child for the care and follow up. Periyakka says, “Caregiver’s jobs for the mentally disabled are very rewarding career choice. This service enables people to live better lives in a better environment than what they would be able to provide for themselves”.-Govin

SEVAI Special Educators plan their teaching for intellectually challenged with individual goals in mind under SSA-SRBC.

Special Residential Bridge Course for intellectually challenged by SEVAI

Special Educators of SEVAI those working with students with intellectual disabilities under Special Residential Bridge Course under SSA in Trichy, are through with characteristics of these students, as well as some practical tools for teaching students with intellectual disabilities.Ms.Vasanthi, a special educator of SRBC unit run in SEVAI Arumbuhalnagar under the aegis of SSA, Trichy unit under IED Project says, “Generally an intellectual disability is defined as occurring at an IQ score of less than 70. An IQ of 100 is seen as being average in the wider population. An intellectual disability is usually seen as occurring if the problem has existed during childhood, rather than happening later in life.”Ms.Vasanthi approaches children with intellectual disabilities comprehending complexities and work towards preparing these children for understanding complex information, using logical thinking to plan ideas and solve problems, Following directions and instructions, particularly those which involve multiple steps or complex information. As there is a wide range in IQ scores which leads to a student being categorized as having an intellectual disability, it also follows that there is a wide range of learning materials and teaching and learning activities which are needed to meet the needs of individual learners within special needs for the preparation for mainstream setting. SEVAI IED team under SSA claims that many students with intellectual disabilities are able to manage quite well in an educational setting alongside their peers.

The special Educators use the tips for working with students with an intellectual disability: Use concrete items and examples to explain new concepts and provide practice in existing skill areas, Role model desired behaviors, and clearly identify what behaviors you expect in the classroom, Plan ahead with your class activities, Do not overwhelm a student with multiple or complex instructions, Use strategies such as chunking, backward shaping and role modeling as helpful teaching approaches, Be explicit about what it is you want a student to do, Learn about the needs and characteristics of your student, but do not automatically assume they will behave the same way today as they did yesterday, Ask for their input about how they feel they learn best, and help them to be as in control of their learning as possible, Put skills in context so there is a reason for learning tasks, Involve families and significant others in learning activities, planning and special days, as well as in informing you about the needs of their young person, Computer games and tasks are often written so they are instantly rewarding and motivating, and provide immediate feedback about correct or incorrect answers. Skills and writing styles which are developed under SRBC  IED of SEVAI include: instructional writing, creative writing, descriptive writing (especially using key words), use of adjectives and verbs, naming of people and places, recall of important events. Special Educators of SRBC plan their teaching with individual goals in mind, and use the tools at their disposal to help their students reach their goals for the future.-Govin