Pakistani Educational Leadership Project at Plymouth State University

MISBAH JAVED KIANI, LECTURER, FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, H-9 ISLAMABAD.

I visited Plymouth State University, New Hampshire U.S.A last summer 08 for training. It was really a nice experience. This experience added a lot of things about American culture and American people in my information. I refresh my knowledge about environmental issues and cultural preservation. We visited different places in this regard. I was inspired by the concept of local culture preservation so with this inspiration I developed my action plan entitled “educational cultural preservation resource center in Federal College of Education H-9, Islamabad”. I felt the need because my institute is a teacher training institute where teachers are coming from all over Pakistan. so it is important that teaching material in the form of teaching kits and other related items will be developed and then preserve in such way that teachers can take full benefit by using that material in their class room. I am very thankful to Madam Blake, Kim, Ginny fisher and Katherine Donahue for providing their help in shaping my ideas in better way.
After coming back from Plymouth I discussed my MAP with my college director and colleagues. They appreciated the idea and ensure their full cooperation, with their suggestions I modified my MAP. The biggest challenge in the way of implementation was my busy schedule in college. And another thing was that students were very busy in their course work so find vacant time in which they can work under my MAP was not easy. I checked my and students’ time schedule then plan in such a way that suits us. I planned workshop to sensitize my students about need of resource center in college. It was decided that students will work under my MAP in their professional course subjects which were English, Islamic studies and General science. Students start developing material for different grade level. For guiding the prospective and in-service teachers in a better way related workshops were planned.
Students which comprised from pre-service and in-service teachers did marvelous job in developing material. They are innovative and creative. By using their creative minds they are continuously working on designing novel and interesting material related to teaching learning process. They also worked on preservation of that material which is related with their professional field. So not only they but also other related people can take full benefit of that material. Now days in their teaching practicum prospective teachers are using their developed material in class rooms.

In implementation of MAP following activities were organized:

One Day Educational tour to ROHTAS FORT.

Prospective teachers visited rohtas fort on 25th Jan 09. Main objective of the tour is to sensitize prospective teachers about culture and the importance of its preservation. Prospective teachers enjoyed the trip and also gathered information regarding fort. They all visited the fort with keen interest.

Visit to Lok-versa Museum, Islamabad

Students (prospective teachers) were assigned a major project to arrange cultural day entitled “Promoting the concept of Unity through the presentation of different cultures of Pakistan” in college. To give insight of the various cultures of Pakistan, Visits were arranged of different classess to LokVersa Museum. Students of B.ED, B.S.ED AND M.A, and M.ED visited the different sections of the museum. Students showed keen interest in the cultures presented in the museum. They have taken notes because they have to depict various cultures in their final project. Each one of them was very enthusiastic. The visit was very informative for all of us.

Cultural Day in Federal College of Education H-9, Islamabad.

Now a day in Pakistan, urgent need is to develop the concept of unity, coherence among various cultures. It is very important to depict the true picture of Enlightened Pakistan. It is the need of hour. With this vision in mind I with my college director Prof. Talat Kurshed and other colleagues, Mrs. Ranna, Mrs. Samia Rehaman Dogar planned an activity which can promote the concept of Unity, enlightened moderation among various cultures. Our college is distinguish teacher Education institute in a sense that teachers from all over Pakistan are coming here for pre-service and in service teacher training. They belong to different areas of Pakistan; they are also having different cultures. So taking this advantage students were grouped according to the respective cultures. Students were assigned different cultures, Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Bolochistan, Fana, Fata. They have to depict the culture assigned to their group and also design portfolios related to their cultures, which carries information and pictures of the culture e.g. back ground of the culture, people, style of living, food, dresses, jewelry etc. Students prepared for this event for two months, in this time they study the cultures in detail.

Finally they presented there work on April 30th 2009. They decorated there stalls according to the assigned cultures. They tried to depict the cultures in its true form. They wear dresses related to their culture, they cooked culture related dishes. Students designed models of their respective cultures.

Media was invited; F.M 99 Radio was approached for LIVE courage of the event. TV Stars Toqueer Nasir, Battan Farooqi, Dardanna Butt and Farah Hussain were invited to encourage the students.
Besides culture related stalls, an Exhibition was also there which represent student work e.g. models, charts, teaching kits, portfolios of teaching practicum and creative art work.

A Workshop entitled “Developing Low cost, No cost material in Science Subjects” by International Consultant Mr. Ekeshahra

In the Implementation phase of MAP a two days workshop was organized entitled “Developing Low Cost, No Cost material for Science Subjects” in Federal College of Education H-9 Islamabad. Mr. Ekeshahra from Japan was the resource person for above mentioned workshop. He was professor of science subjects in Japan. His expertise is in developing low cost material in science subjects.

Students of M.A Education (Elementary & Secondary), which are involved in the project, attended the workshop. Students participated in workshop with zeal and devotion. They all were very excited during the workshop. They participated in the activities of the workshop very actively. Besides pre-service teachers and in-service teachers, faculty members of the college also attended the workshop. In day one the resource person showed some videos to students related to utilizing low cost material in science subjects. In his second session he involved students in experiments. This workshop was very fruitful for students.

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