A day at Atal Bihari Vajpayee international school (MIEB) Wabalewadi!

It was a great experience to visit Bharatratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee international school Wabalewadi on 15th November.

RAA/DIECPD,Nashik team, Some authorities from Zp Education, Nashik and Super 30+ teachers from various blocks of Nashik visited this international school in which Maharashtra international Education Board (MIEB) curriculum has been taught. The great inspiration behind this visit is hon'ble Bhuvneshwari ma'am (CEO, Zp Nashik) and respected Dr Vaishali Veer ma'am (Education officer,zp Nashik and Principal, DIECPD Nashik). They have a great vision  to bring quality education in each zilla Parishad primary school of Nashik district. To achieve this target Super 30 group has been formed and they have been given tasks to bring about qualitative education among learners who can face 21st century challenges, appear for PISA test ( program for international students' assessment) and so on. 

(Wablewadi school promotes 21st century skills)

 As a part of this, Wablewadi school visit was arranged jointly by Zp Education Nashik and RAA/DIECPD,Nashik. 

Wablewadi is a small wadi near shikrapur in Pune district.

 Wablewadi international school has a beautiful premises having lots of trees, good ventilation, attractive building, spacious ground, water filters, advanced toilets, laboratory, sound engineering room, zero energy classrooms, interactive board, music room, garden, and a special attached cooking room to cook mid day meals, etc. 

 In the beginning zp school Wabalewadi was a simple 2teachers school. With the major contribution of the village people, Mr Dattatray Ware sir, a well known personality in teachers who took his previous experiences and implemented his innovative ideas in the school.

He joined this school in 2012 and began his innovative things with 32 students. As he got the results from students, when students shared their successful experiences with their parents, parents believed in Mr Ware sir. 

He encouraged people by sharing his ideas after having great impact over students. 

Now in this school the strength of students is 600. 4000 applications come each year for junior Kg and only few of them are selected by draw method. Students from the village and whose parents have contributed to the school have been enrolled on high priority.

 Villagers have stopped raising funds for village fair, ganpati utsav and other local activities. Instead they collect money for the well-being of the children. As a part of Zero energy school building, the locals have raised near about 40 lakhs rupees and 60 lakhs were funded  by BNY Mellon bank as a CSR.

  Students can learn independently or with a little support of a teacher or their friends. Self learning is a key factor of learners. None can teach students, they can absorb from each other or they imitate their teachers, parents, or whatever they listen, read or watch. 

 Stronger students in any subject can be "Vishaymitra" ( Subject friend- a student who is clever in any topic or subject helps other students to understand the concepts of that particular topic or subject. There are 12 Subject friends in this school now who supports students in the absence of teachers.It is great observation by Ware sir that students learn better from these "Vishaymitra" rather than from teachers. Because they know each other very well. When teacher teaches something and asks,"Did you understand?" Students mostly say, "Yes!" Or they nod, despite being not understood. However, when colleagues elaborate any difficult concept, students learn effectively. This is the major positive contribution of Vishaymitra. 

  Apart from self learning and peer learning, special teachers offer education to these children. JEE topper teaches engineering basic knowledge and skills right from 6th std. And students are familiar with coding language which is required for making Robots or designing projects. As we entered in the laboratory, a student Sania gave a presentation over a Robot which is made by the school children. Sania gave a short but confident presentation over the robot. She talked about how coding is important to design robots. 

Vedant a student of 4th is very good at working with electronic gadgets. He has been working on electronic dustbin. As soon as a person comes closer to the dustbin to put in garbage, the lid automatically opens and after putting into it, it gets closed. Such coding has been designed by him. He has also one wonderful innovation to frame a stick having sensors with coding language meant for blind people. It will sense some obstacles, maybe wet, concrete and getting the sense of such hindrances, the stick will make some sounds to support blind people to avoid them.

This was absolutely amazing to hear those students reflecting on their ideas. 

 Students were learning harmonium under the guidance of a qualified music teacher having passed Sangit Visharad degree. Girls were practising notations of Bhup raga and it was really melodic. 

  You'll find a library having collection of more than 1000 books and are placed openly. Tabs are also available for the students and by using them students learn independently. 

 French, Sanskrit and Japanese languages are taught here. Students learn different languages especially Sanskrit is being taught here right from first standard. If a child learns various languages, it becomes very intelligent. His/her brain is developed a lot due to learning more languages. This was shared by Mr Satish Wable in his introductory speech. 

  Special teachers are also appointed for Baalwadi students. They have a separate room having interactive board. We were told that the syllabus for 1st and 2nd grade has already been taught in baalwadi. One remarkable thing I saw here; after having lunch all the baalwadi students were taking nap. I think having sleep after lunch, it increases energy of students as well as children below 5 years need more sleep. 

 Zero energy classrooms are built up with glasses and have specific distance from each other. They have glass slidings. It gives the sense of sitting under a huge tree as Mr Satish Wable an eminent person of Wablewadi elaborated in his introductory speech quite earlier. He also emphasized that whatever changes the village people have made to design and develop this school, students' opinions are considered prominently.

 I asked one student of 8th class, " What is zero energy?"

He explained it smartly. We use fans, bulbs, electronic gadgets or electricity. But in zero energy, no electricity is used. Natural light and ventilation are the aspects of zero energy. 

 The beautiful and spacious ground having artificial green grass was covered all over the ground and students were jumping, running here and there, playing  Kabbadi, lying on the ground and rolling themselves over it, was quite impressive and it showed students were enjoying it. They love the school and the school loves them!

 Mr Satish Wable gave us orientation about the purpose of the school in the beginning. He has great faith in Vaidik Gurukul system, Vaidik literature and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In other countries, especially in Sweden Shivaji Maharaj has been taught as an engineer, manager & a good administrator, but in India he has been taught in the form of stories which mislead students.

 The things which are not necessary for 21st century learners, such outdated syllabus has been designed and being taught to the children. The technology which is old has been taught to students of engineering. And when they are asked in an interview about new ideas, tools, our students are not able to explain it or answer it. That's why they don't get employment. New knowledge, new information should be given right from the childhood education. This was focused by Satish Wable a villager and good speaker who influenced us a lot. He has donated a lot to raise this school. He has always been with the teachers and work as a narrator and narrates the successful journey of this Atal Bihari Vajpayee international school!

Mr Dattatray Ware sir is a very humble, devotional and highly dedicated teacher who has great professional devotion and love for students. He wants to make his school the world's best school! He never worries about the challenges, issues or problems! He accepts them and  solves them. For him "Questions have always answers!"

 This visit must have created great impact over teachers and authorities. It has certainly changed our attitude towards education system and students! 

  As a token of love Mr Prateek Rajurkar (a teacher educator, LFE- Leadership For Equity) gave a bunch of books to Ware sir by the hands of RAA, Nashik team. 

 After having lunch at Satish Wable's farm, we set out for Nashik. Great journey with like minded people to achieve high aims to improve qualitative changes among teachers, learners and in schools!!

Thanks for organising such visits!!

Regards

Ashok Chavan

(State academic resource person, DIECPD Nashik)

 (Hon'ble Dr Vaishali Veer ma'am giving best wishes to team traveling to Wablewadi early in the morning at Zilla Parishad Nashik)

(A healthy and warm atmosphere in the bus during the journey to Wablewadi school)

(Teachers liked to have snap with Ware sir!)

(Visitors were mesmerised by the motivational speech by Satish Wable)

(A chappal stand where children have put their chappals properly! Please don't ask about our shoes and sandals. We've placed them randomly!!)

(Time to take  nap for baalwadi kids)

(Creativity by the students of Wablewadi)

(Some nice snapshots!)

Thanks for reading! Do visit this school to broaden your mind, brain and heart!!