District Institutes of Education and Training - Teacher Education

District Institutes of Education and Training: A Comparative Study in Three Indian States
S1 Explanation
S2 Question answer
S4 The first thing is the book, which is used everywhere and the second thing
is question answers.
N These two things…..
S5 No, we would use examples too, when we go to school, we have had the
example method explained …
S6 Madam I tell you, here micro teaching is going on…. here we have to do
all these things under pressure. That’s why we do all these things, this is the
skill so let’s take this thing or this is the skill, let’s take that one…. otherwise
when we go for lessons nothing will remain except explanation
(RAJ/MAS/1st yr sts 27.7.00).
This sense that they will be like their own teachers is strengthened by their
assumption that when they go to work in a school, they will be forced to work as
others work:
In schools, the old teachers and atmosphere of the old system remain. If one
STC trained person goes there he would not be able to change anything. It is
only possible if all the old teachers are transferred and only fresh STC trained
teachers are appointed in a school. With the old teachers, suppose I go and try
to change and teach in this manner they will oppose me and I will not be able
to change anything (RAJ/UDR 1st yr.st).
4.2.4 Teaching practice
Teaching practice has similar components in all three States. Before any teaching
practice takes place, lecturers demonstrate a lesson in each subject, to illustrate the
whole process and the steps of a lesson plan, which they develop on the blackboard
in front of the students. This lesson plan includes lesson objectives and expected
behavioural change, introduction, statement of the objective of the lesson, the
teaching process which includes teacher’s response as well as the expected students’
response, use of TLA, evaluatory questions and homework. A student is supposed
to adhere to all the steps of the lesson plan and is not encouraged to diversify or
innovate, which underlines the lack of practical usefulness of the training:
We do 40 lesson plans. This kind of lesson plan cannot solve the purpose. We
are given competencies by our lecturer. When we are in class, we know that
children do not have the previous competencies. We cannot do anything even
if we know the correct situation. We have to teach according to the lesson plan
(MP/I 2nd yr st 26.12.99).
Each student has to give lessons, and observe and critique lessons given by other
students. In this system, the focus of teaching practice is delivering a carefully
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