Comments on visit to Jodogyan resource centre:

I was particularly impressed by some of their activity kits such as numbermaala and numbered dice. I think they have a great potential to solve many
of the problems which we faced in Munirka. Either we can directly buy them
and see the result, or we can ourselves take ideas from there and create
similar aids on our own.
Since many students, even 5th grades, in Munirka have problems in very
basic mathematics such as counting, addition, subtraction and multiplication,
it is necessary to make activities that motivate them to learn these. Right
now, they find these things too dry.
Like most students in our country(probably even us), our target students
have a habit of trying to remember the algorithm for operations such as
taking carry-over, long multiplication, long-division, etc. while they do not
know what such operations do. They dont know why the particular
technique that they have been taught gives them the product/quotient.
I think that the teaching aids shown today in Jodogyan effectively address
such problems. Even when we go to teach, we get lazy, and just try to teach
the algorithm, which is what they are expected to know in schools. So, the
teaching aids, more than making learning fun for children, will make
teaching fun for us. As Mr. Ghanshyam said, it is more important to teach
math so that they can apply it in simple situations, such as going to a shop to
buy something.