Knowing the Unknown!

One Day Orientation Program for School Teachers of TamaharTrust, Bangalore

On

27th July, 2017

Organized byTransDisciplinary University, Bangalore (TDU)

74/2, Jarakbande Kaval, Via Yelahanka,Attur P.O., Bangalore -560 106, Karnataka, India

Phone: 080- 28568006

Knowing the Unknown!

One Day Orientation Program for School Teachers of Association of People with

Disability

Introduction

The Tamahar Trust, Bangalore was found in 2009, to make available to all deserving

children across the Nation the Up-To-Date knowledge and latest technology available

across India and the world. Nearly 100 children with conditions like autism, cerebral

palsy, chromosomal disorders, intellectual impairment and epileptic disorders among

other syndromes and rare diseases, are receiving specialized care and therapy at the

rehabilitation centers run by Tamahar Trust.

Teachers of Tamahar Trust had a day out on 27th July 2017, at the TransDisciplinary

University (TDU) Campus and Bangalore. The focus was to apprise them the basic

tools for effective teaching, use of medicinal plants for primary health care related to

the disable children, gardening and the process of developing pilot enterprises through

medicinal plants. iSambhav has come forward to bear the cost of the training through

its CSR initiatives.

This program is designed in line with their curriculum and will essentially broaden their

understanding about the nature specifically medicinal plants and help them develop an

interest in the urban nature conservation.

Summary:

The program commenced with the welcome address by Ms. Amrita. Research Fellow,

TDU. Dr. M. Abdul Kareem, Associate Professor, TDU in his opening note dwelt on the

overview of the University’s achievements and briefed the participants on the topics

that would be covered under the training. Mr. Niranjan Kathri, CEO, iSambhav,

commented on the uniqueness of the program.

Session Details:

Section 1: Ten Effective tools for teaching biodiversity

Dr. Harish Bhat, Scientist, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore presented various

facets of biodiversity. He talked about the ten effective tools for teaching the students,

effective way of handling students with minimum efforts, the method to solve their

learning problems, the ways to understand science by conducting various activities. He

also suggested teachers to conduct few simple activities for students like measuring

the amount of oxygen released by a tree per day, ask students to watch touch me not

plant and its closing and opening mechanism etc.

Section 2: Exploring ethno-medicinal garden

In this session, students were taken to the ethno-medicinal garden in

the TDU campus, which harbors more than a thousand medicinal

plants including rare and endangered species. There are 13 thematic

gardens depicting the diversity of medicinal plants with mist

chambers, unit for propagation and also facilitates a large

vermicomposting pit for organic farming. Ms. Revathi, Office Assistant, Ms.

Soumyashree, Research Fellow, TDU explained the teachers about the propagation and

nursery techniques of some of the medicinal plants which are essential for primary

health care. She highlighted that each species has a unique nursery and propagation

technique. She also taught how to identify plants by touch, sense of smell. She also

showed participants the vermicomposting pit and demonstrated the preparation of

compost by using recycle items. Ms. Amrita, Research Fellow, TDU showed

participants vermicomposting pit and demonstrated the preparation of compost by

using recycle items.

Section 3: Usage of commonly available plants:

Dr. Subramanya Kumar, Assistant Professor, TDU in his

session focused on usage of commonly available plant

drugs for wellness and primary healthcare (“Prathamika

Arogyakkagi Aushadhi Sasyagala Balake”). He explained the

participants on the possible usage of medicinal plants for maintenance of health and to

treat primary health problems using commonly available medicinal plants. He also

presented medicinal uses of some plant drugs like Tinospora cordifolia, Emblica

officinalis, Vitis vinifera, Ricinus communis etc. in various primary health conditions.

Section 4: Livelihood generation with natural resources

Mr. Jaganantha Rao, Associate Professor, TDU explained the

participants about the availability of natural resources;

potential of natural resource to generate income and

employment; he presented a case study of community

collect, trade and prepare powders, oils and sell by using

commonly available plants.

Section 5: Valedictory

Dr. Manjunath, BAMS, MD – Ayurveda, I-AIM presented the

case studies of the children treated at IAIM Health Care

Center and distributed certificates to the participants.

Feedback

In an oral feedback, participants conveyed that all the sessions more educative. They

highlighted the following

∙ They learnt the steps for implementing the effective tools for teaching students.

∙ The method to identify plants by touch and smell was interesting to them. They

are planning to use this method to teach their students.

∙ Some of the preparations for primary health care related to disable children

were very useful to them.

∙ Many of the plants used in income generation programs are available with them

in their garden. They were not aware that this could fetch them income. Hence

they were surprise to know that the power and oil of these plants could provide

them income.

Follow up:

∙ They are planning to make more visits with other batch of teachers

∙ Demonstrate the preparation for primary health care to the children

∙ Develop their garden with more species used for disable children.

∙ Insert the 10 effective tools in the teaching manual.

∙ Explore the possibility of preparing the powders and churns for income

generation programs.

List of Faculty

1. Dr. M. Abdul Kareem, Associate Professor and Course co-ordinator, TDU

2. Dr. Harish Bhatt, Scientist, CES, IISC

3. Dr. Subramanya Kumar, Assistant Professor, TDU

4. Dr. Manjunath, Child Specialist, IAIM – Health Care Center

5. Mr. Jagannatha Rao, Associate Professor, TDU

6. Ms. Soumya, Research Fellow,TDU

7. Ms. Revathi, TDU

8. Ms. Anu V., Senior Research Fellow, TDU

9. Ms. Amrita G., Research Fellow, TDU

List of Participants

SI. No. Name of the Participants

1. Bhagya Lakshmi

2. Usha Srivatsa

3. SriDevi

4. Susheela

5. Mamatha

6. Gowramma

7. Latha

8. Uma

9. Shobhana

10. Lakshmi

11. Pushpa

12. Indira Bai

13. Tulasi

14. Suvarna

15. Geetha

16. Jayalakshmi

17. Preetha

18. Shreya

19. Neha G. Kulkarni

20. Harsha

21. Komal Devi