Ms Deep Ranjini Rai from Vibha USA visited the Learning centers run by Vidyarambam in Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts on September 22nd and 23rd, 2011.

First day afternoon she visited the Govt. Primary school at Kandamangalam in Semmanarkoil Block.

The children from that school enrolled into Vidyarambam Learning Centers (KIDS / SCJ / SCS) were seen by Ms. Deep Ranjini Rai. The library operations were also explained by the librarian. She interacted with the children and the tutors. She examined all the items of the Teaching Learning Material Kit and appreciated looking at some of the innovative games and puzzles used by the children. The Head Master of the School was all along with the visiting team and was explaining to Ms. Deep Ranjini Rai how useful the Vidyarambam project was for his school.

Then, in the late evening Ms Deep Ranjini Rai was taken to another village namely Thiruvalankadu in Kuttalam District. There also she visited all the 3 centers and the Library. In this village all the Centers are held in the tutors’ residences. She asked the tutors to demonstrate their method of teaching and expressed her satisfaction. In Thiruvalankadu she also participated in the Village Development Group (VDG) meeting and interacted with the Parents. She asked them how useful they found the coaching of Vidyarambam and the parents replied that they were all very happy. The parents put forth a request to Ms Deep to also introduce Vidyarambam Coaching classes for students of VI, VII and VIII STD of their village.

She started the second day visiting the Vidyarambam Branch Office in Sirkali. There she checked the files maintained for the records of the children, their evaluation papers etc. She also had a thorough look at each and every item of the TLM Kits and got explained about the purpose and function of some of the innovative teaching tools. She went around the Stores where TLM stock was stored and asked the coordinators where and how we got them printed. Ms Karthika, Project Manager explained to Ms Deepa all the process of developing the TLM and improving them every year. She has been told about the functioning of Resource Centers at District and Central levels involving tutors to participate in the process of developing the items of the TLM. Vidyarambam get almost all the items printed or manufactured in Sivakasi. They are not available in the market. Ms Deepa asked whether Vidyarambam markets the TLM Kits. Ms Karthika has explained that we do not sell them but if anybody is interested to own, we donate or give them at cost.

Then Ms Deep was taken to the village Agani. There she was shown Easy Learning English class run by Vidyarambam for VIII STD students of Govt High School. She watched Vidyarambam Teachers taking English class for the VIII STD students of the School. The program EASY LEARNING ENGLISH is a 3-month course conducted by Vidyarambam to teach basic grammar of English language. The Head Master of the school explained to Ms. Deep Ranjini Rai how the students of his school were benefitted by the different programs run by Vidyarambam.

At Agani, she had the opportunity of watching the functioning of Mobile Toy Library. She observed how children are divided into groups and given suitable toys. The Toy Trainers were guiding the children how to use them. Ms Deep was able to watch the children operating some of the educational toys and learning while playing with them.

In the afternoon of the second day she was taken to the village Koorthangudi near Kattumannarkoil in Cuddalore district. There she observed the functioning of all the 3 types of Learning Centers run by Vidyarambam. The centers are run in the premises of Panchayat Union Primary School. With the permission from the school, the children of all the 3 centers were allowed to assemble to enable the visiting team to interact with them. Ms Deep Ranjini Rai examined the children with some learning tools which she had not tried in Nagapattinam district. She asked the tutors to take the class and observed.

Children did very well using phonics of letters of English alphabet, sang folk songs with action and told a few funny stories.

The Head Master of the school met Ms Deep Ranjini Rai and thanked her for providing support classes by Vidyarambam which helps the school children improve in their knowledge and skill.

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