A portal for Teachers of India

Teachers in India now have a website to be called their own. This is not school specific but a website for all teachers to collaborate, contribute and learn. Launched in August by the National Knowledge Commission in collaboration with a few non profit organizations, the site offers, for phase one, a section where articles, lessons plans, or any materials could be contributed which gets uploaded to the website accessible for other teachers to use. At present, the website can be read in five languages: Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. In future versions, we are told, there is much more coming up. Here’s a list of what functions the website will perform in the coming day:

    This Portal will offer resources related to:

1. Education Perspectives (Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Economics)

2. Classroom Practice (Principles of Pedagogy, Pedagogy of Language, Science, Mathematics, History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, EVS, Art, Music, Dance, Sports) including manuals, activities, modules, tools, etc.

3. Subject Content (Language, Science, Mathematics, History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, EVS, Art, Music, Dance, Sports)

4. Stories, Songs, Games that teachers can use in class

5. Reading Resources (including links to other websites/portals/on line library

6. Research Information

7. Specific Case Studies

 The following will also be available:

1. Information on organizations/Individuals/Resources (district-wise)

2. Career Information (government recruitment details and opportunities available in organizations and institutions)

3. Teacher education courses – both short term and long term

4. Workshops and Conferences

5. In-service training programs

6. News/information/articles on relevant current events

7. Awards (honors)

8. Calendar of events

I quite appreciate the effort. However, to make this functional and accessible to all teachers, it is necessary to also publicize the effort well, to make teachers aware of the ways in which it can help them. Needless to say, Internet in schools is essential too. But if the launch is planned carefully and implemented successfully, the cooperation and participation from the teachers, and above all their enthusiasm will no doubt sustain this effort effectively.