Last Stops in Chennai

Our last couple of days in this coastal city included several destinations. We went to a school of dance and music and were allowed to look through the open windows at the college-age students in their classes. We also went to a textile area where they had 7 or 8 HUGE looms set up with people working, their feet pushing the wooden foot pedals and their hands keeping the threads lined up to create beautiful designs. They also had women there doing in the wooden block printing on fabric. These things are so labor-intensive, it's amazing, then, that the textiles can be purchased so inexpensively by our standards.

Next, we visited a primary government (public) school where they are trying a new program that was piloted in 2003. It is a very activity-based curriculum that ties directly to a set of state/national standards. Children are in multi-age groups and work from teacher assisted to peer assisted to independently in various groups. It is very standards-based and each child has a chart posted to show his/her progress in mastering their "competencies." It reminded me greatly of what you night see in our elementary classrooms. The kids were quite engaged and surprisingly, distracted very little by our presence and cameras. (pics 1, 2 & 3)

Our last day of activities included visiting a beautiful Hindu temple (pic 4) and St. Thomas Basilica (pic 5). It is believed that Jesus's apostle, Thomas, arrived in Kerala 52 AD and was martyred here in Chennai in 72 AD. He was originally buried at the site of this church, but later his remains were taken to Italy. However, a relic, a finger bone from his left hand, is still at the church in St. Thomas Chapel (pic 6 - bone is in center of circle). He is credited with first bringing Christianity to this subcontinent.

We made a stop at the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation where reps told us what their departments were trying to accomplish in the biotechnology and microbiology fields. Most of what they said went sailing over my head, but I did pick up that they were trying to take the desirable genes from several plants and create a rice plant that can tolerate drought, uneven rainfall and salt. They also have a Science for Every Child program, as well as a Touch and Smell garden for the seeing impaired. In the picture, there is a braille description for each plant (pic 7) as well as textured sidewalks to indicate direction through the garden(pic 8).

Our Chennai experience ended with 4 of us attending an annual school production at a local civic center. Actually, it was an extravaganza. Three of the India Fulbright teachers with whom we had interviews our first night here teach at this school and had invited us to see their children perform. We watched a 3 hour performance of music, theater, dance and beautiful costuming put on by this private K-12 school (pic 9) I'm talking colored lights, big screens on either side of the stage, fog machines - the works. I think "Bollywood" has definitely influenced their school productions! 'Up tomorrow at 4:30 A.M. for our flight to Kolkata - heading north!