You know how important it is to create awareness. It could be about one's role, or about one's duties or about just anything for that matter. Parents want their children to be aware, trainers want teachers to be aware, teachers want their students to be aware and it goes on like that.
How do we go about it? Traditionally we have been lecturing on this and on that aspect of awareness. Recently, however, we have been using a variety of tasks for this. And literature is full of them. And it's a good way of going about it. Another way of doing it is to use stories, stories with a moral, stories that would make learners reflect over the issue. Here's an example:
Almost all developing countries receive financial or some other aid from the World Bank for development. My story is from my own country, India, but, I believe, it will work in all contexts.
Once a small group of representatives of the World Bank came to India on an official visit. They wanted to visit some of the villages to see and verify what kind of work was going on. Therefore, a visit was arranged to a small village in one of the states. The group arrived in the village sometime in the afternoon. They found that almost the whole village was sleeping. Nothing was going on. The school was locked. The village clinic was locked. There was just nobody in the fields. There was almost nobody in the streets too. They asked the government officials, accompanying them, if something was wrong somewhere. The officials said there was nothing wrong and they would sort out everything if they are given some time.
The officials knocked on the door of the Village Head and asked for help. The Head assured them that everything would be settled in a short time. He went around and asked his people to wake up from their sleep and get ready to meet the Guests. A meeting was arranged. The Head welcomed the Guests and requested them to talk to his people. With the help of an interpreter, the Guests asked a series of questions. The questions were about education, about health, about cleanliness, about drinking water facilities, about drainage and so on. When the Guests said that they need to take good care of their school, the villagers asked 'Why?' When the Guests said that they need to take care of their health, the villagers asked 'Why?' So it went on like that for quite some time. Finally the Guests said if they did all that, they would lead a happy and contented life. The villagers smiled and said 'Who told you that we are leading an unhappy and discontented life'. They said they were happy and contented with their life and did not need any advice!
Now tell me, how do we create awareness in these people? Do we not meet teachers and students who say almost the same thing? Teachers who say that their methods and techniques are just fine and they don't need to change or students who just ignore what we say. What do we do then? Do we give up?
I would leave it at that. Reflect over this. If you have some bright idea, share it. I will get back to you sometime later with my ideas. And it's a promise!
- Harsh Kadepurkar's blog
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I waited for a while hoping to receive a response or two. May be you are busy or you have found my write-up not relevant to your context. I appreciate that. But as I promised, I think I should write how I would sort out the problem of awareness raising.
First I would try to understand why people react like that when we talk about awareness. May be I should try to look at it from their perspective. When we try to tell something to our children, they too often react the same way. Children feel they should be allowed to have their own way and look at our advice as uninvited interruption. May be the same way people in general, and particularly teachers, feel about it.
We need to look at the whole issue from a positive point of view. For example, I would start with a word of appreciation for the way they are doing things, for example, teachers working in difficult circumstances. I would say I am very much impressed with the way you are doing things, with lack of resources, with lack of motivation, with lack of appreciation. And I would say I would have run away from a situation like this. I would ask them how they manage things, how they find a way out.
I shall share an interesting incident I experienced. Once I was invited to speak on the importance of communiction skills by a government organisation. They did not tell me anything about the audience and I did not ask them about it, thinking that I would be talking to mid-level executives. The whole objective of the programme was human resource development.
I reached the venue and was directly taken to the room where I was to speak. As I entered the room I realised that I had come to a wrong place. The room was packed with people. And who were those people? They were the 'linemen', that is people who have to go up the electricity poles on the streets to settle the problem of electricity failure. Now what I was going to tell them about communication, I asked myself. Talking to them in English was not possible, because they would not understand. What I was going to do?
After the formal introduction, I started. I asked them to forget everything told to them about me and my expertise. I asked them why they thought I had been invited. To my surprise, one of them said ' We are all stupid good for nothing fellows and you have been invited to change us'. For a minute or two I did not know how I should deal with this response. I gathered my courage and said 'No my friends, I have not come with any such intention. In fact I have not come to tell you anything. I have come to listen to you. I want to know everything about you, about you work, about your life.' Now it was their turn to get surprised. Perhaps, no one had shown any interest in their lives, no one had given them an opportunity to speak. But they started all the same. I asked them about the way their officers talk to them. What they like about it and what they don't. And then about the way they talk to their officers and their clients or consumers and so on.
Finally we could come to a point of agreement that they need to change their communication!
Hi Harsh -
I found your story about talking with the electricians/linemen really illuminating. When talking to groups, I try to customise what I say to the audience's interests and needs. But often, I spend too much time beforehand worrying about what these could be without much hope of guessing correctly! Your technique of asking the linemen to tell you directly about their preconceptions and problems is very effective. I'm sure it was a life-changing moment for the linemen too.
More stories, please, Harsh!
Best wishes -
Penny
After the formal introduction, I started. I asked them to forget everything told to them about me and my expertise. I asked them why they thought I had been invited. To my surprise, one of them said ' We are all stupid good for nothing fellows and you have been invited to change us'. For a minute or two I did not know how I should deal with this response. I gathered my courage and said 'No my friends, I have not come with any such intention. In fact I have not come to tell you anything. I have come to listen to you. I want to know everything about you, about you work, about your life.'
Hi Harsh
What a great response in a difficult situation! I think that this is useful advice for any teacher trainer - listen to your audience, find out what their needs are, then work with them to help them.
Daisy
Now tell me, how do we create awareness in these people? Do we not meet teachers and students who say almost the same thing? Teachers who say that their methods and techniques are just fine and they don't need to change or students who just ignore what we say. What do we do then? Do we give up?
You have chosen a challenging question for us to think about. It's impossible to make people change their minds - all you can do is try and create an environment where the conditions are favourable so that they might see things in a new way. This can take time and effort and usually there is no quick fix!
In my experience having an expert come in and tell you that you are doing it wrong doesn't usually get results and isn't awareness raising. This is shown in the reaction you got when you went to talk to the linesmen about Communication.
I think you come up with the first stage in the process of awareness raising - listening to the 'linemen', finding out what problems and difficulties they face.
The next step is to start working with them to find a solution... even if you think you know what it might be - it is better if you help them come up with their own solution as they are more likely to accept it.
Kevan
Dear Mr. Harsh,
I am a new meber on this site. I read a few of your blogs and found them both enlightening and interesting.
Regarding Awareness Raising, I found your comment about addressing the linemen very innovative. It is really important to see things from others' perspective and your proved it. Those linemen must be very fortunate to have an honour to listen to you. Now as a member I too can be in touch with you and improve myself further. I teach English to senior secondary students of Rajasthan board of secondary education.
However, reading your blog I recalled these lines which my father often quotes:
There are four kinds of people:
1. He who knows not, and knows not he knows not. He is a fool shun, him.
2. He who knows not, and knows he knows not. He is a child, help him.
3. He who knows, and knows not he knows. He is asleep, awake him.
4. He who knows, and knows he knows. He is wise, follow him.
Rahul Sharma
Dear Harsh,
Although I am not a recently-arrived member of TE, just today I had the fortunate idea of reading your blogs. How interesting and relevant your stories are! They encompass very important threads to guide us through the teaching/learning process.
This story also reminded me of how crucial it is to address learners as you did with the "linemen". As teachers, we all have to take into account that our students'views, opinions, needs, likes/dislikes, interests, deserve our attention firstly. We should listen to them in a responsible way.We should always give them "an opportunity to speak". Once they realise they're important for the development of their learning process and they are confident about telling us what they need, what problems they face, then both parts (learner & teacher) progress. Of course, these are crucial steps to "awareness raising".
From now on, I'll be keeping attentive to your brilliant stories! Thank you very much indeed.
Maria
* Excuse me, dear Harsh, I would appreciate some of your wise comments on "Global English" at my modest weblog. Many thanks!
Dear Maria
I am sorry I did not respond to you sooner. Thank you very much for your words of appreciation.
I shall visit your site and shall write to you soon.
Harsh
Dear Harsh,
I like your stories too. I will think about them. You are a very wise person.