Sunday 30 December 2018

One Foggy December Morning at the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Gurgaon


Copyright Rodrick Rajive Lal (2018)
Asian Antelope (Female)

Brrr, it is very cold, the fog shrouds the entire National Park in mystery! All of a sudden, creatures emerge on the path ahead of you and you wonder what the heck, was it worth it visiting the National Park in such foggy conditions! But then, I guess you would agree it was worth it after looking at the rather ethereal and surreal images I was able to capture on one foggy Saturday dawn at the Sultanpur National Park. We all look for pin sharp images, (me included) but then taking photographs that look like paintings seems to be an opportunity not to be missed.

Copyright-2018 Rodrick Rajive Lal
Asian Antelope (Male)
Copyright Rodrick Rajive Lal-2018
A Heron takes to the air

Copyright Rodrick Rajive Lal-2018
Egrets Warming up in the early morning sun
The early morning fog and the winter sun rising slowly into the sky gives everything an almost dreamlike quality. It seems as if you are stepping into a fairy-tale world, something that one might not even have dreamt about in this mechanical world. It has become very important today, to be able to connect with nature in all its forms. My Saturday visits to these wetlands give me enough food for thought in any case, a much-needed break from a hectic work culture.

A mixed lot of birds, an egret, cormorants and a duck

It is scenes such as these that get your creative juices flowing. I just hope that the Government and other organisations and the common man realise how important these oases of nature are for all of us. The Basai Wetland, much closer to Gurgaon is another Lost Paradise.

A Painted Stork waiting for the sun

As the world becomes more and more predictable and patterned, it is pleasant surprises such as these that give you zeal and zest for life and all the challenges it can throw at you. The early morning in the best time to see the birds and antelopes in their most peaceful forms, not startled, cackling creatures leaping to the skies in alarm!


Yes, there is gracefulness in birds and animals when they are at peace in their surroundings. National Parks and Sanctuaries need to be treated with great respect. These Sanctuaries should not be places for boisterous people out for a good time, people who are as loud as they can be, carrying with them the mad cacophony of the cities from where they come!

Asian Antelopes peering through the mist








Saturday 29 December 2018

Ferruginous Duck, Spoonbill and Northern Shoveler Ducks spotted at the Sultanpur National Park

Ferruginous Duck

Ferruginous Duck


Saturdays seem to be a good day to visit the Sultanpur National Park a few kilometres from Gurgaon. The best time to gain entry into the park is, of course, is early in the morning, at about 7:00 a.m. The migratory birds have started arriving in large numbers and I could find a few new species in a span of a week! This time I was able to spot a Ferruginous Duck, a Spoonbill, a Red-Breasted Flycatcher besides the regular Spotbill Ducks and Common Teal!

Spoonbill

Large birds apart, it is the smaller, native species, however, that seems to draw your attention, like for example this Munnia that had grass seeds sticking to its bill, or perhaps the Robin that seemed to like posing for the camera!

Munnia

Red-Breasted Flycatcher

Ferruginous Duck, well that seems to be a rather strange name. The rather red head contrasts strongly with the rather bright eyes!

Ferruginous Duck

Northern Shovelers, Pintails, Spotbills are regular visitors of the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. One might also spot the Shikra or the Indian Falcon besides the Asian Antelopes that are residents of the National Park.

Shoveler Duck


Shikra (Falcon)

Spot-Bill Ducks







Tuesday 25 December 2018

An Autumn Song-A Poem



A honey bee buzzes across a sea of marigold flowers
Settling on some, to fill money bags full of golden nectar,
Even as it comes across butterflies, and moths that share
The bounty of the golden season, stocking up for days
Cold coming up ahead. 
The scents do overwhelm one and all in an
Intoxication that overwhelms the whole world
A satiation that brings with it a welcome cloud
Of drowsiness and golden dreams that cold days can
Help tide cold days ahead.
The day fills with buzzing sounds of zesty bees,
Colourful butterflies flit around, moths and flies sing,
Choruses that cricket's scary song to silence does bring.
The Nights do fill with a soothing balm of sweet, dreams
The coming cold to keep at bay!
The autumn day is warm and pleasant, warm tones
Of gold and orange fight for a claim, the yellow honey bees
Fly around busily with their money bags filled with honey,
The marigold and the sunflower await their guests,
Even as cold starts to lick the day!
A sudden blast of ice shocks the day, moths and bees
Pause awhile, marigold and rose  nod their heads, in 
A frenzy the hornet arrives driving all insects into action, 
To collect nectar and food before the winter their goal!
The approaching cold awaits its turn.




Urban Kingfisher-A Poem



She perches on a power line looking into the distance. All
She sees are concrete structures and scurrying men-ants.
Of the pond that she once fished in, nothing remains. In its
Place rises a shopping mall thronged by aimless men and
Women who don't know what to do with their money.Alas!
Scraps of bread and rotting meat they've thrown in the bins
Have replaced the fish she and her kind once had caught.

Of her friends and family, a few remain. They were once a
Band of spirited Kingfishers, who'd race one another to see
How many fish each could scoop out of the water. Alas! They
  Are reduced to scavenging from trash-cans, all them, a proud
Army of kingfishers reduced into a group of stragglers lingering
On in life, hunger writ large in bulging eyes, on a lookout for a
A rat, a change, from the rancid scraps they find in trash-cans.

A once proud army of hunters is now a band of scavengers,
The bright colours of their feathers dulled by the grey smoke
That covers the town of concrete blocks. Cheated of their homes,
Beaten but not defeated, these kingfishers eke out an existence 
That would put to shame those greedy men that robbed them of
Their Home but then, they don't have hearts, for they only count
Cash in hand they don't even see the Kingfisher on the line!

And thus is born the Urban Kingfisher, a hardy breed of birds
That've made towns and cities their homes. They live lives they
Never meant to live, nest in empty buildings, the bright flash of
Their wings a pleasant surprise in a dusty smoked out landscape 
Of greys and blacks (the reigning shadows). She gazes out into
The distance and dreams of a pond she once fished in and her
Friends raced to grab a lusty fish in her beak as a trophy for all.

Sunday 23 December 2018

Black Necked Storks spotted in December 2018 at The Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

Storks and An Antelope Calf

Just yesterday when I decided to visit the Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon, I was initially in for a disappointment as there was a thick fog all along the road to the National Park from the outskirts of Gurgaon. Nevertheless, I decided to hang around at the National Park even though the visibility was less than a few meters. What was even more frustrating was that the birds were so restless that they simply fled away even before I reached them. I guess they were very tense because of the fog and were easily alarmed by the sound of footsteps, or even the ethereal shadow I must have been casting in the fog. To make matters worse, the trees were literally dripping and everywhere I went I was drenched with dew-drops. While walking on the pathway, I was accosted by herds of Asian Antelope, Peacocks and the ubiquitous Bulls (Bachelors I guess) that have made the National Park their pads, but then I guess they were more scared of me than I was of them!

Knob-Billed Ducks

I hit pay-dirt however when at about 8:00 a.m. the fog started to lift. I was able to spot Little Egrets, Knob-billed Ducks, Nothern Shoveller Ducks, Black Storks, A Falcon, and of course, Swamphens that were busy feeding on fish and Common Coot. The Park guards have told me frequently that the best time to spot the birds is early in the morning. You need to enter the National Park at 7:00 a.m. if you really want to spot the birds before they fly away. One of my most interesting shots is that of an Asian Antelope Calf and a few Black-Necked Storks in flight (well that is figurative as Antelopes cannot fly). I have pasted the snap at the beginning of the Blog-post.

A Falcon

It was most heartening to see that the authorities have finally to do something to improve the conditions in the National Park. I could see that the electric golf-carts were up and running. The Golf-carts were ferrying excited visitors around the park and there were guides who were identifying the birds. Moreover, I could see that channels had been dug and they were carrying water into the main park area to keep the central pond filled with water. In addition to this, there was a lot of work taking place to level the area beyond the centre, JCBs and tractors were being put to good use to beat out a proper path for visitors to walk on. But then, back to the birds, well I was able to spot a Black Necked Stork at close range. I, however, wonder why it is called a Black Stork because when I looked closely at it, it seemed to be anything but black!

Black-Necked Stork

What fascinated me the most, however, was to see Swamphen and Egrets catching fish. Some of the Swamphen that had caught fish were being chased by others. Waterbirds clearly like to have a hearty breakfast of fish and crustaceans early in the morning! I tried to take a few snaps of the birds catching fish, they are not pin-sharp though, well that's because of the fog and poor light!

Egret

Common Coot

The Cormorants seemed to be feeling the chill and they were trying to absorb the heat into their wings from the rising sun. The capers of the Little Ibis and the Storks, and the Little Egrets would win the heart of any visitor to the Sultanpur National Park. What is important however to be able to visit the Park when it is peaceful and not as noisy as when people visit the park just to have a fun time. That is when people call out to the Egrets and call them Swans! I was astounded to hear one visitor to the park call an Egret a Swan! He was gently corrected by the driver of the Golf-Cart. The National Park, fortunately, has a lot of posters that identify the birds that frequent the National Park and also give some basic information about them. I would nevertheless, like to see the National Park providing a bookshop that sells books that help identify the birds.


Cormorant

Little Egret

A Black Ibis (landing)

But then, I should not omit to mention the Gentlemen that live in the Sultanpur National Park. They are known as the Asian Antelopes. Don't be scared of them as, unless provoked, they will leave the path for you like the true gentlemen they are! The Asian Antelopes live with great harmony with the other creatures that make the National Park their homes. The Sultanpur is a microcosm, a world within a world, a place where one can connect to nature. The only problem is when the street dogs arrive at the Park and create a ruckus that disrupts the tranquillity of the place!

Asian Antelope (male)


Leadership patterns are established and the Shoveller Ducks move around, constantly following their leader. The Sarus Cranes that often visit the National Park are exemplars of faith and honesty in matrimony. 
Northern Shoveller

White Egret
Pond Egret (alighting)















Tuesday 18 December 2018

Why do schools in India need a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) ?

A large number of schools in the country follow the same board. They teach the same subjects, but then their pedagogy differs. Mainstream and traditional schools favour the written essay for assessment and encourage rote memorisation as a means for preparing for exams. The so-called progressive schools that claim to be more experiential in nature, but are really not might experiment with more options! A few schools use the chalk and blackboard, others have shifted to chalk and green-board. Some schools use technology in class, they call such classes, "smart classes" while others have given their teachers and students WiFi connections. The range is vast and one wonders how varied the teaching-learning process in schools can be allowed to be.
Fortunately enough, the lack of textbooks and even the dearth of qualified teachers can be mitigated through the use of technology. E-books, learning modules and other study material are available online and since almost all the students own a smartphone, these are easily accessed. However, to make better use of existing resources, we need to have a Universal Design for Learning just like we have a universal curriculum for students of each grade level. The  'UDL approach to teaching is aimed at meeting the needs of every student in class' and hopefully it would help 'minimize barriers' and maximize learning.
But then, what is UDL? Well, UDL purports to present 'multiple means of representation' to maximize impact. It answers the 'What' of learning, the 'How' of learning and it provides 'multiple means of engagement'. The effectiveness of UDL platforms,, however, depends to a great deal, not only on the infrastructure (and in some cases the availability of electricity and internet connectivity) but also on the kind of training that the educators have been provided with. To be drivers of UDL Platforms, we need educators who are comfortable with the use of technology, educators who are comfortable with multiple assessment types, and those who are aware of the differential learning needs of students. We have indeed moved from general objectives to specific objectives, and from specific objectives to learning targets. The transition from a teacher-oriented objective to a student-oriented objective is evident in the transition from the general objective to the learning target which begins with, "I can analyze/summarize/critique". This shift in focus from teacher-centric to student-centric pedagogy is a promising sign for the introduction of UDL based pedagogy in schools across India.
The success of UDL based learning platforms assumes that the teachers and learners are not just aware of research-based learning but are also adept in it. Collaborative learning, inquiry-based learning and expeditions are important elements of UDL based learning. UDL based learning platforms are based on the assumption that the student knows 'what' he is 'working to achieve'-thus the 'I can...' learning targets. To know more about the 'how' of learning, the student can be provided with multiple mediums for assessment of learning other than the written essay. Models, presentations and other physical models can also be a means for celebrating learning. UDL based platforms thus need to provide for multiple means of engagement with the rest of the learning community.
Universal Design for Learning platforms need to cater for multiple modes of assessment besides essay type exams. As such formative assessments need to be planned for as assessments for learning, assessments that take place even as the lesson takes place. Assessments of learning or summative assessments take place at the end of a session. These need to be designed in tandem with the formative assessments.



For more on UDL, copy-paste the link below on to your browser:

https://content.yudu.com/web/69r/0Aiy7k/ETOct2018/html/index.html?page=26&origin=reader

Sunday 16 December 2018

Celebrating the year end with a Winter Carnival



The theme for this year's Winter Carnival was Comic On and as always the event marked the showcasing of students' talent. The Carnival, which is student lead, an initiative to empower students in terms of planning, executing and overseeing logistics took place on the fifteenth of December. It was indeed an event that we all looked forward to.


The Grand Stage, as you can see was dressed in vibrant colours and it was the backdrop for many of us to pose upon! Kapil, Anand, and of course, Emanuel were happy subjects for the prime lens, myself included!

But then, I was able to get a few more snaps that were action-oriented towards the theme with 'POW' and 'WOW' indicative of how most of us felt on that day!




The excitement was tangible and there was excitement in the air, the weather was pleasant and everyone had a great time!




There were a few candid moments where the shutterbug was able to capture a few 'Aha' moments. You did not know, perhaps that CLICK was around!






It was a joyous first YUJAN for a few, and you would be knowing for whom it was. The child must have been wondering what all that fuss was!



Remember the Lemmings that were led to the cliff's edge by the Pied-Piper of Hamlyn? Well, that was just a joke, but then proof about how well some lessons are taught. And Rohit Sir should be proud about being such a good facilitator!

The Carnival was also an occasion when we got to meet some of our students who passed out from school a few years back. It was a joy to see them!


Wish many more could have come, though I guess, college and work pressure would have made it difficult though. I remember that Stetson cap one of them wore on Khoj. He wouldn't let anyone else wear it. I wonder if it is still there.







I have heard of smoking guns and gargoyles and monsters and serpents but never have I come across a fuming cup and a Hulk with an eye in its mouth. Nor have I ever seen a toddler grab a book. But then this YUJAN, they were all there in all their resplendent splendour!






Veronica must've been rather peeved to see me in that cutout, but then, I guess it was all about being comic characters in a cartoon-strip! Certainly, it was a moment when we all re-lived out childhood memories of reading comics. Great to know that our young ones still read comics!





The Students' Club presented a good show though! Due credit to Sankal Sir for leading the Student Club. This last snap is for him, hope he likes it.


All smiles, Rita Ma'am and Krishna Ma'am, the sunshine ones, sure it was a great day with the sun shining loud and bright!