LIBRARY XPRESS Issue 6

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FREEDOM TO LEARN

HAPPY READING BY VAISHALI DAWAR

LIBRARIAN

August,2015 Issue No.6

The Freedom to Learn Project – The Freedom

to Learn Project is an ambitious international

research project which seeks to explore whether

schools and universities which explicitly use

more democratic, egalitarian and socially just

models have a discernible impact on reducing

inequalities and on developing positive social

outcomes for students. Through carrying out

extensive research in schools and universities in

a range of countries, we aim to find out whether

these alternative ways of working offer insights

which might help other educational organisations

to improve practices. A small study has already

taken place in Denmark in order to try out

methods for data collection and analysis. Future

plans include extending the research in Denmark

as well as building networks and undertaking

new research in Mexico, India and the UK.

The Freedom to Learn Project wants to find out

what happens when schools and universities,

across a range of countries, make a decision to

operate differently from the norm. Do radical and

alternative ways of working have a positive

impact on students? Do they reduce social and

educational inequality? Do they offer an insight

into how to improve education for all? The

Freedom to Learn Project is an all-encompassing

name which incorporates several separate but

interlinked projects. They are all concerned with

FREEDOM, AUTONOMY and SOCIAL

JUSTICE.

Freedom to Learn (FTL) is a statewide education

program in Michigan helping schools create high

performing, student-centered learning

environments by providing each student and

teacher with direct, consistent access to 21st

century learning tools. The program was started

in 2002 when the Michigan Legislature and

governor dedicated state and federal (Title II, D)

funds to a Demonstration Phase. Seeing the

positive early results, the state expanded the

program in 2004. Michigan has allocated over

$30 million in federal and state funds to include

over 23,000 students in 100 school districts and

191 buildings - primarily middle schools.

Freedom to learn is also "the freedom of the

learning generation." There was a great thinker,

Leo Tolstoy, who wrote:

“Don't be afraid ! There will be Latin and

rhetoric, and they will exist in another hundred

years, simply because the medicine is bought, so

we must drink it (as a patient said). I doubt

whether the thoughts which I have expressed

perhaps indistinctly, awkwardly, inconclusively,

will become generally accepted in another

hundred years; it is not likely that within a

hundred years all those ready-made institutions-

schools, gymnasia, and universities -- will die,

and that within that time there will grow freely

formed institutions, having for their basis the

freedom of the learning generation.”

- "Education and Instruction," Leo Tolstoy,

1860.

Peter Gray is a developmental psychologist who

studies the growth of human beings over the

course of their lifetimes. His recent book, Free to

Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will

Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant,

and Better Students for Life, shakes up

conventional thinking about how to best educate

young people. In his book ‘Free to Learn: Why

Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our

Children Happier’, Peter Gray writes –

We were so independent, we were given so much

freedom. But now it’s impossible to imagine

giving that to a child today. It is one of the great

loses as a society. It is not just a loss, it is tragic

and cruel loss. Children are designed, by nature,

to play and explore on their own, independently

of adults. They need freedom in order to

develop; without it they suffer. The drive to play

freely is basic, biological drive. Lack of free play

may not kill the physical body, but it kills the

spirit and stunts mental growth. Free play is the

means by which children learn to make friends,

overcome their fears, solve their own problems,

and generally take control of their own lives. It is

also the primary means by which children

practice and acquire the physical and intellectual

skills, which are essential for success in the

culture in which they are growing. Noting that

we do, no amount of toys we buy or “quality

time” or “special raining” we give our children,

can compensate for the freedom we take away.

The things that children learn with their own

initiatives, in free play, cannot be taught in other

ways.

LIBRARY XPRESS | Issue 6 2

the articles on any particular subject whenever required by faculties and students.

From June 2015 the library has started a Journal content page service. When library receives any journal and magazine issues, the content page of the journal and magazine is been photocopied. The photocopies of the content pages are files in two files – one file is kept in Staff Room and one in Library. Both these files are been maintained weekly.

We also prepare index of the articles published in the journals subscribed by the library. This is useful to search

JOURNAL CONTENT PAGE SERVICE

Books Exhibition conducted in library on “Portfolio Management”on 13 & 14 July,2015

HAPPY TIME IN LIBRARY

LIBRARY XPRESS | Issue 6 3

NEW

ARRIVALS

LIBRARY NEWSLINE

BOOK REVIEW

OF LOVE, NATURE AND DEVOTION

Author- Kalpana Bardhan

Selected songs of Rabindranath tagore translated and introduced by Kalpana Bardhan . Acclaimed as one of the best English translations of Tagore’s work, This book by Kalpana Bardhan has tried to translate the songs in a manner which gives the approximate meaning, and retains the original structure and to an extent, rhyme of the song. The book has a chosen 300 songs from more than 2000 of Tagore’s songs. They are presented in the categories as set out by Tagore himself, in a chronological manner. The translations, at times, differ from the ones written by Tagore himself. I must say that the ones by Kalpana Bardhan feel more lucid, while I’m told the translations by Tagore are the more literally correct ones. The song poems are beautiful; one can’t fall short of praise. The preface and prose extracts in the book are wonderfully written and aid in the understanding of the song-poems and the man behind them.

Review From Siddharth Gupta

T.Y.Bcom E-72

LIBRARY XPRESS | Issue 6 4

Finding Happiness

Once a group of 50 people was attending a seminar.

Suddenly the speaker stopped and started giving each person a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.

Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written, within 5 minutes.

Everyone was frantically searching for their name, pushing, colliding with each other, and there was utter chaos.

At the end of 5 minutes, no one could find their own balloon.

Now each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.

The speaker began: This is exactly happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is. Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness, you will get your own happiness.

And this is the purpose of human life.

THOUGHT OF WISDOM INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HARRY PORTER

1. Alan Rickman knew the fate of his Character

Alan Rickman played the role of Professor Snape in “Harry Porter and the Deadly Hallows”. Alan Rickman got to know about the fate of his character as Professor Snape before this movie was released because J.K Rowling told him.

2. Why Harry Porter writer, J.K. Rowling used initials as opposed to her actual Name

Harry Porter writer, Joanne Rowling opted to use initials instead of her actual name because her publisher advisor her to use initials so as to appeal to the male reading audience. Joanne opted to use J.K the ‘K’ initial stood for Kathleen, her grandmother’s name. Neither the initial ‘K’ nor the name ‘Kathleen’ is part of Joanne Rowling’s legally registered name.

3. Ron Weasley’s Original Character was Tweaked

In the original script, the character played by Ron Weasley swore a lot. However, Rowling’s publisher advised against the use of that kind of language arguing that it would be inappropriate for the targeted young readers.

4. Moaning Myrtle Character

The actress who played as Moaning Myrtle in ‘Harry Porter and the Chamber of Secrets’ was aged 37 years at the time this movie was filmed. She became the oldest actress who ever played as a Hogwarts student.

5. The name ‘Hogwarts’ was inspired by a Plant

According to Rowling, her inspiration to name Harry’s school ‘Hogwarts’ was unconsciously derived from the name of a plant that she had seen in New York City’s Kew Gardens. Apparently, Harry and Rowling also share a birth date – 31st July.

LIBRARY XPRESS | Issue 6 5

The Rampur Raza Library is a treasure house of Indo Islamic learning and arts which was setup by the erstwhile Rampur State which was founded by Nawab Faizullah Khan in 1774, who ruled the State up to 1794 and formed the nucleus of the library through his inherited collection of valuable manuscripts, historical documents, Mughal miniature paintings, books and other works of art kept in the Nawabs Toshakhana. He also substantially added to the collection by his acquisition. he library has a collection of nearly 17,000 manuscripts, 60,000 printed books nearly 5,000 miniature paintings, 3000 rare specimen of Islamic calligraphy, Nawabi antiquities besides centuries old astronomical instruments and nearly 1500 rare gold, silver and copper coins datable from 5th century B.C to 19th century A.D and the library is also very rich in Mughal and old rare antiquities. It also has a collection of Palm leaf manuscripts in Tamil, Telagu, Kannar and Malayalam languages. The main purpose of the library is to extend all facilities to the scholars in their endeavour for researches and to ensure preservation and protection of invaluable collection of manuscripts, paintings and rare books besides publishing text of Arabic, Persian, Urdu and Hindi manuscripts and Catalogues, journals etc. The library has undertaken a project of publication of books on history, art and culture of medieval India.

The library also organizes workshops, seminars and holds special lectures for promotion of learning and creating awareness among the young scholars. An important project approved by the board with the concurrence of Government of India for establishing a museum of antiquities, art objects, specimens of calligraphy, paintings and scientific instruments etc, has extended the scope and the responsibilities of the Rampur Raza Library. In particular, the growing interest in the protection of museum collections. The plan to establish museum in the Darbar Hall of Hamid Manzil, provides an insight into the cultural heritage of Rampur State in general and Rohilkhand in particular which has no museum of its own so far. The Director of the library Prof S.M. Azizuddin Husain is promoting international standards of total care for Raza library's vast collection. Conservation science has advanced to a degree where measures can be instituted and hardware designed to resist and prevent the effects of deterioration.

LIBRARY XPRESS | Issue 6 6

TRIBUTE

Dr. A.P.J. Kalam

Abdul Kalam will remain one of the finest human beings to have ever lived. He lived an illustrious and successful life, and his legacy will continue to inspire people around the world in the coming years. Below is a list that tries to do justice to his numerous achievements: • After graduating from Madras Institute of Technology in 1960, Mr Kalam joined the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). He designed helicopters for the Indian Army, but he always said he didn’t feel at home at the DRDO. • In 1969 he got the Government’s approval to expand the programme by including more engineers and scientists. • SLV-III successfully launched satellite Rohini to orbit on July 1980. From then, Mr Kalam expanded India’s space programme. • In the 1980s he led India’s missile programme. Under his leadership, India became a major military power after the successes of Agni and Prithvi. • He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. • In 1998, along with cardiologist Dr.Soma Raju, Kalam developed a low cost Coronary stent. It was

named as “Kalam-Raju Stent” honouring them. In 2012, the duo designed a rugged tablet PC for health care in rural areas, which was named as “Kalam-Raju Tablet”. • In 1998, the Pokhran-II tests cemented India’s nuclear prowess. Mr Kalam played the pivotal role in the project. He firmly told the international community that such arms were only to deter other nations from trying to subjugate India, and were only to be used as “weapons of peace”. • In a rare show of unity, all political parties unanimously voted for Mr Kalam in 2002 as the 11th President of India. • After the completion of his term as President, Mr Kalam became a visiting professor, wrote extensively and launched many initiatives for youth development. “Wings of Fire” and “India 2020” are modern classics, and have motivated millions of Indians.

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