Gurudaksina Foundation Trust

GURUDAKSHINA FOUNDATION TRUST^®

Teacher Empowerment Program

www.guru-dakshina.org

॥गुरुः तु दीपवत् मार्गनिर्देशकः॥

The teacher is like a lamp that lights up the path

Gurudakshina with a motto गुरोर्हितं मम करणीयम् humbly plunges into the promotion of teachers’ well-being. We aim to create self-sufficiency in teachers, because teachers make students self-sustaining. In this teacher empowerment program, the teacher becomes personally vibrant and professionally productive. Simply, a teacher becomes a better teacher.

Background:

Gurudakshina Foundation Trust is the brain child of a number of individuals who want to give something valuable back to society. The focus is on the education sector, specifically the primary education sector. Also, the focus is to work in rural areas and to the extent possible not in the major metro centres.

Philosophy:

There are initiatives that are underway in the primary education sector and a number of individuals and organizations are already doing exemplary work. The philosophy of Gurudakshina Foundation Trust is to work with other organizations and make them stronger rather than “re-invent the wheel”.

Area of Focus:

Within the area of primary education, Gurudakshina Foundation Trust is focused on the teacher, as there is no doubt that the teacher is the pivot on which the entire edifice of the education system rests. If we do not take care of teachers, they cannot take care of education. 

While it is important for educational institutions to have good infrastructure for learning, what is more important is the teacher, it is clear that a great teacher does not really need any infrastructure to impact on students. The teacher is the key.  Everything else is an aid.

Gurudakshina Foundation Trust’s Operating Model:

1.      Identify a school to work with and adopt the school

2.      Evaluate the current average salary of the teachers of the school

3.      Identify a target average salary for the teachers in the local area

4.      Help the school reach the target average salary in about 5-7 years. This would help the school in getting the best of the teaching talent in the local area

5.      Once the best teaching talent is available in our adopted school, demand for education in the school increases

6.      The school can then charge “market tuition fee” and ensure that the school runs on a strong economically viable foundation

7.      The school can also include “subsidization” of tuition fee for the economically and socially backward within this “market fee structure”

8.      Gurudakshina Foundation Trust exits the school as the school is economically independent

9.      Gurudakshina Foundation Trust would also like to extend this to individuals. In this case, the individuals would have to be strong, academically oriented individuals who do not have the necessary economic strength to pursue a career in academics. Gurudakshina Foundation Trust would support them completely in their pursuit of an academic career. However, in return, we would want them to teach in one of our adopted schools. What this achieves is that we are able to support one individual but at the same time, that one academically oriented individual would be a teacher in our adopted school, thus helping hundreds of students in the school

10.  Get external faculty who can train the existing teachers in pedagogic skills to make them better teachers

Activities of the Gurudakshina Foundation Trust:

It took almost a year for the members of the trust to identify a school to work with. We encountered a number of problems in identifying the school. We found that the management of some schools were totally focused on “money making” and hence did not want to support them.

Surprisingly, we found resistance in schools run by well-known charitable institutions. These institutions wanted our money but did not want us to impose our conditions on them. We had to reject these institutions as well.

We were able to finally locate one school in Devadurga Taluk of Raichur District. The school is run by a trust and on the basis of our due diligence we were convinced that the trust was not in this for profit-making, but for service.

We found that the average salary of the teachers was just 1400 INR. Starting from the academic year 2012-13, we have increased the salary of all the teachers by 500 INR. We have consistently paid the amount without fail.

We also conducted a training program for the teachers of the school. This program was conducted by people adept in that sphere, for a period of three days and cost us 15000 INR.

In addition, we have been working on putting systems in place to ensure that we do not falter when we scale.  In particular, we are focusing on the following:

1.      Developing necessary IT systems to ensure contributions are properly accounted for

2.      Developing a methodology to evaluate the program.  In particular, we want to answer the question: “Does increasing teacher salaries necessarily improve the education standards of the school?”

3.      Developing a Knowledge hub

4.      Developing criteria to adopt schools

5.      Developing a process to identify individuals who can be part of the program

Contact:

Madhava: +919980999535 madhava@guru-dakshina.org

Pradeep: +919945442300 pradeep@guru-dakshina.org

Swaroop: +919742164232 swaroopsharman@guru-dakshina.org

Contact details of the school we are currently working:

Sachin Dotihal - +919900144490, +919341993046

Principal and Administrator, Vagdevi Vidya Mandira

Basaveshwara Oni, Devadurga, Raichur, Karnataka - 584111

Kindly contribute generously

Ø  Cheque- may be drawn in favor of “Gurudakshina Foundation Trust”

Ø  Money Transfer – Gurudakshina Foundation Trust, A/C No. – 005305008869, IFSC Code ICIC0000053, Savings Bank Account, ICICI Bank, Jayanagar Branch, Bangalore

All the donations to Gurudakshina Foundation Trust are 100% tax exempted under section 80-G

Key Words- Teachers' Empowerment, Empowering Rural teachers, Gurudakshina Foundation Trust, NGO to Empower Teachers, NGO working with Teachers of primary school sector

My Punching Thoughts!

Some of my Punching Thoughts

1. Life is difficult with people who hate to see sun in summer season, rain in rainy season and bear cold in winter season :-( If it was spring all through the year, they would want to dance in the rain, sweat in the sun and trek on the misty mountains!
2. The whole world yearns to be 'SEEN', but how many of those who want to be 'SEEN', 'SEES' the world?
3. Teachers more than nourishing students are punishing students! How unfortunate! Lets mourn by lighting a candle! That is all we are capable of doing :-( Pity in Atrocity! 
4. I am a non-believer of God, because belief/faith comes only when we don't understand the truth. I know God and I have understood it :-)
5. All those boys and girls who have lost their lovers, please make a note: 'India's Youth Population is too big'. Make optimum utilization of the same :-) :-D Keep your suicide ideas aside ;-)
6. How nice to see education developing in students a VISION. But how bad! students say- 'WE-SHUN' the education!
7. Android phone instead of making people a Droid, is making them Paranoid!
8. The more time you spend at desk, you're moving faster towards 'your own' dusk. The more time you spend on bench, more you stench. Leave cubicle get onto bicycle. Change your life style reach that "extra mile" :-)
9. We are all already so conditioned that air-conditioner cannot create any impact. So it is always internally hot and we sweat hatred, anger and hostility!
10. Not a single employee of Fair & Lovely company would've become fair by using it :-) 'Can we stop racism' by using Fair and Lovely? UNFAIR & UNLOVELY Bull Shit- Fair and Lovely :-(
11. Patriotism is what most European countries teach their people :-) Patri-'Autism' is what Pakistan teaches to its people ;-) In India nothing can be taught. Everyone knows everything :-)
12. True- "Charity begins at home"! More true- "Charity shouldn't end at home"!
13. If surname 'Gandhi' can give one respect & power in this country, I wouldn't mind changing my surname. I am 'Swaroop Gandhi' What's in a name - William Shakespeare What's in a 'surname'? - Swaroop Gandhi ;-)
14. Girls today ask before marriage Boy's savings, annual-profit/s, assets and other materialistic things. Are they coming into Boy's life as Life-partners or Business-partners?
15. 3-Ps detrimental to the Indian Society - Professors, Policemen & Politicians! :-( ;-)
16. Professors have to work only when students decide to get themselves educated! BUT, Students're happy being just literates!
17. I had been to Mumbai recently. Mumbai is The Best place to practice SPIRITUALITY. MUMBAI CROWD helps one to be conscious of oneself!  'Being Conscious' is Spirituality ;-)
18. I was experiencing tremor in my spines, when my mother reminded of my marriage and then began this research: Patrimonial: "Property inherited from one's FATHER or MALE Ancestor" Matrimonial: "Of or relating to the STATE OF MARRIAGE'! CRAZY ENGLISH!Probably  Matrimonial means: "Property inherited from one's MOTHER or FEMALE Ancestor"! That's the reason All girls as wives are like that ;-)
19. I always wonder why these scientists are so curious to know if other planets are inhabitable? What will they do there? One more Software Company? Out sourcing? BPO KPO IPO? A few other educational institutions which are more concerned of fees donation and deposits, rather than education? Like this planet, one more planet where there is a struggle for money, technology and for a better system? Some more corrupt politicians and underworld dons? "ONE MORE SELFISH PLANET" Why don't those scientists use all their energy to make this planet a better place to live! Scientists are called logical people, but I pity them for their myth based inventions and researches :-( They are actually illogical! "Most Scientists" are bane to society. They are intellectuals and have very less emotional growth. Come back Krishna, Allah and Jesus.! You are the people with right blend of Intellect and Emotions :-) :-D Come back Krishna Allah and Jesus! You are the people who know to use both the hemispheres of brain judiciously ;-) Scientists! You are nerds! God is beyond science :-D
20. THERE IS NOTHING IN MY FACE, EVERYTHING IS IN MY GRACE!
    IF YOU LIKE ME RAISE YOUR HAND, OR RAISE YOUR STANDARD!
    Yours truly, "SELF OBSESSED- Swaroop" :-D
21. DON'T BE SO ENGROSSED IN WORSHIPING THE CREATION, THAT YOU FORGET TO WORSHIP THE CREATOR :-)
22. Once I die, I wish not to go to heaven and enjoy with angels! Women are women! What if they are on earth, beneath or in heavens! ;-)
23. We nerds have to learn " To Celebrate Life, not Festivals"!
24. Students come to classroom even without an ounce of curiosity :-( That ill tendency is only "Heights of Atrocity" :'(
25. Dear Facebook! There were days when boys in classroom used to secretly watch girls and vice versa! But now students find you more interesting ;-) I'm (we teachers're) not able to teach! Rescue!
26. Some people make news only when they are making Nuisance :-)
27. I always wonder how people decide to get married second time! They have too much of Suicidal Tendency ;-)
28. We can never achieve EQUALITY! EQUALITY IS A MYTH (ILLOGICAL) :-) We can achieve HARMONY! HARMONY IS A MATH (LOGICAL) :-D
29. The "Destruction & The End" people are speaking of, in the year 2012, is not "Physical Destruction"! It is the end of an era of Hatred and Hostility :-D Peace will dawn and Love will envelope in the universe, like the space has wrapped the universe every inch! This process is called "INNER PSYCHOLOGICAL SHIFT" Make your MINDS a sponge which can soak and swallow all Good! Happiness is not in Technology! Love is not in Alcohol! Peace is not in Unhealthy Drugs! Virtue is not in consuming Tobacco! Have you ever come across a Doctor/ Wise man/ Learned/Psychologist/Counselor prescribing, "I-Phone for happiness?" "Alcohol to develop Love?" "Unhealthy Drugs for a Peaceful Living?" and "Tobacco to become virtuous?" THINK INDIA THINK! If not now, then when?
30. If you don't wanna believe God, then I suggest you to believe Goddess!
31. Your heart is like a piece of an art in an art gallery. Though every onlooker desires, only one deserves it! LOVE CANNOT HAPPEN TWICE! Answer for Mr.Ravinder Singh's Question... CAN LOVE HAPPEN TWICE?
32. God cannot be everywhere, so he created Mothers. -Old Jewish saying! Mothers cannot be at home, so they created maids! :-( Children will go Mad with a maid around! Child can understand Mother's love and language, not her designation, annual income and other trivias of life :-( Every time you think of your Birthday, Don't forget to celebrate your mother's "Motherhood Day"
33. Be physically strong! Develop your body as strong as iron and nerves as strong as steel. Let your body be a weapon, that security guards with weapon detectors at malls airport and other places be startled ;-)
34. All that is FALSE, FALLS :-)
35. When people say bad about you, you reiterate. But when people speak good about you, in doubt, you continue to speak bad about them :-)
36. Being alone 'before falling in love' is a happy state :-) Being alone 'after falling in love' is a sad state :-( And it becomes saddest if it was a break up!
37. If you happen to love a girl/boy always try from another state! Even if Love fails, you will end up with one more language in your resume!
38. Western Version: Don't give man a fish, but teach him fishing! Indian Version: Neither give man a fish, nor teach him fishing, but inspire him to know his own potentials and his own ways of fishing! Education is to help one know his/her potential, but not to super-impose what a teacher has learnt during his/her educational process :-) You decide now which way you wanna learn? Indian or Western?
39. The Krishna in me says, "You've enough of Sudamas for life. Now its time to have a few Radhas! Sorry one Radha for life"
40. There were days when we used to say heartily "WELCOME", and now heartily we say "WELL, COME"!
41. What's the difference between a Sanyasi and a Mother? Sanyasi guides you on how to Renounce (Tyaga), but a mother Renounces and guides :)
42. If Knowledge were to be taxed, Indians would have become the highest tax payers! Let us pledge and pulverise our existence to make this knowledgeable country a wise country! Happy Independence Day!
43. A raw material is processed by employees in the factory, tested and launched in the market. If it malfunctions, customer care executives services it! A student called raw material is processed by teachers in a factory called school, tested and launched in the market. If the 'product' malfunctions, where is it to be taken? Who repairs it?
44. SPIRIT OF EDUCATION- Information and Ignorance are predators! We have enough! Knowledge is an endangered species! We at Gurudakshina Foundation Trust, give importance to Knowledge! Hence, we aim at creating teachers who can incessantly rain knowledge, even if students continue to open the umbrella of ignorance and resist teachers.
45. The knowledge you impart, will impart knowledge to you.
46. Schooling created hopes about your strength! Knowledge created trust about your strength!
    The one who brought schooling and knowledge together and the one who converted hope into trust was your teacher! Did you thank your teacher? Come let us surrender to the teacher and render thanks?
47. Knowledge is-
    * A push when you appear stagnated
    * A chat when you are lonely
    * A guide when you are searching
    * A smile when you are sad
    * A song when you are glad
48. Nothing is more beautiful than two wonderful people teaming together to be a student and a teacher!
49. We at Gurudakshina Foundation Trust train teachers to promote the true and right learning - A glimpse of it - "Don't tell the mind how big the topic is! Rather, tell the topic how big the mind is!"
50. Teachers are like electric currents!  Wrong teachers will give students shocks throughout their life, but right ones light up students' life! Come! Let us build a wise teaching fraternity.
51. Education becomes complete when it begins in the heart of a child, reflects in the society and ends with a glow on the face of the nation! We at Gurudakshina, wish us all a happy education.
52. We at Gurudakshina aim at making knowledge a drug to students and the teachers the licensed drug peddlers! Here, even addiction becomes good!
53. With knowledge comes patience and with patience comes this enlightening nugget- "Illusion and ignorance like birds fly and hover around you! True, you can't stop it! But, you can definitely stop them from making a nest!"  We at Gurudakshina owe our knowledge to teachers. Hence, we pledge to empower teachers.
54. Knowledge is like cotton! Don't make it appear heavier (burden), by dipping it in the water of hoarding (knowledge hoarding)! But make it lighter, by sharing it in the air of school!
    Come with us, to empower education.
55. Undoubtedly, Nature and Self-experiences are our teachers! But, on Guru Poornima, it is time for us to factually analyse and surrender to "Him", who blended the knowledge of nature and Self-experiences and showered liberating knowledge upon us  Let our existence be filled with our teachers' consciousness.
56. A teacher (facilitator) is like a DJ. School is the dance floor. Students are the rhythm. Knowledge is the music. Thus education is symphonic. We at Gurudakshina aim at making learning rollicking!
57. Educating is like cultivation! Knowledge is the root. Soil is the nutrified teacher. Parents and the societies are the water. Fruits belong to the students! Teacher's job is done with protecting the roots! Parents and societies too have role in educating children! We at Gurudakshina, strengthen the soil.
58. True! A child is strong and effulgent as Diamond, but to hold it firmly and make it gloriously and glaringly seen a golden base called teacher is indispensable
59. Oh! Nagini, come and coil around me! This Panchami, let us demystify our mystifying alchemy :)
60. Oh! Lovely! Surrender to your Bheemeshwara and I will Render you thanks with a trip tp Bheemeshwari :)
61. Oh! Darling! You are Mahalakshmi! I will worship you :) You are Maha-Lakshya to me :)
62. Sow Marriage, reap children! Sow Love, reap Soul-mate :)
63. At Gurudakshina we train teachers to teach students this principle- Results are like papers, flying in the air, due to luck! Preparations are like kites, flying in the air, due to efforts! So never worry if luck fails! Be happy, for the efforts are always yours! Enjoy the sense of ownership! You're the owner of your own life!
64. In Educracy! Men are shaped - "Of the Knowledge, By the Knowledge and For the Knowledge" and they become Educratic :)
65. Navaratri's Devi season is Biwi season! My Biwi is my Devi and I am Devi-savvy!
66. 
    
    MAN DRIVEN BY HIS PAST CANNOT DRIVE HIS FUTURE! The Innovations in the mind are allowed, only when the Invasions on the mind are disallowed. Never forget, 'The man who's Invaded by his past, will be Jaded in the future'
67. "Modi Never Fails" J Looks like this man has superseded Jesus
68. Mountaineering Activities is much Easier than Marriage
69. If you're in a business and not making profit, you're misfit. If you're in a relation and making profit you're unfit
70. There might be many "God's Own Countries"! But, but- "India is Goddess's Own Country"
    'Bharat-Maata' Ki Jai'
71. A Discussion based on Decision is called PREJUDICE. A Decision based on Discussion is called PERCEPTION
72. Without an ounce of hesitance I'd say- "The Nature's power of resistance, has come to Mankind's assistance, should be a fact of absolute acceptance. But on the day, Nature shows its dissonance towards Mankind's arrogance, is the day of eternal turbulence"
    LET US BE PREPARED
73. ANYTHING FOR MONEY! A handsome boy with 'Shining Teeth', appears on an ad, claims to be eating 'Pan Masala' for years and endorses its consumption!
74. The God who grants Heaven Hell and Rebirth is updated with latest technologies and a tech-savvy! He's busy watching what our posts are on social networking! This is why probably he took to his abode the pioneer of smart phone! Such jobless God!
75. Nightlife, Dress and Sex isn't about Culture. It's about an Individuals' Psychobiological Nature and its impact on the Society's Structure.
76. In Collaboration is Celebration!
77. Nature is a language through which Beauty is communicated. Love is a language through which Harmony is communicated. Individuality is a language through which Spontaneity is communicated. Cleanliness is a language through which Purity is communicated. Parenting is a language through which Nation-building is communicated! Very importantly-संस्कृत should become a language through which संस्कृति should be communicated!
78. The study of Psychology starts with Biology and ends with Pathology! No doubt Psychology as a discipline has failed! THINK ABOUT THIS! The Science as a discipline started in 18th century and has achieved its purpose of making life easier. Psychology from 19th century hasn't fulfilled its aim of making world a better place to live. To evaluate- Has living a life, psychologically, become easier than it was in 19th century? Nope!
79. No qualms accepting God as Coach and Myself as a Player! But who's my Substitute?
80. When Love is Lawless, Love becomes Flawless!
81. You Cherish a relation. You'll Flourish in a relation
82. Difference between a monk and a mother - A monk tells you to sacrifice!
    A mother sacrifices and demonstrates!
83. Indian Army finally replied! It was to Inform Pakistan that we're In-form
84.  An American friend told me- "Your PM is Talkative" I told- Our PM is compensating for his predecessor's Silence
85. To know what you want is Intellectual Growth! To know what you don't want is Emotional Growth! Having no wants is Spiritual Growth!
86. When confronted by problems, some resolve them and some revolve around them!
87. Opinions are like Onions. You endlessly peel them and find there is no pulp! No doubt, eventually, tears roll down!
88. "Anyone who desires you might or might not conquer you". "Anyone who angers you will definitely conquer you". Responsible, responsive reaction is your choice! Their inaction and action shouldn't be your choice!
89. Imagine-
    1. A teacher with highest teaching qualification
    2. A teacher equipped with all teaching aids and infrastructure
    3. A teacher with a prefect personal value system
    4. A teacher with wholesome professional ethics
    "But, not a single student who wishes to learn from such imaginably The Best Teacher"
    "A teacher has no individual entity"
    On teacher's day we at Gurudakshina and I as a teacher personally celebrate the joy of our/my student's "Studenthood"