2. 2
Topic: Ways to utilize Community Resources
-bring the community to school or bring
the school to community.
3. 3
INDEX
SL NO. CONTENT PAGE NO.
1. INTRODUCTION 4-5
2. IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES 6
3. UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES. 7-10
4. CONCLUSION 11
5. REFERENCES 11
4. 4
INTRODUCTION
Social science is a subject of study at the secondary school level
which offers a systematic study of man in relation to his society. According
to Charles Beard’s “Social sciences are a body of knowledge and thought
pertaining to human affairs”. Community resources that facilitate learning
include everything in the community that can be used to illustrate a
concept or generalization, or to help children, internalize a value.
Community resources are important in teaching Social Science. To achieve
the purpose of social science the child must become a real part of the
community in which he lives interact with it and contribute to it.
A new trend that is visible in our educational programme, is the
central role assigned to the community. It is now emphasized that the
education should be of the community, by the community and for the
community. This aim can be achieved by bringing the community and
school closer to each other. Community is the most important resource for
the education of the child. It is the child’s laboratory. It provides the child
the first hand learning experience about the ways of living. It is through his
active participation in community life that a child learns and develops the
basic concepts of History, Geography, Economics, transportation,
communication etc, including various aspects of living in a community. The
community is a treasure house of rich and valued source. To fully utilize
the community recourses an important role has to be played by teachers,
administrators, local citizens, parents and pupils. The first hand knowledge
that a child acquires by his community experiences helps him in becoming
5. 5
an intelligent citizen. Here we are going to discuss about the ways to
utilize community Recourses-bring the community to school or bring the
school to community.
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IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES
1. Places of Historical Interest:
This includes various temples, churches, gurdwaras, mosques, old
historical records, buildings, monuments etc.
2. Places of Geographical interest
It may include such places as factories mills, railway station, sea-
ports, air-ports, telephone exchange, radio station, TV centre, theaters
etc.
3. Places of social and cultural interest
This list may include various clubs, parks, museums, zoo, art
galleries, fun and food resorts, university etc.
4. Places of economic interest
It includes banks, trading centres, stock exchange, markets,
dairies, LIC buildings etc.
5. Government buildings
In this section the Panchayat ghan, Hospital, Police station, water
supply, community centre, various government offices etc.
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UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
The available community resources are utilized by two methods they
are
1). Bringing the community to school
2). Bringing the school to community.
1). Bringing the community to school
This can be done in the following ways.
a) Parent Teachers Association
Parent Teachers association plays an important role in
strengthening the relationship between the school and the community.
Parent teachers association should meet at regular intervals and discuss
the important educational problems relating to the child, the school and
the home. The parent teachers association will also enable the teachers to
understand the needs of community in general. It will also provide a
chance to parents to recognize the work going on in the school.
b) Inviting distinguished Persons to School
Many members of the community are engaged in various useful
professions. They can be invited to school from time to time to share their
experience with the students. In the list of such distinguished persons the
names of Municipal Commissioner, Engineer, Doctor, Social worker,
Educationist, News editors, etc may be included.
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c) Social Service Activities
Various Social service activities can be undertaken to bring the school
and community close to each other. These may include such activities as
setting up of an Adult Education Centre in school, setting up a bulletin
board and putting up on it the daily news and other useful information
about the local community in particular. The member of the community
can be allowed to make use of the school library and other facilities
available in the school such as play ground, gymnasium etc.
d) Celebration of festivals
School can take the lead in celebration of various festivals such as
Diwali, Holi, Independence day, Republic day etc. On all such celebrations
the local residents be invited and may be encouraged to participate.
e) Arranging talks on National and International topics.
Talks on National and International topics may be arranged in school.
To deliver such a talk some eminent members from the society were
invited. The invitation to a selected few from the community is extended
to attend to such a talk.
2). Bringing the school to community.
a) Field Trips and Excursions
Field trip will help in understanding of the topic or the problem by
direct observation. It will helps to observe various irrigation facilities,
roads, means of transport, agricultural crops, various industrial units, trade
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centre, places of economic interest etc. This will help them to know much
more about the life of the community.
b) Community Survey
Community survey of a particular nature may be undertaken by the
senior students of the school. Such a survey may be conducted to study
the part history of the community, economic condition of the community
etc. Survey can also be conducted about the social institutions, traditions,
customs, ceremonies, folk lore’s, folk dances, habits etc, prevalent in the
community. Even the common problems such as housing, unemployment,
poverty, child labour, etc can form the topic of a survey.
c) Organization of relief services
School students may take a lead in organizing relief services in the
community. However all such service can be organized only under the
guidance and supervision of a teacher. Such reliefs services can be
organize at the times of natural calamities such as floods, earth quake,
epidemics etc.
d) Organizing health squads and social service
Students can enter service to the community by extending their help
in the former of volunteers on such occasions as festival, elections etc.
They can also help the community by undertaking social service
programmes such as cleaning the lanes, streets, drains, drinking water
wells, surroundings etc.
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They can even help in the needy persons in hospitals, post-office
banks etc. They can definitely undertake adult education programme and
contribute in the literacy programme of the country.
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CONCLUSION:
Imagination and creativity in using community resources can help
students connect school science and mathematics with applications in the
community, as well as helping students better learn basic concepts.
Children learn Science and Mathematics from many sources, in a range of
different ways, and for a variety of purposes. Taking students to a science
museum or out on to the school grounds, exposing them to innovative
materials, or inviting guests who can give unique insights are a few ways
to increase their learning experience.
References
1) Teaching of social studies
A.S.Kohli
Anmol Publications Pvt.LTD
New Delhi
2) Teaching of Social studies
A practical approach
J.C.Aggarwal
Vikas Publishing House Pvt.LTD
New Delhi
3) http://www.sedl.org