Followership : A Leadership Workshop

Conducted a Leadership Workshop entitled “Followership” in Christ University on 17 December for MCA and M.Sc. students

I intentionally kept the attendance as optional and since it was a holiday, I got a small select set of students. My target was twenty but was more than happy to get sixteen who were willing to spend a day for this workshop.

The workshop was called “Followership” as I strongly believe that Leadership ad Followership are strongly connected and a person cannot be a good leader if he is not a good follower.

The workshop as usual included games and team activities. This time I included two videos in the sessions. Like the last time it did have an exercise using Theatre, additionally I got dance in to add a new dimension.

Students seemingly enjoyed the workshop and gave good feedback. Conducting it was fun. The Agenda included

• · Self Belief
• · IPS
• · Leadership Traits (Based on Stephen Covey / Robin Sharma)
  
• · The Road Ahead

The Games included

• · One To 50 Team race
• · Thespian Walk
• · Fairy Tale Enactment
• · Choreograph a dance
• · Listening
• · 7 UP
• · Mirroring

The students showed great leadership potential. Some are already leaders in many ways. The dance and play they put up was pretty awesome. As a follow up of this workshop all the students took the initiative to organize a Christmas Party on the 22^nd Dec.

Thanks to JP Sir(HOD) and Rajeshwari Maam(M.Sc Coordinator) for all the support they gave for the initiative.

Thanks to Dannie, Kavyashree and Kareem for the logistic / planning support.

Book for IT Developers

Must for IT Developer, Should be read cover to cover
(if I have missed something, do let me know)

• C , Kernigan & Ritchie
• Code Complete, Steve Mc Connell
• Thinking in Java, Bruce Eckel
• Software Engineering, Roger Pressman
• Head First Design Patterns
• Introduction to Databases, C J Date
• Unix Programming Enviorment, Kernigan and Pike
• Algorithims (Any One)
• Computer Network, Andrew S Tanenbaum
• Modern Operating System, Tanenbaum
• Programming Pearls, John Bentley

Books for Data Structures

• Pseudocode Approach to DS, Foruzan/Gilberg
• Algorithims Vol 1-5: Robert Sedgwick
• Art of Computer Programming, Vol 1-3 Donald E Knuth
• Introduction to the Design & Analysis of Algorithms

Teaching: Odd Semester 2010

This semester had the following classes

• M.Sc Data Structures (~60 hrs)
  
• M.S Data Structures (~40 hrs)
  
• BSc (CMS and CME) DBMS (~50 hrs)
  
• MCA/M.Sc Placement (~25 hrs)
  
• BCA : Pl/SQL (12 hrs)
• Class Teacher for M.Sc 1st Sem and MS 1st Sem
  

I have really enjoyed teaching here at Christ and each semester it is getting better.

Students of B.Sc were a different bunch to the students I had taught in PG Courses and taking their class was definitely fun. I found the class very enthusiastic and it gave me new energy each time I walked into the class.

My Learnings:

• Not to go unprepared for a class as a time gets under utilized and students do not understand, it is not that I have to learn the topic but rather how to teach it.
  
• Came to know that some students felt perturbed by me, need to be more expressive
• I tend to praise students and sometimes it erks other students and they start assuming I am biased. (Need to be careful)
• Stick to the fundamentals
• Learn from previous semester the topics which students had doubted in end sem and tried to revise it or teach it differently
• Used Blackboard more, ppts are not effective in many situations
  
• Trust students, take feedback from them half way thru
• Code along with teaching
• Importance of Test and Assignments
• Teaching Simple Topics I tend to find difficult
• Need to take care of both the Outstanding and Weak Students and not to get one sided
  

Some different methods applied

• Used different games to foster thinking
• Games to improve team work
• Used discussion/interactive mode
  
• Quiz (as teams)
  
• Data Structure / DBMS dumb charades
• Excercises
• Songs / Mime on different computer papers
  
• Assignments (Create a video on DBMS / DS) ; Writing out of box code; Create Notes from Wiki
  
• CMS/CME class created notes as a team and end result we had two version of notes
• Used Java Application (created by me) to explain sorts
• Shared Online resources
  

I tried to repeat topics in rotation rather than just going Unit 1 - 5 sequentially. Took revision classes.

Playback Theatre

Attended 64 hours (in three months) in a Certificate Course in Playback Theatre conducted here in Christ University (along with Script Peoples Theatre) was an awesome experience

Credit goes to the phenomenal trainer we had in Rajesh P I and the wonderful team of playbackers ( a mix of students and industry professionals)

There are no practices or scripts here, the topic is given and we have to perform. No classroom sessions, just games, acting, innovating, creating , feeling ........... We had a final performance on 25th September in front of a small crowd

The impact of the workshop was so high for me that I concluded my documentation for the workshop with the following lines

"When the mind is ready and visualization is clear and with all the positive energy around the universe will conspire for you and when one becomes a witness to so many miracles, one cannot but bend down to say a prayer of gratitude"

Acting : Beyond Boundaries

When Sibu Sir (TIE) offered me an opportunity to act as a murderer just returned from jail, I was excited to say the least. Add to that the murderer(Ashwin) was repenting on the very day of his heinous crime. Three short scenes, but on the same hand a powerful and emotional one. I practiced with the group and even at home. I had to practice staying in a depressed, frustrated and repentant state for the first 6 scenes of the play. The second scene was in the shadow so I had to make sure that I used my hands and the body language more effectively.

I learnt a lot of things in the process of practices. What makes it memorable was the comradeship we shared with the fellow actors, dancers, backstage artists and the director. The environment was friendly and even though the director had a strict eye on quality nobody felt a hanging Damocles sword. The passion and dedication of the fellow artist pushed me to take that extra yard. I was acting after twelve long years and being part of this production and standing under the lights in huge Christ Auditorium was an impossible dream just a month before.

Three shows to remember, my kids loved my performance and kept repeating my dialogues in the next two weeks

Theatre in Education: A Teacher’s Perspective

Published in Theatre in Education magazine for the Production of 2010 "Beyond Boundaries"

Dec 2008
When I decided to leave the lucrative IT Industry to pursue a career in teaching, many people dissuaded me but none from their hearts as all could see the fruits of following your dreams. I planned it for four years and finally I undertook a 17 day road trip from Bangalore to Delhi to prepare my mind for the change. On hindsight it seems ridiculously funny, like a child contemplating whether to enter a play area in a park is a good idea or not.

June 2009
This was not the first time I crossed a “mind” made boundary and once I entered Christ University and stood in the massive auditorium on inauguration day listening to the VC addressing, I knew it would not be the last. I could sense the tingling magic that was floating around. The soaring roof and beautiful stage beckoned my soul to rise and my heart was in my throat. The lines in my hand danced around mesmerized at the very possibility.

July 2010
I always loved theatre. When I was in school and college, I was fortunate enough to have acted in many plays, script some and direct a few. I used to look back on those days with nostalgia. TIE poster attracted my attention this summer and my mind started wondering of the possibilities of a second helping of theatre.

My days are very tight with teaching and mentoring students in the Department of Computer Science. Taking time out in the early morning for this seemed a bit difficult. The Certificate Course in Playback Theatre was meant to be more of a hobby when I started but it has been such a learning experience that it is hard to put the impact into words.

Two hour classes from 6:20 to 8:30 AM actually put in me so much energy that I feel I had gained more time in a day
• I was getting up at five in the morning
• Practicing for a corporate play from 4:30PM – 6:00PM
• Taking Theatre Workshop for MBA students on Sundays
• Directing two plays
• Giving moral support for my students of CMS / CME for Darpan
• Squeezing time to see Darpan Stage Events
• Teaching Computer Science using Theatre
• Activities/CIA to make a song/play on a computer theory paper
• Workshop for Placement based on Theatre

I feel I have become more expressive when I teach in class. I have discovered more sections in the library I did not know existed. When I tell stories to my kids in the night, they seemed to be enjoying it more than before. I actually wrote a poem after four years called Playbacker’s Prayer. I have expanded my student network in Christ University to different courses.

I am a peer of fellow play backers who are immensely talented and with electrifying spontaneity. I am a student of an outstanding teacher whose methodology is treading the fine line between the real and the spiritual world. I am an actor working under two directors who have a passion and vision which makes you just stare at the direction they point.
August 2010
It has been only a month since this teacher joined Playback Theatre but one thing is clear you will not be able to take the theatre out of this teacher because “Theatre in Education” is his new mantra.

“Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed
To comprehend the nectar requires the sorest need”
Emily Dickinson

Playbacker;s Prayer

Background : I am taking part in a Certificate Course in Playback Theatre, it is an amazing experience as you get to think, act, innovate three times a week for 3 months. This poem was inspired by a great teacher and a very energetic and innovative class.

(half way thru the course)

Dear Lord,

If life is a play
Teach me to act according to your way

If life is a walk
What pace will I take
What friends will I make

If life is a freeze
What opportunity will I seize

If life is machine
Teach me to make my repetitions fine
Happy even on a production line

If life is a tableau
Teach me to add value in the show
And innovate on my toe

If life is a fluid sculpture
Teach me not to rupture
The very fabric of your structure

If life is a script
Even I have no line I am fine
But if I have one, not my wish but thine

If life is a play
Teach me to act according to your way