Building the Future, One Book at a Time: The Transformative Power of the Muktangan School Libraries
In the journey of education, the role of a school extends far beyond classroom walls. It encompasses a holistic approach to nurturing young minds, fostering a love for learning, and preparing students for the challenges of the 21st century. Among the pivotal pillars shaping this educational landscape, the school library stands as a beacon of knowledge, igniting curiosity, and fostering a lifelong love for reading. At Muktangan, our commitment to active constructivism and the holistic development of children has led us to recognize the transformative power of our school library in building the future, one book at a time.
The Muktangan school library serves as a vibrant hub where students embark on enriching literary journeys, explore diverse worlds, and engage in integrated learning experiences. We believe that every child's journey towards becoming a lifelong learner begins in the formative years. Hence, our library initiatives are strategically designed to cater to the varying needs of students across different age groups.
In the early years, children are introduced to the joy of reading through our innovative Toy Library program. “The Play Project†arranges the toys for our 7 schools. Our Toy Library initiative not only encourages children's play but also fosters meaningful interactions between parents and their children. Through play, values and skills are imparted in a fun yet impactful manner, nurturing strong socio-emotional bonds within families. Pre-schoolers are encouraged to borrow toys, fostering creativity and imagination. As they transition to the Young Tree (Kindergarten) stage, books become their companions, with weekly borrowings allowing them to explore the magic of storytelling. These books are thoughtfully curated to align with the curriculum, integrating stories seamlessly into the learning process.
Central to our approach is the integration of stories into the curriculum, where age-appropriate tales serve as conduits for deeper understanding and engagement. Each story is accompanied by pre- and post-story activities, enabling children to connect their learning to self, text, and the world around them. Through independent reading sessions, buddy reading activities, and engaging library games, students acquire not only literacy skills but also invaluable socio-emotional competencies.
Moreover, our library serves as a platform for immersive learning experiences. Through read-aloud sessions and reference work, children delve into a world of knowledge, fueled by their innate curiosity. Shadow reading techniques, where students progressively take on roles in reading aloud, encourage active participation and confidence building. Additionally, access to children's magazines and discussions on current affairs fosters critical thinking and empathy, empowering students to envision positive change in the world.
The English Reading Program (ERP) encourages the volunteers to give their time for creating a change they wish to see in the world. Each volunteer has 2 students who he/she is responsible for helping them with their reading skills.
Beyond the realm of student engagement, our teacher librarians play a pivotal role in nurturing a culture of reading within the school community. From thoughtfully curated displays to organizing library visits, they enrich the learning environment, ensuring that every resource is maximized to its fullest potential. Through parent and student orientations, they bridge the gap between home and school, fostering a collaborative approach to reading.
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However, the impact of our school library extends far beyond the school gates. Recognizing the importance of community involvement, we have established initiatives such as the Muktangan Mohalla Library and Muktangan Mobile Library. The former, driven by parent volunteers, brings the joy of reading to the community. With books available in multiple languages, it promotes inclusivity and celebrates diversity. Meanwhile, our Mobile Library initiative ensures that learning continues beyond school hours, as stories are shared with families, strengthening the bond between parents and children. The success of our programme is evident in the shared readership across our communities. In 2022-23 we issued 1600+ books with a total of 1900+ readers.
Sharing our Learnings:
Our library program is also outreached to other schools PAN India. We are a part of the Muktangan-BMC NIPUN Bharat program for helping children develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills and as well as the Govardhan Skill Centre. In the beginning of the year, we did an outreach project in collaboration with The Somaiya School wherein experts from different Library related fields came in and shared their knowledge. It was an online session, and 45 participants from different schools regularly attended these sessions.
The ECHO Library project successfully improved library activities, environment, and librarian skills, leading to a richer reading experience for children. Librarians gained a better understanding of their role, library usage increased, and student engagement soared. They could connect their role to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The library itself benefitted from more books, improved organization, and diverse activities. Librarians took more ownership of book selection, and there was a strong belief in the positive impact of education policy on libraries. The project also achieved greater curriculum integration and significantly increased parent participation. By addressing challenges like lack of resources, the project demonstrates a positive impact on library development and its potential to cultivate a love of reading in children. The pre and post test assessment highlighted the following-
- There was a significant increase from 80% to 98% in understanding of modern libraries and their role
- The overall library usage increased from 78% to 91% with more members frequently visiting the libraries
- Students showed eagerness to use the library data indicating a 20% increase. Greater participation in various library activities like games, celebrations, and read-aloud
- There has been a significant growth in the number of books from 36% initially to 67% after the ECHO Library Integrated Learning
- Parents started participating a lot more and with an increase of 40%
We also got featured in the Quarterly ECHO Education Newsletter. This issue, themed “The art and science of teaching and learning†is focused on how we can bring about innovation in learning.
Click to Read the Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x9W9qKk0_wNPwuEBZM1HmlfwtVtiZHeV/view
In conclusion, the Muktangan school library stands as a testament to the transformative power of education when coupled with community engagement. By fostering a love for reading, nurturing critical thinking, and promoting inclusivity, our library serves as a catalyst for building a brighter future, one book at a time. As we continue to empower children, teachers, and communities alike, we reaffirm our commitment to shaping a generation of lifelong learners, equipped to navigate the complexities of the world with empathy, resilience, and wisdom.
?Author: Mamta Paigankar (Leader-Library Department, Muktangan Education Trust)
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