Excellent!!

(1) I could be wrong, but I instructed Pratyush to send just the 1st
DVDs of classes 3 and 5, not classes 1-5.  You might want to
double-check with Pratyush about what he actually sent.  Saurabh might
also know exactly which DVDs are already in their "library."

(2) If we do send English DVDs of more grades, make sure you just send
the *1st* DVDs.  Let's make sure we don't send too much :)

My suspicion is that English DVDs beyond grade 5 will likely be way
too advanced for them.  They really need to start with the lower-grade
DVDs even for their upper-classmen students.

But as I understand it, Pratyush did not send the story discs.  We
should send the 1st disc of the stories.  (Don't send the 2nd disc
until we know what they have done with the 1st disc :)

(3) We should call them once a week or something.  If it's so hard to
reach them, perhaps they should call us.  (In case money is a problem,
they could work out some phone-reimbursement scheme with Saurabh.)
Whatever it is, I think it's important that we talk to them each week.

We don't have to worry about the phone system for the time being.
Just normal regular calls.

But if you think the phone system might be more convenient (because
it's so hard for the two of you to connect in real time for example),
ask them to call the phone system.  They can leave messages telling us
how far they've gotten and what their problems are.  Unfortunately, at
this point, auto-dialing to Bangalore doesn't seem to work.  (And
since they are so often out of network range, auto-dialing won't help
anyways.  They just have to call the system instead.)

(4) About the DVD tests.  They don't have to do it just yet (since
they are just getting their feet wet).  But at some point, we might
want to ask them to conduct the DVD tests.

Saurabh reported that it was very difficult for them to use the remote
to pause the tests.  The page turn right now is only 3-4 seconds only.
 We could lengthen that a bit.  But I suspect it's a combination of
two things: they are not used to it and their TV remote might have a
poor battery---a lot of the times, when the battery is really low, the
remote doesn't completely fail---you just have to press 4-5 times to
get it to do something.

Since the teachers are supposed to be studying the DVDs by themselves
after school, they might want to take the DVD tests by themselves.



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tanuja Setia <setiatanuja@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Subject: Re: Trip to Bagli, Madhya Pradesh, 29/09-02/10
To: randy <rywang@cs.princeton.edu>, urvashi sahni <urvashisahni@yahoo.co.uk>


Finally managed to connect to Jitendra... I kept trying on Saturday
and then again since morning today... was getting a message which said
they were out of network coverage. Here's what he said.... the school
has 169 students that includes 48 girls, with 8 teachers that includes
the principal... they have classes 1-7 with English, Hindi, Maths,
Science, Environment science. They have received the first DVD of the
subjects from classes 1-5.... they would really like to have more/ all
the English DVDs uptil class 7 coz that is where they are really in
need. He acknowledged that since it is a new thing for them, the
teachers do find it a little difficult to handle the class with the
DVD.... but they take the DVD home... and view it and prepare
accordingly. I told him that a little hesitation with something new is
bound to be there... is just natural... and they would be able to
overcome that with a regular systematic use of the DVD lessons...
Jitendra said they do have a timetable in place for the AVroom
classes. Also told him I would be sending Urvashi Ma'am's training
video.... which would tell them what they want to know and have
difficulty with while teaching English... the video will also talk
about ways of mediation of the DVDs. As for the electricity supply....
at present they have a supply from 10a.m. to 3p.m..... could change
.... but Jitendra said that is not a problem because they have an
inverter and battery... and the electricity comes for enough time for
the inverter to be charged... they also have a stable voltage.
Currently they are running the DVDplayer in a room that is
approximately 20feet x 12feet, and the TV is a 21".... the children
sit on the floor on mats... they can all see/hear properly.
that's it...
Tanuja



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