past Enrichment programmes

University College of London,
Institute of Education, UK

International teaching experiences

From 2014 Stepwell has provided a context within which the IOE can have an alternative placement for their students based in schools in and around Bengaluru. Stepwell's Indian residential study centre has been able to host these programmes and has provided links which as enabled the IOE to form a series of relationships with schools based in this locality. The students have also been able to explore the locality and engage in a wide range of discussions which have helped them understand how education works in another context, giving them new insights to teaching methodology and practice within their own contexts.

Block printing at Baale Mane. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Learning maths through a numbers game. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Making cushions for the girls hostel. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Learning crochet skills. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Downtime round the stone table at the Land. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Eating g dinner at Stepwell's residential centre the 'Land' at Silvepura. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

On an evening outing near a Nandi shrine in the landscape near Hesaraghatta. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Painting a wall mural in Parikrama school. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Posing outside Tipu's fort. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Learning to make rangoli patterns at the Land. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Adding colour to a rangoli design. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

At the girls hostel of Baale mane. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Cooling off in a water tank at the Land. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

In a celebratory mood on Nandi hill. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Karel de Grote, Antwerp, Belgium

International Teaching Internships

For the last decade Stepwell has arranged and managed programme fo Karel de Grote which has enabled their students to do a three month teaching internship in a variety of schools in and around Bengaluru. The students begin their programme by doing a 10 day preparatory course at Stepwells residential centre in Silvepura which helps them to understand the Indian context and prepares them for the work that they will have to do in the schools. The students continue to be supported after this foundation course and often return to Stepwell for continued support in the work that they do, they use step wells place as a base to travel across the rest of the country.

A mountain walk at Devarayanadurga (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

A picnic on top of Makalidurga. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Kite flying on the outskirts of Bangalore. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Trekking up a Savindurga. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Setting off from the Land to explore the locality round Silvepura. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Learning to make chapatti breads. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Tea time at the Land (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Painting a mural at Sita school. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Student group posing on Hesaraghatta bundh with the reservoir full for once behind them. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Sheffield University, UK

PGDE Enrichment placements

Since 2015 Sheffield University has sent students to India every year and Stepwell has hosted and organised these trips for them. The programme that the students have engaged in has involved an alternative teaching placement opportunity where they have engaged in a wide range of activities at the school. The trip has also been designed to give the students an opportunity to better understand Bangalore and its surroundings through a series of excursions, and has also involved a road trip through the Cauvery river basin up into the tropical forests of the western Ghats. Along the way they visit places of religious interests including Jain, Buddhist and Hindu temples.

Jane Ferretti lights a lamp at the morning assembly in the Parikrama school. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Student teachers in a classroom of Parikrama school. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Learning science through fun activities. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Student teachers with their class. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Walking the streets of old Bangalore. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Water fountain at UB City Bangalore. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Learning objectives session with Jane Ferretti at the Land. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

On top of a mountain in Coorg. (Copy) (Copy) (Copy)

Oxford Brookes, Oxford, UK

The Yatra Project

Over the last ten years Oxford Brookes has visited Stepwell's facility 8 times, using the Indian study centre as a place to base their Indian journey or "Yatra" as they describe it. Over the years the trip has evolved and included many different elements, Jyoti Sahi has been involved in the development of this project and has been an important resource person for their students. The trip has involved going to places of religious and cultural interests including Hampi, Bylakuppe, Pondicherry and Mysore. The students have developed projects of their own which they have presented in the form of academic posters which they have later been able to exhibit and share with a wider community in their own contexts back in the UK.