Teach For India - Teach to Lead

We Are... On the Path!!!

As I begin my eventful journey as a 2014 Teach for India Fellow, the following lines will clearly 'reflect' what the journey so far has been like.

Fingers flew on the keyboard
The clock tick tocked
Racing against 11 pm
My deadline.
Seconds before the two hands meet
I’m done.

 Hey, what d’you know?
Got a call to take a test!!
Again – racing against time
Phew! Could have done better...
But am getting no younger.

 Hello, hello,
You’ve made it girl!
To the assessment centre, no less.
Then the day’s grilling is through
Here’s the day of reckoning.
Sonali, how are you feeling?
Really? Why?
Coz, you are now a part of TFI,
That’s why!

 All my bags packed,
I’m driven away for 5 weeks
Into the hills and far away.
A place called Flame,
Neat and concrete
and green as well.

 Institute 1, 270 of us...
Purpose?
We’ll find out soon enough.
The CEO introduces TFI
My family now.
What I gather is
A transformational path
I have to take up to make a change
Change lives, change mindsets
To make the world a better place
To breathe in.

 I see young people, in their 20s
Motivated people
jumping into a cause so fierce,
I wonder-
Will I be able to keep up?

 And so the days unfold-
Breakfast at 8, sessions from 9,
Lunch at 12, sessions again
Dinner at 8, then work.

 Week two, we begin summer school
Which is cool!
And from bed to breakfast
To bus to school, school to class,
Class to bus, back to Flame
Then to lunch, next a nap.
Off to study, then to a circle.
Plan a lesson
And rehearse.
Dinner in between,
Oh yes, and print!
Finally fall into bed.
Alarm at 4.30,
need I say more?

 Mastering the LP was a hard task to master
As the Opening had a hook
And INM got shorter.
The GP helped our students and was long
But the IP was the assessment
SRAS and strong.
So Math it was, followed by Writing,
RF and RC followed untiring.

 Today, a transformational leader I want to be
with almost a 4 on personal transformation,
with Collective action I think it’s a 3
While again a 3 with educational equity.
With competencies being drilled into me
Through reflection,
I can see myself growing, making a connection.

 As I think of building relationships,
creating a classroom culture,
investing stakeholders and looking at teamwork
I stretch my Sense of Possibility
to heights beyond probability.
I now move towards
the Goal and the Vision
for my students and for me
as I turn into a teacher
who is a leader.

As the training comes to an end
Into the real world we shall go,
Like the charge of the light brigade
Only spreading love, not hate.

So many friends have I made here
So many trainers, managers
All happy, motivated and helpful.
Thank you all!
I promise you, educational equity
Will remain my call.