Reason to Celebrate

If there was one career I had decided not to pursue it was teaching. The very idea would conjure up heaps of notebooks to be checked, a huge register where I would have to mark the presence or absence of students, classrooms full of unruly kids who would not keep quiet. All these images were enough to keep me from becoming a teacher. But there was one thing I was sure of. I needed to do some work centered around children and this I realized while training children for theatre.

So one day I decided to apply for the Teach for India fellowship thinking of this venture as an opportunity of spending more time with children.  At this time, mind you, I was on the wrong side of 40 (as I still am) and was sure I would not make it to the final call. Well, there were many stages which I had to cross and the day arrived when I got the call, “Welcome to Teach for India!!”

And so began my journey of two wonderful years with more than a hundred kids that I spent time with at a Government school in Pune.

The kids were taken aback seeing a white haired lady come in as a class teacher. All this while they were used to young men and women teaching them. So naturally the first question they asked was, “What is your age, didi?”

And didi not to be outdone said, “90 years.” I loved the various expressions on their faces. Some clearly disbelieving, some amazed and some smiling. But the first few classes told them that a 90-year-old could be a tough nut to crack and could have a sense of humour.

A majority of my students were first generation school goers. The average household had the mother working as a maid, the father an autorickshaw driver, and 2 to 3 children. In TFI we had a rule, which was to visit each and every student’s home and I am glad I did so. This was what gave me the correct perspective on each child. Knowing her/his back story led to my approach to each child becoming customized and their response towards me was unadulterated. Sharing a meal with the entire family or sipping on several cups of tea, I got to be a member of their family. The parents would call me up for any problems or consultations related to their children.

A big part of my learning at TFI was that teachers are not those who come in to monitor a classroom and complete chapters and get students ready to write their exams. They are Leaders who set out to create a classroom full of leaders. This is what drove me take a class in unconventional ways. I tried to get each child to think critically and to question what I am teaching. My joy was unbounded when I was telling them about the Indian independence struggle and after some classes, students came up to me saying they would take up history in college!! Or when I explained the nitty gritties of grammar in a fun way, they said they wanted to study only grammar!! Clearly the fault does not lie with our students, but with us, if they find a subject boring.

My most challenging situation arose from the fact that my class has students of various grades which for convenience we addressed as higher order, middle order or lower order based on proficiency in each subject. I had students in English and Math who were at a grade level of class 2 in class VII!! So what does the teacher do to reach out to each child? As the TFI cohort, three of us in the school, arranged for extra classes before school began and each day was for a different grade level group of students. We began the community centre where we held various clubs on Saturdays and the attendance was 100%.

I soon realized that whatever I do or say in class or in school is followed keenly by each of my students. So, on the downside they began to express a sharp sense of sarcasm (albeit with a smile) and on the upside came a sense of courtesy for each other. Their love for theatre grew as I began training them in street theatre. They began to speak up in the assembly and became Earth Protectors which was our class motto.

Two years flew by and all my students, about 105 of them could not understand why I had to leave Pune and go to live in J&K. Till today I get regular calls from them just to say Hi and trying their best to make me promise to visit them next month.

I have been truly blessed to have had this opportunity to spend time with these wonders who lit up my life and made me grow in so many ways. I must have done something really excellent in one of my past lives!!

Thank you, Teach for India!!!

The Joy of Giving

I am sending out an SOS to all of you on behalf of my 107 students whom I teach as a Fellow of Teach for India.

Do lend a helping hand and help them march towards their dreams.

http://www.giveindia.org/iGive-educationalinequity

Teach for India --- Mid-year Retreat

Four months into the Teach for India Fellowship and we get our first break of sorts – the Mid Year Retreat at Ahmadabad for four days -- All second year fellows (2014) and some first year fellows (2013) and the staff, of course. We stayed at a Jain ashram and slept in a 20-bedded dormitory.

Yes, we stayed away from what to do in the classroom and how to make our lessons better. But this was a different learning experience altogether. Sounded simple enough -- Simply answer the following questions: What are your core values? What are your passions? What is your purpose in life? How would you see that purpose helping educational equity in our country?

We mulled over these questions each day as our City Director, Sandeep Rai , took us through various videos and presentations. I kept asking myself --Isn’t it true that these questions are an end in themselves and we spend a lifetime answering them?

This was one part of the retreat. The other part included meetings with people who have made their passion into their life’s purpose because of their values. These people have dedicated their lives to the service (Sewa) of others. All real life examples. For several of us it was difficult to stomach. Most of our learning time was spent at Manav Sadhana, an NGO at the Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati.

The second half of the last day there were five different activities to choose from. A Padyatra, Flowing with Love, Visiting 3 different communities. I chose to visit the community of beggars and those afflicted with leprosy. This colony is called Loving community and I chose it for the simple reason that a leper and beggar community to me meant a lot of discomfort. So about 15 of us reached this place and I was pleasantly surprised to see a neat and well maintained colony. The children were quite a happy lot and the seniors seemed content. We played with the kids, changed the bandages of those leprosy infected people who needed help that day and helped serve food to the seniors. Dinner here is served for all senior citizens by Manav Sadhana. I must mention the refreshing tea and the delicious pulao that we had.

At night, the next generation of young people , back from work and college, chatted with us and played their regular game of volley ball. We slept in the huge community centre with 10 other kids. Though we left at 5 am, the children woke up to say goodbye. Vijay, our coordinator, said he would accept our thanks only when we came to visit again. That night we took the train to Pune. But the churning of my mind had begun. The four days flashed by leaving behind so many questions for me to answer.

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.