On Hind Sight
August 30, 2010
Namaste!!!
We are all busy packing up getting ready to leave the girls home at the Asha Deep Foundation. So much has happened over the past week.
Saturday we presented to all of the teachers from the St. James Convent school and preschool. When I was creating a schedule for the team at the beginning of the trip, Johti, the director of Asha Deep, asked if we would be willing to present to the teachers on our methods and activities in the classroom. I admit I agreed to it before asking the team, but only because I knew what an awesome job they would do and how much fun we would have creating the presentation. As a team we decided that the most practical methodology we could share with the teachers was student centered learning. Johti shared with us that the curriculum for students is provided by the government and that teachers rarely deviate from the books. Her hope was that the school would begin to teach in a new way, a more creative way , one that included many activities for the children. Knowing our teams strengths and composition I knew she was barking up the right tree!!!
Krishtine took on the large responsibility of presenting to all of the preschool teachers. She modeled activities and even got the director of the preschool on the floor trying the strategies out with her. Lauren, Maya, Jennie and I presented for the next 3 hours, discussing first the theory behind student centered learning and then teaching and modeling 3 activities they could use across all subjects and grades in their classrooms. The presentation was very active and eye-opening on both sides. At the beginning we had the teachers engaged in an activity we call “carousel”. In a carousel, participants write down their thoughts,and then analyze and evaluate questions posted around the room. Some of the questions we posted were, “what is you biggest challenge as a teacher?”, “what is the role of the teacher/student ?“and “how does learning happen?” Over and over we saw similarities between our students and the challenges in NYC and those teachers face here at St. James. We felt effective knowing we had experienced similar challenges. We also learned that at the end of the day, children are children and they all want the same things.
On Monday we went to the Taj Mahal! It was sooo magnificently beautiful. On the way up the hill to the tomb, a few of us got to ride the camel pulling our cart while the driver took pictures. It was awesome! We got stuck in a monsoon rain on the way back to the van and the drive took slightly longer than we expected but in the words of Mr. Chetty, we “made fun.”
Tuesday was the Indian holiday Raksha Bandhan, that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. All of the children at the orphanage participated in a celebration and exchange of bracelets. Many children had siblings from outside of the home come to visit them especially for this day. The exchange ritual is very intricate and meaningful. It was very moving to watch the respect and love the children have for one another and the importance they place on the relationship between siblings. I think we all missed our own that day!
Wednesday was our day out shopping. The girls put on their game faces and bargained in the markets at Connaught place. I think as a team we walked away with some excellent deals. For lunch (gasp) we hit up the Indian McDonalds for the famous Maharajah Mac. After 12 days of rice and daal , 3 meals a day, the golden arches were calling our name and we we satisfied! Wednesday evening we took the Chetty family out to dinner and had some of the most delicious Indian food. Even after our gluttonous day of Mcdonalds and ice cream sundaes at Cafe Coffee Day, the Indian food at the neighborhood restaurant was so enticing and delicious.
Yesterday we visited another educational project in the rag picking area. It was by far the most extreme poverty we have seen thus far. After visiting the office and hearing about the program, social workers walked us through the slum to see how the children were being forced to work and kept from school. We were also able to peer into the homes which were essentially tiny rooms where 7-8 people slept with no running water or electricity. There was no water in the slum and the community leader informed us that the government has stopped sending trucks regularly.
The program being run is educating approximately 40 children in 2 separate sessions throughout the day. The children who are still forced to work attend the session later in the day. Parents keep their children from school in order to have them make money picking trash for the family. The social workers for the program go in to the slum every day to check on the students families and to tell more residents about the opportunity for education in their area. Because of the extreme poverty in the area and the largely Muslim population, education is neither valued for children nor made accessible. Many families are not even aware their children have rights to an education. The program is doing amazing work empowering the students they have acquired and engaging with the families.
Yesterday afternoon was our farewell with the teachers and last night we celebrated a “farewell to American Didi’s” with the children. Both celebrations were joyful filled with traditional Indian attire, dancing, tea and sweets.
We have had an incredible journey and can’t wait to share more when we return through photos and stories. I think the value of education has been seen in a whole new light on this trip and as educators we are leaving feeling inspired, hopeful, and eager to make a difference.
Love and miss you all!!!
Blessings,
Kaitlyn, Maya, Lauren, Krishtine, Jennie, Veena
