A Day with Teach for India
I was
delighted when my friend Tarun asked me if I would like to volunteer for teaching
a class in a MCD school in Delhi as part of the Teach For India week that is
being observed from 27th to 31st Jan 2014. Teach for
India is a project of Teach to Lead, a not for profit organization, launched in 2008, with a mission to create
leaders to make education more equitable.
Teach for
India selects college graduates and young professionals as TFI professionals
who commit to teach full time in selected under staffed teachers. Presently
Teach for India has more than 700 fellows across Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad
and Chennai. Delhi has around 180 fellows and I had the opportunity to talk to
this group regarding the work that I do earlier this month.
Today, as
part of the Teach for India week, I was taken to Nigam Pratibha Primary School
in Tughlaqabad Extension. The school has a nice building with huge compound
with around 1200 students and 22 teachers. However, the complex is running 5
schools presently as some of the nearby school buildings are under renovation.
Two schools with almost 2200 children were running when I was there. Other
schools function in afternoon shift.
Well, I was
taken to the class that is run by Hemant Bhalla, who is a Teaching Fellow for
almost a year and plans to write Civil Services Examination. Night before, I
has thought that I will be talking to the Grade 3 students in Hindi and was mentally
preparing myself for the same. This class had almost 35 girl students and I was
surprised to observe that all of them greeted me in English, very enthusiastically.
Hemant also had given the structure of
my class on the Blackboard, all in English and it helped me to structure my
thoughts and go along.
I was
impressed by the awareness levels and the questions put up to me. Two girls asked
me about how one can become a Cardiologist! A few others wanted to know of the
ways to become Engineers, Doctors, Teachers, IAS officers, Police officers,
Scientists and more. 8-9 year olds asking such questions was really
interesting. I was flummoxed when a girl asked me as to what I wanted to become
when I was a 8 year old. I remembered my days when a Pilots profession appeared
too fascinating to me, and told her about that. Next question was then why did
I join IAS and not chase my dream!!
However,
what really made me speechless when I was asked by a girl as to why do Boys use
bad words with girls? She then asked me as to why is it that Boys have more
power? I explained to them about how girls today are at forefront in all
professions. She was quick to ask me, what if a boy hits them? I told her to
hit back and not to take things lying down.
Seems a
workshop against sexual abuse was conducted by some local police officers, a
few days back, in the school. The girls
were advised not to accept chocolates or gifts from strangers. A girl asks me,
why should we not accept such things? I told them it is not safe. Next question
was what if someone known to them gives them something? Given the fact that
most cases of abuse are by people known to kids, I told them that they should
tell their parents or teachers about it. Secondly, one should never accept
something which is not earned. Another girl asks me, Why do people try to lure
them? I had no answers.
It’s such a
sorry state of affairs when 8 year olds have to be told against this menace
that exists in our society? Whom do we blame? Our social structures, films or
the way we bring up our boys?
Anyways,
the questions continued and I explained to them about various arms of the
Government and how it functions. I also told them one of my favourite stories –
that of the Rabbit and Turtle – albeit the extended version. The kids seemed to
enjoy the story. I ended my talk with lessons that one can earn from a humble
pencil. We could have continued longer, but I was told that it was time for the
mid-day meal.
Overall, it
was a very satisfying experience. It changed my perception of MCD Schools. The
schools have good infrastructure and the quality of education being imparted is
decent. The children are from poor backgrounds but are no less compared to any
public school kid. The questions about abuse and the problems girl students
face made me see the underbelly of our society. It’s sad and shocking. However,
the saving grace was that the girls are not shy to ask questions and generally
appeared to be alert and aware. It was obvious that the Teach for India fellows
have made a mark.
A truly
satisfying and enriching day.
