Soon after I quit my job in Deloitte to do something more meaningful and tangible, I was approached by a Principal of a small English medium school for the underprivileged, seeking my help with the teaching and administration.
I feel blessed for the moment I decided to visit the school. A school run inside a temple - with the students of two classes being taught in one room. A school that provides education for students of classes Nursery - 4th in English. I was asked to take care of the 4th grade.
I requested for some space in the room which served as the Principal's office and the staff room/meeting room so that I can teach my students separately. To my surprise, there were only 4 students in 4th grade - Simran, Gungun, Ankush and Vaibhav. Remaining students had dropped out from the school for their own reasons. I was asked to teach all the subjects. As the students looked at me excitedly, a bit shy initially they managed to tell me their names in English and asked my name too - which they found really sweet but difficult to remember. On the first day, I taught them to introduce themselves when they meet someone new. With equal number of boys and girls I was only impressed by the sex ratio.
Challenging as it was, I had to begin from scratch to teach them English. I have had my share of tough days with them. After two classes with them I was sure I would develop a lot of patience if nothing more! I had to repeatedly teach them everything and tried all combinations of innovation that would leave impressions on their minds about the lessons they were taught. I realized they were willing to study but they didn't have the option to study at their will, they had other household commitments to take care of. I spend around 6-7 hours with them everyday (3.5 hours in school and roughly 3 hours of tuition at my place). With time, four of them got frank with me and started confiding in me. And I learnt the following about them:
Simran - The most sincere and hard working of all. Lives with her mother who earns Rs. 1500 per month by working in the local Gurudwara. When asked her about her father she replied with a broad smile on her face - "Woh toh guzar gaye do saal pehle beemari se" (He passed away two years ago because of some disease). The innocence with which she told me this made me doubt if she even understood what that meant. And wait, 1500 a month? How is it even possible to manage in that little sum of money? Once when I sat next to her for lunch, she shared that she knows how to cook and she washes the clothes at home. Her exact words were - "Main duniya bhar ke kapde dho sakti hun, mujhe aadat hai" (I can wash the clothes of the world, I'm used to washing clothes"). I then looked at those little dry hands and had my answers.
Vaibhav - The shortest in height and has a radiant smile. He belongs to a very poor family with both his parents working as daily wage workers. When he comes for tuition at my place, he informs his neighbours as there's no one at home for most of the time. I scold him and he smiles back showing all his teeth to me. If I miss school some day, he will be the first one to ask for the reason why I missed it. Of all the kids, I think he is the most attached to me. His elder brother passed away and I'm sure he misses him. He has a good handwriting but writes slowly. He loves solving maths. He might have to solve a question a lot of times before he gets it right but he never loses his smile.
Ankush - A sharp child with a very good presence of mind. He acts moody at times, gets irritated if he doesn't understand anything in the first go. His mother says he talks a lot about me at home. He hasn't got a very good handwriting and is always in a hurry to finish his work. He draws really well and also makes idols using clay. His father is a tailor and doesn't spend a lot of time with him.
Gungun - A thin talkative girl who doesn't want to study. By her talking content I feel she has grown mature too early. Her father is an auto driver and her mother a housemaker. She has resorted to cheating, skipping school to avoid test, and avoiding tuitions. She likes me but she doesn't put any effort in studying. I've tried asking her if she has some other interest but she refuses. May be she will take her time and I want to keep trying.
After school everyday, all four of them hug me and shake hands with me to wish goodbye. Once, I asked them to complete their work fast as I was getting late to leave for home and Vaibhav whispered - "Dheere karo, teacher zyada der rukengi" (Work slowly so that the teacher stays longer)! I feel really blessed to experience such innocent love.
Other than teaching them their subjects I keep trying to teach them basic things. The one they've picked up really well is saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes. So, the usual scene in class now is - I'm teaching in an all serious mood and someone somewhere sneezes and all of them say "God bless you" in a chorus with their eyes searching for the one who sneezed! In tuition one day, Vaibhav told me he has taught it to all his friends in 2nd and 3rd grade as well :D
Talking of tuition at home, it started with teaching only four of my students but I was then contacted by other parents who wanted to send their children as well. Now, we (I had to pull my mother in too!) teach 12 students from Nursery to 7th Std everyday at home. As the clock strikes 2:30 pm, I stand right at the door waiting for the students to come home. They study, and then play in the lawn after completing their work. I play with them at times too! All my students get flowers for me everyday and while leaving for home Simran and Vaibhav wish me good evening and good night asking me to remember them before sleeping at night! They are so particular that once Vaibhav hugged me after tuition and told me that he thinks I don't think of them before sleeping and asked me to promise him that I do it from now!
Recently we conducted the Annual function at school. I wanted to address the parents but because we were all tied up with the dances, songs and speeches, I didn't insist. To my surprise, on the day of the function, I was honoured for serving the school. The school gifted me with a hand-made painting (which is extremely beautiful)! I was overwhelmed by the gesture. I was asked to speak and I spoke few of the things I had on my mind. I had a broad smile throughout the function! That day (31st Jan) has to be one of the happiest days of my life! By the way, due to my interest in clicking pictures, I have covered the entire event with my camera.
I've received message of appreciation from friends and relatives and I feel very blessed. But there are other people who deserve much more than appreciation! The Principal of the school -Mrs. Meena Mahato - a temporary labourer's wife has been running this school for 15 years! She doesn't earn anything much out of it. She isn't educated enough too. But, she tries her best to impart education. Her husband is an art painter who would be earning Rs. 10,000 per month roughly. They have three kids who were born after 15 years of their marriage - Riddhi, Siddhi (the twin sisters) and Piyank. Meena Ma'am is a true inspiration. She doesn't have much to offer but she is giving back to the society as much as she can with the only motive of helping others! I salute her for all her efforts straight from my heart!
Riddhi-Siddhi are the cutest 1st graders I've come across! My mom teaches them and Riddhi is really fond of her while Siddhi says she likes me more :D
I can see the positivity all these little angels have gifted me with. Whenever I feel low now, all I have to do is to try to smile like Vaibhav (and it really works) or recall how Simran, Ankush and Gungun start laughing without any reason. These small wonders have a lot more pain in their lives than any of us but they SMILE and they do it all the time! Happiness to them is answering in class, being praised, getting extra time to play and talking and playing with me. A smile on their face because of me makes me feel really happy and satisfied.
Most of my friends have called up to tell me what I am doing right now is something they've always wanted to do! To all those who want to help the less privileged, please do it NOW! I guarantee it will be a life changing experience and there's so much you'll learn about life. We shall then discuss how it felt when you know you caused a difference to someone's life :)
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I feel blessed for the moment I decided to visit the school. A school run inside a temple - with the students of two classes being taught in one room. A school that provides education for students of classes Nursery - 4th in English. I was asked to take care of the 4th grade.
I requested for some space in the room which served as the Principal's office and the staff room/meeting room so that I can teach my students separately. To my surprise, there were only 4 students in 4th grade - Simran, Gungun, Ankush and Vaibhav. Remaining students had dropped out from the school for their own reasons. I was asked to teach all the subjects. As the students looked at me excitedly, a bit shy initially they managed to tell me their names in English and asked my name too - which they found really sweet but difficult to remember. On the first day, I taught them to introduce themselves when they meet someone new. With equal number of boys and girls I was only impressed by the sex ratio.
Challenging as it was, I had to begin from scratch to teach them English. I have had my share of tough days with them. After two classes with them I was sure I would develop a lot of patience if nothing more! I had to repeatedly teach them everything and tried all combinations of innovation that would leave impressions on their minds about the lessons they were taught. I realized they were willing to study but they didn't have the option to study at their will, they had other household commitments to take care of. I spend around 6-7 hours with them everyday (3.5 hours in school and roughly 3 hours of tuition at my place). With time, four of them got frank with me and started confiding in me. And I learnt the following about them:
Simran - The most sincere and hard working of all. Lives with her mother who earns Rs. 1500 per month by working in the local Gurudwara. When asked her about her father she replied with a broad smile on her face - "Woh toh guzar gaye do saal pehle beemari se" (He passed away two years ago because of some disease). The innocence with which she told me this made me doubt if she even understood what that meant. And wait, 1500 a month? How is it even possible to manage in that little sum of money? Once when I sat next to her for lunch, she shared that she knows how to cook and she washes the clothes at home. Her exact words were - "Main duniya bhar ke kapde dho sakti hun, mujhe aadat hai" (I can wash the clothes of the world, I'm used to washing clothes"). I then looked at those little dry hands and had my answers.
Vaibhav - The shortest in height and has a radiant smile. He belongs to a very poor family with both his parents working as daily wage workers. When he comes for tuition at my place, he informs his neighbours as there's no one at home for most of the time. I scold him and he smiles back showing all his teeth to me. If I miss school some day, he will be the first one to ask for the reason why I missed it. Of all the kids, I think he is the most attached to me. His elder brother passed away and I'm sure he misses him. He has a good handwriting but writes slowly. He loves solving maths. He might have to solve a question a lot of times before he gets it right but he never loses his smile.
Ankush - A sharp child with a very good presence of mind. He acts moody at times, gets irritated if he doesn't understand anything in the first go. His mother says he talks a lot about me at home. He hasn't got a very good handwriting and is always in a hurry to finish his work. He draws really well and also makes idols using clay. His father is a tailor and doesn't spend a lot of time with him.
Gungun - A thin talkative girl who doesn't want to study. By her talking content I feel she has grown mature too early. Her father is an auto driver and her mother a housemaker. She has resorted to cheating, skipping school to avoid test, and avoiding tuitions. She likes me but she doesn't put any effort in studying. I've tried asking her if she has some other interest but she refuses. May be she will take her time and I want to keep trying.
After school everyday, all four of them hug me and shake hands with me to wish goodbye. Once, I asked them to complete their work fast as I was getting late to leave for home and Vaibhav whispered - "Dheere karo, teacher zyada der rukengi" (Work slowly so that the teacher stays longer)! I feel really blessed to experience such innocent love.
Other than teaching them their subjects I keep trying to teach them basic things. The one they've picked up really well is saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes. So, the usual scene in class now is - I'm teaching in an all serious mood and someone somewhere sneezes and all of them say "God bless you" in a chorus with their eyes searching for the one who sneezed! In tuition one day, Vaibhav told me he has taught it to all his friends in 2nd and 3rd grade as well :D
Talking of tuition at home, it started with teaching only four of my students but I was then contacted by other parents who wanted to send their children as well. Now, we (I had to pull my mother in too!) teach 12 students from Nursery to 7th Std everyday at home. As the clock strikes 2:30 pm, I stand right at the door waiting for the students to come home. They study, and then play in the lawn after completing their work. I play with them at times too! All my students get flowers for me everyday and while leaving for home Simran and Vaibhav wish me good evening and good night asking me to remember them before sleeping at night! They are so particular that once Vaibhav hugged me after tuition and told me that he thinks I don't think of them before sleeping and asked me to promise him that I do it from now!
Recently we conducted the Annual function at school. I wanted to address the parents but because we were all tied up with the dances, songs and speeches, I didn't insist. To my surprise, on the day of the function, I was honoured for serving the school. The school gifted me with a hand-made painting (which is extremely beautiful)! I was overwhelmed by the gesture. I was asked to speak and I spoke few of the things I had on my mind. I had a broad smile throughout the function! That day (31st Jan) has to be one of the happiest days of my life! By the way, due to my interest in clicking pictures, I have covered the entire event with my camera.
I've received message of appreciation from friends and relatives and I feel very blessed. But there are other people who deserve much more than appreciation! The Principal of the school -Mrs. Meena Mahato - a temporary labourer's wife has been running this school for 15 years! She doesn't earn anything much out of it. She isn't educated enough too. But, she tries her best to impart education. Her husband is an art painter who would be earning Rs. 10,000 per month roughly. They have three kids who were born after 15 years of their marriage - Riddhi, Siddhi (the twin sisters) and Piyank. Meena Ma'am is a true inspiration. She doesn't have much to offer but she is giving back to the society as much as she can with the only motive of helping others! I salute her for all her efforts straight from my heart!
Riddhi-Siddhi are the cutest 1st graders I've come across! My mom teaches them and Riddhi is really fond of her while Siddhi says she likes me more :D
I can see the positivity all these little angels have gifted me with. Whenever I feel low now, all I have to do is to try to smile like Vaibhav (and it really works) or recall how Simran, Ankush and Gungun start laughing without any reason. These small wonders have a lot more pain in their lives than any of us but they SMILE and they do it all the time! Happiness to them is answering in class, being praised, getting extra time to play and talking and playing with me. A smile on their face because of me makes me feel really happy and satisfied.
Most of my friends have called up to tell me what I am doing right now is something they've always wanted to do! To all those who want to help the less privileged, please do it NOW! I guarantee it will be a life changing experience and there's so much you'll learn about life. We shall then discuss how it felt when you know you caused a difference to someone's life :)
