Easier said than done. The phrase hasn't been more true than it is now. A clear vision, an elaborate plan and a determined mind, everything you need to achieve something. But what is not considered is the actual execution. Having made a pretty decent impact at institute, I was quite confident about the city. The students have already had structures in place. They've already been invested into quality education. With a third year intervention, what could possibly be wrong?
As I entered the class on my first day, I could see 32 faces light up like fireworks. They had been waiting for me ever since school started. With huge smiles, enthusiastic hand shakes and introductions, they immediately made me feel much more confident about the road ahead. I could see that their rigour was very high. They could grasp any new concept very fast. It was a cake walk introducing Democracy as a theme for the class. I checked their political knowledge. They knew the basics. PM, CM, Ministers etc. At the end of the day, I had pretty much narrowed down my initial objectives for the class. Focus on English, push them higher on solving word problems in math.
Day 2. Familiarity slowly crept in. They now knew my style of teaching. They had very quickly analyzed what works and what doesn't. I could see them slipping out of my hand slowly. This is but natural for most students when they don't find the class engaging enough. Sensing that many felt disconnected in the class, I switched my method to a more interactive one. Still no improvement. Silly fights started. He is pushing my bag. He is sitting cross legged. She is touching my book etc. I never had these at institute. As soon as I entered the class, the kids knew I meant business. I had a plan that worked. That plan, doesn't work here now. I applied everything I learnt at institute in vain. Then it struck me.
What if I was looking at it wrong? What if the cause of this failure was something else? I digged deeper into their individual lives. What do they do after school? Where do they go? Who do they meet? What do their parents do? I had to know everything that happened in their lives. I sat down with them during breaks, after school and whenever I got the time. After going through multiple conversations and behaviour observations, I found the answer.
They all live in a violence riddled community. They witness murders, robbery, domestic violence, abuses etc on a daily basis. Their houses are not well maintained for obvious lack of finances. At school, they see the atmosphere is similar. Unplastered walls, corporal punishment etc. So the logical assumption for the kid is that the behaviour outside is accepted inside as well because it's the same environment. The inter family fights carry over to the class where the kids are now rivals. The domestic violence carries over as physical fights for minor issues. I was trying to treat the symptom while the cause was left unattended.
Now that I know the cause, I've to work on fixing it. I have to change the atmosphere in school for starters. I have to have a separate plan for each child. They challenge me on every front. They throw things at me. They disrespect my words. All that is going to change now. Because they've tread enough. It's time the tables are turned around. It's time I prove to them that I'm here to stay. It's time they saw the change in themselves for better. It's time, for transformation! Not because I can't handle the class. Not because I get frustrated everyday. But because they deserve it. Because I owe them this basic facility, of a safe, happy, knowledgeable environment where they can grow as people and see that the life outside all the violence and hatred is way better! They have the potential, they have the will, all they need now, is joyful thrill!
But then again, easier said than done?
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