Wednesday, August 3, 2011

On being a teacher...

I get up every morning with the pink light of dawn entering the non-stop musical in front of my eyes starring my little devils at Akanksha. The first thing on my mind,.. “Lets see what I can achieve today?” I am not exaggerating one bit!

One day inside the Akanksha classroom can change your life forever. Teaching is addictive. Teaching is experimenting. Teaching is learning to see things from the eyes of 30 children and then trying to build a connection to the different view points. As a teacher, I have learnt that there is a very solid reasoning behind every answer that a child gives, behind every action that a child does, behind every expression that a child shows. There are no right or wrong answers. It is the process that leads to the answer which is important.

Kids are kids.. in my house or in the slums – full of wonder. They have similar needs.. the need for attention, the need for security, the need for love and the need for a good education. That is any child’s appetite across the world!

Being a teacher to me means to continuously explore and push myself out of my comfort zone to become an ‘effective’ and ‘complete’ educator. It means to create a sweet bond with the child, to extend that relationship to the child’s family and community. To me it means to build the capacity to be able to accommodate an unexpected situation without a frown. It means to try and cater to the learning needs and learning styles in a mixed group. It means to continuously try and improve every lesson to increase engagement.

Being an Akanksha teacher gives me continuous access to best practices and teaching methods around the world. It allows me the freedom to systematically experiment with new ideas that have the potential to improve the learning.

Above all, being a teacher means to be able to smile after a rough day, to be able to share and reflect with a wonderful team and to be able to celebrate the smallest of victories!

The Garden of My Life...

It isn't as if it's new
For years it grew and grew
I heard them only today
The trunks and leaves that say
Give, Forgive and Believe-
And Thank while you pray.

I walked the path of joggers
Deliberating at every step
Comprehending the silence of nature
Unleashing my long discomfiture.
With love and abundance all around
How can I be sorrow bound?

There is one very old and tall
My pillar of strength that says it all
Hold on to the ground with all your might
Lest a storm push you away in flight.
You have chores to accomplish
And a life to sweetly nourish.

There is one all coiled and curled
A little deceiving, I wonder
No beginning no end
A new maze at every bend.
Find the order in each twist and turn
For life has just but begun.

There is yellow and purple and blue
Glimpses of pink and orange are few
Swaying in happiness and merrily singing
Unaware of passersby with mobiles vibrating!
Technology is irrelevant dear-
This is a world of NOW and HERE.

There are many greens and reds
Lining my path to the flower beds
Every step I pray..
Let all be blessed who tread this way
Every dog or bird or worm or man...
Every stone or pebble or frying pan.

You watch me now and then

Trodding on your leaves and stems

Shattering the silence with every step

You smile and engulf me in your arms.

I am overpowered; yet safe and secure.

You give me the strength to move ahead

In the direction where suffering ends

Where love and faith is all that matters

Acceptance and forgiveness go hand in hand.

Every morning,

You teach me something new

You , the Garden of My Life.