Cute Things Indian Kids (and Sometimes Adults) Do

A 3rd grade student showing me his
amazing sketchbook.

1. Have lots of birthdays. Each student hands out a treat for their birthday, especially to their new exotic American Ma'am. With around 245 third graders, I average receiving about 3 candies per day. After they hand you the candy, you are supposed to shake their hand and wish them a happy birthday!
2. The Head Wobble. Indians shake their head from side to side (like saying "no"), to show they are listening and taking in what you are saying. It's the equivalent to nodding yes...but not.
3. Call me Rachel Ma'am. Every teacher is "Ma'am." When students need to refer to a specific teacher, it's "Rachel Ma'am" or "Where is Sunu Ma'am?" I actually like this better than "Ms. <Last Name>."
4. Wish you a "Good day, Ma'am!" Perhaps it's the British influence?
5. Ask my name and then run away. Or whisper to their friends and walk away confused. Again, with 245 third graders, this has happened AT LEAST 100 TIMES.
6. Write in ONLY cursive. And this 9-year-old handwriting is often better than most adults'.
7. Want my signature. They bring a little piece of paper for me to sign. I am not sure if they think I'm famous...?
8. They share. Adults, too. My food is your food and everyone else's, too. 

Library time.

Real talk, though. These kids are the cutest. And VERY well-rounded. I think this is an important piece American schools think they are getting right, but are missing. At Delhi Public School (DPS), they do not have 90 minute Reading and Math blocks that lose students' attention and focus. My students do not have reading class at all! Their English class combines reading and writing practice. Each class period is 40 minutes long, with at least a 10-minute break after each class. This resets students' focus and gets the wiggles out. When it's time for instruction, students know it's work time.

Girls swimming class.

They discover different parts of the world in Social Studies and learn about nature through Science. They are building crucial background knowledge through Visual & Performing Arts, regular Art/Drawing class, club competitions, Library time, PE/Swimming and General Knowledge/Current Events class, etc. These have REAL-WORLD applications.Their writing, listening, speaking and other reading skills come naturally though their workbook work in all subjects. We should not read just to read, but to LEARN about famous people's contributions to society, our surroundings and the way things work. Reading is a means to discover the world--it doesn't need to be a subject and take up 90 minutes of the school day!

Indian students (at least the ones I've seen at DPS in my 60+ hours of observations so far) are self-motivated and disciplined. Some of it may be out of fear. But mostly, it is because respecting your elders, especially teachers, is a cultural value taught at a very young age. This does not mean students are not perfect angels. They are regular, chatty nine-year-olds who occasionally misbehave. But this attention to values cause them to have an inner grit--something American teachers desperately try to instill in our students.

I am super excited to teach an English lesson this week and am planning a series of science lessons on birds for the next week. Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

xoxo

~Rachel