My Life is My Message - Gandhi

"I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any." - Gandhi

Kankaria Lake

I just love this quote because it reflects my desire to travel, see new places and to learn other cultures. Gandhi gets me! And I could not help but think one of his other famous quotes, "My life is my message", would make an excellent tattoo, except it's such a strong statement to live up to!

Last weekend we visited Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat. A driver picked us up and took us all around. First, we stopped at Kankaria Lake, which is a large man-made lake with amusement parks around. It was a scenic place to run and for families to come and play.

Then we went to a mosque built in the 1500s. We had to take our shoes off and they would not let women even approach the structure, so we looked from a distance. We were also not allowed to take pictures.

Gandhi's house

Then, we went to the Gandhi museum and saw the religious living community, called ashram, where he stayed while in India. Here, he paid Indians to spin cloth in support of the Independence movement. There was a lot to read, but not many artifacts, as he was a simple man. He was involved in many national and international political issues, and often went on long fasts until a favorable decision was made. It sounds like Gandhi, and many people here take pieces from different religious and stitch them together to form a belief system. They read the Vedas as well as the Bible and Quran.

The next stop was Akshardam Temple, a Hindu place of worship. Again, quite the process to get in. We had to leave everything-purses, cell phones, shoes, etc. to enter. The architecture was stunning, so intricately detailed. Inside, there was a huge idol and many other idols of gods surrounding for people to pray to.

Adalaj Stepwell

My favorite stop was the Adalaj Stepwell. It’s structured in a way that the rainfall collected in this bath, were people would come for religious cleansing. There were spiral staircases and passageways leading down. The stone was carved so beautifully that we just stopped and stared for a while.

This weekend we saw Bahubali, a popular Hindi movie, at a new theater. We went with Kaushayla, a Hindi teacher at the school. She helped translate what was going on every so often. Our snack of choice was popcorn and Pepsi, but you can also get Indian chat, or snacks. There is an intermission during every movie.

Sunday, we went to one of two Christian churches in the city. It was a dual service-Hindi and English. Everyone was very kind and welcoming. We went to one of Andrea’s student’s houses for lunch. Andrea has been informally teaching Spanish to a group students during their breaks. They practice with the handy DuoLingo app at home, so we helped two of her students learn animal vocabulary. This is what they do on the weekends for fun!

These girls (6th grade) are so studious—one is also trying to learn French, German and Spanish. This is in addition to the languages most Indians have. Usually they know 1) Their local language (here is Gujrati), 2) Their home language (if they grew up in a different part of India), 3) Hindi, 4) Sanskrit (similar to Hindi), and English.

Sammy gets a digestive system.

In other school news, we have started the “Our Body” chapter in Science. The school has a skeleton, but we cannot bring it into the classroom...so I made a foldable one! Sammy the Skeleton received a muscular system and digestive system, and soon a nervous system. The kids loved the activity I found—taking a piece of bread and squishing it in a Ziploc bag to simulate digestion. I added juice and squished it some more (they were surprisingly not grossed out). I explained the intestines absorb what is needed and then drained the “waste water” in the sink. I threw out the solid waste in the trash. Science is so cool, right?!

It's Not All Sunshine and Rainbows

My experience has been amazing so far, but it's not easy. The last few days have been trying, and I wanted to be open about the difficulties as well as the "wins."

My students are adorable, but very naughty. They are academically sound, but their behavior is 235702938 times worse than my American kiddos. I have not quite been able to figure this out.

Part of the problem is that they are not allowed to go outside for recess. Inside, they cannot run or throw things. This limits their options to wrestling each other. Then come the tears, the injuries, and complaints.

They are extremely loud (because there are 41 of them!), and sometimes it can take ten minutes of class time just to establish quiet. Yesterday, I was frustrated because I literally could not make myself louder than them. During class, they often shout out answers or come up to the board to ask questions while I am teaching (though I have practiced hand raising with them again and again).

Since a glass of wine is not an option here,
one must turn to Indian chocolates.

It's difficult stepping into an environment where there is little follow-through with consequences. If a student does receive a consequence, it does not seem to impact their behavior. There is no school-wide behavior management system in place. Teachers usually deliver empty threats or make students stand during the lesson, which does nothing at all.

I made a mistake on the board during a math lesson (I was going through it so slowly I lost track of my steps!) when Sunu was observing me. I was so embarrassed! And on top of this, my host mom is having some personal issues and she has been extremely difficult to get along with. Rough day.

Here, students are not allowed to make mistakes, and especially not teachers. In fact, teachers are often shamed by the principal. If a teacher makes a mistake on a student's report card, she must buy another one for 150 rupees. When students get to 6th grade, they are only allowed to write in pen. Positive reinforcement is non-existent. 

I don't want to paint a negative picture of India, because I do love it here. I love the vibrant culture, the sharp students, and wonderful teachers. I am so engrossed in this culture I forget to step back and remember teachers have very difficult jobs. Especially in a foreign environment and perfectionist culture. 

But I counted to ten, went to yoga, prayed to MY God, cried a little, had some pineapple ice cream and tried to convince myself I am a good teacher. Tomorrow is a new day.

Happy Independence Day!

Aquatic life dress up day at school.
If this is not the cutest thing ever,
 I don't know what is. 

What a great week! Just when my time is over halfway through here, I feel like I am deepening relationships with teachers, knowing my students, discovering places to hang out and truly experiencing India.

Mango ice cream in Old Baroda
with Sunu, Shruti and Andrea.

My cooperating teacher is such a gem. She and her sister took Andrea and I to the Baroda museum, on a toy train ride through the zoo, and to the local--very authentic, very Indian--marketplace. Being a science teacher, Sunu was geeked for the zoo, even though we had just been there with the students! And I was jazzed about seeing a blue whale skeleton at the museum. It’s one of the largest full blue whale skeletons, and people travel from all over the world to see it. The museum and zoo area is surrounded by grassy gardens near the college campus. All this land was given to Baroda by the maharajah, or former king, and the buildings are timeworn, but stunning.  We stopped to get ice cream and walked around the gardens.

The vendor we bought
bindis from.

The marketplace in what they call “Old Baroda” was one of the most enchanting places. It was dusty, bustling and shoulder-to-shoulder with people and cattle, and crowded with shops selling everything from kurtas to appliances. The sun started to set, and this place became magical. I felt like I had stepped into a storybook, and the flashes of color, the vendors with various merchandise hanging from their carts, the dim lights, the murmur voices buying and selling--was all a dream. This marketplace was a maze of streets and alleys, with no street signs or store signs or addresses. People ducked in and out of shops, corners and doors that didn’t look like doors. You had to feel your way around and know this place, it’s culture, by heart. Even the locals get lost here, but we had Shruti with us, and she knew the way. We picked up some bindis, bangles and earrings, then stopped for more ice cream (the ice cream was only 10 rupees, or 16 cents!). This was my favorite experience in India so far.

Independence Day celebration.

In other news, Andrea and I have been going to yoga at least four times per week. In case you yogis were wondering how serious these people are about yoga, imagine doing 100 sun salutation sequences. Yes, we “worshiped” the sun in 4 sets of 25. That sun better feel loved!

My cooperating teacher, Sunu's birthday is
also on Independence Day!

The school's Independence Day celebration was so much fun. One of the Hindi teachers at school, Kaushalya, came to our house to help with the saris. While I love how elegant they look, it is a process to drape these things, pin them, walk, climb stairs (much less any other movements), and to take them off. They are a lot of work! But I felt good wearing it. The teachers recognized and appreciated my sari-wearing as an effort to know, learn and love their culture. Someone even took my photo for the school yearbook! The students performed a miming act, played musical instruments,  and danced traditional Indian dances. Everyone sang national songs and then the national anthem while the flag was raised.

We are going to Ahmedabad tomorrow, where one of Gandhi’s homes serves as a museum. Excited to see this city. More later!

Xoxo

~Rachel

Selfie, Ma'am? Please?

Class 3F loved visiting the birds at the zoo--especially
the peacocks (the national bird).

Life is full here in India! We took the 3rd graders (all 245 of them) to the zoo last week. It was a blast. So cool to see them make connections to what we had been learning about birds in class and then get to see a bunch of exotic ones in real life. And it was just a nice break from the white-walled classroom. 

Students asked, "Selfie, Ma'am?
Please?

Lesson planning is a ton of work. Especially here, since there are no shortcuts with technology. I am finding myself getting crafty and drawing things by hand, making cut outs, etc. Little did I know, with teaching, I would consequently become a singer/songwriter, artist, magician and actress. It takes effort to keep 41 kiddos entertained! 

The Kindness Box, one of my
many crafty endeavors.

Science and math are now my favorite subjects to teach. I introduced multiplication and they are learning division next week. In Science, I am planning a unit on the human body. They are going to love adding new body systems to the class skeleton we are making! I am nervous though, as it could get tricky after that, learning about counting money (in rupees) in Math and measurement (metric system) for Science.

Next week we are implementing my creation, the Kindness Box. We've been having issues with students tattling (they don't have a Hindi word for tattling here, so I had to explain to my teacher what it meant!) and constantly coming up to us with problems. My goal is to help them start solving their problems among each other. I figured if they had to write out their complaints, they'd think twice before taking it to the teacher!

Bhel puri

In the no WiFi days, Andrea and I found a new coffee bar with delicious snacks. Bhel puri is a popular street food snack in Mumbai, but we were afraid we'd get sick if we ate it while we were there. It is made of rice, vegetables and tamarind sauce. It was SO good! The coffee bar serves all their soda with ice cream-my kind of place!

One of my teacher friends is so nice in explaining everything India. We go to the cafeteria for hot chai (tea with milk and sugar) every day (no matter how hot it is outside!). At first, I thought we were drinking chai tea, but she said you could get lemon chai, herbal chai, etc. When they serve it, people sometimes say, "with love" in Hindi, which I thought was  cute.    

Shruti, Andrea and I post sari shopping.

Since India's Independence Day celebration is on Saturday, my cooperating teacher, Sunu and her sister, Shruti, took us shopping for saris. It is quite the process--buying all the parts (sari, petticoat, blouse, bindi, earrings), putting them on, and getting them to stay on! We were instructed to buy 12 safety pins and practice walking in them every day until Saturday. We are so excited, and pictures to come! 

18 Must-Have Skills for Teachers

Are You Fit to be a Teacher?

In an assignment for student teaching, I was to write about the skills and characteristics teachers must possess. I actually enjoyed writing it, and it showed me how much I have learned and grown during the past couple years of school and field experience. I was amazed at all the skills I so easily thought of! Are there any you would add? Disagree with?

Teaching requires many special skills, and during the day, a teacher can wear many hats in addition to just educating the students in her class:

1.      Empathy and social-emotional support: A teacher also assumes some responsibility for ensuring students have a sense of community in the class, are making friends, and feel safe and cared for. Students need to view their teacher as someone they can trust, who cares about them, and will listen to their problems.

2.      Creativity: Whether it is working with time constraints, dealing with limited resources, or dreaming up lesson plans to reach her students, a teacher must have a creative streak. Especially in primary, the ability to design activities, worksheets, teaching aids, posters, bulletin boards, anchor charts, and PowerPoints is key. Incorporating different modalities and learning styles requires creativity, too. A teacher must be able to explain a topic or present material in various ways to accommodate students with disabilities or other learning needs.

3.      Authoritative voice: Teachers need to be able to speak firmly and loudly when appropriate. They must demand respect of the classroom, but in a kind way.

4.      Organization and planning: With so much going on and so many students, it is important to stay organized. There are papers to correct, report cards to complete, school activities and functions, field trip forms, makeup work for kids who were absent, and many teaching aids and materials that need attention. Teachers should be able to anticipate situations, student reactions and responses, and plan ahead for them. You always need backup games, activities or lessons just in case something doesn’t go as planned.

5.      Teamwork and collaboration: In order to be an effective teacher, you have to work well with others. This means listening to ideas, sharing your own, and coming up with creative solutions with your department or other teachers at the same grade level. Teachers must be available to others to bounce ideas off of, share research, and strategies that work. You should be open-minded and easy to get along with if you must sit down with a group to plan regularly.

6.      Advocacy: Especially with students who come from low-income families, teachers must have a sense of justice and advocating for what is right. Whether it’s advocating for resources like money for certain projects, grants for more technology, or going on field trips, they must be able to speak up so students get the care they need. Teachers should also advocate for themselves—whether it’s taking care of their salary, ability to move into leadership positions, vacation or sick time, or attending conferences and professional development, teachers must ask for these things as they are not always readily provided. Teachers must care for themselves and their families so they can better care for their classrooms.

7.      Communication: Being in regular communication with parents, the principal and other staff is important because it builds trust. A teacher must be able to give clear instructions for students during a lesson so they can understand.

8.      Thinking on the fly: Just in case something changes during the day, there is an emergency, or a lesson takes a different turn, teachers should have the instinct to teach on the fly. It is helpful to have games, activities and experience in your back pocket.

9.      Flexibility: The ability to adjust or revamp lesson plans at a moment’s notice is desirable. If students aren’t grasping a concept in the way you planned, you must be able to move with them, and at their pace.

10.  Multi-tasking: Multitasking means being able to see all of the classroom at once. While teaching a lesson, the teacher has to gauge student reactions, responses and understanding, while keeping everyone on task. A teacher could be dealing with a discipline issue, and at the same time, remembering she has to contact the parent after school. It could be grading papers while helping her student teacher with a lesson plan.

11.  Entertaining: A teacher must be interesting enough to capture her students’ attention. This could mean role playing as an important historical figure for social studies or making hand gestures so ESL students don’t get lost during the lesson. It also helps to have a sense of humor. A teacher with this characteristic makes content relatable to students, and sees the world through their eyes.

12.  Time management: A teacher must manage her time both with lesson planning and with correction work at home. During the day, a teacher must gauge how long the instruction piece of her lesson will take. She must manage her free periods for work time, collaboration with other teachers, communication with parents and the principal and for meetings.

13.  Work/life balance: If a teacher is to have a lasting career in education, she must make sure she takes time off and practices self-care. She must have a healthy, stable family life to be fully present and available for her students.

14.  Leadership: By setting a good example for her students, a teacher practices perhaps a quiet leadership. Through the way she conducts herself, others will learn values and how to act toward others. Among her colleagues, a teacher should come forth with innovative ideas and solutions. She should boost the morale of her team or department.

15.  Management: This skill includes putting together daily routines like classroom jobs, logistics, and running the day and week’s schedule properly.

16.  Responsibility: Since students’ futures are at stake, teachers must be accountable for the learning in her class. She must ensure the safety and well-being of her students, and for their learning environment.

17.  Problem-solving: A teacher must be able to deal with conflict in a mature way. Many times the principal or other leadership is not available and she must look in herself for answers and seek out resources for herself.

18.  Intelligence: The ability to learn new strategies, programs, and teaching methods will benefit students. She must have a deep understanding of content, especially in her subject area, to be able to answer students’ questions and offer excellent, clear explanations for the way things work.