In Retrospect: Lessons Learnt in 2009-10
Written by Shruti Ambast
A is for Arriving ahead of time
B is for Bringing all the required material
C is for Coordinating with co-volunteers
.
.
.
M is for Making a difference……
I have been doing a lot of reading on issues regarding education in India for a research internship.
A recurring and very valid concern is the pathetic quality of education that most children in this country receive, and isn’t that just what we are trying to set right?
Looking back at the year gone past, and all the classes we took as MAD volunteers, I keep trying to evaluate whether we changed anything in the system, whether we made a difference at all…
One of the reasons why MAD is such a great idea is because it offers responsibility to the volunteer and not simply an opportunity to feel good about himself / herself. Last year, this responsibility entailed that we come on time, come prepared, stick to the timeframe of the syllabus, and such. Looking at it this way, MAD is really an exercise in self-discipline.
And personally, I think I could have done better. Quite often, I thought that our teaching was not as effective as it could have been; sometimes it seemed as if the kids were having trouble grasping the lessons. Maybe that would not have been so if we were better prepared. Or maybe we were just expecting too much out of the kids….
Whatever the reason, the point is that there is a lot of scope for improvement in the coming year. The most important thing, I feel, is to never, amidst all the fun, lose sight of the greater purpose of this whole endeavour.
I am just trying to rejuvenate myself for this coming session. What are your thoughts on this?
Related posts:
