If I could classify this as a job, it is the most difficult one I have or will ever do. If it is a mission, it is more important than anyone I can ever dream of  undertaking.

I am overwhelmed today with the task at hand.

I go back after over a month of forced and diwali vacation to torn charts, a broken almirah, stolen books and as usual a filthy isolated classroom.

I go back to a dysfunctional school, where nobody cares. And all who care quit because they are so overwhelmed by how things function there.

I go back to kids who have learnt that violence is a way of life, be that physical or verbal, who have seen more than anyone deserves to see in an entire life, who do stuff I just wish I did not know right now.

Its a dark place down here. I am scared today . I dont know why but I am.

Today Kunal asked me to go to the toilet. Usually the class rule does not allow going to the toilet during instruction but when kids say 'didi zor se aayi hai' , I let them go. Well I am the trusting kinds ;).

Right before Kunal asked , I had seen his brother outside the door. As soon as Kunal said zor se aayi hai , kids prompted me saying 'Kunal bhai ke pas jaa raha'

The rest of the coversation :

Didi : Kunal are you telling a lie . Jhooth?
Kunal : Nai didi. No jhooth.

Didi : Kunal you are going to the toilet and not to your brother. Bhai ?
Kunal : No didi. Toilet.

Class : Nai didi jhooth bol raha. I see the brother outside running away.

And then I do what I  do most of the times. Trust.

Didi : Kunal go to the toilet and come back quickly. ( I acted the quickly part)

Kunal : Yes didi.

One hour later.

I am called for an important work. I ask the kids to work quietly. As I come back I hear a couple of kids shouting. I come back and ask who was shouting.

The class: (as usual) didi yeh -- nai didi woh.
Didi : Apne ap, on your own stand up and tell me who was shouting.

No one gets up.Again did yeh didi woh.

Didi : Tell me the truth. Sach bolo.

Kunal gets up. The only kid to stand. And though he was talking when I entered I am sure he wasnt the one shouting. I knew Sahil and Arbaz were and  when Kunal stood up there were 10 more who stood up including the both of them.


My trusting paid off. That is why I love kids. They tend to respect human elements much more than adults.

Thanks Kunal. You inspired me to trust people, few people do that.

Love
Didi.

It was my history book that gave me my first and strongest shot of nationalism. I tend to visualise most of the things I read and if you ask me, at 10, I actually saw the independence struggle infront of me. I remember crying when i was reading about jalianwala bagh and beamed with pride at Gandhi's victories.

My inspirations were these stories for a long time. I wanted to be like one of these national heroes, Bhagat Singh was one man I absolutely adored .

As I grew up, movies and their patriotic songs became my link with patriotism. So much so, that I would listen to these songs every 15th aug and 26th january.

Things have changed drastically now. Today the inspiration is not local, it is not India. Its global.
 Nothing made me realise that more than TFI.

Most of its inspirational songs are bollywood and hollywood numbers. Most of  its  inspirational leaders are present day teachers and no, they are not limited to India. National heroes, even social reformers hardly find a mention. Rabindranath Tagore and his ideas on education which changed the way I thought about  education as a whole, have also been considered too philosophical for the movement.

But people are inspired. They do not know about the 1857 struggle, they do not want to know about it and the best part is probably that they do not need to. 

The present inspires them, the idea of humanity inspires them, art and music inspires them. They do not need to look at the past. Its the present that they derive their energy from as they focus toward a bright future.

This is our new generation and I hope we get some change in place.

I was supposed to assess where she stood on these standardised levels of reading. She was trying really hard to say the word 'hurry'. She pressed her finger as hard on the word as she could and repeated it in a gazillion different ways and everytime she would look at me for my approval. Though I wasnt making any gestures, but she could somehow make out that she wasn't correct.

And finally she got it, she read it right and she read that in my eyes. Her face beamed.

And  then a silent oath was taken between the both of us. She being the fighter and I, well, the teacher.

Little Tasmin's beautiful eyes are always keen on detail. She would make sure to follow all rules to the hilt and her answers though incorrect are always presented in a near perfect way.

She is not the brightest of students  but she is an inspiration. She is relentless in answering  a question a hundred times until she gets it correct and boldly telling me that what I wrote on the board was wrong because 1010 is more than 1104 as clearly  it has more number of zeroes.

She WANTS to learn. With TFI chances are, she will.

I wish I had a photo of her. I never got it :)

Overwhelmed. Inspired. But not surprised. Children have been sent here to blossom. And each child has that right and given a conducive environment, he/she shall do exactly that .Blossom.

She inspired me, the girl who danced. She inspired me, the girl who made the luxembourg project.

He inspired me, the one who still had the weakest spoken English, but had the courage to take over the mike and tell everyone that he had improved on his confidence.

They were 14-15 year olds talking about how 'change takes time' and how succeeding was so much about 'prioritizing'.

They were living examples of the power of dreams.

I loved every moment they were out there giving us a piece of their 'heart'.

And Shaheen and Anjali . One word. Respect.