Library..........

When I went Jyotidaya for the first time the students never wanted to go to the library and the books of the library were as if for decoration. So I thought of first compelling them to use the library books so made a reading chart so that they have to enlist at least one book that they have read during the week. And really it helped a lot..Now after two months I am really happy to see them eager to take the books without any force.

Yes, I know some of them don't read seriously. They only take the books, look at the picture and return but still I am happy as they are at least being habituated to see new pictures and know them. Then slowly they will also start to read. 

Students waiting on line for their turn to exchange the books.

Hard work

Students most likely to play than to read........So it's the challenge for every teachers to make the students learning without forcing them or making every lesson plan with fun. So it's very difficult. Nowadays I am teaching them vocabularies and for that I am making them see English movies of fairy tales and also making them play games for meaning and spellings and they are enjoying a lot. Even my grade eight students are also learning. So I am very happy but for this I need a lot of effort. And the truth is that I have to see so many reference materials now and so many internet materials on how to teach in an effective way which I had never done when I was at my school days. So it is really a hard work for me as well as my students who had grown up in a different educational environment. 

Today after the school, Shishir dai called us on a short notice for a video shooting and it was about our two months experience. Some amazing flashbacks of two months are still hovering on my mind even when I am writing this blog.

S.L.C. Fright...........

Though Saturday is a public holiday, we had called our grade nine and ten students for the psychosocial training. That's why we had to leave for our school on our regular schedule. We went and were just anxious whether our students will make it or not and were happy to find out that only two or three students did not make it. And the training was running smoothly. Students were participating enthusiastically but I had to leave on the half of the training because of my personal cause and while I was on the micro bus  a woman with her young son were sitting next to me. Then a boy may be of 16 entered into the bus. I found out from their conversation that he was his brother in law and had just graduated S.L.C and he was going to city for his new dress for college and she was giving the example of her brother in law to her son that he should just bring marks just like his uncle. Then the graduate hold the son and told that he is just at grade four and may be asking that how would S.L.C. be? and teasing him also saying that its S.L.C. exam is very frightening. So don't dream of it now? This made me remember my childhood when I would also have questions what would it be like and how to prepare for it? I would ask my elders about it and they would give the similar answer like that of the boy like in the micro bus today. But when I gave my S.L.C I found out that it was just like other exams. Yes, its important as by passing it only we can join for the colleges but the fact is that in other exams also we have to pass to go in other grades. So why we are making S.L.C. such a matter of fright for our children. As some of the good students also become frightened it and can't concentrate or write better in S.L.C. exam just because of this fright. So inequity is not only the cause for low percentage in S.L.C. but also the psychology is what I feel....

Giving Space.......

Like other Fridays, students were not on a mood to study. So I thought of giving some space to them by asking them what they would like to do on this class. Grade six students became very inquisitive about me and requested to let them ask question about my life and I had to answer. I let them and they asked questions turn by turn. They wanted to know so many things about me..my parent's name, my best friend, my Facebook address and even password, when I would marry? what does life mean to be and why I came to Teach For Nepal and so many other things. I kept on answering their questions. They were happy to know about me. Then grade eight wanted to watch some videos. So I showed them some new informational videos on their request while grade seven wanted to play some games. So today they were happy to get some space from me. Then after 1 pm, we had psychosocial training for our grade seven and eight students. So we became busy on that and they also seemed to be enjoying the training.

Meditation........

Because of rain the ground was wet. So we had been telling the students to meditate for fifteen minutes before classes and some of my students were feeling bored to do that. So today I played a music and told them to meditate and they enjoyed doing that and they asked me to do that the following day also. 

Then, I started my classes, it went on smoothly but because of the rain there was some problem on teaching.  So I thought of make them play some games of grammar. All of them enjoyed a lot and we prepared for our training which was going to be held tomorrow.

Rays of hope........

I prefer to call myself an independent lady, who never cares about what other thinks when she does anything. I never think about others that much and also I used to call my self an introvert who don't like to open up that much to other. But now I am thinking that's its not true..because as I found out that my two students are in problem, I just can't concentrate on anything thinking about them? I am just thinking what to do for them? How to help them? and then Seetu gave me the good news that we are having a psycho-social trainings for our students the weekend and I am confident that this will be fruitful for them.

Confusions..........

Today I talked with two of my students of grade nine whom I had seen that they were having some problems.. None of them shared about their problems but they just said that they have some confusions but they don't know what it is about ? They also are worried about something but they don't know what that worry is all for??? I convinced them that this is the age that this curiosities and confusions happen in life but what is most important is the study and also convinced them to divert their mind in some other important things or in extra activities so that the confusion would be reduced.

Some problems....................

Yes, Kiran was on class today and he told that he had been for a football match so he was absent yesterday. I gave him his answer sheet and also a keep it up card. He was very happy to get that. Other class was fine but now a days I am noticing that two of my students of grade nine are really sad. I feel that they have some problems that's why they are not focusing in the classroom. I am thinking to talk with them some solutions for them as well....

Improving............

My life has just changed completely........Each and every thing I do now becomes something important for my students..Even if I wear my new slippers or just curl my hair or make a ponytail my student react to it and I also feel happy to share with them about my belongings as they share their stories with mine...Their happy faces make me smile and their small problem makes me feel so worried..And today when new people were joining us and even our vice principal sir, joined us for the observation of my classes, my students were neither nervous nor overconfident. They performed so well. Now they have been habituated for the group work so they don't seem making sad faces when I ask them to make a group and now they have started to show positive reactions too when I say and do anything for them. 

Today Kiran of grade eight was absent. I don't know the reason why he was absent as we did not have his contact number but I was missing to congratulate him as in the first month he said that he had failed his grade eight and is reading again in the same class and he was not that conscious about his studies but he is being so keen on studies now that he scored the fifth highest number in the last monthly test conducted by our school in English. I am so happy that he is improving. Not only he, there is Ashish, Paras, Rakesh, Manila, Prakriti, Rina........

I don't have any other thing to express my happiness with them. So I just prepare a card myself and give it to them so that they would feel motivated. 

And today when I was going to return home after school, one of my grade seven students Lasata called me and gave me a card saying 'I Love you'. I am feeling that I am 'on air'................................

Students Appreciation......

With lots of effort now some of our deeds are being appreciated. Today as we three fellow discussed to give an appreciation card to the students preforming and behaving well in the classroom, who is being participative and also helpful to other friends we chose some from each class and one of them from the each class was awarded the student of the month and this effort was appreciated and the school management wanted to enhance this. We were given the opportunity to share our feelings for the further development of the school. So we have decided to make a star chart for our classroom management in each class.

Pardon me!!!!

Today I entered the class and asked what did they do on their surprise holiday as yesterday our school had been closed because of educational strike and they were answering but Grishma had some other thing to share. She raised her hand to speak and I allowed her..
Some weeks ago I had taught my students some of the polite words that should be used on English language, then I told them about the word 'pardon me!!'. I had told them that if they did not listen if some one has said then they have to use this and also suggested them to use it in their daily lives.......then last Friday, our school had a quiz competition and a teacher (quiz master) asked them, " Who first started Machhichndranath Jatra?", she did not hear it at first and asked to repeat the question again by saying, "pardon me sir!!". Then the quiz master replied, "Wrong Answer"...Then, she had this story to share with me.....I at first did not know what to say later then, I replied "Look you have grown so smart that you know the word that your quiz master did not know." So I don't know what to be in this moment whether to be happy that my student has started to follow what I have taught them inside the four walls of the classroom or to be sad that she has lost her points as the senior teacher did not understand her answer...So I am in a state of confusion...

But at the same time today I am happy that for the first time my grade eight students were participating so eagerly in a group activity..I had alphabets in a small sheets of paper and had given them a task to make different tenses using those letters and all were so busy in making that............Oh, it was so good to see them working...I love them.........

Thoughts..............

With so many status about education and so many photos with my dear student on Facebook, every one has a question..."Bhawana what are you doing?" and when I answer them that I am a Teach For Nepal Fellow, they have lots of curiosities about it. Then after when I answer their queries some of them appreciate while some of them have an skeptic eye on TFN as well as its motives...Whatever they think, I am on my way and I am enjoying it. I am happy that I joined this path so that if I have chosen another I would have missed several beautiful moments of happiness....The tear of success, thousands of out of topic questions which make me think even when I am sleeping and thousands of cheers...There are so many things to share about my lovelies....I am so happy with them but today one of my old friends questioned me saying you are also the product of a private school than why are all these dramas???? This really made me sad why are the people who are called educated are being so mean???Where our society is heading towards...if they can't participate in the movement....can't they just keep quiet and see what others are doing??? I kept of thinking..But suddenly I forgot that as I remembered my problem that I had to do something very interesting for my grade eight students otherwise they are not going to participate on my class..Then I left that unnecessary thought just behind me and start to look at my lesson plans...........

Happiness with confusions..........

The first day of Ashar at School was good for me....what I feel now but it has to be analyzed in future as how it will go on I don't know. The main reason of my happiness is that today I talked with grade eight very frankly about my views towards them, what my expectations are for them and what are my hopes and also showed them the vast gap between the pass rates in S.L.C. between public and private schools and they were silent. I felt that they were quite convinced today but don't know because I can't just guest at times when their mood changes. So it was fruitful in one sense but today I could not teach in any of the classes because of the heavy rainfall. The sound of rain on the roof was very disturbing. But I made them play the games of tenses and nouns so there would be some revision. So I did not let my class go away useless which has given me some kind of satisfaction. But I am afraid that if this process goes on whole of Asar as the monsoon has started.........

Anish Spoke...........

Morning Assembly, 10 am, Anish (autistic child) of grade seven comes in front of the assembly, as today it was his turn according to the roll number to give speech, I was standing, besides me were some other teachers, one of the teacher gossiped, "he can't speak anything why is he coming?" I over heard it felt very sorry but was confident that he can do it because he was speaking in class nowadays. He was enjoying. Anish takes the mike in a very confident way, says, "Thank You surbir sir for the mike." This was the line I taught them when they had to say before giving speech. Then says "Today I am present here with speech,'The Importance of Education'. Then takes out one sheet of paper very confidently and starts to read the speech. Then says at the end "Thank You" with a smile. Then a big round of applause comes from the assembly. Vice-principal sir gives him a pencil for his speech with happiness and I, his teacher who was feeling like shouting with happiness, could not stop tears coming from my eyes....I really can not express how I felt at that moment......This was the beginning of my day today.....I was too happy. And my Anish was also too happy. He was laughing and smiling..I hugged him. I thought that I had achieved something.

 

Then, we had program with CNN Hero of the year 2012, Pushpa Basnet. She came to our school with Rafael and shared her childhood days, her struggle with her then, our students asked different questions to her. So overall day went good. 

After that we were together with Sonali, Isha, Sabal, Prabin dai, Kushal at TFN House with our LDM's Krishna dai and Amrit dai...We talked about our yearly objectives and lesson plans and then was back at home but was still thinking about the school and what I have to do for rest of my students to motivate them and especially for grade eight.. I am not finding a way for them...

 

This is not enough.................

Today, as per schedule it was the time to take the monthly test and I was ready with  my questions and was confident that the students will pass the test. Finally I was with the test papers and when I just looked at the papers my head just wanted to burst as the students who also did the independent assessment nicely had done mistakes. I can't just see my eyes. Though all the students have passed the test, I am not satisfied with their results as I was expecting some more from them. What I feel is that may be some more I have to do for them. I have to motivate them more and make them confident as I have found that they can't write the answers of even those questions also which they know perfectly. So I have some more effort to make. This is not enough.

S.L.C results

Once again, we could see a huge gap between the private and the public schools i.e. the S.L.C. results were out with more than 50 percent students fail and I have come to know that 100 of the public schools of our country went zero this year. In my school one student failed. I have not been able to know about his details but will try to find about him. This has reminded me back eight years ago when my result was out. Some nervousness and some excitement was within me when it was out and I can imagine other students too face that and when they find them fail the exam I can't just imagine the moment how hard it is. When our school hour was going to finish, we got to know that s.l.c  results were out and we were busy searching the symbol numbers of our students and were very sad to know one student had failed in Optional Mathematics while one had distinction and other 15 were with first division and rest of the five students had second division. After that we three TFN fellows thought that how excited and worried we would be when the result of 2071 will be out as they would be the students which we had taught. We are working hard for them and we want all of them to pass and not only pass we want them to obtain very good marks in their exam and want them to be the successful person where ever they go as their failure would be our failure too.....................

Motivation..............

I am just feeling that I can do nothing to my grade eight students though now a days they are listening attentively in class. Yes, being attentive is one thing but being motivated to study is the another thing. I had not want my students to be a statue listener without the passion of progressing. But the situation is being like that. Otherwise, grade seven students are doing great and today I taught newspaper report which my grade nine students did not understand anything. So I am thinking to repeat the lesson tomorrow as well whereas we had an interactive class at grade six. So overall the day was normal.

Nice...........

It was fun going to school after two days and yes, every student were in a mood to study today. So all my lesson plans worked perfectly today in each class and today we got to talk with Kelly, ex-volunteer teacher of Jyotidaya from America and her friend Tresha. We shared our experiences of teaching, problems she used to have and now we are facing and also we exchanged about our cultures. So today was a very fruitful day for me.

Different Personalities..........

I just can't say how terrible the headache was today. I don't know the reason but I went to school and then found that three teachers were absent and thought, thank God I was not. Then I entered grade six, I don't know what had happened them today. They continuously were saying"miss, please dance". If you don't dance we are not going to do anything. I was just surprised. They were not like that before. I was suffering from a headache and at that situation dancing was a big No, No. But they insisted saying that another Friday we will not play any games. We will read but today you have to dance. So I did not have any option rather than to dance. Along with me they came out of the bench and started to dance. The boys do a fantastic b-boying and I must say Hasana is a really beautiful dancer and after that period, I used to have a leisure but today due to the absence of another teacher I had to be in the same class and then I made them show their talents. They were happy and then I called Grishma's name. She came outside but started to cry. I did not know why she was crying then she wrote me not to be angry for her behavior as she cried because she thinks that her other friends tease her when she does any other activities and then I went to her and talked to her and she promised me that she would show her talent from next time. Then I had to go to grade eight. As I was just going to start a lesson, two of the students started to fight in front of me. I burst out that why are they doing so. I found out they were fighting against each other's culture. I gave them punishment to search and find about each other's culture and write an essay. Then started to give lecture about mutual respect and co-operation. Till then my head was just going to burst out. Then I went to grade seven till then I was really unable to take grades. But they were so eager to study. So I could not go according to their will.So I taught them. They were so participative that  helped me to run my classes smoothly. Then we had a short brake. After that I took grade nine. I also went smoothly. But after that my condition was so worse that I could not move. So I just sat in the office and took rest. Oh, God what a various personality I have to be in my four different classes. I can't just imagine that I am that person.

Celebrating World Environment Day 2013........

We were all set to celebrate our World Environment Day 2013, at our school, so as per our plan we met at Lagankhel at 6.30 am and headed to our school where our students were already busy collecting the garbage around Bajrabarahi Temple and we joined them. Actually our plan was a project on saving cultural heritage and we were doing that...We really enjoyed it and it went all good. 

Then we went on our principal sir's house for our lunch then we ready for our other school programs. I just can't say how good today the students were. There was some time before our another program was going to be organized. So I just gave a task to the students to prepare a role play about the conservation of environment and they were so amazing. Now they are totally habituated on group activities and they all participated so well at grade six and seven. 

Next there was a role play presentation by grade seven and nine students in front of  child reach Nepal members who were in our school to celebrate with us. 

Grade seven students being ready for drama, as Virus  with long noses and ears and others as villagers

 

Then we headed for plantation. Collectively working with students for the betterment of 

society is just what gave us pleasure. After that we had pasting pamphlets at poles and walls about environment conservation prepared by grade eight students and we went for that which too was very good work indeed.

So today I really enjoyed working with students and other teachers though having some problems of body ache.....

Mix Bag........

Today, when I entered the classroom of grade six, I was so shocked to see the classroom setting as it was not as I had arranged and I told them to arrange it again and asked why they did that? They replied that one of the teachers had done that. I told them to sit as per I said as it would be beneficial for them as well as I could see all of them and can guide them and they did accordingly but after some classes, Seetu came to me saying that they have again changed their place. So as a class teacher I had to manage them. I went and asked what happened, then they replied that teacher has ordered us to sit like that otherwise he/she will not come. So I went to my in charge and commented that why is that being done and he assured me to manage it.But the situation went a little bit bitter as it had to be solved through vice principal. Though the teacher begged sorry and told that was not done intentionally, I am afraid that this may lead to some other managerial problems. So I should be aware of that..

After brake, while I was correcting the homework copies of students of grade nine, I was so happy to find that one of my students, Bishal Magar, who did not use to do homework most of the times had done his homework and had written a story, which I had told to write about the most valuable gift they have got till now, had written so well and nice that I wished to give him a gift. I searched my bag and found one 'Dairy Milk' so I ran towards him and gave him saying that you are too good. He was so happy to get that and I can't just say in words how happy I was to give him that small gift...

Then, we had to be more busy even after classes as tomorrow is World Environment Day and we are going to organize different programs. So we had to prepare for that in dramas, quotations and even at plantations. So the day was something mixed but I am having my fingers crossed that every thing will go fine in the coming days.

Hectic days but happy days.......

Days have started to become so hectic.. Lots of personal problems but every day a desire to do something new and interesting for my students. Whatever the worse condition may be when I go to school and a child greets me with a happy face "Namaste Miss", really my days blooms up. Though it may seem a just to teach whatever we know to other, it really is hard. I had to be awake till midnight and even can't sleep late for making my lesson plan very effective. But the good outcome of it is that students are realizing that our teacher is making so much effort for us to make a good person. So we should also make effort. This makes us really happy. One of the students of grade nine sent me a message, "Miss Please listen to a song now, I know that you are still making lesson plan for us. It's really very boring job. Right? But you really work hard..Thank you". And at that time really I was making a lesson plan. These remarks are blessings to move on towards our path...And when one plans become effective it really makes my day. Now a days my students are being so motivated towards writing that they write a lot and I can't find time to check their copies as well so my whole of the time goes to them..But I feel happy and blessed working for them.

Providing Remarks...............

For the first time......I experimented with my students of grade six by changing the setting of their bench so that I could move around every students very easily and I found it very comfortable.

 So I am thinking of continuing it..Then every grades went according to the lesson plan. And then today I revealed my student's tracker i.e. their performance tracker with them and they were so happy to know that I was keeping their records and one of the student of grade nine said, " oh, our teacher is making a great labor to improve us. So we should really study hard." This made me really happy and I remembered what Swastika di always says "you never know when your one small thing may be a trans formative time for one of your students."