~shekhu

I have begun to teach Marathi language at an Orphanage at Byculla, Mumbai. I go there after the office each Saturday and Sunday.

My second day at the Orphanage (hereafter referred to as Home) was much more relaxed as I could get to know my students personally. It was difficult to remember so many names at the first go but now I know most of them by their first name and that was quite a relief. Since both of us were new to each other, they too must have been gaging me I guess, I could see from the look on their faces! Firstly they were worried that I might shout at them (a girl named Chaitali, quite an outspoken girl this one, told me so!) for their handwriting (unreadable) or their approach to learning Marathi.

But soon I eased them out of that feeling of being unsure. I checked their work books as well as note books and in a gentle tone told them that they will need to improve on their handwriting and all said they were ready for that. I felt better after hearing this because education is not something that one can force upon others, it must come from within. And I was happy to see that they all were ready to learn from the beginning! Once their Unit tests are over, I will be teaching them BARAKHADI (alphabets) and improve on their handwriting and knowledge of Marathi words and their meanings.

Apparently the teacher in the school does not explain them the meaning of the words, how pathetic! How can they learn if they don't know what a particular word means, it's quite an alien language at least to the convent students. And although Marathi is lower level and so easier compared to the Marathi medium schools, the words are not which we use colloquially, so again their meaning needs to be explained but it's not done at school.

Initially I made them sit together but realized that they make quite a noise while learning. Laughing, giggling, joking. So now I take two or three students at a time and find that their attention is undivided. Some Unit tests begin from 17th and the rest on the 21st. Once they are over, I will begin this journey afresh. In these two days I learnt a lot about my students and hope to teach them better Marathi (one girl quietly pushed her Hindi workbook towards me and conned me in to taking her Hindi studies also, yes, the same girl Chaitali, oh! She is smart indeed!) So I won't be surprised if others follow suit!

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My life is changing for the good, how about you?