A Different Energizer

 100% Student engagement is quintessential to achieve TFI goals. And so, Energizers are part of TFI culture, which keep students (fellows too, sometimes) attentive and interested when their minds wander off to unknown kingdoms full of freedom. They can be anything, some small physical activity, a short poem, a class chant... Yesterday we did an energizer which I never considered to be one. Something that not only wakes me up from my dormant state, but also instils a sense of purpose deep down. Something that I had not done in a very long time – more than 10 years!! So, when I heard the National Anthem in the summer school assembly, it brought back so many memories which seemed like distant past to me. Never the one to consider boundaries as uniting factors, but then I could see kids from all backgrounds irrespective of all their differences singing together. Fellows from different parts of the world, varied professions, differing mind sets standing side by side, befitting a brotherhood - raise their voices in unison. Something that reminds me there is hope left after all… people only need to understand what it really means … and let’s hope they do take it to the next level!! 

An Organization that is working towards its Non-Existence

                      Teach For India has this wonderful Ideology (one among its many) about teaching children to "Be Brave” and it is leading by example. Any organisation that works relentlessly towards its non-existence has to be considered Brave. Unlike few organizations which work on a pot-pourri of things and lose focus, TFI has a clear Vision to achieve Educational Equity across the Nation. To see the way they go about it and the transformation they have achieved, one only needs to walk into a TFI classroom!! As part of the Induction and out trainings, we had a wonderful opportunity to witness what we are going to aim for in the next 2 years and it was an enlightening experience about the potential power vested with a teacher to transform lives of children !!

What can you say when a 10 year old questions us why should we set sky as the limit when we have galaxy and the universe beyond it??

What do you say when a 12 year old asks "if god has created everyone equally, why are people killing other animals??"

How do you react when a 10 year old says I don’t like maths and science because they have only one correct answer where as other things have multiple answers??

A 3^rd grade child listening to Norah jones, A 4^th grade child knowing he wants to study palaeontology (When did you even learn that word??) An 8 year old to differentiate the Renaissance paintings from Impressionism (I don’t even know what that means!!)

These are overwhelming results that I was able to witness first-hand. These are kids from the slums of Mumbai, old city in Hyderabad, under privileged from all the cities... Children who did not know how to speak English, who did not have a purpose in life, who did not have the belief to succeed before they entered a TFI classroom!! Now their Life path is transformed, they are independent thinkers not just Academic Achievers. TFI’s belief that they can make every child to be independent someday drives everyone in the organization as a catalyst. A clear Goal, A near-perfect strategy, Total commitment from all - are just a small part of the things that describe TFI as an organisation. Children are at the centre of everything that happens in TFI. But it is also important for them that the Fellows traverse a path of Personal Transformation and that sets them apart! Rarely do we see organizations who put their Employee growth on the same level their clients. Introspection is a big part of the TFI organization to help its Fellows transform themselves into better people..... something I feel worth sharing !! 


Stood apart from myself, to see
Below is a blog by another Fellow that’s a lot more descriptive of the everyday happenings at the Institute!!

Where I was now and where I wanted to be...
Looking at myself from a whole new light
I was met with a baffling sight
I tried to change
But Ego got in the way
I tried to run 
Hunger asked me to stay 
It asked me ...
What are you trying to protect ??
We are here to reflect !!



http://hopefulatinstitute.blogspot.in/