Good Morning Sir

After a day and a half of seminars, we finally got to visit schools. On Thursday we went to a complex of 7 schools. They are are public government schools.

I visited a primary school and observed a grade 1 class. I had heard that the predominant style of teaching here is lecture method. I observed an energy-filled class of 15 six year olds. Their teacher began by having students stand, palms together and eyes closed. This was not in any way religious. It was simply a way of have the students begin their day in a quiet and meditative manner. After that, there was anything but quiet in the room. They are working on a healthy food lesson. Afterwards the head mistress, that is the principal, asked me how different it was from my school. I told her it was exactly what I would expect to see in my school or when I teach . The students were active and engaged. They moved around and were hands on. They chanted letter names and sounds, played games, and laughed and were silly. A further conversation revealed that this is not the norm. The principal is new to the school and she has been working with the teachers to move them to active, hands-on teaching. At that same campus we had the opportunity to mingle with the boys from the middle and high school. They were shy at first, but after a few students broke the ice, they began to mob us with questions

about who we were, where we were from and why we were there. They were eager to have their picture taken and to get in on group selfies. The next day we visited the Army Public School. It us primarily for students whose parents are in the military, but not exclusively. Many have lived in different parts of India. This school serves more than 3000 students in grades 1 to 12. The contrast between Friday's and Thursday's schools was like night and day. The first school served underprivileged students while the Army school did not. In fact most of the students we met with at the second school had traveled abroad. We listened to a panel of students give their take on education in India and what it meant to them. That was followed by a lively Q and A session. Both the American teachers and Indian students asked and answered questions dealing with stereotypes, governments, careers, and food. At both schools I felt and observed a great deal of respect, not only to the visitors, but also to any adult on campus. As we entered classrooms, or as children passed by, we were greeted with "Good morning sir/mam". Or "How are you sir?" They were great models of respect. The visits gave me an initial understanding of what schools and education are like in India. Granted there are hundreds of millions of school-aged children in India, so this is just one tiny exposure. I have made new friends; some already found me on Facebook. I am also setting up pen pals with a former student. All this from one short visit. Next week we begin our community experiences in pairs. We will spend the next eight days in one community. I look forward to building new relationships in the community of Chennangkuppam, a community near Vellore, which is east of the coastal city of Chennai. In just a short period of time we have begun our immersion in the education system and culture of India. I have learned so much in just a few days. I eagerly anticipate the rest of my trip and look forward to sharing more experiences.