This academic year, I was blessed with a full size classroom. The amount of space I have now is terrific. How I wish all classrooms around the world were like this!
Most of the classrooms I had when I was in school were half the size of this and we had about 5 students and their schoolbags crammed into one long bench and desk. the number of students in a class varied from 35-45! There was one ancient blackboard, no fans, one rickety metal cupboard, and 1 plastic waste-bin. 6 years after I passed out from that school, I went back there to teach. As far as classroom facilities were concerned, there was one major improvement. Most classrooms had fans! There was also 1 computer lab for the school's entire population (1500 or so) with about 20 computers. As you can see, not much had changed. I think this is mostly because this was a private English Medium school in village that was growing into becoming a town. The school catered to the people living in the town and in the surrounding villages. I had many classmates who were the first in their family to receive any kind of formal education. The school fee as I remember it when I studied there was about Rs.800 a term.
Now compare that to the school where I work now. The school fee is so high that even with the subsidy available to faculty, I cannot dream of educating my children here. Almost anything I need to enhance my teaching, I have! My students say the words "poor people" like they belong in another planet! Their idea of India is dirty roads, 'poor people', Taj Mahal, the beach resorts dotting the coast and fab India. And yet, my students are smart, loving, and have young, impressionable minds. I know my calling right now is to work in this school, with it's almost entirely ex-pat population, because this is where God so providentially placed me. How I got a job here is another story for another blog post.
Anyway, here are some pictures from my classroom
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZo1fQNCInWZbeq7Q4iAf0W-Aw5swd03RuZUveAKrCu3IQFUMklhTYD5E7-2UgA6imZFHDhK7Q9qRMcUteBmmKAdgAkf4coESldf8r_hkfnaspeMcddnQ0OwAGLxQUhc3_QF-LhsCQx0/s400/camera+074.jpg)
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This is my work station - my teacher's corner. My computer, printer, messy desk, messy bulletin board filled with family pictures.
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This is the door, and the sign above it.
.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinD4Pftf8NfB-f_HF1fnsw6IT9fHM2lE28d-pxOftdH2RX83KXOr3OAKn3L2cJPw8roUrXeSiUIY1GpVmxdFPNdtuFb7D3OJo8oJByxQeGRXoB7zcDTE64-1farD42LmxSR3sY3Zjuo5k/s400/camera+073.jpg)
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This is one thing we do everyday in our class. Yes, this picture was taken a few days ago.
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My Smart-board! It is placed so low so that my students can reach up to it.
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Reference books mixed with some others in the class library.
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Floor cushions stacked up in the reading corner. Those are levelled books that you see in the tubs.
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Of course I have to share my most favorite book with my class. So here it is- my own, lovingly, annually read copy of "Anne of Green Gables".
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UOUWK9Hn4t1Svf2ZKnLlJIL-R3v4ouujcU88MAGbp7okmo731-5zW1jv2kTkZU1VfW2wvCy718R4IveS1V1S0WqtcRWggRAO86iS__RcGgwmrzXjvzP6BtmvwMdRt8tSi3GvyrbckgI/s400/camera+080.jpg)
Here's a sample of writing from my class. Not the best, not the worst.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTd-Hol4zfXRS-A75XZfosEdlC2wf4FChaxEGwV4zyFpUNiIWdc-xg0AdLn9WWJmNqtkmSs50B-naHufkjOfd6OES6Ck1mw3DIZWpw6FR6DqLVYtySIff0haAAeTgFsGerNYqx-UAQVVE/s400/camera+085.jpg)
I have students from all these countries. Since taking this picture, I have now acquired 2 Finnish students.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyTdPD4F1dkxC2e80cAkl7sSp6rbjQrasVg4XHDdXF485Q83m09ok6nbPIJndH2JqJ7SlLmT9um774LfKl8jDDQ33XHkO120wqrWeFZ2OYZYkpzxVCz9qfdIYXS8KH-ZHPlcVvrmKS8U/s400/camera+072.jpg)
One of my classroom walls. I also teach ESL content support to grade 4 twice a week. So the lesson on shadows are from that class.
What do you think?? Nice???
I would gladly go back to school if this is what awaits me :)
ReplyDeleteIt must be pretty interesting teaching children from such a varied multi-cultural background.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
Tchus
@Coffee Cup: I feel the same! I am such a visual learner that an environment like this would have motivated me to become the next Einstein or something!!
ReplyDelete@Cuppa....: It is! The kids even in 2nd grade are very patriotic. They all are so proud of their home countries and take every opportunity to talk about it!
and then.... what's Tchus? Is it a new acronym like LOL that I'm supposed to know?
Nicely written Deepa, you brought me to our old classrooms and all the fun we had even in those situations..
ReplyDeleteWhere you work now looks really cool and these children are fortunate enough to enjoy all these facilities and lovely teachers like you:)
Loved reading about your class and waiting for more to come!!
u have a messy desk/workplace :) lolz
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ReplyDeleteto be exact
ReplyDeletetschüss
german for ciao
How DID you get this job? Love your workplace..love your workstation..it's personal and "homey"!
ReplyDeleteNice and colorful!
Too bad your school is frightfully expensive for your own. However, it's probably a good thing. You don't want to put your daughter with kids who are so rich and oblivious to the world around. I opted out of several fancy schools for adiv (also coz we couldn't afford them) coz I didn't want him studying with such rich kids. I didn't want him growing up thinking life was about cars and expensive holidays. We wanted him grounded and we wanted him to appreciate the comfortable life we lead.