School Yoga or Academic Flexibility

On September 14, my bus was very late, twenty minutes late. I was worried that it was not coming, that a change had been made that I was unaware of. Thank goodness I had Priya's mobile number so I called to ask her. On the bus, I asked her how the teachers and students knew that the General Knowledge Test was being given September 13 as I only discovered that day when I showed up to class 11 C to find them being tested period 3 and then having a class meeting period 5, both times which are English on the time table. I could not find the GKT anywhere on the calendar, so Priya showed me a different section of the school diary that listed additional tests to those on the calendar.
When I arrived at school a good half-hour late, I was told that a schedule change was beginning: double periods for class 11. Good thing I plan ahead so I could do a double day of teaching.
During lunch, a teacher came to tell me that I had to take 11C to the All Purpose Room the second part of my double period. Right before the second part, a student came to the class to inform me that we would not be going to the All Purpose Room.
I could not find my bus after school. The bus numbers were covered with sheets of paper with locations written on them. I had no idea which bus would take me home. A nice student approached me and told me which bus was mine. By this time, the bus was jammed full of students and teachers. I could barely get inside the bus. Of course, this was a day when I was carrying a lot of notebooks to correct and my laptop in addition to my usual bag with my umbrella, lunch, water bottle and teaching materials. The ride was very uncomfortable. Apparently, as I was told later, the bus schedule was changed because class 10 was not having classes at school as they had a couple days to study for their mid-year exams. Priya suggested we get off half way home and take a rickshaw. She held my hand to help me cross the roads safely and reminded me to keep everything tight on my lap. She is my guardian angel.
After I got home, I kept thinking about flexibility. That word had been used with emphasis in both interviews I had when I applied to teach overseas. Flexibility has a new meaning for me now. Multiple, daily flexibilities is my staple.

"We need bad days to truly appreciate the good days," said ME!

Life has its sitcom days.

Gaffe Queen

So far my collection of faux pas is as follows.

I misunderstood my friend on the phone. Thinking she wanted a bottle of scotch, I brought one without covering it with a bag. Her father-in-law would be VERY upset had he seen it. She stuffed it under a cushion and had her maid put it in a bag before he saw it. However, anyone in the complex who was looking out his or her window would know I had hard liquor and was transporting it to her building!

When asked to find articles and write questions for the oral comprehension test for grade 10, I clipped out an article that I thought would be interesting to students: Tiger Woods' divorce settlement. My grade coordinator politely informed me that divorce is not an appropriate topic for Indian students who live in a country that honors marriage.

While grading notebooks with a green pen, I was asked why not a red pen like all the other teachers. Only the principal uses green! (When I return to the US, I will tell my students that my green pen has more authority than they ever could imagine!)

Indian Conundrums

I do not understand:

Why people walk on both sides of the street, and in the school hall and stair well when driving is on the left side;

How people can sleep on the sidewalks , in cars and rickshaws during the day with all the noise;

How Madhu can get up at 4:30 a. m. to do yoga before work and stay up until 11 p.m. or midnight without a nap;

How so many feral dogs get enough to eat for themselves and their puppies;

Why the pigeons keep entering my apartment. What do they want?

How people know bus numbers and routes. When I ask, Indians respond that they just know. So instead of a phone call to a company or an internet search, I ask Menaka, Madhu or Suchitra;

How does one interpret all the honking on the road? Is it for the pedestrian, cow, car, rickshaw, or truck? Does the honk mean more than, "I am coming?" Does the honk want someone to move in a certain direction?

"White Privilege:" Yin and Yang

This posting is a pun on a term used in the United States which refers to the advantages white people have in comparison to minorities. Glen Singleton, the Pacific Education Group, and others concerned with closing the achievement gap in the US use this term to create awareness of the different experiences and advantages that whites have in the United States. India, this term has a different meaning.According to my experiences for my first five weeks in Delhi, India.

White privilege means:

being stared at, not glanced at, but having eyes glued on me, on city buses, the metro, and in areas that are not visited by tourists, such as where I am living ( If it is a female, I smile at her. Smiles are universal!);

having a very attentive waiter at Pizza Hut;

getting laughed at by some children on the street;

being greeted enthusiastically by students in Bal Bharati Public School ("Good morning, Mam");

being charged more than Indians by drivers, rickshaws, markets without prices marked (I am helping the Indian economy!);

having security put my groceries in my bag and open the door when I leave (their job is only to verify that my receipt shows payment for every item in cart);

being ignored at the counter of Easy day, a grocery store. When I put my basket in the checkout location, the clerk ignored me. At first I patiently waited thinking the clerk had to finish something before checking out a customer. An Indian man approached the clerk from the incorrect side and was immediately rung up. I was flabbergasted. I stared at the two of them, my mouth open with shock in my eyes. Still invisible to them, I left, groceries in the basket for them to put away. I will never go in the store again!

receiving immediate service about a land line complaint. The service man was sent to come to my apartment in ten minutes. As I would not be home then, I was given his cell phone number to call when I would be home so he could come right away to fix my phone.

being harassed by men in some areas of Delhi ( How can they be interested in an old lady like me? I could be their grandmother! They must think this teacher is loaded with money!);

receiving stories about visits to the United States or about family members who live in the US;

having colleagues and friends making sure I get home okay and holding my hand when crossing the street;

receiving TONS of invitations and warm greetings.

Indian Culture

One of the first questions I am asked is, "How do you manage your food?" At first I thought it was because I am petite, but now I am beginning to think this is a cultural concern. Food is important. Indians love their vegetables and pulses (legumes). In New Delhi, which is in northern India where I am living, onions, tomatoes, tumeric, garlic, ginger, mustard seed, green chilis, coriander, and cilantro are commonly used in dahls and other dishes.
Indians invest a lot in friendship and value their families immensely. Greeting to others are sincere. Relationships are based on mutual respect and support; people are direct and openly public about issues. I have not yet observed any competition with or criticism of acquaintances, colleagues, friends or others. Many families include the parents of the married couple as well as adult children. The elder woman often does the cooking. College students live at home; many working adults live at home, and some families have a father who lives in a different city or country due to work.
Many vendors and stores deliver. In the morning, I sometimes order fresh vegetables from the street vendor on my way to the bus stop. He delivers the vegetables to either my neighbor or the guards at the gate of my apartment complex. Pharmacies deliver medicines.
Many families have maids who clean or cook for them. My maid Manju is a wonderful cook. I am grateful that Indian clothes are loose so I can still wear them as I grow in width.

My Wonderful Colleagues

My coworkers are so patient, friendly, kind, and caring. They are always bringing me food for lunch. (Let's be honest: the stomach rules all emotions: a well-fed human is happy and loves everyone!) Somehow, and I don't think a schedule is in place, everyday someone, among the twenty of us who share an office, has brought another dish for me. Today it was a scrumptious paneer gravy/sauce(paneer is the Indian cheese that looks like tofu). Yesterday it was kidney beans with rice, and so on. All of these are prepared fresh in the morning. Indians believe freezers are to be left empty, that food should be prepared with fresh ingredients, and lunches should be cooked in the morning, not the night before. Many of my coworkers have a snack at break time, which is 11:10 a.m. to 11:35. Many eat a large lunch upon returning home around 2:15 p.m. and nap. Dinner is late, around 8:30 to 10:00 p.m.
The Head of the English Department has the most wonderful leadership skills: Rashika works hard, expects the best of everyone while showing understanding and caring, communicates with everyone, is honest and upfront about areas of concern, is a mother hen looking out for everyone's professional and personal lives, and expects all work to be shared. After I had been at Bal Bharati for about a week, she asked me if my assignment was okay and if I wanted to switch from grade 10 or 11 to another grade level!! Rashika is frequently asking questions about how things are done in the US, respecting my ideas which I offer only when asked, and involving me in extra experiences such as the class party during Teacher Day, which I would not be included in as I am not a class teacher.
I am finding myself making mistakes and asking what must seem to be absurd questions, yet all my colleagues are so receptive, noncritical, and patient in explaining. For example, I do not know how to read their calendar. Today, September 7, only because the students in Class 10 said they had no school on Friday, I asked Pamela about this showing her the calender which did not mark Friday as a holiday. Apparently, Eid, one of many Eids that is, will be on Friday, if the moon is in a specific location on Thursday, if not, Eid will be on Saturday. How does one know? The answer is they just know! Then I learned that the 10th graders' last day of class is Monday as their mid year exams start Tuesday. I had thought the exams started at the end of September. Thank goodness I am almost done with the curriculum!

I love INDIA

I love the sincere friendliness of the people, the fresh and inexpensive vegetables, the close family ties, the respect for fresh and homemade food (Indians' freezers are empty or close to it, and they are shocked by the full freezers of Americans) , the respect students show for teachers, the respect for the institution of marriage and the commitment to both family and friends. I adore and so appreciate how people have immediately accepted me like I have been their friend since childhood (for me that is many decades!!)

Teacher's Day September 3rd

Teacher's Day is celebrated in every school in India. The second president of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, declared his birthday, September 5 to be an annual celebration of teachers.  Because September 5 fell on a Sunday this year, BBPS celebrated Friday, September 3. Our school day started later and ended early. Classes 9 and 10 were excused for the day. BBPS had an assembly with songs, poems, and stories about the importance of teachers in everyone's life. Later, class 12 taught the class 8 sections while class 11 put on a program for the teachers: stories, dances-- for Ganesha, Lord Krishna, and two hip hop dances, music, and recognitions of individual teachers for categories such as the most humorous, the hardest worker, the kindest, and so on. The last hour of the day was with the class sections with a party and pictures. Throughout the whole day students showered teachers with cards of appreciation, flowers, candy, and other gifts. I was given a smiley-face pin, five bouquets of roses, an aloe vera plant, a fountain pen, three gifts of chocolate, and four cards, two gorgeously hand made. The comments were so heart warming: "Its our honour to have a teacher like you. . . thank you." "May God bless you Billion Times" "You are simply the best!!!" and "You are not only a good teacher but also sum1 whom I alwayzz. . luk up to . ." and "I'm very lucky that u are my Teacher, my mentor, my guide!!!" Rashika, the head of the English Department, gave me a beautiful lei of fresh flowers.
I am speechless after a day like this. ME!! THE TALKER!!

Janam Ashtami

September 2 is a holiday: Lord Krisna's birthday. I went to two temples to chant " Hare Krishna and Rama Krishna, touch the swing of the manger of baby Krishna, listen to music, and dance. The temple was heavily decorated, the idols of Krishna were burdened with gifts of flowers and food, and we were given bananas. I find this very similar to Christian worship: washing feet before entering is in the Bible, chanting occurs with the rosary, gifts are bestowed on baby Jesus, and churches are decorated for Christmas. Finally, songs are sung during worship in church.

Bal Bharati Public School

         

My first day at BBPS. My stomach was in knots. Upon my arrival, I was escorted to the Vice Principal's office, given a necklace of orange flowers and the red powder on my forehead. Two students from Class 11 (class is the word for the grade) Pratishtha Day and her friend gave me a tour of the school and introduced me to many teachers. I was introduced to a class 4 class. One of the children raised his hand and asked if I was an albino. (I later learned that they had recently had an assembly on albinos). The school is huge with Montessori through grade 12. The English Faculty was so welcoming and friendly. 18 teachers plus a French and German teacher together in one huge office. Rashika, the department head, told me I could observe for a couple days before taking over the classes, but Nidhi Sood, the class 10 coordinator, asked me to take 10D starting Thursday, which was totally fine with me. I came to teach, and that was an effective way to "ease in."