"I am very lucky"

Hey everyone – it’s Kitty teacher here; formerly known as Kirsten. It didn’t take long for me to get a petname – no one ever gets my name right, no matter what country I’m in! I really do love the name chosen for me in India!

It’s been a month now since I began teaching at Madhi High School. I can honestly say I’ve never been a part of a teaching experience quite like this before. Each day I encounter something new and I’m blown away by the eagerness of the students. I have one class in particular that impresses me with their knowledge and desire to learn. I’ve started meeting with 5 of these students and we call ourselves The Super English Club (this name was chosen by the students!). We meet twice a week during lunch recess and I bring them fun poems to discuss and teach them silly idioms that we laugh about when I explain to them the meaning of sayings like; “I’m all ears.” Things we say in our everyday conversations become extremely funny when you try and explain them to someone learning your language. These 5 kids are among the brightest of my students . I started to notice how they would turn and help their classmates with information I was teaching when they were confused. I got to thinking how peer mentoring could be used in the classroom so, Meet, Dhuval, Khrunal, Riddhi and Pooja have become a part of an experiment with me. Each week I look forward to hearing what they have to share with me about their readings and I find myself so excited when I see them helping their peers in my classroom. Pooja and Riddhi both would like to go to Medical School in the United States. They plan to come back to India and open hospitals. Dhuval and Meet dream of becoming scientists and inventing new products to help their country become successful. Dhuval says that he will become the richest man in the world through this. I have no doubts this could happen. Khrunal – small, bright eyed, immensely intelligent Khrunal – aspires to Presidency. They are all 13 years old and dreaming. In this India, will these dreams become realities? Will the dreams of their youth be thwarted by hardship and obstacles, exams and financial difficulties? I have so much hope for the positives for them.

Today I received a note from one of my 8^th Standard Spoken English students named, Akashi. Entitled "I am very lucky", here is what she writes:

I am lucky because Miss Kitty teaches for me. My family loves me. I have two very good friends named Tuishu and Reshmu. I am very happy of my self.

Your lovely student,

Akashi

Even after this short time, I think that I am the lucky one to be teaching them. Until next time…peace from Bajipura, Gujarat. Enjoy the pictures of some of my students at Madhi High School, Madhi, Gujarat.