Today was all about Learning. We worked with UKG (upper kindergarten),1st Standard, 2nd Standard, and 4th Standard. Standards are the same as grades in the states. Annie, Perry, Jennie, Rosie (education coordinator) and I went first to the library and chose three books apiece for each standard, put them in a basket along with well used crayons, popsicle sticks and half sheets of paper. Rosie had also created two sets of memory games, one of which I tucked in to my basket. Btw, paper is a commodity here, and they all have at least one side printed with something else. Still, the smiles are radiant. They are grateful.
Then it was on up to the computer lab with UKG for math. The little guy I helped was sprawled out in his chair. Very wiggly. He kept logging out if I looked away at all. The assignment he was working on was about counting to three. His attention span was very limited, but when he was dialed in, he was right on target. So I knew he had it in him. I really wanted him to succeed. So if there were three cars, I said vroom vroom! If there were kittens, I would meow. That seemed to get his attention, and he plowed through the rest of the assignment, followed by a final challenge series, and then on to the next level. So rewarding!
We returned to the library where we read, colored, played memory games -- some very inventive twists that I will put in my back pocket for future reference for the grand kids! One boy in 4th Standard even started teaching me to play chess -- as my Aunt Jeanne would say, "Another first! Write it down." So I did :-)
And, finally, my favorite part of the day. Life Dance! Thursday is India's Independence Day. Freed from the British Empire. Life Dance is a program the kids have to audition for. They are performing for the Insependence Day celebration. We went into the open air dining hall to watch them rehearse. It was a dance to the song "Home" by Phil Phillips. From the very first step, I was in tears. Oops -- more tears! I was so moved. These kids were just in the moment -- filling each one to the very top. I love that they don't have any pre-conceived "barometer" by which to measure themselves. No mirrors in to compare themselves against others. They were just freely moving with confidence and joy. You've truly never seen smiles like these. I never knew black eyes could sparkle. But they do! Such a beautiful gift. And to top it off? A beautiful storm complete with thunder, lightning, and buckets of rain to watch as the dancers left their hearts out there on the floor. I do love the rain. I love the sound. I love the smell. I love the feel. I love how it makes my hair curly. And mixed with beautiful dancers -- could life get better? Stay tuned ;-)
These children are soaking up the opportunity to learn. They are hungry for it. They can and do work for it. They are showing me that as you live to learn, you learn to live...
Then it was on up to the computer lab with UKG for math. The little guy I helped was sprawled out in his chair. Very wiggly. He kept logging out if I looked away at all. The assignment he was working on was about counting to three. His attention span was very limited, but when he was dialed in, he was right on target. So I knew he had it in him. I really wanted him to succeed. So if there were three cars, I said vroom vroom! If there were kittens, I would meow. That seemed to get his attention, and he plowed through the rest of the assignment, followed by a final challenge series, and then on to the next level. So rewarding!
We returned to the library where we read, colored, played memory games -- some very inventive twists that I will put in my back pocket for future reference for the grand kids! One boy in 4th Standard even started teaching me to play chess -- as my Aunt Jeanne would say, "Another first! Write it down." So I did :-)
And, finally, my favorite part of the day. Life Dance! Thursday is India's Independence Day. Freed from the British Empire. Life Dance is a program the kids have to audition for. They are performing for the Insependence Day celebration. We went into the open air dining hall to watch them rehearse. It was a dance to the song "Home" by Phil Phillips. From the very first step, I was in tears. Oops -- more tears! I was so moved. These kids were just in the moment -- filling each one to the very top. I love that they don't have any pre-conceived "barometer" by which to measure themselves. No mirrors in to compare themselves against others. They were just freely moving with confidence and joy. You've truly never seen smiles like these. I never knew black eyes could sparkle. But they do! Such a beautiful gift. And to top it off? A beautiful storm complete with thunder, lightning, and buckets of rain to watch as the dancers left their hearts out there on the floor. I do love the rain. I love the sound. I love the smell. I love the feel. I love how it makes my hair curly. And mixed with beautiful dancers -- could life get better? Stay tuned ;-)
These children are soaking up the opportunity to learn. They are hungry for it. They can and do work for it. They are showing me that as you live to learn, you learn to live...
Heidi, I can picture everything you are experiencing. It brings a chill to my arm and a tear to my eye. Love the blogging!
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