Besides falling up the stairs today at school, ( pretending like it didn’t hurt as much as it really did) I am falling head over over heels for my students and host teacher. No words can accurately describe the kindness, love, and genuine interest my school has shown me this past week.
I like to think of the school day in terms of chai tea breaks. Our first break starts at 10:00 and our second at 1:30. In-between those sweet cups of masala chai, I have been learning immensely about the culture and ways of life of all my students. What I have come to realize is that here in India all walks of life are celebrated. So many different backgrounds and religions are represented between the students and staff. This makes the atmosphere rich in culture and diversity. The students are not afraid to ask personal questions that might seem “offensive” in the USA. Questions like: “Kacy, Ma’am what religion are you?” or ” Kacy, Ma’am who will you vote for in your election?”. Although these questions are personal, they help my students get to know me and learn about my interests/lifestyle. In order for people to live harmoniously they need to be able to understand one another. By answering these questions for my students I believe I can help them get to know me on a deeper level.
Overall this has been a great start to the week. I have sat in on lesson planning with my host teacher, who is head of the history department, and now understand how they organize and plan for the school year. She has also helped me understand the grading system they use for their students. All of this has made me giddy and eager to begin my teaching in the next couple weeks.
-Kacy
mizzouedinindia2016 