Deepalaya - Enabling Self-Reliance

We dance western style ….

Last week, Delhi witnessed a heavy downpour and major traffic snarls. In addition to the rains, Deepalaya School, Sanjay Colony had to contend with another downpour – a pleasant one, however – of a team of 18 members from the US-based The Global Exploration for Educators Organisation (GEEO). Undeterred by Nature’s assault on Delhi’s roads, the GEEO team was eager to go ahead with the day’s schedule. The aim of the visiting members was to interact with the teachers and students at our school to explore the different environment from which they hoped to gain fresh perspectives…

…. and Indian too

The Global Exploration for Educators Organisation (GEEO) is a US based tax exempt non-profit organization. One of its goals is to help and encourage educators to travel with the ultimate aim of expanding their mental horizons. The program is called Tour for Teachers which are foreign trips for a fortnight or so and customized to include activities that will be particularly interesting to teachers.

I want to contribute….	Me too ….

After a traditional welcome and a brief introduction, the members went around the school. What caught the visitors’ fancy was the fact that most of the children were first generation learners. Coming from the US, they did not understand what such a term meant. It was difficult for them to visualize how the children’s parents could be illiterate. All were curious to know more and the members formed smaller groups and were taken to different classes to interact with the teachers and the students. They were quite inquisitive and had a lot of questions to ask.

Liesl Zoila was ecstatic with our children. She exclaimed “I enjoyed this visit to your School. I can see that your staff and students are happy to be here. Real learning and enjoyment are taking place. I am so happy to have met you all and to have seen your school. Thanks!” Max Brooks was quite impressed with the functioning of the school and said, “I was honoured to visit your school. I was especially moved by my visit to Class VI A. Thank you!” Others like Wilson Jenni were convinced they too should contribute to the development of our children’s education. She said “I would love to help out your school by getting my students involved. I think what you are doing here is great! Your students are bright and amazing and your teachers are dedicated. I hope to contact you when I get home.”

Many of them started contributing on the spur of the moment and by the end of the 45 minutes sojourn, they collected Rs.12, 250/- and gave it to Deepalaya. The main aim of their visit was to increase their knowledge about the outside world. They were interested in getting fresh perspectives on how teaching was being done in other parts of the world. In the event, they were very happy that the inaugural program was very fruitful.

Most of them said they wanted to visit the school again in their next visit while some promised to interact with Deepalaya staff soon after their return to US. Everyone wanted to have an opportunity to spend more time with our children and learn more about our ways of educating children. Deepalaya places on record its appreciation of World Wide Tours, the travel company which facilitated this visit and created new friends for Deepalaya.

May I sit in class?