Going MAD @ICCW

It begins after work every Thursday. A slew of messages. Few confirmations. Some explanations. And hence some substitutions. And we are all set for Saturday at the least. Oops, the preparations? Well, that happens either late on Friday nights or Saturday mornings. Ironically, Sundays, which are substitution days have better preparations.

The weekends for me unusually begin by 6 am with either cricket on Saturdays or football on Sundays. Making it home by 9 30 am becomes quite a challenge! What with a bath and some quick preparations (if its Saturdays) to follow! But still, after what they call a 'crow's bath' and a quick revision, am off by 9 50 am. One thing that is of great help to me is that the destination is just a minute's drive away. I somehow make it before 10 am.

Once at ICCW (Indian Council for Child Welfare) with my fellow teachers, the English class, preceded by a quick discussion (on the topics to be covered), begins. My 'wards', for want of a better name, are only four or so they seem. They are christened as Chandiran, Amul, Balaji and Deepan. The youngest, Balaji, is playful all the time and ever so restless, but has prompt, witty and correct replies to any of my questions. The oldest, Deepan, finds some reason or the other to skip the classes but catches up with the fellow mates pretty easily, when he does attend. Chandiran, would love, not to play games, but to finish of the day's lesson at the earliest. And Amul, the conformist would agree to anything I say. I couldn't have ended up with a more complicated set.

It is a challenge I cherish. Trying to play a game for three while the fourth sits trying to get on with the class can be mind boggling. But that happens every Saturday to me. Even when all three (Deepan rarely attends) listen to my class, one steams ahead like a jet, the other rattling along like train and the third crawling along like a cart. Patience, to answer their doubts even when they may have to be repeated to each one individually one after the other, is a prime ingredient. The gauging of the kids' moods for the day is also a huge help. This, I realised while handling the younger kids. It is impossible to do something they don't want to. Playing along with them when gets their attention much better than rebelling against. Just to make sure they sit with you all through the two hours is simply an achievement in itself.

Its amazing how one improvises without meaning to, during the two hours he/she spends while teaching. Only last week, I had to engage 7 of the youngest kids, in rotation so that my fellow teachers could conduct one-on-ones for their 9 wards. A word building, followed by a spelling contest, followed by Chinese Whisper, and then a story time. The last one was straight out of my granny's favourite reciting to me and my cousins. It gives you enormous satisfaction when cute little bright faces drink in whatever you say like it was something really sweet. What is most encouraging is, when I get back next week, their recollections/remarks on what they learnt/heard last week.

Well what is the moral? A fortnight ago I was attending a family function, where my cousin's kid was stuck to her mom all morning. Pop, comes my other cousin's kid with her grandparents. An idea strikes! I got them together, and together they were for the remainder of the function. They still quoted the 'high-five' game, I introduced to them out of nowhere, when I met them during Navrathri. The nursery rhymes we sang together still resonate. But most of all, the twinkle in their eyes and the innocent laughter I heard that day will keep me going for more. Time to get more MAD!!

P.S: MAD refers to Make A Difference, an interactive English learning programme for children who have limited or no proficiency in the language.