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Namaste,
I am a "Teach For India fellow" and writing this on behalf of my class.
All of us have been fortunate to have guidance and help through out lives and especially when we were young. A part of it was taken care by our schools but the real motivation and support came from our homes - our parents and the environment they bestowed on us AFTER school.
I want to share this fortune with the under privileged children of standard 6-8th and we plan to do this by opening "Jaadu-Ki-Naagri" -our learning center that will provide a holistic education and guidance for these kids AFTER school. These children have no place to study or learn anything as a family 4-6 people stay in a single room. This would serve as their go-to place to study, learn or even engage in different extracurricular activities.
We have already finalized a decently large space with 3 partitions - 1 for classes, 1 as a library for studying/finishing homework and 1 for extra-curricular activities but are short of amenities.
we are looking for help in terms of other resources like stationery, funds and even volunteers for hosting extra-curricular activities etc. Any references or leads would be great.
Why we create this change : Over the 11 month span of my Fellowship, I have been trying to create a safe space for my kids. The 44 girls in my class come from single rooms, families with no less than 5 members, and communities which aren’t conducive to young learning minds. Their time at home poses as a challenge for my girls to concentrate on their work and learn effectively.
With 44 kids in my class, each at a different learning level, with unique learning styles - differentiation has been a continuous challenge for me as a teacher and facilitator.
Working in a low income government school and all the protocols that come wit it, we face a number of restrictions when we as educators try to innovate and experiment with unconventional activities in class.
How can you mark a difference in their life : Creating our own space! We dream of a community center, where after school our girls study independently, participate and lead projects - such as a debating circle, book club, movie sessions, theater groups and so on.
I envision a space that enables our girls to learn the 21st century skills - like internet literacy, managing finance and public speaking. Whilst expressing themselves by learning poetry, contemporary and classical dance.
We have already finalized a space with room for - 1 class, 1 library and 1 studio for extra-curricular activities.
The rent occurred will be Rs. 6,000 per month, exclusive of electricity and water charges.
Resources : open this Link https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wSyl1jMpT8LRT0nB8CL-ac8WzUEsuF_ErQ17Km4IeAM/edit#gid=246894884
What will they get from this : Opening a center in our community for our kids will lead to increased investment of the parents of our children - in their education.
As kids are going to stay for long in the community so this center will help them to take ownership, of their education and learning - when didi is not their.
Also this project will connect me with many stakeholders and and enable me to empower them with skills through workshops for women, policy awareness and banking literacy.
Shukriya,
Rekha Rathore
Teach for India
Cohort 2016
+91 8447152012, rekha.rathore2016@teachforindia.org
