When I signed up for Teach India, I knew it is something I really wanted to happen. And after the initial screening, getting selected was the best thing to happen in a long time. :)
Teach India, is a collaborative effort of the 'Times of India' and 'British Council' focused on teaching spoken English to underprivileged youth in the urban society who are in the age group of 18-32 and who have had basic introduction to the English language in school as their 2nd or 3rd language.
As a volunteer, I was committed to 2 hours a day, 3 days a week for 10 weeks (3 months) and 56 hours of training prior to the start of the programme.
Teaching adults in the age group of 18 -32 years was not something I thought I could do confidently. But I had confidence in the training given by British Council - and I was proved right. At the end of 7 days training that I took at one go, I found myself rearing to go and TEACH :))) with no inhibitions or worries whatsoever. These 7 days did to me what any other public speaking course might have taken months to achieve... as I always thought facing people and 'talking' was not my cup of tea. (LOL!). When I pushed myself conscientiously to come out of my comfort zone and to overcome my fears of public speaking - micro teaching gave me ample opportunity to do it - I felt liberated!
At the Bandra Center of training, I met people from different backgrounds having vast experiences from what they do in life - but they were all there with me with the same aim - to reach out and make a positive difference in the lives of few others. I made so many friends out there... today we are connected via Facebook and plan to meetup on regular basis. :)
With lots of enthusiasm and equiped with new methodology of teaching - it is something unlike the methods used in schools where teacher takes up lot of time talking, Teacher Talk Time (TTT), instead we were trained how to encourage Student Talk Time (STT), I started my teaching at an NGO near home at Don Bosco Traning Institute (Kurla).
Ms. Soniya Kshirsagar was assigned my buddy and we both were assigned differed days in a week to teach our class. She has been a supportive and a true buddy by all means.
My learners turned out to be an eager and infectiously enthusiastic bunch of youngsters all in the age group of 18-26 years, they are 33 in all! :) . Till date they have maintained that eagerness and enthusiasm for learning - touch wood!
They just love coming to class where they learn to speak English by playing games; by taking part in pair or group activities; by performing role plays; by story telling or sharing an experience; where they are not punished for not doing homework but are instead rewarded with cute stickers if they do it (while they just love being rewarded, I just love seeing their book being decorated :D). From being the shy, reluctant, hesitant, nervous, and low in confidence lot of day 1 to being the confident, happy, ambitious, well groomed individuals as they are today, it has been a journey of 50 -50 partnership between them (learners) and us (Volunteers, me and my buddy). Currently, for the upcoming convocation ceremony, my learners are practicing a skit in English which they will perform on stage for 5-7 minutes.
With just last few classes remaining I am sure I'll miss them - will miss those eager to learn faces absorbing and hanging on to each and every word I say, who have shared with me their happiness and failures, who aim to secure a job that would make lives of theirs and their loved ones better.
And what have I got in return? a satisfying experience that is priceless...
-Julie
Teach India, is a collaborative effort of the 'Times of India' and 'British Council' focused on teaching spoken English to underprivileged youth in the urban society who are in the age group of 18-32 and who have had basic introduction to the English language in school as their 2nd or 3rd language.
As a volunteer, I was committed to 2 hours a day, 3 days a week for 10 weeks (3 months) and 56 hours of training prior to the start of the programme.
Teaching adults in the age group of 18 -32 years was not something I thought I could do confidently. But I had confidence in the training given by British Council - and I was proved right. At the end of 7 days training that I took at one go, I found myself rearing to go and TEACH :))) with no inhibitions or worries whatsoever. These 7 days did to me what any other public speaking course might have taken months to achieve... as I always thought facing people and 'talking' was not my cup of tea. (LOL!). When I pushed myself conscientiously to come out of my comfort zone and to overcome my fears of public speaking - micro teaching gave me ample opportunity to do it - I felt liberated!
At the Bandra Center of training, I met people from different backgrounds having vast experiences from what they do in life - but they were all there with me with the same aim - to reach out and make a positive difference in the lives of few others. I made so many friends out there... today we are connected via Facebook and plan to meetup on regular basis. :)With lots of enthusiasm and equiped with new methodology of teaching - it is something unlike the methods used in schools where teacher takes up lot of time talking, Teacher Talk Time (TTT), instead we were trained how to encourage Student Talk Time (STT), I started my teaching at an NGO near home at Don Bosco Traning Institute (Kurla).
Ms. Soniya Kshirsagar was assigned my buddy and we both were assigned differed days in a week to teach our class. She has been a supportive and a true buddy by all means.
My learners turned out to be an eager and infectiously enthusiastic bunch of youngsters all in the age group of 18-26 years, they are 33 in all! :) . Till date they have maintained that eagerness and enthusiasm for learning - touch wood!
They just love coming to class where they learn to speak English by playing games; by taking part in pair or group activities; by performing role plays; by story telling or sharing an experience; where they are not punished for not doing homework but are instead rewarded with cute stickers if they do it (while they just love being rewarded, I just love seeing their book being decorated :D). From being the shy, reluctant, hesitant, nervous, and low in confidence lot of day 1 to being the confident, happy, ambitious, well groomed individuals as they are today, it has been a journey of 50 -50 partnership between them (learners) and us (Volunteers, me and my buddy). Currently, for the upcoming convocation ceremony, my learners are practicing a skit in English which they will perform on stage for 5-7 minutes.
And what have I got in return? a satisfying experience that is priceless...
-Julie
To know more about Teach India kindly, visit http://www.itimes.com/public_teach-india.php?ctype=mumbai -the registration for the next cycle is currently open.
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