What do I want to take away from my classroom?

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This question is not the same as "What do I want to accomplish in the two years of the fellowship?" While its answer may partially overlap with the reasons for which I am joining Teach for India (learning to be a teacher, working at the grassroot level in an entrepreneurial way, networking with like minded people, building leadership qualities), it is still incomplete. What I wish to take away from the classroom cannot be summed up in big words like these. It is not about surviving the two years ordeal and proving to myself that I made it. I can be mediocre and disinterested and live through far worse. I will still have these points on my resume.

It is making each of the 700 days count, celebrating small victories and learning from every setback - making myself more tenacious. It is about making friends with 30 children and helping them discover their potential further - learning to become approachable, fair and less judgmental. It is about removing the roadblocks in their learning - being more resourceful than I have been in the past. It is about meeting their families and understanding why providing a conducive environment for learning is hard for many of them - improving my perceptiveness.   It is about working with the other fellows, TFI and school staff as well as parents to improve the learning levels - becoming a stronger team player.

All in all, it is not about anyone else but me. It may sound selfish but in this case, the better I become, the more I deliver to the larger goal. There is only one precondition for self improvement- being true to oneself- every single day - and that is also the biggest challenge.

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