Teja School: Weekend classes

As most of you are already aware, we have commenced with the weekend classes for the kids at Teja School in Champapet. We are conducting the classes based on their academic curriculum for the students who are pursuing their 10 th standard. Since the major areas of concern for them are English and Hindi we have started with the English classes. In the coming weeks, we intend to extend the classes not only for kids of other standards but also in other subjects besides English.

For this betide we need more active participation, resources (in terms of “time”) and ideas from all the volunteers.Over the weeks we have been continuously analyzing and monitoring the performance of the kids. Based on which, it’s been perceived that though there is lot of zeal and enthusiasm among the kids to learn and in spite of all the hard work that they are putting in, due to their inadequacy in basic fundamentals they are unable to achieve significant results. Thereby it becomes all the more imperative on our part to abridge this gap and help them in shaping their future.

In the coming days, we plan to intensify the educational activities in this school. As of now the classes are being conducted on Saturdays but based on the availability of the volunteers we would extend them on Sundays as well. Also, Keeping in view the continuity of the subject and rapport with the kids, distribution and demarcation of the curriculum among the volunteers, it is expected that the volunteers take the classes continuously on all the 5 weekends ( i.e..5 classes) in the coming month of December (excluding the days when the AIM3 will be held, making it to 4 classes)All those of you who are interested in taking up classes for these aspiring kids, do reply and let us know your availability as soon as possible.

Anticipating a prodigious and an affirmative response.

Visit to Teja School - Champapet Slum

Date: 6th October 2007
Attendees: Sunil, Karthik, Surya, Tanvi, Sidhartha.

~Pankhudi Hyderabad volunteers visited Teja School at Champapet Slum to have an interactive session with the kids and the teaching faculty of the school. During the previous visit, on the 30 th of September, a complete picture of the ground situation there could not be assessed as it was a Sunday. The visit this Saturday has been very productive; it has acclimatized us with the academic curriculum and activities of the school besides having helped us to get acquainted with the kids (most importantly) and the staff.

Five of us assembled at the school by around 2:30 P.M. Mr.Devender , the founder of the school then briefed us about the working of the school, the challenges that they were facing and the academic schedule and practices that they were following. We then went in to interact with the kids. The kids initially seemed a bit nervous and withdrawn. We indulged them in a few fun filled educative activities like using flash cards and games. All the kids participated actively and a few of them also came forward enthusiastically to recite and enact rhymes for us. This activity served as an ice breaking session with the kids and also enabled us to gauge the standard of education that was being imparted to them.

We also received important info and inputs from the teaching staff of the school. Various issues were discussed ranging from the sanitation and hygiene of the kids and the people residing in the slum, to the resources, challenges and teaching practices that they were following. We also got to interact with a couple of students who were privately pursuing their 10 th standard from the same school. They shared with us their experiences and informed us about the subjects in which they were weak and required help. (No brownie point for guessing the areas of concern are Math’s and English). The activity for the day was wrapped up by 4 pm.

The response and the warmness that we had received from the staff and kids was overwhelming and the details that have been provided to us would prove very beneficial in planning our future activity. Hopefully we have a great association with this school and hope to contribute in the growth and development of these kids!

Documented by - Tanvi Rao,for ~Pankhudi Hyderabad.