My Dear Raju,
I can never forget my first interaction with you. You were busy enjoying your game of bat and ball, just came to say hello for a minute and ran back like a cheetah into your game. The very next day I saw you stabbing another boy from class with a sharpened pencil. I was appalled at your behaviour and promised myself to get you on the path of a great learning experience.
As I started to teach you and your friends, I noticed you were little different. The difference was much more than not being able to identify alphabets. While I was giving instruction in the class, you were busy exploring the dustbin. While all of us sat on the floor to study, you loved to sit on the windowsill. No incentive - no stars - no stickers - no points - nothing invested you enough to be able to sit and listen to your didi. Whenever you got bored of running around in the classroom, you simply opened the door and went out. I never understood why you were doing what you were doing.
With regular interaction beyond the four-walled classroom, we came closer. You started to show some patience, understanding and care towards everyone around you only after a few days of practicing meditation. Together we tried to make you learn in your own style. You started to learn through puzzles. I had never seen you more engaged and invested in something more than solving jigsaw puzzles. As you solved them, you didn’t need a windowsill to sit on and an empty class to run around. All what you wanted was to solve your puzzle in lesser duration than the previous time. Starting with shapes, then 4-piece jigsaw puzzle, moving on to 8,12 piece jigsaw puzzle to ultimately successfully solving a 32-piece puzzle in just 1 month. I saw the sense of accomplishment on your face. I have seen how calm you have become now and how you uplift all those around you! This reminds me of you sharing the appreciation with Sagar when you said, “I haven’t done this all by myself, Sagar has done it too. We all should clap for Sagar also.” You made my heart thump with joy.
You have made me realize that sometimes education is much beyond ABCs and 1..2..3..s. Belief, patience, love, perseverance and grit are an essential for human development at any age. You made me believe everyone is different and everyone has his or her own kind of spark. I love to see how far you have come and I am sure that there is a long way to go. You are young and you are fire! Thank you for teaching me the same. Thank you for being my phenomenal teacher.
Lots and lots of love,
Your Purvee didi
Story submitted by Purvee, 2014 Fellow, Ahmedabad.
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