["Ginger Beer, Sweat and Tears Mauliki (14) The \ufb01eld is full of enthusiastic spectators and the frantic cheering of the Elohis. I can feel the excitement in the air. It grasps me. In the present moment, the ball is dashing towards the goal. Om K stumbles and stops the ball to my team's despair. There's a pause before everyone runs again, this time towards me. To me, the goalkeeper, they seem like charging bulls. I'm relieved to see a wall of defenders assemble in front of me. I see the ball hit someone before it's back on the other side. Momentarily, the referee calls for halftime. Two crazy commentators (Om and Zaid) run onto the \ufb01eld towards Nachi. While I drink water, I listen to their interview, which mainly consists of questions on why we are losing. After this, we all run back to resume the game. In the background, I can hear the commentary, which has now switched to Kannada from English. After another 30 minutes of frantic running, the score is tied. The air, which was once \ufb01lled with an atmosphere of excitement, is now \ufb01lled with a gloomy grey cloud of nervousness. The ball is placed roughly 15 feet away from the goal. Om K strides up to take his position at the goalpost. Then with a \ufb02ick, Nachi releases the ball into the air, which \ufb02ies towards the goal before being tightly held by Om K. There's a quick switch. Now Abdul is keeping. The opponent team sends out their player, and with yet another power-felt kick, the ball sprints towards the goal. Abdul slides his foot over, and the score remains tied. Nine shots go by, and the scores haven't changed. This is the last shot. If it doesn't go in, it's sudden death penalties. The spectators gather near the goal. In the crowd, you can see Om B holding onto a bottle of celebratory ginger beer. Then Sidharth kicks the ball, the ball \ufb02ies towards the keeper, and the keeper moves his leg, but it's too late. The score is one-nil!!! The ginger beer is sprayed onto my team. 49","Puppets on a String Rukmini (16) \u2018Usha, help me cut this out, please\u2026\u2019 \u2018Good job, everyone, with the voices and sounds.\u2019 \u2018I\u2019ve already drawn it for you, come on\u2026\u2019 Although not something I would dearly miss, \u2018The paper\u2019s getting badly creased!\u2019 The show was rather fun at the end, I found. \u2018My deer\u2019s antlers are almost gone\u2026\u2019 *** \u2018Ishitha, what kind of animal will you make? Wait, The Puppetry club was something Usha and I had Anmol, one second, ok?\u2019 volunteered to take together. I had an exam on the \ufb01rst \u2018A unicorn! I want a unicorn!\u2019 she spake. day of the week, and so joined the club on Tuesday, \u2018Kesang, just a little longer, please stay\u2026hey, that\u2019s a walking into a room that rang with the sounds of really great drawing of a dolphin!\u2019 industrious chatter. The shadow theatre was nearly \u2018Share the scissors with everyone, guys..\u2019 \ufb01nished, so I found some sticks to prop it up and then \u2018No, it looks \ufb01ne, don\u2019t put it in the bin\u2026\u2019 assisted the three club members, aged 8 to 9, in making (Ruku, I think we\u2019re going to be despised.) their puppets. Although we had to help them quite a bit \u2018Wow, the tiger has got some crazy stripes. Did you in the execution of their ideas, the concepts themselves manage to do that all on your own?\u2019 were always \ufb01rm and clear in their heads, and any \ufb02aws (It was me, actually, she just sat and griped.) in the \ufb01nished product were the faults of the labourer, (Oh. Well. I suppose I should have known.) not the designer. The real challenge was keeping them \u2018We\u2019re going to do a small puppet show for entertained for a full two hours while simultaneously everyone.\u2019 preventing them from running off. Most escape \u2018Stop stealing my eraser all the time!\u2019 attempts got as far as the sandpit before the \u2018I want to go play, this isn\u2019t much fun.\u2019 unfortunate convict was reluctantly dragged back. \u2018Ugh, the sitting mats are full of grime.\u2019 As the puppets progressed, the next question was (Maybe tomorrow? They\u2019re all very tired.) the story for the puppet show we were planning on \u2018You\u2019re all free, you can go, it\u2019s time up anyway.\u2019 performing for the school. This caused some head (Yeah, alright, they\u2019re clearly wired.) banging on the organisers\u2019 part. After all, what kind of \u2018FINALLY! I had to wait so long to play!\u2019 story could we write, with the characters being what \u2018Give the puppet to Medha, she\u2019ll glue the stick to it.\u2019 they were: two tigers, a bear, a rabbit, a deer, a dolphin, \u2018Bring the lamp a little closer to the screen\u2026\u2019 and a unicorn? One tiger was eventually removed from \u2018It looks so cool when the elephant\u2019s backlit!\u2019 the performance after much con\ufb02ict over who got to \u2018Careful, the paper will tear if you let it lean\u2026\u2019 be the good tiger versus the evil one. Once the (Now we\u2019ll have to write down some sort of story.) characters had been allotted and we had done a couple \u2018Oh, the unicorn\u2019s tail goes down and up!\u2019 of rehearsals, everyone was anxious to do as well as (Just remember that we can\u2019t make it too gory.) possible, and the bickering receded as the children \u2018It looks pretty good, doesn\u2019t it?\u2019 \u2018Yup!\u2019 grew more absorbed. \u2018I\u2019ll be the scary tiger and roar.\u2019 \u2018Kesang, will you be the dolphin then?\u2019 Pride was a new emotion that I experienced during \u2018But there\u2019s the rabbit and the bear and so many the Teacheropeia week; pride not in myself, but in our more\u2026\u2019 temporary wards, who on one hand could be extremely \u2018Just please don\u2019t start bickering again\u2026\u2019 infuriating but on the other were just as lively and \u2018First full run-through starts in \ufb01ve minutes!\u2019 creative. Another thing I was struck by was the absolute \u2018Don\u2019t push me like that, there\u2019s hardly any space!\u2019 trust all the younger ones had in us as their seniors, \u2018Ok, let\u2019s break down the story into bits.\u2019 unfailingly certain we would take as good care of them (Yes, we\u2019ve \ufb01nally begun to get a good pace.) as the teachers normally did. It gave me more \u2018Nice, the shadows are all quite professional-looking con\ufb01dence in turn to see they were willing to come to now.\u2019 us with all kinds of problems ranging from \ufb01ghts \u2018It\u2019s a decent achievement to manage in two days.\u2019 amongst themselves to math concepts they couldn\u2019t \u2018Ishitha and Kesang, don\u2019t forget to bow!\u2019 understand, sure that we were reliable and capable of (I hope it\u2019s as great to the audience\u2019s gaze\u2026) helping. \u2018You can take all your puppets home after this.\u2019 50","51","The Secret Lives of Teachers Usha (18) Warm sunlight streaming in, yellow oxide \ufb02oor glowing, blankets strewn haphazardly over mattresses on the \ufb02oor as I open my eyes, trying to inject a sense of urgency into my body so that as the of\ufb01cial \u2018teachers\u2019, we wouldn\u2019t reach the main school building after the vans arrive. In the mornings there was football, and whoever wasn\u2019t playing football was supposed to play other games like hide-and-seek or \u2018Kings\u2019. This effectively meant that the two teams playing that day (Shibumi was having its very own, high intensity football tournament) would be on the \ufb01eld, while the rest of the school cheered them on (Team 1! Team 1!). There were posters and chants, with fans (aka the Elohi) trying to outdo each other in showing support for their respective teams. As all my team members agreed, we (Team 3) were one of the weakest teams, so we were kicked out of the tournament early on (to be more precise, we were the \ufb01rst). This meant that I played more \u2018Kings\u2019 (a game where you have to step on another person\u2019s foot) than I have in a really long time and watched longingly as the other teams played football. After snack, the Herculean task of herding everyone from the eating area to their Shibumi Care spaces was now ours, and we could no longer live in the comfort that \u2018someone else\u2019 would do it. A few days before the Teacheropeia week, and a few days after, we were those stragglers in front of the kitchen. Now, conscious that we had a much larger role to play in keeping the school running, we were aware of the time, and what had to be done next. Does that mean that at other times I feel the responsibility lies fully on the teachers? And then \ufb01nally, once we \ufb01nished assembly, where everyone would gather around Abdul and the harmonium, sitting in spirals around like a \ufb02ower in the dialogue space, came Clubs. I was part of a club very creatively called \u2018Puppet\u2019, where the three Elohis and three of us taking the workshop all made\u2026 puppets together. The \ufb01rst day we made paper \ufb01nger puppets, which were surprisingly popular, and they seemed to be able to spend a lot of time on it without getting distracted. There were coloured paper sheets, which they cut out in the shape of their \ufb01nger, and then drew on or stuck details like whiskers for a rabbit, ears for a cat, or hair for a witch. If one person made something, then the others would follow suit, and it reminded me of when we were younger, and every few weeks trends would keep changing\u2014for a while we all did lots and lots of crochet, then it was woven bead bracelets, and at another time, macrame. The next day, we started on making shadow puppets with movable parts--you could make the jaw of your tiger move, or a bear\u2019s claws. This was a little more complicated, since we had to help them cut shapes out with a blade, and sometimes help with drawing the animals as well, so there was less for them to do which made them lose interest much more quickly. They would take breaks often, where they basically went to every club to see if the others were doing anything a little more interesting. After that came writing the story. We had a bear, two tigers, a dolphin, a deer and a rabbit, all of whom had to appear with signi\ufb01cant roles in the puppet show. At \ufb01rst when we sat down to write it, the stories that they came up with were versions of the Panchatantra tales, or Punyakoti, a folk song in Kannada about an honest cow and a hungry tiger. When we tried to be more creative, we ended up with a story that had a 'good' tiger and a 'bad' tiger. But whose tiger was going to be the bad one? Both tiger owners were unwilling to let theirs be the immoral one, so yet again there was a change in the plot. In the end, there was a river in the forest to accommodate the dolphin, a cave for the bear, and only one tiger\u2014a bad one. Rehearsing for the show turned out to be the most challenging, because it required a sustained, high level of energy, and it also required every member of the show to be present behind the screen, which was often not the 52","case. But several mini-heart attacks later (the mild \ufb01ght scenes sometimes turned into violent ones where the delicate paper puppets and the shadow puppet theatre were in grave danger), we got to a place where everyone knew the story (more or less) and required minimal prompts. Bit by bit, our ramshackle shadow puppet theatre, always on the verge of collapse, the battle-worn puppets, and a lamp (perched on the edge of a stack of picture books for height), came together to create a tale which ended the rule of the horrible tiger over helpless animals\u2026 while making sure every puppet was given importance After all that, how hard could Contact be, right? The task was simple enough\u2014sit with a group of 11-year-olds while they worked on worksheets containing simple fraction problems, helping them a little if they didn\u2019t understand anything. However, a full stomach and a warm sunny afternoon, meant that I would slowly make my way through Sora to the back cupboard to \ufb01nd their worksheets, drift back out, go up to them and try to tell them that they were already 20 minutes late, that we didn\u2019t have much time, and then strike a bargain where we agreed that they would come in two minutes. I, meanwhile, went upstairs, took out my economics textbook and sat down on the mat, hoping that today would be the day I could get back into a study rhythm. But alas! They would come upstairs, settle down, get to work with the occasional burst of laughter and a question or two, while I would slowly make my way to a supine position, still holding onto my textbook in the hope that at least by osmosis something would come through. It was amazing to see how differently they all learned! Some would need help understanding the way the question was asked, after which they were able to work most effectively on their own, while for some if you worked through one problem with them, then understanding the concept came while we were solving the problem together. I think I expected them to have no interest in the work they were doing, but I saw that (for short chunks of time) they were actually working hard, and when I told them it was time up, sometimes they would work longer to \ufb01nish the exercise, or a dif\ufb01cult problem. Meanwhile, I gave up on any academic endeavours by the second day and stuck to reading Heroes of Olympus in the afternoons. 53","54","55","56","Clubs and Games Ziah (9) The Teacheropeia week was exciting especially the and sketching club. I really liked the clubs. I think we clubs and games. should have clubs like that more often. I was in the drawing and sketching club (just saying In the football tournament I was in Team 3, the \ufb01rst drawing and sketching was the same club) You know game of the football tournament my team played, but I what I found a bit strange? It\u2019s that we drew and couldn\u2019t play because I forgot my shoes! I know Team 3 sketched for only two of the days and made stuff like got disquali\ufb01ed \ufb01rst but at least we got to play and magic cubes and normal cubes out of paper on the rest playing football was still fun. of the days. But I still found it fun, especially on the last day of the Teacheropeia week because there was a mela. We also played \u2018cops and robbers\u2019, hide-and-seek and dumb charades when my team and another team We got to watch a puppet show from the Puppet didn\u2019t play football, because another match was club, we got to see the mosaic from the Mosaic club, we happening on the games \ufb01eld. also got to see the baby Yodas from the Origami club, and we got to see the soaps club and taste the pickles I really enjoyed the Teacheropeia week! and drink the drinks they made in the Bubbles club. We also got to display the stuff we made in the drawing Sonnets for Teacheropeia Sharanya (11) Many teachers had left school Not forever, well not that soon. T\u2019was not the time to hit the pool, In school, I was over the moon. Reached the \ufb01eld with my shoes on Played a game some call football. That day a new star was born, The joy made me race down the hall. Clubs I chose from a list of choices The one where you draw and sketch. For clubs, we made paper dices, During art, I had paints to fetch. Overall, I would rate the week as amazing, Teacheropeia got a lot of praising. 57","58","Santosh 59","60","The Jury Srishti (19, former student) On day one of our club, not even an hour in, we movement. Each face of a cube has one fourth of an knew it was not going to work. Faced with the image, allowing you to have six pictures in total, when mounting boredom and disinterest from the three you recon\ufb01gure the shape. Hitting upon our redeeming Ursas and one Elohi we had with us, Nannu and I knew activity, we spent the evening refreshing our rusty we had to scrap our earlier plans for the week and think knowledge in net diagrams and began the morning by of something new. And quickly. If the dejected glances giving ourselves pep talks to broach the subject with at each other and the lethargic movement of the our jury. pencils across the pages weren\u2019t enough to make us notice their declining interest, the \u201cCan we do After a short introduction and with a few uncertain something else?\u201d was pretty hard to misinterpret. approvals, our little club took its leap from being a mere \u2018Drawing\u2019 club to a \u2018Net diagrams\u2019 and \u2018Magic cube\u2019 And, as it turned out, perspective drawing is not club! As with any successful rebranding, the old image something that they found interesting. of our club was completely forgotten and in no time, we had an enthusiastic group immersed in making As the second hour of the club rolled by, we magic cubes. switched from drawing to a sketching game. We sat on the \ufb02oor and drew whatever we wanted until the Our club time was spent planning the nets, \ufb01guring buzzer went off (three minutes) and sent it to the next out through trial and error where to add the \ufb02aps person in the circle. They then drew on it for the next required for gluing, cutting them out carefully with three minutes and so on. We had intended this to be a scissors amid a scissors shortage, hiding said scissors stimulating game where they would develop the from the greedy shadow puppetry club (who always drawings in interesting and logical ways. What did end seemed to want the scissors just as were using them), up happening though was that we were left with gluing them into a recognizable shape, and \ufb01nally psychedelic masterpieces, as they developed the taping them together the right way. Most days, the two- drawings in the most blatantly absurd directions, amid hour slots were not enough for us, and going to lunch much laughter. late became a regular occurrence. By a stroke of luck, they were so absorbed in this Before we knew it, the week was over and the mela that all grudges against us regarding the \ufb01rst hour were to showcase what we\u2019d done was upon us. A few tears forgiven and forgotten, allowing Nannu and I to \ufb01nally over a last-minute repair of a squashed icosahedron (a relax for a moment. Too soon! Alas, in our relief we 20-sided \ufb01gure), and after a moment of panicking over overshot our time slot and had to rush to lunch, a the cubes tossed by the wind, our small table was set. happy accident. As people approached our stall, the one Elohi and the Ursas in our club greeted them enthusiastically, and That evening, while helping the shadow puppetry when they seemed puzzled by the geometric shapes group make their stage (a remarkable feat of lying on the table in front, jumped to showcase their engineering, getting the \ufb02oppy cardboard boxes to be unique Magic cubes with as much zeal and passion as a structurally sound) we hit our \u2018eureka\u2019 moment! street vendor trying to lure you into buying their wares! Constructing 3D shapes from net diagrams! And hopefully, if our club mates welcomed the idea with even a fraction of our excitement, a fully constructed magic cube would emerge a bit down the line! A magic cube consists of four cubes taped together in a clever way, which allows for a hinged 61","62","Past, Present and Future Nandana (17) Thursday night, 17 Nov 2022. \u2018Saanj?\u2019 \u2018Mmh?\u2019 \u2018So, tomorrow we wake up at 7:00 or the usual \u2018I \ufb01nished my exams today!\u2019 7:40?\u2019 \u2018Yeah.\u2019 \u20187:40 as usual. Why?\u2019 Saanj turns her face towards me, \u2018And I came back to school. What is wrong with me?\u2019 her pillow rustling as she adjusts her position. Saanj laughs, \u2018Dude, I really don't know.\u2019 \u2018No, don't we have to wake Kesang up and make her breakfast?\u2019 Thursday night, 24 November 2022 \u2018Nah, Aley's there with her, so she will wake her up.\u2019 \u2018Oh. Okay.\u2019 \u2018Hey, guys, anyone up for a round of chagadi (card game)?\u2019 I look back up at the ceiling. The lamp casts a warm We are upstairs, in the boys' temporary room (since glow in the room, a thick yellow that coats the bricks, there were too many girls to \ufb01t in the room downstairs, rather like a layer of butter melting on some toasted we recolonised what was rightfully ours, and displaced bread. Above us the curtains slowly bounce back and the locals into the neighbouring territory). Two of us forth against the window, languidly following the crisp have just come up after putting Kesang to bed with a night air. Rich smells of damp soil and the soft scent of picture book, and wishing goodnight to Arlin and closing lilies waft into the room, weaving through my Matthew, the latter already asleep on Smitha aunty's pillow and blanket. shoulder. Soon I am leaning against a wall, sharing a blanket with two or three people and a bed with about Roughly 12 hours ago, I had been at home, washing four, give or take. my breakfast bowl and wondering if I should revise for my \ufb01nal AS exam. In a handful of hours I was in a \u2018Uugh. I am dead. Like, my brain is dead. Like, room with a pencil, my Physics paper, and a clock. seriously, I feel dead.\u2019 Then, we were in Vishu's (Vishwanath, teacher) car, \u2018Not chagadi, man, we're always playing chagadi!\u2019 with Eggy (Nikhil) trying to teach me a video game in \u2018Hanh, hanh, kal ka football tournament bhi hai, let's save up which I seemed to excel at losing, while Usha and our energy-' Pakku (Prakriti) animatedly discussed the paper which \u2018Arrey, stop going on about the tournament, da!\u2019 I was desperately trying to forget. Soon I was in Medha's balcony, calling my dad on Ganga aunty's As this train of conversation continues, I quickly do phone, my stomach full of a scrumptious meal of a mental check of all the tasks I had completed that day: homemade pasta, asking if I could join some of the \ufb01nished the painting, given Dhruv his homework, others in the hostel that night. Back in the car and out completed Eksha's reading, asked Rithanya to bring the of the traf\ufb01c, the wind blasted through the warmth of magic cubes for tomorrow, planned the last day of the the vehicle, packed as it was with so many people; the art club with Srishti, and, \u2026 that's it? Done? same wind that greeted us as Das anna opened the Everything done? Okay. I slowly tune back to the idle gates of Shibumi; the same wind that now swirls in chatter, which has now turned to the most happening through the open windows of our hostel room. topic: the Elohis. Soon we are all talking over each other, laughing at people's recollections of the day. \u2018Shall I turn off the light?\u2019 How this one had to be fed, why that one cried, how \u2018Okay.\u2019 someone tried escaping Contact time, how someone else read through guessing-and-error, with their eyes I stare at the ceiling again, as, with a faint click, focused on the sandpit the entire time. darkness settles in on the room. A darkness, complete but for a faint strip of sky visible through the gap in the After a single week of pretending to teach, my brain curtains. I pull the blanket up to my chin and bring my had cooked itself into a happy, sugary mess that pulled hands close. 63","down the Sora shutters, locked the kitchen doors and and saw you. Eksha eagerly readied her spoon while closed my eyelids before the idea of a pillow entered it. Vishu looked away. After giving her suf\ufb01cient time to swallow, Vishu would \u2018happen\u2019 to turn around and Now, all these months later, I do not completely loudly complain that Eksha had won another point at remember the details that I was certain would stick in his expense! Medha and I watched, awestruck, as my head. I can con\ufb01dently say that the week was a lot Eksha's plate emptied in less time than it would have more mentally taxing than I had anticipated, and this taken her to walk to the dustbin and invert her food into showed in the way our evening time changed from it. This gave me the biggest lesson I had ever learned: football games and walks to lying on the kitchen \ufb02oor kids love games. eating khakhra. Slowly, however, I learned to understand what was expected of me. In order to My second pointer was to constantly check if there remain relatively sane, there were two main reminders was something I was supposed to do or had forgotten. or pointers that I had to keep in sight. The \ufb01rst one was This yielded no obvious results, but merely some probably the most important: the kids needed to enjoy interesting re\ufb02ections. The plan that we had to follow their tasks. The second was to remember all the things in the week was simple, and there was no need to I was supposed to do. employ any challenging cognitive processes (all those had been handled by the actual teachers anyway). The solution to the \ufb01rst problem evolved over the However, I had to don a different robe: that of an adult, week, in various situations, a prime example being the i.e., someone who is responsible and knows the answer lunchtime slot (or rather, the one right after, into which to everything. This was what I would wear in front of it often extended). the junior school. Meanwhile, with myself and my friends I was still the same idiot who always tripped On Monday the ritual began: I would \ufb01nish my over the top step. In that way, Teacheropeia required us food and wash my plate, then sit myself next to Eksha to take on a different role while still playing the same and do my best to encourage her to eat. That day, she characters in our lives. I was still a Nannu with the same contentedly watched the chikoos ripen, while rocking habits and behaviour, but suddenly I was standing in her chair back and forth in her meditation. Precious for a teacher. Multiple tiny rituals and habits had to be minutes of our contact time ebbed away, and the learned and modi\ufb01ed. For example, instead of lying on desiccated remains of unidenti\ufb01able foods continued the \ufb02oor at the end of the day, we had to go to the vans to stick obstinately to her plate. Not knowing what to and see off the others; instead of turning to Tanu didi to do, I tried begging. When my efforts failed, others ask what to teach, I had to think of something myself; tried. This resulted in no new action, so our collective instead of sleeping until the vans arrived (well, nearly!), efforts also failed. Presently, Lia entered the scene. I had to unlock and ready the main building. Things With her superior sisterly power, she scraped the food that just seemed to happen in the background, now had together, shovelled it into Eksha's surprised mouth, to be made to happen\u2014by me, by us. Although no ordered her to chew and swallow, and that was the end external change was visible, in my mind, I had grown of that. A few days later, Ganga aunty and Vishwanath into the shell of a senior. A shell that I still hide behind. uncle came to my rescue with a game where the objective was to eat before the other person turned 64","65","Timetable! Why? Zaid (12) When I heard that there would be no teachers in school for a week, I had so many thoughts running through my mind that I got a headache. \u2018No teachers for a week? Wha- ho- wait, does that mean that we won\u2019t have a timetable for an entire week? Like a non-week?\u2019 I faced a great deal of disappointment that week. Look, I\u2019m not saying that it was a bad week. In fact, I found it rather fun. It just wasn\u2019t anything different from a regular week. Sure, there was a football tournament and sure, there were clubs, but other than that it was pretty much the same. That\u2019s only because the Cassiopeia were teaching us, and personally, I think that they handled the situation pretty well. Just put yourself in the place of the Cassiopeia, imagine walking into school one day and have the teachers tell you that they want to have a meeting with your group. You would probably be thinking \u2018Oh no! Not again. What have I done this time?!\u2019 But then, the teachers tell you that you will be teaching everyone younger than yourself in the school for a whole week! I can almost picture their reaction: On the inside they would all be like \u2018Nooooo!! Why us? What have I done to deserve this?\u2019 But on the outside, just not to freak out in front of them, they would all mutter: \u2018Yaay, I love teaching. Such a nice opportunity.\u2019 I must admit the Teacheropeia were pretty good at their (temporary) jobs. Also, it wasn\u2019t just the Teacheropeia teaching us, some of the teachers stayed back too. So, was the week exactly how I would have wanted it? No, but it was an enjoyable week. In fact, it would be great to have another Teacheropeia week (maybe even without a timetable). Was it Hard? Pavan Silent classrooms hush, Older pupils' guidance thrives, Solo mentor smiles. Empty halls echo, Youthful wisdom takes the stage, Lone teacher observes. How did the whole thing go? Super easy, Barely an inconvenience. 66","How We Were Kicked Out Read-iscovery Dhatri (11) Zain (14) Day 2: When I \ufb01rst heard that the teachers were Teacheropeia week, exciting as it was for most of us going to Rajghat, I thought it was going to be very students, left me clueless and bored with nothing to do weird with the Cassiopeias teaching us all our classes, but sit still and wait for my back to heal. I could not be a but it wasn\u2019t so bad. part of the grand football tournament that raged on in the mornings. And so, I picked up a book and sat alone Flash-back: I was in the van talking to Aatmi and in the library, the cold morning breeze coming through Ishitha but could not stop thinking about the football the open windows \ufb01lling up the empty space\u2026 match (it was between my team, Team 3, and Team 1). The van reached school, I got off and went to hang my As I turned the \ufb01rst page and read the \ufb01rst sentence bag, and then went to check my timetable on the of Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban, I wondered how board. It said that we had football \ufb01rst thing in the long it would take me to zone out or get bored with the morning. My sister had told me we were going to play book. And then I realised that I hadn\u2019t really read any football a few times a week, so I got my shoes out of books ever since the pandemic ended. I would pick up my bag and wore them, thinking about how much fun a book and read the words, but I wouldn\u2019t really read it was going to be. I had just \ufb01nished wearing my shoes the story, and then I would end up abandoning the when I heard the L \u2018n T van coming in. I sat there book, not giving it a chance to capture me. waiting for Ziah to come (I usually wait for Aru and Ziah to come, but Aru had hurt her foot). Ziah came, Reading was my life. It was my way of exploring and wore her shoes, and we went to the \ufb01eld. After both going on adventures. Every day I would spend hours the teams had come to the \ufb01eld, we started playing. endlessly jumping from scene to scene with wonder And we lost!! On the third day, it was Team 3 (my team) and excitement; one day I was on the moon, the next I versus Team 2. And guess what? We lost again!! (I think was in Greece! we tried our best, though we had a weak team). But somewhere between staying at home for two AND WE WERE\u2026 years, barely meeting my friends and falling deeper into DISQUALIFIED!! my interest in music and dance, I had forgotten to pick up books. These thoughts came and went, once again leaving me alone with my book in the cool and quiet library. I started from the \ufb01rst sentence again, and as it turned out, each page entangled me deeper into the forest of words. Before I knew it, I had \ufb01nished the book. Teacheropeia for me will be that time of my life that brought me back to what \ufb01lled my life with imagination and joy. 67","68 Atharv (12)","Missing It Atharv (12) One day in school: The same day: My friend told me there was a teachers\u2019 conference When I reached home, I walked in to \ufb01nd my mom in Benaras and many teachers would attend it next on the phone. I was curious, so I decided to eavesdrop. week. Even though the teachers are nice to have I did not understand much but when she \ufb01nished, she around, I was happy that maybe I would have even started talking in a mellow tone, so I already knew then more freedom then I already did. and there that someone had died. She said \u2018There is a death ceremony, and we have to leave for Tiptur next The next day: week.\u2019 I was shocked. The older students (Cassiopeia +) who were taking This was going through my mind: care of the school, had organized these various clubs How did that happen? (still in shock) (origami, puppetry, etc...). What\u2019s more, they were But why next week? (getting into a bad mood) hosting a football tournament! That's when I really got Do we have to go? (asking myself a stupid question) excited. This would be the \ufb01rst time there would be a I'm going to miss the fun in school (sad) tournament in school! I got so excited because we THE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT! (DEAD) would be playing in a competition which is like breaking the (no competition) rules. I was so annoyed! And so, I sat on the sofa wishing for something cool (like seeing a leopard) to cheer me And it makes me feel very happy when they are not up. followed, maybe because rules constrain me from doing something, and not following rules gives me more freedom. A Bird on a Tree Deepak It was quite fascinating to see the students run the space by themselves. I was like a bird on a tree, very curious to see every corner of the school and wondering what was happening. What was everyone doing? Where could I take part in this \ufb02ow? The day would start by burning a lot of energy by playing football, and would slow down when the kids went on to do different activities where they would paint, make origami, and play music. In the beginning, I was a bit anxious about how things would be managed. But the \u2018teachers\u2019 never gave a chance for the feeling to soak in! They were so engaged with their responsibilities; it was a wonderful sight to see. The \ufb02ow was so beautiful that I wanted to facilitate it without obstructing the way things were going. I was very conscious about the fact that I did not want to don the hat of \u2018being an adult\u2019 in that environment so I just observed and let things be. The week taught me never to have an idea of how things could be or should be! It opened my mind to so many possibilities! 69","Sheetal 70","Songs and Smiles Observations, Questions Smitha and Teacheropeia Week Viji Teacheropeia week was in the month of November. As an observer, I noticed initial confusion among When Tanu told me about this week, she said 'There group activities that involved many children, but that will be no teachers in the school for the next few was immediately sorted out by discussion and days\u2014 only Sheetal, Aley, Das, Chikkanna and you will understanding among themselves. Young children with be there. Some parents will also come to help but the unlimited energy, and seniors with nervousness, senior school group, Cassiopeia will take care of the transformed themselves within minutes to a rhythmic, school.\u2019 guiding mode and sharing the learning space with tenderness, care and perseverance. Everyone in the I kept wondering how it would be possible to run school space started functioning easily with the school without teachers. How will the older responsibilities. It showed that a holistic approach in children handle the responsibility? education is the key, rather than training a child only how to use a toolbox. Finally, the day came. The \ufb01rst day felt a bit confusing and for me, the day started with the Elohi So, what I observed in children is that learning walk. It was my \ufb01rst walk with the Elohis. Das, Kshitij, happens at every moment, when one with an open the Elohis and I went to the lake behind the school. I mind observes oneself and the environment deeply. enjoyed the walk with them and returned at snack time. After that, we all gathered for assembly, and Abdul We may think that the smooth functioning of the taught us new songs. school during Teacheropeia happened because the students and adults were well-trained in the day-to-day The kids were split into groups, and they all went to activities. Speci\ufb01cally, no one assumes authority. Is it their respective classes to learn exciting things. This true? was our daily rhythm for all the days. The above made me wonder about how we It was great fun after school too, when the older approach life\u2026 children and I would cook together. Abdul would sing and everyone would gather around the songs. Aren\u2019t we imitating parents, teachers and other adults who in\ufb02uenced us in our formative years? Decision making without Tanu was dif\ufb01cult when Aren\u2019t we continuing our lives in the same pattern? the children would ask permission for walks, swimming, or tower visits after dark. Once, we had said If our environment decides our thought patterns \u2018no\u2019 to them and saw a message from Tanu the next day and behaviours, then we should be very careful in to say \u2018yes\u2019! choosing and co-creating a space for children, and to pause to observe, enquire, re\ufb02ect and explore life. Arlin and Matthew would fall asleep with a smile on their faces listening to Abdul sing after a full and Is it possible to live without any in\ufb02uence, in the way beautiful day. I observed during the Teacheropeia week? Living mindfully (I do not mean living with a full mind) and responsibly without any baggage or under the pretence of knowing everything, will provide us strength to lead a beautiful life. 71","Is it a Traditional Field? Pallavi \u2018We had planned to make them draw patterns, but they didn\u2019t want to \u2013 so we changed it to something else.\u2019 \u2018I think it\u2019s better if they do the smaller pieces.\u2019 \u2018We started with this but now we are doing what he is showing us.\u2019 \u2018We can be around, if you need us.\u2019 \u2018Let\u2019s get some paper and colours, it can be used while they are waiting.\u2019 \u2018Please wait, she is still speaking\u2019. \u2018So, what\u2019s the plan for tomorrow?\u2019 Do we become the teachers that have taught us? Do we naturally see what we have been shown? \u2018If they don\u2019t listen to me, how can I get them to do anything?\u2019 \u2013 Teacheropeia teacher. It seems central to the interaction between a teacher and student \u2013 listening in \u2013 a \u2018student\u2019 needs to listen in and follow instructions and a \u2018teacher\u2019 needs to listen in to share relevantly and ask the right questions. Does real listening happen only when there is a relationship? \u2018But it\u2019s ok, if you don\u2019t want to do this, you can do something else.\u2019 \u2018Oh, Teacheropeia is so much fun!\u2019 \u2013 quips a little \u2018student\u2019. \u2018I think I speak too softly\u2019 \u2013 Teacheropeia teacher. \u2018You can ask them to pause for a while.\u2019 \u2013 teacher to teacher. Is a community of learners a real thing at all? In the two days that I was an onlooking adult during Teacheropeia week, small observations led to many questions, especially regarding the relationship between a teacher and a student. When does a role become concrete as identity? Is it easy to see that the activity of \u2018teaching\u2019 is not about the teacher but actually about supporting learning? How is care expressed in this relationship? How is care perceived in this relationship? Does it take a teacher to support a teacher? It is unmissable that a community can learn together. That the roles are outlines and useful to broadly de\ufb01ne responsibilities. Learning is in assuming one\u2019s role with commitment and creating a nurturing time together so we can share and do the things required to be done. However, I was also acutely reminded of what Krishnamurti said to teachers: \u2018\u2026you are still operating within the traditional \ufb01eld. This is what a group of well-intentioned teachers need to do anyway \u2013 to care, to be committed, to learn \u2026.\u2019 The Last Goal Sidharth (17) I might not have been In the week from day one, but My goal! The week ended. 72","El Copa de Shibumi Om B (14) If you are a student you have played in it, if you are a Team 3 which can only score one goal through parent you have heard of it, if you are a teacher you Rukmini. The next day is a sad one for Team 2 as we are have envied it: The Shibumi Football Tournament. demolished by an onslaught led by Nachi as he powers \ufb01ve goals past us with Lia contributing one more for We played during the Teacheropeia week, and it was Team 1. Yash and I score one and two goals all anyone could talk about. Imagine this: six-year-olds respectively for Team 2. \ufb01ghting side by side with nineteen-year-olds trying to get their hands on the Cup (and there was a cup!). The Finally, the day everyone has been waiting for tournament saw some of the most intense matches in arrives: the day of the \ufb01nals. It's between Abdul's Team Shibumi history with nail-biting last-minute goals, 1 and Kabeer's Team 4. And mind you, this is no small edge of the seat penalty shootouts and full-on school tournament: we have Zaid (Appu) providing celebrations after the \ufb01nals, which ended when commentary in English and I in Kannada, Aman is Sidharth decided to show up on just that day and score waterboy and some of the Elohis have made banners the one and only goal during the shootout! and are singing slogans, Advaith even runs onto the \ufb01eld during the game! Imagine you are at Shibumi that day. The tournament is about to begin. The Elohis are the \ufb01rst Kabeer's team is in the lead early on as Om K scores on the \ufb01eld and the most excited, while the senior by clearing the ball from his goal post all the way to the school has to be woken up and carried onto the \ufb01eld, other post where it bounces over the keeper and goes as the rest of the school assembles quickly. in. Nachi leads the comeback from Abdul's team, and they manage to draw and push the match to extra time It starts with Team 1 playing Team 2 and we watch which is goalless. Now it's penalties, and everyone the Elohis and Ursas play for the \ufb01rst ten minutes, expects Nikith and Nachi to score, but the keepers after which, the rest of us play. The match is suddenly manage to deny them both. Then Sidharth steps up to tense, missed chances are rued and goals are the penalty spot and shoots...GOOOOAAAALLLL!!! celebrated. Everyone is playing their best football yet, Everyone goes crazy! The guy who skips the whole as Deepak scores for Team 1 early on which gives week but shows up for the \ufb01nals manages to take his them the lead. The referee announces 'Last minute,' team over the line. when out of nowhere Yash sends in a through ball which pierces the defence and leaves me one on one We bring out the trophy some of us made, which is with the keeper who can't stop the shot. This sends the basically a rosewood man in the middle of a carved game to extra time and we lose the game when Nachi piece of wood, along with the ginger beer Abdul made, scores. which you can taste too! (More on that later.) I get to pop the bottle and spray the beer over everyone as The following day Team 3 plays Team 4 as Kabeer Abdul lifts the trophy and the rest of the team jumps scores one and Nikith two for team 4. Nikhil (Eggy) around. scores one and Rukmini scores one of the most hilarious goals of the tournament when she tries to I think the week of football really pushed everyone cross to Eggy but ends up putting the ball in the back to play harder because there was something to play for, of the net. The next game is Team 1 versus Team 4. which also meant that the quality of the game went up Nachi scores two for Team 1 and Kabeer and Nikith and the few who normally wouldn't participate enjoyed score one each for Team 4. One of Team 1's players the game much more, which was really good to see. contributes with an own goal. Two days later we resume play which had been paused due to rain. I score two for Team 2 as we beat 73","Was I Really a Cassiopeia? Lakshmi (intern, Christ College) No, unfortunately not, to all the little ones who asked 'What happens when a person doesn't have lungs?' me that! (Ans: They'll not live) 'Why do you think lungs are important?' To observe facilitation of learning is one of the (Ans: because we need to breathe) reasons why I came to Shibumi. 'What do we breathe? (Ans: Oxygen or air) I've never understood what it meant in real life. Just 'What is blood?' knew of it as a concept. A concept that was\/is lauded (Ans: Red liquid) as being one of the most effective ways in a learning 'How is that helpful?' environment for a learner. What I've been exposed to (Ans: \ufb01ghts infection - based on a mini project) in university is 'teachable moments'. One of my 'Is that all that you think happens?' 'Why do we eat professors has always mentioned teachable food?' moments\u2014moments that come by in passing, (Ans: for nutrients) possibly every moment, which have a lot of 'Where do you think the nutrients go?' opportunity for learning and understanding. They're (Ans.....the body but I don't know\u2026.). just \ufb02eeting moments that when caught, can be quite insightful. Finally, the facilitator introduced him to the fact of how it goes into our blood and the heart sends it to all I sat in some of the 'classes' which to me, were parts of the body so 'you have the energy to run conversations. Conversations that were so around'! wonderfully mapped out for the questioners to arrive at the answers by themselves. I have come across a different way in which learning can happen- through children's observations and I On one occasion, a particular child began exploring realize that with observation comes interest, more certain questions and I just had a whole new universe responsibility and more depth in their search for open up. It made me think more. This is no bank knowledge. Their voices are not restricted to being 'yes where the teacher is the depositor of information into people', but they ask questions and learn before they zero-balance accounts that are students. This is a get into something. To the readers here, what might dialogue. A dialogue with a lot of potential for critical have been normal and day-to-day ways of teaching and thinking. learning, is to me, unique. This has provided me with a lot of food for thought as to how schools 'can also be'. For example, during lunch, the other day student A (Elohi) asked 'Why is the heart important?' The This entire experience was my learning moment. following questions helped him introspect and think about his existing knowledge while helping him come And maybe I was another constellation, just not to the answer himself (the actual process involved a lot Cassiopeia here! more than what is described here, the following is just an idea): 'What do you think happens if a person doesn't have a heart?' (Ans: nothing) 74","Incredible Teacheropeia Das How to start? It was incredible! To watch that week, being with the kids. First, when Tanu told me that all the teachers will be away for one week, and you people have to take care of yourselves and the whole school, I was shocked. She explained to me all that I had to do. Then I was okay, but my heart was beating fast. I knew that some parents would come and help. But still, I had no idea how it would go. I stayed on the campus for the whole week. After they left, on the \ufb01rst day I saw how the older students were taking classes and doing their workshops. Abdul took assembly with Advaith on the tabla. It was amazing to watch and sing with them. I called Chikkanna and Munrajanna to attend the assembly too! Shibumi care was done on time! I thought that the teachers are so amazing that they give con\ufb01dence so the students could take care of themselves. I realized this on the \ufb01rst day and the rest of the week. I did not say anything to the students and let them be, I just went along with them. But I have to say this about the football tournament. Oh God! It was so amazing, but I wondered about the competition, of winning and losing. Many of them got physically hurt but still they wanted to play. They also wanted to make a trophy for the Shibumi Cup! They asked me, but I asked them: \u2018Do you really need the cup?\u2019 They said \u2018No, no, we need it just for fun, no competition\u2019. So, the Cup was made - from neem wood. In the empty space in the middle was the \ufb01gure of a man holding up a football! This was made from rosewood. They spent every free slot available to make this trophy. I said \u2018Not for competition\u2019, and started helping them. It was amazing to see their energy. I realized in school how much freedom one gives and intelligence one has. I also helped Saanj a little bit to \ufb01x the tiles for the mosaic work. Abdul sang songs in the evening and my son Matthew (5) would fall asleep listening to him! It was a great experience for me, good fun. 75","Venki 76","Munirajanna 77","Limer-opeia Kumaran Before\u2026 There\u2019s something \ufb01shy across the school! House that makes one a complete fool School without teachers; will it be \ufb01ne? Is it built on forest street? Students? Parents? Who will hold the line? Painted on a canvas sheet? Who knows? Such an adobe so cool. Yea, adults may fare well Nay, children may rebel Pretty tiles smashed to smithereen bits Good grief! Hope that stars do align. Greens and blues \u2013 is anyone out of wits? Leaveth the train, arriveth the week All one saw were hands With loud fanfare and nothing too meek Sticking bits in bands A colourful bench on which one sits! Out the books to read In the dance and mead Children in attic with clever ruse Loudest yet, a football trophy to seek. Papers scissors and couple of muse[s] Will school be a circus plus mela too? Coloured strokes to taste When teachers are back - sure they do! Snip-snip and some paste Voila! Came picture cube \u2013 and no excuse! Don\u2019t shed any tears Maybe not as one fears Which animal has puppy eyes, \ufb02uffy ears & tail The students may plan a thing or two. Also whiskers, stripes, and scaly mail? Bee, bunny, or kitten? During\u2026 Baby snake in a mitten? In no time the school did transform Answer: My hand! Puppets on \ufb01nger nail[s]! The ac-ti-vi-ties thus inform In kitchen and classrooms Just with brushes or brooms Each in its own way, not very uniform. There was a girl reading to a child Book was funny and made him wild Pinning down made him giggle Reading for her became struggle Story ended with both laughing and piled. Here was a group - with paper as fodda[r] Folding not in silence but with laughs as coda Sheets became boats Starship, frog or goats And one smiling green old wise Yoda! A group in lab - huddled on work? Nope! Boiling oils and \ufb02owers - making dope?! Stir the slime in a dish Swish the wand; make a wish Ab-ra-ca-dab-ra! A fragrant lil\u2019 soap! 78","In kitchen: bakes and cakes, dals and soup Afterwards\u2026 Wholesome swirl made by a little troop (Choose only one of the following two versions!) Ginger, rose and honey ale Non-K Version Making drinker a little pale The week is gone, just memories remain... Made too much? All's gone in a single swoop! Teachers're back to reclaim their domain... You may ask: What \u2018bout the subjects? Oh! Teacheropia was fun! Ask: The question no one objects. Wish the week wasn\u2019t done! Math and Sci and Geography Pray to K that teachers travel again! In line with school philosophy K Version Not with books, but as hands-on-projects. The old week is over and it is done\u2026 New week\u2019s here and we\u2019re in square one... There were drinks-n-treats-n-sweets There were songs-n-dance-n-tweets What\u2019s up, now & here? See it with no fear! Days full of energy All done in synergy Just do it\u2026 That\u2019s Shibumi \u2013 it\u2019s great fun! School was a lot more than the eye meets. 79","The Study Centre, Rajghat Bhaskar 80","81","82","Crossword Puzzle Preksha (12) 7 5 8 9 4 12 3 6 83","84","85","86"]
Search
