by Anez Katre
In the months gone by, I addressed all of the Grade 10 boys in small groups of 25.The aim was to get them to talk about what they consider to be the characteristics of a good worker and through that, to bring about a discussion about responsibility and ethics. We then did a responsibility exercise from the Toolkit and it was interesting to note that a number of students felt their core responsibility was to their parents, second to self and thereafter to teachers, friends, etc.
In one group, we had a very participatory discussion on lying and cheating. Though the students tend to believe that the way of the world is such that they feel that they cannot get by being completely honest, these discussions gave them an opportunity to reflect on their beliefs. The sessions were carried out in their Life Skills classes. A visiting teacher was able to participate, and took some of the Toolkit narratives with her, to share with her own students.
In another activity, role plays were used to demonstrate the challenges faced by teachers. Role play 1 addressed the issue of students who want to study but feel that their parents are not very encouraging. (Students complain of additional responsibilities such as housework, caring for younger siblings, etc.) Role play 2 addressed the issue of a good student whose grades suffer because she is upset by what is happening at home: her father is an alcoholic and has lost his job. He is often abusive and disruptive at home. Role play 3 addressed a situation in which parents think a student is going to school regularly, when he is actually is playing hooky with friends.
At the Doon School, we have adopted a few village and slum schools to help with academics and upkeep. I took the initiative of inviting 12 teachers from these schools to talk about the GoodWork Toolkit. Most of the teachers are passionate about making a difference. All 12 are women who are passionate about their work and will be taking the principals of the GoodWork to their respective schools.
I was provided with an opportunity to address 45 heads of schools at a seminar on “Management Imperatives for Educational Institutes,” a wonderful opportunity to introduce the GoodWork Project to various schools. The GoodWork concept was explained and we had a healthy discussion on misalignment and the 3 E’s – Excellence, Ethics and Engagement. Some of the schools have shown an interest in taking this forward and I hope to be in touch with them as they move forward!