In the decades I have spent as an educator, there are moments that stand out as sparks of joy and amazement that move me and inspire me beyond expectation. These moments renew my faith in my purpose as a teacher, as someone whose calling has been to nurture young minds and help them blossom into sensitive individuals who give back to their community.
At the heart of our mission lie the 3Cs – Curiosity, Collaboration, and Courage – integral values that shape the individuals within our school community and the collective spirit we foster.
As students progress through each grade, they, are guided by the principles embedded in the B.D. Somani Mission Statement. The ultimate goal is to prepare them for graduation, where they emerge as poised global citizens of the 21st century. These graduates are not only well-versed in academic excellence but are also deeply mindful of their roles within their communities and the broader world. Inquiry-based learning plays a key role in actualising the 3 Cs.
On their annual trip to Kutch to explore the sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, they encountered a stark reality— many people who work on the Salt Farms do not have access to sanitation facilities. They felt deeply for the students they met at a school, Sagar Shala, run by the Yusuf Meherally Centre and for their parents, who work in local salt farms. So much so that they chose to take action.
Motivated by their CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) project, the fifth graders decided to construct a toilet for the school in Kutch upon their return to Mumbai.
Their teachers and I were grateful to support them as they organised a series of events to raise funds for the toilets, including juice sales, DIY art sales, book sales, and newspaper collections. Through these efforts, they raised over a hundred thousand rupees, all of which went into the construction of four toilets that are now being used by the children and their parents in Kutch.
Us teachers often find ourselves grappling with the boundaries of our relationships with students, especially in Primary School. When children love, they love with all their hearts. As teachers, we reciprocate the same love while keeping the classroom context in mind.
But when these moments come, those boundaries fade, and my pride and affection for our students bring a new lease of life to my journey as an educator. Witnessing how our fifth graders identified a cause of distress for others and decided to initiate constructive change instead of looking away has been a highlight of my career.
Seeing their eyes light up at the prospect of helping fellow human beings, their commitment to a well-planned fundraising effort, and their determination to ensure that the toilets are useful to the local community has inspired me not only as a teacher, but as an individual.
These young children took their classroom lessons, their learning modules and social activities beyond their familiar worlds. They chose to go above and beyond what was taught to them, what was expected of them, and made a decisive choice to use their privileges and opportunities to lift up those that have not been as lucky.
Empathy is the centre of our inquiry-based learning approach. It is the thread that connects the most minor questions to the biggest ideas. Through the block-building exercises that students undergo in their Primary Years, where they recreate real-world scenarios, we try to help them build an awareness of basic necessities like water and sanitation. Our students transported this understanding to make a tangible difference in the lives of the communities our school has been visiting for years.
As parents and educators, all we can hope for our children is for them to realise their place in a global community, to play their part in building a better world with honesty and heart. That our fifth graders have already begun on this journey is the greatest reward an educator can receive.
