Blog 12 In which we have a serious talk about money and I try to remember how to teach nursery children

The next day, once Sekar has been released from a team meeting with the Director, we sit with Mr Immanuel and talk practicalities. Just exactly what are we about to set up? How many teachers with there be; will there be an ayah too? Will the children be fed/ have a milk snack? Are we seriously thinking of mixing in some elderly people too and if so how many? Will they have a meal provided and if so, who will cook it? And most important of all, where are the funds for all this going to come from in future, given that the Bishopston-Kuppam Link exists only really in name now and is certainly no longer able to raise money.

By the end of our meeting, during which Mr Immanuel is his usual gently helpful and very practical self, we have decided on one teacher to begin with, to be assisted by an ayah. The numbers of children will probably be low at the beginning because many of them in Sitaramanpet are enrolled at the government balwadi, and if they switch to our school the teacher would lose her pay- so not very diplomatic! We will run the school for a month, during which a lean-to will be put up on the side of the building, so be a rest place for trainee teachers ( since the room we had planned for them will now be for elderly). During this time also Sekar will do a ‘wealth-mapping exercise’ to find out those elderly in Sitaramanpet who would most deserve a place. We would work on 10 elderly, and we need to buy them a television. The ayah could cook for them and also make a milky drink for the children. Some of the elderly may well choose to help look after the children at times. If numbers grow at the playcentre to a maximum of 20 then we will have to consider employing a second teacher. For the centre to work as a model for teaching purposes the ratio of children to teacher must be kept at this level, especially as we are expecting the teacher to be able to talk to student teachers about the model. As we talk back and forth about this very new idea of an integrated centre for children and the elderly, making it up as we go along really, figures and sums of money become confusing, so Sekar is going to prepare a costing for us. We hope that after paying a connection charge of Rs 1600 we will be able to have our water tap soon – this coming week. This is to be the stop-gap until our tube well is sunk. Ditto connecting the electricity, once our night-watchman is in place.

I then go back home to try to think-against the background of the crow-racket- about how one teaches nursery aged children. I last actually taught that age group back in the 90s, and haven’t even worked in a school now for 5 years, so I need to refresh myself, big time! Fortunately it does come back to me when I read my ‘Highscope’ manual- an American publication about an early years scheme, with emphasis on children’s cognitive development, which dates back to the 60s. I used their approach when I was a nursery teacher. It is based on the notion that a child constructs his/her reality by interacting with the environment actively. The role of the teacher is to support that interaction by observing and discussing the child’s work ( play) as s/he makes choices. I am inspired by the method all over again as I read, even after all these years. It speaks to my own beliefs about the importance of people being able to make their own choices and being empowered. It also chimes very happily with the philosophy for development which is behind the original vision for Ruhsa and equally with the words of Gandhi which are on the wall in the hostel building here:

Ask yourself

Recall the face of the poorest and the most

Helpless man whom you may have seen and ask yourself if

The step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him.

Will be gain anything by himself?

Will it restore him to a control over his own life destiny?

In other words will it lead to swaraj or self-rule

For the hungry and the spiritually starving millions?

I put some ideas together for the five days of training we have planned for next week, to begin on Thursday 29^th January.