Disclaimer: Please do not copy-paste these essays as it is because not only this will be unethical but also meaningless. You are doing it for a good cause, not for monetary benefits (which is actually nothing). And most importantly they have plagiarism software so it will be detected and you will be banned for life!
One of the most significant things that I witnessed in the past two years is the fatal impact the pandemic has had on our children’s education, mental health, and motivation levels. I had a first-hand experience of this situation as I was part of the group in my university that was providing free tuition to the underprivileged kids of nearby villages. During the pandemic, there was no way to teach those kids and after things got normal, only a few kids were willing to study. Giving our children new reasons every day to find purpose in their education is a mammoth of a task. I want to convert that part-time teaching to full time through the Teach for India fellowship and want to learn the subtleties of the trade.
Education I believe is a privilege. An excellent education is something that imparts in you a perpetual thirst for learning. It is something that inspires you to learn than just study. Something that could teach them to live life rather than just earning their livelihood. While it is not the business of education to prove every statement made, any more than to teach every possible item of information, it is its business to cultivate deep-seated and effective habits of discriminating tested beliefs from mere assertions, guesses, and opinions; to develop a lively, sincere, and open-minded preference for conclusions that are properly grounded, and to ingrain into the individual’s working habits, methods of inquiry, and reasoning appropriate to the various problems that present themselves.
Based on my understanding of education, I would try to impart “Etymology Education,” i.e., learning words & concepts through their roots. By learning words from their roots, you develop the capacity to learn not just that word but also other words that derive from the same root; this creates deep learning and one never need to memorise what they study. In these 2 years, it may be worthwhile to look at pedagogy more carefully, particularly the pedagogy of reading and writing. These are the two foundation skills on which the edifice of the school's system of teaching and certifying rests. Also, competence in reading and writing determines the child's ability to benefit from the information storage systems that are characteristic of a literate society. Therefore, through discipline, mentoring, consistency, and healthy competition, I would try to achieve the aforementioned goals.
Post my Fellowship, I hope to continue working in the education sector looking at providing opportunities for policy-level impact, specifically through capacity building exercises for educators in our country. I couldn’t imagine a more powerful way of doing so than serving as a teacher to some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children.
The goal I'll mention was the most ambitious and difficult to achieve to date; it was finishing my master's dissertation and publishing it as a book. Last year, I began working as a research student at CSIR-NISTADS in New Delhi for six months to complete my dissertation under the supervision of a principal scientist. After sending 150 E-mails to different scientists and professors in my field of study all over India, I received only two positive responses and chose the institution closest to my home (despite the fact that it used to take 4 hours to get up and down) because relocating was not an option at the time due to COVID-19.
The research began on February 1st, and on the first day of work, I was introduced to a data visualisation software called VOSviewer, a name I had never heard of before. Later, I discovered that my supervisor's research methodology was not something I was familiar with; in fact, it was entirely new to me. To be honest, I became concerned because learning a new field of study in six months and then writing a thesis is nearly impossible. I had to accept this as a challenge because I was also representing my university when I came to this institution, and while returning was an option, it would have resulted in a negative image of my university and impacted other students who would have applied afterwards. I approached my supervisor and asked for a week to study the subject and learn the software. That one week was one of the most intense periods of my life, with me sitting 16-18 hours a day to study and practise with the software. After one week, I had a good understanding of the subject and gave a presentation on it using data visualisation; my supervisor was impressed and gave me her pen. Her generous act gave me confidence, and I worked very hard after that.
Another challenge arose after two months, in April, when my entire family was diagnosed with COVID, including me, and I was the only one who was not hospitalised because I used to study in a separate room and wasn't in contact for a longer period of time. That was the most difficult period of my life because I couldn't focus on my research, but my supervisor helped me and gave me the time I needed until everything returned to normal. During that time of isolation, I began reading books about my research and eventually wrote a book review for the institute magazine.
Moreover, I launched a YouTube channel called Kekule Connect, where I posted the software's tutorial video. My family returned home safely on May 15th, exactly one and a half months later, and everything began to fall back into place. In June, I had to give a presentation about my research at my university, and I had my dissertation submitted, for which I received the highest grade, later in September, my research received the award for best presentation at an international conference held in India. In addition, on September 21st, my dissertation was published as a book, completing my goal. I wrote the book in honour of my parents and teachers.
The experience I'm about to describe is not only one of the most cherished and proud moments in my life but also in the lives of those who were a part of it. This was a play based on the life of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam that I directed in the final semester of my undergraduate studies. This was inspired by Srijan Pal Singh's book "What Can I Give?" He was Dr. Kalam's student and served as his personal secretary until his death. The play was performed by a group of 15 students, all of whom were my friends, with the intention of dedicating it to our teachers as a form of gratitude before leaving the college.
Prior to this, I had a dozen leadership experiences as a result of my involvement in the department's club and the college cultural committee, but the play was a deliberate and personal task that I had to complete. Furthermore, this was the first time I approached each of my classmates and friends and asked for their time to act in a play. Because of the commitments that students typically have in their final semester of graduation, I had to persuade them to play the part. However, after hearing the play's narration, they all agreed, and I assigned each of them a specific task. We didn't have much time for rehearsals, so I arranged for some hostel rooms so that we could practise without having to worry about accommodation because everyone was a day scholar. During this time, I also learned from Dr. Kalam about the characteristics of a great leader and teacher. A great teacher is one who not only refuses to force her or his students into conformity, but also allows for and actively encourages the virtues of being a misfit — that is, the mental and spiritual orientation that questions and opposes the status quo. A leader and teacher is someone who can show you how to find your own way.
The true value of true education has almost nothing to do with knowledge and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to remind ourselves over and over. Your education is truly a lifelong endeavour.
The play received a standing ovation for at least 10 minutes, and one of the professors had tears in his eyes because we enacted the last moments of Dr. Kalam's life, when he had a cardiac arrest on stage while giving his speech. The play held a special place in our hearts. A mind-expanding and spirit-magnifying experience.
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