Australian Volunteers

In October, the students had a wonderful time with the American Embassy school Volunteers in Jodhpur. We will be having five professionals from Melbourne, Australia who have taken time from work during this Christmas and New year to spend time with the children of five Government schools in Jodhpur, Pali and Jalore districts of Rajasthan. The highlight of the trip will be, a three day sports and educational programme the first of its kind organised during this winter vacations at Government school in Pali district. We look forward for a memorable and fulfilling trip.

Jugal’s Story… Change Does Not Have to Take Long…

Jugal is a silent student. He is good in all the subjects but not in English. He could not even answer in the class, but he was curious and determined to learn English. He joined the summer camp 2009 organised by HOPE worldwide in Pali District, Rajasthan. That was the turning point in his learning. He never missed a class; he was so inspired by the methods used by the HOPE staff in teaching spoken English that he encouraged his older brother to join. It is said that every change takes time but in Jugal’s case it was not true. Jugal’s change was so obvious that even his school teachers were surprised. Jugal now does not just understand and speak English but he also helps the other students. Jugal is thankful to HOPE worldwide for being his inspiration... His ambition is to study for the I.A.S (Indian Administrative Services). May his dream come true…

Jugal with Ramesh Sharma(HOPE staff)

What a little encouragement can do…

Dinesh always looked very serious; a smile on his face was very rare. He is a 6th standard student. He is the youngest in his family of six children.

Last summer Dinesh enrolled himself in the summer camp organised by HOPE worldwide. He enjoyed the activities like drawing and painting, craft, outdoor and indoor games but when it was time to learn, read, and do homework or merely write down from the blackboard he was not good at that. Dinesh’s sisters were also coming for the summer camp but they were doing better. The HOPE teachers would interact with the students during their lunch break to counsel, inspire and encourage them to do better. Dinesh mentioned that it was difficult for him to concentrate as he was insecure and scared of being punished. He wanted to do well in his class but he was not able to. The HOPE teachers encouraged him in small things. They would use encouraging words like “ neat and clean work; nice spelling, good work, great job”. Recently in the class tests he scored 8 out of 10. The encouragement has helped him to do well in other subjects also. Even the other government teachers started noticing the difference. It has helped him to understand his weaknesses and help others who are like him. Now he is among the good students in the class and he smiles more often.

Dinesh with Roseleen(HOPE staff)

Mistakes make us better

Vikram is a student of class seven, in Govt Secondary School Maderna Colony, and he desires to study well. His father, a taxi driver, has no time to help Vikram. Vikram respects his father for the way he provides for his family. Unable to understand and no one to guide him though, he started disturbing the class while the teachers taught lessons. He was very scared to answer for fear he would make mistakes and be laughed at. He started attending the spoken English classes conducted by HOPE worldwide in the school. He noticed that they were encouraged to answered and taught mainly through spoken exercises. He started enjoying the exercises and was no longer worried about making mistakes. It helped him to understand that making mistakes only made him better. Now he can make his own sentences and is well behaved in the class.

Vikram is very happy that he is learning English and he is thankful to HOPE worldwide, for we helped him to understand the importance of making mistakes. (Inset: Vikram and Sukanya(HOPE staff)).

HOPE worldwide Rajasthan - American Embassy School Volunteer Programme - October 2009

American Embassy School

American Embassy School’s (New Delhi) 16 students and two chaperones volunteered with HOPE worldwide Jodhpur. The four day programme was scheduled in two of the Govt schools were HOPE worldwide is currently teaching. The volunteers took various sessions teaching Rhymes, Spoken English, Craft, Interactive indoor games and concluded by a sports day event between both the schools. During the programme the volunteers also visited student’s families, painted and beautified both the schools. This programme was a beautiful platform for cultural exchange as the volunteers were of various countries, the school children never experienced any foreigner interacting with them, and thus helped in building their confidence and developing social skills. This was the first time in the history of these schools that the sports event at the school level was conducted in a stadium. All the students were overjoyed and expressed to have similar events more frequently.

Comments from the volunteers:-

“It was excellent well planned and so informative a real insight to many of the lives in Rajasthan, I had so much fun teaching the students at the school and visiting students houses was the best part of the trip”. - Ms. Sherrie Williams

“ I had fantastic first experience with HOPE worldwide. It was great teaching and getting to know all the kids, visiting student’s houses was insightful” - Ms. Noor Ambika.

“The experience was overall very good and it was great to get to know the kids and the culture in Rajasthan. Sports day helped me to bond with the kids’ more. I think there was a lot of team spirit and we all had good time”. - Ms. Ayano Ueshima

FORGOTTEN ZEAL

Tarranum with Anil Masiya(HOPE staff)

Tarranum is an intelligent student, but she lost her interest in studies until HOPE came by….

Tarranum is studying in class 9th at Govt. Secondary School in Maderna Colony. Her father, a driver, works for a travel agency and earns hardly 3500/- a month. Tarranum first joined the school in 6th class. She is punctual, always finishes her homework and came first in her class. One common practice in most Govt. Schools is that the focus is on completing the syllabus. It’s completely irrelevant whether the students understand or not. At first the zeal of learning new things kept her going but as time went by Tarranum got completely discouraged by this kind of teaching. HOPE worldwide came into an agreement with the district education department to start a free computer training center with this school and while the set up was going on, the HOPE staff started teaching spoken English at the school.

Since the time the HOPE staff started teaching spoken English (mostly through play way and interactive methods) Tarranum has got her interest back in the studies. Tarranum could hardly understand any English when HOPE started the classes, she was scoring 40-50 in her exams in English but now she is able to score more than 75 in her English subject. She feels that the spoken English and the life skill classes which HOPE is conducting in the school have increased her self confidence. She is grateful and thankful to HOPE worldwide.

After School Tuitions at Govt Secondary School- Police Line - Jodhpur

Roseleen- HOPE Staff with 6th class students.

Amrutha Valli - Hope  staff with Class 7th and 8th Students

Tuitions are conducted since Oct 09 for students who are weak in English subject from 6th - 8th classes after the school hours. Children have shown interest in developing their language skills. They are slowly improving their English learning ability.