Serene Soloist

  Anju from Natural Science and myself had been assigned for vegetable cutting in the school kitchen. It was an enjoyable experience since we did the work and chatted as well. We finished our work and went back to prepare for our classes.

  Anti-Drugs Day at St. Mary's school was a day of special significance, enlightening the path towards creating a  drug-free world for our children. The entire school made the day a memorable one by creating posters to bring about awareness among the young minds and adults regarding the dangers of drug abuse. We the trainees from MTTC also joined hands to help the school community to generate history. The general teachers also started visiting our school for observation. Ancy ma'am paid a visit to the school and observed some of the classes. It was day of team work.

The new and improved classrooms of the digital age makes the learners more prone to doubts and open to new knowledge. I began the session by showing a video to show the "Wonders of the World". later another animated video was shown talking about this  iconic monument's history, architecture, and the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, its importance as a symbol of love. Once the video ended, I was flooded with questions about each and everything said and shown in the video. They weren't mere blunders but questions that genuinely kindled the enthusiasm of anyone hearing them. These children never cease to amaze me!

   Today was the commencement of the Silver Jubilee celebrations at St. Mary's for the Higher Secondary section. There was huge excitement in the air. Also, it was Reading Day. All the students were initially given a small talk by the Principal to remind them of the importance of the day, during the morning assembly session. The students had the opportunity to visit a book exhibition at their school. It was a wonderful chance created by the school authorities to expand the horizons of knowledge of the young minds.

  The day started with a soulful morning prayer. And thus, the marathon began. During the 2nd hour, I re-kindled the enthusiasm of the 28 boys who have become my temporary disciples. The curious minds aimed several questions at me and they were satisfied with my explanations.  After my session, it was time for me to get ready for lunch duty. Myself and Nasheeda set out towards the school kitchen by 12:15 pm. Some teachers and trainees from Christ Nagar College were present to help out. Exactly at 12:20 pm, it was interval time for the U.P. section. A humongous wave of children flooded towards where we were stationed. Most among the crowd had demands on the quantity of food they wanted. I was somewhat exhausted from serving the rice, for my spectacles often got fogged from the heat emanating from the huge cauldron. Next we had the High School section from 12:35 pm. The noon meal programme conducted by the school is quite appreciable and remarkable. Even though we were tired from work, b

 It was a whole new day at St. Mary's H.S.S., Pattom. As I walked through the long pathway towards the school auditorium, I was met with many pleasant smiling faces of the known and the unknown. What I found exciting is that even the tiniest of buds seemed to love the school atmosphere. We were shifted to another room since the auditorium was packed with students, teachers and important people. All of us were busy preparing for our classes and helping others in need. Some of the trainees got substitution classes which made their schedules tight but, they somehow managed to cope with it. During the 7th hour, I continued the story and the students remained good listeners. They were responsive and the class went well.   

I was really excited to begin my class after my morning line duty. It was the 4th hour of the day. It was interesting to note that the students were not so disturbed by the hunger descending down their stomachs. I began with an introductory session on the 2nd chapter, The Boy who Drew Cats. Most students were enthusiastic and wanted to hear the story of the little boy who always drew cats. The class ended at 12:35 pm and we parted ways.  The lunch time was the time to relieve ourselves of all the things we experienced. Since I didn't have anymore classes to take, I restarted writing my record. After the National Anthem, I waited for my friends to come back after their duty. Later, we set out for our homes, holding in our hearts the happiness for jobs well done.

As I walked towards the Main Auditorium of the school, my mind was filled with an array of emotions. This was not just an opportunity to practice the art of teaching but a sign to check whether I'd make a good teacher or not. When it was time for prayer, all that was left in me was a sense of anxiousness.  The morning prayer soothed my turbulent mind and I was filled with new hopes. Our team of 30 was captained by Riya, with Anju Mariam as her first mate. Later  our MTTC team was formally introduced to the school's principal and headmaster in a meeting at 9:30 am. Their valuable words helped us regain our confidence. Thus, I was prepared to meet my boys in 8W. They were a colorful bunch and my concerned teacher Mrs. Beena was very supportive. The lunch felt incredibly tasty. The line duty in the evening at St. Mary's made me realize the vastness of the school.Although we got parched in the sun, we realized that it's not easy being a teacher. The day concluded with the s

We initiated our Phase II - Intense Teaching Practice by collecting our timetables from our assigned schools. Myself, along with 29 others set out to collect our timetables from St. Mary's H. S. S., Pattom. As expected, it wasn't that easy a job. We waited for sometime before some of us got directed to the school kitchen. I was curious about this vegetable peeling and cutting that happened in the school. We were welcomed with a huge sack of onions that needed to be peeled, not to mention the vegetables. To be honest, it was somewhat tiring. But, the company made the work more interesting. After the 'struggle' with the onions and the knives, we finally got our timetables. It was a moment of satisfaction. Since we were starving, most of us went home or ran to nearby restaurants. Thus, the day came to an end.