About three weeks before my leave date, the other volunteer that was at Rising Star teaching English had to unexpectedly go home due to a family emergency. With her absence, I took over 7th and 8th Standard (who I had taught before she came) as well as 9th Standard. With the addition of these three classes, I was teaching every class period...I was one busy lady. Because of my busy-ness I wanted to have 7th, 8th, and 9th Standard do some sort of project, if anything it would be fun AND it would lessen my planning load. What I decided to have them do was a family history project. They were assigned to write four different sections:
Section 1: Family History: Where their parents were born, where their parents come from, where they were born, where lived as children, etc.
Section 2: Funny Memories/Stories: Specific instances and memories from childhood that the kids remembered. If they had a hard time with memories from childhood, they could do recent funny memories.
Section 3: Family Now: Where they are currently living, who they live with, how many people are in their family, what standard they are in, etc.
Section 4: Future Family: Any hopes and dreams that they want for their future selves. Where they want to live, if they want to get married, what job they want to have, the kind of person they want to be, etc.
Unlike I originally thought, it did not lessen my work load at all....but the project could not have been more worth it. The kids did an incredible job writing about their families and their lives. Every student wrote at least 5 - 6 pages for their project and they had to go through the entire writing process with a rough draft, editing, and a final draft. They all worked hard and I was so impressed.
For their final draft, I decided to do something special for the kids. I found different bordered paper online and let the kids choose which border they wanted to write their final draft on. Then, on Parents Day, I went around and took pictures of all the kids with their parents and families (if their family wasn't there then they brought in a picture). I then used the pictures and made cover pages (actually HUGE shout-out to Derek for making the cover pages--couldn't have done this project without him) with whatever border the student had chosen as well as their family picture. We got the front pages printed in color and then had the cover page and their final draft bound into a book for the students to keep. The kids were so excited to see their finished products. One boy even had me put about 20 blank pages in his book so he could add to it like a journal. They turned out beautifully and the kids did an amazing job.
Section 1: Family History: Where their parents were born, where their parents come from, where they were born, where lived as children, etc.
Section 2: Funny Memories/Stories: Specific instances and memories from childhood that the kids remembered. If they had a hard time with memories from childhood, they could do recent funny memories.
Section 3: Family Now: Where they are currently living, who they live with, how many people are in their family, what standard they are in, etc.
Section 4: Future Family: Any hopes and dreams that they want for their future selves. Where they want to live, if they want to get married, what job they want to have, the kind of person they want to be, etc.
Unlike I originally thought, it did not lessen my work load at all....but the project could not have been more worth it. The kids did an incredible job writing about their families and their lives. Every student wrote at least 5 - 6 pages for their project and they had to go through the entire writing process with a rough draft, editing, and a final draft. They all worked hard and I was so impressed.
For their final draft, I decided to do something special for the kids. I found different bordered paper online and let the kids choose which border they wanted to write their final draft on. Then, on Parents Day, I went around and took pictures of all the kids with their parents and families (if their family wasn't there then they brought in a picture). I then used the pictures and made cover pages (actually HUGE shout-out to Derek for making the cover pages--couldn't have done this project without him) with whatever border the student had chosen as well as their family picture. We got the front pages printed in color and then had the cover page and their final draft bound into a book for the students to keep. The kids were so excited to see their finished products. One boy even had me put about 20 blank pages in his book so he could add to it like a journal. They turned out beautifully and the kids did an amazing job.
I asked Megala (who you can read about in my latest 'Ode' post) to use her book as the model. Because it's India and we are in the middle of nowhere, resources are a little limited so I got the books bound in the only way possible--and in my opinion they still turned out really good!
Inside the book: the front cover with picture.
After the front cover, their family histories began. Megala has perfect cursive, FYI.
Karpagavalli also modeling her book. She went with the rose border (a popular one amongst the kids).
Even with the binding and the cover pages for the books turning out awesome, the best thing about this project was what the kids wrote. Some of their funny stories had me laughing out loud, and their descriptions of their families were priceless. My favorite section in all the kids' books, though, was the future family. These kids have the highest hopes and dreams and want to do amazing things with their lives--things that I think a lot of them will accomplish. Here are just a few excerpts (naturally I made copies of all the kids' final drafts):
" [In my future] I will have a dance company. In my job I will get 1,00,000 Rupees. Then I will help the poor people.... Then I will go to other places and I will teach dance." - Ashok, 7th Std.
"I don't know what will happen in my future. But I hope God will help me to achieve my goal and wish...As my goal, I want to be an Astronaut. I know that it is very hard but I can achieve it." - Manodhaya, 9th Std.
"In my future I want to be Draft Engineer and I want to get temple marriage....I want to seal me family in the temple. Then we will stay for ever together on earth and in Heaven." - Deepanraj, 8th Std. (Deepan's older brother is a member of the LDS church. Deepan goes to church every Sunday and he plans to get baptized after he finishes 10th Standard).
"Me and my husband will go to job together and help the poor people like who don't have money and food. I will be a good example to others. I will also help a hungry beggar... After we [herself and the other LifeDance members] leave Rising Star we can dance together and teach ourselves many things. We also teach the other children who want to dance like us. We help them with the many things that we have." - Shalini, 7th Std.
"In my future I will be dancer, singer and software engineer. I also have other aim, to help leprosy people...I would help and give job in my home to poor people. In my future I don't want to see any beggar and leprosy people. I will adopt children who don't have mom or dad. I will ask help from some of my friends that are doctors like Dr. Soniya, Dr. Krishnamoorthy, Dr. Sangeetha, Dr. Theresa, Dr. Ambiga [all other Rising Star students]." - Joseph, 8th Std.
"In the future I will be President for RSO. In the future I will come to RSO lots of time. I will help the kids. In my future I will help the poor people to build the houses, food, shelter and give some money to them." - Vijayalakshmi (Buji), 7th Std.
"I want to become a doctor because I want to help others. My grandpa is having leprosy. So when I was little I always thinking about my grandpa's leg. Then I think, I want to become a doctor." - Sangeetha, 8th Std.
"In my future I want to achieve my goal. My aim is to be teacher but my parents aim is to be police. I want to be a teacher and also a police. I want to be a good daughter to my parents...I have to be a good example to my brother. I will teach him the good things whatever I learned." - Karpagavalli, 9th Std.
"In future, I want to be a good doctor and also a good person. I want to sponsor children and to help others who are very poor and needy...I want my parents to be well in their health and in all their needs. I want their needs to be fulfilled in their old age and also now...[In my future] I will be thankful for my family and to God. Specially to God for all the things which he's done for me and which is going to do for me." - Megala, 9th Std.
These kids truly are amazing. Not only do they have the highest of aspirations and dreams, but so many of them (at least 85%) wrote about wanting to use their money to help people and help others. It is astounding to think that these kids are considered the lowest of low in their society because in my mind they have set the example and should be what other children are aspiring to be like.
Vanakkam
Hi Miss. Kenady,
ReplyDeleteI am really touched by your blog. It is wonderful.
I think those children will always love you for your kind heart.
May god bless you and the people who involved in Rising Star program.