Finding our Christmas Tree by Aziz Basrai

2025-08-21 06:28:39 UTC

When I was teaching some concepts and they were actually enjoying.

2025-08-21 06:29:37 UTC

Everytime I stand in front the whiteboard with a marker and all the other materials required to teach them the lesson for that day.

2025-08-21 06:30:00 UTC

Each time we get to train the students for events, support them through it, through all of last year.

2025-08-21 06:30:11 UTC

Someone who makes learning fun and enjoyable. Someone who is always there for their little ones

2025-08-21 06:30:16 UTC

I felt the most like a teacher when I made a silly mistake in teaching and everyone did so too. In that moment, it really hit me that these students look up to me thinking that I have the right answer because I am their 'teacher'.

2025-08-21 06:30:45 UTC

Recently, during a lesson on sensitive issues in classroom. I was a bit worried about how students would react, but the class ended with them asking deep questions on democracy, freedom, and the direction of our country. In that moment, I realized teaching is not just about finishing

syllabus but about sparking curiosity, creating safe spaces, and giving students the courage to ask the big questions.

2025-08-21 06:31:41 UTC

It's every morning when all the students come running to say "Hiii"

2025-08-21 06:33:40 UTC

It means I get to accompany and lead my students a step closer to their dreams.

2025-08-21 06:35:28 UTC

Being a teacher for me is being inclusive of all the students regardless of anything and being open to listening to them by providing a safe space.

2025-08-21 06:36:27 UTC

Someone who’s courageous and unafraid to make mistakes, letting them know that it is only human to make mistakes and still be courageous.

2025-08-21 06:37:10 UTC

Being able shift the mindset and being the catalyst in their journey to success :)

2025-08-21 06:39:21 UTC

We are planting seeds nothing more….

I feel like we may not always see the fruits of our work immediately, but every word, every lesson, every moment of care plants something in our students that can grow for years to come. Teaching is about nurturing those seeds with love, curiosity, and courage.

And that is what being a teacher means, to plant seeds of knowledge and hope, and to believe with all your heart that they will one day grow into a forest of change.

2025-08-21 06:42:10 UTC

Understanding the education system, trying to understand what is going wrong and what is going right. What can be done to address the needs of Indian students to build 21st century skills.

2025-08-21 06:42:25 UTC

When a student of mine showed me that a lot could be learnt from just looking around us, especially in subjects like math and history.

2025-08-21 06:42:41 UTC

I joined the fellowship because I believe change begins in the classroom. I wanted to help students see themselves as leaders and change-makers.

2025-08-21 06:42:43 UTC

I joined the fellowship because I wanted to become the teacher I never got during my toughest time in school.

2025-08-21 06:42:48 UTC

I joined the fellowship because it clubs two of my interests, i.e., teaching and psychology. This fellowship gives me a platform to have ample human interaction and try to understand the patterns of their behaviour while being able to teach which has been my passion since childhood.

2025-08-21 06:43:02 UTC

To bring together a mass of children to take the torch forward and build a better nation for their futures

2025-08-21 06:44:06 UTC

To get an experience on the ground reality of the education system in India.

2025-08-21 06:44:59 UTC

Because I found out that I don't want to work a desk job for the rest of my life, and rather work closely with children, and give them opportunities that they deserve. That satisfaction and beliefs drives me to stay within this industry for as long as I can.

2025-08-21 06:50:47 UTC

Our teachers are talented, but they are underpaid and often not given enough training.

2025-08-21 06:51:23 UTC

As teachers, I believe our teachers are trying to update their skills to suit the needs of the current generation of students. To me it goes to show that they do care. But, as we have come to witness in the past year, there are burdens to the job which stop them from being the teacher they wish to be.

2025-08-21 06:51:28 UTC

Our teachers are full of ideas for activities and how to conduct an engaging and lively class and they know how to explain things to the kids at their understanding.

2025-08-21 06:52:24 UTC

People who have worked years and years in this field and have made up certain mindset.

2025-08-21 06:52:52 UTC

In the context of this school, they are terribly underpaid, overworked individuals trapped in the faulty education space of this country.

2025-08-21 06:54:40 UTC

Many of our teachers chose this profession because it is deeply respected in the community, offers stability, and allows them to balance work with family responsibilities. For some, the proximity of the school also makes it a practical choice. While our teaching approaches may differ, I believe their intent is the same, to ensure children grow up with structure, respect, and the skills they need to do well in life.

2025-08-21 06:55:59 UTC

Consistency, showing up every day for years

2025-08-21 06:57:33 UTC

I admire their resilience and commitment, despite being underpaid and lacking opportunities, they still show up every day and teach our students. That consistency is something I truly respect.

2025-08-21 06:58:24 UTC

Despite being underpaid, occasionally mistreated and overburdened with admin workload, a lot of them have consistently shown up for the students/school over the period of years they have been employed with the school. Their motivations have been low and yet they continue on.

2025-08-21 06:58:55 UTC

Resilience..and the ability to remain sane after all these years in a school.

2025-08-21 06:59:37 UTC

Despite being underpaid and overworked, our teachers continue to show up each day with dedication for our students and school. At times they help us with admin work, offering advice, and sharing their experiences whenever we feel stuck.

2025-08-21 07:09:11 UTC

Some of the challenges we face include differences in work culture, the generation gap, and the lack of sufficient teacher training sessions, which makes reasoning with them difficult at times. Occasionally, they may also overlook the fact that while they have far more teaching experience than us, it can sometimes lead to them looking down upon us rather than collaborating as equals.

2025-08-21 07:09:18 UTC

One of the challenges is that the teachers assume that the tfi teachers will only be playing and enjoying with the kids all the time and be very lenient with them so much so that they would give answers to the kids during the examinations.

2025-08-21 07:09:29 UTC

The focus is on completing the Portion and not on how well the students understand the concept. And those who might be slow in catching up are left behind unattended. The way teachers address students, it's very rude and disrespectful. Respect is earned both ways. And also most important hitting the students.

2025-08-21 07:09:34 UTC

One of the biggest challenges is the difference in teaching styles, while TFI emphasises activity-based, student centered learning, many non-TFI teachers rely on rote learning and traditional methods. Often, even simple activities require permission and are sometimes rejected. Corporal punishment is also something I find very difficult to accept. Beyond the classroom, the casual backhanded remarks, nicknames, and even the separation in school culture like staff and fellows going on separate picnics create a divide that makes it hard to feel like one united team.

2025-08-21 07:10:12 UTC

Different working styles and pedagogical belief systems. Additionally, due to our differing experiences and opportunities in life it gets tough to find common ground on most matters. Further, it is difficult to work together as our motivations are far too different.

2025-08-21 07:13:23 UTC

I value the most about the teachers is that they choose to turn up every day and give as much as they can even while not getting enough in return.

2025-08-21 07:22:12 UTC

The biggest clash lies in the philosophy of teaching itself. TFI culture is rooted in student voice, empathy, and activity-based learning, whereas the school’s culture values discipline, hierarchy, and rote learning. For us, mistakes are learning opportunities. For them, mistakes often mean punishment. We prioritize inclusion, collaboration, and experimentation, while the school leans towards authority, tradition, and control. This clash sometimes creates friction, because what excites and engages students in our methods can be seen as disruptive in theirs.

2025-08-21 07:23:20 UTC

Their approach towards maintaining discipline among students.
The scarce use of technology that has the the potential to make their and our lives easier and the fact that they aren't given proper training to use technology as well.

2025-08-21 07:24:20 UTC

From what I have noticed, what clashes is that they try to bring to ideas to conduct activities with the kids. They put in the efforts to make anchor charts or bring in the resources for the kids to brainstorm ideas and make things out of it.

What does not settle too well with me though is that the teachers sometimes do not at all refrain from shaming children on minimal things that could be easily overlooked.

2025-08-21 07:24:31 UTC

Varying expectations from the organisation and the management are one of the main reasons for culture clash. Oftentimes we are discouraged to use a particular style of teaching due to interference from the management as well as the parents. Further, there is too much pressure to maintain “discipline” which is rather oppressive and demeaning to the students. Prioritising portion completion over conceptual understanding and the lack of instructional hours only add to the clash between the school teachers and TFI teachers.

2025-08-21 07:25:40 UTC

We have a culture where we tend to not hurt a student physically, mentally and emotionally. Even though I agree our schoolteachers also don't want to hurt them intentionally, I still feel the schoolteachers bar for hurting a student physically is very low which in my personal opinion should not be the case. If you can 'discipline' a child just by raising your voice, why should you hit them?

2025-08-21 07:37:20 UTC

Can we try to individualize learning by putting in a little extra effort and meet the pace of our kids?

2025-08-21 07:37:38 UTC

Can we focus on children and not on what standard they are in.

Memorizing is for few chosen ones But EDUCATION is for very child

2025-08-21 07:37:45 UTC

Challenge - Students aren’t given space for activity-based learning, as it’s seen as disruptive.

Suggestion - What if we tried blending traditional methods with small, structured activities? maybe even starting with just 5 minutes of pair discussion or questioning? It could strengthen understanding without taking away from discipline or content delivery.

2025-08-21 07:38:26 UTC

Maybe we can include discussions as a regular part of the lessons as it not only builds confidence but helps strengthen their foundations and including the students in lessons makes learning more accessible for them.
Using technology to ease the burden of administrative work and reduce any costs we bear because of it.

2025-08-21 07:41:09 UTC

It’s important that our teachers also learn to lead with love. Sometimes their notion is that because the community struggles with violence, children should be treated harshly or disrespectfully, since that’s the way they themselves were taught. This approach can be disheartening, as we are TFI believe students thrive better in an environment of respect and love.

2025-08-21 07:41:38 UTC

We are working with the children and not for them. Teaching is two ways and we need to understand that.

2025-08-21 07:43:34 UTC

Every child can learn when given dignity, patience, and opportunities to think for themselves.

In practice, that means replacing fear (like hitting or shaming) with positive reinforcement, questioning, and activities that spark curiosity. It’s not just “fun learning” it builds confidence, deeper understanding, and long-term retention.

2025-08-21 07:44:13 UTC

being open to feedback so as to improve and up skill.
making learning accessible by making lessons student centric.
as a collective I wish for us to be more attentive and active in spaces, consistently respectful towards each other.

2025-08-21 07:44:55 UTC

Building a personal bond with your students really helps. It helped me with making the students more accountable.

2025-08-21 07:46:38 UTC

While teaching, maybe try not to put oneself on a pedestal and see kids as 'kids' who are here to learn as we do too, every single day.

2025-08-21 07:50:38 UTC

I will try to spend informal time with them over chai maybe. I will also put an effort to know them more as a person. :)

2025-08-21 07:51:04 UTC

We have a lot of differences, but differences don’t have to divide us. They can remind us that we have something to offer each other.

Our Christmas tree can be a shared practice of respect, support, and collaboration, something we give each other, not because we are the same, but because we are building the same future for our children.

So, my Christmas Tree Oath is this:

No matter how different our teaching styles may look, I will keep searching for that one gift, an idea, a practice, a gesture of respect that I can share with my fellow teachers, and that we can continue to share with each other. Because in the end, our students deserve not two divided teams, but one united community working for them <3

2025-08-21 07:51:54 UTC

Give them a listening ear and judge later.

2025-08-21 07:54:36 UTC

I will try to have conversations with the teachers apart from school work and listen to them and make an attempt at understanding where they are coming from.

2025-08-21 14:43:32 UTC

Try to have deeper conversations to get to know them more as a person beyond the work we do together. Also, would like to know their motivations behind being a teacher.