The spice market at Chadni Chowk
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
11/24: Rememberance
During the student leadership conference, I made friends with Priti, a teacher from Central India. I have read a lot of Indian literature (which is fantastic, by the way. They have some incredible writers, and they write in English, so no need for translation), and Priti recommended The Golden Gate by Vikram Seth. At the book store, I picked up another book by Seth titled Two Lives. I had no idea when I purchased the book that it was a biography about his uncle, who married a German woman and lived in England. Later into the book did it become clear that Seth's German aunt was Jewish, and that the book would tell in detail, complete with copies of letters, telegrams and postcards, the plight of her family, who did not manage to escape.
So here I sit in India, ten thousand miles from home, crying about events which occurred more than 60 years ago to people I did not know. In some ways, telling the story of one family is so much more heart-wrenching than the abstract concept of six million dead.
I do not know the stories of my grandfathers, from Russia on my mother's side, and Romania on my father's. I know little of my grandmothers' stories, though I think I heard that my mother's mother from Poland came from a family of eleven, and only one sister survived. My grandmother on my father's side came from Czechoslovakia from a family of eight, with only one sister surviving as well. I can't even imagine how many cousins were lost. I don't know the details of how my family perished in Eastern Europe - starvation, dysentery, concentration camps. I think this may be the first time in my life that I actually thought about all my relatives who died during the holocaust as "my family," for my life has been so far removed from that reality. How small the world is that an Indian author in the 21st century could remind me of my lost roots, but also remind me proudly of my beautiful heritage.
So here I sit in India, ten thousand miles from home, crying about events which occurred more than 60 years ago to people I did not know. In some ways, telling the story of one family is so much more heart-wrenching than the abstract concept of six million dead.
I do not know the stories of my grandfathers, from Russia on my mother's side, and Romania on my father's. I know little of my grandmothers' stories, though I think I heard that my mother's mother from Poland came from a family of eleven, and only one sister survived. My grandmother on my father's side came from Czechoslovakia from a family of eight, with only one sister surviving as well. I can't even imagine how many cousins were lost. I don't know the details of how my family perished in Eastern Europe - starvation, dysentery, concentration camps. I think this may be the first time in my life that I actually thought about all my relatives who died during the holocaust as "my family," for my life has been so far removed from that reality. How small the world is that an Indian author in the 21st century could remind me of my lost roots, but also remind me proudly of my beautiful heritage.
11/23: Interesting India
Yesterday afternoon I was sitting in the alley way behind the school. I watched two monkeys climb down from their tree and enter the street. The smaller female was hesitant, and once on the street, started howling (if you can call it that). All of the sudden a dog emerged, racing towards them. The larger male stood his ground and growled. The dog stopped. Then the male monkey turned and ran. The dog chased them up another tree. Later that afternoon I saw 5 monkeys on the roof of the building next to mine. It looked like a family, with three smaller monkeys.
A couple of days ago I was invited by a neighbor from the hostel to dinner at the 5-star hotel (The Imperial Hotel) that he works at. I sat outside amidst a beautiful garden. Just as I sat a large group of "important people" were being seated at a large table across the restaurant. There were two men sitting near me. One of the important people recognized one of the two people sitting next to me. They hugged. Not understanding Hindi, but understanding the sign language, the important person invited the two to join them, but the other man refused. And then for the next hour, the recognized man stood next to the important people table, helping out, pestering the waiters, even serving the drinks and food. His partner sat alone at the table near me the entire time. When I left the restaurant, the one was still hovering around the important people and the other as still sitting alone.
This morning I woke up at 4:39AM to the sound of music. I opened my window and there was a band playing in the street.
India is a very interesting place. I wish I understood more.
A couple of days ago I was invited by a neighbor from the hostel to dinner at the 5-star hotel (The Imperial Hotel) that he works at. I sat outside amidst a beautiful garden. Just as I sat a large group of "important people" were being seated at a large table across the restaurant. There were two men sitting near me. One of the important people recognized one of the two people sitting next to me. They hugged. Not understanding Hindi, but understanding the sign language, the important person invited the two to join them, but the other man refused. And then for the next hour, the recognized man stood next to the important people table, helping out, pestering the waiters, even serving the drinks and food. His partner sat alone at the table near me the entire time. When I left the restaurant, the one was still hovering around the important people and the other as still sitting alone.
This morning I woke up at 4:39AM to the sound of music. I opened my window and there was a band playing in the street.
India is a very interesting place. I wish I understood more.
11/23: Modern School observations
For those who are interested, below is the document I gave to the principal of Modern School on my observations and recommendations for the Middle School Math teachers.
Math observations 6th, 7th and 8th Standards
by Robert Lee-Engel
From my limited interactions and observations of the math teachers of the 6th, 7th and 8th standards at Modern School, this is what I have observed:
1) The teachers are of the highest quality.
2) They are very well prepared.
3) They understand their subject material very well.
4) They expect high standards from their students.
5) They have trained their students very well to show their work, step by step, and the reasons for each step.
6) The students have very strong computational skills because there is no calculator use.
From my limited understanding of India and its educational system, the biggest different I see from the system I work in are:
1) The emphasis on testing, especially at the 12th standard, puts incredible pressure on the teachers to "teach to the test," limiting their freedom to be creative.
2) The national government mandated curriculum hinders the teacher's autonomy and creativity to meet the specific needs of the students.
3) The number of students in a math class (45 to 48 per class at Modern School, as compared to 10-14 at The Evergreen School, where I teach) limits the teacher's ability to meet specific needs of a student, especially those students at either extreme on the continuum. The class size also forces teachers to evaluate students on a limited criterion - testing, as opposed to a multitude of criteria - daily work, projects, and testing - in schools where class sizes are more manageable.
As I have reflected on my teaching methods, which I have developed over my 23 years of teaching , and 22 years at The Evergreen School, this is what I have come to believe are best practices for teaching math at the 6th, 7th and 8th standards (in no particular order of importance):
1) Everything should be invested with meaning. Ask the students "why" and expect the students to ask the teacher "why."
2) Classes should be interactive. Get the students to talk, ask questions, teach each other, come to the board, share ideas.
3) There should be a joy in teaching. Teachers should love what they are doing, modeling for their students their love of learning.
4) Teachers should have fun. Especially when teaching math, we need to be performers.
5) Include group work: students working with each other learn from each other. They also learn how to articulate ideas. Also, it removes the teacher from being the sole "holder of knowledge" in the class.
6) Teachers need to be well prepared. They need to know their subject material well.
7) It is okay to make mistakes. This may actually be the most important element for creating an environment where students take risks. Fear of making a mistake is the biggest detriment to learning. Most learning occurs from our mistakes. The deepest learning occurs when students are challenged.
8) It is important to use "open ended" questions and assignments. This provides for a multitude of solutions. It also builds self esteem and independent thinking skills.
9) There should be a focus on the process more than the product. We teachers are helping students to become thinking, problem solving human beings, so the process of being a learner is most important.
10) Accuracy is important. While process is very important, we cannot forget that accurate computational work is a very valuable tool.
11) We need to expand the students' definition of math. Math is not just computational skills. it also involves problem solving skills. So conceptual understanding is just as important as computational algorithms.
12) We need to help the students develop their ability to articulate. As social animals we need to learn to communicate well with others, whether it be working together, teaching each other, or just sharing of an idea.
13) Differentiation - students have different abilities. We need to challenge the most advanced students and give extra support to those students who are struggling.
14) We need to protect our students' self esteem. Try not to embarrass students. Students perform better when they feel good about themselves. It is a matter of respecting each individual.
15) Hold high expectations of your students, and they will rise up to your expectations.
16) Use an inductive approach whenever possible. It embeds the learning with the student's personal experience, thus there is more meaning for the student, instead of mere memorization.
17) Use project-oriented curriculum. It is a good way for the students to prove their understanding of the concepts through their application in their project. It is open ended - allowing the students to choose topics of their particular interest. And it is another form of evaluation.
Below are my suggestions/recommendations for Modern School math teachers, based on my limited observations. I believe these recommendations are manageable, even with the restraints previously mentioned.
1. Teachers should "spice up" their curriculum by supplementing the standard curriculum with activities that encourage students to think -to apply the information they have learned, adding an emphasis on application.
2. Teachers should find or create curriculum that is fun for the students - games, puzzles, etc. that require the application of concepts, or even teach concepts through these activities.
3. Teachers should use an inductive approach whenever possible -investigations that teach concepts - instead of a deductive approach of merely giving the students conjectures or properties.
4. Teachers should respect the students by not embarrassing them publicly (when they have not done their work). Intimidation may work for some students, but for others it shuts down the learning process, creating an atmosphere of fear instead of joy in learning, which is not conducive for growth.
5. Teachers should allow for more interactive learning through group activities. This does a number of things: it encourages communication, students learn by teaching each other, and it empowers students when they realize that they can teach each other.
6. Teachers should incorporate more open-ended questions. This encourages students to think, as well as providing opportunities for student creativity.
7. Teachers should foster a classroom atmosphere of risk taking. An environment must be created where it is okay to make mistakes. This is especially important in a math class.
8. Teachers can find or create material that requires thinking"outside of the box." I have found that often, Modern School students had difficulty when ever I asked them to do this.
Math observations 6th, 7th and 8th Standards
by Robert Lee-Engel
From my limited interactions and observations of the math teachers of the 6th, 7th and 8th standards at Modern School, this is what I have observed:
1) The teachers are of the highest quality.
2) They are very well prepared.
3) They understand their subject material very well.
4) They expect high standards from their students.
5) They have trained their students very well to show their work, step by step, and the reasons for each step.
6) The students have very strong computational skills because there is no calculator use.
From my limited understanding of India and its educational system, the biggest different I see from the system I work in are:
1) The emphasis on testing, especially at the 12th standard, puts incredible pressure on the teachers to "teach to the test," limiting their freedom to be creative.
2) The national government mandated curriculum hinders the teacher's autonomy and creativity to meet the specific needs of the students.
3) The number of students in a math class (45 to 48 per class at Modern School, as compared to 10-14 at The Evergreen School, where I teach) limits the teacher's ability to meet specific needs of a student, especially those students at either extreme on the continuum. The class size also forces teachers to evaluate students on a limited criterion - testing, as opposed to a multitude of criteria - daily work, projects, and testing - in schools where class sizes are more manageable.
As I have reflected on my teaching methods, which I have developed over my 23 years of teaching , and 22 years at The Evergreen School, this is what I have come to believe are best practices for teaching math at the 6th, 7th and 8th standards (in no particular order of importance):
1) Everything should be invested with meaning. Ask the students "why" and expect the students to ask the teacher "why."
2) Classes should be interactive. Get the students to talk, ask questions, teach each other, come to the board, share ideas.
3) There should be a joy in teaching. Teachers should love what they are doing, modeling for their students their love of learning.
4) Teachers should have fun. Especially when teaching math, we need to be performers.
5) Include group work: students working with each other learn from each other. They also learn how to articulate ideas. Also, it removes the teacher from being the sole "holder of knowledge" in the class.
6) Teachers need to be well prepared. They need to know their subject material well.
7) It is okay to make mistakes. This may actually be the most important element for creating an environment where students take risks. Fear of making a mistake is the biggest detriment to learning. Most learning occurs from our mistakes. The deepest learning occurs when students are challenged.
8) It is important to use "open ended" questions and assignments. This provides for a multitude of solutions. It also builds self esteem and independent thinking skills.
9) There should be a focus on the process more than the product. We teachers are helping students to become thinking, problem solving human beings, so the process of being a learner is most important.
10) Accuracy is important. While process is very important, we cannot forget that accurate computational work is a very valuable tool.
11) We need to expand the students' definition of math. Math is not just computational skills. it also involves problem solving skills. So conceptual understanding is just as important as computational algorithms.
12) We need to help the students develop their ability to articulate. As social animals we need to learn to communicate well with others, whether it be working together, teaching each other, or just sharing of an idea.
13) Differentiation - students have different abilities. We need to challenge the most advanced students and give extra support to those students who are struggling.
14) We need to protect our students' self esteem. Try not to embarrass students. Students perform better when they feel good about themselves. It is a matter of respecting each individual.
15) Hold high expectations of your students, and they will rise up to your expectations.
16) Use an inductive approach whenever possible. It embeds the learning with the student's personal experience, thus there is more meaning for the student, instead of mere memorization.
17) Use project-oriented curriculum. It is a good way for the students to prove their understanding of the concepts through their application in their project. It is open ended - allowing the students to choose topics of their particular interest. And it is another form of evaluation.
Below are my suggestions/recommendations for Modern School math teachers, based on my limited observations. I believe these recommendations are manageable, even with the restraints previously mentioned.
1. Teachers should "spice up" their curriculum by supplementing the standard curriculum with activities that encourage students to think -to apply the information they have learned, adding an emphasis on application.
2. Teachers should find or create curriculum that is fun for the students - games, puzzles, etc. that require the application of concepts, or even teach concepts through these activities.
3. Teachers should use an inductive approach whenever possible -investigations that teach concepts - instead of a deductive approach of merely giving the students conjectures or properties.
4. Teachers should respect the students by not embarrassing them publicly (when they have not done their work). Intimidation may work for some students, but for others it shuts down the learning process, creating an atmosphere of fear instead of joy in learning, which is not conducive for growth.
5. Teachers should allow for more interactive learning through group activities. This does a number of things: it encourages communication, students learn by teaching each other, and it empowers students when they realize that they can teach each other.
6. Teachers should incorporate more open-ended questions. This encourages students to think, as well as providing opportunities for student creativity.
7. Teachers should foster a classroom atmosphere of risk taking. An environment must be created where it is okay to make mistakes. This is especially important in a math class.
8. Teachers can find or create material that requires thinking"outside of the box." I have found that often, Modern School students had difficulty when ever I asked them to do this.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
November 22: Why I walk
A couple of years ago I went to a workshop titled "Seeds of Compassion." In a small group discussion I told of my love of walking as a form of meditation: "I walk and walk and eventually I know why I am walking." One person commented how interesting it was to him that it wasn't about where I was walking to, but why I was walking.
This morning I went for a walk. I walked and walked and eventually I knew why I was walking - peace.
I wrote an essay maybe 15 years ago, trying to figure out why the Global Studies program at The Evergreen School, where I teach, was so important to me. The official line has something to do with "global citizenry" and "accepting and appreciating diversity." But I knew it was more than just that, for those goals were to what end? In the essay I wrote that it was about peace.
For the past few years I have been on an inner quest, trying to make sense of the reality I have created for myself. "Living for each moment, with an open heart" was about as close as I could come to articulating a path for myself. But today, I realized one step deeper, at least for myself. The point of an open heart is peace. Not just the outer peace that the word usually connotes to me, but also an inner peace.
So I have come full circle, and it feels true.
A Hindu Temple in Chandni Chowk
Boy and dog sitting on a huge bag of garbage
This photo is for you, Christy
goat, ducks and Mosque in Chandni Chowk
Mosque in Chandni Chowk
This morning I went for a walk. I walked and walked and eventually I knew why I was walking - peace.
I wrote an essay maybe 15 years ago, trying to figure out why the Global Studies program at The Evergreen School, where I teach, was so important to me. The official line has something to do with "global citizenry" and "accepting and appreciating diversity." But I knew it was more than just that, for those goals were to what end? In the essay I wrote that it was about peace.
For the past few years I have been on an inner quest, trying to make sense of the reality I have created for myself. "Living for each moment, with an open heart" was about as close as I could come to articulating a path for myself. But today, I realized one step deeper, at least for myself. The point of an open heart is peace. Not just the outer peace that the word usually connotes to me, but also an inner peace.
So I have come full circle, and it feels true.
A Hindu Temple in Chandni Chowk
Boy and dog sitting on a huge bag of garbage
This photo is for you, Christy
goat, ducks and Mosque in Chandni Chowk
Mosque in Chandni Chowk Saturday, November 21, 2009
More photos from my walks the last few days
Mosque at Chandni Chowk 
Goat market just outside the Mosque
Red Fort
Some Government building (the smog makes a nice hazy effect, don't you think)
Just a bull I passed on my walk Thursday, November 19, 2009
Nov 19: Teacher and Student
Today was my second full day of teaching. I have five math classes: one 6th grade, three 7th grade, and one 8th grade. I forgot how exhausting it is being "present" in this way.Last night I decided to learn to cook Indian food, so I hung out with the cooks as they prepared dinner for 80 people. It took over two hours. We made paneer in a thick sauce, a chicken in spicy yogurt sauce (photo above), rice pulao, dahl, and about a million chapatis. We also had plain white rice, a salad of cucumbers, radishes and onions, and a dessert of noodles in a sweet creamy sauce. I understand why there are so many overweight Indians.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Nov 16th and 17th: Another side to India
My pictures of India are so biased, showing such a narrow view of India. So here is another slice of the country.
Ministry of Defense Building
A big National government building
Another big National government building
A cool looking building on Connaught Circle
Micki and I belong to the same congregation in Seattle, Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue. She has been here in Delhi for two weeks visiting her daughter and son-in-law, who live here. We spent a couple of afternoons together, shopping and drinking tea and coffee. It was so nice connecting with someone from home.
Ministry of Defense Building
A big National government building
Another big National government building
A cool looking building on Connaught Circle
Micki and I belong to the same congregation in Seattle, Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue. She has been here in Delhi for two weeks visiting her daughter and son-in-law, who live here. We spent a couple of afternoons together, shopping and drinking tea and coffee. It was so nice connecting with someone from home.Sunday, November 15, 2009
11/15: Farewell Dinner
At our farewell dinner, Kapil Sibal, the Minister of Human Resources and Development, was the key note speaker. Even more inspiring were the six student delegates that spoke of their commitment to social change, and the connections they had made to their fellow delegates.
Priti, and the delegates from Indore, India
Ron, and the delegates from the Ukraine
Kimberly, and the Delegates from Virginia
Karen, and the delegates from China
Sandra, Maria Teresa, and the delegates from Mexico
Priti, and the delegates from Indore, India
Ron, and the delegates from the Ukraine
Kimberly, and the Delegates from Virginia
Karen, and the delegates from China
Sandra, Maria Teresa, and the delegates from MexicoMore delegations
Rashida, Zuriani, and the delegates from Malaysia
Ahmad, and the delegates from Malaysia
Ina, and the delegates from Indonesia
Allen, Mike, and the delegates from North Carolina
Terence, and the delegates from SingaporeAnd more delegations
Martin, and the delegates from the Philippines
Waseem, and the delegates from Pakistan
Jeff, and the delegates from North Carolina
Sameer (my roommate), and the delegates from Amritsar, India
Waseem (Pakistan) and I Silence by Debashis Chaterjee
Debashsi Chaterjee was the guest speaker yesterday. He spoke to the teachers on envisioning the ideal classroom to prepare students for the global, interconnected reality that they will face in the future. Below is his poem, On Silence.
Then the mother of a deaf girl with muted sorrow in her eyes said: Tell us about silence.
Ananda waited for the murmur of the eucalyptus leaves to wisper its last secrets through the hills. He seemed absorbed in a wordless conversation with himself as he said:
Silence is the womb of all that is spoken and heard.
Silence is the flow of the river of intelligence.
Like riverbanks, words are mere interruptions of this flow.
Silence is the unspoken truth of the universe.
Words are at best masks that embellish the face of truth with their many devices.
The forlorn lover sitting on the edge of the river pines for her lost love in dumb despair.
Only numbing silence connects heart with heart . . .
In silence words return to their essence, just as noisy rivers merge with the ocean.
Through words, One becomes many; in silence many return to the One.
In silence creation happens: the master in us has created a house called the universe.
Through words we knock at the door of this house.
In silence the chest of treasure is flung open.
Speak, but do not stand in the way of the music of silence:
your words are useless without the music.
The original voice of life is silence----
All other noises of the world are mere echoes.
Then the mother of a deaf girl with muted sorrow in her eyes said: Tell us about silence.
Ananda waited for the murmur of the eucalyptus leaves to wisper its last secrets through the hills. He seemed absorbed in a wordless conversation with himself as he said:
Silence is the womb of all that is spoken and heard.
Silence is the flow of the river of intelligence.
Like riverbanks, words are mere interruptions of this flow.
Silence is the unspoken truth of the universe.
Words are at best masks that embellish the face of truth with their many devices.
The forlorn lover sitting on the edge of the river pines for her lost love in dumb despair.
Only numbing silence connects heart with heart . . .
In silence words return to their essence, just as noisy rivers merge with the ocean.
Through words, One becomes many; in silence many return to the One.
In silence creation happens: the master in us has created a house called the universe.
Through words we knock at the door of this house.
In silence the chest of treasure is flung open.
Speak, but do not stand in the way of the music of silence:
your words are useless without the music.
The original voice of life is silence----
All other noises of the world are mere echoes.
November 15th
During discussion on sustainability, a student from the Philippines pointed out that with a delegation of over 100 students and teachers eating three meals a day and two tea/snack breaks, in a period of ten days we will have thrown out around 5000 plastic cups, and maybe something should be done about that.
This area of New Delhi is very nice - large, private homes, wide tree-lined streets, and a park with swing sets and climbing structures for the children. In the park this morning a man with a cricket back is teaching his son how to catch the ball without trapping it to his body. Next to the park fence, a canvas is hanging from the tree to create a home for an old man and his sewing machine.
Last night at the Minister for Education's home, as more than one hundred people were seated on his spacious lawn eating another incredible meal, I suggested to two teachers from India that the foreign students are getting such a narrow snapshot of India, going from opulence to opulence. With all the discussions we have had on poverty, maybe the students should be given the opportunity to see another side to India. For example, maybe we could explore the area around the Old Delhi railway station. They seemed to have a difficult time grasping what I was suggesting. Only when I compared this experience to going to the USA and only seeing Beverly Hills did they understand what I was proposing.
It is when our realities are challenged do we grow, for there is no reason to change when we remain in our comfort zone.
This area of New Delhi is very nice - large, private homes, wide tree-lined streets, and a park with swing sets and climbing structures for the children. In the park this morning a man with a cricket back is teaching his son how to catch the ball without trapping it to his body. Next to the park fence, a canvas is hanging from the tree to create a home for an old man and his sewing machine.
Last night at the Minister for Education's home, as more than one hundred people were seated on his spacious lawn eating another incredible meal, I suggested to two teachers from India that the foreign students are getting such a narrow snapshot of India, going from opulence to opulence. With all the discussions we have had on poverty, maybe the students should be given the opportunity to see another side to India. For example, maybe we could explore the area around the Old Delhi railway station. They seemed to have a difficult time grasping what I was suggesting. Only when I compared this experience to going to the USA and only seeing Beverly Hills did they understand what I was proposing.
It is when our realities are challenged do we grow, for there is no reason to change when we remain in our comfort zone.
November 14th
We had three amazing and inspirational speakers yesterday. Mr. Sitaram Yechury spoke on the issues of hunger and the problems with the food distribution system which leaves over one billion people hungry world wide. Mr. Bharat Wakhlu spoke on empathy and each person's "inner world" to develop a sense of caring and sharing. Mr. William Bissell spoke on the youth of today inheriting a world full of outdated ideas, such as measuring economies by GNP, the idea of a sovereign nation state in this world of global interdependence, the illusion that large armies create security, and the notion that constant consumption is needed to keep economies going. The students' questions were equally inspiring, giving me a great sense of hope for the next generation of leaders.
The students worked on their "Culture Day" exhibits and performances. They each dressed in traditional clothing (tie-dye t-shirts for the Americans). The dinner buffet was exquisite, accompanied by traditional dance performances by students of each school (the American swing dancers fared pretty well). An Indian boy announced on the loud speaker before his performance that he used to have one brother, but now he has two. His second brother is his new Pakistani friend. And then, after dinner and performances, the evening culminated with a DJ and dancing. No matter what country the teenagers are from, pop culture and pop dance are the universal language. Students clumped together, doing the exact same dance, whether from the U.S., India, the Philippines, or Malaysia. Maybe the high light was a Pakistani boy, still dressed in his traditional clothing, break dancing on the floor.
Pakistani students
Ina, the teacher from Indonesia, helping her student with her costume
The Chinese delegation with me
Ukrainian students
Mexico and China matched so well
The students worked on their "Culture Day" exhibits and performances. They each dressed in traditional clothing (tie-dye t-shirts for the Americans). The dinner buffet was exquisite, accompanied by traditional dance performances by students of each school (the American swing dancers fared pretty well). An Indian boy announced on the loud speaker before his performance that he used to have one brother, but now he has two. His second brother is his new Pakistani friend. And then, after dinner and performances, the evening culminated with a DJ and dancing. No matter what country the teenagers are from, pop culture and pop dance are the universal language. Students clumped together, doing the exact same dance, whether from the U.S., India, the Philippines, or Malaysia. Maybe the high light was a Pakistani boy, still dressed in his traditional clothing, break dancing on the floor.
Pakistani students
Ina, the teacher from Indonesia, helping her student with her costume
The Chinese delegation with me
Ukrainian students
Mexico and China matched so well Friday, November 13, 2009
Nov 13th: The last few days
It has been an amazing couple of days at the Student Leadership summit. On the 11th, the leader of the opposition party for the National government, Mr. L. K. Advani, came to school to address the students. He has been the head of his party and a member of parliament for the past 25 years. Security was really tight - army everywhere. Then in the evening, Sonal Mansingh, the premier Indian classical dancer of the entire nation came and gave us a lecture on dance, as well as a performance by her troupe, and the final dance by herself. In between these two events were small group discussions on the issues of diversity and good governance.
On the 12th, we visited the amazing Akshardham temple. Then a representative from TATA, the leading business conglomerate in India, came and spoke about social responsibility and business. The students then worked in small groups on the issues of human resources, ethics, and sustainability.
This morning we visited a school for the blind. And this afternoon there is a panel of speakers to discuss issues of global citizenry, hunger and alternative models for economic growth.
We found some puppies on campus
Students with a traditional dancer, who performed during our dinner last night, and then he and his dance troupe came off the stage and got all the students to dance with them as well.
Teachers Kimberly, Allen and Priti showing off their henna tattoos
Assembly at the School for the Blind today
On the 12th, we visited the amazing Akshardham temple. Then a representative from TATA, the leading business conglomerate in India, came and spoke about social responsibility and business. The students then worked in small groups on the issues of human resources, ethics, and sustainability.
This morning we visited a school for the blind. And this afternoon there is a panel of speakers to discuss issues of global citizenry, hunger and alternative models for economic growth.
We found some puppies on campus
Students with a traditional dancer, who performed during our dinner last night, and then he and his dance troupe came off the stage and got all the students to dance with them as well. 
Teachers Kimberly, Allen and Priti showing off their henna tattoos
Assembly at the School for the Blind today Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Nov 10th: Students at Radha Krishna International School
The last few days have been amazing. There have been incredible speakers on the issues of equity, poverty, social justice and service, starting with the key note speaker at the Founder's Day celebration, Dr. Shashi Taroor, who just lost the election for the UN General Secretary by two votes, to the panels of speakers for the last two days at student leadership summit.
Today we were invited for lunch at the Radha Krishna International School. After the student dance performance and before the delicious buffet lunch, students were treated to elephant and camel rides.
students in a traditional Indian dance performance
Today we were invited for lunch at the Radha Krishna International School. After the student dance performance and before the delicious buffet lunch, students were treated to elephant and camel rides.
students in a traditional Indian dance performance
November 10th: Community Development and Leadership Summit 2009 teachers
Liu Yan Jun (China) and me
Priti (Central India)
Mike (U.S.) and Martin (Philippines)
Kimberly (U.S.)
Maria Teresa (Mexico) and cotton candy
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