We sent our video guy ahead of us to clear the path for our coming to the school:  the Hirn Family visits an India Classroom.  As best as he was able, he explained to the heads of the school who we were – the Hirn’s from Alabama, USA – and that we wanted to simply observe classroom education in other countries. We had three boys and wanted them to have the experience.  And it was an experience, indeed!   Turns out our videographer hadn’t completely bridged the communication gap.

No, we were not the International United States Delegation in Charge of Developing India School Curriculum, nor were we able to offer them any suggestions  whatever about what the United States could do to assist in this endeavor.    They escorted us to our seats down front and to the left of the class, and we watched them repeat the things they had learned (which apparently they thought we had written,  but we have no memory of doing.)  Then they nodded our direction so we could show our approval of a job well done.

The Hirn Delegation remained expressionless.

These classrooms like so many others in the world are bare-boned.  Students here sat in chairs — no desks, no books – as they listened and repeated word for word what the teacher said.  It was exhausting!  But like so many other foreign schools, they haven’t been afforded the tools or the opportunity to learn as we do.

They probably thought to themselves:  “No wonder.  Look who’s writing the curriculum!”

In the words of Lil Wayne:

“I’m just a soul whose intentions are good . . . Oh Lord don’t let me be misunderstood.

Talk soon

Dawn