Responsibility and Cooperation - Innovators BHIS

Taking responsibility for oneself is by definition an act of kindness.  -Sharon Salzberg 

Vraj, a student of grade 7, was the most active child in the class. He could not contain his energy and was simply unable to sit anywhere, at a stretch, even for a little while. The teachers were at their wit’s end, as they attempted to make Vraj focus in classwork. It seemed there was nothing that could calm him down during the class hours. The class monitors always had his name in the trouble makers’ list. Despite the warnings, nothing made him behave well in class.

His peer, Rahul, was a complete contrast.

     

Rahul, a specially challenged child was timid, quiet and sat in one corner of the class, the whole day. Other students, including Vraj, often bullied him. Some were not even willing to go near Rahul, leave alone help him cope with the class. A unique idea struck the class teacher and she announced in the class that she knew Vraj to be a responsible child, who could be trusted upon to help Rahul study in class. Saying this, she changed Vraj’s place and made him sit beside Rahul. She gave Vraj the responsibility of helping his buddy Rahul with all the class notes and finishing his work on time. Vraj felt very strange at this decision of the teacher as he had never thought that any teacher could ever find him capable of shouldering responsibility! 

Vraj was determined to put his heart and soul to prove that the teacher had made the right decision! He realised that in order to help Rahul, he too had to focus on the classes. He became very serious about school, dutifully sat beside Rahul every day, and ensured that he had completed his own work before he could begin to help his buddy. Rahul too started co-operating with Vraj and tried his best to grasp how he could work in class. All the teachers noticed the sea change that had come over the boys and appreciated them a lot. This further encouraged them to work harder! On seeing that both Vraj and Rahul were being appreciated for taking up responsibility and co-operating with each other, their classmates unconsciously co-operated with them to do better. The bond between the classmates was enhanced. The teachers were proud of the huge change that they noticed in the class. Responsibility successfully changed the personality of a child for the better and they also learn co-operated with each other in the process.

Innovators @ Billabong High International School, Thane
 - Bhumi Punjabi, Vaishali Phatak, Krishnakshi RaviShankor, Smita Bhobate