The Beginning of a Dream

Happy New Year everyone!

We received this wonderful story last week and wanted to share it with all of you today. This story was sent to us by Fiona Vaz – a former Teach for India Fellow who is currently working at a school run by  Akanksha Foundation.

I guess this happens to all teachers. They open their planning diaries and find student letters, cards, art work and essays! I found Madhu’s essay a few weeks ago and I have read it several times. Madhu is one of the brightest and most hardworking kids I have seen in my life. When Vaibhav and I taught in school as Teach For India Fellows, we could not stop being amazed by his constant need to excel and achieve. We did everything to nurture this precocious child, at the same time being careful not to discourage or overwhelm the other 49 in class. Madhu at the end of the academic year read about 

300 books and it showed in his writing. Of course, he cannot spell believe, and cannot punctuate as well, but in just 2 years, this is what he was capable of doing. I have typed out his essay, as is. I have not corrected his spellings or his sentences. I find this perfect for now! In his essay he is talking about Uttarika Kumaran, a friend of mine (and obviously his) and a journalist with DNA who was excited about Madhu’s achievement of having read about 200 books in 70 days. And how she changed his life… it is an

essay of gratitude as I see it.

The essay is a bit long, but I promise, it is beautiful. If I had to give this essay a title I would call it, “The

Beginning of a Dream”

Here it is:

Author: Madhukumar Paka, Age: 10 years: School: Divine Child High School, Malad.

My Lucky Day in School

Hello! You remembered me? Yes I’am madhu.Today the topic that I’am going to write is my “lucky day in

school.” So let’s start.

Beggining of day at 7 o clock. I suddenly woke up from my dream. I decided to jog because my back was paining. After the jogging I went to have breakfast. After my breakfast my time table started. my eye was blinking fast. In my village the people say that who’s eye blinks fast that person’s day will be lucky. But I just did not belived. At 11 o clock I went to school early as I go everyday. You know what I do everyday when I come to school early? I read storybooks or I play. That day the peon did not allow me to play. So I thought this was not my lucky day but a bad day. So I read storybook. The time passed and at 12.40 I entered the school with thinking how I will spend this day.

After sometime Ma’am entered the class with didi- Did you know who she was?Yes, you are right she was Uttarika didi. I was excited to intruduce myself and ask questions. But that was study time. So we studied english Grammer. In Grammer we studied adjectives and their types. With time my excitement grew. After Grammer we studied maths. In maths we learned Area. I would do maths quickly and accuracy. Maths period was over and we started to do revision of chapters. We did revision of some chapters. Three more chapters were left. When, we were doing great leader, Sir called me. So I went.

I was worried why sir called me I thought sir called me to give me punishment but I didn’t do anything so again I thought no sir not called to give me punishment but still I was worried. Sir took me to computer. It was empty there were no people. I sat on table and waited for someone. After some seconds Uttarika didi came with a hand …. She introduced herself and I too introduced myself. Then she said that she is working DNA paper so she has come to interview me. I asked why. You had read many books that’s why I came to interview you. She added that she is going publish it in newspaper. But I did not belived her. She asked many questions.

After the interview I again went to study. That day I was thinking all about the interview if it is true or not. You know that she had given me her visitting card. That day I took my mobile saved her number. After one day I gave her message about the interview. she also gave me message she wrote wait for some days. but before seeing message my sister deleted it. So i thought she was joking but after some days Uttarika gave me message that check DNA paper today. I published. At movememnt I danced in joy. And I checked DNA paper. That was my precious day

So I have told you my most precious day so don’t forget. So how about you?

**********

Wishing you all many many precious days this year. Thank you for sharing this with us Fiona!