I’ve been looking forward to this since January – Shaheen Mistry, whom I admire to the point of hero-worship, invited me to come and speak at Akanksha’s annual Education Convention – a colorful, creative extravaganza in which bright, lively young teachers come together to celebrate the Akanksha vision, re-dedicate themselves to its mission and pick up new skills, ideas and strategies to make themselves more effective educators and change-makers. It was a marvelous and inspiring experience – I had been so impressed by the agenda Shaheen sent me back in January that I asked Manju to attend the whole thing (I had been asked to do one presentation at the Mumbai event and another at the same convention, but in Pune, the next day) – I can’t wait to hear how she enjoyed it.

My one day with the team was enough to make me re-examine the whole way we conduct our orientation for new staff in Dehradun. I got so many wonderful ideas from watching the Akanksha style in action.

“Be the Change” is one of their credos – it’s what they ask their children to strive for and what they give them the tools to achieve. It reflects their understanding of the need for systemic change in India’s political, economic and educational systems as well as their faith in the power of ordinary people to bring those changes about.

I loved so many things about the convention. Here’s Vandana (a transplant from Northboro, Massachusetts who spotted my accent and practically knocked me over in her enthusiasm at meeting someone from “home”!), leading the crowd in the signature Akanksha clap – two beats, which signals that everyone needs to settle down and pay attention. They clap back the same two beats to indicate they got the point. Then three beats, repeated by the crowd, and then silence falls and the work begins. It’s simple, effective and so much more fun than “Quiet, please! May I have your attention, please? If we could all just take our seats now!”

There was a whole session on Akanksha sign language – hand cupped behind the ear to indicate it’s time to listen; hands over both ears to say it’s too noisy; baby finger up to say I have to go to the bathroom; fist up says I’m finished and two fingers pointed towards the eyes means look at me.

It’s all simple and easy for children (and adults) to relate to -without language, so much can be said! Which reminds me of our sign language course!