Last year, as a teacher of the EL Build program I was very excited about the Independence Day celebrations in my class. I teach in the village of Timmapur, near Dharwad, Karnataka. For this important day, I had envisioned having my students create a map of India and the Indian flag. I shared stories with my students about the independence struggle our forefathers went through to give us the freedom that we have today. To my disbelief, my students were unaware of “Independence Day”! While it left me a little sad, it was a great reality check about the knowledge that students we work with have. This interaction also further built my resolve to try harder and broaden their horizons as their teacher.
This year, equipped with new ideas to celebrate Independence Day in the village of Timmapur, I focused on the story of India’s freedom as a lesson on working together, bringing people with varied beliefs together, and of celebrating diversity. So, together with my colleagues from the EL Create program, we decided to make our Independence Day celebrations a true reflection of these lessons.
In both our classes we presented our students with a unique challenge. EL Build students were asked to create the Indian flag, and EL Create students were to present a song about India’s freedom. And finally, the students were to present their creations to each other. We told the students that it was a special day because we were doing this for our country. To be honest, I was apprehensive. I wondered, “Will the EL Build students be able to put together the Indian flag in 20 minutes?” I have watched them fight over craft material and waste so much time arguing with each other, at times even refusing to work together. However, all my concerns were laid to rest when I saw them not only creating a flag but creating a podium to hoist it. Another group of children even decorated the podium and stage with plants. Seeing all the children work so efficiently in their groups and contribute to the project was indeed a proud moment for me.
In the neighbouring class, I could hear rehearsals for the song by students from EL Create in full swing. Soon, it was time for my students to invite the students from EL Create with a beautiful invitation card they had just made. As the music students walked into our class, I saw the inexplicable delight on their faces at seeing the detailed flag models by the EL Build students. My students looked proud standing next to their flags. I could hear them excitingly asking which song the music students were going to sing. In that moment I knew that what lay ahead was a going to be a great experience for us all!
Creating the flag models is one thing, while presenting is really another. It is my endeavour to encourage my children to overcome any stage fright. This was a great opportunity to practice this as each group of my EL Build class introduced themselves and presented their flag models. Kalavati, one of the EL Build students was presenting her group’s work when someone from the audience asked, “Why is your flag upside down?” Kalavati was almost in tears. The student in the audience was right though, and I too had completely missed this error! At that moment, Kalavati composed herself and accepted that the flag fell down, and she put it back in a hurry without paying much attention to being put on the spot. I could not be more proud of all the students present in the room that day.
The exemplary presentations of the EL Build students were beautifully complemented by the EL Create students who sang with enthusiasm and emotion. I could see them standing tall, chins up and proud smiles on their faces. Whenever a student fumbled, his or her team-mate helped. Whenever the morale of the presenters was low, the audience energised them with their claps and cheers. I have attended several independence day functions where flags have been hoisted, speeches have been made, or recorded songs have been played. But today was perhaps one of the best celebrations I have been part of.
By Savita Kabbur | Program Manager, EL Build, Enabling Leadership | Dharwad, Karnataka
About the program | We launched a rural leadership initiative in villages around Dharwad, Karnataka in 2016. Today, we work in 15 villages around Dharwad with almost 900 children. Learn more about the wonderful stories of transformation and learning here.
Photos by Rachit Sai Barak
In both our classes we presented our students with a unique challenge. EL Build students were asked to create the Indian flag, and EL Create students were to present a song about India’s freedom. And finally, the students were to present their creations to each other. We told the students that it was a special day because we were doing this for our country. To be honest, I was apprehensive. I wondered, “Will the EL Build students be able to put together the Indian flag in 20 minutes?” I have watched them fight over craft material and waste so much time arguing with each other, at times even refusing to work together. However, all my concerns were laid to rest when I saw them not only creating a flag but creating a podium to hoist it. Another group of children even decorated the podium and stage with plants. Seeing all the children work so efficiently in their groups and contribute to the project was indeed a proud moment for me.
In the neighbouring class, I could hear rehearsals for the song by students from EL Create in full swing. Soon, it was time for my students to invite the students from EL Create with a beautiful invitation card they had just made. As the music students walked into our class, I saw the inexplicable delight on their faces at seeing the detailed flag models by the EL Build students. My students looked proud standing next to their flags. I could hear them excitingly asking which song the music students were going to sing. In that moment I knew that what lay ahead was a going to be a great experience for us all!
Creating the flag models is one thing, while presenting is really another. It is my endeavour to encourage my children to overcome any stage fright. This was a great opportunity to practice this as each group of my EL Build class introduced themselves and presented their flag models. Kalavati, one of the EL Build students was presenting her group’s work when someone from the audience asked, “Why is your flag upside down?” Kalavati was almost in tears. The student in the audience was right though, and I too had completely missed this error! At that moment, Kalavati composed herself and accepted that the flag fell down, and she put it back in a hurry without paying much attention to being put on the spot. I could not be more proud of all the students present in the room that day.
The exemplary presentations of the EL Build students were beautifully complemented by the EL Create students who sang with enthusiasm and emotion. I could see them standing tall, chins up and proud smiles on their faces. Whenever a student fumbled, his or her team-mate helped. Whenever the morale of the presenters was low, the audience energised them with their claps and cheers. I have attended several independence day functions where flags have been hoisted, speeches have been made, or recorded songs have been played. But today was perhaps one of the best celebrations I have been part of.
By Savita Kabbur | Program Manager, EL Build, Enabling Leadership | Dharwad, Karnataka
About the program | We launched a rural leadership initiative in villages around Dharwad, Karnataka in 2016. Today, we work in 15 villages around Dharwad with almost 900 children. Learn more about the wonderful stories of transformation and learning here.
Photos by Rachit Sai Barak 
