Today I was at a place for village children with special needs (Deepam). Someone from the guesthouse here had invited me to accompany her. It was a kind of ceremony as part of Navarathri in honor of the goddess Saraswathi—she stands for education, prosperity and success. In India today, the objects needed for work were cleaned and consecrated as a kind of thanks. Offerings were brought to them, and there was singing. At the therapy center, alongside figures, books and other toys, these also included the accounting ledgers with the donation records. In a second stage, then, the school bus. It drove over lemons, and pumpkins were smashed on the street.
I have taught for many years, sometimes lectured, often discussed with students, occasionally criticized too. I have tried to inspire, share knowledge and skills, give advice and help in the search. I have never given instruction, nor have I educated. I experienced being allowed to teach as a privilege. I have rarely punished students for wanting to learn from me. That is absurd, surely. If they did not do what I expected, then either I was not clear enough or I had the wrong expectations.
Doors
Some teachers see themselves as gatekeepers; they want to decide who meets the arbitrary standards of quality. If one wants to position oneself at a door at all, my idea was always to give the people who want to go through that door a good idea of what might await them there, and to think together with them about whether they want to go through this door or would rather take another.
I am not a pedagogue, certainly not a special educator. But what I saw today gave me much (to think about). I was happy to be allowed to share this space. I saw so much joy, laughter, consideration, attention, intuition, fun, togetherness and confidence that my heart grew very light. What happens here? With what words can I grasp this? And what does it have to do with teaching? Thirty years ago, some young and committed people began caring for people with special needs under a tree. Now it has become a very solid and inspiring place—another moving story.
Who is actually learning from whom here? And what are we actually doing all the time in all the other schools?
© Christoph Klütsch
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