Millo at Large

My first time going to school on a Saturday was worth it! I arrived knowing that only I had the power to make this day better than all the rest, and oh boy, I did not know what was in store.

The day started off normal. I went up to the class and observed everyone taking their tests. This time, the students groaned when I walked up to help them, but little did they know, I knew all the vocab in Hindi needed for the test. It ended up backfiring completely because I forgot about the comprehension part, so I had to call over the other volunteer. I kept pushing through the groans until I mastered the art of hand gestures. I would do the gesture that correlated with the word they needed help with. Even if the student did not understand another word and say the word in Hindi; that was it. I found my way to communicate with the students.

During lunch, the teacher I was working with let me know that the extra class that day was canceled, and instead we were doing a community visit, something I had been waiting for. A community visit is when the teacher and volunteers go and visit a student’s home to learn more about the student.

Until the visit, I had an hour to grade papers, which I love because it is so therapeutic. The hour quickly passed, and I filled my water bottle, ready to go learn more about a couple of students. On the walk over, the teacher reminded us to keep some questions in the back of our minds, such as “How does their living situation affect their behavior in class?” and “How does their living situation affect their ability to study at home?” Those questions stuck with me, and throughout the visit, I observed for answers.

We first stopped at one student’s house. We sat outside with his uncle and talked about education and life with his nephew. His uncle was very education-focused, which also limited the student’s ability to think outside the box, which, when reflecting, I saw in him when we were playing math games.

We then walked to the next home, where we learned that the student lives with his mom, and only her. It reminded me of my mother and me. It made me realize how special it is to have a bond with your mother and how grateful I am for mine. Their home was a one-bedroom with the bed taking up most of the room, and we sat on the bed. The conversation was sweet, short, and in Hindi, so I barely understood. But what was beautiful was how happy the mom was, which taught me that happiness has no single definition and differs for everyone.

On the walk back, we analyzed and talked about the questions we had asked. I realized why some students behave the way they do. Overall, the visit taught me to appreciate the unique ways in which everyone is shaped and to avoid making quick judgments about others.