The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Move that could change children's lives in U.S. and India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 02, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Move that could change children's lives in U.S. and India

R. Sujatha

Two Indian teachers from America want to build a lasting relationship with schoolchildren here

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Sushmita Hodges (left) and Nandini Dutta, schoolteachers from the U.S., at an interactive session with `The Hindu' in Chennai recently. — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI: Two Indian teachers, who came on a three-day visit to Chennai from America as representatives of the National Association of Independent Schools, want to build a lasting relationship with schoolchildren here.

Nandini Dutta, who teaches Spanish at Rutgers Preparatory School in New Jersey, is impressed with Udhavi, a school for underprivileged children, she visited in Pondicherry. "Our school runs a project called Friends of Americas. Students of classes IX to XI visit a village in a prescribed country. During the day they help build roads and latrines, while at night they teach English. It is a hugely successful programme. Udhavi is also looking for volunteers." A similar programme could be worked out in India too, she feels. Rutgers, set up in 1763, was the first to start an exchange programme with Japan. Twenty percent of the 710 students in the school are of Indian origin.

Looking at girls' education

History teacher Sushmita Hodges, who has designed courses on multicultural studies in the 107-year-old St. Paul Academy at St. Paul in Minnesota, is advisor to an organisation called Women in Learning and Leadership in her school.

After a visit to the 137-year-old Lady Sivaswami Iyer Girls Higher Secondary School, she said, "I want to set up email connection and share ideas on empowerment. We are looking at girls' education."

The women believe that if they could enthuse the children in their school to connect with children from India the exposure could change their view of life. "I have seen how transformed they are when they return from their visit to other countries," says Ms. Dutta.

Ms. Hodges sees no hitches in her school accepting the proposal. "A comprehensive project will be accepted. We could start with a collaboration with five to six kids in American International School here in Chennai."

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