MY WORKING EXPERIENCE WITH DRISHTI - INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING DIFFICULTY
THE CENTRE IS SITUATED AT SALTLAKE CE 182, KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL,INDIA, nearby my home. I got informed from my neighbour Sujoy Bramha about DRISHTI in 2015, I was struggling hard to find a good job in good atmosphere. Immediately I went to the Institute and visited the Proprietor and Principal SUSMITA NAG.She herself is a Special Educator passed out from GD Birla with a degree in Special Education. I told about my hardship there. She was such an excellent person who instantly took my interview both Spoken and Written.
I mentioned that I HAVE A SHORT EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING SPECIAL CHILD BECAUSE IN OUR LOCALITY I MET A BOY WITH BRAIN PROBLEM WHO CAME TO ME TO LEARN ART WHOM I TREATED WITH MY OWN CAPABILITIES AND TAUGHT DRAWING FOR 5 YEARS, PRIOR TO JOIN DRISHTI.
My mother went with me and we got an invitation on the program of FOUNDATION DAY OF DRISHTI. I ATTENDED THE PROGRAM AND GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SING TWO SONGS IN THE FUNCTION. EVERYBODY APPRECIATED MY PERFORMANCE. The next day I got phone call to join the centre as a teacher.
DRISHTI IS A SEMI CHARITABLE INSTITUTE AND THE WORKING HOURS WAS SHORT. 3 to 4 hours a day with an Honourary payment.
MY SURROUNDINGS DID NOT APPRECIATE THE FACT BECAUSE BEING A MASTER OF ENGLISH LITERATURE ALL EXPECTED FROM ME A HUGE AMOUNT OF SALARY WHICH I WAS NOT PURSUING AT ALL.
Because my priority was the atmosphere and the type of work. There I found a very Spiritual type of people and the differently able children were used to listen to Songs which are very melodious.
The class starts every day with Devotional Songs,then after Lunch Break the Western Music and Dance starts. Student and Teachers all joined in that period.
Students use to start their class with Drawing and colouring pictures.
OUR PRINCIPAL SUSMITA NAG WAS A VERY FRIENDLY PERSON WHO TAUGHT US HOW TO WORK WITH THOSE CHILDREN SOULFULLY, THROWING OUT EGO AND HOW TO BECOME THEIR GUIDE , NOT ONLY A TEACHER.
DR.ADINATH NAG AND DR TULSI NAG ,FATHER AND MOTHER OF SUSMITA NAG CONTRIBUTED A LOT IN THIS SOCIAL WORK, THE SCHOOL BUILDING WAS MADE BY THEM. AT THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING THEY LIVED AND OUR MADAM SUSMITA NAG ALSO LIVED THERE.THE SCHOOL HAS A VERY HOMELY ATMOSPHERE AND WAS VERY STRICTLY DISCIPLINED. Dr. Adinath Nag was not only a Doctor but a sculptor and writer.The school office room is still now decorated with his creation and he supported me a lot in my creative ventures.He loved me a lot and his blessings are always with me.He passed away in 2020, in the Lockdown period.I pray to God for his soul to be in peace in his celestial abode. He was really a very honest and wonderful person, without his patronage the work of DRISHTI would not have been possible.He shared a deep thinking for children, wrote rhymes and stories for kids,a very Fun Loving and Simple person I have ever seen.
First I joined there as a vocational tutor then after one year I was promoted to the Class Teacher and Class Supervisor post.
There is a lot of things to be shared. I worked there till 2019.
I got trained by Susmita Nag regularly as per the need of our students. I got very friendly colleagues like BANDAN SHREE ( Specialised in hearing Impact and later he got the post of Teacher in Charge), SOUMITA DUTTA(MSC in Psychology),ANJU KARMAKAR(Assistant Staff),SUFIA BEGUM (Assistant Staff)AND MANY OTHERS.
IN THE FUNCTIONS HELD BY DRISHTI I GOT TO PERFORM DANCE AND SONG AND ALSO VOLUNTEERED SOME SHOWS.THERE I GOT TO MEET MANY BENGALI CELEBRITIES FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS.
THE EXHIBITIONS AND MELAS HELD BY DRISHTI WE SOLD THE CRAFT AND DECORATIVE ITEMS MADE AND COLOURED BY OUR STUDENTS.
We worked hard Day and Night to improve the Teaching Standard and the quality of products developed by the students under our guidence.
These 5 years of DRISHTI taught me So many lessons of life which cannot be counted by numbers. Our Susmita Madam believed in Soul Quality and increasing the speed of work practically.
Numerous Sad and Happy experiences I had there which in total enriched my life. I felt proud to be a member of Such an Institution and after marriage I realised how Practical I have become after 5 years of working.
Every day was a new challenge to face the soulful children.Of them SOME WERE AUTISTIC,SOME DELAYED,SOME WERE OF DOWN SYNDROME,ADHD, BORDERLINE CASE , HYPER ACTIVITY,HEARING DIFFICULTY, SPASTIC PROBLEMS AND MANY MORE.
THE SPECIALITY OF DRISHTI IS TO TOUCH THE SOUL OF THOSE CHILDREN BY HEARTFELT BEHAVIOUR,NOT ONLY MERE MECHANICAL TRAININGS.
THESE 5 YEARS OF MY LIFE IS A COMPACT STUDY OF HUMAN MIND AND THE DIFFICULTIES OR HARDSHIPS,STRUGGLES WE FACE IN DAY TO DAY REALITY.Even my Principal Susmita Madam inspired me lot to cultivate my creativity.
I should end my writing chanting the short prayer We used to say at the time of lunch break at DRISHTI,-
"THANK YOU GOD FOR FOOD WE EAT,
THANK YOU GOD FOR BIRDS THAT SING,
THANK YOU GOD FOR EVERYTHING."
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