Kolkata overwhelms US teachers

KOLKATA: A visit to the city turned out to be a revelation for a team of 16 secondary and higher secondary teachers from the US.
The seven-day trip is part of a one-month-long programme organised for better understanding of Indian culture under the aegis of the Fullbright-Hays Seminars Abroad programme administered by the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI).
"We were prepared for the worst after having heard horror stories about poverty and sufferings of people residing here. But our visit has exposes how ignorant we Americans are about Indian cultures and lifestyle," admitted John Boyer, a geography professor from Virginia.
Apart from visiting the St. Paul''s Cathedral, Victoria Memorial, Jorasanko Thakurbari, Kalighat temple, Swabhumi and Kumartuli, the teachers also participated in an interactive session with senior teachers and administrators of Birla High School (for boys).
The informal meeting with around 35 teachers of BHS was a remarkable experience for most of them. Amid several similarities, they came across striking differences in the methods of teaching in the two countries.
"We have a big controversy about prayers in school back home. We have a lot to learn about the religious tolerance in schools from our counterparts here," said 53-year-old history professor Tyra Beniot, who was impressed by the sheer number of women in the teaching profession.
"Art as a subject is beautifully connected to history and religion in India, unlike in our system," said art teacher from Miami, Maribel Toledo, who went to the art class in Birla High Girls School along with two others.
"India''s imperial past, its modern present and the migration of diverse traditions are reflected so prominently in this vibrant atmosphere," said Simon Davis, a history professor from New York.
The team, which is in the city after touring Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Khajuraho and Agra, were overwhelmed by the warmth and of the people here.
"It was after a casual conversation with a student that I realised that we agree on so many things. We had similar opinions about the Bush administration for instance," said high school teacher from Washington DC Tina Thuermar, who was excited about her visit to College Street to buy books.