There are two activities that I have been engaging in recently: cooking and working on the new school I am building. Every time I cook and try to salvage a dish, I have so many thoughts going in my head related to school building. Just putting some of them together: would love to hear some reflections from you!
1. Preserve the flavor of every ingredient in the pasta
It is tempting to add numerous ingredients into the pasta. Red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, different herbs and spices, cheese, flour and so forth. It is however, important to keep in mind that no matter how much you would like all the flavours to infuse and add to that one taste of your pasta, it is best to let the tomato taste like tomato. A school is often a community of very different people. It is the diversity of every teacher and student, and the skill that they bring that adds to the distinctness of the school. As much as a school leader would like to be fair and treat everyone the same way, it might not be possible. A school leader must make space for differences. Also when a teacher or student is allowed to blossom in his or her uniqueness will the person grow in his or her truest form and be more comfortable achieving what is set out for them. Like Surya Pratap Deka says, we need to respect the plurality of every child.
2. Check the core of the cake or the base of the pizza
A cake might look done from the outside and a pizza might be ready from the top however its only until you check the core of the cake do you realize it is yet uncooked or that base of the pizza is burnt! Things might not be as they seem. A school leader needs to check the core of the school- systems need to be put in place to listen to every teacher, every student and every parent. No formal systems might be necessary- just a walk out of the office during class hours and break times to speak to children and really listen is worthwhile. Asking a child in a class how he or she has solved a sum can show if what the school has planned at the top reaches the child in the way it has been envisioned. Kiran Bir Sethi uses her kids’ feedback as an extremely important tool for the design of her school.
3. Use the vinegar if the lime is not enough
It takes a lot of expertise and research to use vinegar in a dish. Its strong taste can make or break the dish. It is easier to use lime. One can never go wrong with it. Sometimes, however, the dish needs vinegar no matter how potentially harsh it might be. Similarly, it is tough to be a little strong with stakeholders- it is simpler to use sweeter words and means. However, sometimes, it is not enough- our kids’ learning time is limited and if a teacher needs to be told a little strongly that she needs to change her ways, it needs to be done. While talking to one of the school leaders of Success Prep in New Orleans, the school leader told me that they ask teachers to leave if the teacher is not making a meaningful difference in children’s learning. It is hard, he said, but the teacher who was asked to leave felt grateful for it, as he knew he should have left long ago, but didn’t have the courage to take the step. The school leader, actually, helped him.
4. See the recipe book or call out to your mum
When you don’t know what they mean when the onion has to turn golden brown- call your mum. She knows. And she will tell you that the onion is far from turning golden brown- it’s burnt! It always helps to have someone tell you what to do when you really do not know. That’s why we have school coaches, team members and friends. It is ok to ask.
5. Stick to the plan
When the omelette sticks to the pan, it is tempting to stir it vigorously and change it to scrambled eggs- and tell everyone that you changed your mind about making an omelette. It then does not taste like an omelette nor does it taste like scrambled eggs. It is also tempting to change course- a curriculum, pedagogy or a plan mid way because of the uncertainty of what the end product is going to look like. It is tough to wait for 5 years to see if what we did or are doing is right- what if it is wrong? I am not against reflection and course correction, but sometimes it is necessary to keep the faith. Adequate research and the best of execution will bring out the best results, even if it takes time. Mr Rohit Dhankar, Founder of Digantar- India, says that it is best to look out for best practices and learn continuously, as innovations take place every day. But it is imperative that one stops after one truly believes one has found the way and then make sure to pursue that path diligently.
6. Check each ingredient before it goes into the pan
Only after the salad is ready sometimes, I realize that the cucumber was bitter. And then I need to add some lime to deaden the bitterness, and more cucumber to balance it or then add vinegar. The salad remains bitter. A less bitter, but bitter nonetheless. You get the drift? Every person who joins the team is important. Settle only for the best. Every process, training programme and method is important- choose it with care.
7. Tea leaves give out the flavor only when in hot water
Along with the flavor, they also give out a beautiful colour and fragrance. Some people surprise us with their true potential only in times of crisis. Some people show tremendous grace under pressure. The best way to bring out the best in people could be to invest in them a huge responsibility that even they might think they are incapable of carrying out- it will bring out wonderful surprises. Like Purvi Vora’s teachers creating the curriculum that was then implemented in several schools of the foundation.
8. Pickles take time but then add that amazing zing to the meal
It is an effort to make pickles- cut the raw mango or beet, put some salt, some other spice, make sure it is good- even then for some time, the raw mango or beet will be insipid. And then you doubt if the salt was right or was the spice too less. But one day when you taste it, you will know that it turned out amazing. It is the only thing you need to finish an entire bowl of rice! Some members on the team take time to gel with others and even with you. Let them take their time- as they are going to blossom soon. Similarly, with children- once they bloom, oh, there is no stopping them!
9. Some things are best eaten cold or a day later
You will burn your tongue if you sip the coffee or bite into that red hot sandwich. Molten chocolate cake fresh out of the oven is just a name- it needs to cool slightly before being eaten. When things go wrong and someone has goofed up, the issues need to be resolved some time later. When emotions are flying and tempers are flaring is not the best time to make decisions. Let things cool- it clears things a bit. Reaction is different from response.
10. You need to toss, turn, press, check, stir, chop and serve
Despite everything right in the pan- the cook has to do the cooking. She cannot go watch TV or take a nap. The cook needs to stand there, by the pan, watching, smelling, and checking to see if everything is going on smoothly. To increase the flame or decrease it, to stir and shake things up a bit. The school leader has to take initiative, lead and get things done.
11. Check the water
Water washes of the spices, cools the temperature of the dish and generally does what water does- waters things down. It might not harm to add a little water to the soup to feed more people, but after a point, the soup might not remain soup. As much as quantity is important, one needs to keep an eye on quality. In a country like India, of course we need a hundred schools- but not at the cost of the quality of impact.
12. Keep calm
The greatest chefs suggest that one needs to keep calm when the dish is not going right. Panic will add to errors in judgment and the dish is sure to fail. Most often cooks give up cooking when they begin to panic. Similar to points 5, 8 and 9- calmness helps.
13. Add the secret ingredient
In India it is rumoured that every mother, every wife and also every great chef uses that one special ingredient in the dish- it is called love. It is considered more important than salt. If there is no love in what one is doing, the ‘school’ is sure to not have any flavor.
(First written for Synergies- Teach For All)
1. Preserve the flavor of every ingredient in the pasta
It is tempting to add numerous ingredients into the pasta. Red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, different herbs and spices, cheese, flour and so forth. It is however, important to keep in mind that no matter how much you would like all the flavours to infuse and add to that one taste of your pasta, it is best to let the tomato taste like tomato. A school is often a community of very different people. It is the diversity of every teacher and student, and the skill that they bring that adds to the distinctness of the school. As much as a school leader would like to be fair and treat everyone the same way, it might not be possible. A school leader must make space for differences. Also when a teacher or student is allowed to blossom in his or her uniqueness will the person grow in his or her truest form and be more comfortable achieving what is set out for them. Like Surya Pratap Deka says, we need to respect the plurality of every child.
2. Check the core of the cake or the base of the pizza
A cake might look done from the outside and a pizza might be ready from the top however its only until you check the core of the cake do you realize it is yet uncooked or that base of the pizza is burnt! Things might not be as they seem. A school leader needs to check the core of the school- systems need to be put in place to listen to every teacher, every student and every parent. No formal systems might be necessary- just a walk out of the office during class hours and break times to speak to children and really listen is worthwhile. Asking a child in a class how he or she has solved a sum can show if what the school has planned at the top reaches the child in the way it has been envisioned. Kiran Bir Sethi uses her kids’ feedback as an extremely important tool for the design of her school.
3. Use the vinegar if the lime is not enough
It takes a lot of expertise and research to use vinegar in a dish. Its strong taste can make or break the dish. It is easier to use lime. One can never go wrong with it. Sometimes, however, the dish needs vinegar no matter how potentially harsh it might be. Similarly, it is tough to be a little strong with stakeholders- it is simpler to use sweeter words and means. However, sometimes, it is not enough- our kids’ learning time is limited and if a teacher needs to be told a little strongly that she needs to change her ways, it needs to be done. While talking to one of the school leaders of Success Prep in New Orleans, the school leader told me that they ask teachers to leave if the teacher is not making a meaningful difference in children’s learning. It is hard, he said, but the teacher who was asked to leave felt grateful for it, as he knew he should have left long ago, but didn’t have the courage to take the step. The school leader, actually, helped him.
4. See the recipe book or call out to your mum
When you don’t know what they mean when the onion has to turn golden brown- call your mum. She knows. And she will tell you that the onion is far from turning golden brown- it’s burnt! It always helps to have someone tell you what to do when you really do not know. That’s why we have school coaches, team members and friends. It is ok to ask.
5. Stick to the plan
When the omelette sticks to the pan, it is tempting to stir it vigorously and change it to scrambled eggs- and tell everyone that you changed your mind about making an omelette. It then does not taste like an omelette nor does it taste like scrambled eggs. It is also tempting to change course- a curriculum, pedagogy or a plan mid way because of the uncertainty of what the end product is going to look like. It is tough to wait for 5 years to see if what we did or are doing is right- what if it is wrong? I am not against reflection and course correction, but sometimes it is necessary to keep the faith. Adequate research and the best of execution will bring out the best results, even if it takes time. Mr Rohit Dhankar, Founder of Digantar- India, says that it is best to look out for best practices and learn continuously, as innovations take place every day. But it is imperative that one stops after one truly believes one has found the way and then make sure to pursue that path diligently.
6. Check each ingredient before it goes into the pan
Only after the salad is ready sometimes, I realize that the cucumber was bitter. And then I need to add some lime to deaden the bitterness, and more cucumber to balance it or then add vinegar. The salad remains bitter. A less bitter, but bitter nonetheless. You get the drift? Every person who joins the team is important. Settle only for the best. Every process, training programme and method is important- choose it with care.
7. Tea leaves give out the flavor only when in hot water
Along with the flavor, they also give out a beautiful colour and fragrance. Some people surprise us with their true potential only in times of crisis. Some people show tremendous grace under pressure. The best way to bring out the best in people could be to invest in them a huge responsibility that even they might think they are incapable of carrying out- it will bring out wonderful surprises. Like Purvi Vora’s teachers creating the curriculum that was then implemented in several schools of the foundation.
8. Pickles take time but then add that amazing zing to the meal
It is an effort to make pickles- cut the raw mango or beet, put some salt, some other spice, make sure it is good- even then for some time, the raw mango or beet will be insipid. And then you doubt if the salt was right or was the spice too less. But one day when you taste it, you will know that it turned out amazing. It is the only thing you need to finish an entire bowl of rice! Some members on the team take time to gel with others and even with you. Let them take their time- as they are going to blossom soon. Similarly, with children- once they bloom, oh, there is no stopping them!
9. Some things are best eaten cold or a day later
You will burn your tongue if you sip the coffee or bite into that red hot sandwich. Molten chocolate cake fresh out of the oven is just a name- it needs to cool slightly before being eaten. When things go wrong and someone has goofed up, the issues need to be resolved some time later. When emotions are flying and tempers are flaring is not the best time to make decisions. Let things cool- it clears things a bit. Reaction is different from response.
10. You need to toss, turn, press, check, stir, chop and serve
Despite everything right in the pan- the cook has to do the cooking. She cannot go watch TV or take a nap. The cook needs to stand there, by the pan, watching, smelling, and checking to see if everything is going on smoothly. To increase the flame or decrease it, to stir and shake things up a bit. The school leader has to take initiative, lead and get things done.
11. Check the water
Water washes of the spices, cools the temperature of the dish and generally does what water does- waters things down. It might not harm to add a little water to the soup to feed more people, but after a point, the soup might not remain soup. As much as quantity is important, one needs to keep an eye on quality. In a country like India, of course we need a hundred schools- but not at the cost of the quality of impact.
12. Keep calm
The greatest chefs suggest that one needs to keep calm when the dish is not going right. Panic will add to errors in judgment and the dish is sure to fail. Most often cooks give up cooking when they begin to panic. Similar to points 5, 8 and 9- calmness helps.
13. Add the secret ingredient
In India it is rumoured that every mother, every wife and also every great chef uses that one special ingredient in the dish- it is called love. It is considered more important than salt. If there is no love in what one is doing, the ‘school’ is sure to not have any flavor.
(First written for Synergies- Teach For All)
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