Despite warnings of a strike and ‘Maoist insurgents’ prowling the rural areas around Nalgonda, TMS had class today after a lengthy break that was due to Bakreid holidays and school closures under black out periods imposed by the Telangana Separatist Movement. It was also Human Rights Day.

Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
• (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
• (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Taken from: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

Class today was tough. At the beginning the boys were rowdier and more listless than they have ever been. When I brought up past ideas for film projects related to human rights with one student, Rahman, his  interest flagged. While talking to Rahman there seemed to be a disconnect that happened when this phrase was brought up as if the student was saying to me, ‘I know more about those two words than you could teach me with a thousand.’  I think there should be a word of caution when assuming that children who go to under privileged schools are more interested in discussing under privileged schools. There is no reason that underprivileged students need declare their rights in order to claim them – in other words, these boys are mature enough to be aware they will have to struggle to achieve many rights others take for granted. They are much more interested in activities that reinforce their humor, their capacity for wonder and creative expression with hands on exercises.

Our lesson progressed and we got into the creative writing assignment. Their interest picked back up.  The boys recorded their short stories on camera. They practiced their interviewing, camera and directing skills. They are both innocent and mischievous- a quality which makes for great story telling. The atmosphere of spontaneity, interest and excitement came rushing back into the classroom.

Today, their creative writing exercise was designed to also practice interview skills. The boys were given a structured short story with blanks to fill in that involved questions and answers. These Q & A’s were designed to teach them the importance of asking ‘how’ and ‘why questions during interviews – questions that pull out more interesting threads of discussion. By the end of the activity their smiles and excitement were overflowing. Even Arshan, a troublemaker of sorts whom I adore, left class with statements of, ‘thank you sir for this opportunity today.’ Their light words replaced the heat of the afternoon.

The boys have chosen to highlight the builders working on the new wing of their school for their video. Thus, for our first short project we are focusing on themes of ‘Building a better life.’ At the individual level the boys’ will have already shared their experience creatively by recording on video short stories that deal with achieving their aims in life. At the community level, the boys plan to conduct interviews tomorrow with builders who are reinforcing this ‘building a better life’ theme at a community level. And lastly, the boys will be interacting with TED Talk videos and other on-line media that concern this theme at the national level.

After today I see it is important for social justice educators to remember that these students are all too aware of human rights issues that our lesson plans would like to preach. Indeed, there is cause for academic discussion of these issues. However, on the ground, at the local and individual level, there is a more immediate demand to celebrate the individual that such declarations try to empower. On this Human Rights Day, against the context of so much political turmoil and economic uncertainty, I can say the boys accomplished just that, waving as we rode away with a casual smile of the student declaring to be no more, and no less than himself.