I have fallen so far behind on posts I start in my head and don't have time to write, or finish. So I'm trying this new form of "quick compose" on Typepad. I'll try and report more as life unfolds here.
Today: Saturday 6 February 2010.
I'll start with last evening when we had meeting with the girls because their school reports they are not paying attention, and not doing as well as they could. I know that and I have a long post about the problem which I haven't finished. Finally people are willing to tell me what is going on, though reluctantly. They don't want to hurt my feelings. As for me, I like facing things head on. If I don't know, I can't begin to fix. But it was a great meeting with the girls. They thought I'd be angry and instead I talked about partnerships in education, and about their futures. it worked, which brings me back to today because the girls came home from school today brimming with happiness. They had surpassed the school's expectations in class today and had been told how happy the teachers were.

"Dance Therapy" started today at 11. It's more of movement therapy, and that went really well. There was movement, music, talk, drawing, meditation -- with the four little ones participating in some of the group. Ganga and Bornali will be a constant in the group, each with a massi who will help them participate. Rani and Sonali will join for warm up at the beginning and stay for as long as they are able to be attentive.

Group ran late; the girls had lunch, and then their Bengali teacher came at 2:15 so they had an afternoon of class, which includes some talk time, reading, drawing, recitation... four hours of structured time, some work and some fun. Meanwhile we were supposed to take the four little ones for a disability evaluation being done as a "camp" but in the end we were able to just put their names in, and be scheduled for the actual evaluation later this week. I took a nap.

The dance teacher, classical dance, came early, but had to wait until after Bengali class. At 6:30 we had prayers (shortened) and then the girls, plus Ganga, went up to class. Ganga does not like to be left out of dance class. A few minutes later some visitors arrived. We talked, and then visited with the little ones, and then sat in on dance class for a while. The visitors just left. I just prepared evening meds for the kids who get them, and now i"m writing.

the girls asked about tv (it's now 8:15) and I said the tv has to be on for the little ones, mostly for Rani, until 9 pm and then they can watch. So they have gone upstairs to dance on their own. Apparently they are feeling dance deprived today. :). I see that two of them are trying to soothe Rani to sleep in hope of getting the tv a bit earlier. Ganga is having her late supper because she was in class.

So this is a normal day. Oh, in the middle of the day i also interviewed someone for a post of education coordinator. I want someone to take over and pull together the whole teaching program.

I have a goal of having this place able to run without me. It has to be that way for all the obvious reasons. Once I really understand what I want and what direction I want, then it's time to give it to someone else to develop and run.

One of these days I'll finish the blog post about education.
Good night from Shishur Sevay.