Kara, studying Human development and Anthropology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, came to India out of a longstanding curiosity with the country: “I’m fascinated by how Indians combine the heritage of their culture with the tasks of modernity, and how they can maintain their identity while steadily growing into the role of a world economic power. When a family member of mine moved to Bangalore, and I found this internship, the time seemed right to pack my bags and go.”
Working as a teacher’s assistant at a school for children with autism, Kara has an important role in her classroom: “I start my days off by helping the kids get settled in their classrooms, which often takes a while. We then do activities like writing, reading stories and identifying words and pictures; I basically assist wherever help is needed. I also help the kids eat their snacks at lunchtime, which can be more trying than it sounds.” The work can indeed be intense, as most of the kids have issues concentrating, but still have to be taught how to write, read, or even peel a banana. To manage a class of only four kids, Kara has to team up with two teachers.
Kara was quite surprised at first to see how well the kids were taken care of in the school. “On the whole, India has a very interesting approach to mental health. They’re very holistic, and they combine modern research with more traditional treatment, such as yoga, dance and horticulture, which we also practice with the kids. One of the ways I can be of help is through the fresh look I’ve got on a lot of the routine that goes on. During my time here, for example, I’m trying to introduce some more empirically based treatments and activities into the daily schedule of these kids. Also, despite the trying challenge of teaching them, I manage to keep my calm pretty well, which helps both the kids and the teachers.”
Assisting the teacher and the other assistant to get the four kids to sit down for their reading class – a feat taking several minutes – Kara explains: “The work is very rewarding, but also very intense: at the end of my day, I’m physically and mentally exhausted. Still, it is worth it: I’m getting a lot of hands-on experience with children with autism as well as the different ways they can be treated. You really have to cater to each kid, and adjust to their needs in accordance to the severity of their condition. It is a great learning experience.” In her effort to teach these kids, Kara goes on, it is vital to have a good team: “The kids tend to run everywhere, but the primary special educators are amazing with them. They are very understanding, and very well educated. Also, they were very kind to me when I got involved in a new class, helping me figure out how to work with each kid individually, explaining their level of education, and their temper.”
While in India, Kara is trying to make the most of her life outside the classroom as well, traveling to Mumbai and Goa, as well as seeing many of the sights within Bangalore: “I’ve seen all of the city’s malls, but I also loved the many temples around the city. They’re really captivating, although it’s a bit challenging being an obvious American walking around a sacred place for Hindus. Still, the spiritual atmosphere is amazing.” Looking at the future, Kara is quite sure she’d like to come to India again. “This internship really helps me focus on what I want to do as a career. It was a great experience, and it taught me to be very attentive and sensitive to kids whose brains function completely different than my own. Because of that, I’d love to return to India and I’d happily volunteer here again.”
To apply for this project, please email info@leaveurmark.com.
