What a busy day today has been! We have been at the biggest of the private schools in Kolkata, La Martiniere, who let us use one of their halls to do our training with the Cathedral Relief Service schools. Mrs M and I led a session about teaching the children about parts of the body and we used songs and games and matching activities. The Indian teachers came to each activity in the room in groups of about eight and we did our activity for six different groups. All the teachers joined in and wrote down everything we did so that they can do it with their children when they get back to all the different schools. They especially liked all the songs and one lady even made me sing them all again at the end so that she could record them onto her phone! They shared the rhymes they do with their children too and you can see some of them in our photographs- can you spot the beautiful Bengali writing?
After lunch we taught the Indian teachers a song that we are going to work on with the children in the schools so that they can all sing it together at our festival event on Saturday.
Then we had some time to sit with the teachers from Hastings to do some planning for the lessons we are going to do with the children tomorrow. That was really tricky because neither of the Hastings teachers speak English and even with a translator it was hard work. We think we know what we’re teaching tomorrow but we’ll have to wait and see whether our plan works!
On the way back to the hotel we went to see the house where Mother Theresa lived when she was a nun in Kolkata and where lots of other nuns, the Sisters of Mercy, still live. It’s a very calm and peaceful spot in the middle of all this chaos and noise and one of our favourite places to sit and have a few minutes to be still and quiet. We are only here for a few days and do what we can to be helpful to the Hastings children and their teachers but Mother Theresa spent her whole adult life here working with the very poorest people… she must have been quite an amazing lady.
All the English teachers went out for dinner together and then Mrs M and I came upstairs to finish getting together all the things we are taking to Hastings. It was lovely to hear all of you when we called- we miss you lots!
Further adventures in India... 
Hello Miss Gill and Mrs Maynard. What have you had for tea tonight? Love Lucas
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Hi Lucas 😁 we had some very nice vegetable dishes and we shared a huge garlic naan bread- yum! What about you? xx
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Hello Miss Gill, Nicholas here! I hope you’re having a rewarding time. How are the children in Kolkata? Do they have cheese and milk there? Do they have tuk tuks there? I hope you all have a nice time x
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Good morning Nicholas, we’re just getting up to go and see the children today so we’ll let you know later how they are and all the things we did with them. There is certainly milk and cheese here, although the milk is much sweeter than milk we drink at home. There are lots and lots of tuk tuks- I’ll try and take some more pictures of the streets on the way to school this morning. See you soon xx
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Hi Miss Gill and Mrs Maynard, I hope your having fun. I have done some good writing today, you will be able to see when you get back. I have just got back from rainbows and now getting ready for bed. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your blog! Night night love from Caitlyn 🙂🥰😴
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Hi Caitlin, well done with the writing- I shall look forward to reading it and I hope you’re all looking after Mrs Fletcher while I’m away? We’re just getting up now and going to find some breakfast before we go to school. See you soon, xx
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Hello Miss Gill and Mrs M, what are going to do tonight? What’s its like where you stay? Love Lilly Russell xx
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Good morning Lily, we went out for dinner last night to a restaurant just down the road from our hotel and then we came back to get things ready for our lessons today. The hotel is nice and definitely smarter than when we were last here. Our rooms are on the third floor and at the back of the building which means they are a bit quieter which is nice, although I am missing being able to hear the call to prayer from the mosque which wakes you up in the morning if your room is at the front. xx
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Hello Miss Gill and Mrs M , lovely pictures me and my sister like the songs and the place looks lovely so I hope you have a good time with the Hastings children love Ellie xx
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Hello from Collective Worship,
We have loved reading your blog this morning and finding out about all the things you are doing. Nancy would like to know if the food has been spicy and Alex would like to know how hot it is? We hope you are having a lovely day with the Hastings children – we send our love. We are going to sing now! Love South Darley x
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Hi all
The food is quite spicy but very tasty and we are sticking to vegetarian food to minimise the risk of getting ill.
I’m probably not the person to ask about being hot!! So I would say it was just about ok- pleasantly arm. It’s not very sunny though because there is a lot of smog in Kolkata.
Lovely to hear from some upper juniors at last!! Xx
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Hi Miss Gill & Mrs M, Pizza at South Darley for lunch today!
What are you having for lunch today?
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Hi Miss Bent
We were actually in school at 12 noon so we didn’t think about eating until 1.30pm. We had been given some packed lunch to eat but we gave them away to some of the women who were around with their babies. They looked very hungry and we’re grateful for some extra food. X
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Hello from Mr Pass’ class,
We have enjoyed looking at the different pictures and reading about your exciting lessons. Emmy would like to know what time it is over there? It is currently 1.25pm in England. Joseph would like to know if you have lunch at the same time as we do at school? Finally, Olivia would like to know if the Hastings children have a school uniform and school dinners? We all hope you are having an amazing time and look forward to reading more. From Year 3 and 4 x
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Hi Mr Pass and the Y3/4
Olivia you will have your question about uniform answered when you look at the photos! They didn’t get school dinners as
they go home after school in the morning.
It is easy to work out the time in Kolkata – look at your time and turn it up side down. So 1.25 with you would be 6.55 with us.- clever stuff!!
Thank you for your questions – keep them coming!!
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Hello Miss Gill and Mrs M how are you feeling today ?After all the singing hope you have not lost your voices. Have you both been teaching the children today are there more children?Please say hello to the children from us looking forward to hearing more stories.
Love the infants xxx
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Hi Mrs Fletcher and Infants,
We are in good spirits as we have been with Hastings children today and you can read about it all in the blog. We have done lots of singing today which they all love.
Love reading all your questions, we’ll done!
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Hi
I love all the photos
Olivia
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Thank you, we’re enjoying taking them and sending them to you! ❤️
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