Why Teaching in India?

With scenes that range from monsoon forests to the Himalayas to flat plains and awe-inspiring temples, it is difficult to make a generalization about this diverse sub-continent. India fosters a way of life unlike anything we are used to in the West. Even the most mundane tasks, such as eating dinner or taking a rickshaw across town, become an adventure amid bustling streets full of oxen driven carts and goat herders. Come to India and sample spicy dishes presented on a banana leaf instead of a plate; silverware is optional. Escape for the weekend to catch a glimpse of wild elephants in Thekkady; cruise the backwaters of Kerala on a houseboat with other volunteers; barter for fabric in Madurai; and relax on the beaches in Podicherry. The sights, sounds and smells that assault the senses in any Indian town must be experienced to be believed.

Our teaching placements are scattered all over the states of Tamil Nadu. Our office is located nearby in Sivakasi, a town famous for firework factories-at least 300 factories are located in this small town. Sivakasi is also known for its printing presses –the largest outside of Germany—and production of safety matches. The town has a history that reaches back more than 600 years and contributes to 80 percent of India’s total safety match production, 90 percent of India’s total firework production and 60 percent of India’s total offset printing solutions.

Volunteering in India?

Despite the fact that English is one of the official languages of India, the standard of conversational English in school is usually very poor. The children are taught grammar from a young age and, as a result, often have a better understanding of it than many native-speakers. However, they rarely have the opportunity to develop and improve their speaking and listening skills, so Projects Abroad volunteers have an important job to do.
English is growing in popularity and importance due to foreign investments, continuous economic growth, the need for further education in the IT sector specifically, and all other general outsourcing and international employment opportunities. Indians who speak English well are vastly more desirable when applying to various jobs, and so the practical skills you help the children to develop will benefit them for years to come.

There is a shortage of teachers in this area, and the demand for quality education from native-language speakers always outweighs the supply, so your contribution in this placement is especially valuable to the local community. The schools are also happy to have volunteers who are keen to teach other subjects and if you do some cricket coaching or know lots about Western music, you'll be the most popular person in town.

Why do voluntary Teaching?

Voluntary teaching is beneficial to everyone involved. Firstly, it provides our volunteers with the opportunity to work in an environment culturally different from their own. This provides volunteers with an experience that is unique to India and they will return home with a far greater understanding of the way in which millions of the world's population think and act. They will more importantly have an understanding and appreciation for Indian youth culture and during their teaching classes will gain an insight into the way in which their students think, live and interact. Teaching will ultimately equip them with fuller and better cross-cultural understanding.

Secondly, our volunteers are providing an important skill for the students they teach, that of conversational English. Having a native English speaker is a massive advantage and very helpful to the schools in which they teach. Both students and staff members alike wholly appreciate the language skills and enthusiasm our teaching volunteers bring to their classes. The students also use the opportunity of having a foreign teacher to learn about the customs and practices of the West.

We hope our teaching programme will provide an opportunity for two different cultures to learn from one another. In the 21st Century the importance of greater cultural and linguistic exchange cannot be underestimated. We hope to provide new language skills for the students in the schools in which we place volunteers and also for the volunteers themselves to learn and gain knowledge from the classes in which they teach.