By Gunacuda Dasi
Sri Mayapur International School has over 220 students from vaisnava families. Our students and teachers come from all over the world .At present, we have 17 full time teachers from which 7 are second generation devotees.
This year, four new teachers have joined us who grew up in ISKCON.
Sundari dasi teaches English as a Second Language (ESOL) students in the Primary school. She has a B.A in English as Second Language Studies and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education. When asked to write about why she wanted to teach in Sri Mayapur International School, Sundari wrote the following:
First of all I would like to say I feel very blessed and even unworthy at times for being given such an opportunity to develop my career path alongside sadhu sanga, and sadhana. Thank you Srila Prabhupada for all your mercy! You are , and always will be, my spiritual father and the perfect role model.
In 2009, I first came to Mayapur and was captivated and enthralled by the vastness of our Lordships and by Mayapur itself. From Sri Sri Radha Madhava and Panca Tattva deities, to the huge community and the sweetness of the gurukula children attending the morning program. When seeing the young girls wearing matching gopi-dresses who were sitting sewing in the temple room, my heart was sold . I said that I must come back here. I was inspired by such a seemingly strong community, whereas myself, I came from a very isolated place; Hawaii. In Hawaii I grew up in public schooling without the association of devotees apart from my siblings and mother. So Mayapur was like a spiritual haven, devotees were everywhere!
Another deciding factor was at this point in my University (as I was two years into my Bachelors) I had just come to realize that teaching was the career for me. I noticed also how diverse the language community was in Mayapur and this was a deciding factor in changing my major at my University to better serve devotees. So I enrolled in the Second Language Studies program to learn how acquisition of language occurs.
Nila Madhava dasi currently teaches needlework to the middle school girls and her husband , Hari Kirtan das, teaches sastra and bicycle maintenance to the middle school boys. Here , Nila writes about her motivation to teach at Sri Mayapur International School.
To me, working with the Sri Mayapur International School (SMIS) has been a natural progression. My parents Pancharatna and Atitaguna so kindly brought me to Mayapur when I was four years old. I spent most of my childhood here with my brother and sisters and experienced a whole array of schooling styles. Most of the time I attended the precursor to the SMIS, which went through many different facilities, principals, names and quality of education. Sometimes I was home schooled by my mother because of the lack of teachers or reliable education. Nonetheless, I remember the principals, teachers and parents who ran the school always trying to improve the school for the sake of the children.
When I was 12 years old, I left Mayapur to go to the Vaishnava Academy for Girls in Alachua .
Upon graduation, I studied at the University of Florida and during my study there I applied for a scholarship to learn Bengali in Calcutta, and of course visit Mayapur again. I was impressed to see how much the schools in Mayapur had improved, with three different institutions (the National School,
International School and Gurukul) with three kinds of education offered in a professional way. I was especially impressed by the students of the SMIS sitting for Bhakti sastri andCambridge exams and passing with high marks and honors.
Six years later, after completing my Bachelors Degree in Religion and having two lovely children, my husband and I decided to raise our children in Mayapur. Whereas I had left because of inadequate schools, I am returning for the great schools we have now. Even though I have a little one year old to take care of, I squeeze in the time to give back to the SMIS and teach needlework to the 7th, 8th and 9th grade girls. My class is only twice a week, but I get a chance to watch these girls grow into intelligent, charming Krishna Conscious ladies.
I am so happy that they have a chance to spend their formative years in the holy dham as well as receive a first class education. However, we do need help. I also volunteer with the SMIS Parents’ Association where we hold lots of fund raising events to get more facilities for the school. Please contact our website to learn more about us and help! Every little bit counts especially here in India.
One of the favourite subjects of our students is Physical Education. Sri Jahnavi devi dasi joined us this year to teach Primary school and senior girls’ Physical Education after completing a 4 year degree in Sport. She writes:
I saw at Sri Mayapur International School the opportunity to directly serve the devotees, ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada, and at the same time use the professional knowledge acquired during the 4 years of my graduation.
I grew up in a rural community called New Vraja Dhama, and studied up to the primary school in a devotional school called Escola Prabhupada. For that I value very much the base of Vaishnava education.
I am a disciple of H.H. Hridayananda Goswami (1ª Initiation-2005, 2ª initiation -2009), I finished the Bhakti Shastri course in 2008, under the guidance of H. H. Dhanvantari Swami, at Hare Krishna Seminar of Philosophy and Theology in Campina Grande-Brazil. I was working as part of one group in Youth´s Secretariat (ISKCON-Brazil), especially in performing long duration kirtans.
We are grateful to have such dedicated teachers who are serving the younger generation. If you are interested in serving in Sri Mayapur International School and have experience of teaching mixed ability classes , please email your C.V to the Principal, gunacuda@yahoo.com