When I began this school, I started with a vision of finding passionate people with original thoughts. People who want to be teachers. I did not want to micro-manage them. I wanted them to feel that they had the freedom to work the way they wanted. I wanted it that way because I believe they are important. I as a teacher would have wanted autonomy and faith.
I also wanted this to be reflected in all my dealings with teachers. And hence in the initial phase, my offer letters and consent letters looked something like this.
I was very proud of them. I felt i was standing out of the crowd offering something no one did. Faith and freedom in the form of appointment letters meant a lot to me.
However, I was so wrong!! Instead of making teachers comfortable, it made them skeptical. Many perceived me as a new-kid-on-the-block who was trying to do things the “western” way. And in many ways they were right. I was highly inspired by the work culture of many institutions in the west where the emphasis was on learning and experimenting rather than rule-making. In our hierarchy-obsessed nation I was trying to create a culture of valuing the work rather than the post.
However the skepticism was getting the better of them and I had to frame policies and guidelines. I had to establish credibility and also had to win their faith.
And hence I had to sound formal. And now our offer letters look something like this.
But I could not bear the thought of being so formal forever. So when it came to our teacher diaries and vision sharing of our school, I did it my way. While I could have made long list of rules and processes, I deliberately kept it simple. Like this.
In a small little way I believe I have found a midway between the vision I had and the issues we faced. This art of making compromises between what you visualize and what works is of prime importance for any entrepreneur. Now, not only are our teachers happier to work with us, they even choose to work with us for the freedom and faith we provide! We sure have come a full circle.
21
June
