True to the vision of Aagaaz, we are creating a forum for reflection, dialogue, and learning for our lovely mentors as well. Together, we are exploring notions of working with young people, and its relationship to their idea of self and the world.
We have been talking to our Mentors about their experience of interacting with young adults. They seem to learn a lot about themselves during this journey. Dhwani has shared her feelings and thoughts about the mentoring program and her relationship with her mentee- Muzammil
How has been your relationship with Muzammil as a mentor? It has been very comfortable from the beginning. I remember the first day we met as a mentor and a mentee- it was awkward because none of us knew what to expect from there. But given Muzammil’s God awful jokes and my ability to laugh at anything- I feel both of have found a brilliant rhythm of working with each other.
Have any perspectives emerged in you and Muzammil about a mentorship program like this? From that first meeting in Eatopia, to now, the way that I feel about what this program is has changed. It is no longer a one sided channel- I find myself evolving as a person/facilitator/mentor, with each project that we do together. Who can tell who is the mentor and who is the mentee?
What do you think Muzammil has received from this journey? Maybe ask Muzammil 🙂
What do you think of one-on-one attention? It is definitely more personal and customised according to not just what is required by that particular learner but also at that particular time. For me, it also created this soft sort of friendship which allowed us to be freer with each other and hence much more helpful.
Has the journey taught you something about yourself or in general? If yes, what? Whenever we talk about a relationship where learning is the main agenda, we talk about the lesson plans and the modules and the syllabuses. Sometimes we talk about the profile of the learner. Fewer times we talk about the journey of the teacher. At least in the traditional view of this relationship. While working with Muzammil, at such close quarters, for long stretches of time at once, I was able to see how my journey is directly affecting his learning ability. I was no longer in a session filled with ten people. It was no longer possible to keep a clear distinction between a personal and a professional side. In a good way.
What’s the way forward for your journey with Muzammil? Muzzamil is applying for his college this summer. It is a wait game for now. We have to see which college he gets into, how his needs change, how would he like me to be present. We are beginning work on a new production from July, for which Muzammil is assisting me. So I am looking forward to that too