A Day of Vision and Unity at Joynagar High School

[Adila Karim]

On November 9, 2024, the Grow Your Reader Foundation team held a Dream Building session at Joynagar High School in Gopalganj. This session was an important step for us as we prepared for future Dream Building activities in our community.

We started our day at 10 am and ended the session at 4 pm. Everyone was seated in a circle, creating an inclusive atmosphere. The day began with a welcome activity where everyone introduced themselves.
The main session kicked off with a SALT conversation, which involved all 26 participants, including the head teacher, assistant teacher, SMC members and other staff members. I was pleasantly surprised when both the head teacher and the assistant teacher recalled the significance of the SALT Conversation and shared a brief overview to start the session. This truly motivated me and filled me with hope.

After the SALT conversation, participants reflected on their strengths by sharing and writing them on sticky notes. This activity encouraged active listening and mutual appreciation, creating a positive environment where everyone felt valued. I could feel the energy shift after this activity, and it was heartwarming to see how the simple act of acknowledging each other’s strengths brought smiles and laughter into the room. I had a SALT conversation with Shahnoor Sir, the assistant head teacher. I appreciated him for being empathetic and responsible, and he tagged me as the best multitasker. It was a beautiful moment of mutual respect.
After a short tea break, we moved on to the Dream Building part of the session. The teachers, staff members, and participants split into two groups for dream building "What is your dream for your school in 2035?" The teachers became very thoughtful, diving deep into their visions for the future of the school. They were asked to share their ideas creatively, and the groups presented their dreams through a drawing and a poem. It was truly fun to watch the teachers take on the role of students again, fully immersed in the task. The atmosphere was lively as both groups competed in a friendly manner to present their ideas.

Group 1 presented their vision of the future school beautifully through a drawing. Their dream was to modernize the school with digital technologies, regular in-house teacher’s training while keeping students engaged in outdoor activities like planting trees, establishing student’s club, library, playing sports etc. They will create another field for the female students.

Group 2 presented their vision through a poem, and everyone cheered as they performed with energy and enthusiasm.

The Poem:

Joynagor High School’s Dream 2035
তোরা দেখ, তোরা দেখ, দেখরে চাহিয়া,
কিছু কথা বলছি আমরা শোন মন দিয়া।
তোরা দেখ, তোরা দেখ, দেখরে চাহিয়া,
জয়নগর হাই স্কুলের গল্প বলি শোনরে মন দিয়া।
স্মার্ট স্কুল গড়বো মোরা সবাই মিলিয়া
শিক্ষার্থীরা স্কুলে আসবে আনন্দে নাচিয়া।

বিজ্ঞান শিখবে, গনিত শিখবে, শিখবে নানান ভাষা
বিশ্ব জুড়ে নাম ছড়াবে এটাই মোদের আশা।
শিক্ষার ছলে করবে তারা ডিবেটিং আর খেলা
শিক্ষকরাও থাকবে সেথা সকাল সন্ধ্যাবেলা।

আমাদের স্কুল, আমাদের স্বপ্ন,
স্বপ্ন মোদের একটাই
আধুনিক বলো আর ডিজিতাল বলো,
২০৩৫ এ পূর্ণ হবে স্বপ্ন পুরোটাই।

Look, look, look and see,
We have something to say, so listen carefully.
Look, look, look and see,
Let us tell you the story of Joynagor High School, listen wholeheartedly.

Together, we’ll build a smart school for all,
Where students will come dancing with joy, standing tall.

They’ll learn science, they’ll learn math, and languages too,
Our hope is their names will spread across the world, far and true.

In the guise of learning, they’ll debate and play,
And teachers will be there, morning till end of day.

Our school, our dream,
And that dream is clear,
Modern, digital,
By 2035, it will all be here.

The session was full of teamwork and energy, and the discussions that followed brought common themes to light. These ideas were then combined to create a shared dream for the school, a vision that everyone could stand behind. They also completed a self-assessment using rubric cards to assess their dream.

After lunch, we entered the final phase of the session. Teachers created an action plan with specific steps to achieve their shared vision by 2035. It was inspiring to see how engaged and energized the teachers were as they reflected on their own involvement.
The day ended with an AER session, where everyone shared what went well and what could be improved. The teachers praised Sadia Apu for her excellent facilitation and suggested that future sessions should involve students as well, to include their perspectives in the dream-building process of the school.

Overall, the session was a truly valuable learning experience. It showed how effective SALT facilitation can inspire a group and highlighted the strong motivation and dedication of the teaching staff and school staff members. Their enthusiasm and commitment to shaping the future of their school created a hopeful and inspiring atmosphere. It left me with lots of hope in my heart.

[Manira khanam]

I noticed the magical effect of Satyendranath Dutta’s  rhyme in the dream poem. There is a lot of harmony in the poem. 

[Adila Karim]

Thank alot, Rituu. I wish you could attend this with us and be a part of it. :)

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Thanks for the detailed documentation Adila. The dream is so beautiful and inspiring!