Building Bonds in Pahariapara Agamir School Team

[Md. Shadman Islam]

Personal Reflection of Mymenshingh Visit

Date: June 17 - 24, 2025

Background

The foundation of Pahariapara Agamir School in Roghunathpur village, Mymensingh, stands as a testament to the transformative power of the CLCP SALT approach. When Salim, a local resident, reached out to the Grow Your Reader Foundation (GYRF) seeking to build a primary school for his village, we discovered the urgent need: children were walking three kilometers on muddy roads to reach distant schools, causing many to start late or drop out entirely.

Instead of raising funds to build a school for the community, the SALT approach helped villagers recognize their own strengths and take ownership. Through SALT conversations, they embraced building with traditional mud techniques, combining sustainability with cultural pride. Led by 80-year-old master builder Gafur Chacha and supported by land donated by a local family, the community co-created the school’s design with architectural firm PERCEIVED and provided materials like mud, wood, and bamboo. This deep involvement reduced costs by 60% and strengthened community unity. This process has not only led to the creation of a school but has also instilled pride and self-belief in a community that once felt overlooked. As Salim Bhai deliberately shared:

“I have lived in this village since my childhood. People often neglect us because they assume that village folk are useless and incapable of doing anything. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to GYRF for encouraging us through powerful SALT conversations to unite and helping us believe that people can accomplish anything if they believe in themselves.”

Given this remarkable transformation, we aim to implement the SALT approach within the school itself as a foundational part of the school culture. Our goal is for teachers to act as SALT facilitators, fostering a supportive and appreciative environment that strengthens relationships, empowers students, parents and other community members.

Pahariapara Agamir School officially began its journey just one week ago. For facilitating the school operation and teacher training, I had the opportunity to spend the first week on-site, supporting the team and witnessing the earliest steps of building a learning culture from the ground up. The school is still in its beginning phase, but the energy, dedication, and adaptability shown by the teachers in this first week have been truly inspiring. During this time, we had two individual SALT conversations where we shared one of our proud moments and appreciated the other person. Farhad bhai also joined in one of these two conversations. He has been one of many key figures in the journey of building this school, always showing up with immense ownership of working for the school.

Before I returned from my visit, I invited the three teachers to do a SALT Conversation - a moment of collective reflection to pause and celebrate the start of something new. The purpose was simple but powerful: to recognize each other’s contributions, uncover strengths, and leave with a sense of ownership and unity.

1) What did I observe during the SALT Conversation?

What I observed during this SALT Conversation was a genuine and heartfelt exchange. Each one of us shared one proud moment from the last seven days - our very first week in this new school. The stories we shared were full of personal growth, small victories, and meaningful interactions with students and colleagues. Whether it was managing a challenging moment, creating a successful lesson, or seeing a child respond positively, each proud moment reflected a sense of purpose and care.

After each story, the other three participants took turns identifying the strengths they saw in that person and offering words of appreciation. These were not generic compliments - they were thoughtful, specific, and rooted in real experiences. I saw eyes light up, shoulders relax, and smiles widen as each person received appreciation from their peers. The atmosphere became noticeably warmer and more connected.

1.1) What did I learn from the experience?

This experience reaffirmed for me how powerful and necessary acknowledgement and reflection are in the early stages of team building. In a setting as fresh and uncertain as a new school, taking time to intentionally highlight what is going well can provide grounding, clarity, and motivation.

I learned that appreciation does more than boost morale - it validates effort, strengthens identity, and builds trust. When team members hear others name their strengths aloud, it helps them see their own value more clearly. I also saw how SALT can create space for peer-to-peer empowerment, allowing each person to feel seen and valued beyond their tasks or responsibilities.

2) What was my experience facilitating the SALT Conversation with the team?

Facilitating the SALT Conversation with my team at Pahariapara Agamir School was both humbling and energizing. This moment of shared reflection allowed me to step back and simply listen - listen to the heart of the work and the people behind it.

I was moved by how openly each teacher shared, even though we had only been working together for a short time. It felt like the session deepened our bond as a team. I also appreciated the quiet leadership shown by each teacher - not through titles or authority, but through their willingness to acknowledge and uplift one another.

Facilitating SALT in such a small, intimate team reminded me that culture is built in small moments. Even with just four people in the room, the sense of connection, purpose, ownership and shared mission grew tangibly stronger.

2.1) What did I learn from the experience?

I had a perspective that the involvement of a higher number of people is required for an impactful SALT conversation. After going through this experience, I realized that SALT doesn’t require a large audience to be impactful. Even in a team of four, it created ripples of motivation and positivity. I also learned that teachers, when given the chance to reflect together, don’t just see their own growth - they begin to feel like part of a collective story, one where everyone’s contributions matter.

Perhaps the most important takeaway was how energizing this process was. After the session, everyone expressed that they felt refreshed and excited to do even better in the coming weeks - not out of obligation, but because they wanted to create more proud moments and hear more appreciation. That mindset shift is the kind of internal motivation that no training or manual can produce - it grows from within, through connection.

3) How can the SALT approach support new school teams in their growth and wellbeing?

For new school teams like ours, the SALT approach is a grounding and energizing tool. It creates an environment where people feel seen for who they are and acknowledged for what they contribute. In the early stages of a school’s life, when so much is uncertain and evolving, SALT helps teams build a foundation of trust, positivity, and reflection.

It encourages a mindset of learning from each other, supporting each other, and appreciating the small wins that build toward long-term impact. When teachers feel emotionally connected to one another and aligned in their purpose, their resilience grows - and so does their collective capacity to serve students with care and consistency.

SALT also plants the seeds for a sustainable school culture - one that values people, promotes emotional wellbeing, and keeps purpose at the center. In just one week, I saw this approach begin to shape not only how we talk but how we think and work together. I am excited to continue using SALT as a cultural anchor for our school’s journey ahead.

[Md. Shadman Islam]

Thank you Sadia Apu for your guidance and support by giving me the opportunity to learn by listening to the team and other stakeholders. This is the magic of shared dream and vision!

[Sadia Jafrin]

Shadman, you and your team are doing amazing — and it fills my heart with so much joy! Seeing this finally happening, after all the waiting and dreaming, honestly brings tears to my eyes. You are working so hard for this, and I can’t express how proud and genuinely happy I am for you all. This is just the beginning.

[Md. Shadman Islam]

Thank you Razin bhai for your inspiring thoughts which will be driving the team's motivation even farther. It would be great to see the Jessore team placing this in practice to build the the culture with the SALT mindset. Would love to learn from there as well. Really excited to witness more transformative stories.

Would love to have some knowledge-sharing spaces where both team can exchange the learning and experiences to grow a better culture where we listen and appreciate with heart.

[Razin Mahmud Khan]

This beautiful reflection on the journey of "Pahariapara Agamir School" deeply motivated us more. It reminds us that change doesn't always require large donations or outside help. Rather, sometimes it begins with trust and the courage to believe in our own strengths. The way villagers built the school with their own hands and hearts, is very inspiring and a live blueprint for empowerment, guided by SALT approach.

For our own after-school program "Skuler Baire Shekha", this story is a gentle and powerful call to go deeper. It shows us how small, intentional conversations can build big dreams. Being inspired more, we can nurture more ownership and emotional connection in our learning spaces at Jashore. We see again how SALT can turn teaching into a shared mission and reflection fueling for growth. Being inspired from this, we hope to nurture our space where our learners and mentors feel more seen and more valued just like the team at Pahariapara. This is the kind of school culture we, GYRF, and all dream of building. Kudos to the team of Mymensingh, where the team along with Shadman bhai are the whispering flag to call for a new beginning.🙏

[Md. Shadman Islam]

Thank you so much Rituu for your comment. Yes, I do echo with you on the point of a laying a strong foundation for participatory leadership and collective ownership.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Very powerful Shadman! SALT at the core of the school will lay a strong foundation for participatory leadership and collective ownership among parents, children, and the village community. Am excited!