Austin, Texas – November 22nd, 2015, was a special occasion for me. I was invited to see a drama put on by the devotee children in Austin Sunday school program, many of whom I knew very well. The drama was a culmination of a semester’s learning, and looked to be wonderful.
This was also the first time I met Guruvani Mataji, the lead teacher. Before the drama began, during the bustle of children putting on elaborate costumes, Prabhus setting up cameras and mics, and Matajis applying makeup, I sat down with Guruvani Mataji, to find out about her service and the Sunday school program.
Devotees of Austin came together to start a routine Sunday school program in the fall of 2014. The number of kids has grown to 15 current students, all of varying ages and sizes, ranging from pre-k to high school. Parent volunteers help prepare and join each class to teach.
Classes are each Sunday, and start with a short kirtan led by a different student each week. This is followed by review of the previous week’s class to refresh students. Classes are centered on a story or sloka, and all the children learn the same topics, albeit at various depths. For bajans and slokas, students learn how to sing, but more importantly, learn and discuss the meaning and translation behind the verses. At the end of class, they repeat what they have learned in each of the previous classes in the semester, building on and connecting everything they have learned so far.
I asked Mataji about her experience so far. Teaching all the children across age groups in one class has its advantages, she says. The older students play the role of a teacher, and are, by any definition, clear role models for the younger children. Mataji finds that the younger children also tend to listen to their older peers, more so than elders. The children all help each other learn, and this accelerates their learning. “They form friendships with each other. When they are here, they always talk about Krishna,” she says, “Even when they are fighting, or doing something, or playing silly…it’s amazing how the environment changes children so fast.”
All teaching is done using the ISKCON curricula. With such a wide variety of age groups, she tailors class on the fly each week, especially given how fast the children are learning. In the previous semester, the children had learned 6 slokas quite rapidly. So in the Fall 2015 semester, the program aimed a little higher: four slokas and the entire siksastakam prayers. With students helping each other learn and learn faster, now everyone, down to the youngest student, can recite the shikastakam prayers.
The children’s appetite and propensity for learning was a common theme throughout my conversation. “I would put more and test them, and it seems like I haven’t reached their threshold point. They still seem to learn pretty fast,” she says, “We are sometimes holding back, thinking the kids won’t understand certain things. But it seems like they understand it faster and better than us; probably as they are not influenced by society yet.” She was surprised by how well they can relate to things, noting that “sometimes, you just have to let go, and give them the whole knowledge.”
The most effective tool for teaching, the program has found, is dramas and plays, as these turned learning into a spiritual experience with friends. “It catches their attention,” Mataji notes, and during rehearsals, they repeat and repeat the concepts they have learned. And over time, “they remember the incidents, the stories, and when they finish, it is fun for them. They have so much fun during the rehearsals with each other. The rehearsal part creates the memories that they cherish when they grow up.” Dramas are also used as a culminating teaching tool at the end of the semester. During the first few weeks, the children learn the subject matter, and towards the end, they apply what they have learned in the form of a drama.
In addition to classes, the kids also participate in the community, by volunteering and book distribution at festivals and events. At festivals, the kids participate from start to finish, gaining exposure on how an event is planned, set up, and executed. Kids see what goes on behind the scenes, developing life skills in project management and communication. At events, Sunday school provides them with the knowledge and understanding behind Krishna consciousness, allowing them to engage in conversation about a book or about philosophy. With a smaller community, the kids get to play bigger roles, which will help build their confidence to navigate the material world.
Mataji adds that the key to establishing long term learning is, unsurprisingly, consistency. Keeping up every week is necessary. A 30 minute session can be enough to remind kids and keep them in touch. The rewards of this weekly progression are the ongoing development of Krishna conscious individuals, who have the right perspectives in life, can be good citizens, and how devotional inclinations.
Before Sunday school, the children didn’t have an opportunity to connect with the other devotee children. But over the past two years, through Sunday school, the children have developed relationships and friendships with each other, forging a common bond of learning, singing, and acting, with Krishna at the center of it all. The school hopes that these spiritual bonds and memories will develop devotional inclination that will carry forward into the children’s future and future generations. “The seed is there,” she adds, “whenever they have a spiritual need.”
As the conversation went on, Mataji talked about her inspirations, and it starts with the children themselves. “The kids teach you a lot. It shows how dedicated they are,” she says. She brought up a quote from one of the children during rehearsals. Neha, who is 10, had remarked “I want to just stay in this world. I don’t want to go to school. I want to stay in this world with Krishna and Chaitanya.” “They have the real taste,” Mataji adds, “So it helps to keep me grounded.” She also looks to other Sunday school teachers, like Sevapriya Mataji, one of the Sunday school teacher’s in Houston, for inspiration and guidance.
Mataji’s aspirations for the growing Sunday school program are few and focused. In the short term, she wishes to separate lessons by grades and age groups, so that each student can get the most out of each class. That way, lesson plans can be tailored for different ages, and can be conducted at a pace suitable to each group.
In the long term, the Austin Sunday school hopes to open up the program to everyone, where not only devotees, but anyone, can bring their children to learn about Krishna, learn about devotion, and have association. “It feels bad that we can’t give this to all the children,” Mataji says, “So they can appreciate it and understand it faster.” Ultimately, our children are our future. It’s our duty to guide them, teach them, and encourage them to Krishna and all that comes with devotional service.
As the drama was about to begin, I asked for parting thoughts. Mataji thanked her Guru, HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari, citing that anything spiritual she has done comes from his mercy. She also thanked her husband, Abhay Charan Das, her son, Kirtan, other parent teachers and volunteers, and the children themselves, for this amazing opportunity and for all of their help in making this happen.
The drama that followed was indeed wonderful. The children acted out various pastimes of Krishna in several skits, demonstrating what they had learned throughout the semester. Then, they sang various bajans and slokas, including the siksastakam prayers, complete with harmonium and mridanga, and ended with kirtan. The children’s devotion was quite a sight to behold. Mataji, the parents, volunteers, and the children created something truly special that day, which I continue to remember each time I see these children.
Every Sunday, the Sunday School program continues to instill a great sense of courage in these children. Their intelligence, focus, and bhakti grows with each lesson, as they build a bond between themselves and with Krishna. Seeing the effort of the teachers and devotees gives all of us hope, for our children in Austin, and for the future.
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