Here is an early email I wrote. About a week later, I was prevented from continuing teaching, for various reasons.

So I'm going to try to summarize what I've been up to in India, and
where I'm at and stuff.
In a loose way, I'm here to help with mathematics at a School
(Thomas Memorial English School, Bangalore.) The school provides
education for poorer families. In particular, it was founded to
educate the children from Thomas Memorial Children's Home where
orphans and children from poor families are provided for.
However, it seems that God is trying to accomplish something
deeper... I'm being forced to be obedient to Him, to trust Him, and to
make His priorities mine... In particular, I must learn to love, and
focus on that as my mission.
I thought I knew what it meant to love my neighbor, at least in a
certain sense. And it was based on that knowledge that I came to India
- to put my love into practice by helping with education in this
society. However it is easy to then have tunnel vision and see
education of the masses as my first priority, forgetting it's root:
love for the individual. what I want to do is teach math - that's what
I'm excited about! but the funny thing is - I can't actually do that
if I don't actively keep love my first priority.
What I mean is that 'teacher' is a label that exists only in the
context of relationships (teacher-student). And I have to think of
teaching in terms of relationships rather than in terms of lecturing
an abstract body of students. I must take the time to love the
individual students, even when that seems inefficient from the
perspective of moving forward in the lesson.
Jesus is a Teacher... and I take Him to define the term 'Teacher'...
So I am a teacher only insofar as I mimic Him... And how do the
gospels describe the way He taught?
1)Jesus spent His time not with the successes of the world, but with
people who were struggling, with the sick, the weak and the lost.. So
how does this apply to teaching?
a)I have to focus on the weakest students... I have to make sure
they understand.

2)He meets us where we are. He wanted to help us, so - though He is
God - He became human and lived among us. He was tempted in every way,
and is thus able to understand our struggles.
b)I have to try to see the concepts from their perspectives... I
really have to enter into their minds, and make sure I identify what
they are struggling with. I have to digest the lesson, break it down
until they can understand it fully.

3)He bears the blame for our mistakes... He does not come to condemn
the world, but beyond that, He actually takes the blame when we make a
mistake - no matter how big. In fact, He takes the punishment for us -
he dies on the cross - so that we don't have to. He provides the way
out.
c)When they make a mistake I must take the blame. I must realise
that I did not explain it clearly enough... And I cannot condemn them
for their mistakes either, but provide the way out - no matter how
much time and effort it costs me.

4)He never gives up on His disciples, but is patient with them,
investing himself completely in them, loving them fully. He never
forsakes us (though, He was forsaken). He sends us His Spirit to help
us and encourage us through all our struggles...
d)I must never give up on a student.. but instead I must be patient
and encouraging, and believe in them...

But I can't just say this. No - I must really live it to the
extreme. It definitely requires an investment, and much time may be
spent on seemingly simple concepts, but it is not in vain... the
students quickly succeed when they see that they can, and soon
advanced topics are being taught and understood. It works! I have
taught several grade 10 classes so far, and covered a decent amount of
material. No one was left behind... students would say: "I was weak at
maths, but now it is easy!" or "It is easy like water!" Notably, there
was one student who was not able to understand a seemingly simple
concept. I spent several minutes with her, and was getting
impatient... But I kept encouraging her, and simplifying it again and
again. It was not time wasted. After class she surprised me by making
a very subtle application of it, and the next class she devoured the
lesson, and successfully explained parts of it to several of the
classmates... I had categorized her as the weakest student, and now
she was outpacing the rest of the class.
So I have seen it to be true.. Any student can succeed when the
teacher truly cares for them. Love is the deepest power... Showing
someone genuine love makes a real difference... it has miraculous
results.
I should have learned this from God a long time ago... His act of
loving me has changed me and is changing me... In fact, because He
loves me, it is enabling me to love those around me (though I'm still
quite bad at it... anyways - He isn't giving up on me, and will make
sure I learn to love!) He also tells me to love my neighbor and my
enemy, and insists that it is not in vain - in fact that it is
completely effective. And so I always wanted to believe that love
perfected all things, including teaching. John Mighton was the person
who convinced me of this.
Prof. Mighton started a non-profit math tutoring program called
JUMP (www.jumptutoring.org) which applied essentially the same
principles I have described. He witnessed phenomenal success, and soon
educators started paying serious attention to what he was doing. He
adapted his methods to the classroom setting and is now
revolutionizing mathematical education in Canadian public schools. It
is no longer acceptable for students to be left behind - and one can
accomplish this without reducing the quality of education the best
students receive.
I volunteered with JUMP, and was soon convinced. (I highly
recommend volunteering with JUMP - it is exceedingly rewarding. If one
is interested - www.jumptutoring.org) In fact, I am trying to apply
the JUMP method here - so if you want more detail about the method I
am using, have a look at their website. I find JUMP fascinating.
Love is revolutionary (no matter what discipline one is in!). John
Mighton has started a revolution by taking love to the extreme in
education - just as in India, Mother Theresa took love to the extreme
in the streets, or as Ghandi freed a country by taking love to the
extreme politically, or - at the heart: as Jesus frees us to love by
loving us completely.

And so, teaching math cannot be isolated as my priority here...
rather purposely loving the individuals around me must be my first
priority - actively worked out in all I do - or else all is in vain. I
must first and foremost be obedient to God.

warmly, - dave


P.s. I was brought to this conclusion reading:

John 15
The Vine and the Branches
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off
every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does
bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are
already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me,
and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in
me.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I
in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If
anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away
and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and
burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever
you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that
you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my
love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I
have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told
you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be
complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call
you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from
my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose
you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then
the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

"This is my command: Love each other.