Why Karachi. Because - The School of Writing

On my first full day in Karachi, I visited The School of Writing (TSW), a famous educational center started by my dear friend Mohsin Tejani. This is the physical and emotional epicenter of why we’re here. And I say famous, because all of us in the ABL world have heard of the incredible work that has been done here with students and teachers.

Soon, we will meet close to 25 students and 10 teachers and embark on a week-long exploration of writing, performance, empathy, culture and laughter. We will document those adventures in this blog.

This blog will also contain much more about TSW, a great deal of it written by more able writers than myself. For now, I’ll tell you that the heart of this organization is the way it epitomizes student-led learning, like the ABL Writing Workshop in Andover, Massachusetts it is partnered with and modeled upon.

The mission statement of The School of Writing (theschoolofwriting.org) is: “to promote creative programs in literacy and art, enabling learners to become self assuring, competent and contributing members of the larger society”.

Self assuring. Competent. Contributing members. The larger society.

Many educational organizations state objectives like these, but so many miss the mark. This can be understood when the Monopoly money of test scores are touted like actual achievement, and the real money that capitalizes on public school failures becomes ever more dominant. It happens because it is impossible to quantify the immediate worth of a self assuring, competent and contributing member to society. So, The School of Writing qualifies it instead - knowing that each student and teacher is a force multiplier in the struggle to create a more just and equitable world. 

This is seen in the photo-journalistic publications they produce and thoughtful manuals for the teacher trainings they facilite. It is evident in their slowly, ever-growing library. Here, it is on the walls - and it is all done by students.

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We can all safely assume that it depicts an exchange. How it is being done, in what direction, with what intentions - that’s for the viewer to decide.

As for us, Mohsin and the team of educators he has assembled, we choose to to do it with compassion, in the direction of positive self-worth and with the intent of kindness. And, I’m ever hopeful, it will be led by the students.