Precie Nengminhoi Kipgen (right in the image) reflects on her experience during the Teacher Leaders Program offsite at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, New Delhi (May 2025), where she joined as an observer and soon became an active participant.
The four-day offsite experience impacted me in ways I never expected! It was the beginning of the 6-month-long Teacher Leaders Program, which turned out to be a journey of introspection and realisation of the ‘self’ for me.
Many of the session activities focused on childhood experiences to help us connect with ourselves and each other. I reflected on those memories while my group did the same, and realised I had blocked out a significant number of them, particularly the painful ones. This unconscious suppression was an unexpected self-discovery, and it was reflection that enabled me to clarify, acknowledge and engage with these emotions and feelings.
Just as the offsite affected me in unexpected ways, it had varied impacts on others, each shaped by their unique backgrounds and experiences. One participant in my group had joined in place of someone from their organisation who felt the program’s structure was too repetitive and did not offer anything new. In contrast, another participant, despite having vast experience, multiple certifications, and diverse exposure, enthusiastically shared that she discovered new insights about herself, her strengths, and her capabilities.
She told me:
“Admittedly, there wasn’t much new to absorb in terms of pedagogy over these 4 days; those are tools I’ve already gathered over the years.
But the real learning lay elsewhere: in understanding mindsets, in embracing varied perspectives, in learning how to unleash myself, how to hold back when needed, and how to let go of my own inhibitions. It taught me how essential it is to create safe spaces for myself and my students.”
My groupmates were surprised by how transformative the feedback sessions proved to be. For them, the experience of giving and receiving meaningful feedback was new and deeply impactful. We realised that learning can happen anywhere and at any stage.
And what did I learn? I learnt that trusting people and taking them along in your journey is crucial. It’s not always about getting ahead; rather, it’s about getting there together. I realised the power of community—the time I spent with my group gave me a glimpse of what it could be like to form a circle of like-minded educators; a community where everyone brings their learning, perspectives, and experiences to the table.
In some ways, this might become a platform not just to grow individually, but to know my colleagues more deeply. Who knows? Perhaps this could help foster a school environment that’s even more inclusive, innovative, and humane.
Precie Nengminhoi Kipgen, penned this reflection during her time as a Field Research Intern at Creatnet Education. Precie is currently completing her MA in Education and Development at NIEPA, Delhi.