Radha Radkar

This interview with Radha Radkar took place on June 28, 2022 via Zoom. Radha is an educator teaching at an all-girls high school in New York City. At the time of this interview, Radha had just recently finished the school year. They reflected on feeling beyond their capacity as a teacher since April-- about how this time had been more taxing than even the start of the pandemic. They talked about feeling a shift in teaching methodologies, specifically that the idea of being a radical teacher coming from a particular political lens has changed-- instead of saying the right things, they're now more interested in doing the things (i.e. setting up a classroom, building relationships with parents) that are in line with their politics. Radha also talked about the joy of seeing the first cohort of seniors that they had taught graduate and the sweetness of watching those students grow, mature, and move into the next phases of their lives. Altogether, they're excited for the summer break, to cook, be with their partner, and go on a silent retreat. In reflecting on the experience of being part of the Education Narratives Project, Radha said they enjoyed noticing coming to each interview as a different person and different teacher, and eschewing the impulse to make a clean narrative of their life. They said it relates to their Buddhist practice of exploring the mystery of the self.