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`Taming' the kid
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The committed teacher is a fast-diminishing breed. There is nothing to write home about the present day parents either. Caught in between is the child, writes AMBIKA VARMA.
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Are children in Kerala being educated? Not many would give a positive reply to that, at least not those who have had a stint in other metropolises.
After 11 years in Chennai, we came down to the city only recently. Before `replanting' ourselves here, a good amount of planning went into choosing a school for our son, so as to enable him to have a smooth transition.
After admitting him in one of the prestigious schools of the city, we relaxed, or so we thought. We were in for a rude shock the second day of his school, when we saw an otherwise enthusiastic child wearing a long face. He had complaints about the school, the teachers and even his friends.
We thought he would overcome his woes in the days to come, but we soon realised that this frame of mind was here to stay. We did our best to figure out what was wrong. We had meetings with the teachers, his class teacher in particular, but they did not cite any major complaints about him. We were back to square one.
We decided to get to the bottom of this and investigate the odds, and began by closely following his actions. It didn't take much time to note that his foul mood was intense only on specific days. After much coaxing, he revealed the reason behind his mood swings.
A few teachers cane him (as they do to other children too) on preposterous grounds, which the teachers of the school he attended in Chennai considerately turned a blind eye upon. This caught him off guard. It had an antagonistic effect on his mindset, making him feel inefficient and unintelligent.
With a good amount of counselling from us, he has now learnt to take things in his stride, without being piqued easily. Upon identifying the cause of irritation, the task was quite unconstrained for us.
But are like-minded parents lucky enough? This `culture-shock' is applicable mostly to `non-resident Keralite' children who, by default, are required to resettle in Kerala.
Kerala has the distinction of being a highly literate State. Literate maybe, but what about the application of knowledge? Is our style of education keeping up with the times? Or is it still maintaining its primitiveness?
Education is not just classroom activity. A whole lot of activities go into educating children, and wielding the cane should not be resorted to at any stage. This will only have adverse effect on the evolving minds. The curiosity and interest of these minds should be developed and the aptitude of each child should be identified.
Parents and teachers need to be educated before grooming the children. Developing academic interest in children should be their first and foremost priority.
We have heard teachers saying, "Which other job gives better security, summer vacations and other holidays in between?" These are words that do not belong to a committed teacher, a breed fast diminishing. We have reached a threshold where this mindset has to change, so as to enable the young and future citizens shed their lethargy.
There is nothing to write home about the present day parents either. I have heard parents requesting teachers to load their wards with homework. Why? It keeps the child occupied at home, and the elder members are not dislocated from the idiot box.
In a few schools, Saturdays are working days. Reason -- Parents need to go to work peacefully. Leaving the children alone at home is unthinkable for many. So, at their special request, children are made to attend school on Saturdays.
And why do children need tuition? If they are being taught well in school, where is the need for tuition? A growing mind needs to be developed gradually and not overnight. The syllabus needs to be restructured. Cramming the minds of these youngsters is torturing, which the parents and teachers should realise.
The children are being caught unawares in a fast-changing world, and their innocence is getting lost in the process.
Says a parent, "After Bangalore, this place is not just agreeing with my daughter, who is very interested in swimming. But now it's just books, because there are tests every other day, which she just can't cope with. And to add insult to injury, other parents and friends keep asking her about her test scores. If things go out of control, we will return to Bangalore where it was easier on her and the family." Mary Punnose, whose son is in the sixth class in one of the known schools of Kottayam, seconds this.
Sridevi, who settled in Thiruvananthapuram from Mumbai and is a mother of two, is all thrills when she says, "My daughter is doing her graduation in Delhi," but can't hide her displeasure when she reminisces the hell her children had to undergo during their schooling. "The last 12 years here in Thiruvananthapuram were hell for the children. The teachers used to make them stand in the sun for even silly things like forgetting a pen. You have to see it to believe it," she says.
But the teachers have a different story to tell.
"We have tried good words with the children. But handling them can be tough at times. So we have to resort to caning them," says Nithya, a primary teacher.
Preetha, a high school teacher, says, "Even I had some ideals as to how to teach and handle students. I used to take my students out of the class to teach them. I was more of a friend to them. But some of the parents protested against it. According to them, punishing makes children behave and makes them better people. I could never agree with it, but I had to mend ways to appease other teachers, parents and the school administrators."
Children being what they are, it's the teacher's role to don the mantle of friend, philosopher and guide; but every segment has a tale to tell. And who loses out at the end of the day? Only time can tell.
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