Date:24/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/24/stories/2008072450800200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

‘Making new friends is part of education’

G. Ravikiran

VP Siddhartha Public School has reshuffled its students

Staying together in same environment for years may create monotony among the children
Change enables children to become flexible and fearless, says the principal

VIJAYAWADA: The friendly-looking principal greets a class 6 girl before accepting chocolates from her on the occasion of her birthday, but his next question is about how she is doing in the new D section to which she has been shifted as part of a reshuffle exercise at the beginning of the new academic year.

“I’m doing well, sir. I’m making new friends,” says Nandita, without mincing any words and not allowing the smile to fade from her cherubic face. Her words make C.V. Ramanaiah, the principal of V.P. Siddhartha Public School, a more enthusiastic person to talk about the urgency and importance of attending to behavioural concerns of children, particularly when they pass the threshold of class 5 to enter the higher standards.

Staying together with same friends in the same environment for seven years from LKG to class 5 is often regarded as a factor that creates a kind of monotony and lack of urge among children to learn new things. Moreover, some become adamant and keep offering unwanted resistance to change and adjusting in new situations.

Mr. Ramanaiah says that psychological aspects are as important as any other academic effort when the overall performance and personality development of a child guides the very purpose of school education. The need of the hour is to eliminate psychological barriers and enable children become flexible, soft and fearless in any challenging situation. After some initial resistance, there will eventually be acceptance to the new concept.

‘Clique formation’

What is bothering academics is “clique formation” that is common among school children once they identify themselves with same fellow students for several years. This is where the children seek to promote and support their own group or classmates even at the cost of losing potential new friendships. “Only when you make new friends, you can learn new things. Certainly, making new relationships is part of the education,” says Mr. Ramanaiah.

Hence, the school has made an attempt this year to reshuffle all students but several pleas have been there for exemptions.

Still, for the class 6, it has been made compulsory considering the need for enforcing discipline and change among the increasingly ‘naughty ones’, Mr. Ramanaiah explains.