It's been around four years now since the introduction of the Samacheer or uniform system of education for all children in Tamilnadu. And both students and teachers have found a way to crack even this system, generally speaking.
Logically, it sounds right. Creating equal opportunities by giving all the children: rich and poor, city and slum area, equal education. Yet if we hold the lens close enough, we notice that there still are differences. Differences in background knowledge, scope and capacity. And perhaps we haven't really lifted the level of the village children. Perhaps we have only brought down the level of the city and town children.
But of course just as a human cell takes at least 3-4 months to grow, perhaps a human brain must also be expected to take its time to show the benefit of growth. So perhaps like all team work, the 'slow and backward' so far might get a chance of being either uplifted or shoved up.That's as far as academics is concerned.
But as for as the real problem, teachers still have to grind their teeth. The behaviour of the downtrodden children. Perhaps in the tough competition for their basic needs, man automatically turns into a beast,when it comes to survival of the fittest. Like we see 'decent' middle class people when their water pipes are broken or blocked and they have to depend on 'water trucks' or lorries.
So it could be either the hunger in these children or anger. Physical hunger because his overworked mother doesn't have the strength or time, sometimes even money to provide for him. Naturally, hunger for attention also ensues. Anger that the parents/society/fate did not provide them their basic needs or spend enough time with them. The pity is that they are not even aware of their anger or hunger. So they don't know that they can try for a solution. Instead, they smile their sadist smile and vent their anger with fowl words. Words that a self respecting teacher would blush to hear. Or they mercilessly bully a weak child.
The media with its introduction of violence and sexually stimulating scenes and words hasn't helped at all. Socially, the stess on honour and values have been replaced by marks/grades with the idea that it'll convert to money some day. Neither do we find many children with a value based book in hand or sitting at the library.
At school,the teacher tries to correct the child with kindness, even love - and finds herself made a fool of. And practically, we can't expect most of the teachers to pursue after that. Sometimes the child has simply grown up with that kind of behaviour in that kind of class and imbibes it without thinking. ( the lower classes have to live in a particular place so that they may not cross over to or walk or even collect water from where the higher classes live,though stray pigs can do that).
If his father is a drunkard and hits his wife, a boy thinks that the 'man' thing to do would be to drink himself and look at girls without respect. Small, common rooms for parents and children make them observe their parents in their private moments and may stimulate him to try out his ability. Any different kind of advice makes him think that this person doesn't have the kind of experience he has.
Photos : free digital photos.net
Logically, it sounds right. Creating equal opportunities by giving all the children: rich and poor, city and slum area, equal education. Yet if we hold the lens close enough, we notice that there still are differences. Differences in background knowledge, scope and capacity. And perhaps we haven't really lifted the level of the village children. Perhaps we have only brought down the level of the city and town children.
But of course just as a human cell takes at least 3-4 months to grow, perhaps a human brain must also be expected to take its time to show the benefit of growth. So perhaps like all team work, the 'slow and backward' so far might get a chance of being either uplifted or shoved up.That's as far as academics is concerned.
But as for as the real problem, teachers still have to grind their teeth. The behaviour of the downtrodden children. Perhaps in the tough competition for their basic needs, man automatically turns into a beast,when it comes to survival of the fittest. Like we see 'decent' middle class people when their water pipes are broken or blocked and they have to depend on 'water trucks' or lorries.
So it could be either the hunger in these children or anger. Physical hunger because his overworked mother doesn't have the strength or time, sometimes even money to provide for him. Naturally, hunger for attention also ensues. Anger that the parents/society/fate did not provide them their basic needs or spend enough time with them. The pity is that they are not even aware of their anger or hunger. So they don't know that they can try for a solution. Instead, they smile their sadist smile and vent their anger with fowl words. Words that a self respecting teacher would blush to hear. Or they mercilessly bully a weak child.The media with its introduction of violence and sexually stimulating scenes and words hasn't helped at all. Socially, the stess on honour and values have been replaced by marks/grades with the idea that it'll convert to money some day. Neither do we find many children with a value based book in hand or sitting at the library.
At school,the teacher tries to correct the child with kindness, even love - and finds herself made a fool of. And practically, we can't expect most of the teachers to pursue after that. Sometimes the child has simply grown up with that kind of behaviour in that kind of class and imbibes it without thinking. ( the lower classes have to live in a particular place so that they may not cross over to or walk or even collect water from where the higher classes live,though stray pigs can do that).
If his father is a drunkard and hits his wife, a boy thinks that the 'man' thing to do would be to drink himself and look at girls without respect. Small, common rooms for parents and children make them observe their parents in their private moments and may stimulate him to try out his ability. Any different kind of advice makes him think that this person doesn't have the kind of experience he has.
Where then lies the answer?Social workers and teachers have to exercise their wisdom, patience and prayers for these children till a common class of thinking and well behaved children arises.Will it?
Photos : free digital photos.net
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