A vast majority of us grew up thinking that school was the be all and end all of life - atleast at that age. But as we grow older, the meaning of school either grows paler or atleast finds its own place amongst a million other things of our lives.
I still remember fighting for one mark and two marks with the answer papers running behind teachers, as though it meant my life. It did - at that time. I have missed ranks by a few marks and have missed a birthday's celebrations. Because my mom, wanted nothing but the first rank. I was rank no.3 so no 9th birthday celebrations. Period.
I think back now. What did it do to my life? Yes,I got the first rank next year in standard 5, but so what?? It didnt change my life. I am living in London now, where I meet people from different countries. I can chip in some bits whenever somebody starts a conversation about their country - from Geography lessons I learnt in standard 8. Again, so what?? What if I didnt know that Tripoli is the capital of Libya??
But school is not without its credit. For some, school does shape their lives, their opinions and person. For instance, I myself developed my love for literature from school days - a passion which I have been pursuing till date. School romance, popularly known as 'puppy love' is man's first brush with the hormones associated. Although very few would vouch that it is their only hope to freedom!!
But good or bad performance in school simply doesnt determine life. One, because it is so far removed from the "actual life" that there is so much happening between school and the "actual life" which can change life events dramatically for the better or worse. I wish parents realised that. I feel it ridiculous to chase toddlers and kindergarten kids into pressure to 'perform' - a pressure which they never win over. Throughout our lives we are under some goddamned pressure to perform before somebody - with no reason, ofcourse! That is the evil of school days. You learn a bad lesson - for life! As though life is measured on a 5-point scale and you constantly have to be good or excellent against your neighbour.
So how do we make school meaningful? School should open children to numerous avenues giving them time to assimilate and digest each of them at their own pace. I was lucky enough that I picked up literature as a lifelong passion. How many are that lucky?? Were you??
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welcome to the world of blogging Rex!! this is such a wonderful way to fight loneliness!!lucky that you have a laptop and an internet connection all the time..I am expecting a flurry of words from you!!
ReplyDeleteas for your first post!! I absolutely agree with you to the dot..i remember how I used to hate when everybody would compare their totals and fight for ranks..and the running race with my mom to escape her cane for losing the 1st rank by a whisker!!totals never interested me and I believe that the younger generation is being unfairly pressurised and their talents are curbed at a very young age in the name of academics...Good work machi!!! waiting for more from you...sriram
Hey Rex, given a chance i would close all the schools. The so called schools came up to meet the labor demand of the industries and not to make children realize their dignity and worth.Parents like their wards to go to school, because it help them to get away for their responsibilities of naturing their children. The real learning happens outside the classroom where the child is confronted with live's demand-to love, fight, share, spoil and save. The children learn life in the family and in the neighborhood. If parents realize this and instead of spending money on sending children to school, they take them out for travel trips. But you see we cannot get away with the school because education is an industry. And more prominently it supports other industries, chalk factory, cloth, real estate, paper, publication, etc. So getting rid of school is not so easy. But you being a parent now you can prevent your kid missing his birthday..!
ReplyDeleteThank You Rex for starting the writing.......I was very saddenned at u going into a shell when ur writing was welcomes let alone be appreciated.....But thank you for coming back out....
ReplyDeleteI dont think I can call myself sucessful......But I have managed to get one masters and attempting to get one more right now.......I never ever got a rank in schools till my 11th grade and the only time I ever got close to it was when I managed to flunk only one paper...the very paper that preventsm me from appreciating your second post....So marks and totals and ranks are good for those who get motivated by it......but not for all......interestingly here in Denmark most of the modules dont get mraked.....U only pass or fail a module....this is at University Masters level......Its not the same in school level though....But if u went by the mark I scored in School......I surely should not be where I am today.....!!
Interestingly the three people who have commented above were one of the prime reasons why I came up with the idea of a blog. Those who have constantly egged my writings on.. Thanks for that.. Coming to the subject itself, apart from lamenting the system, we also need to come up with some interesting altenatives to the same, if we have any. We should never forget that this is the school system which gave us an Abdul Kalam and the numerous IT and other professionals who are taking India on a glorious economic path. So its not a glooms's doom after all. We ourselves, our own classmates, even if we take foreign trips as a silly indicator (it is really silly indeed!!) - many of us have hopped on to a plane and some, more than once after the Serendweep trip. So our education system did make us worthy enough to showcase our talents on the world arena (In no way derogatory to those who dont make foreign trips). So what are we cribbing about? Is the bitterness of school progress reports a necessary evil at that age?? Wouldnt we have gathered knowledge en route our 20 years of education especially in our current Indian educational system, without some pressure to perform?? I dont know the answer, as I dont know of a school educational system, where this pressure is absent. So people like Prashant, in public policy research maybe should beware, when they propose alternatives, of what will be the positives of the current rut we will be foregoing on the way!!
ReplyDeleteRex, I do agree with you that there needs to be an alternative for this. But the issue is Rex in a system like ours alternatives always happen at the ground level which is directed only towards MANAGING the scenario rather than challenging it. I remember how we struggled with Project Management and statistics which most of us hated or at least I hated but still had to put up with it!! But we can argue saying that it is helping us now and this is the arguement which all the parents and teachers will use! "Lose or put up with the pressures at the age (when we actually have to enjoy) so that we can be happy at an age (when we are running behind status and livelihood) it is the degree, the laminated flashy certificate which carries all the weightage than the real talent in the person in Indian context. This pressure at school level is part of our growing up process. One man tried to do something (Mr.Sibal) and he was met only with some hard hitting. The alternative is difficult to be drawn unless the nation thinks seriously about creating more opportunities for the younger generation and talents are recognised more than the papers!!
ReplyDeleteI know this is a controversial statement! Love to hear Prasant and Emmanuel's thoughts as well
Cheers