I had recently been done with rahbar when a friend invited me to talk to some students from low financial backgrounds, residing in a non-posh area. I couldve written less privileged background and saved time and words but that kind of equals privilege with wealth and I dont find that too right. I know its not a big deal, it gets the message across right? that those kids are less privileged meaning they have less assets, less opportunities for fun, lower quality of education but privilege is a wider term than this for me. For me, privilege is having a mind and a heart too, that both of us equally have, despite standing on opposite sides of the financial fence. So, I refuse to use this term to segment society into groups and it might do us good to rethink the words that we casually use in our conversation for the connotation they may carry might be totally out of line than what we intend to communicate.
Coming back to the topic, so my friend asked me to come and talk to those young, grade 2-8 graders about why they should seek education. It appeared that most of them had no interest in studies, thanks to the culture under which they were being taught. Living under a constant fear of ridicule, shame and punishment, the kids had lost their love for learning and found it burdening and boring. I was to reignite their love for education and I was totally clueless how I would do that.
As a brainstorming idea, I asked a group of friends why they sent their kids to school and I was responded to in the most humorous of ways:) 'To get some peace and quiet in our life' 'So that teachers also know what havoc these kids cause' 'So that they make a career for themselves and become independent' or the most outrageous one, my favorite, 'Why do you question everything? It has been the norm and it shall be the norm!'
While this was a fun discourse, it did make me realize one thing; we people dont like to think or question, it is too exhausting, too energy consuming. So we would rather go with the tide, not knowing or caring where the tide takes us, as long as everyone is going there;) for isolation freaks us out! Being left behind is one of our biggest fears!
Anyway, so not really knowing what I would say to the kids, I headed to the school. I could easily tell them that they could get great jobs if they sought education but I didnt want to undervalue education as a mere means of making money alone. While making a career is undoubtedly a great benefit of education, making one equipped enough to be an asset rather than a liability for his country, there had to be more to it than that!
Saying a secret silent prayer, I entered the house-turned-into-school. Looking at the smiling,excited faces of the children put me at a little ease. Still clueless about what to say, I thought I'd throw the ball in their court and started off with the introductions. They were most keen to chat and talk, something I assumed wasnt too encouraged in their classrooms (same here) and then I got to the real matter,
'So do you like to study?' 'Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo,'came the loud reply.
'Why not?' 'It's boring!' It's tough!' came the replies
'Well, then do you like these volunteer teachers who have come to teach you?'(My friend had organized a 2 week workshop with those kids to encourage them to pursue education)
'Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees' came another loud reply
Do you know what they all have in common? and as they looked at me for an answer, I said, 'They are all educated.'
'Dont you like the way they talk, they smile, they care for you. How they know so much and share it all with you, how they dont use foul language, how courteous and polite they are, how well they carry themselves with grace and poise, well, education teaches you all that! Do you want to learn all this?'
And to my relief, there was a big yes,
As we talked, the children shared their dreams and aspirations, the conversation turning into an inspirational talk where the students shared their challenges and themselves discovered the ways to counter them. Sharing real life stories of legends to a topper in matriculation who used to sell fruits on a cart during his school years, the students and all of us there, realized how the power of dreams can turn the apparently impossible, into possible!
As I left, I said a secret prayer in my heart that may the dreams of those children take them to unimaginable heights and may they become examples of what it means to be 'truly educated' (ameen)
Coming back to the topic, so my friend asked me to come and talk to those young, grade 2-8 graders about why they should seek education. It appeared that most of them had no interest in studies, thanks to the culture under which they were being taught. Living under a constant fear of ridicule, shame and punishment, the kids had lost their love for learning and found it burdening and boring. I was to reignite their love for education and I was totally clueless how I would do that.
As a brainstorming idea, I asked a group of friends why they sent their kids to school and I was responded to in the most humorous of ways:) 'To get some peace and quiet in our life' 'So that teachers also know what havoc these kids cause' 'So that they make a career for themselves and become independent' or the most outrageous one, my favorite, 'Why do you question everything? It has been the norm and it shall be the norm!'
While this was a fun discourse, it did make me realize one thing; we people dont like to think or question, it is too exhausting, too energy consuming. So we would rather go with the tide, not knowing or caring where the tide takes us, as long as everyone is going there;) for isolation freaks us out! Being left behind is one of our biggest fears!
Anyway, so not really knowing what I would say to the kids, I headed to the school. I could easily tell them that they could get great jobs if they sought education but I didnt want to undervalue education as a mere means of making money alone. While making a career is undoubtedly a great benefit of education, making one equipped enough to be an asset rather than a liability for his country, there had to be more to it than that!
Saying a secret silent prayer, I entered the house-turned-into-school. Looking at the smiling,excited faces of the children put me at a little ease. Still clueless about what to say, I thought I'd throw the ball in their court and started off with the introductions. They were most keen to chat and talk, something I assumed wasnt too encouraged in their classrooms (same here) and then I got to the real matter,
'So do you like to study?' 'Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo,'came the loud reply.
'Why not?' 'It's boring!' It's tough!' came the replies
'Well, then do you like these volunteer teachers who have come to teach you?'(My friend had organized a 2 week workshop with those kids to encourage them to pursue education)
'Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees' came another loud reply
Do you know what they all have in common? and as they looked at me for an answer, I said, 'They are all educated.'
'Dont you like the way they talk, they smile, they care for you. How they know so much and share it all with you, how they dont use foul language, how courteous and polite they are, how well they carry themselves with grace and poise, well, education teaches you all that! Do you want to learn all this?'
And to my relief, there was a big yes,
As we talked, the children shared their dreams and aspirations, the conversation turning into an inspirational talk where the students shared their challenges and themselves discovered the ways to counter them. Sharing real life stories of legends to a topper in matriculation who used to sell fruits on a cart during his school years, the students and all of us there, realized how the power of dreams can turn the apparently impossible, into possible!
As I left, I said a secret prayer in my heart that may the dreams of those children take them to unimaginable heights and may they become examples of what it means to be 'truly educated' (ameen)
Ameen
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