A girl in my neighbourhood was not particularly good at studies. I had the opportunity to take tuition for her out of pity, and the experience hasn't left me even after more than 20 years.
This particular girl was at that time studying in 5th standard. She never missed failing in every class starting from 1st standard. But everytime her dad was kind enough to pay money to the school authorities to get her promoted to the next standard. Obviously, i knew her knowledge levels could be quite low. One day i found her studying.
I took upon the idea to tutor her atleast for the chapter she was studying. After taking the text book from her, i read the contents and then closed the book. With my unique way of story telling, i explained to her how Taj Mahal came into being, his love for his wife Noor Jehan, etc. Once my explaining was over, i asked her to read the chapter. To my utter surprise, she couldn't read even one sentence. She was as good as an illiterate. Sympathies flowed from me along with pity for her. Then i focussed on just one sentence in the text book.
That sentence was "Shahjahan built Taj Mahal". It contained just 4 words. I read it loud to her for 20 times and made her repeat it right after me. All the 20 times i also explained to her the meaning of the sentence in her native language (Malayalam). After this exercise which drained my energy and tested my patience heavily, i asked her to repeat what she presumably learnt, just a moment back. To my utter disbelief and shock, she recollected from her memory what she just learnt, and said "Taj Mahal built Shah Jahan". Imagine my mental condition, at that very moment. Somehow I controlled all my emotions, and said i had to leave as there was some pending work to be attended to.
Incidentally, this girl reached upto 7th standard, ofcourse, thanks to her dad. But like everyone would expect, she couldnt clear her 7th standard public exams and the school was helpless too. Her studies thus ended, closing the chapter of agony for her teachers for sure.
More shock was to come 15 years later, and that was when i came to know that she was married and having a kid and over and above that she was taking tuitions for children upto 4th standard. My jaws just fell and I was wide and open mouthed for a long time. I firmly believe she is an apt candidate for the Red and White Bravery awards for having the gumption to take tuitions after all this. God save the children. Amen.
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3 comments:
Hi joshi, it was quite funny to read the entire story.. i read it along with my care co-ordinator biju.. he also enjoyed it.. infact the same happened in my school days too, one of my classmates who was poor in physics, could become the physics teacher in the same school, sharing the table with the physics sir, who had punished her for failing in the subject... such incidences does happen.. it was quite nice to read this blog after a long time.. take care..
"Miracles do happen" and this is a very good example for it. If not how could a person who did not even know to read become a teacher. Just imagine the fate of the students who had to learn from her. On a lighter note it was funny but when you think about it seriously I really pity those kids.
okie... my jaws dropped now!
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