Another 40 days to go and then its time for goodbyes. A few unshed tears, some nervous laughter, promises to always keep in touch and the age old saying of the world is round, we’ll meet again. But like someone said- we cannot choose all our journeys, some journeys choose us. This journey into life- in all its harsh reality, in all its naked truth- is one. The world out there is sure to be hard, ruthless, and cruel- but let’s hope that the two years we spent here have prepared us sufficiently for that. Leaving aside the uncertainty of the future let me dwell on the beauty of the past. Forgive me if I sound like a poet, but I guess the past makes poets out of all of us.
The two years I spent here have been great and I’m sure all my batchmates would agree with me. The initial trepidation of coming to a new place and meeting new people over, it was has been a kaleidoscope of images and emotions- good and bad, sweet and bitter. The rigors of the orientation period, trying to familiarize oneself with subjects one did not know the head or tail of, getting used to classes till 11 at night and on Sundays too to boot, learning not to panic at the number of assignments and tests for the next day, the innumerable excuses you try to give teachers as to why you haven’t read the case assigned or submitted your assignments on time and the frustration when they refuse to buy any of it, the sleeping in class and getting hauled up for it and the polite requests from teachers to go and wash your face, the search for one proxy site after another in the lab for accessing Orkut and the joys of discovering Facebook, the endless group assignments and projects, the umpteen number of letters and requests(both genuine and false) for gate passes, the preparations for Utsav and Pragati, the late night gossip, gaming and movie sessions, the birthday bumps and cake cuttings, the “mess ka khana” and “canteen ki chai”, learning to sleep in peace the day before the exam even when you haven’t studied a thing, that great feeling that precedes an open book exam that vanishes when you get the question paper and you realize in the end that the result would be the same as a closed book, the bleary eyes and half chewed nails on the morning of an exam, the rush to go home the day after the exams, the summer project fun and the drudgery of the presentation, the getting screwed on stage ‘cos you really weren’t sure whether the analysis you had done was factor or multivariate, the silently cursing your friend ‘cos he had done it for you, the confusion regarding whether to opt for marketing or finance or ops and in the end ending up with papers in all, the sleepless nights, tension and tears of the placement season and the relief when you finally land a job, the small celebrations for Onam, Christmas, Holi etc., the fights with friends over silly things and the patching up later, the being broke all the time and asking your friend for money (who was just thinking about asking you the same)- the memories are way too many.
Walking through the portals of this institution 2 years back, I never imagined that my life would be painted in such beautiful, vibrant shades. Two years of my life here has given mea lot to cherish- great friends, wonderful mentors, amazing teachers and so much more. And when I think about the day I’ll step out of this place, a weird feeling touches the heart. I can’t define it- its neither happiness nor sorrow. Maybe a combination of both or maybe something more than that. It isn’t just nostalgia. It’s something in my heart that says that these were the golden moments of my life and I shall never be able to reclaim them again.
When I step into the rigors of life on my own and try to make something out of myself, all these memories will always remain in a cherished corner of my heart. As I set out to follow life’s call, to discover new avenues, to meet new people, to fulfill my dreams, these memories are all that I have to fall back on, the things that I have learnt here are all that I have to guide me through my dark days, these people are the only ones whom I can keep coming back for counsel in times of distress.
Thank you for the memories. Thank you for teaching me all I know. Thank you for making me what I am. But as of now….. Life beckons… get up n get going…
Monday, March 31, 2008
Life....
Friday, March 28, 2008
Children IS going to school
Let me begin this piece of writing with the original piece that inspired me into writing it!
A student who scored 100 in CBSE Class 12 English exam in an email to Outlook:
“It all depends on how one pen down the ideas… The flow in the language helped me fetched marks.”
An English teacher to Class 12 students:
“Keep the language simple and yet so crispy… Do not get deviate from topic.”
I am more than just astonished. Such spectacular usage of words has reached me a zillion times before. But not really from a student who is considered THE BEST at the English language by the Central Board of Secondary Education in India!! And an English teacher!
Well, I have been lucky to have been taught by excellent English faculty throughout my School and College. And let me not leave out the most important contributor to my English speaking and writing er… (skills?!) My mother. Mrs. Mythili Kesavasamy. She won the President’s Gold Medal in her M.A and has been a brilliant faculty all her life. She got me the reading habit, she made me listen to the news, and it was she who made me read my lessons! :)
I don’t speak great English myself. But I would like to understand others who speak the language! The least I can expect is teachers to speak decently well. But am shocked that the faculty standards could be so low! It feels like I’m waking up from a pleasant dream to nightmarish reality! I have mostly interacted with people who spoke decently well English but to think that more than half our nation has to struggle with the language is almost unfathomable! I have always believed that it is the teachers who make students fall in love or well… hate subjects.
Now, here is something to test you… where are u likely to find a board that reads:
--- “Butter Scoch Shek” and what would you think it meant?
Answer: India, Butter Scotch Shake.
--- “Child Bear” and what would you think it meant?
Answer: India, (hold your breath…) Chilled Beer!
I recently read in a magazine which reported that a 2nd year degree student committed suicide for not being able to cope with English (He left behind a suicide note to that effect). He had had all his education in Hindi medium. And the fact that he studied English as the 3rd language till 10th standard did him no real good for his career prospects. It truly is alarming to see how a language might affect the lives of youngsters and old alike. When I think of this case, a thought hits me in the face- what a waste of life! He would have been a great engineer, a designer an architect… We lost him because he didn’t know English!
Well, one thing is certain. There is a way of life. English today doesn’t remain just a means of communication any more. It has become an essential part of survival and the medium that ensures earning bread.
Proficiency in the English language is considered the passport to better lives, at least, in India. But Indians are taught rubbish in schools and colleges. I can’t blame the students! Every street has a small outlet which “sells” dosages of easy English speaking courses for the thousands of wannabe Angrezi-ispeaking Indians. And what do the outlets sell? Simple:
“Childern is going to school”
“I am also English speak”
“My hobbies means, I used to go to cinema”
“They is coming soon”
I am appalled and sad and I don’t know what else. I remember the days I used to teach my “mohalla” street kids in Bellary district in Karnataka, how to read words and construct sentences in English. And how well they were thrilled! Now, I’m not saying I am a great teacher… not at all. I was barely in 4th standard then! But the kids- they were so full of life and curiosity to learn new things, new languages. Incapable teachers ruin it all. If only we had the right teachers, I think the Indian youth will be a much awaited upon lot. And right teachers are not just born. Well, some of them maybe. But others are made… they become.
China has realized how important a role English is going to play in the coming years. It has started pooling in English speaking taltents across southern Asia to get its youth the best available. The world is changing and with it, we must too. There really isn’t any choice.
The only way I see now, is to find really good English teachers from schools and colleges… (Am sure there are quite a few of them. Atleast everybody who taught me are simply great! ) and get them to train at least 5 others. And then each of those 5 can take up 5 others. I know 5 is a small number. But it’s high time we made a difference. And like that starfish story we all know, every move of ours makes a difference. And the time to start could not be better than NOW.
PS: The Starfish Story (For the benefit of those who haven’t heard the story and those of us who’ve heard it and don’t mind reading it over and over again!)
A little boy was walking on the beach early one morning when the speaker of the story finds him. He wonders what the boy is doing. He sees the boy picking up the starfish that got washed ashore by the waves and throwing them, one by one, back into the sea. His curiosity aroused, he walks to the boy and asks, “My dear fellow, may I know what you are doing?” The boy replies “Am saving lives of the starfish, Sir” “But don’t you know there are thousands and thousands of starfish washed up along the beach and it would take you years to throw them all back into the ocean? How do you think you’ll save them?” To which the boy simply picked up another starfish and said politely, “I don’t know about others yet Sir, but I saved that one.” The speaker is suddenly ashamed and stunned. He soon joins the little boy in his mission and starts picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea.
A student who scored 100 in CBSE Class 12 English exam in an email to Outlook:
“It all depends on how one pen down the ideas… The flow in the language helped me fetched marks.”
An English teacher to Class 12 students:
“Keep the language simple and yet so crispy… Do not get deviate from topic.”
I am more than just astonished. Such spectacular usage of words has reached me a zillion times before. But not really from a student who is considered THE BEST at the English language by the Central Board of Secondary Education in India!! And an English teacher!
Well, I have been lucky to have been taught by excellent English faculty throughout my School and College. And let me not leave out the most important contributor to my English speaking and writing er… (skills?!) My mother. Mrs. Mythili Kesavasamy. She won the President’s Gold Medal in her M.A and has been a brilliant faculty all her life. She got me the reading habit, she made me listen to the news, and it was she who made me read my lessons! :)
I don’t speak great English myself. But I would like to understand others who speak the language! The least I can expect is teachers to speak decently well. But am shocked that the faculty standards could be so low! It feels like I’m waking up from a pleasant dream to nightmarish reality! I have mostly interacted with people who spoke decently well English but to think that more than half our nation has to struggle with the language is almost unfathomable! I have always believed that it is the teachers who make students fall in love or well… hate subjects.
Now, here is something to test you… where are u likely to find a board that reads:
--- “Butter Scoch Shek” and what would you think it meant?
Answer: India, Butter Scotch Shake.
--- “Child Bear” and what would you think it meant?
Answer: India, (hold your breath…) Chilled Beer!
I recently read in a magazine which reported that a 2nd year degree student committed suicide for not being able to cope with English (He left behind a suicide note to that effect). He had had all his education in Hindi medium. And the fact that he studied English as the 3rd language till 10th standard did him no real good for his career prospects. It truly is alarming to see how a language might affect the lives of youngsters and old alike. When I think of this case, a thought hits me in the face- what a waste of life! He would have been a great engineer, a designer an architect… We lost him because he didn’t know English!
Well, one thing is certain. There is a way of life. English today doesn’t remain just a means of communication any more. It has become an essential part of survival and the medium that ensures earning bread.
Proficiency in the English language is considered the passport to better lives, at least, in India. But Indians are taught rubbish in schools and colleges. I can’t blame the students! Every street has a small outlet which “sells” dosages of easy English speaking courses for the thousands of wannabe Angrezi-ispeaking Indians. And what do the outlets sell? Simple:
“Childern is going to school”
“I am also English speak”
“My hobbies means, I used to go to cinema”
“They is coming soon”
I am appalled and sad and I don’t know what else. I remember the days I used to teach my “mohalla” street kids in Bellary district in Karnataka, how to read words and construct sentences in English. And how well they were thrilled! Now, I’m not saying I am a great teacher… not at all. I was barely in 4th standard then! But the kids- they were so full of life and curiosity to learn new things, new languages. Incapable teachers ruin it all. If only we had the right teachers, I think the Indian youth will be a much awaited upon lot. And right teachers are not just born. Well, some of them maybe. But others are made… they become.
China has realized how important a role English is going to play in the coming years. It has started pooling in English speaking taltents across southern Asia to get its youth the best available. The world is changing and with it, we must too. There really isn’t any choice.
The only way I see now, is to find really good English teachers from schools and colleges… (Am sure there are quite a few of them. Atleast everybody who taught me are simply great! ) and get them to train at least 5 others. And then each of those 5 can take up 5 others. I know 5 is a small number. But it’s high time we made a difference. And like that starfish story we all know, every move of ours makes a difference. And the time to start could not be better than NOW.
PS: The Starfish Story (For the benefit of those who haven’t heard the story and those of us who’ve heard it and don’t mind reading it over and over again!)
A little boy was walking on the beach early one morning when the speaker of the story finds him. He wonders what the boy is doing. He sees the boy picking up the starfish that got washed ashore by the waves and throwing them, one by one, back into the sea. His curiosity aroused, he walks to the boy and asks, “My dear fellow, may I know what you are doing?” The boy replies “Am saving lives of the starfish, Sir” “But don’t you know there are thousands and thousands of starfish washed up along the beach and it would take you years to throw them all back into the ocean? How do you think you’ll save them?” To which the boy simply picked up another starfish and said politely, “I don’t know about others yet Sir, but I saved that one.” The speaker is suddenly ashamed and stunned. He soon joins the little boy in his mission and starts picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Manzil
There are very few lectures that leaves the students wishing it would not end. :) I don’t mean to be funny; today we (students of the MBP Course in the 2nd year) were addressed by a Mr. Ravi Gulati who runs an NGO named… Manzil.
Mr. Gulati (PGP: IIMA) is founder of Manzil, an NGO registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860. Beginning its actual operations even earlier in May 1996, Manzil is committed to providing need based welfare services to the under privileged children and women of Delhi slums. Since 1996, over 1,200 children and youth have benefited from Manzil.
Now this is a writeup on him that could be found online. People who have paragraphs on them that can be googled = Big Stuff, right? :) To be honest, I expected a Personality who was the pecking-order type who’d launch into a long-winding (possibly boring) talk about stuff that would fall against us like pebbles against a rock-wall.
Now Mr. Gulati was quite an exception. Understatement. He began with making an impactful exercise that went on to show that most of the things that you need to survive in this age, not more than perhaps two things- knowledge and such instruction is actually included in our formal instruction from school/College. Therefore, there is a greater solution, and skill sets that are greater in scope than what is taught in school.
Hence, he went on to explain how and why, the insipiration behind Manzil was to provide an education, and in a wholesome atmosphere that encourages the winds of creativity and sharing to break the barriers that normal schooling is bound by- that of an overly structured learning, ignoring intellectual capacity as the important basis for categorization of students, and the in-built gap between the student and teacher.
At Manzil, the process is that of sharing the knowledge that one has; hence I could teach you how to dance, and you could teach me the ‘Uses and relevance of the t-statistic’. (I never did get that!) :) Jokes apart, the effect of this process is that it shows that every student is a teacher at some point; leading on to the need to respect every individual one meets and to appreciate them for the valuable contributions they could make to your Life with the skills that they posses, but you do not.
Wow! I did’t realize I had absorbed that much from that talk. :)
The best part of the talk by Mr.Gulati was the great clarity (reflected in the higher recollection rate) with which he spoke out the ideas in mind and how he translated that into a reality by beginning Manzil.
Education is not to be instructive, nor overly-dependent on memory; but it is to teach the student a way of thinking. It is meant to unlock the potential latent within them, and this need not be academic; Manzil recognizes that.
‘They have a multitude of classes that are being carried on at present ranging from English to Mathematics to Computers to Music and Painting. All these classes are essentially based on the idea of a beyond-syllabus learning that is aimed at strengthening the basics of any given subject through understanding its foundational logic, and thenbuilding upon it gradually and creatively.’
This is the sort of atmosphere and education that encourages students to set their spirits free. That is the best thing about Manzil.
Perhaps that is the best message that he brings with him. Pursuing an idea or conviction that one has, and having the courage to translate that into a reality; could be one journey worth taking. It could hold the key to setting ourselves free. Mr. Gulati sure is. :)
Mr. Gulati (PGP: IIMA) is founder of Manzil, an NGO registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860. Beginning its actual operations even earlier in May 1996, Manzil is committed to providing need based welfare services to the under privileged children and women of Delhi slums. Since 1996, over 1,200 children and youth have benefited from Manzil.
Now this is a writeup on him that could be found online. People who have paragraphs on them that can be googled = Big Stuff, right? :) To be honest, I expected a Personality who was the pecking-order type who’d launch into a long-winding (possibly boring) talk about stuff that would fall against us like pebbles against a rock-wall.
Now Mr. Gulati was quite an exception. Understatement. He began with making an impactful exercise that went on to show that most of the things that you need to survive in this age, not more than perhaps two things- knowledge and such instruction is actually included in our formal instruction from school/College. Therefore, there is a greater solution, and skill sets that are greater in scope than what is taught in school.
Hence, he went on to explain how and why, the insipiration behind Manzil was to provide an education, and in a wholesome atmosphere that encourages the winds of creativity and sharing to break the barriers that normal schooling is bound by- that of an overly structured learning, ignoring intellectual capacity as the important basis for categorization of students, and the in-built gap between the student and teacher.
At Manzil, the process is that of sharing the knowledge that one has; hence I could teach you how to dance, and you could teach me the ‘Uses and relevance of the t-statistic’. (I never did get that!) :) Jokes apart, the effect of this process is that it shows that every student is a teacher at some point; leading on to the need to respect every individual one meets and to appreciate them for the valuable contributions they could make to your Life with the skills that they posses, but you do not.
Wow! I did’t realize I had absorbed that much from that talk. :)
The best part of the talk by Mr.Gulati was the great clarity (reflected in the higher recollection rate) with which he spoke out the ideas in mind and how he translated that into a reality by beginning Manzil.
Education is not to be instructive, nor overly-dependent on memory; but it is to teach the student a way of thinking. It is meant to unlock the potential latent within them, and this need not be academic; Manzil recognizes that.
‘They have a multitude of classes that are being carried on at present ranging from English to Mathematics to Computers to Music and Painting. All these classes are essentially based on the idea of a beyond-syllabus learning that is aimed at strengthening the basics of any given subject through understanding its foundational logic, and thenbuilding upon it gradually and creatively.’
This is the sort of atmosphere and education that encourages students to set their spirits free. That is the best thing about Manzil.
Perhaps that is the best message that he brings with him. Pursuing an idea or conviction that one has, and having the courage to translate that into a reality; could be one journey worth taking. It could hold the key to setting ourselves free. Mr. Gulati sure is. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
