I have been worried about cherith's education off late and me and hubby have been having a lot of discussion about the same. I know he is still a year and a half and it's early but the tension comes from the view that comes from near my home in Marathahalli.
There are around four to five schools on the main road that connects home and many more in an around Ring road. It seems almost like a buffet of schools to me, all serving hot offers to please. All giving their positives to attract as many children as possible. That also reminds me of the sight of kids travelling with heavy bags on their shoulders, travelling in buses, looking drained as if they have been labouring in a factory unit. I am not questioning the working of any institution, but I don't remember getting so drained during my school days unless it was a day trip.
One of my college friends sent me a link of an article about the selection processes in Yale University. It's like a league where candidates are shortlisted on the basis of ranks and personal qualities. What astonished me was the categories that candidates are put in. 'Dev A' for students who have rich donors, 'MUSD' for musician with highest degree of promise and many more such abbreviated phrases that we cannot think of.
Today, the games that kids play, the exposure they get and the thinking that they develop is already complex and such systems make them nothing less than zombies. Success is like a drug that is induced into prospects by such elite institutions and the fear of failure terrifies them to such an extent that they get disoriented. They do not want even the possibility of error and as a result, they have no time to indulge in any activity that they enjoy or that connects them to their soul.
We are of the opinion that private schools are better but the other schools are in a bad shape because no one is actually bothered. Who wants to send their child to a government school? Who wants their child to talk in Hindi. Who wants a kid to get average score? All of us want a genius who is best in sports, academics, music, dance, art and everything we can think of. I feel, Private schools and government schools have the same basic curriculum, activities and sports may differ, only the standard of education is to be brought to the same level. Quality better, results way better.
I personally do not want Cherith to get into any international school. I want him to be in a school where he studies and learns manners, where he has experiences and activities that mould his character, where he makes friends who have a good impact on his life, where he learns the importance of basic needs that are so difficult for people to get, where he realises that life is worth living and not wasting in cribbing for things he does not have, where he explores and finds what is best for him, who he truly is. In short, I want him to be a good human being who helps people, makes them smile and respects women (attributes that are going extinct).
Watching the movie 'Hindi Medium' has calmed my tension to a great amount. I request everyone to watch it. One, because all of us have been a part of this education system. Two, as parents we require a clear idea of what we want for our children. Let us just nurture our kids like flowers. Give them the needed light, water and food. Let them bloom on their own. Let them take the road chosen for them. Enjoy the journey, make mistakes, create memories and have no regret about anything at the end of it all.
In the words of Mario Puzo and The Godfather "Everyone has only one destiny". I am of the opinion that all of us will eventually get there. Sooner or later...
Cheers!
God Bless!!
CHS
There are around four to five schools on the main road that connects home and many more in an around Ring road. It seems almost like a buffet of schools to me, all serving hot offers to please. All giving their positives to attract as many children as possible. That also reminds me of the sight of kids travelling with heavy bags on their shoulders, travelling in buses, looking drained as if they have been labouring in a factory unit. I am not questioning the working of any institution, but I don't remember getting so drained during my school days unless it was a day trip.
One of my college friends sent me a link of an article about the selection processes in Yale University. It's like a league where candidates are shortlisted on the basis of ranks and personal qualities. What astonished me was the categories that candidates are put in. 'Dev A' for students who have rich donors, 'MUSD' for musician with highest degree of promise and many more such abbreviated phrases that we cannot think of.
Today, the games that kids play, the exposure they get and the thinking that they develop is already complex and such systems make them nothing less than zombies. Success is like a drug that is induced into prospects by such elite institutions and the fear of failure terrifies them to such an extent that they get disoriented. They do not want even the possibility of error and as a result, they have no time to indulge in any activity that they enjoy or that connects them to their soul.
We are of the opinion that private schools are better but the other schools are in a bad shape because no one is actually bothered. Who wants to send their child to a government school? Who wants their child to talk in Hindi. Who wants a kid to get average score? All of us want a genius who is best in sports, academics, music, dance, art and everything we can think of. I feel, Private schools and government schools have the same basic curriculum, activities and sports may differ, only the standard of education is to be brought to the same level. Quality better, results way better.
I personally do not want Cherith to get into any international school. I want him to be in a school where he studies and learns manners, where he has experiences and activities that mould his character, where he makes friends who have a good impact on his life, where he learns the importance of basic needs that are so difficult for people to get, where he realises that life is worth living and not wasting in cribbing for things he does not have, where he explores and finds what is best for him, who he truly is. In short, I want him to be a good human being who helps people, makes them smile and respects women (attributes that are going extinct).
Watching the movie 'Hindi Medium' has calmed my tension to a great amount. I request everyone to watch it. One, because all of us have been a part of this education system. Two, as parents we require a clear idea of what we want for our children. Let us just nurture our kids like flowers. Give them the needed light, water and food. Let them bloom on their own. Let them take the road chosen for them. Enjoy the journey, make mistakes, create memories and have no regret about anything at the end of it all.
In the words of Mario Puzo and The Godfather "Everyone has only one destiny". I am of the opinion that all of us will eventually get there. Sooner or later...
Cheers!
God Bless!!
CHS
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