Parents' stories
The freedom to express - A parent's tryst with English as the medium of communication at home.
Play Way - A concerned mother gives the school and her daughter a chance. Only to be surprised.
No beatings - A hapless parent who needed to see her child being understood and loved, not punished.
No Beatings
The world hasn't changed as much as we think it has. The birth of a boy is still important to many families. Shankar and Laxmi live in Ghatkesar, 20 kms away from the big city Hyderabad. They were married in their teen years after which Laxmi bore five daughters. But they still yearned for a son reasoning, as most people in small towns still do, that he will be the one to take care of them in their old age. After 15 years of marriage, a boy was born. They named him Kiran, meaning 'ray of light'.
Although Shankar and Laxmi are of modest means, both being daily construction workers, they decided to provide Kiran with the best education they could afford. So Kiran went to an English medium school in town. Kiran being the only son in the family, is naturally loved much by his parents and therefore has much freedom. But in school, the opposite was true. He was not free to talk to his friends, could not play, sing or do anything without the permission of his teachers. He found himself getting into trouble very often but he gradually got used to it. His parents' hopes were shattered when they saw their child being punished ever so often. They decided to change to another school, which they did, but even there, the punishments continued and the learning declined. Laxmi could only feel bad about this and requested the teachers not to beat her son. The school authorities simply said: if he doesn't study properly, it is not the responsibility of the teachers and he will be removed from the school.
Although Shankar and Laxmi are of modest means, both being daily construction workers, they decided to provide Kiran with the best education they could afford. So Kiran went to an English medium school in town. Kiran being the only son in the family, is naturally loved much by his parents and therefore has much freedom. But in school, the opposite was true. He was not free to talk to his friends, could not play, sing or do anything without the permission of his teachers. He found himself getting into trouble very often but he gradually got used to it. His parents' hopes were shattered when they saw their child being punished ever so often. They decided to change to another school, which they did, but even there, the punishments continued and the learning declined. Laxmi could only feel bad about this and requested the teachers not to beat her son. The school authorities simply said: if he doesn't study properly, it is not the responsibility of the teachers and he will be removed from the school.
Laxmi and Shankar pulled Kiran out from the second school also. Having no where else to turn to, they brought him to Indus. Fearing a repeat of what happened in the last school and the school before that, they enrolled him in class I. And to there astonishment, they found in Indus, a school with a unique child friendly philosophy, play methods of learning and ... a big NO to punishment rule! To say the least, Laxmi was relieved for her beloved son. In the initial days Kiran did prove quite a handful for his mentors. But he soon realized that over here he can speak to his friends, play and sing freely, learn with out fear, there were no punishments and that the mentors treated him with care and compassion.
Now Kiran is in class II. He doesn't disturb the class and speaks English confidently. He writes long sentences. Laxmi says that at Indus her child is happy and he is not punished and she does not hear any complaints from mentors till now. She also confesses that Kiran has changed a lot and feels a sense of responsibility these days. Kiran says that he wants to become a doctor when he grows up and wants to treat ill people who cannot afford doctors.
Now Kiran is in class II. He doesn't disturb the class and speaks English confidently. He writes long sentences. Laxmi says that at Indus her child is happy and he is not punished and she does not hear any complaints from mentors till now. She also confesses that Kiran has changed a lot and feels a sense of responsibility these days. Kiran says that he wants to become a doctor when he grows up and wants to treat ill people who cannot afford doctors.
