We parents take our role of being child’s driver to seriously . Instead we just create the spark and let children create that fire the way they want. Most fun (un)parenting is being a mirror for the child.
When i was a child schooling was like a “chuk-chuk-gadi”. I was just like a little bogie – being chugged along – totally lead by the teacher / school who decided where I go, at what speed I go and where I am supposed to reach. I had no say in anything – even who all will be the other bogies was decided by the railways!
Now when I look around I don’t see “chuk-chuk-gadi”. I see sleek trains. The school is still a train – just – now it goes faster, it is sleeker. There are sophisticated and technologically advanced tools, better service which is invariably more expensive. But its still a train where the child / bogie is pulled lead by the engine.
In some cases, in some schools / homes the children are allowed to choose. Its like the bus stand there are some buses going in some directions and you can choose (electives) and then jump on that bus with co-passengers – all who have chosen to go the same way! Though one may still be wondering why one has chosen that bus. And obviously, if you decide after few stops – to change – that’s really not possible.
Some of us may want education to be more like auto rickshaw – flag one down and tell them where you want to go and that’s it. But wait, we still would be driven around – the way the driver wants. What if he is too fast or too slow or too rash or maybe he is not even ready to take you where you want to go.
The problem is not really with the train or the bus or the rickshaw – the problem is that in each case – the engine or the driver – that is you gentle reader, takes their job too seriously. We are so caught up with making the passengers reach wherever we think they should reach, that we forget to enjoy the journey.
Who am I?
An Engine of a train, that chugs them all along
An autorickshaw driver that zig zags through the traffic jam
Or am I the traffic policeman Who whistles where not to go
Or a fast food restaurateur, Who serves yummy food
Or Do I hear you saying, Buddy count them all?
But what would happen?
If I could be a fermenting yeast, who is out to agitate kids to think
Or I become the turbulent shaker, to stir, to churn, to mix all learning up
Or maybe I am a habitual flipper, tossing ideas, concepts, children upside down
Or even better I can be a mirror who reflects, what all is inside you
Because that is all you need to know.