कहते हैं हम कमज़ोर हैं, सिखाने पर भी कुछ सीख नहीं पाते

by | Dec 8, 2019

 Teacher कहती है कि बच्चा कमज़ोर है
सिखाने पर भी कुछ सीख नहीं पाता।

Teacher उसको सूरज, बादल, चांद और lamp दिखाती है।
पूछती इनमें अलग कौन सा?
बच्चा कहता है बादल। कहता है वो रोशनी नही देता।
Teacher कहती है- तुम गलत!
Lamp है जवाब, बाकी सब आसमान में खाली lamp है जमीन पर।
बच्चा बैठ जाता है चुपचाप।

System कहता है कि teacher कमज़ोर है।
सिखाने पर भी कुछ सीख नहीं पाती।

Guide में लिखा है – अगर कुछ पसंद हो तो कहना I like oranges.
कहना I like oranges, जब कुछ पसंद हो।
Teacher रटती है I like oranges।
सिखाती है बच्चे को ...
उसको पसंद है केला, बच्चे ने कभी खाया नहीं संतरा।
पर जब वह पूछती है what do you like?
बच्चा झट से बोलता I like oranges.

Teacher कहती है कि बच्ची कमज़ोर है।
सिखाने पर भी कुछ सीख नहीं पाती।

Teacher कहती है teddybear teddybear सुनाओ मैडम को।
बच्ची सुनाती है teddybear teddybear turn around,
teddybear teddybear touch the ground,
teddybear teddybear polish your shoes …
Teacher रोकती है बच्ची को, कहती है गलत!
Teddybear क्या ऐसे चलता है? Shoe कोई ऐसे बांधता है?
बच्ची ने कभी teddybear के साथ न खेला,
पैरों में पहनती है चप्पल।
बच्ची के कंधे झुक से जाते हैं।

System कहता है कि teacher कमज़ोर है।
सिखाने पर भी कुछ सीख नहीं पाती।

ट्रेनिंग में उन्हें सिखाते हैं place value पढ़ाना।
Teacher नहीं जानती ये English के terms.
जानती वो समझाती है अपनी भाषा में, नोटों का उदाहरण लेके।
Trainer कहता है – बस। जो बुक में दिया है वो ही बोले,
ज़्यादा बोलने की नहीं ज़रूरत!
Teacher का आत्मविश्वास घटता है।
सिर्फ पड़ती है बुक से बच्चों के सामने
बच्चा नहीं पकड़ पाता place value का अर्थ।
Teacher करती भी नहीं और कोशिश।

Teacher कहती है कि बच्चा कमज़ोर है।
सिखाने पर भी कुछ सीख नहीं पाता।

Textbook में लिखा है –
What is this? What is this?
This is a bench, I sit on it.
बच्चा बैठता है फर्श पर, समझ नहीं उसे कोई bench का।
याद नहीं आता यह शब्द exam के वक़्त।
बच्चे को मिलता है ज़ीरो।

Teacher कहती है कि बच्चा कमज़ोर है।
सिखाने पर भी कुछ सीख नहीं पाता।
बच्चा सोचता है – हां मैं हूं कमज़ोर,
आता नहीं वो कल से school.

I wrote the following reflection, barely three days into my fellowship posting in Thakurganj, rural Bihar. It’s my first impression so as to say of the ‘system’. Since I’m to be working in the education space for the next year, my first week was just filled with stories of how the current education system is broken. So and so तो बस कमज़ोर है is a phrase that was often thrown around as people shifted blame from one to another.

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16 Comments

  1. Amulya Miriyala

    This is exceptionally good, Aakanksha. I’m stunned by your reflection. Looking forward to more such pieces from you. 🤗

    Reply
  2. Amulya Miriyala

    This is exceptionally good, Aakanksha. I’m stunned by your reflection. Looking forward to more such pieces from you. 🤗

    Reply
  3. Swati Saxena

    Pleasantly surprised after reading this, specially because it’s from week one and attempted in Hindi. You can attempt a follow up to this, to also reflect upon the rest of the month before there’s more from month two. Kishanganj and its kids seem to have a lot in store for you, and in turn, for us.

    Reply
    • Aakanksha Jaysheel

      It surprised me to when i wrote it. Attempting it in English somehow felt like a disservice. And yes i do plan to write follow ups because my understanding is constantly changing and evolving

      Reply
  4. Swati Saxena

    Pleasantly surprised after reading this, specially because it’s from week one and attempted in Hindi. You can attempt a follow up to this, to also reflect upon the rest of the month before there’s more from month two. Kishanganj and its kids seem to have a lot in store for you, and in turn, for us.

    Reply
    • Aakanksha Jaysheel

      It surprised me to when i wrote it. Attempting it in English somehow felt like a disservice. And yes i do plan to write follow ups because my understanding is constantly changing and evolving

      Reply
  5. Theertha Ravindran

    So beautifully articulated with the help of Hindi and English Aakansha. I feel like you have hit the right node with this reflection.

    Reply
    • Aakanksha Jaysheel

      Thanks Theertha. I really hope i’ve done justice to what i’m experiencing here.

      Reply
      • Theertha Ravindran

        I’m sure you have

        Reply
  6. Theertha Ravindran

    So beautifully articulated with the help of Hindi and English Aakansha. I feel like you have hit the right node with this reflection.

    Reply
    • Aakanksha Jaysheel

      Thanks Theertha. I really hope i’ve done justice to what i’m experiencing here.

      Reply
      • Theertha Ravindran

        I’m sure you have

        Reply
  7. Dharmesh

    the concern that you embody in this reflective piece is one that has lived with me for as long as i have been involved with education as a tutor. so many students would repeat what has been told to them about their ‘inability’ to grasp. it’s heartbreaking.

    Reply
  8. Dharmesh

    the concern that you embody in this reflective piece is one that has lived with me for as long as i have been involved with education as a tutor. so many students would repeat what has been told to them about their ‘inability’ to grasp. it’s heartbreaking.

    Reply

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