He was there at the corner of the
last bench. Yes, I can still remember the first day. The day, I saw him. He was
uniformed in some what dirty shirt and pant than his other friends of grade
six, with little lump of snot always running through his nose. The first day I
thought I would do some exciting introduction exercise for my students so that
I would know them better. I asked all the students to draw their name in the
most attractive way they would like so that we would make a beautiful 'NAME
BOOK' for our class.
As soon as I shared my plan, everyone seemed
excited and started drawing and there in the corner, the same boy with the snot
didn't even take out his copy and pencil to draw. I went near to him. I was
unsure what to say to him at that moment. I had so many thoughts flooding at
that time as it was my first day. I didn't know him in any way, so I didn't
know how he would react if I asked him to follow my instructions. Should I
request him in a very polite tone? or, should I need to show him compassion?
or, do I need to be little bit strict
for him? I was confused. I was suggested me in my training that we shouldn't be
judgmental. The child may have his own reason of not obeying me. I was in a
dilemma, or let me be frank I wasn't confident about my actions and its
consequences. So, I chose to ask him the reason first.
"Hey, what's your
name?"- I asked.
He just kept on sitting with a
shy grin on his face, running his snot. I again asked him in Nepali the same
question thinking that he is being afraid to speak in English. He again
maintained the same position.
I changed my question.
"Don't you have your copy and pencil?" (in Nepali)
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| Class room activities, children are making sentences, Upesh is the one who is facing the camera |
For him, his friend next to him
answered in his broken terms. "Miss, Upesh has. He don't want to
draw." Then I bent my shoulders toward him so that I would be close to
him. As I bow down near him a sudden odor passed through my nose. It was the
odor of his shirt. My eyes went towards his clothes now more clearly and I
realized his shirt seemed like it hasn't been washed for many days. I just
focused on consoling him to write his name in a paper. But before I uttered any
word to convince him, he took out his copy and started writing his name.
Then, the days continued on. I
started to know my students properly. We started to do various activities. But
Upesh, never used to speak any word. He was always there with his dirty cloth
and runny nose and yes, of course the shy grin. We started doing presentation
in our class after each chapter. We started doing dramas. We started acting out
various stories. For several weeks he used to stand in front in the same
manner, without uttering any word. Sometimes I used to get out of my nerves as
I could hear him yelling with his friends during the tiffin brake but in class
he used to stand still like some one with hearing and speaking disability. But
I controlled. This continued.
There was first internal exam and
I could see him writing very few answers. He got 24 out of 75. He failed. He
had to get at least 30 to be pass. He failed and that means as a teacher I
failed. I didn't know what to do. Sometimes I used to feel too pity on myself
for not being able to focus on individual student as there was not only Upesh,
but there were others too. Whom should I concentrate most on? How could I? I I
didn't have any answer. It kept on the same way till the second term exam.
 |
| Learning Thermometer |
Then, I thought to introduce
something new into my classroom. And I made one Learning thermometer; the
student who would seem active and participative in the classroom would get his
name place in the best while others would just be in the normal. Then, the
magic happened. I saw one hand rising in the corner in one of my questions and
it was the hand of Upesh. He gave the answer for the first time and that too
during the mid of the lesson. Slowly, he started to participate in the dramas
and the speech and the presentation.
But, there came the tragedy; he
lost his father. I later knew that the cause of death of his father was
excessive consumption of alcohol. Upesh didn’t come to school for several days.
He even missed his third term exam but our school managed a separate exam for
him and after several days of my second year of teaching I could see him again
in classroom.
This time I was more conscious in
treating him as I would always have a feeling of compassion for him as he would
always be in the classroom in white clothes (though already turned black due to
dirt), which always reminded me of his tragedy. But this time I wasn't
confident. I had already known him. I kept on inspiring him. I kept on giving
him chances to answer the question. I pointed on him most of the time to make
his name in the list of best ones.
Then, our school announced the
spelling contest program. Only few were excited to participate. (yeah,
obviously those were the ones with the students of the front rows). I didn't
accept it. I told the whole class to be prepared for the spelling contest as I
would choose the ones who would participate. Next day, I started asking
everyone the question. And by this time I had already known the learning
capabilities of my students, I asked them the question as per their ability.
Then, it was the turn of Upesh. I asked him some very easy questions. I knew he
would answer it, he kept on giving answers. He gave ten answers and it was
sufficient to chose him for the final round with two more students from the
class. Everyone was surprised and the important part is he, himself was
surprised that he could answer the questions and become selected.
Two hours after the selection, he
came towards me and said, "Miss, give Nischal chance. I can't say spelling
tomorrow. Tomorrow, difficult difficult asking." I just said, the rules
aren't meant to be broken. You are selected and now you need to participate. I
believe in you. You have a week to be prepared. Just prepare it and be ready. I
don't want to see you now answering the question on that day. Now it's my
prestige. I have selected you that means you need to think of mine prestige as
well. I swear after that incident, neither he came to me, nor I went to him to
help. I just used to remind everyone about the upcoming spelling contest.
Finally the day came, everyone
was there on the stage and the contest started. And the boom; Upesh was there
facing other students of grade eight and nine individually and giving the
answers. He was giving the answers one after another. Some of them had already
started to open their mouth wide. The contest halted with Upesh securing the
third position. I went towards him, gave him a big hug and congratulated him.
 |
| Upesh along with other students are presenting drama |
He was there with a confident
wide smile. Then, he hasn't looked back. He does his homework. He reads
whatever I ask the class to read. He does presentation. He shows his notes. He
also has improved his writing. And recently I checked his final term papers of
grade seven. He has secured 42 now out of 75. He has passed.
Yes, the number exchanged their
place. 2 sat on the place of ones and 4 on the place of tens which is just the
opposite from the first term exam of his grade six. I am sure the change of he
places of number will definitely bring a positive change in his life. I agree
that the number is still less if compared to others, but the door of
possibilities that it has opened is huge. I am sure that he will progress more.
It has shown that just as the place of numbers could be replaced, his place in
the society can be replaced. He can do something big. He can be confident.
Oh, yes he still has the runny
noses. I am sure it would stop during my third year of fellowship.
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