School assignments for parents !

2 weeks back my son got his first chart paper assignment work for EVS – ‘Draw your home’. Teacher specifically asked him to do in a ‘Big’ chart paper. I told and convinced Ezekiel that he wont be able to draw that big House in a Big chart Paper , and that I will not do the drawing for him and  he has to do it himself since he likes both drawing and colouring (also I was trying to instill in him the habit of doing assignments on his own). He was happy about it. So after practicing his drawing couple of time he neatly drew and coloured the “My home during Diwali’ in 1/4^th of the chart paper. How proud I was ! J

That day when he came back, he said that teacher asked him to draw in the big paper an he told teacher that ‘Mom told, I am small and wont be able to draw in the big chart paper’. Hearing that teacher took his assignment. Last week we had PTA meeting, all went well and then his class teacher who also happens to be his Malayalam teacher shared the Progress report, there also every thing was fine, and then teacher observed one ‘B’ grade in Science activity  - So she asked ‘What happened ? in all other things he has got A , what was the activity ?’ I very casually told what the activity was and – B is not that bad, and that probably teacher wanted the assignment in Bigger Chart paper. But end of the meeting I did get to think -  Ezekiel had practiced his drawing, decided on the colours he would put and had actually done the project very neatly, but just because it was not on a full-size chart paper his teacher felt it did not deserve A (which I don’t have any problem with actually)

Eze's initial submission

This week Malayalam and English teacher gave assignments. Since I already had discussion on EVS work and his Malayalam teacher who didn’t say anything about the size of the chart paper, Ezekiel again practiced drawing ‘Kaka & Kokka’ (Crow & Crain)  and felt Crain is difficult for him , I decided to help him and we did the project again on 1/4^th chart paper and on Tuesday happily went to school. While picking him up from the school , I asked so what did teacher say about Malayalam chart ? He was in verge of tears and said ‘She wants it to be in Big chart paper, I told her that mom told that it will be difficult for me , but teacher said I should bring in big chart paper’. Hmmm so I thought I will meet the teacher before leaving the school 

Happen to find her in a class room and I asked her what exactly needs to be done ? She said that they want all the chart paper to be of same size as they are going to pin it up in class so everyone has to do in the big chart paper and Parents should do it !  I was actually too shocked to respond and realised no point discussing with teacher that there are 40 students in the class and they don’t have enough space to put all the charts and also it will be difficult to fill a big Chart paper with Crow and Crain :) I smiled and said OK . So just completed doing Malayalam and English assignments with Ezekiel's help and feeling accomplished !! 

We don’t need no education ...

Today was Esther's last day of regular school in class 3. From tomorrow on they have study holidays (yep you read it right study hols for class 3 kids :)) for the annual exam starting March 4, So we thought of taking some photos of her with her classmates. I reached her school little early to pick her up and saw her walking down in a line along with her classmates, I called all of them to the park in their primary school campus itself on their way to catch the bus, all were so exited to see the camera and around 15 of them sat on the 4 level steps in the park . I was about to take the snap when the security guy came and started shooing the kids, i was not sure what was happening and asked him loudly what was the problem as I am the parent and he can talk to me if there is any problem, He said children are not suppose to sit in the park ! I was stunned!

Jo tera hai

Dosth ya Dev ?

Sometime back heard this discussion – Can/Should good friends become spouse or Can Spouse ever be good friends? Was reminded of a meeting …. around 5 years back when we had moved to Trivandrum from Bangalore and were still settling down . Surprisingly one of Anil’s friend from Bhilai happened to get in touch with Anil after almost 20 yrs saying he will be in Trivandrum for 1-2 days for some official work and if possible would like to meet . Let me call him Chintu , I had seen his school snaps that’s it . The day when he was in Trivandrum, he called up Anil at night from his hotel , I just told Anil that he should meet Chintu and since I had come late from office I won’t join . Anil went to meet him . After 45 mins or so Anil called me from the hotel telling me that he had left the car key inside the car and the door got locked , and if I can come with the duplicate key .. .. it was around 8 pm and I said ok, I will catch bus and come … Took a bus, 3rd stop and could locate where the car was parked I took the key and then went to the hotel - saw both of them talking at the dining area .. 

Missing Monsoon ...

Monsoon showers at Aranmula temple

Last 2-3 days in Trivandrum it looks and feels like monsoon time .. .. after coming to Trivandrum monsoon seems to be for few days than few months … Someone who was brought up in North Eastern states of India where major part of the year you see only rains – there was time when I hated rains .. now I miss monsoon . Sometime back while chatting with my schoolmate from Silchar , he asked me “do I ...remember the days spend in school” -- and I said how can I ever forget those days and years spend in school -- Small school Tinned roof – when it rained it was so noisy - we had to close all the windows (wooden windows) and complete dark rooms – we all would make so much noise that it was difficult to make out if the Rain hitting the roof was noisier or children in the classroom … we had acres of agricultural land (ofcourse no cultivation happened ) in front of our school which would get filled with water --- lush green --- can still feel the wet socks and shoes at the thought of the rain and field – and it is pouring here in Trivandrum :)