I remember all the fun and joy we got out of dancing and singing for every annual day, independence day, republic day, childrens'day, Ramakrishna Vivekananda day etc. The Kuravan Kurathi dance I did with my cousin in V standard annual day is something I cannot forget. I remember the whole song and dance even now.
I remember some Tamil poetry that we learnt and the basic mathematics. The very first Tamil poem that we learnt "Deve unnai potriduven! Dhinamum Ennai Kaaththiduvay! Naaval Unnai Naan ppaada Nalla Tamilai Thanthiduvay! " followed by "Vanakkam Teacher" is something that I can never forget.
History and Geography that I know now is not the result of the school education. In fact, school history did not even make me interested in that subject. I remember learning by heart the years associated with various wars. We were told that Gandhi and Nehru were great leaders - I was in VIII standard when India celebrated its 25th year of Independence. We danced a lot on various celebrations on songs composed on Gandhi and Nehru. Gandhi - non-violence and father of nation - that was what went into my head. Why father of nation - I did not think about it then. Nehru loved children and hence I thought that he must be a great man.
As a IV standard student I remember the joy and celebration that followed Man's first foot on Moon - we all sat near a radio and had our elders translate the commentary. I wonder whether I really understood the "bigness" or greatness of that event. It was an occasion that the whole small town of Sivaganga celebrated.
Think of Science - I remember drawing the diagram of beans growing - multiple stages - butterfly coming out of the worm - etc.. other than these, what do I know now? Whatever little science I know definitely is not the direct output of the school education. Is that what it is supposed to be? giving one direction and letting them work on it further, if they are interested. If that is what it is supposed to be, I think I got education.
Geography - we used to get one small box of colour pencils for 2 years to be shared between two of us. The blue colour used to be in great demand as we had to colour the ocean / sea in the maps. We found that if we press our fingers in a particular wavy motion on the freshly coloured paper, it will create a wave effect. That used to be fun. We used to religiously sit and create paper waves on the paper oceans on the paper map!!
I remember drawing the river from the sea to its origin...because that is the easiest way to remember a particular river and its course. My VIII standard teacher had stood behind me when I was drawing Narmada river. She held my hand and told me how could I imagine a river starting from the ocean and running inland? She was very angry with me for drawing it that way. I was quietly wondering - what difference it makes in a paper - I know now that things have to be done in the "right" way, though I could not understand then my mistake! I wonder why she did not explain my mistake and correct it. May be she over estimated my intelligence!!
I never understood where on earth we are and how we manage to stand, sit or walk when it is supposed to be rotating... I was scared to ask anyone these questions. I thought it will be stupid to ask things which everyone else seems to know. The fun is, I managed to get top marks in all subjects. I loved reciting the Tamil poems - it connected me to something that I do not know even now. Other than that, school work at school and at home was a mechanical thing - that which had to be done so that one day I can become someone useful and good. Have I?? Yes, to a large extent and NO as there are a lot more I am capable of doing but have not yet done!!
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