My daughter reached preschool age so I started noticing school going kids and their parents. When one of my nephew came to me and showed me his result card I was like ?????!!!!!
It was all greek and latin for me! Grades grades and grades... It pushed me to have tour to my school time and here I'm writing my memories down.
I remember going to school first with my cousin who was 3 years older to me. A faint memory of going school with him and sitting in his class only brings smile on my face. I was a tough kid for whole school to convince me and made me sit in my class. Then my father got transferred and I lost my company to go to school.
It was then when I went school for the first time officially, to "Stella Maris Convent". When I went there I saw every one crying and I have no other option as all my teachers were busy calming kids I started crying too ;)
That was the first day..
I remember teachers telling my mother that I can do much better if I pay attention in every parent teacher meeting. My mother as typical mother had lots of lots expectations from me. She wanted me to excel in every field and specially in studies. And if you ask me I never wanted to go to school not because I did not like studies but I never wanted to follow the routines , rules and regulations. Everyday was struggle as I did not want to wear the tie!!! but school uniform.. and in the school there were so many good girls who'll wear best of the uniform and keeps their books so neat and clean! I hated them. When we used to get new books and note books in the beginning, my mother and father used brown papers to cover them, stickers etc etc to decorate them. Within a week or two my books were naked as covers were torn off and I would be demanding may parents for new pencils.
We used to go to school to learn, but I could never understand if it was true why we needed home work and class work. My notebooks were never updated as my innerself refused to follow the instructions. I was good student as I always got rank in top ten but teachers were never happy with me. My mother was worried as she always got bad remarks from teachers.
There was a teacher named Sister Sudha, she was the best one as she used to love me too with all those neat notebook and tie girls. I enjoyed her class, she never scold me for not sitting me at my place or not wearing tie or not doing my homework. But very soon we had to move out.
We came to a small village named "Fazilnagar" and I was admitted to pure Hindi medium school. From "Stella maries" to " Saraswati Shishu mandir" It was a different world all together. They made fun of me as I did not know to count in hindi. It was a cultural shock to me. They used to write with G-nib and kalams. I sometimes fascinate myself as in such a hostile situation not only I did learned every thing I was expert in writing with G-nibs and kalam and inkpots.
I improved my handwriting there made good friends and learned a hundreds of sanskrit shlokas. There school uniforms were there but ties and shoes were not compulsory. I liked going to school as I wish and there they did not give any home work, instead they used to have competition of best handwriting or best drawings etc etc. I remember being busy in writing or doing something or other after coming home. And as soon as we were adjusted there again relocation came.
Once again I was in Montessori School. It was mid session when I joined that school. I remember a dark class with so many children. I was scared to hell. Every teacher who came to class asked me for itro and then scared me that I would not be able to cope up. We used to go to school by rickshaw. And my neighbor's son was in the same class. teachers there used to read the book in class and after that dictate the answers of lessons. I couldn't understand this style of teaching and my notebooks were never up to date.
I used to write down in class but very soon used to get lost in my fantasies.
Exams came my mother saw my notebooks and was shocked to see blank pages. Thank god I had that boy living across the lane. I used to take his notebook and copy it down. I was so much disinterested in studies that in exam of mathematics I saw the question paper solved it and did not bother to turn it and came back. When result came boom! just 20 out of 50. It was a shock for my mother. I remember getting lot of thrashing. Then she took responsibility of teaching me maths. She made me solve complete book two three times. It made me to concentrate and sit for some time but in school I was not able to follow dictations..
To add to my odds I had cousins who used come first in their class. They were so good students and good kids as well. In summer vacations when we used to meet, instead of letting kids enjoy aunts used to praise their kids and then their used to competition that whose kid is the best. And we were forced to remember and recite sanskrit roops.
Then again relocation happened. And in this school one thing that fascinated me was drawing and painting. I was no good in any creative thing but I always wanted to be a creative person. The Vice Principal used to take drawing classes. I remember taking brush and trying to paint for hours. In middle class family with limited resources it was very costly interest. And moreover I could never paint any painting in which colors were inside boundaries.
That school was fun but within a year we relocated. The new school was the place were I realised importance of mugging up. Earlier I felt very much difficult to match the session but I was fascinated with the students there. They were walking and talking books. When I saw them answering each and every question in classroom exactly same way as written in book, I thought of giving it a try. And believe me it worked. I got the first position in exams and it was a news there as probably I was the first girl to get first position. :)
As always as soon as I was star, we were relocated. And finally I came to school where I spent four years the maximum time ever.
There my mother also joined the school the school and that too as my science teacher. I used to be very very nervous about my mother's performance. I used to learn the chapters earlier so that my mother can learn and teach that in class room. I became so much interested in studies that I started enjoying it.
I started loving mathematics, english and science. All the other subjects were burden to me.
My mother wanted me to get admitted to Convent there but they rejected me. They said my English is so poor that I can not follow there.
As a true scorpion I took that insult so seriously that I started practicing translation and grammar everyday. I requested retired relatives who had very good British English to teach me and guide me. I followed their instruction woke up in the morning and studied. I dont know whether I excelled or not but I became comfortable in English. It became my first language.
My class had 3-4 bright students, I mean who used to have throat cutting competition. I was the most hated one. Student used to think I get marks as I'm teacher's daughter and teachers used to hate me because I never followed their instructions. My mother always felt bad as I never came first even if I came second just because on one mark.
Then came the "board exams". I told my mother I'll top this time but she never believed me. She was always after me that look that boy studies till twelve in night and that girls wakes up at five i the morning. I was happy as I studied well. The only subject I did not study was history. I did good in exams and for the first time in life I made my mother proud by getting top position in district.
That happiness was too short lived as I was sent away to Bokaro steel city for further studies. It was a shock to me. Emotional shock, cultural shock and all kind of shock. I've never seen big cities and here I was with India's CBSE topper. I was not sure about subjects in next class and students there had already revised their syllabus for 2-3 times. I couldn't cope up. I couldn't understand whats going on? And when I realized whats happening it was just four months to board exams. And as it is better late than never, I used my own style and enjoyed studies. Only problem was I had very little time in hand.
I got fairly good marks in board exams not good enough to make anyone proud. And finally I was out of school. There were different challenges in life ahead and now I miss so much going to school more than that I miss summer vacations.
It was all greek and latin for me! Grades grades and grades... It pushed me to have tour to my school time and here I'm writing my memories down.
I remember going to school first with my cousin who was 3 years older to me. A faint memory of going school with him and sitting in his class only brings smile on my face. I was a tough kid for whole school to convince me and made me sit in my class. Then my father got transferred and I lost my company to go to school.
It was then when I went school for the first time officially, to "Stella Maris Convent". When I went there I saw every one crying and I have no other option as all my teachers were busy calming kids I started crying too ;)
That was the first day..
I remember teachers telling my mother that I can do much better if I pay attention in every parent teacher meeting. My mother as typical mother had lots of lots expectations from me. She wanted me to excel in every field and specially in studies. And if you ask me I never wanted to go to school not because I did not like studies but I never wanted to follow the routines , rules and regulations. Everyday was struggle as I did not want to wear the tie!!! but school uniform.. and in the school there were so many good girls who'll wear best of the uniform and keeps their books so neat and clean! I hated them. When we used to get new books and note books in the beginning, my mother and father used brown papers to cover them, stickers etc etc to decorate them. Within a week or two my books were naked as covers were torn off and I would be demanding may parents for new pencils.
We used to go to school to learn, but I could never understand if it was true why we needed home work and class work. My notebooks were never updated as my innerself refused to follow the instructions. I was good student as I always got rank in top ten but teachers were never happy with me. My mother was worried as she always got bad remarks from teachers.
There was a teacher named Sister Sudha, she was the best one as she used to love me too with all those neat notebook and tie girls. I enjoyed her class, she never scold me for not sitting me at my place or not wearing tie or not doing my homework. But very soon we had to move out.
We came to a small village named "Fazilnagar" and I was admitted to pure Hindi medium school. From "Stella maries" to " Saraswati Shishu mandir" It was a different world all together. They made fun of me as I did not know to count in hindi. It was a cultural shock to me. They used to write with G-nib and kalams. I sometimes fascinate myself as in such a hostile situation not only I did learned every thing I was expert in writing with G-nibs and kalam and inkpots.
I improved my handwriting there made good friends and learned a hundreds of sanskrit shlokas. There school uniforms were there but ties and shoes were not compulsory. I liked going to school as I wish and there they did not give any home work, instead they used to have competition of best handwriting or best drawings etc etc. I remember being busy in writing or doing something or other after coming home. And as soon as we were adjusted there again relocation came.
Once again I was in Montessori School. It was mid session when I joined that school. I remember a dark class with so many children. I was scared to hell. Every teacher who came to class asked me for itro and then scared me that I would not be able to cope up. We used to go to school by rickshaw. And my neighbor's son was in the same class. teachers there used to read the book in class and after that dictate the answers of lessons. I couldn't understand this style of teaching and my notebooks were never up to date.
I used to write down in class but very soon used to get lost in my fantasies.
Exams came my mother saw my notebooks and was shocked to see blank pages. Thank god I had that boy living across the lane. I used to take his notebook and copy it down. I was so much disinterested in studies that in exam of mathematics I saw the question paper solved it and did not bother to turn it and came back. When result came boom! just 20 out of 50. It was a shock for my mother. I remember getting lot of thrashing. Then she took responsibility of teaching me maths. She made me solve complete book two three times. It made me to concentrate and sit for some time but in school I was not able to follow dictations..
To add to my odds I had cousins who used come first in their class. They were so good students and good kids as well. In summer vacations when we used to meet, instead of letting kids enjoy aunts used to praise their kids and then their used to competition that whose kid is the best. And we were forced to remember and recite sanskrit roops.
Then again relocation happened. And in this school one thing that fascinated me was drawing and painting. I was no good in any creative thing but I always wanted to be a creative person. The Vice Principal used to take drawing classes. I remember taking brush and trying to paint for hours. In middle class family with limited resources it was very costly interest. And moreover I could never paint any painting in which colors were inside boundaries.
That school was fun but within a year we relocated. The new school was the place were I realised importance of mugging up. Earlier I felt very much difficult to match the session but I was fascinated with the students there. They were walking and talking books. When I saw them answering each and every question in classroom exactly same way as written in book, I thought of giving it a try. And believe me it worked. I got the first position in exams and it was a news there as probably I was the first girl to get first position. :)
As always as soon as I was star, we were relocated. And finally I came to school where I spent four years the maximum time ever.
There my mother also joined the school the school and that too as my science teacher. I used to be very very nervous about my mother's performance. I used to learn the chapters earlier so that my mother can learn and teach that in class room. I became so much interested in studies that I started enjoying it.
I started loving mathematics, english and science. All the other subjects were burden to me.
My mother wanted me to get admitted to Convent there but they rejected me. They said my English is so poor that I can not follow there.
As a true scorpion I took that insult so seriously that I started practicing translation and grammar everyday. I requested retired relatives who had very good British English to teach me and guide me. I followed their instruction woke up in the morning and studied. I dont know whether I excelled or not but I became comfortable in English. It became my first language.
My class had 3-4 bright students, I mean who used to have throat cutting competition. I was the most hated one. Student used to think I get marks as I'm teacher's daughter and teachers used to hate me because I never followed their instructions. My mother always felt bad as I never came first even if I came second just because on one mark.
Then came the "board exams". I told my mother I'll top this time but she never believed me. She was always after me that look that boy studies till twelve in night and that girls wakes up at five i the morning. I was happy as I studied well. The only subject I did not study was history. I did good in exams and for the first time in life I made my mother proud by getting top position in district.
That happiness was too short lived as I was sent away to Bokaro steel city for further studies. It was a shock to me. Emotional shock, cultural shock and all kind of shock. I've never seen big cities and here I was with India's CBSE topper. I was not sure about subjects in next class and students there had already revised their syllabus for 2-3 times. I couldn't cope up. I couldn't understand whats going on? And when I realized whats happening it was just four months to board exams. And as it is better late than never, I used my own style and enjoyed studies. Only problem was I had very little time in hand.
I got fairly good marks in board exams not good enough to make anyone proud. And finally I was out of school. There were different challenges in life ahead and now I miss so much going to school more than that I miss summer vacations.
