Schooling now a days is like an investment. You invest lakhs of money, stay nervous about the child's development and expect a ROI. However during my days, schooling was neither expensive nor a marathon to run. We learnt and studied peacefully. We didn't have extra classes, transitions, tuitions or surprise tests but we did well with whatever resources we had! I completed my education in a Govt School with meagre facilities but enjoyed the school years to the fullest!
I was a good student in school and I even secured district 1st in 7th standard board exams....I used to win in many essay writing or elocution contests. I was one of the bright students or so I as told by my teachers!
Today on my daughter's blog I want to just share a small incident from my school life. Our school always had surprise inspections by DEO (district education officer) or collectors or some other VIPs who want to come check the students' capabilities and the teachers' abilities to teach them! On one such surprise inspection, we had a sadist inspector who entered the premises only with an agenda to torture students! His presence was no less than an army general and the news of his treatment spread quickly to our class with in minutes after he entered school!
He started posing very tough questions like - "how many languages are there on a rupee note," or " what does the flag of Chile look like?" etc. I never heard or read such things so far. We didn't have the luxury of googling in those days. On present day I wish so badly that if I had a smart phone hidden somewhere in my bag, I could have answered!
The sadist entered our class. We all were trembling with fear. My heart was racing and I didn't even get that tensed during my board exams.
He selected some last benchers purposely and they were not able to answer a single question!
The head mistress then shifted focus towards me!
"Sir! She is the brightest student in the class. Top ranker. Please ask her!"
He started his question attack one by one and I suddenly became mute. It was as if I had bitten my tongue and couldn't get a word out :(
The authority kept on mocking, "so Miss Topper you don't even know this?"
As the bombardment continued, I started shivering🥶 and was almost in tears!
In my mind - I was kicking him, tightly slapping him...
In my ten second figment of imagination in a parallel universe - I was the inspector and he the student and I made him face the wrath of my questions!
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| source : here |
But the imagination ended, and he felt pleased that he troubled me enough, he left the class with a smug on his face. I let out a sigh of relief but I felt so upset!
After the inspection our headmistress met me and said ,"sorry!" . She apologized vocally for making me scape goat! I didn't feel bad and was actually glad that the ordeal was over!
After that inspection, there were many inspections and contests where I performed well but that inspection could never be forgotten! In a way it was a learning to me to be bold and accept my defeat with a high head!
May be that experience made me work on my general knowledge more and I started nudging my kids too to know and learn things that are not included in the school curriculum!
This is guest post by my dear mom Haseena, hence I broke the rule of sticking to the Covid theme and published her post! I am participating in Blogging from A-Z challenge 2022 and this is my P post - Page from the past! She doesn't have a blog and I feel I acquired my primary writing skills only from her :)
Some interesting blogs you can read:
https://andwhatajournjeyitsbeen.blogspot.com/
https://balconysunrise.wordpress.com/
Amazing tour of inspection experience. So nicely written that i could imagine this is how it must have gone. :D
ReplyDeleteComing from a govt. School I could relate word by word and today's education & impact on kids.
Lots of love to aunty, she is a true inspiration.
You rock babe 👍
Sadly I went to school in an era when I as a child was held responsible for the consequences of the decisions taken by the adults in my life. School was not a happy time for me.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I made sure my children had a very different experience and they both did well.
Inspection time was always an extra busy time. I am talking of the 70s. We had to put fresh covers on our notebooks. Uniforms had to be perfect. Blackboards and notice boards had all kinds of info. I am not sure how much it benefitted the school or us as things got back to the usual (normal) the next day onwards. Good going on the AtoZ!
ReplyDeleteGreat narration! I miss inspection day in my school days, it was the only time we took care to decorate our class lol.
ReplyDeleteYes, some people want to show their presumed superiority by belittling others. They are the most pathetic creatures.
ReplyDeleteIt's shocking how some adults don't recognise that they're the biggest bullies.
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteA big hello to aunty. Reminded me of the inspections we used to have in my KV. Being an Army School Alumni, discipline was a regular part of our school days. But those were the best days.
Obviously, the man was in the wrong profession.
ReplyDeletethat was an experience and a half! I could feel her, thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a neat idea this is, so warm to have family actively involved in our blogging journey. Now I can see where the intellect comes from! :) I wonder what makes authority figures turn into bullies, especially when they have such good opportunities to change things for the better. And the sad fact that some experiences, no matter how much good ones we have later, end up staying with us! Of course, these are the ones that teach us the most too!
ReplyDeleteHere's my post for P:
Panchatantra
Hi. Although your mom took it in the right spirit by focussing on her GK and that of her children, I cannot get the kind of people who enjoy putting others down. Sometimes it can damage the self confidence of a child.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story. I felt horrible for you mother and the other students while reading it. I guess the inspector thought he was inspiring kids to learn things they didn't know. Or he was just plain mean.
ReplyDeleteInspection time is always a tension-ridden time. I am glad your mother took this in her stride and approached it with a positive frame of mind.
ReplyDeleteP = Pogono-
Hello Aunty!
ReplyDeleteI loved your post and that ten-second figment of imagination. Omg to have an inspection like that... I would have cried too! Hope to read more of your writing and kisse-kahaaniyaan here.
Visiting from A-Z challenge.
Hope you like my posts on momandideas.com
That inspector sounds like a jumped up twat full of his own importance. People like that really get on my wick! It was lovely to hear from your mother.
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings: YouTube - What They Don't Tell You (and free fiction)
Loved the guest post by your mom. Thankfully i went to school in a peaceful era too but with no such inspections!
ReplyDeleteA**holes still exist. This story will make your day. In Ramayana, Rama broke the bow during swayamwara and married Sita. This DEO comes and ask the teacher what he is teaching. He said Ramayana. DEO then asks every student “who broke the bow”. No student was able to answer. He goes away angry. After a few days, the DEO got a letter from the headmaster – After you left we asked every student “who broke the bow”. No student would admit breaking the bow. So we fined every student Rs.10. Collected the money and bought a new bow.
ReplyDeleteReally cool post, nice to hear from Aunty. Have only heard about inspections from my Mom, an ex-school teacher but never experienced them. Must have been a very terrifying experience for your Mom to have this core memory!
ReplyDeleteWaaaowww Haseena Aunty is really Ammmaaaazzziinnnggg 👍👍👌👌👌👌😍😍Totally loved her post. Very impressive and inspiring 👏 🙌 👍 It's okay to win or lose as long as u do it with dignity.
ReplyDeleteWAAAOOWW 👌 👌 👌 👌 THAT WAS REALLY AWESOME 👌 👏 👍 😍 Haseena Aunty is really Ammmaaaazzziinnnggg. Totally loved her post , impressive and inspiring 👏 👍👍👍😇. It's OK to win or lose as long as u do with dignity 👍👍
ReplyDeleteHow fun to have a guest post written by your mom!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that experience was so negative. I think school and learning should be fun and positive. My children often ask me questions about when I was a student and it is usually fun and educational to have conversations about the changes and why there have been changes...
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Stopping in from A to Z: https://brewingcoffeetwistingwordsbreakingpencils.ca/2022/04/19/popcorn/
Sorry that experience was negative. I think school and learning should be a fun and positive experience.
ReplyDeleteStopping in from A to Z
That was not a good experience. Clearly this was someone who was well and truly in the wrong career.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for visiting my blog, I'm not really getting to see many on the A to Z quest as I am busy out in the real world, but I really appreciate those who pass by and leave a comment.
Wow! I can't imagine being tested by a man such as he!
ReplyDeleteI cant even imagine such cruelty when children are then in fear. You shared the experience with great expression.
ReplyDeletePortal
What a horrible man to behave like that with children and leave such fear with them, even after decades. Very tough for your clever mum but imagine what it would have done to the less clever children.
ReplyDeleteHttps://cassmobfamilyhistory.com
I don't think he was the right man to be an inspector like that for the schools. How awful he treated you all!
ReplyDeletebetty
I agree with you Afshan. School during our times was actually fun. Stress and performance anxiety was never a part of the curriculum;-). I studied in a K.V. We too had such surprise inspection. But luckily they were all ok. Your inspector was nothing but a mean sadist!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...this post so reminded me of my post about my kindergarten days with a bully of a teacher! 😄😄
ReplyDeleteCute post!
Dear Mom, You are a rockstar as always. I still remember the way you taught me algebra. You are my first teacher who taught me concepts in many other subjects. I hope teachers be it now or then realise it is important for a student to know the value of 1 rupee , the role it plays in economy rather than number of languages on the note!!!
ReplyDeleteoh! There are days!
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible experience, especially for a child!
ReplyDeleteI can't understand what joy they get doing this to a child. Sadist is the word for them, I agree.
ReplyDelete