My alarm clock blared near my ears. "Trrrrr,Trrrrr,Trrrrrrr,Trrrrrr"....."Are Mumma please mat jagaiye abhi, sone bhi dijiye na", said Mishti." My 12 year old daughter rolled herself in her lavender coloured soft sheet. I just kept staring at her innocent face, deep into sleep.
Oh Gosh !! It was Monday, the first working day of the week. I rushed into the kitchen. Silence reigned everywhere. I switched on my smart white Philips Electric Kettle for a cup of brewing hot tea. A bright sunny morning, smiling at me and knocking me that my tiny tots are looking forward to meeting their Class Teacher.
Hush and bush all around. Teachers clutching huge bags in one hand and balancing pile of books and copies on the other, rushing to their classes is how the scene looks like at 6:50a.m. in my Sunshine School.
Ah my class, that same table and the Nilkamal Red Chair seemed so lost without me. The class was in utter chaos. The children were simply running around and playing cricket in the class. Yes you heard it right, cricket in the class. Can you ever imagine bowling, batting and fielding done in a barely a medium sized room???? Well... let me tell you that it is quite possible. Hehehehee.....in my class II-C nothing is impossible. "Pakram-Pakrai","Lukka-Chhippi",Wrestling,Singing and Dancing and what not is done in that four-walled room.
I too was one of those such teachers overloaded with all the essentials needed for the class. I just finished doing with the small green outside board, a little boy rushed into my class. I remember the first time I had seen him, dragging his shoes, entering my class with his a sack like bag. My eyes went towards that chubby, roly-poly seven year old boy. He was transferred from class II-A to II-C. Got a review of him as well. My eyes simply popped out on finding him to be the most notorious chap in the whole batch. A real big challenge for me as a class teacher, you see. He was from a priest- like family background. He was Raghav Shukla my exquisite single piece amongst the 37 miniatures.
I heard a lot about him but was unable to understand as why only complaints and why not some praises for him came to me. "Raghav Shukla operation" started from that day itself. Everybody sympathised me on finding him in my class. Wonderful cricketer, sincere and a responsible boy with a golden heart is how I look at him.
Any child being hyperactive does not mean that he or she is naughty. The perspective of seeing Raghav has to be changed......The means to do this has to be different as he is not like the others. I found him to be an intelligent, inquisitive, energetic and active boy. He is the single child of his parents staying with his doting mother and an affectionate uncle. His father is the principal of a small government school in a far flung village in the outskirts of Varanasi.
The most awaited weekly and at times the monthly visit of his father brings that lost sheen in his eyes. Being all alone at home, no one to play with or talk to, such an energetic child always looks for company.
Neither a mother nor an uncle can ever replace a child's need all the time. A child loves to be with his own age group only.
I closely observed this vibrant boy and found him having immense knowledge about cricket and a great command in his mother tongue Hindi. The only problem with him was channelising his excessive energy. Since he has no playmate at home so he used to get overexcited when he finds so many like him in the class. He just wants to rejoice the moments when he is at school because his conscience knows that he won't get anyone to share his feelings and everything as and when he reaches home.
Cricket, not with a bat or a ball but this time with a small sharpener and a Maths book replacing the ball and bat. And the pitch is the narrow gap between two rows of desks. A big "No" to the girls in the team. What an innovative idea to play this famous outdoor game within a classroom, Raghav !! Totally out of anybody's imagination.
Contrary to this, his playful attitude has opened the doors to the others subdued cravings. Looking at him, many started playing in the class which also led to skirmishes. Now handling such a handful bunch and the girls chirping like parrots all the time becomes a real tough task for Me as the Class Teacher. Class Discipline goes for a toss then.
I have gathered that Raghav needs lot of love, care and patience. He wants good friends and little bit of importance from his peers. Don't you think this is what every child wants? Moreover, it is quite a normal craving. Then why do we all run after him saying that he is very disturbing irritating and a naughty boy. I personally feel that handling such kind of a lad is a bit challenging but not impossible at all.
I have accepted this challenge gladly and will definitely be his best friend for his entire life. Moulding Raghav into a little quiet child has become the top most job in my agenda of being a "Successful Class Teacher" . Happy Teachers Day to ME.(in advance) ?