Monster in a teacher`s disguise Part II

Today morning I met TT after my Yoga class.Early in the morning, I like to keep to myself.
TT walked up and said,"Hi!Your friend had come. Her daughter has stopped coming for classes(G)."
I glared.
TT," She is a lazy girl".
" But what you did was wrong. How can you..."
TT," Arrey, you don`t know these parents. They only want marks and if the child doesn`t perform, toh meri gardan pakadte hain(They hold me responsible).We can`t raise our hand so how do you discipline them? You have to scare them, nahi toh sar par chad jaayenge."
"Yes , but this is no way. You can`t demean a child.."
TT cuts in," What demean? They are so chalu.. You know if they don`t listen then finally my sister handles them".
"What do you mean..handles them?"
TT ,"She walks them to the police station and tells them that if they don`t study then they will broom the police station. That gets them cracking. And anyways ,I have 30 children coming for tuitions. In the past 2 years G is the second child who has opted out. What to do ,some parents have ego issues. Let them find their way out."
I am speechless.
TT, ' See you. Have to rush. Got a class."
I stand on the road with mixed feelings. I am digusted with myself for not firing her. And soon a feeling of utter helplessness spreads over. The attitude of parents, the education system, our obsession with marks..I am bugged because I realise that there is a grain of truth in what TT said.

Monster in a teacher`s disguise

A 30 something Lady who takes tuitions in a suburb in Mumbai (TT for convenience)

A 10 year old girl from a reputed English medium ,ICSE school in a suburb in Mumbai (G for convenience).

The concerned, harassed mother of the girl (M for convenience).

Tuesday evening 4.30 at TT`s residence.

M drops G for her tuitions. G is tired after a long day (school from 8.30 to 3.30) and has been dropped here straight from school. On the way , in a rickshaw, M fed her a sandwich and she sipped cold flavoured milk. G is sweaty, tired and just wants to lie down.

G enters the class. There are at least a dozen more such students sitting around with their books. She walks up to the TT , “Good evening Miss.”
TT ,” Oh! Good you are here. Sit down and quickly show me your handbook. Prisha ,have you finished learning? Hmm G show me your work.”
G listlessly opens her handbook and shows it to TT.
TT, “ok let`s start. Have you finished the home work I gave you yesterday?”
G fearfully shakes her head and mumbles, “No, Miss.”
TT thunders ,”Why?”
G, “ It was my friend`s birthday. After tuitions I went home and changed and went to her house. I came at 8pm and was very tired ,so I went off to sleep. There was no time.”
TT,” No time? You lazy girl. You just don`t want to work. Get up right now. Pick up that broom and sweep this room. That`s your punishment. You don`t study ,then this is what you will do when you grow up. Become a maid and sweep houses. Get up”. She pinched G.
G is sobbing, “Please Miss, sorry Miss.”
TT, ‘You get up right now. I am going to click a picture and show it to your friends in school.”
G is traumatized and hangs her head in shame. When M comes to pick her up G is sullen.
They reach home and G bursts out. “You don`t love me. You know what the TT made me do today?”
She narrates the incident and the M turns around, “But Beta , it is your fault. You must finish your work on time na. Now , now. It`s ok. She wishes well for you.”
M is taken aback by the incident but thinks it is wise to keep her thoughts to herself. The TT may throw her G out of the class. Better to be quiet.
This is a true incident. It happened to my friend. She shared it with me and asked ,“What can I do?”.
I just couldn`t take it. Where are we going? All of us are to be blamed. So caught up we are in the rat race, that we do not realize the harm we cause to our own children. We cry ourselves hoarse over capital punishment but what about Mental abuse?
It is so demeaning and demoralizing for any individual to be treated in this manner.Mental abuse erodes a child`s self esteem and self worth. It kills the will to excel and cripples him emotionally.
As for the TT shame on her. Anyone who treats children like that cannot be a teacher. She is a monster who will devour any child`s self esteem and confidence. Beware of such monsters in a teacher`s disguise.

p.s. I wish we would actually listen to our children. We tend to brush off their fears and complains and constantly push them to be strong,smart,brave etc etc.

p.p.s. Would any of us brush the incident if it happpened to us as an individual? Why can`t we stand up for our own children. Why do we find faults with them and justify the teacher`s actions ,no matter how shameful they are??

pic courtsey www.valeoacademy.com