Going MAD @ICCW

It begins after work every Thursday. A slew of messages. Few confirmations. Some explanations. And hence some substitutions. And we are all set for Saturday at the least. Oops, the preparations? Well, that happens either late on Friday nights or Saturday mornings. Ironically, Sundays, which are substitution days have better preparations.

The weekends for me unusually begin by 6 am with either cricket on Saturdays or football on Sundays. Making it home by 9 30 am becomes quite a challenge! What with a bath and some quick preparations (if its Saturdays) to follow! But still, after what they call a 'crow's bath' and a quick revision, am off by 9 50 am. One thing that is of great help to me is that the destination is just a minute's drive away. I somehow make it before 10 am.

Once at ICCW (Indian Council for Child Welfare) with my fellow teachers, the English class, preceded by a quick discussion (on the topics to be covered), begins. My 'wards', for want of a better name, are only four or so they seem. They are christened as Chandiran, Amul, Balaji and Deepan. The youngest, Balaji, is playful all the time and ever so restless, but has prompt, witty and correct replies to any of my questions. The oldest, Deepan, finds some reason or the other to skip the classes but catches up with the fellow mates pretty easily, when he does attend. Chandiran, would love, not to play games, but to finish of the day's lesson at the earliest. And Amul, the conformist would agree to anything I say. I couldn't have ended up with a more complicated set.

It is a challenge I cherish. Trying to play a game for three while the fourth sits trying to get on with the class can be mind boggling. But that happens every Saturday to me. Even when all three (Deepan rarely attends) listen to my class, one steams ahead like a jet, the other rattling along like train and the third crawling along like a cart. Patience, to answer their doubts even when they may have to be repeated to each one individually one after the other, is a prime ingredient. The gauging of the kids' moods for the day is also a huge help. This, I realised while handling the younger kids. It is impossible to do something they don't want to. Playing along with them when gets their attention much better than rebelling against. Just to make sure they sit with you all through the two hours is simply an achievement in itself.

Its amazing how one improvises without meaning to, during the two hours he/she spends while teaching. Only last week, I had to engage 7 of the youngest kids, in rotation so that my fellow teachers could conduct one-on-ones for their 9 wards. A word building, followed by a spelling contest, followed by Chinese Whisper, and then a story time. The last one was straight out of my granny's favourite reciting to me and my cousins. It gives you enormous satisfaction when cute little bright faces drink in whatever you say like it was something really sweet. What is most encouraging is, when I get back next week, their recollections/remarks on what they learnt/heard last week.

Well what is the moral? A fortnight ago I was attending a family function, where my cousin's kid was stuck to her mom all morning. Pop, comes my other cousin's kid with her grandparents. An idea strikes! I got them together, and together they were for the remainder of the function. They still quoted the 'high-five' game, I introduced to them out of nowhere, when I met them during Navrathri. The nursery rhymes we sang together still resonate. But most of all, the twinkle in their eyes and the innocent laughter I heard that day will keep me going for more. Time to get more MAD!!

P.S: MAD refers to Make A Difference, an interactive English learning programme for children who have limited or no proficiency in the language.

This one's for my Granny...

Thursday, 7th of October 2010

The days preluding were filled with excitement. I used to bug my Paati (granny) to decide what is that new thing we should get that year. Something always was new every year and so it should be according to her. Finally when the first day arrives, I used to get so excited that all my time at school that day would go in thinking about the evening. I used to beg her always, 'please don't start without me'. And always, she used to wait for me.

Evening I come back from school, expecting appa (dad) or chithappa (his younger bro) to come from office, because without them nothing would start. First the basic framework gets down from the dingy lofts in the corner room. Then the seven long steps. And I always had to help in their descent. Whether I am big or small didn't matter. Always. Once they are down, the building of the frame is done. My paati ever so thoughtful, used to soak the screws, nuts and bolts a day before in keroscene. After appa and chitha are satisfied with the frame, the steps are placed and two pure white dhotis (8 ft long) cover the entire set up.

Meanwhile paati starts clearing the things above the age old trunk box in the store room, to start unloading our complete repertoire of dolls. Oh my! Each doll was precious. I used to recite out how many Ganesha, Murgan, Krishna, Shiva and what not! we had every year to my sister (Sharanya). And every doll had its own story. It was so much fun listening to them. The little Appu dolls (that I still have) were the most dearest. Paati always used to tell that the pair cost just 50 paise.

Once my shuttles between the store and drawing rooms are done and the trunk empty, we move back to the corner room for the unloading of more dolls! Appa likes to pull my leg there by wantedly skipping several sets of dolls that I used to look out for. The 6 dancing girls, 5 freedom fighters, the ladies with the kids, the fruits and vegetables set, the three biggies (Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Murugan), the Ramar crowning ceremony, the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, the two Kamadenus all had to be there. The tantrums I used to throw when something was missed by appa there. Ahh!! I used to shout so much. But paati patiently would tell appa what was missing and where to look, making sure I was satisfied.

Then, I, being so short and unable to keep the dolls in the topmost step used to direct appa to keep what dolls where, with paati pushing my him wherever she had to. Then once the top steps are completely filled and we are down to the bottom few, I take over completely. Paati would help me keep every thing the way I want. And once all the steps are filled and with the big Murugan on a plank, for itself, on the floor, my real work starts!

The biggest fun of all Navrathri celebrations for me was the spreading of sand on the floor and laying out the cricket set, park set, band set, a zoo, a temple, a pond and what not! Patiently from around night 9 30 pm after dinner till almost midnight, I used to do my favourite thing. I never let anyone else help me. Paati would soak some seeds in water 2-3 days before to add some real greenery to my setting. Wow how much I loved it!

And today, when the day came back, it hit me, how much I miss the fun I had with Paati all those years. Miss you so much paati...

With lots and lots of love

Appu