A pupil, a pain in the heart

clip_image002Taare Zameen Par (Every Child Is Special) was a 2007 movie directed by Aamir Khan, script written by Amole Gupte, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions (Wikipedia).

It's about a boy who can neither read nor write. A friend of mishaps. A teacher's nightmare. Ridiculed. Despised. Misunderstood even by his roots.

I wouldn't dream of having a pupil like that. If I'm unlucky enough to have one, it surely will be a pain in the head. On second thought, it will be a pain in the heart.

I never realized how a child lives in his own world until I watched this movie. There certainly are a lot of things going inside a child's mind, those that we don't understand as adults. Comprehending everything that a child does is synonymous to studying a whole new course of human behavior. What adults see as shades of gray, such a child sees as dancing luminous objects.

This movie changed my perspective. Not that I don't know how to teach. It's just that sooner or later, I might become one of the teachers who simply bark at students who cannot readily cope with the rest. Yes, they have a point. In a class of 40 or 60 pupils, how can a teacher take care of each pupil's needs?

Well, that's when Mr Ram Numbikh comes into the picture. What a marvel! Great, I should say. Spot the error. Spot the difference. Give the symptoms. No, see the problem. The solution? Go to the root. Dig deep. Find what's hidden. Let it out. Speak to it, and remedy it. That was what he did! The problem? Dyslexia. Curable? Yes, and he did what he could. The root? Care. Parent's unconscious inability to see the child as a unique individual, not as somebody who fulfills unachieved dreams. Acceptance.

"There is a gem amongst us."

"Yes, Sir Numbikh. But, how do I see the gem in a querulous, disobedient child? Oh, what poor class standing! Is this what you call gem? Why, he should be transferred to a different school!"

I almost imagine Sir Numbikh saying these lines:

"Albert Einstein? Pablo Picasso? Thomas Alva Edison? They aren't smart in human standards, but their ability to see the world in a different viewpoint made them unique. You see the lights? You see the planes, the helicopters? Look at the paintings. What bold colors! Can they read or write like a first grader does? No. But wait. What have they made to the world? Do you see your pupil? Look at him in the eye. See the heart that is in that eye. See the beauty in it, and discover the glittering gem inside."

I'll surely be tongue-tied. I admit there were times when I would almost give up in exhaustion. Blah, blah, blah. That pupil won't stay long in this school, should be transferred to a special school, and the litany goes on. But you see, I always feel guilty when I think about it.

So what's the point of this? Yes! I just have to start loving each of them unconditionally, fast learner or not, quick or slow, neat or untidy. I should live up to what I always tell them. That they are angels, and that they should be guided in their growing years.

To be part of their life alone is a one-of-a-kind privilege that teachers should learn to enjoy. I have to continuously remind myself to recognize differences, talents, and uniquenesses. There is great joy in caring for your pupils. You don't own them, but they get to share with you their laughter; they get to tickle you with their humor; they get to paint a smile on your face with their sweetness. Oh, what a blessing! I am reminded to be thankful of my blessings, and my pupils sure do count as one, each one of them.

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