Last weekend I was in Hauz Khas with my daughter and decided to show her the building of my old school (St Anthony's Sr Secondary School). While Khushi was obviously excited to see where her mother studied, the school failed to inspire any emotional feeling in me.
Many reasons for this. To begin with, even now when I think of school, I think of St Joseph's Sr Secondary School in Kanpur (I studied till 9th standard in this school). I am not particularly attached to St Anthony's (I completed XI and XII at St Anthony's) and not at all to Greenfield School (I was here only for a year--class Xth).
Besides, school was not really a happy time for me. When I stood in front of St Anthony's I recalled how I struggled to fit in the crowd. Since I had come from Kanpur, the culture shock was huge and it took me a long time to adjust (frankly, I dont think I ever adjusted). I recall stammering to read in class (braces added to my already precarious status as an outsider in the school); standing quietly in one corner during the lunch break; opening my mouth only when I was asked a question and had no option but to answer back. My agony was further increased by the fact that I was not particularly good in studies and of course, I had to take Science. So I was forever struggling. Today, even in the age of Facebook and Linkedin, I am not in touch with anybody from St Anthony's and cannot recall a single classmate I would like to meet and talk to. If I do meet any classmate today, I am sure they would be shocked that I took up journalism as a career when I couldn't talk to save my life in school.
The only person I looked forward to intereact with at St Anthony's was Mrs Bisht, my English teacher. This was also because I was reasonably good in English. She was an exceptional teacher and taught life skills more than English. I had a tendency to escape to washroom whenever my turn to read was approaching. I was in the process of doing the same once and she stopped me and asked me to start reading. I stammered and stammered and stammered...she never made me feel uncomfortable and ensured I completed the entire paragraph howsoever long it took. Post this she publicly appreciated me for completing it. This incident marked the beginning of the end of stammering. Even now I remember her birthday date...says a lot about her, doesn't?
Many reasons for this. To begin with, even now when I think of school, I think of St Joseph's Sr Secondary School in Kanpur (I studied till 9th standard in this school). I am not particularly attached to St Anthony's (I completed XI and XII at St Anthony's) and not at all to Greenfield School (I was here only for a year--class Xth).
Besides, school was not really a happy time for me. When I stood in front of St Anthony's I recalled how I struggled to fit in the crowd. Since I had come from Kanpur, the culture shock was huge and it took me a long time to adjust (frankly, I dont think I ever adjusted). I recall stammering to read in class (braces added to my already precarious status as an outsider in the school); standing quietly in one corner during the lunch break; opening my mouth only when I was asked a question and had no option but to answer back. My agony was further increased by the fact that I was not particularly good in studies and of course, I had to take Science. So I was forever struggling. Today, even in the age of Facebook and Linkedin, I am not in touch with anybody from St Anthony's and cannot recall a single classmate I would like to meet and talk to. If I do meet any classmate today, I am sure they would be shocked that I took up journalism as a career when I couldn't talk to save my life in school.
The only person I looked forward to intereact with at St Anthony's was Mrs Bisht, my English teacher. This was also because I was reasonably good in English. She was an exceptional teacher and taught life skills more than English. I had a tendency to escape to washroom whenever my turn to read was approaching. I was in the process of doing the same once and she stopped me and asked me to start reading. I stammered and stammered and stammered...she never made me feel uncomfortable and ensured I completed the entire paragraph howsoever long it took. Post this she publicly appreciated me for completing it. This incident marked the beginning of the end of stammering. Even now I remember her birthday date...says a lot about her, doesn't?
2 comments:
YOU stammered ?
Yes...big time. :). I started stammering when I came to Delhi. The culture shock + braces (which I got in Kanpur)= stammering + total loss of confidence. I stammered only during reading in class and also when i had to talk to teachers etc etc. For this reason I so loved `The Kings Speech'...watch it when u get time. I could so relate to the dilemma and agony of the king...
No such problem now though. :)
PS: nice to see u back though
Post a Comment