Wednesday, October 24, 2012

this strange fascination with possessions


Last month I shifted my house
My home since childhood
When I left, I left with it
Treasured memories,
A part of my heart. When
 I returned to the place,
I saw my house had been repainted
I could no longer see my home in
That house. That’s how this world
 Is and in it
Nothing is ours, not our house
Or our cherished ones.  We came with
Nothing and we’ll leave back nothing
in this earth. Even our body, our faces,
The pretty and ugly, the black
And white ones will all be left to
Rot. Yet strangely, we seem
Crazed by owning, tempted
For worthless possessions
And looking good.


how teachers can handle today's students better


teachers can only open the door. you have to enter yourself. well, this is about how teachers can open the door wider
Schooling is an enduring thread of episodes that has to be gone through by every kid for some fourteen years. But for teachers, this episode continues for much longer, which is why, improving the quality of the time spent in teaching and learning hours have to be experienced in the best way possible, to make it a smooth ride.  Of course, students ,like me, play the most vital role in making each class a success, and we are often times bombarded with advise and suggestions as to how we should talk less, listen well, pay attention, do our work dutifully…true, and agreed, but this is only one flank of it.
 While it is true that it is our responsibility as students to take each of these helpful opines, teachers also play an extremely significant part in making a cheerier class, creating a status-quo where it is easier for the students to focus their attention on the lesson. Here are some things, I, as a student would like to suggest:
1.       Respect us as individual students. I think it is important for teachers to understand the differences between the abilities of different children and treat each one especially according to their inclinations. While I find that many teachers, and I admire them, have already mastered this art, some expect equal performance from every student alike. “She’s your age too, if she can, how can you not?” shouldn’t be the question. On the contrary, the same age can often form a very poor base for grouping and labeling people. Teachers, especially have to understand this.
2.       Remember the times when you were a student, too. This is what many students often whisper to themselves “had she never been a student herself? She’s so mean!” in a class of thirty, it does happen most of the time that a couple of students may forget something important for a class or carelessly ignore an instruction, not realizing its importance. Of course, it must be very frustrating to come across many children like that every day, but it would delight us if you were more understanding and forgiving. While it’s not wrong to chastise a deliberate and repetitive rule-breaker, it is also important to try to understand the circumstances of a child for her/his excuse and forgive more easily.
3.       Be our friend. My most loved teacher by far is one who had always addressed us as equals to her, she seemed to learn everyday with us, instead of just lecturing and teaching (or droning), line after line, encouraging tempting slumber. Try to connect with us while teaching. Interact more with everyone, especially those who are uninterested and do not restrict inter- student interaction too much either, at least until the collaboration doesn’t turn into yelling (which, I know, habitually happens).
4.       Make the class more interactive. No teacher likes passive listeners, everyone expects students to answer and listen actively. But sometimes, to be active enthusiasts is only possible if the teachers create an interesting environment for us. For example, instead of making every theory based, live experiments and streaming into videos through you tube would be better-as most schools have access to good technology now, and this is easily possible. Conducting classes in the field or lawn instead of inside a room on bright days can also lighten the learning atmosphere.
5.       Try to respect our views. Of course, teachers know way more than students do, which is why they are assigned that noble role. But it isn’t humanly possible to know everything, even what pertains to one’s own specialized subject. Sometimes, teachers try to make up on the terms they don’t clearly have an image of themselves. When you are not sure of something, instead of feeding children wrong information, accept that you do not know. This not only helps us find out the doubt through research but increases our respect for you. Sometimes, especially when it pertains to technology and computers we may know more. There’s no wrong in this, neither is it shameful. Naturally, being a generation born into an era of computers, this is also intrinsic knowledge, one we’d love to share with you. We may also have our own views pertaining to various foci, try to take in those too, and consider what we say, even if it’s a contradiction to your outlook. Or at least just act like you are listening. Mere listening helps greatly.
6.       Teach not to get done with it, but to transfer the power of knowledge. Teaching is like a charge transfer. Teachers are like remote controls, whatever button they press, that’s what works on us to create a certain effect. Try to be lively and teach to share valuable information instead of considering it a trauma, which would only make the class extremely dreary and difficult to handle, for every one alike. Of course, this rule applies to students too, for if we listen, looking vacant and zombie like, that will only demotivate the teachers.

Whatever it is, I think most teachers of today are doing an excellent job, of herding us, which can sometimes be a tough thing, and I doubt I’d be able to handle such a challenging role myself. However, we as human students, also feel like teachers could be bettered by our opinion, at times, and this are what I have put forward. Moreover, this not only applies, I think, to teaching but any courier any one pursues. Enthusiasm, dedication to work and respect for the individualism of others play an important role in everyone’s life.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

life is only but a dream



life's only but a dream and
we are all walking, talking
characters in it, merely
products of vivid imagination.
now we're there, and now we're not,
now present and -whoosh­-
gone.

without a reason we live in a dream
and still in this surreal sphere
 dream.
here some become, some get undone,
but all gone the next morning
with the awakening of our dreamy
ignorant slumber.

so is this morning, this awakening
our death?

the beauty of writing


There are many reasons why I write, and sometimes there is simply no reason at all. As for what I write, the genre of my pieces, I am not very sure about that myself, yet. Sometimes as I sleep, the slumber wakes in me some ideas, so wonderful and yet crazy, drawing and colorful and yet boring, and often times these ideas dissolve with the night and are gone as I wake up. But what remains of my dreams, both the dreams of my sleep and those that my mind creatively imagines when I am awake, I put to my electronic paper, the word document, or at times, scribble the random thoughts on any scrap I get.
Sometimes, I am aware that what I write is of no consequence to world, that it is simply going to make no difference, and yet I cannot control this addictive passion of writing. I love the way ideas rush into my head, a new contemplation,  as I put my thoughts in magical words; words, that can express so much, and every single idea in so many ways.  Perhaps that is why it has such power, and yes, writing can do anything in the world, make it or destroy it. It can shape a person, transform him entirely, make a man or simply break him- it can even move mountains, and yes, a pen is more powerful than a sword.
I do not write with any intention, not to become known, not for monetary gains not for appreciation, but merely for the joy that comes with it- the exhilaration that it sends trembling through my every vein seeping into my heart, the epicenter, and it’s very magnitude capable of triggering a tsunami. Paper has patience, it is endowed with acceptance, and I feel compelled to take for granted its kindness at least a little and update it with everything my mind yearns to say.
 I was just as ignorant, till very recently, about the power of writing, of wording my thoughts, as an unborn would be, till I tried it myself. I only ask of you too, to give it a shot, you never know, you may find yourself drawn to writing.  But I know just as I sure as my own self, that many will find pleasure in this beautiful art, for ink can make shapes of our thoughts in every language, even in the unsure ones of animals and the breezy sway of the plants.
Even if ages come and go, even if rocks start moving, or aliens invade earth, writing will remain, and it will enlighten every era that has yet to follow. Writing would and must not ever die, for with it will be wrenched away all the freedom of humanity, of every living thing.
But as for me, I will write, express with my words. And I will keep going till my brain is succumbed and my writhing hands can no longer speak.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

let's make a difference

being your own victim

this poem's on bullying and bullies are generally serious cowards.
tell me what you think!
being your own victim


Your smile
Like the dogs’ tail that never
Ceases wagging
Like the dark, sticky, sweet dripping, honey
Dripping, dripping,
dripping, from the bee hive,
Remains, like change, eternal.
Beneath that,
 Honey,
 I can make out a Margosa tree standing stout, bitter and green.
Profoundly green. Perhaps your smile was misjudged.
Still deeper lies a prejudiced demon, probably envious,
Pouncing and hurting the weakest with as much reason as the earth has,
To keep spinning round and round all year long.
And you experience joy seemingly, when you make others lose,
More joy for you then,
 Than when you emerge the winner, yourself.
You satisfy yourself with all the wrong you justify,
But, my dear, your thirst seems insatiable.
Everyone evolves, but you are, a snake.
That sheds its skin to grow a new one.
But a snake will remain a snake.

In the core of your existence, still I sense,
Stunning difference, like the soft mushy kiwi,
Inside the itching, disturbing cover.
 Deep sympathy, regret and guilt,
Some humanity.
Like a child that has broken its first doll,
You know.
Deep under, you are imprisoned yourself, like a fish that bites its bait
Unknowingly?
Unlike the fish, you are not helpless; you won’t surely die only gasping for air.
Because you still have a chance, an opening
 To break free,
Of the tormenting that you subject yourself to,
Even as you deny it,
It’s killing you, hurting you more than the weakling you pick on.
That burning, dwindling core,
Full of shame and helplessness, dying,
Inside- tells me you know what you are
yourself.