తెలివి మీరితే ఇంతే…

Posted on by

0


ఆరోజు వ్యక్తీకరణ పాఠంలో భాగంగా, కొంతమంది విద్యార్ధులని ఇంటర్వ్యూలు చెయ్యమని ఆయన నన్ను పిలిచారు. వారి మాట కాదనలేకే వెళ్ళినా, నాకు కూడా ఆ విద్యార్ధుల గురించి తెలుస్తుందన్న ఆశకూడా నన్ను వారి తరగతిగదిలోకి వెళ్ళేట్టు చేసింది. కొంతమంది పిల్లలు అల్లరిగా ఉన్నారు. వారి మాష్టారు చాల ప్రయాశపడి వారిని అదుపు చేస్తున్నారు. ఇదిలాగే ఉండగా, ఒక్కొక్కరిగా పిల్లలని నేనుకూడా ఇంటర్వ్యు చేస్తున్నాను, వారి సమాధానాలని విని, నాకు తోచినంతలో ఎవొ సలహాలు ఇచ్చే ప్రయత్నమూ చేసాను.

తరగతిలో ఈ ప్రక్రియ ఇలా సాగుతుండగా…

ఓ నిద్రపోతున్న విద్యార్ధికి జాతకం అఘోరించింది; వాడిని నేను ఇంటర్వ్యు చెయ్యాల్సిన సమయం వచ్చింది.

నా ప్రశ్న: బాబూ, నా పేరు జగన్నాధం. ఇక్కడ ఇంటర్వ్యూలు చేసి ఉత్తమ విధ్యార్ధికి ఉద్యోగం ఇద్దామని వచ్చాను. మరి, నీ గురించి చెప్తావా?

అతని జవాబు: నా పేరు రంగడండి. నేను ఇంటర్వ్యు చేయించుకోడానికి వచ్చానండి.

వాడి తెలివి మీరి, తరగతి విద్యార్ధులంతా పక పకా నవ్వారు, మాష్టారు కూడా కొంత సంకోచించి అదే ఉచితమని భావించారు, నాదేముంది, మరో మాటతో ఇంటర్వ్యూకు స్వస్తి చెప్పాను.

నా సలహా: ఏది చేస్తే అది చేయించుకుంటానంటే, ఇక జీవితంలో నువ్వేం చేస్తావు నాయనా? 

First Long Ride by my Car

Posted on by

0


On a ride to Srikakulam, Arasavilli, Srikurmam, and Srimukhalingam. The ride did appeal more than clicking pictures. So these are the select few that we have managed to click. ;)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It is not just a fall!

Posted on by

1


Tired mind, sweating back, and heavy feet; I carried myself with my family into the beach park. The idea was relaxation, and my tiring mind kept was unwilling to accept any idea apart from sleeping tight. About the time when I was to mutter my intention to my family, they sprang with smiles looking at a baby playing with other babies on the lawn. I joined  them in enjoying the scene. A few minutes have gone by, and the baby was all alone as others left the park. She was shrieking and running behind those who were leaving wanting them to come back to play with her. That did not happen, and her large eyes looked for other players.

For a while, my old father entertained the kid by becoming her catching partner in the ball game. But she was soon to find her daddy sitting relaxed and not joining in. Her next move was swift; turn towards my old father, and throw the ball towards her daddy who was in an opposite direction. Understanding that he doesn’t have much choice, her daddy joined in; and  my father relaxed to enjoy the scene. Now, slowly, the baby’s mom too occupied the pitch of play and started kicking the ball, encouraging the baby to kick it too.

After a minute, it was evident that her parents were knocking the ball to each other while the baby was trying to catch it in between and show that she is a part in the game too. She ran in all directions where the ball went; by the kicks of parents who acted as amateur footballers kicking a volley ball. The minute that went by must have been a larger part of her life than ours, for she was tired enough to resent what was happening with her cry. It took that minute, and a little more, for her parents to realize that they bullied on the pitch already, and that they were expected to do something else. In trying to convince their child about their effort and bringing her back into the game, her daddy wanted to kick the ball last time, and this time to the baby only. And his foot touched the ball, only to end up in a wrong move, to slip and fall. Consequence was simple. Baby started smiling, she regained control on her toy, and her mother began to be concerned about her property, the husband. And the husband, or the baby’s daddy, was on the ground trying to recollect his senses.

Had this happened between adults, I would have called it an embarrassing fall. But it happened in a scene with a kid, and for a kid. I now think, it is not just a fall, but it is a fall that makes the kid smile. For the beauty that smile brings, I am ready to fall a hundred times every day. Did I say I was tired? Oops, let me rethink. I am planning to visit the park again, today. ;)

Plagiarism keeps everyone happy, but…

Posted on by

2


An editorial in The Hindu today started my day with a question: How do we avoid plagiarism in institutions? The question haunted me for about an year by now. I came to college with long thoughts about this. Especially, that some universities promote “open book  examination” and yet they manage to weed out plagiarism; but how is the question that remained. I conducted an exam today, open book one, to see how my students respond to this. Just like I thought, not wanted, they gave me copied answers, word to word. It felt as if there was no real value addition, but then all that a teacher can do is limited to suggesting and directing–persuasion is an option sometimes. So, I did suggest that plagiarism is in a way limiting their imaginative abilities, and that they can get away from this habit by trying to paraphrase to begin with. I thought I had made a reasonable step forward.

But then some piece of information gives me a hint that plagiarism prevails in the institution even in teaching! Wohoo! I am not talking about information sharing, intellectually stimulating discussions, or teaching methodology, but I am talking about “getting to know what happens in other class through students, and then repeating the same in some other class“. Hmm! Honestly, I appreciate it at some level, because one person works for his class, and the students of some other class also benefit from it. At least, its worth was well recognized because some other teacher copied it; only there is no ownership, and only there is no imagination any further. I sometimes pity the students who become instruments of such teachers as to assisting them information about other teachers/classes (a culture I came running away from). They do not understand that they are hurting the system by doing things that are not their job.

Any explanation I offer now seems to me of little use, because of the happy climate that prevails. I understand, plagiarism is keeping everyone happy, including me though I am copied. But then, the question that started my day still follows… How do we get rid of it? Academics can be lot better without plagiarism, but how do we convince the stakeholders? Any more ideas…

With Parents at College

Posted on by

0


This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A friend you wish you made…

Posted on by

6


We travelled together for two years by the same train, everyday. Speechless, our exchanges were pleasant smiles. The appreciation for each other grew day by day, it at least seemed to me. The day had come when we were separated; I was transferred to a far off location on an official appointment. Commute to office was part of routine, and so was my silent friend on the commute. Commute was still there, but the friend missed. It felt inside deep that I at least should have attempted to know who he was. The niggle remained!

Time gives us the power to procrastinate. I did not develop many friends on the new commute, and two years passed with the rut of work occupying the active part of my head. The heart, as always, wanted to do things, but time never gave itself to me. Not an excuse for not making friends, but that is the nature of time. It binds us all in one string and keeps moving us at its will, whence we meet others and leave some others, thinking we are getting into relationships at our will. Alas! If only there was one who could show not in time how time operated.

Another transfer now, and this became usual. Job role has changed, life has moved on, responsibilities have grown, relationships complicated, friends who were were far, and still work went on. Wallet and warmth decide our value in society, or so I headed to fill wallet. Warmth was a delta in that equation. But then time has its game and I became a pawn to realize the value of delta.

That day, I needed to bring business from a prospective client. Unlike other deals, this was a make or break situation for getting on to the next step in my career. With lots of preparation I went in. Heart pounding, I knew that to be successful everyone needs a bit of luck. If you think otherwise, read history books again! I wished luck to come my way for today. I was at the office waiting to meet the prospect…

Two hours passed, and here he came and went. In a moment of confusion, surprise, thrill, I recall it was that speechless friend I made on my commute years back. The questions in my mind seemed to be of huge magnitude:

Will he recognize me? Even if he does, will he help me? Ah, how I wish I made him a friend then? First real interaction with him, how does he start it?

Minute seemed longer, probably because time is controlled by questions we ask ourselves, at least relatively. And I got a call to meet him and discuss the deal…