In today's non-overtly-competitive educational environment, children get graded (based on mark bands) for their performance in assessments. Most often, grades are only made available to parents and are not shared with the children. No mark-based class ranks.
Therefore, no real anxiety and/or seriousness towards "assessments". No anxiety is good. No seriousness?
Let me explain. When marks are lost due to careless mistakes or overlooking things that a child *does* know -- it makes little difference to the child. The typical reaction in a non-marks-hyped environment is "so what?"
That's as far as the child is concerned. But ... how does this impact people around the child? Most importantly -- how do teachers react? Teachers who have been in the field from before the "new-age" schools became popular find it hard to let go of the judge-the-child-by-the-written-word syndrome. They continue to put tremendous emphasis on the written word -- using it as the final benchmark to judge the child.
When will our education system truly change to embrace the child for what he or she is instead of beating around the written-word bush?
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Attitude Matters
Today was a day of trying to locate a Nintendo DS "repair shop". Googling the Nintendo website took me to a Japan address when I clicked the India link!
Some amount of studying the problem of the non-working Nintendo pointed to a battery issue. Now the place where one can find batteries is a watch shop, so we headed off in that direction. There was also a separate agenda of buying a wall clock to replace one that had died recently.
While waiting for the shop assistant of the watch shop to finish attending to another customer, we browsed and located a clock that was quite nice.
Finally it was our turn. As the shop assistant turned the screw to try and understand what kind of battery was housed in the Nintendo, the owner of the shop walked in. He took one look at the Nintendo and said disinterestedly, oh I'm pretty certain we wouldn't have what is needed (without even looking at the battery) -- told the shop assistant to "leave it", in a tone that clearly implied that I wasting their time. In a shop where I was the only potential customer. I asked where would get the battery and the shop owner replied that he didn't know in the same "don't-waste-my-time" tone.
I left without buying the clock that I had intended to pick up and went to another shop -- this time a departmental store that also carried batteries. I showed the shop assistant the Nintendo and he asked if the old battery was still inside. When I confirmed that it was, he pulled out his tool set and opened the battery case. He looked at the Nintendo battery and said he didn't have batteries of the kind. I asked him if he could confirm that it was indeed a battery problem, and, *even though he KNEW there was no sale to be made*, he tested the battery and confirmed that it was dead. He even ventured a guess of where I would possibly get the battery (not a camera store, madam, please try an electronics repair shop).
What I find amazing in this cut-throat retail economy is that the owner of the "mom-and-pop" watch shop, whose USP is supposed to be personalized service and customer relationships, couldn't care less about helping someone -- who save for his you-are-wasting-my-time attitude, would have bought a clock from him.
No prizes for guessing where I finally bought the clock from ;-).
Some amount of studying the problem of the non-working Nintendo pointed to a battery issue. Now the place where one can find batteries is a watch shop, so we headed off in that direction. There was also a separate agenda of buying a wall clock to replace one that had died recently.
While waiting for the shop assistant of the watch shop to finish attending to another customer, we browsed and located a clock that was quite nice.
Finally it was our turn. As the shop assistant turned the screw to try and understand what kind of battery was housed in the Nintendo, the owner of the shop walked in. He took one look at the Nintendo and said disinterestedly, oh I'm pretty certain we wouldn't have what is needed (without even looking at the battery) -- told the shop assistant to "leave it", in a tone that clearly implied that I wasting their time. In a shop where I was the only potential customer. I asked where would get the battery and the shop owner replied that he didn't know in the same "don't-waste-my-time" tone.
I left without buying the clock that I had intended to pick up and went to another shop -- this time a departmental store that also carried batteries. I showed the shop assistant the Nintendo and he asked if the old battery was still inside. When I confirmed that it was, he pulled out his tool set and opened the battery case. He looked at the Nintendo battery and said he didn't have batteries of the kind. I asked him if he could confirm that it was indeed a battery problem, and, *even though he KNEW there was no sale to be made*, he tested the battery and confirmed that it was dead. He even ventured a guess of where I would possibly get the battery (not a camera store, madam, please try an electronics repair shop).
What I find amazing in this cut-throat retail economy is that the owner of the "mom-and-pop" watch shop, whose USP is supposed to be personalized service and customer relationships, couldn't care less about helping someone -- who save for his you-are-wasting-my-time attitude, would have bought a clock from him.
No prizes for guessing where I finally bought the clock from ;-).
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Fleece While You Can
As I a turned at a red light to take what I thought was a free-left, I was pulled over by a cop, who was part of a group of three and told sternly that I had run a red light. I politely pointed out that there was no board saying "No Free Left" -- which is when one is supposed to stop at a red light for a left turn.
No, the cop insisted, if the left turn is regulated by a light, then there is no need for a board. Please hand over your license. I did -- he looked it over and then said -- since this is an out_of_state_license i'll offer you a discount (50%!). I politely declined the discount and said I would pay the entire amount in return for a receipt. And I did.
"Courtesy" to state guests apart, here's my point. A fundamental traffic rule changed overnight -- no free lefts allowed any more at signals with traffic lights. If I reach a traffic light that is already red, I have no way of know whether the traffic light governs the free left or not.
Neither was the rule socialized, nor was a "No Free Left" board placed at the junction. The method of communication was to stop me and fleece me (pay a bribe or pay a fine).
The cops were lying in wait precisely because they knew that drivers were not aware of the change. Once people get to know, there will be no cops at the junction. Which basically means -- the purpose of a traffic cop is to fleece unsuspecting drivers, not punish habitual rule-breakers.
Isn't this totally unethical?
No, the cop insisted, if the left turn is regulated by a light, then there is no need for a board. Please hand over your license. I did -- he looked it over and then said -- since this is an out_of_state_license i'll offer you a discount (50%!). I politely declined the discount and said I would pay the entire amount in return for a receipt. And I did.
"Courtesy" to state guests apart, here's my point. A fundamental traffic rule changed overnight -- no free lefts allowed any more at signals with traffic lights. If I reach a traffic light that is already red, I have no way of know whether the traffic light governs the free left or not.
Neither was the rule socialized, nor was a "No Free Left" board placed at the junction. The method of communication was to stop me and fleece me (pay a bribe or pay a fine).
The cops were lying in wait precisely because they knew that drivers were not aware of the change. Once people get to know, there will be no cops at the junction. Which basically means -- the purpose of a traffic cop is to fleece unsuspecting drivers, not punish habitual rule-breakers.
Isn't this totally unethical?
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Thugs, Robbers and Dacoits!
I've already blogged about HSBC's thuggery and unscrupulous banking methods. The call I got today, however, completely took away the cake, the baker and the bakery for good measure.
HDFC wanted me to take their lifetime free Titanium credit card which apparently comes with a slew of great "features" (the CSR took more than a minute to describe them). I listened politely and then politely refused. The CSR, however, was persistent and began to tell me how very beneficial the card would be and ... At that point I politely told her that I had had a bad experience with "lifetime free" credit cards and didn't want another one.
She asked, was that an HDFC card I had problems with? No, I replied, that was HSBC. She brightened immediately. Ma'am, she began -- HDFC is different. Our lifetime free card is very different. It actually carries an annual fee of Rs 199. Only if you SPEND more than Rs 5000 within the first three months, you become eligible to call and ask for a waiver of the fee!
This would classify as funny if only it didn't seem so totally unethical.
HDFC wanted me to take their lifetime free Titanium credit card which apparently comes with a slew of great "features" (the CSR took more than a minute to describe them). I listened politely and then politely refused. The CSR, however, was persistent and began to tell me how very beneficial the card would be and ... At that point I politely told her that I had had a bad experience with "lifetime free" credit cards and didn't want another one.
She asked, was that an HDFC card I had problems with? No, I replied, that was HSBC. She brightened immediately. Ma'am, she began -- HDFC is different. Our lifetime free card is very different. It actually carries an annual fee of Rs 199. Only if you SPEND more than Rs 5000 within the first three months, you become eligible to call and ask for a waiver of the fee!
This would classify as funny if only it didn't seem so totally unethical.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Kailash cannot be
Years ago my sister lived in Delhi and laughed at the names of places. There were, she said, areas called "East of Kailash", "Greater Kailash I", Greater Kailash II". But where was Kailash?
Well, I now live in Bangalore and understand...
We have two Ring Roads. One is called the Inner or Intermediate Ring Road. The other, in order to completely avoid confusion is called Outer Ring Road! So where, exactly is RING Road?
I am certain, even if a circular road gets built between the two Ring Roads, it will be called something like Middle Ring Road or Second Ring Road (correct whichever way you start counting ;-)). Ring Road cannot be ;-).
Neither can Kailash ;-)
Well, I now live in Bangalore and understand...
We have two Ring Roads. One is called the Inner or Intermediate Ring Road. The other, in order to completely avoid confusion is called Outer Ring Road! So where, exactly is RING Road?
I am certain, even if a circular road gets built between the two Ring Roads, it will be called something like Middle Ring Road or Second Ring Road (correct whichever way you start counting ;-)). Ring Road cannot be ;-).
Neither can Kailash ;-)
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