Rhythm: a journey to cherish

Can someone fall in love with a movie every single time it is watched, discussed or even thought of???

Yes I can 😍 like some of you out there 😎

And the movie I am talking about is "Rhythm"💙💚💛💜💗

This Tamil feature film directed by SM Vasanth almost two decades back takes me (and many more) to a world of love, care, respect, empathy and every other beautiful human emotion!

Heard in one of Vasanth's interviews that Rhythm was supposed to be his first movie!! 😱 What a creator he must be to have conceived such a poetic movie years back! 😻 Sad that neither did the movie nor its creator receive their due celebration then 😔

What's so special about the movie?! 😕

Every frame of it.

👍 Right from the beginning, the title card and its BGM 👂 (ARR😘) There would begin your journey into this lullaby! Trust me, you will get umpteen number of ringtones that would suit most of your contacts 💕 Oh, I forgot.. the actual beauty starts with the TITLE itself.. How fitting it is!! 🙏

💥💧 (other relevant emojis not found 😛) The five songs in the movie rightly bring out the beauty of five elements with excellent picturisation. OMG you will never be able to pick one favorite or give an order of your liking as each of them is a masterpiece! ✌

This movie is for all age groups👦👧👨👩👪👫. Everyone will have something or the other to get connected to.💟

There is no hurry in the movie 😃 there is a serenity 😊 in every dialogue and no character is in haste to just finish it off and get moved to the next frame 😍 (In a place, Chitra would ask Karthikeyan, "what was your appa?", He would reply, "He is retired!" She would say, "I asked what was he, past tense." Those dialogues come with a lot of sense, yet short in length. They give us a deep understanding of what those characters are up to! (I am sure I can write on every single dialogue 😝)

How nice it is to find characters be themselves with their identity right from scene 1!!!! Yet, they flow with the screenplay and its changes. 💪

To fall in love, to be in love and to share love are all beautiful feelings!💓 LOVE is there everywhere, with the elderly couple, with two lead couples and between the mom and the kid.💖 It is lovelier to find it between the lead characters who find their love in one another with utmost beauty, maturity, silence and respect!!!!!💗 Expression/Definition of love by each person (in the movie) is unique and beautiful! AZHAGU!!!💖 One can watch the movie to feel different dimensions of love!!!!

Of course, the landscape the whole movie is set in, be it beauty of Navi Mumbai, our own Chennai city or the serenity of Ooty and its neighbouring towns!👐 Every place gets fixed in our hearts!

Every watcher by end of the movie would fall in love with the boy, Shiva who is amazingly cute throughout!!!! 💓 He effortlessly steals hearts....... His "Karthik Sir" is so warm!!!

There is more and more and more and more....

There is positivity everywhere, there is beauty everywhere, there is love everywhere, there is empathy everywhere, there are humans everywhere!!!! What more can I/anyone ask for!!!!! 😍

Happy Rhythm time! 😉

A prelude to the book "Totto-Chan"

Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window 

This book is an assortment of fond reminiscences of the author, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (student herself) of the model school named Tomoe-Gakuen that existed between 1937 and 1945 in Japan. When the whole world was gripped in one way or the other with the World War II, children of this school peacefully enjoyed their real childhood under the soothing care, love and knowledge of their headmaster, Mr. Sosaku Kobayashi. It is astounding to witness an educator to build a world for the children devoid of influence of war.

The author Totto-Chan - as she was called during her early days - was a famous personality when she presented this commendable piece of work to the world in 1982. Incidentally, Totto-Chan was expelled from a conventional school for having been an irrepressible kid for teachers before she was put in Tomoe (after a considerable amount of research by her mother).

The whole experience of reading this book takes one to Tomoe itself and presents vividly the pictures of physical structures, nature, teachers and supporting staff. As one enters deep into the book, the thought of longing for such a school environment grasps everyone. The Headmaster of the school drew inspiration from another educator named Haruji Nakanura where Kobayashi worked as music instructor. The latter travelled across Europe to study schools and the systems before he set up his dream school in 1937 that was burnt down during the war in 1945; thereby crushing vision of this great man and his beloved children.

A must read book for all those who 💗 children

...to be continued (on my favorite sections of this book)

Postcards

It is more than six years now since India bid farewell to the Telegram service! 👋

When the service was in place, it was used mainly to communicate condolences! 😟 And here and there, it was used to share important news, events 💓and to congratulate! 👍 As soon as it was announced that the service would be stopped, people started thronging to post offices to send telegram to their loved ones and sometimes to their own addresses as the 160 year service would cease to exist shortly then! 

It even made to news as to who sent the last few telegrams in India and messages did they carry 😍 Though people used the service only a little resulting in closure, mere thought that it would no longer exist was hard to digest and to bid farewell was heavy for us, the sentimental Indians😊

History might repeat!

As we wanted to buy few postcards a fortnight ago, we found that it was as difficult as finding a public telephone booth in the town we live in! 😞 We ended up finding none rather we were informed that it has been months since postcards reached those post offices. Officials even doubt if those cards are printed anymore! 😨

We ended up buying inland letters!😊

Not that we did not like these. But there is always a matter of convenience while using postcard than the inland letters for its easy reading 😜 Especially when it is sent to tiny tots, it is easy for them to look on their own as an elder's help is required to tear open the inland letter 💁Also postcard communicates  the message instantly without giving a suspense unlike inland letter.😝 And yeah, inland letters can  hold that suspense for a while which is actually cool in a way😇

Not surprisingly, these were also not available many in number. As the charge of an inland letter is Rs.2.50, one has to purchase only in even numbers to not have an issue with demanding 50 paise😜. However, we managed to buy few tens as we were worried if we would get one after a point in time! 😨

Agreed that postal department runs in loss after the efficient courier service came into existence. Still, there is nothing that could replace the pleasure of sending and receiving letters by post!

We wish and pray that this does not come to a halt!!!!🙏

Money, money, money

Third in the series

As parents, the common and really boring question we face nowadays is this: "What are you intending to do with money saved by choosing government school when both of you earn sufficient enough?" 😀

Doesn't a family have other lovely things to do in addition to educational expenses of children? 😕 Of course, we do! such as spending on our passion, travel, fun, entertainment and share!😎

To this many respond: "OMG, you guys underestimate the need for quality education and seek attention by doing something that is dangerous to your child."😈

Well, thanks! 👍

The schools around, be it matriculation, CBSE, ICSE or any of that kind, charge somewhere between Rs. 25000/- to Rs. 1,00,000/- for a kindergarten child. Some play schools charge Rs.10,000/- per month for a child of even less than 2 years of age. I may be unaware of many such atrocities as I prefer not to know them! 😅

                                          Pic Source: https://i.imgur.com/UUZ8jTz.jpg

In such circumstances, when we are sure that our child gets good education for free of cost, why would we look for places that charge us unnecessarily huge!!! Oh, sorry, not for free of cost as we are taxpayers who promptly pay our education cess! 🙋 And the travel expense to commute to the school is largely cut as neighbourhood schooling is another key 😉

On the other side, there is always scope to be a proud working partner of our child's school!! 😇 For example, the school our child is in was in need of a revamp with a little fund left of their own. As affordable parents (as commented by many) we were able to share the cost to an extent possible. Again there are questions of this sort: "Why do you guys get involved in these activities? Beware, the school will try to misuse your nature and you will end up spending your hard earned income for something that has to be naturally served by the government themselves." 😱 See, most of them will not let you do what you wish to! Hypocrisy!! 😏 Ignore such negativity 😍

Another visible/invisible effect is that you are spending for other (underprivileged) children as well by contributing to the school on the whole.💗 It certainly gives a sense of satisfaction as it is a way of paying back to the society that has given all that we are today!! ✌ In other words, instead of spending large portion of one's income on one child, one can spend the same amount on many children (one school). 👭👬

Smart and sustainable investment, isn't it?💚

to be continued...

Cheers 😊

Teachers and government schools!!!

SECOND IN THE SERIES

Where do we find better teachers, government schools or private ones?

Not a minute of wavering, the whole bunch of better to best teachers are in government schools :-) 

Why is it so? Ask private school teachers about their ambition or future plans. Their answer would be this: "to get into government service."

In such a case, is it not true that teachers who work in government schools go through government conducted examinations, fulfill eligibility conditions and thus pass through the test to get into service?

In other words, those who work in private schools are yet to clear the examination and are waiting for an opportunity to get the gates opened. (There are exceptions such as those working in some international schools in some metropolitan. I restrict to majority as my family belongs to it!)

There can also be an argument that passing a test cannot determine a teacher's ability to influence a child in all positive ways. Agreed! But then why do they (even best of best passionate teachers/academicians who can bring a change wherever they are) work so hard to crack exams and get there???!!! The possible answers could be better income and job security; and for some to genuinely work for weaker sections (whose choice is government run schools). 

Yeessss!!!! There it ends.. Teachers in government schools possess sufficient knowledge on the subject with good income and job security unlike private school teachers. The former lot are better off than their private counterparts!!!! 

So the final question! Who can deliver more and better? To us, it is crystal clear, GOVERNMENT SCHOOL TEACHERS! There are certainly many gaps to be filled in their delivery pattern. As parents, we strongly feel that those gaps can be filled by parents the most, by getting associated with them, raising questions, doubts and demanding quality. These would naturally come to us if our children are enrolled in government schools and it would eventually become our right to exercise. Yes, it is our right as they are paid by us, our taxes!! They are more accountable to us, to the society, than the private school teachers.

There are some who already give their life to their work. Rest, let us get them shine at their BEST!! Its our duty too :-) 

                                          PC: google images
...to be continued 

Oh sorry, not us!

Experience 1:

            A jouful summer holiday for school children. A fine evening on a weekend. The park had kids from around. We, daughter, husband and I, were regular to the park. As usual, fun time playing.

            A group of women, clad in saree, holding papers, pen and pad, belonging to similar age group was approaching us. We expected them to be some survey investigators working for government (like census and stuff). They approached us, the only parents in the park. We were handed over a pamphlet and were enquired for the age of our daughter. We assumed that the group was from government medical department and said ‘two’ while glancing at the pamphlet.

            It was an advertisement for a local matriculation school and they were teachers working there. The task given to them was to catch hold of customers for the following fresh academic year.

Experience 2:

            Another evening after office hours. Returned home. Just parked vehicle. Two darlings (one in class IV and the other in class I) from neighbourhood came running to us with a drawing book. It was something usual as children would always give us surprises with their colouring activities. Naturally expected that.

            But they had nothing to show to us; instead had something to ask. The girl said “our teacher has given us an admission slip and wanted us to find if there are kids in the neighbourhood and bring them to our school on Vijayadasami as the day is meant for new admissions. Aunty will you admit paapaa (child) in our school?” This is from a popular CBSE, public school in our district that has branches.

Our take on this!

            In both instances, our replies were clear and straight. But it haunts heavily to find school management stoop so low and use the most important stakeholders, children and teachers (sometimes parents too) to pull kids to their schools. It is common to find schools advertise via various media. But this, when given a deep thought, is disgusting! To me it implies the following and many more:

•    Private schools are so hungry to increase revenue and compete with other schools in terms of students’ strength 

•   Private schools adopt every possible way to pull children (oorla ithuku paer pulla pudikrathu)

•     The role of teachers in private is so diluted in private to an extent where they need to go door to door in search of prospective students (we should not get carried away with the same thing being done by government school teachers in villages and towns. That is for an entirely different purpose.)

•   Children from private schools are also taught to showcase their school and bring in their neighbours resulting in a battle between children on whose school is superior

•      Private schools ultimately forget the fact that their charm and values must effortlessly attract parents

    Thankfully, fortunately, luckily (:-P), we are very clear about what we look for. Therefore, there is NOTHING that persuades us to get attracted to private institutions. Otherwise we would end up being just another family getting trapped once for ever.

Parents, Beware! 

                                             Pic courtesy: Google Images

Outdoor learning activities for kids :-)

Once we have made ourselves clear that our child would step into her formal education only at the age of five, particularly straight to Class I, the two years ahead remain crucial as she has to be taught of basic things at home and her Anganwadi. This demands a sincere effort from us to be active and  creative to keep her engaged and interested in learning.

            Some of such attempts are captured and presented to your visually here. We have made the best possible use of our living area and converted the same as her play area!

 Learning basic shapes, colours and directions: Letting the child follow instructions such as go to square, now to your right, jump to blue :)

(

    Learning numbers: The traditional Paandi game (Tamil) in the path to learn numbers from 1-10 by jumping and hoping. Every time we cross, we involuntarily hop!

Days of a week: Climbing (up and down) stairs by learning days of a week in English and Tamil

Mirror Me: Following what one person does, in terms of actions and colors. It improves focus, coordination and is fun! Our daughter's favorite!

                                         Idea courtesy: Google
Learning Numbers, Colours, In and Out: Making the child learn opposites, colours, numbers, jumping in and jumping out

                                                Idea courtesy: Anganwadi booklet

(   Playing traditional righta rightu (Am I right?)

 The traditional right ah right uh where the child walks through 10 boxes drawn in a straight line with eyes closed, balancing  by judging the space. Adults enjoy this.








Snakes and Ladders: Again the traditional and well-known game is drawn on floor with good (eating, playing, sharing, greeting) and bad habits (using mobile, fighting) depicting ladder and snake respectively. Also the child learns numbers from 1 to 50 and adding numbers according to the dice rolled. we play it in group of families and have real fun.

Five in One: This picture drawn in our residence helps in learning five stuff namely Tamil alphabet (uyir ezhuthukkal) 12 in number, 12 different shapes, 12 months in Tamil and English, and reading clock. In addition giving clues to find shapes is identified to be more thrilling for our kids around. For example, adding the mirror image of this shape gives a circle (ans. semi-circle), this shape helps in kitchen (cylinder). After a point in time, designing clues is a task in itself. our daughter and every children around love this :-)

     As we begin doing such things, we end up with more and more ideas for our children. These activities are not only forms of fun learning for children, but also a stress buster for adults. I say this out of our own experience!

    Time to get on to the floor, folks :-)