Socialization in a School (by janak boro)

 

Sometime back I visited a school to observe classroom facilitation process. It was in a remote interior village in Karnataka. I was in a group of around 6 people who were also in the same journey. Before that day, I had already an experience of teaching children in different private schools for almost 13 years. Being in private schools is a completely a different experience compared to in a government schools in regard to the school environment, children, parents, infrastructures, daily routing of teachers.

In all the schools I had worked, a similar pattern was observed during the beginning of academic session of every year, specially for the young children admitted in Nursery, LKG, UKG. At least a week is reserved to motivate the new comers. During first three days, teachers prepare different activities and engage with the new comers along with their parents together. Parents are allowed for the first 2-3 days lest newcomers are not frightened in a new environment. After that, parents are asked to drop their child in class and stay outside. During the first three days, a few children would cry seeing so many people together for the first time. With the support of parents those children are consoled to stay for around 2 hours in school. Real challenge comes on the fourth day onwards. Teacher would receive the child, by saying ‘hello’ ‘Good morning’. ‘look at all these friends’ ‘say good morning’. Some children would say reluctantly what teachers say, while some seeing their parents leaving their hand would begin to cry. Some would cry as soon they enter the school boundary. Once the parents hand over their children to teachers, they would be taken to classroom, music system of nursery rhymes would be played with calculated decibel just enough to suppress the loud noise of the children.

Outside scene, where parents are waiting could be observed of mixed reaction. Some young parents would be emotional and try to elongate their neck to get glimpse of their child over the boundary wall. The consoling for those parents would be ‘it is ok, it happens with every child’. Some would even recall and share their own first day experience in school. On the 5^th or 6^th day, the formal learning would begin. Teachers would say ‘Good Morning Children’ followed by ‘all of you say good morning’ because these are assumed to be the basic form of socialization. Some children would have astonishing look at the teacher –new face for them, some would just ignore to keep crying, but the music system would convey a false sense of ‘everything fine’ to the parents outside. For me, having observed for almost 13 academic session, thought it is a common accepted process.

The school which I am talking about my visit for observing classroom practice was completely a different experience. It was, as I already mentioned, a government primary school in a remote interior area . No transport facility available, except public transport once in the morning and evening. People in the area adjust their routine work accordingly to move to and fro from village. We reached there hiring a small four wheeler.  After reaching the village our team was divided in three group with two in each group and a local facilitator to lead us to different school. After reaching the school, got introduced to the teacher and we sat at the rear of the classroom on a mat. There were no furniture in the class except a large table in-front near the blackboard.  The teacher after marking the attendance of children began a group activity. There were around 40 children unevenly divided into six groups. Teacher explained the task and different materials were kept at the centre of the classroom for the children to use. All the children sat among their group members on the floor and engaged in discussion. The language used in the classroom was regional language, the local facilitator would interpret for us. I learned that forty children were not from the same class, it was a mixed group from class III to V. As the activities was progressing, children would be seen drawing, using bangles to make circle, cut paper to make house while some would be assisting in collecting the required materials for their task.

After around one hour in the class, an old woman around 60-65 years in age which I guessed from her appearance, was approaching the classroom. She brought with her a young boy of around 4-5 years old holding by his hand. Teacher had some conversation with the woman and she left the boy with the teacher. As the conversation was going on, local facilitator interpreted to us – ‘The parents of the boy had earlier discussed about admission with the teacher. The teacher had asked them to bring the boy to school on this day.  But the parents had to go outside for some work, so they asked the old woman (who is grandmother of the boy) to drop the child in school’. The teacher took the boy into the classroom, said something pointing to the different activities the children are engaged with, then he left the boy to himself. I was expecting the teacher would introduce the new boy to the class. But leaving the child (very young new comer) all to himself was a little surprising for me. The boy stood for a while, slowly take a step or two hesitantly, look  around at group activities of children.

A girl may be of class V, which I didn’t enquire, waved her hand to call the boy. After waving hand the girl concentrated on her activities. Some other children are moving to-and-fro to collect materials, look at the work of other group. Teacher could be seen going to each group occasionally. I guessed he was clarifying doubts if any and ensuring that children are clear with what they are doing.

At this time, one boy from a group asked the new boy to bring some materials kept at the centre of the classroom. The boy brought the material, hand it over to the other boy. As soon as he handed over the material he sat with the boy and slowly he become a part of the group. The group members became his first friends circle. He started moving closer to look at the work being done by the group of which he is going to be a part soon.

After completion of this first activities, there were some other activities of the day followed by games and mid-day meal break. I observed the new boy was comfortable with the group and I assured myself, unlike the children of schools where I worked earlier, this boy would not be reluctant to come to school the next day. I learned an another way of socializing