Exam Frenetics !!

Across the country, as the late March sun scorches and summer sets in, a fever of another kind grips Indian households !! Its final exam times. In a country where a child's board exam scores ARE her IQ scores and they brand her for life, these are critical times. Mothers take month long breaks from offices, fathers bring back home the new self study reckoners. The topic of discussion at many a 'kitty party' are the feared finals.

Luckily my daughter's school didn't have exams till the 4th grade. So no pressures, no competition...it was fun !! But she is in 6th grade now and we are feeling the heat now. Last year I was nonchalant about final exams and she found it difficult to cope on her own. Her grades slipped and she was disheartened when her friends scored better. This year I'm home with her, helping her with her maths and revising her answers to the last point.

Yes, the system is regimental and rote learning is reinforced. Getting the answer pat, putting down all the points as given in the textbook is given more importance than understanding and developing an interest in the subject. Mathematics is becoming all about solving sums by method A or method B and not so much about using one's own logic and getting the answer right. I remembered my rebelliousness in childhood when i told my parents; "there are other types of intelligence than mathematical aptitude and just scoring in Maths doesn't make me a genius! "

Today as a mother I can't tell my daughter to go ahead and do her own thing. I don't want to see her crestfallen face when she lags behind on marks. I don't want her to get into a pattern of 'underachieving' under the guise of not conforming to the system. I don't want to her to not be able to get into the best college where every single percent could make a difference. I don't want her to turn around and say 'you did'nt help me to try beat the system'. I also don't want to have to buy an expensive 'donation seat' for her and make her feel like a fake when she qualifies for the profession of her calling !!

Rue the Education system in Indian with far too many aspiring students and very few academic institutions. But I shall roll up my sleeves, take time off from work, like all other good Indian mothers and help her do well within the system !!!
Wish me best of luck !!!