By : Barnali Bose, Editor-ICN Group
KOLKATA : On August 15, as I boarded the local train, I felt free, not because we, Indians were celebrating our political Independence from the East India Company but simply because I was free to choose a seat in the train that was unlike other weekdays not bursting at the seams.
I was free to breathe the fresh air that echoed my joy to be able to blow freely. There seemed to be sweet melody in the wind unstifled by the loud arguments and chatter as on other days.
A mother and her daughter were sitting opposite me. I asked the girl, a high-school student,“What does Independence mean to you?”
Without batting an eyelid, she said,“Freedom from exams.”I smiled,“ Oh! So you don’t like school?” “Oh,No!I love school.I hate exams.” “She gets the full attendance certificate every year.”, beamed her mother. “That’s laudable!,”said I.The young girl continued, “ School is such fun. We are free to chat the whole day.”
“But then….. ?” I started almost apologetically. “ Teachers don’t scold us.” she said defiantly.The mother endorsed her claim, “ Thankfully, the law is in favour of students. I simply have to report that my daughter has been mentally harassed and the teacher will be behind bars.”she chuckled.
“ Yes,you’re right, students cannot be penalised any longer. I am truly glad that the small percentage of teachers who try to misuse their power and unduly disrepute the whole lot are now having to face the music for their misdeeds.”
I asked her, “ Don’t you ever scold your daughter ?” “Of course,I am also free to spank her. I am her mother after all.” As she got up to deboard the train, “ I told her,“ In USA, when parents scold or beat a child, the child is free to call up 911. Days are not far when…..” With a look of shocked despair, she turned away from me.My lips twitched into a sarcastic smile.
Parents expect schools to teach their children to be disciplined . There is however no magic potion that teachers can inject into children to discipline them. Till a few years back, the mere thought of being reprimanded deterred children from indulging in wrong.Yes,the mere thought was enough. No real reprimand was required.
This does not however imply that now children need to be beaten black and blue or humiliated to be disciplined. In today’s scenario, when children seem to be over sensitive, they need to be handled with utmost care and discipline needs to be infused strategically.
Rewards,not necessarily material rewards, in the form of positive reinforcements truly can work wonders. Thus, the mantra for class Management should be, ‘Applaud those who deserve to be appreciated. Do not scorn the others.’ That acts as a silent incentive and is a great motivator. I can, from my personal experience guarantee that there will be very few on the other side of the fence the next time and gradually none.
While teaching the Right to freedom guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, often a volley of questions have been hurled at me.
Youngsters complain they do not enjoy enough freedom. “ Why am I not free to go to late night parties? “ I am not free to go out with my friends even at daytime.” complained another. “ I am not free to chat on whatsapp while my mother is always on the app.” Grievances they have, appear to be infinite.
“ But Freedom is our birthright, isn’t it?,”argued one, “a constitutional right.” “ Yes,” I reasoned, “ but no freedom is absolute. Inorder not to infringe upon the right to freedom of others and of course,for security reasons we have to exercise restraint in our enjoyment of freedom. Absolute freedom would lead to chaos and disorder in society and could even endanger our lives. What if you cross a busy road disregarding traffic rules to exercise your right to freedom of movement?” That seemed to appease their sentiments, at least for the time being.
Parents, and specially teachers today are often hesitant to correct the wrong behaviour of youngsters under their care, fearing their good intentions may be misconstrued as harassment and they might even have to face legal actions.
While it is true that corporal punishment is condemnable and rightly so, some kind of restrictions need to be imposed so that youngsters may be gradually imbibed with the importance of self-discipline and apprised of the havoc its absence can cause in life.
Teachers and parents need to drive home the truth that Discipline and Freedom are not adversaries but complement each other.
Freedom – how often we hear this term being quoted and repeated.
Freedom from what? Let’s pause,ponder and reflect what freedom means to us.
What does Freedom actually encompass? Freedom from foreign rule as of ours? Well,that we achieved more than seven decades ago. Freedom from desires? Or is it the Freedom to think rationally and do right, Freedom from prejudices of racism, regionalism, religious bias, superstitions ……The list is endless.
Independence -does it actually mean freedom from dependence? Can we be truly independent of one another as individuals, as social beings, as nations?
Rather should we not talk of interdependence?Interdependence that is the mark of a civilised society? From the family,the smallest unit of society to the global society, each one of us is a miniscule part of the web of interdependence.
There can be smooth functioning in society only when all its members play their roles judiciously within the ambit of self-discipline. If one tiny string in the web malfunctions, it affects the entire web.
Nothing comes for free,not even freedom. Let us drive home the fact that Freedom minus self-discipline becomes disorder and leads to a state of Anarchy, depriving one of freedom itself.
