Field notes and research question by Samhita

Going back to school was a great experience. Watching the children do their P.E exercises, running on the ground, having an ambition to study well.

P.E exercises were being done in total enthusiasm and discipline, but there is a specific pattern in which the boys and girls do their exercises, how they take turns and some exercises are done by girls and some by boys only. The primary school assembly was a good experience. As the primary school is Tamil medium, the assembly was in Tamil as well. The little kids in well tucked in shirts, crisply ironed skirts, rolled up socks, clean white shoes all running to get to school and not being late come and join the lines, they start off by doing a simple exercise led by the head boy. The prayer and Karnataka Anthem all said in different pitches and tones. News read in Tamil by the girls, teacher correcting them when they were making a mistake. Lastly, the assembly ended with the National Anthem which they sang through almost in 30sec. While getting to class, their patriotism showed when these little kids halted, while the other students sang the national anthem. I think this was a great gesture towards the country.

Colonnaded corridors, spacious grounds, large classrooms, pitched roofs, a place where one feels at home. Its 75yrs since primary school began. The main aim is to give education to the down trodden students, who are having the will to do study. Being a co education school, girl education is also given importance. As it is observed that girl education is not considered as important as education for the boys. The school is a govt aided school; infrastructure looked after by the management. Having 380 students in the school is not an easy task and also taking care of their food, books and uniforms. The alumni are being of great help by providing note books and stationary material to the students, some of them are also paying fees for a few students which is around 700 Rs yearly. The government provide free text books for every student. Both teachers and students take a lot of trouble in getting good results. Over the years the result has been above 80% and the pass % last year has been 93%. For achieving this, the 10^th std students take the remedial classes that are run specially for them before and after the school hours. As all the students are from a below poverty line background, it is difficult for them to get back home and study in the difficult situations. Thus these remedial classes help and they learn the importance of education in their lives when they see the bad situation at home.

The school conducts a lot of events in which the students participate in whole lot of different activities which helps them build their co curricular skills as well. The main important events being the sports day, founders day, Independence day.

For the independence day which is a few days from now, a lot of events are being planned, one of them being yoga. I observed students practicing yoga during their P.E class. The P.E instructor also takes a lot interest in teaching the students. He makes it a point that the students learn varied activities, so that the students have an overall development. For the founder’s day, all of them pay homage to the statue of the founder a day earlier and have lots of events performed by different students of different classes on the birthday. The students also take the courage and participate in different levels of sports which happen usually in during June/July against some best known.

The syllabus for the school is planned by the state board, as it is a state board school. Depending on the syllabus, the program of work is planned. The teachers take a lot of initiative to prepare a suitable program for each class, dividing equally well with co curricular activities. As per the board, they conduct a lot of exams to have a consistent check on the performance of the children. Students join this school from other schools, they have to give an interview which is just a formality says the principal of the school. He also adds that the students from 1^st to 8^th are promoted to the next class automatically irrespective of their performance in the exam. He says this is done to avoid dropouts from the school, so that they can educate maximum children. But, the performance of students of 9^th is checked before promoting them to the 10^th std. talking about the principal, he has served in this school for the last 35 yrs. With one more year of service left, he is doing his best to bring the best out of every student. He encourages them to participate in every activity may it be sports, dance, debate.

The students are encouraged in co curricular activities as much as they encouraged for studying the core subjects. Skylight commonly known as learning centre by the students is an area where they are allowed to explore themselves apart from the regular studying. Theatre, Art is what they are being taught at skylight. Interacting with the kids, they seemed very excited about the class and the whole idea of letting them use colours, but it was more of a follow instruction kind of a situation, which some students were not allowed to in their previous schools. We were given a chance to sit along with the kids and colour. It was so refreshing to get back to school and do things the children actually do in class. Kids were excited of what they were going to do in the class with spontaneous answers of what the cut paper plate could be, I must say, the answers were really creative. The exercise was to make a lotus flower. As Independence Day is nearing, the teachers are trying to impart the knowledge of patriotism. Lotus being the national flower, they were asked to make lotus, colour it with their favourite colour and try and show some creativity. Engrossed in colouring, each one coming up with their master pieces was very interesting to see.

 The library has a varied set of books, which help the student in developing English proficiency. Eager to learn English, as they are from Tamil background is like a challenge for them. Most of the students who have studied in this school have done well in their lives, working in good companies in good posts. So, for the present students, the passed out students are a role model. They aspire to become like them and do well in life.

The hustle bustle during the lunch break is a contrast to when they are in their classes. One boy calling out his friend for lunch, Groups of girls sitting in circles to have lunch. Lunch is provided by the government, it is made by ISCON. As we got a chance to have the delicious lunch, the children say a prayer before lunch and then stand in a queue for their lunch, served by the students. Once they finish lunch, they wash their own plates; some girls sweep the floor of the washing area.

 While talking to a few girls from the eighth standard, I was told that there were a few students in the class from Kannada medium, who are trying to improve on their English skills. As they want to do better in life. They prefer studying in school to studying at home. A few girls were transferred from another school where they were being hit by the teachers, so they liked this school better. In class, the teacher was correcting notes and home work given by her in the previous session. The home work for the next class was being written down in their dairies which will be signed on completion.

On the whole, it was a wonderful and nostalgic experience.

My research question is “Schools conduct exam to check on the performance of the students. What are the impacts children and teachers have on them due to exams?” 

-Samhita