Learning is an ongoing process for each one of us…. for learned and not so learned, normal and not so normal!!!
During her middle school days, comprehension and imagination were major challenges for my daughter. Seeing a picture and writing two sentences about it needed a lot of guidance and probing. Though during NIOS days, with a lot of practice she showed some progress, expression was too difficult!
During pandemic, we practised many such skills, not for any examination purpose but for fruitful engagement. She can now see a picture and write 5-6 sentences independently. Writing a daily journal has become a habit, for closure of her day. Every morning she is keen to write about her goals for the day, which include…managing her moods, avoiding junk food, interacting appropriately with house help and so on. She has shown immense understanding through these exercises done daily as a ritual.
Most amazing part I feel is her keenness to stay engaged, to learn something….which is the need of the present situation.
Some life skills need to be revisited and reinforced now and then. With regular exposure to the various surroundings, I feel skills once taught, she must be remembering! For instance, in lift if an unknown person coughed, she would ask, “uncle what happened” Since nowadays she doesn’t do it anymore, I was relieved that she has clarity on ‘safety and stranger’.
A recent incident was alarming…. Near a lake, a woman was selling bowls containing food to feed the fish in water. They were circular balls which looked like some sweets nicely kept in leaf bowls. Within seconds, she picked one from the bowl being offered and put in mouth, began chewing!!! I was terrified and reacted by screaming at her to spit and made her rinse her mouth immediately!
Thankfully she was fine. Later after I had calmed down and had overcome my fear….Just told myself, she is innocent, she needs to be told, taught and reminded the safely habits again and again!
Learning and teaching never stop.
I have always had a tough time learning to say ‘No’. I like to push and stretch myself, adjust my own schedule to fit in other’s request, be it family or friend or colleague.
When I converse orally or communicate with her through writing, I feel proud to see clarity in her decisions when she says ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Only when in doubt, she says “I don’t know!” She probably doesn’t understand the concept of ‘maybe/ cannot be’. During the last few months we have noticed very clearly that she thinks and decides her preferences very well….a few examples:
I want Dolo650 for headache, not Saridon. I want offline classes with physical trainer, not online. These trousers are tight and I want to sleep alone, in my room!
When she lies confidently hiding her mischievous acts, I am amused at her learning skills!
She continues to learn something new each day!
“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.”
— Mortimer Adler.
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