The Second Round

by Ms Rakhi Cornelius, Educator

…and then it all began again – education at home through online classes. Whoever had thought that there would be an ugly twist in our lives that was slowly crawling towards normalcy. The cheer had been returning, albeit in slow motion. And then it all began again.

But this time we were prepared. We got down to setting our desks at home, ready to be seated in the same place for hours. It’s ironical how just before we were pushed into this scenario, I had very emphatically enunciated that I can never ever do a desk job. You see, we are so used to running from one class to the other, climbing to the second floor, rushing to the basement… being on the move always, thanking God for all the action that takes place in school, the vibrancy of the place adding a spring to my step.

Well, things have changed this time round. Everyone is in control. Teachers are trained, students have mellowed down, intruders are far and few. The excitement of truancy seems to have taken a back seat. Learning is effective as I share a better bond with my students because of the offline classes we had for a month.

The smiles continue…an occasional unmuting in the Zoom class at the wrong time, a father gatecrashing the class in his vest or a mom going about her daily chores unmindful of the fact that 30 pairs of eyes are watching from the other side. These classes are only a proof of the resilience of humans, of the fact that we can adapt and mould to the circumstances, no matter how severe.

There is hope, of course, because our students – the Gen Z – are made of sterner stuff than we could imagine. They are innovative and smart and the strength they’ve exhibited just goes on to prove it. And till a saner time comes, we continue our quest to provide quality education…with a smile.