Part 2.

Painting was the last activity for the day. When Anushka saw the paint and brushes, she got very excited and pulled me towards the table. The children sat down; some put on an art apron, others not so interested in it. The teacher then announced, “Here are two colors, red and green, but please do not mix the colors as they will get smudge”. I looked at that damn teacher and thought she must be kidding. Maybe my head was spinning too much from the day’s activity and I might have heard her wrong. Why will a teacher say that? I brushed off my silly thoughts and was reaching out to hand Anushka both the paint when the teacher said it again. This time I was wide awake, no thoughts or no spinning head. “Please do not mix the colors as they will get smudge”, said the teacher. That stupid woman really said that. I was dumb-founded. Can any “trained” teacher say that? Can they? Do they?

At this point of time, I really wanted to take my child and run out of the door. But Anushka was comfortably sitting on the tiny chair all ready for the paint and brush, that I did not have the heart to leave just like that. The teacher started handing out cut-outs of fish, (why was I not surprised), and gave one to Anushka too. Anushka so politely said, “thank you”. I looked at her and praised her for using such polite words. Even the teacher was surprised.

Everyone got busy. When I say everyone, I mean the parents; they got busy painting for their child. One mom just took the brush from the child and started painting one side of the fish; green and the other side; red. Wow, very pretty, I thought. Some other moms were “teaching” their child to paint. The dad was literally begging his child to finish painting the fish. Everyone’s art work looked very beautiful; the fish looked very neat and pretty. Anushka was painting her piece of fish cut out, and since I did not help her at all, she had blotches here and there. After painting for a while, she decided to just do “dots, dots” with her brush. The teacher then took the brush from her and said, “Anushka, look paint it like this”. She started painting the white blotches. I got enraged and said, “Let her do it by herself”. The teacher was taken aback and quickly returned the brush. I felt good about standing up for my daughter.

It was time to clean up, and I quickly left for the washroom. I had enough. My head was THROBBING!

I went back to the office and P; the co-coordinator asked me how it went. At first I said, it was okay, but felt that I had to voice out my opinions. This was the conversation.

Me: Why do I feel like the children were forced into doing the activities?

P: What makes you say that? Can you give an example?

Me: I talked about the ball incident.

P: Maybe this is your first time here and you feel like what you are feeling, whereas these children are here for a long time now, and it has become a routine for them.

(She did not understand my point. Just then the owner walked in; a middle-aged Punjabi looking women).

P: Madam, she has something to tell you about the program. She feels that the children are being forced.

Mad: Yes, tell me.

Me: I feel like the children are not allowed any freedom. All the time they are being told what to do, where to go and how to do it. I talked about the ball incident and asked her how it is possible to have five balls for twelve toddlers.

Mad: Well, maybe the teacher had something in mind, and that is why she had five balls out. Maybe your child saw a ball for the first time and got berserk, others did not.

Me: You don’t get my point, do you? Mad: No, tell me.Me: It’s not about my child going berserk over a ball, yes she did and so did the rest. Of course a child will go crazy over a ball; they just love that thing and want a piece of it. What I am trying to say is, they are too many instructions for the little ones, and they were just not given the freedom to do anything.

Mad: I think since this is your first time, you felt a little overwhelmed with all these instructions and routines. These children are here for a few months now and they are used to it. And instructions are good for them; they need it as it helps them to know what is right or wrong.

(Gosh, another dumb cow. Who was I talking to? Either she was acting stupid or she just could not get my point. FREEDOM!!)

Me: I think maybe I am not making sense here. They do need instructions; but do they need instructions for every little thing; play like this, kick that way, paint it this way. Are there right or wrong way to paint? Then I went on about telling her the paint incident.

Mad: (She turned to the other coordinator and asked her which teacher was in that classroom). Yes, so you did not like the painting.

Me: Well, the teacher told us not to mix the colors, and I found that ridiculous. A new color could be created by mixing two colors. And she also took the brush from my child’s hand and started painting for her. Why did she do that? Again, doesn’t this show the kind of “freedom” you give to your children here”.

Mad: R, could you please tell so and so not to paint for the children. We have to talk to the teachers about it. Can you please talk to her? (R, murmurs a yes).

Me: The other parents can’t see it, maybe because they are just parents. But I am a teacher and I see it from another perspective.

Mad: Maybe. (And she just walked away)

I was about to leave this outrageous place when P asked me how long have I been a teacher and where have I taught. She came out and gave me some numbers to call and told me that they need teachers at Kangaroo kids. She said I could fit in very well. She asked me if I was interested in working. I replied, “I had a very overwhelming day today. I cannot think. I just need to take that rickshaw and go back home with my daughter. I will call you once I have overcome this day. She looked at me and smiled and said not to worry too much about it and that Kangaroo Kids are much better as the teachers there are more experienced and they know what they are doing. Well, now she tells me that! And I thought your teachers were trained “twice” before entering your school!

I kicked myself for taking Anushka to such a place, in fact I felt awful as I told her that she was going to a fun place where there will be books to read, toys to play and other fun things to do. This was really a horrible experience for my daughter and me. It was hard to believe the way these toddlers were treated. The whole concept of mother-toddler program is so different here. It was too just painful to see from a teacher’s point of view. My child will definitely thrive much better at home.