‘I would want my son to respect his elders, especially his teachers’

It is not very often that a student goes to a school where the mother has been a teacher for 20 years. But this is precisely what Yadunandan Vatts, who is in class V at Apeejay School, Rama Mandi, ended up doing. His mother, a musician, painter, and class teacher of class III who teaches EVS and Punjabi says that sending her son to this school was a foregone conclusion.

“I am an alumna of Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar; I did my MA in Music Vocal here. I already knew the values Apeejay inculcates in the students and I wanted the same for my son. It was an organic decision that my husband and I took,” Sharma said.

In an impromptu interview, the mother talks about how to have open communication with her child and the importance of human values.

This is exam time, is there a lot of pressure on your son?

As a parent, it is natural for everyone concerned to be under pressure and that translates to the child as well. And in some ways, this is good especially when the school holds regular tests just before the exam. This gives confidence to the child that he knows what he has learnt to date. This helps him to prepare for the main exam day and not pile up a huge syllabus that he may have to study in the last few days.

What role are the teachers playing in ensuring that the child is ready for the exams?

First, taking these tests help the teacher to understand how well-prepared the student is. This way the teacher can guide him/her and clear any doubts that they may have. They even let the parent know the progress the child has made and to work on any weaknesses.

What should be a parents’ role during exam time?

To be honest, during exams, parents must also sacrifice their leisure time. You can’t expect a child who is still young to sit down in a room and study when he knows that the rest of the household may be having fun. You can’t tell a child to sit down to study while you, as a parent, are busy doing something else. You must also sit down with the child; he/she must know that the parent is just as invested as they are.

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During exams, parents must also sacrifice their leisure time. You can’t expect a child who is still young to sit down in a room and study when he knows that the rest of the household may be having fun. You can’t tell a child to sit down to study while you, as a parent, are busy doing something else

–Nidhi Sharma, Mother of Student at Apeejay School, Rama Mandi

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Has your son decided what he wants to pursue as a career?

Definitely, but these keep changing according to what he reads. Some days, he wants to be a CEO of a large MNC, other days he wants to be an entrepreneur. Some days, he says he wants to be a writer or work with Tesla.

How tough is it for Yadunandan that you are a teacher in the same school?

It is a bit difficult. But from day one I had told him to not call me Ma in school; even when he was in LKG and never walked where I sat. He has followed that rule. Very few teachers in the school know that he is my son. If I run into him in the school, he calls me ma’am and stands with his hands at the back.

What is the role of a teacher in a student’s life?

I would say that a teacher has a huge role to play. A student spends six-seven hours in school; the teacher is trained to look for even the smallest niggles in a child. If a student is not doing well in class, the teacher must understand the reason. They must consult the parent and if the child is taking tuition and yet not performing, it falls on the teacher to make him learn at his pace and ensure he catches up with the class.

What values would you want Yadunandan to learn?

I would want him to respect his elders and be kind to those who are younger than him. He must also give due respect and credit to his teachers who are helping him gain knowledge.

How do you make a growing child communicate with you?

The easiest thing is to talk to him. Tell him that it is okay to make mistakes and that you (parent) have done the same at their age). Also, it is fine if the child is open to a family member; it need not be the mother. My son shares everything with his grandmother and this is fine by me – the idea is that he must communicate. Tell him it is important to be honest and not lie about anything.