I started going to this school about 2 months ago on every Saturdays. I spent first 5 classes to understand students' grey areas in maths and listed down all such topics. I also talked to math teachers to inquire what basic mistakes students commit in exams and what topics trouble them the most. To my surprise, the topics included basic addition & subtraction, numbers, and fractions. I made my own course mainly focused on math fundamentals. After one month, I realized that teaching on only Saturdays is not enough. By the time next Saturday comes, students forget what was taught on last Saturday. I decided to go everyday in morning before I go to office. After some classes, I could figure out that the students were not interested in the subject. The number of students attending the class was also not encouraging as only 40% of total strength used to attend the class. I had been teaching prime numbers for almost 4 days, but when I asked what were prime numbers only 5 students could answer that. It was very clear that students hardly look at class notes after leaving the class. Somehow I could feel that they were unable to relate the subject to their day-to-day work. I asked them how many of you supported your parents in their professions. Most of the students' parents work as carpenter, washer-man, labor or mechanic. Almost 70% of the students support their parents in their respective professions. Students do have aims here in such schools too, but those aims don't go beyond their parents' professions. Then I thought to tell them a story. The story is inspired by a real incident with lot many modifications :-).
"There was a garage mechanic, Bajrangi and his salary was Rs 40 per month in 1970. His son Ramcharan, then 8 years old, sometimes used to accompany him to the garage. Bajrangi wanted his son to go to school but Ramcharan was adamant not to go. After a few more years, Ramcharan started going regularly to garage with his father. He learnt mechanic work very fast and became very good mechanic in minimal time. When Ramcharan was 18, he asked his father why we could not open our own shop. His father said we didn't have enough money. Ramcharan said we would repair bikes and bicycles at street-crossing (Chaurasta). Morning we would start work and by evening we would finish it. Bajrangi, an old man by now, accepted his son's proposal. Within 5-6 years, all the hard work of father and son paid off. They could open their own shop that used to serve clients 24/7. But time has its own surprises, Bajrangi expired after 2 years. Ramcharan was now all alone to run the shop. As we know he never went to school and hence could not even learn addition and subtraction. After completing the work, which might include servicing the bike, replacing the components or just washing the bike, he had no choice but to ask his client to tell him the total price - for an instance if service is for Rs 250, oil change for 280 and washing for Rs 100, then the total amount will be 630. But not all people in the world are honest, and such people started making him fool by telling him that the total price is 230 or any number less than the total price 630. Slowly his business started showing losses. He got trapped in debts, and to pay off them he had to sell his shop. He came to footpath again."
Do you want to be fooled by such people?
"No sir" was the concerted answer from the students.
"Maths is not a subject to just pass the exam; it is used in day-to-day life. You use it while buying stuff from retail stores. You use it while calculating bike's average. There are numerous examples.", I concluded.
After this class, I saw a drastic change in students' attitude. They have started turning up regularly in great numbers.
(Individuals and organizations are encouraged to replicate the story)
