The Ignited Mind

A 220V, 11W LED bulb stopped glowing within a few days of its usage. How can the bulb go bad so soon? To ensure that it is really gone bad, I connected the bulb to a different bulb holder in another room. The LED bulb still didn’t glow! With little disappointment threw the bulb in a dustbin that was kept below the wash basin.

On the same day evening, had to go out for sunday shopping! I returned home some time later and had to wash my hands. As I washed my hand, I looked at the bin! To my surprise, the LED bulb (of the size of tennis ball) was missing from the bin. For a moment, I had self-doubt if I really threw the bulb in the bin or left it on the table?

I asked my mother, if she saw any LED bulb dumped in the bin. Mother replied that my son was having a bulb in his hands and meddling with it! My Gosh! I was worried as he could hurt his fingers, trying to break open the bulb. My son who is inquisitive in nature, is interested to break open any toys/appliances and explore the things inside!

Before I could finish the conversation with mother, my son approaches me with a gleaming face! And is holding the bulb in his hand, however with a red tape wound around the bulb at the middle. I was perplexed and before I could utter a word, he said that the bulb is working fine and he repaired it!

With a raised eyebrow, I asked him how he could repair the LED bulb? He said its simple and he would demonstrate! First, he slowly unwound the red tape and separated the doom shaped outer shell of the bulb. Inside was a small square shaped ECB (Electronic Circuit Board) of the size of krack-jack biscuit. My son first showed me a dozen tiny LEDs soldered to the board. Then he pointed at two wires that supplied power to the ECB. With lot of excitement he explained that one of the wire had come out and now he has inserted it back in the slot and it should now work fine! And then insisted me to connect to the 220V holder and switch it ON.

Though I was skeptical, I put the bulb in the holder and turned on the switch (keeping my fingers crossed). Unbelievable! With an initial flicker, the LED bulb started glowing, spreading the white light. At the same time the glow on my sons face was even brighter and the joy in my heart was even deeper! What is satisfying is that it is not just the LED bulb that is working fine, it is the Ignited mind that is behind the deed!

My son is just studying in 2nd standard. However, his inquisitiveness to learn, explore and experiment things, is on par with 12th standard pupils. I am really proud of being his father. Hoping that one day he would become a humble scientist like APJ Abdul Kalam…… Thank you!

Lets remember what APJ Abdul Kalam said - "One of the very important characteristics of a student is to question. Let the students ask the question. "

I won't go to school today!

Today morning my son was reluctant to get up from the bed! He is muttering that he would not go to school today! With patience and affection, I asked him, why he wouldn’t go to school on the first day of the week? With a crying face he replied that the teacher would ask him to read a paragraph in front of the class. And his worry is that he may not be able to properly read the paragraph. I tried to convenience him that he is an intelligent boy and he would be able read the passage with much ease. Told him to read his best and not worry about the failure! And I won’t scold him . However, he says that it not about failing to read the paragraph. What else then?

Its seems that his teacher has told that he would not be promoted to Standard One, if he fails to read a passage in English! My Godness! Isn’t this activity of reading a paragraph on stage a too stressful activity for the 5+ year kid? Why should a school have a test or an assessment for Pre-Primary kids? As the formal education only starts from 1st Standard? Even if any assessment is done, why tell it to child and make him get scared? The child turns averse to go to school! Isn't there a better way?

This is not the first time, my son is reluctant go to school. Every other week, there is some or the other activity, which scares my son and he is demotivated to go to school? Why is that teachers and our education system is so insensible, unrealistic and stressful? Why do the schools sound more like a bane than a boon, for the students?

In the darkness of misnomer called "education", I see a ray of hope, when our union minister for human resource development asks the NCERT to reduce the school syllabus by 50% in the coming days. Hoping that the school education in the future days will be as enjoyable as watching a cartoon movie or playing a ludo game? Thank you for reading.

Mark Twain said - "In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards". Doesn't it make sense?