Kavita ki parhai Part 1

I decided not to start Kavita in a formal school this September, start of the school year here in Liberia. 

Earlier, she was in a creative arts pre-school at Cachelle for a few months. Costing a bomb, I found it to be extremely pretentious and elitist. I wondered, why have I been enticed these words "Your child will flourish, she is so smart and, she belongs in such a place", uttered by the founder of the school who I have known for some time as a professional photographer and even used her services. "Why am I spending so much money on this pretentious and shallow business?" I wondered. 

Kavita attended the Cachelle school from September to December in 2017 and, for one month in January 2018. I quit the school sessions. Kavita and I went back to our NATC office routine which consists of waking up at our own time, getting dressed and then walking over to the office. I am not so involved in the day to day operations of NATC and, only oversee everything and ensure that office discipline is maintained. I sit at my desk, checking e-mail and staff reports. I spend rest of the time giving Kavita writing, reading, arithmetic and art lessons. Kavita and I met Emmanuel or "Emmanda B" on one of our evening walks and, he started coming to the office for guitar lessons a few times per week. 

I left for Pakistan for a few months in April and, while in Islamabad, I asked my father to give her Urdu lessons. He made flash cards and, made her learn words by sight. I bought an easel from a stationery shop in F-10 Market, bought poster sheets and, encouraged Kavita to made drawings and paintings with all the markers, paint markers, coloured pencils, pens, crayons and paints. Kavita and I also made some paintings together, using all the tools we had. Aboo used the same easel to give Kavita Urdu lessons. 

I jokingly told him I'm looking for an Urdu teacher to come for home lessons to teach Kavita basic Urdu. He angrily pronounced "I will teach her. My father was a teacher and I also taught all of you." 

I bought some "Alif Bay" exercise books from the Saeed Book Bank bookshop in Jinnah Supermarket and, asked Aboo to start with the Urdu alphabet itself. He said, no, she is smart and he is skipping alphabet, rather pompously, in his characteristic style. This has been pretty much his style to binging up his own children and, to everyone he meets, and for discussing politics and history. He thinks everyone is intelligent enough and, who has time for going over basics? You should come already to the table with something in your head or catch up in your own time. 1, 2, 3, start reading! 

I realised I have the same approach to teaching things to Kavita. I would not like to patronise her but, introduce her, straight away, to all of my own interests. For instance, she and I watched "Seven Samurai" and "Mughal-e-Azam" together in my Monrovia flat. I kept explaining all the scenes and, dialogues so she enjoyed it. I started reading her books when she was very small and, am now trying to teach her to actually read. I have flash cards, flip charts, notebooks, scrap paper to practice and learn writing. I have even administered tests to her. 

I am also consciously conversing with her in Urdu so she can learn her mother tongue. 

Kavita is five and a half years old and, kids of friends have started the school year. There's a even a 2-year old we know who will be starting his introduction to "school" at Cachelle. Why? To be around other children and, to learn sharing. 

During my 6-month stint with Mercy Corps, Kavita went for a month or two to Joy of Learning on Jallah Town Road. She was 2 years old. Musu, who was hired as a nanny, would stay with Kavita the whole day because Kavita wouldn't like to be there alone. On my first day, I remember the teacher yelling at another child and, I was very annoyed. Still, Kavita was there for a couple of months although I was never quite impressed. Perhaps I was OK with it because it was literally only for a few hours and, the fees were not that high. 

A colleague at Mercy Corps actually referred me to Joy of Learning, saying that they helped his child to be potty trained and, to button his own shirt. Unthinkingly, I went along with the suggestion. 

Now, I think a lot about why people say what they do and, what they advise me to do. 

When I was in Pakistan, I saw an advert for Rung School of Music and Arts during one of my evening walks in the F-11 neighbourhood. I telephoned the school and Kavita attended the summer camp for 2 weeks. I wish I had known about it before because Kavita was enjoying the school. The founder of the school belongs to a musical gharana and, he is a 7th or 10th generation sitar player. There were kids from the ages of 4 to 10 and 13. Kavita came back home one day and was singing "Ye watan hamara hai" and, everyone at home home gushed over her. A few days later, she was singing "Allah hoo." The summer camp school had a WhatsApp group and the teachers would share photographs and short clips of the class. A few times I sat in the class as Wajih (the founder of the school and the sitar player) would lead the class while he was on the harmonium. There was a tabla player too and, a couple of other teachers were sitting around the kids on the floor. I saw Wajih explain "alaap" to the children. During these short 2 weeks, Kavita was introduced to a quomi naghma like "Ye watan hamara hai" and, qawali/sufi music like "Allah hoo."  I had told Wajih that Kavita was learning guitar in Monrovia so he also gave her some pointers on his guitar. The atmosphere at the school was very good as they had so many instruments and, individual classes for senior students wishing to learn sitar or piano or classical dance were also in sessions. Even though it was a small space, it was quite very good. I spent 10,500 rupees for 2 weeks. 

I came back to Monrovia mid July and, Haresh and I have been in discussion where to send Kavita. We've heard Lady of Grace in Sinkor is very good and, in fact, has been building up its high school curriculum, too. Monrovia is so small so in my Facebook Newsfeed, I have seen pictures of international day at the school and, day to day pictures of classrooms. I know they offer Arabic and French to children. Everyone I know is satisfied with the school which has built an impressive "international school" experience. However, the fees for kindergarten are $ 5,000 per year.

The high fees put me off and, I asked myself, why do I want to pay this kind of money for kindergarten? But then, I asked myself, would I pay this amount for Grade 1? Should we try to get Kavita admitted to Grade 1? What is the good age to even start school? What should she have learned by now to progress in life? Why should it cost so much just to learn how to draw a cat, count from 1 to 20, draw shapes, and, sing A, B, C?