"Sir, my answer is correct!".... A mathy trip with 9-yr old :)
Rupesh Gesota
“Hey! Get in, I will drop you!”
Surprised at this unexpected and unsolicited offer, I turn around. And Wow! This was my friend (a free lift ;-)
“Thank you so much! We met at the right time.” And she helped me open the rear-door when I was again greeted by a beautiful smile of another girl, but this time – a much prettier one :-)
“Nisha darling, he is Rupesh Sir… Remember, the puzzles……maths workshop…. games..….”
OMG! I grumble within. I really hate when parents introduce me to their children as someone expert in Maths. (& there are many reasons for this!) While her elocution continued for few seconds, I could sense the threat of my picture of beautiful (mathy) conversation with her 8-9 yr old being washed out by her flood of (scary) words. (After all, isn't math scaring? ;-)
However, my tricks did their magic, thus not only helping me quickly connect with this junior but also (and more importantly) smartly evade the adults’ boring what’s-up/where-about interrogations and similar customary conversations J
Along with the free n fast luxurious lift I could also, and quite successfully, steal what I need/love the most – the Ooohs and Aaaahs and Waaaaows of kiddos --- during our 15-min mathematical journey (details in next blog). At first, I felt that the front-seat passengers (my friend and her driver (oops! He was her husband ;-) were almost alienated by our chit-chat, however soon I sensed their anxiety and involvement (laughing at their child’s wild sense of numbers/measurement, skewed looks, my friend’s (a mother’s) intermittent and desperate urge to help her child answer all questions correctly)
Little did I know that Asli picture toh ab shuru hone wala thaa –
“Plz stop the car near that flour-mill. I need to collect our bags. It must be ready by now. Rupesh, is it ok for you? Just one second!”
This was a perfect home-drop service, so am I a moron to argue? J
Nisha and I too had almost parked our math-car but then, thanks to the spark ignited by my friend’s request, I thought of driving our math-car to another interesting turn. I planned to engage the girl in estimating the number of seconds her mom stays out of the car (I knew, she had heard her mom say one second :-)
But before I could do this, and as soon as the physical car stopped, she stepped out snatching a Rs.50 note from her mom.
“Bhaiya, paanch kilo gehoon... ho gaya na?” the voice ran out of the window while I saw Nisha flying towards the flour-mill, like a bird released from cage J
“paanch rupaye chhutta hai bibi-ji?”,screamed the shopkeeper looking at the madam in the car.
“chheey rupaye hai!” (I have Rs.6)
“chalega.. dey do”
I was enjoying the small head going ping-pong during this conversation J
She ran towards the car, took three Rs.2 coins stretched out for her, did the exchange and came back, but this time - slowly, watching her both the hands more than steps! I closely observed this entire video, from start to end. And you know the reason, don’t you? J
She freed her hands (flour-bag and change) and came back to me, not knowing that something interesting is again awaiting her J
I really wanted her to thrash those questions in next 5-mins. But….. L
“What’s the cost of grinding the wheat into flour?”
Her staring look surprised me. But she replied,”Rs.25/-“
Relief!
“How do you know?”
“Mom told me.”
Boom!
“So didn’t you cross check if you payed him the correct amount? What if he cheated you?”
“Well, my Mom will never let that happen!” This pat/humorous response from a child might elicit laughter for some (and it did for these parents too), however, such situations should also signal an opportunity for wise and alert parents to talk about the relevant lesson to their children (and here it was about something beyond calculation!)
While the couple got looped/ lost in that silly conversation, I thought of picking up from there. (I had done a pretty fair job in last 15 mins -- she did not see me as ‘teaching’ her anytime, yet I know she was enjoying (learning))
“How much money did you give him?”
“Rs.50”
“Sure?”
“Yes!”
“Didn’t you come back for something?”
“Oh, yes, mom gave me Rs.6”
“Hmmm...”
“So, I gave him Rs.56/-”
“How much money did he give you back?”
“I did not count!”
[Was it the child's mistake if she did not count/check? Was it the first time she was handling money?]
I just stared at her. And that was enough for her to poke her mom and recall that figure.
“Thrity-one”, she said.
She looked at me, waiting for my next question.
“Well, our question still remains unanswered dear. How much did you pay him?”
“Oh! That will be………. 56-31……”
This was getting more exciting for me now. Fingers crossed! And I was happy that she was with me. In fact, she was enjoying it more!
“Dad, give me your pen, please!”
(And now, I got disappointed. As this had pinned out all the air from my inflating balloon)
She immediately scribbled on her palm. And came up with the correct answer! “25!”
I had to wear a smile. “Good! How do you know your answer is correct?”
She again got lost into her tiny note-pad……..….. (Leaving me sad again)
“Rupesh, this is your building right???”
“Oh! Yes, it’s this! Plz stop here! Thanks a lot for the educational lift J”
The Mom and Dad smiled and expressed their gratitude (for what?) and invited me for the dinner. The reason for their excitement may be palpable; however, my mind and eyes were hovering around something else.
And then rushed a head near the window --- “Sir, my answer is correct!”
My emotions were mixed. But I showed her my happy face and we dispersed amidst this laughter. I couldn't move till I could see the waving hand and smiling face of my new ‘on-the-way’ student.
She was happy and parents were happier – for whatever I did over last 20-mins. However, I was engulfed by the thought that – what amazing things I could have done with that 9-yr old in next 20-mins!
I wanted to draw her attention at the beautiful computation strategy employed by that flour-mill man to complete that financial transaction - quickly and easily. I wanted her to gasp at the realization that how smarter these shop-keepers, vegetable vendors, milk suppliers, newspaper walas, bus conductors, carpenter; cobblers, plumbers are in computation. (In fact, it’s worth appreciating and startling (and hence embarrassing for us) that most of these 'not-so-educated ones' (as we see them) are sometimes better than us not just in computational part of mathematics but in the deeper/real domain of mathematics—the zone where the true beauty of mathematics unfolds! This is the world that most of our children/ us are not even aware of (leave aside reaching there) as much of our time/ energy is instructed/ channelized/ utilized/ exhausted working out the computational aspect of mathematics – which is just a small fragment and often seems to be a dry and tiresome part of mathematics, if not understood well. I wanted to free her from the shackles of something which is not mathematics…… I wanted to.......
Everything -- the entire conversation, her every response – verbal/ non-verbal, her parents, and that 20-min trip taught me so much. It’s difficult for me to pen down all those lessons. (& I guess, that’s not even required – a good teacher (formal or informal) would be able to hear everything unsaid) And this realization made me even somewhat sad that night!
But, I had to spring up with a hope next morning – so that I can 'do' something for many more such children around.....and hence even thought to share this experience/ reflection/ idea with you all...
I will be happy to read your views/ comments/ plans/ experiences/ ideas/ strategies/ etc. This would help me keep going -- to do more and share even more J
Rupesh Gesota