First off, one's greeted by a non-bearded Derek, simply quite not the energetic, fatherly, quiz master we grew up watching. BUt that's besides the point. The program he currently hosts seeks to identify confidence champions, kids who're supremely confident of their abilities and many other things. But again, all this is besides the point.
The sample on display is 10 kids in the age group of 6 - 13, I am guessing, who come forth and state many achievements and answer questions with aplomb, as it may seem to some. In one of the many commercial breaks that relentlessly sting these programs, one is left wondering if you were indeed watching a children's show. For there are kids who come up, all of 9 years old, and standing tall and wax eloquent thus - " I was 2 when I first picked up a violin. And I fell in love with the feel of the strings on my fingers. " My, my!
And then there is this kid who is questioned in jest, about the cap he's wearing. He takes it off to show a tonsured head, and begins a minute long monologue with “Superstition has become an integral part of the Indian society. It's mostly women, in my family, my mother and Ba, who are superstitious. The men never are." Hail stereotypes!
There are these kids who when asked why they picked chess to b world champions under 10, or why karate to be black belts at age 10 who never seem to think of fun. Am I being judgmental? Well, may be. But I wish they would'nt walk into a confidence champion contest and spout " Nothing gives you more confidence than Karate or I am confident of winning this because it is only confidence and dedicated effort that made me win the XYZ Nationals. You may have immense talent but without confidence, you are going nowhere." Anything else would do!
I used to think when I was in school that we recycled the patriotic mumbo jumbo a little too much. You know, I want to be a doctor and serve the poor in abc district, because I think the country needs me. Or, I want to go into the armed services (courtesy Border?) and be of service to the country. Or the worst, I want to do an MBA and get into policy making for
Fine fine. I think the last one, luckily for me, I didn't think up in school. A little later perhaps. But you can't blame me for stretching it here, ladies and gentlemen. After all, I live in constant fear of the earth being taken over by a species with no child left in him. And none around either, to keep the sanity going.
PS: The latest buzz in education – The MTI course to improve the communication skills of those who feel burdened with the Influence of the Mother Tongue on their English speaking skills. To drive the point home, the journalist picked up a quote from a 12 year old, and this is what he had to say – “ I felt humiliated when a friend corrected me for saying “pizeon” instead of “pigeon” at school. That was when I decided I needed to do something about it and it was time to take this course.” Sigh.
