schools to be cool with children

When I was waiting at a school, I happened to witness two incidents which is worth sharing.
The women incharge of cleaning the school started cleaning the premises just when the children started arriving. As the children dressed up neatly in uniforms and who came from a very protected environment i.e the house, still carrying it along like wearing a scarf around, carrying a kerchief and other protective devices arrived, they were immediately exposed to the dust and dirt emanating from sweeping. The women nonchalantly pushed the brooms hither and thither passing the dust all over. The children were sneezing, holding their kerchiefs or rushing to their class rooms to avoid the dust. The dust which emanates will take time to settle and it will affect all the children causing some dust allergies. Had the women started sweeping a little early before the children actually started arriving, the dust would have settled by the time. They can even sprinkle some water so that the dust does not fly and cause the children to sneeze. The school authorities have to take note of this and take remedial action.

Another event which is not intentional but inadvertant. One teacher was incharge of supervising the children till they reach their classes. Any complaint by the children about other children as well as the general discipline is taken care of by this teacher. I felt that this is a very good arrangement as somebody can mind the children till the classes begin. The teacher was also occasionally calling some students, enquiring about them and having a pep talk with them, which is again a good sign to cheer up the children. Just then, a student passed with a heavy school bag and a lunch bag. He was climbing the stairs. The teacher called to him twice and the third time he responded. That shows that because of the burden and some burdening thoughts the child was preoccupied not to have paid attention to the teacher. The third time the teacher called him and he came down apologetically with the heavy bag and lunch bag. He must be a second or third standard student. Just then, the teacher handed over to him some 35 notebooks to be carried to the classroom. The child also immediately obliged. But after taking the books in the hand he found it very difficult to balance but somehow managed to take them. His class may be in the second floor. The child had to carry the entire burden to the class. Here, one thing I would like to tell the teacher. Giving some small chores like this to children is not wrong, and it also gives the children pride that the teacher has chosen them to take the notebooks. But the teacher could have asked the boy to come back after keeping his bag and lunch bag in his classroom to collect the books. Or she could have carried it herself or could have given to the peon to carry. Giving the books to a child who is already overburdened with books and lunch bag only shows the thoughtlessness of the teacher at that time. She should have put herself in the shoes of the child and understood the pressure she gives to him by asking him to carry the notebooks along with his bag and lunch bag. Children are already burdened by the pressure to get up early, gobble down their breakfast, run for their van with their bags and rush to the school gate before the bell. They should be given some time to relax like a ten minutes prayer or mind relaxation exercises before they are given any work to do. schools to take care.