Posts

SHOCK TACTICS BY SAKI (HH MUNRO)

-
Image
  eBay Hector Hugh Munro is a writer who is known for his whimsical style of writing, his amazing sense of humour, his love of animals, his generous nature, and his consideration for others.   He took the pen name of Saki, the name of the cup bearer in Omar Khayyam’s The Rubaiyat. He was called the master of the short story even as he satirized Edwardian literature and culture, regaling readers with his rich political satire, his intriguing characters and his narrative style. The story titled ‘Shock Tactics’ is replete with all these characteristics. The story begins on a late spring afternoon as Ella McCarthy was siting listlessly in her garden when Bertie appeared before her, and sat down on an adjoining chair. She was elated to see him and began thanking him for the lovely handkerchiefs he had sent to her as a gift. She had wished to write and thank him for them immediately, but when she said so, Bertie’s face fell. “’You know what mother is,’ he protested; ‘she opens a...
Post a Comment
Read more

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BIOMETRIC DEVICE

-
Image
                                                   Iris Scanner - Mantra Softech When you walk into the lobby in school, you will find me on the wall in front of the office. A biometric device that captures the gaze of the teachers in school! Had I been human, I would have been the luckiest man ever… with so many ladies gazing into my attentive eyes. Some walk in and gaze languidly at me, others rush in like hurricanes, aware that time is ticking by, inexorably. Yet others make a beeline and look at me, not paying any heed to anyone around, singling me out for attention. Only after I capture their gaze do they even relax and wish others around them. That is how important I am in their lives. One teacher walks towards me, and stares into my eyes. She moves her head up and down, trying to reach that sweet spot when I can help her. When that does not work, she...
Post a Comment
Read more

THE HAPPY PRINCE BY OSCAR WILDE - A REVIEW

-
Image
  Medium As a child, I remember reading ‘The Happy Prince’ and falling in love with the writing style of Oscar Wilde, born Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde, a writer whose initial foray into writing was unsuccessful. After facing a bleak writing career, in 1888, he wrote his volume of short fiction titled ‘The Happy Prince’ followed by ‘Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime’ and ‘A House of Pomegranates’ both in 1891. These three volumes along with the unusual themed ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ (1891) finally caught the public eye, winning him the reputation of an original writer with extra ordinary talent.                                                                                          Amazon.in ‘The Happy Prince’ has remained a favourite tale of mine for i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Integrating Technology into Education and Learning

-
Image
                                                                                              Pin Page   “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.” Bill Gates  What is educational technology?   The concept of educational technology or Edutech is defined as a set of tools that enhance the educational process, and help improve the performance of both teacher and pupil through the use of fresh and new technologies.  What will educators have to do to adapt their teaching methodology and strategies to integrate technology into the teaching process?   The teacher has always been at the centre of education, the human element. Technology has always needed a...
1 comment
Read more

GENTLEMEN ON THE ROAD? YES, THEY DO EXIST!

-
Image
                 iStock photo Can you imagine a time when there were no cars or vehicles on the road? When cavemen would use their legs to walk and run and probably, kick a stubborn mule or two? Or switch forward to the first man who made a round object and used it as a wheel, an invention which would take over human lives in the distant future? Today, I live in a town where wheels have certainly taken over our lives – and how! Most households have an equal number of cars as there are adults in the house, even if some of those adults do have no idea of what it means to be an adult. Of course, that is fodder for a whole new topic of discussion, maybe, on another occasion. My title shines a light on the topic I intend to wax eloquent on. Are there gentlemen on the road? Is there a method in the madness? Or is the Almighty looking down at the chaos on our streets and sighing, “Gosh, did I actually create this mayhem?” For, yes, he did create...
Post a Comment
Read more

MY NAME IS CINNAMON BY VIKAS PRAKASH JOSHI

-
Image
BOOK REVIEW                                                                                            Photo Credit: Deepti Menon  ‘My Name is Cinnamon’ is the heartwarming tale of Roshan Rishikesh Paranjape, aka Cinnamon. He refers to himself as a ‘heart baby’ who lives with his adoptive parents in Pune. From the first chapter onwards, the readers get drawn into this sensitively crafted narrative, as they travel with Cinnamon and his parents along the path that leads him to his birth parents. There is no evading the fact that the young boy is adopted, and the way the author has tackled this fact is exemplary. The attractive cover is reminiscent of the covers of yore – maybe those of RK Narayan or Mulk Raj Anand. A sense of warmth and bonhomie pervade th...
Post a Comment
Read more

THE START OF THE BOARD EXAMS

-
Image
  Vedantu The ISC board examinations have begun. Today was English Language and as our children trooped in, we sensed a hint of trepidation within them even as they tried to mask it. We  could not blame them. Even Valentine’s Day had moved away into the recesses of their minds.  After all, this was the culmination of two years of hard work, in many cases, and a dogged belief in luck and destiny for a few others. Even though we had terminal  and model examinations for them, this was a different scenario altogether, with external supervisors and invigilators who are not their present teachers. As we had a prayer before we started outside the exam hall, and a few mandatory instructions, we could see the tension in their eyes, the anxiety about the three hours ahead when they would get one chance to crack the paper. As they walked in, we wished them from deep within our hearts, our little ones going into their first major challenge in life.         ...
Post a Comment
Read more