Balaji reads!

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During the first class, Balaji was just impossible. He would deliberately talk to me when I'm addressing the class, repeats every sentence I say and walk about the class as he pleased. The other children were easily distracted, and brought forth fresh complaints about Balaji everyday-

" Akka , Balaji keeps beating me ka"

"Akka, Balaji enna killitaan ka" 

" Akka, Balaji came to school but he didnt come to class akka" 

For the first two days, I was delighted at putting out fires. I was the Put'Em'Right- 

"don't worry, I will talk to him"

"Balaji, stop throwing the pen at Bhavana " 

Until.. 

" Balaji, if you distract just one more time, I will send you to the headmistress"

I didnt want to use this line. I detested my school teachers when they used this line. But how on earth am I going to teach if the chap keeps coming up with such creative ways to distract? 

 Now, I am a patient person, but I lost it when  I entered the class one day. It was dark and I switched the light on. 

Suddenly a noise and a figure came out of the cupboard. He was waiting  behind the cupboard to scare me. I gave up. 

Until today.. 

For his today's quota of distraction, I made him sit in the corner of the room for one minute. I didn't have the heart to send him to Coventry more than a minute.. I couldn't keep him in class for more than a minute either. Class got over. 

I was sitting in the classroom and doing my record work. Kamalesh and Balaji popped in. 

Kamalesh picked up a book and started reading. Balaji looked  at the book. Unconsciously, he started reading. First slowly, then with a lot of vehemence. 

He didn't read to distract anyone. He read for sheer curiosity and interest. 

Real breakthroughs may happen even after class!

#intrinsicmotivation #SLA #languagelearning #acquisitionstudies