WHAT GOOD WILL YOUR 90% SERVE YOU?

Some days back, one of my students came to see me with her mother. Her twelfth-standard (HSC) results were just out and they had come to show me the result.

It was 86% overall and in the subject I had taught, i.e. Accountancy, she had scored 96.

“Very good,” I said looking at her face.

The face did not glow… girl’s and mother’s, both.

“Why, not happy?” I asked.

“No sir,” the girl said in a sad voice, “I was expecting more.”

“How much were you expecting?” I probed.

“Around 90%,” came the answer.

My colleague - a lady teacher, who, too, had taught this young-one - quietly got up and went to the next room, where she had to teach the waiting students.

I knew the reason for her abrupt exit, though…

We had taught this girl for a year and we knew where she stood. 90% was pure fantasy!

“Beta, for a commerce student, 86% is a very good performance,” I gently assured her, hiding my annoyance or, even, mild anger, “Just enjoy the happy experience, ok?”

There was no response, from both the girl and the mother.

“Ma’am, are you not happy, too?” I asked the mother.

“She could have done better,” was the answer.

I lost my cool… “Ma’am, I have taught commerce students for over three decades, now. Please, understand, that, we need to be grateful and graceful both in our achievements.” Then, I added, “I am sure, your daughter is sad because you are sad… It is a strain on her.”

Well, I was direct, I knew… I did not want them to go back with wild fantasies… even if it meant, they were angry at what I had said.

Fortunately, there was no backlash…

Instead, a meek question was in store: “Sir, what she has to do, now?”

I froze!

“Madam, you wanted your daughter to score 90% in HSC, you claim,” I wondered in my mind, “but, for what?”

I took a few moments to answer to the lady’s question…

“Ma’am, what would have been the choice had she scored 90%?” I asked courteously.

“We hadn’t decided about that,” she replied.

“Ma’am, I am just a teacher… I have just taught her one subject. It is difficult for me to decide for her in a fraction of a second, here, now,” I explained to the lady without offending her. I also told them to spend a couple of days contemplating on the issue and, assured, my help if they needed. But, they had to take a call on it… just the way they had taken a call on the ‘score’… 90%!

I have no idea, what call has been taken, now…

I still wonder what good will your 90% serve you, 

if you do not have a clue as to 

what you want to do with it!

Can someone help, please?

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Vivek D'Cunha