The Lessons From Nature

(continued from the poem “Differences� on 4 12 07)

Now let us look at the beautiful pictures of Nature,and learn a lesson of accommodating differences, from it.(to remind;;the word ‘differences’ as the title actually refers to� Learning differences�, a learning problem).
From the poem: DIFFERENCES
First verse

What are differences?

Are they like different colours in a rainbow?

How exhilarating they are to the senses

We wouldn’t wish rainbows without their colours’ glow

IT’S THE SAME sky of knowledge we know.

Here the question of accommodating the differences, belongs purely to Nature. Seven different colors are accommodated perfectly through every curve and bend of the rainbow in a beautiful band. The bow ‘puts’ its foot down into the earth where there is the proverbial ‘’pot of gold,’’and mind you not a single different color is treated unequally in benefitting from touching the rich pot. On the other hand, all seven differences stay together as they go up, and as to how much they are accommodated together, the sky is the limit!

Second verse
There are so many different flowers,

Every hue and design and size

All growing with the same showers

All making the whole garden win a prize!

IT’S THE SAME garden of knowledge we must realize.

Here as we know of the bio-diversity which exists in forests-a little of that is represented in a garden. Even in a little garden, great variety of plants and flowers can be grown. Here the gardener takes the place of Dame nature,and feeds his different plants with the same soil, in proportion to their different needs. The same is expected of the same supply of water, and sunshine. Some plants are difficult to tend, others are easy, some require special ingredients, which knowledge the gardener uses to tend to them specially.We can compare a classroom to a garden.Here the teacher like the gardener, can apply her kinowledge and specially learnt technics, and training to teach all, including the children having individual and Learning differences. She can give individual as well as collective attention.

Third verse
Tropical colours and variety of form,
Take your breath away, it’ s mesmerizing!
The supreme quietness of the myriad norm,
We wouldn’t wish the underwater scene to be less surprising
IT’S THE SAME sea of knowledge albeit differences comprising.

Here,an aquarium represents all that is diverse in the sea, put together. Here Dame nature is represented by the aquarium enthusiast, who applies all his interest, knowledge and know-how in tending to different colored fish, and several varieties of them, big and small together.Aquariums are made with different technics of light, temperature, air/oxygen, and aquatic plant requirements. Feeds for different species of fish also come in separate tubes.Feeds may be specific or mixed.A class teacher can be compared to an aquarium keeper.Paying close attention to different kinds of pupils, all receptive according to their individual IQ/EQ levels.The modern teacher knows the technics and has the training to deal with a full range, of students from the slow to the very quick intelligent ones, all sitting in the same classroom.

Fourth verse


So many children studying

Some good in one thing, some in others,

So much difference, all trying & vying

We wouldn’t wish classes having clones, not brothers

IT’S THE SAME school of knowledge producing Edisons and Hampshires.
This is the most obvious.Every classroom typically has a variety of pupils.There are the slow learners,quick learners, the dull child, the bright child, the normal child, and the genius. Many a times, there are children who belong to the group of modern diagnosis which says they have Learning differences. These children can *catch up* with the normal students, when they are taught with special teaching approaches and techniques. They respond exceptionally well to such teaching methods,and hence are known to learn the same as normal students but from a different teaching technique-this is why they are said to have Learning differences. Of all these learning differences Primary dyslexia is the one, which can be overcome remarkably, and many such dyslexics are present in the long list of famous personalities. Here it is interesting to note that ordinary teaching methods may not help dyslexics in a class; but remedial teaching methods for dyslexics may be of great use to the normal school child as a supplement to his usual set of classroom instuctions for his daily lessons.For these dyslexic scholars are average or more than average, many may have high IQs and maybe exceptionally talented. But as from childhood they are very sensitive, and when they reach the age when reading is required, they find it difficult, and cannot read like normal children. It is then that special different teaching methods would be applied. Failing which, they develop assymetrically into clever personalities who cannot read. This makes them look abnormal and because they deliberately do not do that, they become difficult to teach by normal methods, and may become very naughty and charming out of sheer frustration. They require a remedial therapist, and a teacher who has been trained and instructed to some extent by the remedial therapist, to teach this dyslexic child and others with the other Learning differences; it is an established fact in this modern age now, that mild and moderate Learning differences category of children can be accommodated in the usual classroom with normal children,and taught. The success rate is promising and high. Important point to note is that any child good, normal or bad may sometimes just refuse to study, and become stubborn or difficult. So can this happen to a child with learning differences.But it has been seen, that many teachers use this excuse particularly for children with learning differences, not to have them in their class to teach, in fact some schools may not want them admitted at all, even though modern educational research severely looks down on such administration who do not accommodate such children in their teaching program.


Now a word again,about rainbows.
First verse

What are differences?

Are they like different colours in a rainbow?

How exhilarating they are to the senses

We wouldn’t wish rainbows without their colours’ glow

IT’S THE SAME sky of knowledge we know.

You cannot get a real rainbow in a non-natural atmosphere, like you get real plants in a planned garden, or like you get real marine creatures in a man made aquarium.The closest you can get to a rainbow is in the form of a band of different colors like..........in a jeweller’ s log cabin. Different colors emanate from a myriad different colored stones, set in a single ornament. As the jeweler lowers his lens to cut and polish the many tiny faces;the Opal and the zircons, energised colors volley forth, catching the corner of the eye with rainbow colors.
Or like in a tiny cubicle of an experiment LAB. The spectral Band is split into different colors,and the science research worker, tries different measures and applies special technics to prove his hypothesis. All these different colors are accepted by the society and find a meaningful place in society.
So just like the above two workers, who polish and apply technics to glass-like matter, why does not the teacher too get specialised knowledge, know-how and technics, to bring out the different colors in the same classroom of students, and make them pass with flying colors.