Mrs Swetha Pai
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT: KINDER, EMPATHETIC -WORLD NEEDS YOU!!!
Well, I ended up taking a book “Wonder” by R.J Palacio. Before I left work read just 5 pages and I was hungry to read more. During my train travel read and kept on doing the same in my rick ride home….. Had a break as my little munchkin was waiting for me. After I played and put her to sleep again ended up reading with a flashlight (an old habit that is too good to let go off) as I was way too captivated to stop…. I shared my excitement with the first class I got on Monday ie 7D and guess what? Most kids were asking for that book to issue I got to know. It is amazing how a book can change your perspective in so many ways and make you more positive again. I realized after reading the book that there is an August (Auggie) around us maybe not the one described in the book. We are all flawed humans with so many defects and at times we are ashamed of it when people judge us with that in mind only, A Charlotte – who wants to do good and never wants to get in no one’s bad books, A Jack Will- who does wrong and tries to right it, A Julian who has no remorse of his wrong doings but later regrets…. All these kids had a story. There was a teacher who inspired them, a head who believed in them, some parents in it who knew what the kid was going through…. My conclusion is if Inclusion of education is to happen then we have to be kinder than necessary…. That is how inclusion can happen…. Like the books says “when ” YOU CAN’T BLEND IN WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!!!” Why don’t we stand to be kinder, a little more understanding, a little more caring than necessary so humanity doesn’t die off……? I definitely recommend this book to all dealing with children directly or indirectly.