Friday, May 28, 2010

The obsession with numbers continues…

After a long time a trigger.

Teachers blabber. Hence students MUST ramble. Unsaid & unwritten rule? Seems so in SIMC and why? Here comes another bomb that ignites only out of curiosity, but refuses to blast. What else to say when damp squibs make bombs?

FILL (Rather DUMP) the internship report with 4000-5000 words.

Aim (If any)?: (The person needs time to think. While he thinks, let’s do a catharsis)

Might be to make great novelists or great SOAP WRITERS? Or otherwise is CREATIVITY the aim?
(P.S: The people who give such assignments are still thinking – effectively utilising their vacant spaces devoid of intellect - about how can NIRMA & HAMAM SOAPS be used to write!)

My request: Just think what purpose it solves by making a student write a 5000 word essay on an internship!

My take: A report of 5000 words makes the student who did quality work to sit and think on how he/she can make an internship report junk! Leave alone those who did not get enough work, though not for his/her fault.

Instead, if teaching to think out of the box is your aim or creative writing is the expected outcome, there are many better methods!

My questions (Can make a 25000 report): Aren't you all fed up of numbers in SIMC? Isn't the escalation from 60 to 130 to 240 students in the space of 2 years not enough a lesson? Haven’t you realized that quantity without enough intellectual capital to guide is akin to planting a sapling without providing enough sunlight and water?
Not only are you NOT contributing to an individual’s growth, but also are you guilty of disgracing the quality & independence of our effervescent youth. In short, in your greed to mint, you are contributing in your own little ways to spoil the future citizens and in turn a county.

My solutions to students: Write sentences synonymous to what you already wrote. Make the reader think that he is reading different sentences, though with the same meaning.

Eg: A sentence: This Policy I prepared was intended to be used as a guideline for recognizing employee’s contributions.
Same sentence in the next line must go like: This plan of action formulated by me was aimed to signify the importance of acknowledging a workers share of intellect to his company.

Using active and passive voice, Changing Subject to predicate etcetera are other tactics that can be employed.

Another example: The general guidelines given in this policy document are designed to support the intent of the program.
Keeping the meaning same once again: The intent of the program is supported by the general guidelines given in the policy document.

Still, if you are short of the 5000 mark Guinness, write stories upon stories of what had not happened.

Are they going to check or are they even going to ask? You will be marked according to the Dhoklas, Theplas & Undhiyu’s you ate in the course of your life. Some might detest the idea of food, but are still lucky as they had to inherit surnames like Patel, Mehta, Shah, Seth and so on. Also not to forget the rare few who learned ‘kem cho’ as part of his stay in Gujarat!

More questions: Why make it more complex by merely piling garbage? When will you realize that BREVITY is what the world needs! Keep it simple is what ‘Corporate Life KILLS’ classes taught. Still learning to comprehend?

Benefits: SAVE PAPER. SAVE TIME. High chances of EARNING a bit of respect.

Now the final question: If a student delivers a quality assignment/report, will you take the pain to read it & give an effective feedback?

My advice: Leave your obsession with numbers. Anyways you are no Ramanujam! Focus on why someone interned.

A simpler question: Have you ever told a student on how his powerpoint presentations could have been made better and more professional? & now you expect him/her to get value out of 5000 words?

Summary: Mere HOGWASH! Another wishy-washy affair! 2011 is ananyafied !

What does that mean? (I think I can hear your hushed whispers)

As per the new Oxford Dictionary of Neologism –

Ananyafy(v): A process where neither PReaching nor PRactise happens.
Usage: Symbi 10 & 11 have added blubber due to ananyafication.

Final Word: Brevity is the soul of wit !