A noisy classroom, a strict Mathematics teacher, and a student with dyslexia. Ten years ago, Taare Zameen Par brought the sounds and sights of a typical Indian classroom alive onscreen. It questioned not just our educational system but also dragged parenting under the harsh spotlight.
Are we teaching our kids or are we simply subjecting them to a grueling routine to satisfy society’s demands, without any regard for their abilities or the lack of it?
Dr Renu Goyal who works with Kidicious.com (a child psychological therapy clinic in New Delhi) says that there has definitely been a surge in people talking about dyslexia post Taare Zameen Par. She further adds:
We generally give examples of Taare Zameen Par if we need to explain dyslexia. Around 15-20 per cent kids have a learning disability and it is important to give them special attention. Parents and schools should opt for skilled teachers, because appointing one teacher for 5000 kids doesn’t really help.”
Also read: Taare Zameen Par to Udaan: 10 Bollywood films that show school life like it is
After all appointing TZP’s Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir Khan) to schools isn’t actually an option.
Dr Dherendra Kumar, Consultant Child Psychologist at Apollo Hospital agrees, saying the film has helped people identify the issue. Raising the importance of correct parenting when dealing with such an issue, he says
If your child has dyslexia, it is not the end of the world. Seek professional help; special education and cognitive training can better the academic outcomes. Find the strengths of your child and utilize these. It’s also important to understand that academics aren’t the only things and you should address their emotional needs. Help your child in developing self-confidence.”
Taare Zameen Par’s biggest achievement was bringing discussions on dyslexia to drawing rooms and PTAs.
Dyslexia is a learning disability, which causes kids difficulties in reading accurately and fluently. They may also have trouble with comprehension, spelling and writing. Suffering from dyslexia doesn’t mean that your child lacks ‘normal’ intelligence, it just comes down to their inability to decoding words, matching letters to sounds, and not being able to understand things that may come easily to others.
That TZP successfully managed to get this crucial message across, will remain the film’s most remarkable feature.
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