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Express Tribune
15-06-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Laughter is strictly prohibited?
The writer is an educationist based in Kasur City. He can be reached at Listen to article The first synonymous idea of school that comes to mind is a place of strict discipline. All the moral policing at the early stages of the growth of a child is expected to be done within the school premises. Hence, came the term 'schooling' in public discourse, meaning discipline, reproof or reprimand. The success of educators and students is gauged by the pindrop silence in the classroom. Mentally engaged students, no doubt, show that the class is busy in the learning process. But absence of comic relief can turn teaching and learning into something insipid, boring and uninspiring. In the mad pursuit of lesson plans, deadlines, exams, attendance and discipline, the first casualty is the loss of smiles within the school perimeter. We must not forget that the distinguished feature of Mr Chipping's teaching in James Hilton's novella, Goodbye, Mr Chips, is his humour. Students at the Brookfield School waited anxiously for Mr Chips' latest joke that would become talk of the town at the school. The students never thought of missing his class. The educationists with a formalist approach towards education speculate that to make students laugh blurs the boundary of proprieties between an educator and his learners. Laughter encourages frankness which sooner or later ends in cheekiness among students. However, to laugh at students and with students are two diametrically opposed approaches and often the difference between the two is obliterated to mask the educators' lack of proficiency in their subjects and failure in bonding with their students. Research has shown that students learn much more in the pleasant classroom milieu than in that where sternness prevails. Care must be taken that laughter should not be at the expense of a student's self-respect. What is learnt in untargeted humour gets etched on memory. Students don't have to memorise and revise to regurgitate in the exams. Humour is needed to transform bland traditional decantation of knowledge into experiential learning which our education system is severely lacking in. Run-of-the-mill pedagogy promotes absenteeism among students and widens the communication gap between an educator and his students, whereas according to Victor Borge, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Teachers are required to act as the dispensers of information. Have we ever asked ourselves, "Did I laugh today? Were there smiles on my students' faces? Or were there just smirks all around?" Charlie Chaplin says, "A day without laughter is a day wasted." Children are known to laugh like there is no tomorrow, but now the taunt of "act mature" has shrunk childhood and caused the earlier onset of adulthood anxieties. The grind of the school routine, the taxing burden of coaching centres and truckloads of homework have left students with little space for moments of reflexive delight and mirth. The robotic routine has pushed children towards binge watching reels and shorts. It has mutated laughter from being a group enjoyment to a personal engagement, justified with the need for privacy. The universal human language of laughter, consisting of words with short vowel-like syllables "ha-ha", "ho-ho" or "hee-hee", is on the verge of extinction in this age of production hysteria. Biologically speaking, a laugh makes the brain release endorphins, the body's natural pain relievers and mood boosters, which make the human mind more receptive to and retentive of learning. Laughs and smiles don't weaken the authority of teachers; rather they build trust and enhance approachability – the prerequisites for a milieu enabling students to speak their hearts out and ask questions which if remain unanswered muddle the mind. Comic relief saves students from burnouts, too. Bereft of all zinger, quip and riposte to parry cheeky questions, the self-deprecating touché and mea culpa, however, demystify authority and burst the angelic halo of teachers, humanising their role and presence in the classroom. Students can forget formulae, equations or grammar rules, but what they can't is the teacher who made them smile and the moments wherein they laughed away the stress of the school grind. It is said that "a day you didn't laugh is a day you didn't live."
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Look inside ‘hidden gem' barn conversion with features dating back to 1700s
A barn conversion in Chipping has features that date back to the 18th century. Pale Farm Barn, on Moss Lane, is currently one of Zoopla's 'hidden gem' properties. It is described as a 'stylish stone-built barn' that was converted in the early 2000s. It is now a property that's full of character and comfort. The home, which has a guide price of £965,000, has been lovingly maintained and upgraded throughout, with high-end fixtures and fittings and a newly fitted contemporary kitchen. It's situated in an enviable location, with panoramic views over the rolling countryside, and views stretching towards Pendle Hill and Longridge Fell. Inside, you are immediately greeted with a focal curved staircase. From here, you can venture into the formal living room, where French doors open onto a private patio, and a large stone fireplace with multi-burner stove creates a warm focal point. Adding further charm to this space is a decorative unique stone feature above the door with a date from 1788 – a historical feature that pays homage to the barn's origins. Further ground floor rooms include a cosy snug, an office space, and a separate dining room ideal for entertaining. The heart of the home is the contemporary kitchen with fitted modern appliances and sleek quartz worktops, and a large sun light that bathes the space in natural light. Upstairs, a mezzanine landing leads to four generously proportioned double bedrooms, including two with en-suites. The master suite is a sanctuary in itself, with floor-to-ceiling wardrobes, exposed beams, and an en-suite shower room. The family bathroom has also been recently renovated to a high standard, featuring a free-standing bath, rainfall shower, and vaulted ceilings with exposed original wood beams. Outside, gardens wrap around the home, including manicured flower beds, a generous patio perfect for al fresco dining, and a fully equipped garden kitchen. A timber summerhouse and greenhouse add further charm, while the detached double garage with adjoining workshop offers potential for conversion into annexed accommodation or multi-vehicle storage. A spokesperson for Athertons, which is marketing the property, said: 'A stylish stone-built detached barn, elegantly converted in the early 2000s into a most desirable family home with many attractive internal features and incorporating quality fixtures and fittings throughout. 'Pale Farm Barn is set in stunning grounds with open views towards Pendle Hill and Longridge Fell on the outskirts of the picturesque village of Chipping.'
