![\"scene\"](\"/media/e/0/f/16873dc372bd2e3fbf7b8f9d835a4e6b371b761075f205aa14aa5c9878dc7.jpe\")
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nStory 2
\r\n\r\nRoopak has been brought up in a house full of women \u2013 his mother and four older sisters. As a child, his sickly and delicate health meant that he was overprotected and never allowed to play with the other boys of the basti. He grew up following his sisters around and helping his mother in the kitchen. Roopak is now almost 13 years old. Until recently, the boys in his class intimidated him; he did not know how to handle their aggression and so they liked to pick on him, which sometimes reduced him to tears. Roopak is very good at mathematics and plays the harmonium beautifully, but these talents only made the boys tease him even more.
\r\n\r\nBut now things have improved somewhat. Roopak has found a way to deal with the boys. He once helped a few boys with their math problems and that made them see him in a different light. Now they often come to him for help in math and slowly have started becoming friends with him. He has even learnt to laugh when they tease him and so they don\u2019t harass him all that much. In fact the boys have asked him to join them in the school orchestra and he has been playing the harmonium with them.
\r\n
Discuss these questions with your friends.
\r\n\r\nDo you think that Roopak has handled the situation well ?
\r\n\tDo you think he would have faced more trouble in school if he had not shown a positive attitude ?
\r\n\tDo you know of other children who have been teased ?
\r\n\tDoes being teased affect a person\u2019s self-confidence ?
\r\n\tIs it fair to tease people ?
\r\n\t
Story 3
\r\n \r\n\r\nZohra has talents that are just not appreciated in class. The teacher likes girls who are well behaved and study hard. Her favourites are Reshma and Sujata who always stand first in everything. Zohra is considered a distraction and a bad influence on the other girls. This is all because Zohra is a born buffoon. She cannot help acting the fool. She can mimic every person she meets even if the contact is just a few seconds long. Not only can Zohra reproduce the voice but even the posture, walk and attitudes ! To add to that, Zohra has a wicked sense of humour and even when she recounts the simplest incident, her class friends roll about in laughter. The teachers and most elders disapprove of such \u201cwaste of time\u201d. \u201cShe is never serious !\u201d they all complain angrily. Zohra is often punished by the teacher and has even been beaten at home by her mother. She is quickly turning into a quiet, very unhappy child.
\r\n \r\n\r\nDiscuss these questions with your friends.
\r\n \r\n\r\nDo you think that Zohra has a talent ?
\r\n\tHave you seen other people using this talent successfully ? How ?
\r\n\tDo you think the way Zohra\u2019s teachers and parents are treating her is right ? How is their behaviour affecting her ?
\r\n\tWhat can Zohra do to change their attitudes and still have fun ?
\r\n\tWhat should Zohra do in order to be taken seriously ?
\r\n\t