Aeddy Rose A. Sarangsang DPE 105. Prof.
Deguma
EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL
SYNOPSIS
The movie is about a young boy named Ishaan who isn’t doing well in school. He constantly have failing
grades and doesn’t seem to answer questions or examinations correctly. He is perceived as lazy and a
trouble maker. He is usually caught by his teacher day dreaming in class, and when one time he was
asked to read, he wasn’t able to do so, and said that the letters were “dancing”. This made his
classmates laugh at him and his teacher sent him out as punishment.
Ishaan’s academic performance is very poor but he is a gifted child with artistic talents. At home you can
see all his creative artworks. He is very talented in drawing and painting.
One day, he had cut his classes and went roaming around town all alone. He wandered the streets by
himself. He loved it so much that he convinced his older brother to write him an excuse letter, so he
could give it to his teacher.
His father found out about it and got really mad. He decided to enroll Ishaan to another school, an all-
boys boarding school. This to discipline him, but this didn’t help the poor kid. Instead it made him
lonelier and sadder. His academic performance did not improve as well. He still experience the same
things in his previous school – scolding from his teachers and bullying from his classmates. This affected
him so much.
During Ishaan’s art class they were asked to paint, but he didn’t do anything. He got uninspired because
of the things that happened to him. This caught the attention of Ishaan’s art teacher, Ram. He got
curious as to what is happening to Ishaan. Ram observed him, looked through his notebooks and
thought that Ishaan might have dyslexia. A reading disorder, characterized by trouble with reading
despite normal intelligence.
Ram visited Ishaan’s house and there he let Ishaan’s family know about his condition. Ram also
discovered that Ishaan was talented artistically. Back at school, he patiently helped Ishaan with his
reading disorder and learning difficulties.
Eventually, Ishaan started to do good in his academics. He was able to read and write properly little by
little. At the last part of the movie, there was an art competition and Ishaan won. He received his award
emotionally. Ram, his teachers and family was so proud of him.
A REFLECTION OF
EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL
Every child is special. Every child has his own personality. Every child tries to endeavor and focus best in
his life. Primarily, every child has his own dreams. But the main factor to ponder is, for us to understand
his dreams. And the truth is, we lack stability, patience and understanding as far as the child is concern.
The movie, Every Child Is Special, was about a certain child named Ishaan Awasthi. Ishaan was a talented
child; he can think outside the box and paint with such passion and creativity. But he was not
understood by his teachers; he was only thought of as a mischievous and a very naughty boy. He was
often called an “idiot, duffer, lazy and crazy”, even his parents didn't understand him. They only thought
that the boy was misbehaving because he did not want to go to school. It is perhaps the structure and
restrictions of the normal expectations of the school system that rub him the wrong way, because one
day, after having been punished by being sent by the teacher to stand in the hallway, he goes AWOL and
wanders the streets, savoring the exciting sights of tourist-film India. He appears to be somewhat
hyperactive. If his parents attempted to have him tested, it may be that he never sat still long enough to
get a diagnosis. After finding out that Ishaan will be kicked out of school after the school year, his
parents decided to send him to a boarding school where Ishaan suffered more from his strict teachers.
These incidents crushed Ishaan’s confidence in him and he became depressed, very depressed. He did
not speak to anyone, not even to his mother or his brother. No one would even try to help him because
they did not try to understand him.
Luckily he met Ram Shankar Nikumbh, the temporary art teacher, saw himself in Ishaan, he stayed
persistent to help Ishaan in his studies and his life. Through his unconventional teaching methods and
graceful presence, Ishaan’s attention was caught up. Ram did everything to understand Ishaan’s
problem in reading and writing, he consulted Ishaan’s parents and told them that Ishaan has dyslexia,
wherein he finds it hard to recognize letters and numbers. I love when he told Ishaan’s father that in the
Solomon Islands, villagers don’t chop down a tree when they want to clear land, but curse and hurl
abuses at it, and the tree withers and dies soon after. Ram helped Ishaan in every way, first he gave
Ishaan a confidence boost so that he will not be afraid to express himself, and then, he also gave Ishaan
lessons in writing, reading and in math. Ram taught Ishaan using different methods; he made learning
fun by applying games to his lessons. Gradually, Ishaan begun to improve in his studies, he has now little
trouble in reading, he can write properly and can solve math problems. Teaching should not only be
done in one way; we should use different ways to teach our students because each and every one of us
has a unique and special talent. It is also good to understand the needs of our students; let them be free
– free to imagine, free to learn in their own special way. Listen to your students opinions and learn from
it.
Somehow the movie touched in an exceptional way and it broke my heart seeing that the dear people
that child thought would understand him were the very ones who judged him and failed to understand
his problem. But I cannot really judge the parents though, all they wanted was the best for their child
that is why they tried so hard to push him and discipline him at the same time. It tugs the heartstrings
and at the same time gives hope that having dyslexia is not a desperate and in hopeless situation. To
help the students, family support, teacher’s patience and love is needed, so with the interesting and
enjoyable teaching and learning strategies should be employed. The theory of multiple intelligence in
education plays an important role here and that can be a vessel in informing the teachers and most
importantly the parents for them to assist their children. With time, patience and care, he ultimately
helps Ishaan find himself and the harsh father realized his child’s worth and needs.
