an itinerant observer

“It’s time to put the kids in private school”, used to be Ayesha’s mantra, a few years ago. My companion and much better half of over a decade would have me believe that private schooling was exactly what the doctor ordered for our young kids. I, being somewhat twisted in logic, had a hard time coming to terms with that. I understand, thus believe, that the private versus the public school dilemma is not new and that it is faced by many people across a wide spectrum of our nation’s populace. I also feel that it is of particular interest to the über-competitive desi (South Asian) Diaspora in Houston, and elsewhere. In fact, it is of such significance that it makes for much conversation whenever there is a meet and greet, typically at a birthday party, baby shower, bridal shower, or even the fashionable  GNO  (Girls’ Night Out). The argument for private school goes somewhat like this: better teachers, better curriculum, more motivation, and more inspiration. If...

Full article available at following link: Children's books from Houston to Karachi: Biloongra goes global - written by students of the CAS school [First published in the Houston Inner Looper Newspaper, Sept. 2013] For additional information, such as ordering & purchase, click on link:  Biloongra bilingual books .

Full article available at following link: Summer Book Launch Event a Success for Biloongra by Frances Allday (Guest Writer) [First published in the Houston Inner Looper Newspaper, June 2013] For additional information, such as ordering & purchase, click on link:  Biloongra bilingual books .

Full article available at following link: Promoting a Better World Through Children's Books by Frances Allday (Guest Writer) [First published in the Houston Inner Looper Newspaper May 2013] For additional information, such as ordering & purchase, click on link:  Biloongra bilingual books .

Pink Floyd in the 70s in the epic album ‘the wall’ came out with the famous lyrics sung by children ‘we don’t need no education, we don’t need no thought control.’ Delving a bit into the lyrics and the history of Roger Waters, the lead vocalist of the band, one realizes that this was a protest song pushing for social reform along the schooling domain. It was antagonistic towards rigid schooling prevalent in the Western hemisphere, primarily in the U.K. and the U.S. The deromanticizing of education was made all the more potent by reference to tyrannical teachers and pedantic pedagogy. Considering that education was merely ‘another brick in the wall’, the poignant lyrics of the song should have been an obvious reminder to educationists the world over. Intriguingly, also in the 70s, an energizing and exciting discourse on the deschooling of society was ongoing in Latin America. This was led by Ivan Illich (1926-2002) an Austrian by birth, who obtained formal training in philosophy...