Important Question and Answers
Q. What were the early memories of school of Hafeez Contractor? Describe.
Ans. Hafeez Contractor was a good student in the first and second year but lost interest in 3rd standard. He was interested in games, running around, playing jokes and pranks on others, he would copy in class during exam times. He would even try to get hold of the examination paper to study as he could not remember things taught previously in the class.
Q. Why did the interviewer say that “giftedness and learning disabilities go hand in hand”.
Ans. Hafeez Contractor told Ms. Bela Raja, Editor of News letter and his interviewer that there were many students of his class who always stood first or second but in the present day are doing very ordinary jobs.
Q. Which sentence spoken by the Principal changed Hafeez’s life?
Ans. One sentence spoken by the Principal that changed Hafeez’s life was “Look here, son, I have been seeing you from day one. You are a good student, but you never studied. I have taken care of you till today. Now, I can no longer take care of you so do it yourself.”
Q. Why could Hafeez not join Army or Police Force?
Ans. Hafeez could not join Army because his aunts did not want him to join it and he could not join Police Force because his mother wanted him to do graduation.
Q. Why was Hafeez advised to join architect classes?
Ans. Once Hafeez was sitting in an architect’s office where he found a fault in the architect’s drawing of a window and he was correct. Therefore, he was advised to join architect’s classes.
Q. How does Hafeez decide as to what kind of structure he should give to a client?
Ans. Hafeez looked at a client’s face, his clothes and the way he talked and pronounced, the way he ate and he knew what his taste would be like.
Q. Is it likely that someone who is original and intelligent does not do very well at school? Should such a learner be called a failure? If not, why not?
Ans. It is a probability that someone who is original and intelligent does not do very well at school because every child has a different personality. Such a learner cannot be called a failure because a “differently abled” child is different from other children in his/ her style of learning and area of interest. He/She can achieve success in specialized field of his/her own interest and desire.
Q. Who in your view is an “unusual learner”?
Ans. There are many examples/exceptions which can be quoted as “unusual learners”. One of such unique example is of Mr. Hafeez Contractor who lived life in his own style. He defied learning yet imagined in his own peculiar way where he felt comfortable. He could easily judge his clients by their facial expressions, dress code and relate to them similarly. He possessed will power to achieve something and had confidence in himself which helped him to gain heights in success.
Q. What can schools do to draw out the best in unusual learners? Suggest whatever seems reasonable to you.
Ans. The schools can instruct their teachers to give extra care to these type of ‘unusual learners’ through activities like debates, drawing competitions, seminars, discussions, writing and elocution competitions, drama competitions to enhance and evoke their inner feelings, thereby revealing them in front of the whole world.