Totto-Chan “The Little Girl at the Window”

The book is a memoir describing how the author outlived her childhood days considered up-normal by conventional school. Her track record begins with her mother coming to know of her daughter's expulsion from public school. Her mother realizes that what Totto-chan needs is a school where more freedom of expression is permitted. Thus, she takes Totto-chan to meet the headmaster of the new school, Mr. Kobayashi. That’s where the turning point of her life begins and then there was never turning back.

The book describes how strong Totto-chan determination and how quick she change her aspiration from postmen to teachers at Tomoe and so on. She boldly expresses her compassion for her friend, the lessons she learns so passionately, and the exciting atmosphere that she imbibes in the railway coaches. All of these are beautifully presented to the reader through the eyes of a child. Thus the reader sees the transforming phase of Totto-chan from boring conventional school life into a beautiful, exciting place full of joy and keenness, experimental and exploratory life.

 Mr. Kobayashi captures Totto-Chan interest on their first encounter. Totto-chan as a child has inbuilt him as her iconic personality. Mr. Kobayashi introduces distinct activities to captivate the pupils and all those activities have implication of real life situation. He understands children intimately and strives to develop their qualities of mind, body and heart. The vision, structure and strategies in Tomoe were so wild but none the less independent and highly convinced.

In the phase Second World War, Tomoe stand tall latter to be boomed and destroyed never to be rise again.  In the school, the children lead happy lives, unaware of the things going on in the world. World War 2 has started, yet in this school, no signs of it are seen. The authors thus not just endorse Tomoe and end up the book but also introspects the school by including profile of Tomoe alumni pursuing passion and zeal as their way of life. In crux the book give us comforting evidence especially to a person dealing with children having unique and expressive character. 

Reading Totto-Chan “The Little Girl at the Window” made me contemplate on few questions.

1.      Why schools like Tomoe thus not exist in our society today?

2.      Why there is no demand from the public for schools like Tomoe?

3.      How many parents today dare to send their children if Ideal schools like Tomoe exist today in our society?

4.      How many parents and Head master like Kobayashi accept the uniqueness of each child?

5.      Is the society structure today in such a way that children will never be allowed to pursue one’s own passion but pre-determined occupation?

6.      How many schools practice equality like it was practice in Tomoe?

7.      Thus the definition of education different in Tomoe different from our schools today?

8.      The condition of education system today if not a collective failure then where thus the buck stop?

9.      Unlike the Tomoe why are we moving towards robust centralization of our education institute?

10.  Mutual-Corporation, Team work, sustainable development, equality, intercultural harmony etc. are the talks of this generation. If not school like Tomoe do we think grade and percentage is our answer?