Mathematic School

Madhyamgram is a busy place, and our little corner here is no different. We started the Mathematic School just to give local students a spot where they could focus without too many distractions. It’s located in a part of Kolkata that’s always moving, but inside these walls, it’s mostly just the sound of pencils scratching on paper. We have a few rooms with basic benches. They aren't the most comfortable things in the world, but they do the job for an hour or two. The walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, and the ceiling fans make a bit of a ticking sound when they’re on high speed. We don’t really worry about those things too much. The focus is always on the numbers on the page. Students come from all over the neighborhood, some walking and others coming on cycles. We spend a lot of time going over the same problems until they finally click. It takes patience, both for us and for the kids. Sometimes we stay a little later than planned if a particular sum is being stubborn. There’s no big staff or fancy management here. It’s just us teachers trying to make sense of the syllabus and helping the kids get through their exams without too much stress. It’s a steady routine that we’ve been following for years now, and we quite like it that way.