When I moved to Canada last year, I knew that adapting to a new country would be a challenge—not just for me, but more so for my 9 year old son. Adjusting to a new environment, a new culture, and most importantly, a new education system was daunting.

Back in India, our schooling system was marks-focused. The competition was intense. A half mark could mean the difference between first place and second. I still remember one of my parent-teacher conferences. There was a bright student ahead of me and the teacher was discussing strategies on how to score 20 on 20 on a test. By the way, she had scored 19/20. I was flabbergasted. It made me realize two things:

1. My son is being viewed through the lens of the marks he scores. Bad marks equal to a bad student.
2. We are always aiming for the perfect score 20 on 20

Perfection. A word that seems harmless but, in reality, is a troubling concept. Because if perfection is the goal, then there is no room for mistakes. And if there is no room for mistakes, there is no room for growth.

In that system, our worth was defined by our ranks and scores. It was a race where we ran relentlessly—without stopping to look at those who might have fallen, those on crutches, or those who simply needed help.

So here I am in Canada, looking forward to a new educational experience for my son. 

The first special day he celebrated was Pink Shirt Day. A day dedicated to standing up against bullying. The story behind it? A 9^Th Grader in Nova Scotia school was bullied for wearing a pink shirt. So, 2 senior students took it upon themselves and started distributing pink shirts to the other students. So, the entire school wore pink in solidarity with this kid. A simple yet powerful lesson:

You are not Alone

You are supported

Kindness matters

Then came World Down Syndrome Day. Children wore mismatched socks—bright, bold, colorful socks. It was fun, yes, but it also carried a deeper message:

1^st: Let’s be crazy. It is a form of self-expression. It is time to celebrate our uniqueness and defy conformity.

Secondly, it also teaches kids to embrace differences and most importantly, to be empathetic towards those with different abilities.

And one of my favorite moments—during Halloween, instead of just trick-or-treating, students visited a senior center. This was a way of spreading joy to the elderly.

Through small yet meaningful gestures like these, my son’s school was teaching something far more valuable than just academics—humanity.

 Conclusion:

These experiences made me realize something: before my child masters Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—before he becomes an expert in STEM—I want him to first master being human.

Because in a world obsessed with academic excellence, we often forget the importance of emotional intelligence. And while we chase robotic perfection, we risk losing what truly makes us human—our compassion, our empathy, and our ability to connect with others.

And as my son’s Taekwondo instructor says, let us not strive for absolute perfection, but instead, let us be humanly perfect.

So, fellow Toastmasters, let’s celebrate our imperfections, embrace our differences, and nurture the qualities that truly make a difference in the world. Because at the end of the day, a perfect score will fade, but a kind heart will always leave a lasting impact.