A Teacher is amongst the first group of individuals who affect our life on earth
When we are innocent and at an impressionable age they play an important part
They help in establishing a strong foundation and unknowingly capture our heart
Their emphasis on always practising a strong value system helps us maintain our guard
There may be different kind of teachers about whom we may have varied impressions
There may be those who diligently do their duty in furthering the cause of education
There may be those who demonstrate a personal touch and capture our imagination
There may be those who lead by example and have a lasting impact in our own evolution
One may view a teacher’s life as easy where they only need to take a respective lesson
One may not appreciate the background work and time they need to spend for the session
One may feel that a teacher is acting tough on you when she tests you in an examination
One may not appreciate that she is helping you develop expertise and a strong foundation
One may feel that a teacher demonstrates more preference to some other class mates
One may never reflect that the teacher is also human and would like students to participate
One may feel that a teacher is going fast and at a pace that in your view looks like a crime
One may never understand their inner emotional conflicts when they are not given the time
One may face different kind of teachers who share learning from different areas of expertise
One may have spent their prime time sharpening their skills and helping others become wise
One may never be able to rest on past laurels and needs to persist in keeping self up to date
One needs to realize that pursuing a profession with passion helps in determining their fate
As one evolves in one’s life you move out school and college and may never interact
One may not be aware but unknowingly you have implicitly signed a life-long pact
One may even think of doing something for them for their lasting role and contribution
More often than not the response will be that “it was my duty and I have no expectation”
One may wonder in today’s age whether there has been a shift due to commercialization
One also needs to accept that every teacher has life desires that craves for ongoing attention
One also needs to understand that every teacher is also a part of society that faces change
One needs to view things in perspective before labelling others based on one’s expectation
One needs to reflect on lessons learned from those who have lived life pursuing their passion
One needs to absorb the essence and aim to practise going beyond limited kind of interaction
One needs to appreciate that education also has its own defined regulations and limitations
One needs to be obliged to those who have helped you achieve whatever is your life position!
4 comments:
Outside of family and immediate circle of friends, teachers probably have the biggest influence in instilling character during one's formative years.
Sadly when I look back, there was just a handful of them that treated their jobs with a level of passion and commitment required to shape young minds.
My biggest grief is that a "Questioning Mind" was never encouraged and always discouraged in the guise of a student being disobedient. Too many minds are suppressed at a young age only to be devoid of core critical thinking skills required as grown ups.
Sometimes it seems a chicken and egg story! Whether individual teachers take the initiative and contribute to changing the system or expecting the system to first change and fitting in!
The observation would be reflective largely of the second one. At the same time one also needs to put the same in context of one's lifecycle. Many a time teachers though having passion and radical views of changing the system fit in because they need the job to meet their daily requirement. And either they lack the self-belief to get another job or the general environment is symptomatic of people who do not wish their practices to be questioned.
By the way, I read recently that some scientists have resolved the chicken and egg story by indicating that the chicken had to have come first!
I would agree with what Nubonihive said. By the way you do seem to possess a creative streak in having a unique identity!
There are different cultures where different learning techniques are practised. Yes, sadly in India, even know when one looks currently at executive education for senior management personnel, faculty end up reading from slides rather than provide more opportunity for participants to ask questions. There is a definite need for them to spruce up their act in terms of content design and development.
Even evaluation techniques seem very childish and theoretical satisfying the egotistical tastes of academicians who have spent time earning their Phd and truly does not test the application in the practical world.
One needs to consider oneself lucky if one happens to come across a truly passionate and committed teacher. Guess, the same would be true in any profession. The difference gets amplified because of the huge influence that a teacher has on students across all age groups and the implicit trust that students grow up with their teachers.
I would though agree to the piece that irrespective of quality differences between teachers they still contribute to laying down the foundation for many....
Cheers.......Srini
I agree with the piece that teachers play a big role in laying the foundation for young minds.
The key question and focus point though is the quality of foundation that is being laid.
If the foundation is right, we would be churning out a slew of game changing leaders by now. Laying the right foundation requires a passion for the job, combined with the courage and conviction to do the the Right thing (most times) even under difficult and constrained circumstances.
A great teacher will have a significant impact in not only shaping the character of the students (independent of their backgrounds and their capabilities) but does so in a way to create long lasting leadership qualities in a young mind.
I hate to say this, but our educational system (even at the highest level) is not reflective of it. There are always exceptions, but by and large I am not sure if our education system addresses these key points.
Too many teachers are too little educated, too little paid and are just not cut out for these positions. Most of them take up these positions as a last attempt to find a job.
As to the creative name I have, compliments need to be directed to the writer of the blog as he had assigned this name to me.
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