What to be and What not to be !!
I have been a teacher all my life! Almost 18 years now!
My greatest inspiration has been my dad! I would like to have qualities like him at least even if I can't match his intellect! To me he is a symbol of "What to be" as a teacher!!
There is no second opinion about his being a great intellect!
But the other qualities that he possessed made him a very special teacher!
I remember this one day so well! He came back home from his morning session ( he never took the afternoon sessions due to health reasons ) for lunch and he seemed pretty excited and he told me that there was this one very intelligent boy in his class from engineering background who had shown him a short cut method for some problem in International Finance being handled by him!
Much later when he passed away, in one of the tributes to him, the students said that many a time he could be seen learning even from students from the Math’s department if he had some doubt in complex Math’s concepts! He was proud of students who knew more than he did!
He cared for them personally too! If any student wasn't well he would en-quire after them and in case of small ailments like cough and cold he himself would suggest some homeopathy medicines!
As far as his colleagues are concerned, there have been no incidents when he has been rude to them! He was in fact appreciative of colleagues who had sound concepts!
There have been times when he has not been treated the way a Professor of his stature should be treated but even in such moments he has exhibited the most amazing qualities!
Having seen an intellectual of this kind, it has come as a shock to me meeting shallow individuals who have bloated ego and have no second thoughts about being rude to colleagues and students!
The other day I was in a class and the Faculty member who was supposed to come after me was furious as I had overshot my stay in the class by 5 min as I was in the midst of an activity. He very abruptly walked into my class and showed his watch and rudely asked “what is this?”
To me such colleagues are for sure a symbol of "What not to be" as teachers!!
He could be one of the greatest intellectuals but if he doesn’t know how to treat another human being he has failed in qualifying himself as a human being!
If the teaching community doesn’t demonstrate these finer qualities, how can we expect youngsters to do so!
The present day teaching community seems to suffer from incurable fallacies where in they think they are golden swans when in reality they are ugly ducklings! They preen as if they are the greatest intellectuals of this era when in reality they have not made an impact even on the few students that they teach with their knowledge or with their attitude!!
Does it mean that the present day education has only been a harbinger of ego, jealousy and arrogance!
Large Organizations which are having problems with the attitudes of their employees have the teaching community to thank for it!
Will someone take a call on this!!
Unfortunately organizations these days are only concerned with talent as a benchmark. Attitude, behavior, discipline, interpersonal skills, etc. is something which is taken for granted by the best in the business.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is not just in school or college that we would require a personality like your father, but even in the organizations we would be working for, someone who just appreciates the fact that he/she got to learn something new form you.
Teacher - Being one is such a huge responsibility. Unfortunately, few realise this.You are under constant watch by younger minds who look upto you sometimes consciously but most of the time unconsciously. A good caring teacher leaves a lasting impression and will be able to influence the students behaviour. But these days who cares. Money is the new GOd and ego, perceived status and a 'I know everything' attitude with which people strut around seems to be so much more valuable. Unless you have the humility to be a student and a learner, you can never be a good teacher.
ReplyDeleteDad is unique. He was soft and strong as steel at the same time. There cannot be another one like him.
ya you are so true.... but being a teacher will make a difference. Students do respect teachers who has that individuality and sense of respect towards themselves and others. At the end its the teacher's actions which will be imbibed by the students. surely, for a teacher to be great and respected s/he needs to have that very basic human quality with no egos (who are rare in today's world).
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