Every day is not a Teachers’ Day. The remaining days are of the students. A Teacher, who teaches, does not demand days for his own stature. He is the ground, the base on which he himself keeps the clay moving to transform into a ‘carrier’ of Learning.
Teachers think of their students first and nothing else after that. It has been true, it is and will remain so. We might see a change in the number and names of individuals appointed to manage the classrooms, but a teacher does not manage but makes the students awakened humans. Designations don’t matter ever. In any way you influence the lives of people, you become a teacher, said Shobhit Jolly Sethi, a student of mine, who called this morning to wish.
Amit Dagar, Founder of Vidyantriksh School in Bhiwani often speaks of education in a very rational and meaningful way. The Teachers’ Day wishes from him came with three words that helped me complete this blog. He says that we all inspire, guide and teach each other. “Let the Teacher in us be more Vocal, Emotional and Creative.”
This is so apt. I can explain it in my own understanding:
Be Vocal: Speak Up!
This virtue does not qualify to defy the system or things established around. This is about not deciding to remain silent. To relate the curriculum with life is what makes us Vocal. To talk of what is happening in society, in the world and to develop rational and critical thinking among the students is what means being VOCAL. A Teacher needs to be a good orator and we can speak well when we know well.
Sharing an Urdu Couplet:
Ya to Jo Na-Faham hain Wo Bolte Hain In Dino
(Either the ones who don’t understand, they speak these days…)
Ya Jinhen Khamosh Rahne Ki Saza Maloom hai!
(Or the ones who know the cost of staying Silent!)
: Shuja Khawar
Teachers fall in the second category because they speak to ensure that the generation in hand does not suffer in silence and ignorance.
I have asked my current students to do an assignment for tomorrow. This relates to Teachers- to Teacher’s Day. They shall be calling their teachers who taught them in schools, primarily the ones in Kindergarten stages, if they can find them. I am vocal about the need to Connect with the Humans who Influenced Us at any age. I am vocal about what is dying and what should be rescued.
Emotional:
The missing link between us and life is the absence or lack of emotions. Empathy, love, courtesy and a lot more have been sent to the backseat. We, teachers, have to be the Source of Emotions and then inculcate the same in them. We need to see that humans are fundamentally emotional and we just need to rekindle the essence of life in them.
Creative:
Descartes says: I think therefore I am! The rebellion, the urge to walk away from the stereotypes and the capacity to think that there is no cage around the MIND, are some of the things we can introduce them to. To allow them to flourish like a lotus and then guide them to move in a happy direction. Creativity remains the most sought-after skill in the 21st century. Teachers, if creative, will surely add certainty to the students.
Most of the hours of teaching-learning are wasted in managing the students. If in the New Age of Human Advancements, where we see no limitation on the capacity of humans, we teachers are busy becoming the ring-masters. It is not the cave-age and we don’t have the wheel-fire inventors around. They have been declared civilized and the world just needs every one of us to sustain the intellectual resourcefulness
As a teacher, we represent the most respected community of mankind. We have been the flag-bearers of those who brought the caveman to the community. The responsibility to guide and grow the mankind towards a better life is with us. We can change lives and can make a difference in the lives of generations to come. There is no doubt about the power we own. We can design or destroy a complete civilisation. It is important to be true to what we have in hands. The task of changing lives towards a better understanding of life and learning.
This Teachers' Day, we can re-think the way we have been learning and teaching. We have plenty of happiness around in the form of students who not only remember us but admire us unconditionally. The fundamental goodness of heart is still there. We just need to see it and bring it out.
My teacher, Prof. Brajesh Sawhney said these words to me as the Teachers’ Day wishes:
“Let us celebrate with a stronger commitment towards our profession.”
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