The mind can make us see the same place as heaven or hell! It is all in the mind they say. But, the one who makes us KNOW the mind is THE TEACHER. The intelligence we talk about can be natural to all. But who can make us capable enough to Use that Intelligence and competence is the one who remains an unforgettable mentor! We know they do it so smartly that we are influenced by them, but do not know that.
A Teacher is a catalyst who influences, inspires and interferes with the life we live. It is not just those grade points that we earn or the assignments we get rewarded for. The teacher imparts something 'rea'. which is still not available on the digital shops of learning. A Teacher gives us a connection with Life-long Learning. I know this because I have been fortunate to have teachers who ensured that I get to see the better side of life and learning. The same fortune has been of you and many like us. So, do we acknowledge that wonderful contribution or do not know at all? In most cases, the feeling of gratitude is there and all of us keep their names in our hearts.
This is not about our thanksgiving; it is about how one becomes capable of influencing the lives of thousands and millions sometimes. These teachers have something extra-ordinary in them that right from a labourer to the CEO of a company or event the Heads of State happily cite the roles of teachers. A teacher's job is indeed rewarding and those who teach, have a reason for the same. We all know that one good teacher can do wonders for the destiny of millions. But, do you want to be a teacher or join the occupation of teaching?
The affirmative comes rare because we know it takes a lot of daring and dedication to be a real teacher. But, we need people who can come from other occupations and strengthen the teaching profession. There are two reasons for it: it is good to get experts and experienced people in teaching. The second reason for such demand is that we have fewer teachers who wanted to be teachers. These employed individuals are there because it is just another job to them which is getting them a salary. This assumption in the mind of anyone can change the way he works. And if you apply this - 'I am employed for money' - idea to anyone in education, it is a dead end then. He can not teach the way you make lives. That madness is not possible; empathy for students does not arise; self-assessment and self-awareness can not happen; and mutual respect will be unreal.
If you know someone who can be a good teacher; if you know that even you can be a teacher who can make a difference in students' life, COME AHEAD and JOIN. We are suffering not just from a deficit in trust in teachers but the ones who are toiling hard see that lack of acknowledgement. In the name of research or appraisals based on self-promotions, teachers in HigherEd have been left at the mercy of the market. In schools, no one knows what to do. The administrators are kept on their toes by some who know the ways to sabotage the processes. They might be good in terms of getting things done - but the things they do are not what we need. We are in need of catalysts and passionate change-adopters.
I have started sharing some ClassRoomMakerOverIdeas on LinkedIn and Facebook. You can join me on the social network and a good collaboration can be attempted with firm intent.
