By: Barnali Bose, Editor-ICN Group
KOLKATA: October 5, World Teachers’ Day is also known as International Teachers Day. The United Nations applauds the role teachers play in providing quality education at all levels. World Teachers’ Day, is a global observance and not a public holiday.
“ Let us look back to look into.”
On October 5, 1966, the “Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers” was signed by representatives of UNESCO and International Labour Organization.
It was on October 5, 1994, that the first World Teachers’ Day was observed. This event has been organized on the same date every year ever since.
“ What’s new under the sun?”
A good teacher says, “You may not have answers to everything.But you must be able to question what I tell you.”
I have come across teachers who lament, “Oh! They ask too many questions.” I wish to remind such teachers,“ Yes, that is what students are supposed to do – enquire.”
Let us not forget, dear teachers that it was the same spirit of enquiry that ushered the Renaissance in Europe.
We should allow the ‘why’s and how’s’ to surface and resurface in the classroom for that’s what makes the teaching- learning process interactive and fulfilling.
We would better remember that students, in the era of the internet are more inclined to enquire beyond the syllabus than ever before.
Experience tells me, students can ask about absolutely anything under the sun. Answer, if you know but do not fret and fume if you don’t. Relax, we are teachers, not encyclopedias.
We are neither omniscient nor can ever be. There is nothing wrong in saying, “ I don’t know but let’s find out.”
Do not suppress their urge to ask ; encourage them to look for answers.
“Students,come on, put on your thinking caps”
This is what I tell my class quite often. Most students love to express their opinions. Allow them to do so. My dear teachers, let us not stifle the enthusiastic fervour of the child.
I remember, as a student of Literature, I loved attempting questions on critical appreciation as I could express my opinion on what I perceived.
Historical events too are to be analysed from more angles than one.
Listen to what your students say without clinging on to preconceived notions about what you expect them to say.
Assure them that their ideas and viewpoints will be valued.
“Teachers, give students food for thought but never feed them with the thought itself. ”
We, as teachers must remember that it is individuals we are shaping, individuals with minds of their own.
Let us not forget that History has proved that it was the courage of the likes of Galileo and Copernicus that helped refute long held beliefs of the planets being static and the sun being in motion or the earth being flat.
Students are not mechanised robots trained to perform pre-ordained tasks. Teachers,encourage students to develop rational independent thinking.
“Teachers,let’s face this truth.”
Today, in many spheres students are better informed than we teachers are.
One of the reasons is their access to the internet from a very early age. Let’s accept it. We can actually know so much from them.
I personally feel that the domain of my knowledge has increased manifold because while I teach, I also learn.
Teaching is no longer a one-way activity with teachers being speakers and students, silent listeners. Those days are long bygone.
“We build the foundation for all professions, don’t we?”
Over the years,I have been coming across countless students. I believe to be leaving an impact on most of their lives,hopefully positive.
Sometime back, a corporate employee who claimed to have been a student of mine contacted me on social media.Neither his name nor his face appeared familiar.
On checking his profile,I was pleasantly surprised to find that he had been a primary school student of mine. It dates back to three decades ago when I lived in Western India.
This is what he wrote,” Ma’am I have never been able to forget you, your lively classes and the values that you have taught.”
The ability to touch young lives and sculpt them with the right moral values and equip them with the confidence to face come what may, is what makes the teaching profession a class apart.
It is the teaching profession that lays the foundation for all other professions.
We, teachers, must keep reminding ourselves that there is no shortcut to being a good teacher.
“In Retrospection- The good and the not-at-all good”
Each one of us should recollect our own school days and honestly ask ourselves, “ Was I good at everything?”.
While in high school, I developed an affinity for Literature and History. For this,I give much credit to my teachers in these subjects.
However, I was not a fond disciple of Ramanujan or Newton. My abhorrence for their domain, I can sadly accord to the demeanor of my Maths teacher. For her, being good in Maths was a prerequisite to being a good student.
Neither is every student a mathematical wizard nor does she need to be. The world also most definitely needs the likes of Shaw, Byron and Tagore.
“Let us build, not break their confidence.”
Students may not be equally proficient in all subjects.But our task is not to mock their weakness but help overcome them. Isn’t it what we are here for,dear teachers ?
Let us not replace imagination with ambition. Let us help give their imagination flight, for only then will innovation follow. Innovation then will culminate into realisation of their goals.
The imprints that a teacher leaves may be invisible but definitely long lasting and at times unerasable.
We have to make sure that fond memories and not scars are what remains on their minds.
“We need to break free.”
We have for too long been entwined in the web of prejudices that have been detrimental to human progress.
Even the supposedly educated are often found to hold rigid views that are irrelevant in today’s world.
We, teachers must be open to updating and upgrading ourselves with the changing times.
Showing our allegiance to the Victorian school of thought will only alienate us from the present generation.
“Students need to be ‘street-smart’not merely ‘book- smart’.”
Besides, the ‘hard skills’( skills in their area of study), it is imperative to encourage and assist students develop ‘soft skills’( ability to communicate coherently and effectively).
Besides, it is imperative to encourage them develop a ‘landscape’ and not a ‘ portrait’ vision in the way they perceive people and events.
When the call comes to cross cultural, state, national and international geographical boundaries, they should be able to so with confidence.
“ Are we prepared for these challenges ?”
Now the role of the teacher has become more challenging than ever. Sometime back I was appalled by the shocking news of an indiscriminate shooting incident in a school and another that of a student stabbing a teacher.
Such incidents terrify one and all. We, teachers know to use talk and chalk as well as smartboards. We are trained to tackle errant students not ward off terrorists or psychopaths.
With the spurt in the number of crimes wherein teachers have either been victimised or been victims, the bridge of trust that connects the teacher, the parents and the taught has developed undesirable cracks.
This issue should not be brushed under the carpet. It has to be addressed with caution and wisdom, so that the child who is at the centre of the education process remains unscathed.
“How the verbal-written word combination can work wonders!”
As a teacher I have been using the gift of the verbal word to facilitate learning.
I believe that in today’s world where hatred and mistrust thrives unbridled, the written word can leave a lasting impact on the youth.
The written word can help reinforce what I, as a teacher endeavour to inculcate in my students.
The opportunity to reach out to more people digitally and not be constrained by geographical boundaries, has therefore for me, been a dream come true.
It has definitely been an incentive impelling me to not merely write but write so that the youth may pause to think before they act.
It has been rightly said that the pen is mightier than the sword, hasn’t it?
Not only that, I truly believe that the chalk, the pen and the keyboard can together work wonders.
“ Embrace the winds of Change.”
Let us not be conservative in thought. I do not endorse the prejudice, “Everything was better in our times.” I am sure not everything was.
Let us ring out the not-so-good in the old, retaining that, which is relevant now and adapt wholeheartedly to the new.
Everyone seems to be concerned about what the child will become tomorrow. We must not forget that she is someone today.
We must appreciate her desire to chase her own dreams.
“Let teachers and learners be attuned to the education process”
My dear friends, as teachers, we need to strike the right chords so that the notes of melody culminate into an everflowing music.
The music should be pleasing to not only those who sing it but to the listeners too.
Only then can we say, “Sweet is the melody of the teaching-learning process.”
