“You people should be ashamed of yourself; you go on making love in the corridors!”
It’s not a line out of any M rated novel, it’s the Principal of a renowned school scolding the children in the morning assembly😄. What he actually meant was that girls and boys would stand and chat with each other in the corridors of the school and that they should be ashamed of this😕. Well, that was back in the late eighties.
We all have met various kinds of teachers throughout our student lives, but such teachers made our school life a little funny, didn’t they?
But today I’m not going to write about such teachers. As we all, here in India know, tomorrow is Teachers’ Day, celebrated in the memory of Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, “an erudite and eminent scholar-philosopher-educationist” in the words of Prof. P.S.Satsangi.
Teaching is one of the most unglamorous jobs in India combined with the fact that teachers in our country are highly under paid. I for one haven’t heard any ‘well-educated, well-earning’ parent tell his/her child,” you must work really hard, you must aim to become a teacher”!
Well, don’t worry, I’m not going to start off about how important a teacher’s job is, and that they lay the foundation of every child’s future etc etc😃. This blog is about some of my personal memories that I wanted to share with you all on this day.
As I near the beginning of the 5th decade of my life, I remember some of the great teachers who made a difference in my life as well as some of the students whom I can never ever forget, because of whom I’m proud of having been a teacher for a good part of my life.
Starting from Mrs Rama Nath who taught me not just Hindi but also some very important lessons about life and self-respect and self -identity, to Mrs Radha, my Biology teacher- a teacher par excellence, Dr Devraj Sharma -the Hindi teacher who sowed the seeds of poetry appreciation and love for Hindi language in my mind, Mrs. H.Dhadhli, my English teacher who imbibed self-confidence in me to Mrs Jethwani, my economics teacher in college whose words, “Anjali, you have the potential” still echo in my mind, I’m thankful and grateful to all of them.
I just cannot forget Mrs Meenakshi Sivaramakrishnan, the director of IMTC, Bangalore who was not just a teacher but indeed a dynamic lady who taught me whatever I know today about infants and preschool children, their psychology, behaviour and development.
A special place is reserved in my heart for the exceptional teacher (whose name I’ve sadly forgotten), who taught me German at VHS, Melsungen and also brought home to me the importance of one’s mother tongue in a one’s life.
Most important in my journey of having been a teacher have been my students, right from the sweet little play schoolers to teenagers, they all helped me evolve as a successful, understanding, passionate and dedicated teacher.
I remember little Urvi, my nursery student, who’d come and stand by my table and keep observing me, her big black eyes full of love and admiration. That was around the beginning of my career, some 22-23 years ago.
I can’t thank young Adamaya enough, my German language student who told me that I’d helped him improve his English and self-confidence too along with German. Well, I was absolutely zapped and humiliated.
Lastly, I’d like to mention Diya and Daksha, my grade 2 twins, who’d feel secure and happy in my presence in the class, although my association with them was short-lived.
They say,” A mother is a child’s first teacher.” I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my mother who pushed me into this beautiful, rewarding profession although in my school and college days I never wanted to be a teacher.
I dedicate this first blog of mine in the Holy Feet of my Guru, my Supreme Father, Dr. PremSaran Satsangi Sahib with all humility and gratitude because if not for His Grace I wouldn’t be here today writing this blog.
