I am a Teacher..Experiences

On March 2, 2012, I penned down my Blog "I am a Teacher". Since then  I have been traveling a lot and could not find time to write more about it.

Traveling across North India and majorly in UP and Haryana, I have come across many schools which are diverse in their size, the concept, the students they attract and the services they provide.

Education: The prime objective of all institutions however remains at bay, most of the times. There are several reasons. Primarily, the objective of a school is to earn money. No doubt, an institution cannot run without it. But , that objective leads to many other complications as well. And the basic one is teachers not being given attention.

I am talking about attention, not salary, not the perks, not the facilities.  Schools, Colleges and other Educational Institutions have a huge responsibility. That of creating fine minds and finer human beings. And this activity is done through humans.

Humans building humans, sounds easy and normal, coz that's what we have been doing for ages. But how often do we care about the quality we are delivering? Does a degree, a diploma or a good family background make a good teacher.

One Quote goes like:

A Medoicre Teacher Tells.
A Good teacher Explains.
A Superior Teacher Demonstrates.
The Great Teacher Inspires.

There are many explanations to this and different views. But the questions is: How do teachers advance through different stages? Years of experience? Number of subjects mastered? Number of Students taught? Where do we draw the line? How can one go from being a Mediocre teacher to a Great one?

I have spoken to teachers, many teachers and found most of them complaining about their job. For that matter, everyone complains about their job. But then, some don't. And that is the difference between a Mediocre and a Great teacher. Why do we complain? Why do we think that ours is the toughest job?

One reason behind it is that the managements are not people-centric. They do not take interest in the opinions of their teachers. They do not ask them about their problems. Work is forced upon them. 9 hrs duty becomes a burden. And why does that happen? Because ours is a thankless job.

Schools and Colleges boast about the size of their campus, the facilities they have, Swimming pools, digital classrooms, Tennis courts. They do not boast about the quality of their teachers. Either they believe that they actually don't have great teachers, or they plain and simple ignore them.

It's the teachers who build the children, the school and eventually the nation. Give them a pat on the back. Appreciate them for good work done, however small it be. Congratulate the teachers when their class does good. Give them an A+ when they conduct an activity well.

And mark the difference.


A small story:

In one school, library books information had to be digitized and uploaded on computer. The librarian, a middle aged lady, who knew less of computers, was tense, looking at the 5000 odd books in front of her. When I visited her, she told me it was not possible for her to do all that work. I sat with her for 3 hrs. I Did not show her anything. Did not do anything for her.

We talked. I just explained how wonderful her work is. And how important it is for her to be able to keep up with technology. How this activity will prove beneficial in the days to come. At the end of day, she asked me a question.

"Sir, How many days do you think it will take me for doing all this work?"

I replied " 5 days, 2 hrs per day"

She said "Thank You Sir, I will try my best".

On the 3rd day she called me and informed that she had worked almost 7 hrs each day and had been able to convert only 500 books. I said " Ma'am, don't worry, by day after tomorrow, all 5000 will be done, you can do it".

On the 5th day, she did not call. A week later, I visited her again and she was through with almost 2000 books. This time she did not complain. She just said "Sir, I have done only 2000 till now, it ,will take me at least 10 more days to complete all."

I said  "Ma'am, at least you started. You were so afraid of the workload, that you did not even give it a try."

Her salary did not increase, no perks or facilities were added. Still she took up the challenge and made it. Her Registers do not see daylight now. Her computer is always on, and all library activities are done digitally.

I met the Divine Mother...

...without plan and intentions.

Around 10 yrs back I visited Vaishno Devi with my friend. We were out for a trip to Chamba and decided that we will go to Vaishno Devi. So we visited. Out of fun. Out of excitement. And when we came back we had sore feet and strained out legs. 

Last year in September, I was planning a Rafting trip to Rishikesh with my colleagues. 2-3 days prior to the date of travel most of the guys backed out and only three remained. We were ready to go and then suddenly it popped up in our minds. We had 3 days and could go to Vaishno Devi instead of Shivpuri, thus utilizing our time in some better way. The Divine way !!

When I was there I made a deal with the Divine Mother. She fulfilled my wish, but I could not keep my promise. People say, it's her will, not your fault. I find myself at mistake. I was supposed to visit her in March. Work load came in, leaves got cancelled, it was showtime. April went past, the thought did not come across. May and June, could not gather the courage to travel in such heat. July and August again work, family, rain and what not. Excuses all the time.

By now, that enthusiasm had faded out and I was taking it lightly that I was not able to go again, as promised. Let her call me, I kept thinking.

On Sept 9^th I shared a photograph of Vaishno Devi Establishment on Facebook. It read “ Share this if you really want to go to Vaishno Devi”. Yes, I wanted to, but there was no plan. Shared that post and forgot about it.

On Sept 11^th, I was on field, doing my work and my colleague called me from office to inform that I have an important assignment in Jammu and need to be there on 15^th. As soon as this plan was confirmed, I also made plans to visit Vaishno Devi. Reached Jammu on the Morning of 14^th. My assignment got cancelled. Grabbing the opportunity, I started off for Vaishno Devi. And by the night of 15^th Sept I was sitting back in the bus for Delhi.

That moment I realized, I have been condemning people who share religious photographs on social networking sites, rubbishing them off as blind faith and for promoting it among others. 

But I did it unknowingly. May be because It was somewhere inside my mind. But never because I believed that sharing a photograph on Facebook would make it happen. I did it only because it said” share if you want to”. I wanted to. And I shared. And I went.

Now, I am not able to understand whether it was real or is it just a coincidence.

If it’s real, then let me know it. If it’s a coincidence, let it happen again and again.

But Dear Divine Mother, keep me blessed at all times.

I broke two fingers...

...of my right hand and the good doctor put my whole right hand in cast to prevent any further movement and hence, damage.

I was at home for three days, no work, balanced food, lots of medicines and a proper routine. Then one night, I was finding it difficult to go to sleep and suddenly some faces, some human figures flashed in my mind. They were people I have seen, but don’t know. People I can recognize, but haven’t spoken to. Who are they?

The beggar without legs, who keeps running around Chattarpur traffic light on a wooden trolly.

The old, very old woman who sits outside Chattarpur Mandir and begs.

The rickshaw wala in Bharatpur who did not have a hand.

All these faces were telling me, get up you idiot, what have you lost? This is Temporary disability. You have been treated by the best doctor available. Even though you are not going to work, you are getting proper meals and mostly you are feasting, because you are not bothered about money. You have become immobile because of this, what a pity, look at us.

I could not sleep that night. I wanted to go out and run, I wanted to drive and do things people do normally. I wondered, is this how weak I am? Is it all I am capable of? If two fingers can restrict my movement, what would happen if I lost my arm? Or a leg, or an eye? What would I do?

That night I got up from my bed and changed clothes on my own. Full formal -wear. It was 5 am in the morning. I cleaned my car using my left hand, Started and drove around on empty roads. At 9 AM, I called my company and announced that I will continue with action. They were surprised. I was amused. How weak we all are. One small incident or an accident can make us feel helpless and handicapped.

10^th March was the date of my accident. I got my hand plastered on 12^th . Since then I have travelled to Moradabad, Aligarh, Bulandshahr and Karnal on my own. I have driven more than a thousand kms in the last 10 days. I have overcome my disability. I feel strong. And I feel really bad for people who have really lost their limbs, their eyes, because they still have to work to earn their food. They cannot rest, they do not have a week off.

I feel very happy for being blessed with these important things. I feel bad, I feel sad.

I feel so confused.

I remember my childhood

...and I remember things very vividly. It was wonderful when I was small. It was really awesome to have friends around. The joy of using a telephone first time, still fresh in my memories.

I am amazed often at how things relate to each other. Like , sometimes I eat something and the smell and taste of it takes me back into time. That smell, that taste relate to some event , or some special situation that I had experienced back when I was a child.

Like the first rains of the year and samose remind me of the time my nephew’s birth. I was studying at that time and staying with my parents.

Like a moonlit night when memories of my school and the streets around it come back. Especially if I am driving down a street with yellow streetlights I get a very nice, very romantic feeling, cannot say why. When I visit some remote place and see dim lights in homes scattered in a vast landscape, I remember how my town looked like at night.

I value these feelings and I cherish them. I like to sit silent sometimes. While driving, I often look for a secluded place along the highway, park my car and sit silent and think of nothing. And those are the moments when most of the memories come back reeling.

It was really great to be a child. It’s not that I am not happy now, just that I was happier then. It’s not about having no worries when I was a child; it’s just about not knowing what worry meant.

When we grow up (and grow old) our memories are something which keep us together. Oh, what would I not give up to experience those days again? What would I not do to be a child again and just as ignorant as I was then?

Our mind holds the key to our happiness; we just need to identify the lock.

I am a Teacher

...and I go to schools for teaching the teachers how to teach. I empower them with the latest techniques and the best softwares available in the market to enhance their teaching.

I have visited several schools and have met a variety of teachers. There are big schools and small schools, schools in a big city and schools situated in areas which do not even have electricity.

I understand that operating a school is a business for its owners, and it generally is a profit making enterprise. I also understand that 80-90 percent of the teachers take up these jobs because they have to earn a living. Rest 10-20 percent also do the job for a living, but they have genuine interest in teaching and in making good citizens out of children.

Whenever i visit any school, it my job to get to know how and what the teachers are doing while the class is in progress. They tell me about the various procedures and discuss their teaching techniques. While some of them have a good approach, most of them are just there in the class physically and they do not even think about what they are teaching and how they are doing it.

I have met English teachers who teach English in Hindi. I have met history teachers who do not know when India became independent. I have met science teachers who do not know the laws of motion. And then I wonder about the teachers who taught us in school. They had answers to all the questions. They knew about everything. And mind it, they were not tgt pgt. They were normally educated people who were teaching because they wanted to teach. Yes, for a living of course.

I remember teachers who were just concerned about the children. And we were equally afraid of them, even in public. They had approach to our parents and our homes. They had the last word for everything we did or did not do in school and personal lives. They were in charge of our studies, our fooding, clothing and anything that we were supposed to do.

Nowadays, teachers are concerned only for the grades of the children. If a student is not wearing tie, it’s not a concern because the children should look smart, it’s a concern because it’s a rule set by the school.

Teachers then were not concerned about what time they would be able to leave school. Teachers now watch every minute and prepare to leave schools at the earliest.

I get many requests from the management of the schools to conduct a motivational session and talk about the importance of dedication to work and time management. I do it gladly and most of the time, also get successful.

The directors, principals call me up later and tell me happily how my session was productive and many of the teachers have started showing genuine interest in their work. I feel happy,

But then I remember the Principal of my school, who was as frightening to teachers as he was to us. His words were discipline and even our parents, who paid the money and donated to the school, could not do anything about it.

I stop at many red signals

...and often wonder where all these children come from and beg. They beg , they sell toys, books, electronics and people buy them. People give money and happily drive away.

I am one of those crores of people who do this everyday. But I wonder. I do wonder where these children come from. India has the largest population in world, but that does not answer my question. I wonder about the people who raise these children. I wonder what these children get after a hard days work? It's work for them. Physical labor, despite cold or the scorching sun, they can be found on every traffic signal across the country.

I wonder who brings them in the morning to these spots, who takes them away at night? Where do these children live? Do they have parents? do they live together? Do they know each other? are they brothers and sisters, friends? are they from the same family or the same society?

Do they get proper food? Clothing, definitely no, I can see that. But what about food. Do they get a chance to study? Do they know what they are doing? do they know what will happen to them when they grow up? Do they get abused? They are being used , of course.

There are many questions that come to my mind when I see them. These thought vanish as soon the signal light turns green. Sometimes they remain. Like today.

These questions are provoking. They provoke me to do something.

But, I am a poor man. I do not have enough money to raise children. My only child is being raised because she was born to me. That's why she is living with me. That's why I do anything for her. I do not spend money just to save for her.

I am also a weak man, I do not have the power to do anything against law. However and whatever I do according to the law can also be challenged under special circumstances.

Above all, I am a common man. I can shout on the roads and ask the authorities to take care of these children. The police can arrest me for disturbing law and order. People will think I am mad if I shout. My family will also not approve of any such action.

I wonder, if all the people who drive around in expensive cars and with red lights mounted on their car roofs also wonder about what I wonder.

They have the authority to call the police, arrange for a bus and take all these children to the nearest orphanage. No one can stop them from doing so. They can get the people arrested behind this crime. What stops these people who have the power, the money and the courage from fighting this kind of evil?

Why do they have the time to bargain with these children for the goods they sell, but do not have the time to bargain for their life.

These are the people who go to charity events and deliver long speeches. But why aren't they doing something. Something which they can do with the least of effort. They just have to make a phone call from the luxury of their ac office.

I know , these children do not get proper food, home, sleep, money. They never get to study.

Will they ever?