Guru Gobindo Khade, Kake Laagu pao, Guru Balihari aapke, gobindo diye dikhaye
(A teacher and the God are standing next to each other, whom should I pay my respects first? I will always be indebted to you my teacher, who showed me the way to the God)
A teacher plays a vital role in our lives, transforms nothing in something, gives a meaning to our lives, shows us the way, and tells us how to dream and accomplish it. We can find one in any form; a parent, a tutor, a child, a friend, even a stranger.
Way back in our mythological epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana, a teacher’s role is vital. Imagine Mahabharata without a teacher! It will not be of any significance then. Whether a teacher saw the potential of his student and guided him all the way as his charioteer to his victory or the teacher, who taught his son battle tactics in womb. In the same epic, we see another side of guru, where because of his partiality or fondness for a student asks for the thumb from the student who was a potential threat to him. That is always exemplified as a teacher who failed in his duties as he denied the rightful education to a student, though he is the same guru who created students, whose name is still synonym of art they mastered.
I feel a teacher lays the foundation stone of a sound character, just like a foundation stone of a building; Stronger the base, bigger the skyscraper. But sadly, unlike ancient times, where Plato, Socrates, Aristotle existed and were given the due respect and place now longer exists. A teacher is a paid servant who is performing his duty to teach you/your kid. We don’t hear about the present day legendary teachers. Though we see leaders, top management gurus who are excelling in their respective fields but we never hear who showed them the way, the method of climbing those success steps.
I remember my teacher, Ms Indira, biology teacher in 11 and 12 standard, she is someone whom I can never forget. A short thin stature with a straight face. She looked like an angel whenever she smiled but she rarely showed us that side of hers. A true teacher, completely professional, no-nonsense type, had a strong, rather very strong hold on her subject and vocabulary. Two musts for a teacher; to have knowledge and know how to pass it on and she mastered them. She never made us rote learn, every topic was conceptualized, broken in small parts in such a way, that it was easily absorbed. Whatever she taught once can never be forgotten. I still can confidently teach any student bio at any level, including genetics as the basics are clear, the concepts are deeply embedded in memory. She weaved her wisdom and knowledge so perfectly and passed it on perfectly. Not only that, small questions, projects, research works were given, where we had to look for the answers. Sadly there was no google that time, so the process was really tedious. She would give us clues, where we may find the answers but it was really difficult that time, but now I understand how she sowed the seed of inquisitiveness in us, which is still growing and I am still looking for some answers to self made research works. Whatever her students do in future, she creates and develops a side where they get in self improvisation mode and that helps them a lot in future.
Teaching is a profession that teaches all other professions, and hence helps us build a stronger better future. Makes this world a better place to live. A person, which I think we should always be indebted to.
A special thanks to Sam (confusedsoul) and all other MS members, who are in this profession and are shaping the future.
