Evening at Zambezi River, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, May 2015
and so does everything around... the situation, the people, the perspective, the needs.... and we too change.... the wise and courageous seek change.. because only change is constant!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

53. Teachers: Aaj Kal

When I was studying in school, teachers’ day was not of a great relevance to me. No, we did not give flowers to teachers nor did eulogize them. Even during those times, I had a dilemma between Guru Poornima and Teachers’ Day. They generally appeared within a span of few weeks. ‘Why we celebrate two different days for the same event’ – was the question nobody liked me to ask. (Later I read that 5th September is not the real birth date of Dr. Radhakrishnan, it is his registered birth date!) Actually nobody liked me to ask any kind of question. They all wanted only answers and only those answers which they taught me to give. I thought it was profession which one was pushed into. So, I guess, I never wanted to be a teacher. And more than that I wanted the studentship to end as fast as it could.

During the last year in the school, all the students were ‘allowed’ to take a role of a teacher for one day… for one 35 minutes period to be exact. But I remember that I wasn’t interested in teaching anyone, because even then I knew that I could not. Somehow, I was pushed into that role, which I did not like.

But I have good memories of my teachers. The one in my primary school, who could write with both hands, was like a magician. The one in secondary school who became emotional while teaching a poem was exceptional – he taught me to look beyond expressed words. It opened a whole new game of ‘interpretation’ for me. I still deal with facts, interpretations, feelings, thoughts…. with enthusiasm. There was a time when I hated Mathematics. But one good teacher changed my view. He really made Mathematics a fun for me and later during the college days, my Mathematics teacher opened links of Mathematics and Philosophy to me. I can write a lot about my teachers. They have taught me a lot. Though I am not sure I picked up the right aspects of their teachings. So, don’t blame them for my faults and limitations :)

I thought that after completing my education, I will not have to listen to teachers. But I was completely wrong. I realized that learning never ends (good, otherwise what will I do if all learning is over, it would be almost like a death) and I kept on meeting teachers now and then. A traffic police not accepting the bribe (oh! Oh! Not me…) is my teacher. A Train Conductor treating a beggar very sympathetically is my teacher. A tribal woman teasing me “I know your language, but you don’t know mine, then what is the use of schooling?’ is my teacher. A woman who picks garbage from my residential complex teaches me about segregating disposable and non-disposable waste. Thousands of women dealing with domestic violence and alcohol abuse are my teachers. Some artist in the corner of the country engrossed in his art (not for livelihood) is my teacher. A bus driver, working on festival days is my teacher. I am surrounded by teachers; I am given a lot of knowledge and experience free of charge.

That has changed my perspective about teachers, though I do not like people who always preach. I admire practitioners who teach me silently and through their life. These teachers allow me to ask questions and they do not expect me to give ‘taught’ answers. In fact they do not want any answers from me. They are capable enough to ask questions and to find answers for themselves.

Aaj Kal my teachers have improved a lot. Or is it that I have improved as a student?

Does not matter until the learning process is on.

25 comments:

  1. Hey that was a very nice post.. you have given very nice examples for each reason.. and thanks for visiting my blog :)

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  2. U in a race? This is unlike you.. it is too much of a change...Just think about it next time...

    SAK

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  3. Thats a wonderful post, to think of your teachers ! Ihave such memories too ! Maybe i will post about that too !

    :)

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  4. "I admire practitioners who teach me silently and through their life." - three cheers for that line :)

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  5. interesting write-up.

    PKulkarni

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  6. Hey Thanks for sharing your memories of teachers and man what a nice array of examples of teacher from everyday life !

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  7. A Big WOW to your post. There is a teacher in everyone. Sometimes I wonder, if that is true, can I be by own teacher.

    My Blog-a-tonic blog:
    10heads.blogspot.com

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  8. dis is a perfect blend of lite humor and sensible posting!!!!

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  9. Very honest post. I liked "I realized that learning never ends (good, otherwise what will I do if all learning is over, it would be almost like a death) and I kept on meeting teachers now and then"

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  10. That was a lovely post. It is very true that every person we meet in our life teaches us a thing or two.

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  11. hi savita

    quite interesting articles. whenever i like refresh my self i just go through your blog. missing those visits in the remote areas.

    keep writing and sharing your knowledge and experiences.

    smita

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  12. hi :)
    the way you described your learning after school is awesome!
    good one! Right dose of humor and reality! Great!

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  13. A wonderful expression!
    Didn't knew about Guru Poornima and Teacher's Day! Thanks for enlightening!!:)

    An honest post!! :)

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  14. Straight from heart out of one's experience!
    I know your language, but you don’t know mine, then what is the use of schooling? - made me smile

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  15. Does not matter until the learning process is on.

    So true.

    Once teacher was the last thing I wanted in life but a certain elder/a teacher in my life changed my perspective of what true teaching is. Now besides my normal career I can not not think of being one!

    Nice post! :)

    All the best for Blog-a-ton2 ! :)

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  16. hi savita
    very good blog...
    really very good examples..o liked it very much n it is ver true that every person we meet in our life teaches s something or the other....
    i remember also my childhood days n how we used to celebrate our teachers day...!!!
    thanks for refreshing my memories.....sandhya

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  17. hey mavashi...
    read your blog..really wonderful..now recently we celebrated teachers day ...we didnt have any classes that day..and the entire college students had contributed and did a small function to make feel our teachers how special they r to us!!!we did nominations for various categories like best smile teacher,best dressed,best teacher,best strict teacher,and so on..it was a nice fun for them too..also we gave prices to our non-teaching staff..those who work in kitchens..also we had got a cake and celebrated their special day...
    all teachers had a big smile...
    we just made a small attempt to tell that they are really important in making our carear and that we LOVE them all..

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  18. hey savita,
    your blog is fantastic..
    we can learn not only from our teachers but also from so many people around us.
    great writeup!!!!

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  19. "I am surrounded by teachers; I am given a lot of knowledge and experience free of charge."
    and "aaj-kal my teachers have improved a lot; or is it that I have become a better student?"

    I love both those thoughts.
    You make some exceptional points in this post. I'm very imnpressed.

    Ranee

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  20. Interesting blog. we used to offer rose to our headmistress and celebrate Teacher's Day by not allowing the teachers to teach on that day. It used to be a fun day. Much different than what you used to celebrate.

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  21. Thts the frst post which has dared 2 differ frm the general perceived meaning of the given title.
    When i finally declared this topic, thts what i was luking 4 personally.. Sumone who interprets Teasher:aaj kal in a diffrnt way!
    Beautiful post. I lovd it:)

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  22. explain with an example seems to be your way of expression.great knack of expression

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  23. "5th September is not the real birth date of Dr. Radhakrishnan, it is his registered birth date" - I really dint know about this.. re-read your post.. it's really good

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  24. Very peculiar yet interesting teachers in form of conductors, general people and life itself...!
    I am impressed..!!

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  25. Hmm.. Blog-a-Ton brought lot of new people to my blog. I am not used to so much of crowd here. Thanks to you all fellow bloggers..evanescentthoughts, Sojo, Dhiman, Pramathesh, Sid, Bharathi, For What is Worth, Shruti, Shilpa, Lakshmi, Guria, Rani, Vipul,Saimanohar and Azad. I have read your post too and enjoyed different perspectives and styles and the content too. Sorry I could not post comments on your blog... I do not get much time to be 'in' the blogsphere.

    And thanks to all my regular readers Pkulkarni, Sandhya, Rujuta, Smita, Puja, SAK.

    Thanks to you, Kavi and Abhineet...

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