Once a Teacher , Forever a teacher !!

Mark Thackeray that phenomenal teacher from” To Sir with love” or John Keating from “ Dead Poets society” or our own Amir Khan in “Tare Zameen par” , these movies have always inspired teachers .These movies were made in different cultures and different eras but they all have one thing in common, a passionate teacher who revolutionized teaching in his own ways . We often say a child's mind is like a Plasticine which can be molded it the way we want , and it is in our hands that we make the right impression. Are we doing it rightly or something is still missing ? .

Why there is so much of fuss about infusing passion in teaching ?

Whenever I think of a great mentor, just one image appears in my mind and that is of my English Teacher Mr.Mishra. He never explained me " Daffodils by" Wordsworth , but he actually made me understand what was Beauty , Joy and how to observe that moment and capture it in memory till eternity . He taught me to see the beauty in tiny droplets of rain and joy in a small walk by the countryside. A true teacher when teaches Literature , he teaches you to delve deeper inside in your own personality , when he teaches science he makes you curious enough to question days and nights , when he teaches Geography he ignites the dream to travel the world and when he teaches maths he knows you will calculate the heights and depth and scale the azure sky without falling .

If you are a teacher , you may be thinking what makes you a passionate teacher . Is it your hold on the subject , control on your class ,academic result of your students , what exactly are the parameters which measures your passion ? I am really sorry to say there is no such measuring glass . You are your best judge . But There are few important traits of a teacher which may distinguish a teacher from the common lot .

Your constant learning and upgrading the skill

As a teacher you are that Pirene fountain which will always motivate your students and that means there should be a renewable source of knowledge inside . You are likely to upgrade your skills so that your students don’t suffer in the long run . You don’t shy from going that extra mile , if it enriches you as a teacher . I know most of the teachers understand this fact and keep on continually upgrading their knowledge base . It matters in the long run.

Your presence is beyond the classroom

You are such a teacher whose memories remain lifelong imprinted in child’s mind. You may be a science teacher but your child will love to recite his newly composed poem to you. He knows you have not tied yourself into boundaries of subjects and you are always accessible to your students. A child will not do something because you are watching , he will do it right because you have taught him to watch his actions . A true teacher motivates even in his absence and inspires life long .

You don’t train your students but mentor them

You are not a circus trainer but a gardener who weeds out the unwanted traits from student’s life. He supports tender creepers climb the vein and spread under the vast sky . He prunes the shrubs and cuts the extra growth of big plants to give them perfect shape. He hold your hand , leads you for a while but then he also gives you the choice to travel the road less trodden . A true teacher inspires , motivates , and guides his students . Teaching is such an art and teacher are those artist who sculpt the genius brains and carve beautiful lives .

You are on lookout of new resources to use it in class

A teacher can invent and create anything to facilitate his teaching. If you enter a classroom and see the map of India with states depicted by spices of the country , you are at right place . He is a teacher with difference . If you ever enter in a class and find the teacher wearing a crown or maybe dressed in jungle attire, seek his company . He will teach you to be a great teacher . If you are a teacher who surfs internet for hours to research best teaching methodology, If your rewards and consequences are unique and it matters to the child then you are in that club too.

You take responsibility of your students learning

It was my first job and I had shared my Professors contact number as my reference .

Caller asked my Professor , what if your student fails?

Sir replied: I am confident my student will never fail, but if she does . It’s me who is to be blamed . And the conversation ended .

A true teacher envisions his success in the success of his student and I was fortunate to have witnessed such great teacher.

You don’t train them but facilitate them

You don’t feed them with ready made answers , you teach them to seek their unique answers . You don’t give them easier task, you rather push the limits with every time a new hurdle. You let your student wander in the jungle or swim into the sea and come out with his unique pearl .Your student knows you are the life jacket always available if he is on the verge of sinking but it won’t happen because he has developed the necessary skill-set in you. You are a passionate teacher, aren't you ?

You are one such lot of teachers who are not only teaching the students different subjects but actually art of living . Every child who comes to you is so unique , his needs are unique . Don’t be judgmental towards them , some of them might have abusive, alcoholic parents . Some might be struggling with health issues and still coping with studies . May be academically low ranking child struggles with your teaching patters .I know it’s tough to do all in one 40 minutes of class . But a teacher is that breed which will make it possible.