Can you imagine a world without a teacher? where there is no one to teach you what it is? yes, they are our reference points, our guides to help us to explore the unknown.
In a press meet with the Prime Minister of a western country, a reporter posed this question. "Why do we have high pay for teachers in this country?". In response, the wise leader quipped, "How do you expect me to pay you more than the one who taught you?"
It was very true that the teachers can never be fully repaid for everything they do for their students. I have witnessed my mother, a Tamil scholar, working, preparing, sharpening, comforting, and shaping the future of her students right before my eyes. She balanced both her work life and family life like a Pro.
Google says the meaning of teach is to show, to demonstrate, to point out. I believe teachers do much more than that for their students. To all the teachers who shaped me as a person and to everybody who are shaping the future generation I submit my heart full of wishes on this Teacher's day 2021.
My professors at LDC helped me to find my identity in the world. They opened and showed me the world of Literature where I felt the sense of acceptance and belonging. The world which taught me so much about life and people as they say, "Literature is the reflection of life". It shaped my thought process. My Professors with their gentle demeanour took me to explore the poetical, prosaic mind of writers. They took me to the fantasy and fictional world of great authors. Never ever have I felt so much at home, as when I was in my English Department.
Dr. Geetha Kanagaraj was an excellent professor when it comes to teach us the Indian literature. She taught us many abstract, complex and controversial literary topics. I was totally in awe when she taught us Feminism, which I say is a much abused topic in the world. She balanced that topic and gave us the clarity in our search for knowledge.
She taught us to be assertive as women. One day while we were all in the newton block, she asked us to tell our grievances. When we opened up the issues with the rest room hygiene, she posed a question to all of us which struck me deeply. She listened patiently and then said, "As an educated individual, you are all supposed to raise your voice when you have seen the problem that is needed to be addressed, but you were all keeping quiet for such a long time". I was dumbstruck, what she said is true. What is the meaning of education, when we are not able to stand for ourselves?. She taught us to understand, relate and move with all kinds of people in spite of the difference of opinions, belief sets and principles. She taught us to stand against the superstitious beliefs in our nation which actually separates people in the name of religion, language, tradition and caste. She gave us an understanding of social issues that were in the society. She taught us how to be a sharp literature students, active citizens and responsible women.
"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing" said Mother Teresa. One professor who personified this was our dear Betty mam, I always wondered how she had that beautiful smile for everyone. She taught us to see the goodness in every person. She made the beauty of nature around us palpable. She taught the importance of appreciating little things in life.
It was Dr.Suka Joshua who taught us to walk the talk. She taught us literature with a passion. She lived out the words "kindness and patience". Deborah mam showed the importance of updating oneself with the new technology and with trendy educational methods with her revolutionary teaching methods. Dr. Vijayarani taught us to see beyond the looks and find the beauty of one's heart. Dr. Jessy taught us to give importance to details in everything. It was Dr. Synthia Mary Mathew who taught us not to be gullible but to guard our mind above all. Dr. Rachel Barnabas taught us to be honest in every little thing. Dear Preetha mam taught us to go to depth for the analysis of poetry. Dew Lawrent mam taught us to respect every individual. Dr. Christiana Singh trained us to develop the habit of giving our best to God.
Yes, these people shaped us with their walk, talk and with their living, they were walking epistles, they were lighting lives. When I was in college I always used to be very excited to wish my dear Professors on Teacher's day. I used to make cards for them which is one my favourite thing to do for people I love. The most adorable thing about the day is my teachers used to receive it with a bright smile. The bright smiling face of Synthia mam while she receives the card still stays afresh in my mind. How gently these people condescended their age, experience and expertise in their chosen fields, to appreciate the very little thing that I did for them was very touching for me.
My most favourite memory of the Teacher's day was when we, M.A girls celebrated our Teachers together. All of us planned, designed the back of the laminated Bible verse card, wrote about our professors and gave it to them. The department celebrated the Teacher's day by gathering behind the J.X Miller auditorium with games and cake cutting. It was so wonderful to see our teachers participating in all games. All our Juniors were so enthusiastic and encouraging our dear professors in the games. We saw our teacher's fun side on that day, especially Dr. Rachel Barnabas participating and enjoying the event like a joyful child was unforgettable.
The other side of the coin
As I entered the profession of teaching as an Assistant Professor, I came to know the privilege of imparting knowledge to the young minds. It was an adventurous journey. Shaping the next generation with high moral, spiritual and subject knowledge is no joke. Managing the household works, preparation of the syllabus and work life balance requires huge physical and mental strength.
About the present generation, their values and attitudes toward teachers and education is a lot different than what we had when we were students. Education as witnessed now in Engineering colleges has become more materialistic. It pains my heart to see students get into the college by paying lakhs as donation after securing high scores. They tend to lose the meaning of education, reason behind learning. Once in the real world their focus and attention is to earn what they paid as donations and fees, this is more alarming in the medical education sector. The moral values and the safe zones that need to be maintained between opposite genders are over ruled and looked as cool to be in that way ! Many don't know where we are headed to? It is pathetic to see students looking at teachers as their paid workers and themselves as clients, where has the humility gone?. No matter how smart the younger generation are with the technology, no matter how savvy they might become, no matter how much they will earn in future. We are losing them, literally. It is time to restructure the professional education streams, the humanities are doing much better in this area. It is an essential need to define the right meaning of education for them.
Private Educational institutions have become more money minded. Teachers are never looked upon as an intellectual individuals who deserves respect and self dignity. The foundation of the education and society itself is revolving around money.
Dr. Irai Anbu's pithy couplet summarises it all.
அன்று எழுத்து அறிவித்தவன் இறைவன்.
இன்று எழுத்து அறிவித்தவன் வணிகன்.
Dr. Irai Anbu is the current chief secretary of Tamil Nadu Government and a senior most bureaucrat of the IAS. He is hugely popular with the student community.
Hiring teachers at low pay and doing away with them in a short period of time, has increased the turnover rates and attrition rates in many institutions. Manipulating staff records when the officers pay a visit has become an accepted routine in well known rich private engineering educational institution. The worst point was when in Oct 2020 a leading private institution offered me a job offer but asked me to submit my friend's NET qualification certificate, I humbly but sternly refused, never to consider that offer again. I wish to know what we are trying to do in the name of education. I have seen the painful exit of professors from jobs along with the huge responsibilities they shoulder for their families. Everything is happening in a way to please the morally decaying young minds. Today, this is how the nation is teaching the value of teachers to the students. It is scary to see what the future behold with this growth of unreformed enormous institutions.
As for Online classes, the lesser said the better, horrendous stories coming out after the PSBB issue surfaced few months back.
I have always wondered why our country is lagging in certain areas when compared to the other nations. Why are we not able to produce better, competing, well equipped men and women in every field? We are stuck in the middle of the process. Our focus is on material success, it crumbles because of people with no strong values and principles. Sadly one of the reason behind all these malaises are educational institutions which churn out graduates mindlessly. The students need to have courses like universal values, understanding self, importance of woman's education, human resources and development and mental health. This will give a holistic development for a student at college level.
Celebrating teachers is important and most important is to know what the future holds for teachers and students. We need Hope... a hope that we will have a better society.
My prayers are that may the ruler of heaven touch the young generation and the foundations of the educational institution to the core.
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