Today is Teachers Day in India. So I'll say HAPPY TEACHERS DAY TO ALL TEACHERS
Pity that today is a holiday. Teachers Day will be celebrated on the 9th in Goa, though. In most schools, Teachers Day is looked upon as a Gala Event. The students look forward to it with great anticipation. A typical Teachers day celebration would be something like this:- In the early part of the day, the S.S.C. students take classes. The S.S.C. students prepare for this event with great enthusiasm. Each student or a group of students is alloted a particular teacher's role by the School Parliament or the teacher in charge. For this the students pester the clerks for the selected teacher's time table. Some of them even prepare or rather try to prepare a lesson or two. On Teachers Day, the S.S.C. Students - teachers of the day arrive in their festive best. For many of them it is an opportunity to show off their finery. Many of these students try to take classes while the rest of the students are determined to create all kinds of ruckus. And there is mayhem all round. This is one day the kids can let off steam. The teachers of course relax and enjoy the fun. There is always a benign eye on the students and the fun and frolic are not allowed to go out of hand. Sometimes the children try their hand at organizing activities for their teachers. At one such event, the students in my school organized a "Mock Olympics" for their teachers. There were fun items like a backwards race along the length of the volley ball court; Javelin throw with a drinking straw; putting a balloon; breaking the pot; treasure hunt The children who organized these mock Olympics and the other spectator students enjoyed themselves thoroughly. The Prizes for the winners were "laurel wreaths" made of local leaves and branches which the winners had to wear. In the treasure hunt the students made sure that each teacher won a Prize - a red ink ball point pen, a key chain or some small trinket. The crowning event of the day is the school assembly where there speeches by students explaining the significance of the day. Teachers are presented bouquets and cards. In my school, we follow a uniform policy in that the cards are made by the students (a chance to express their creativity) and the flowers are from the students' gardens and not store bought. In fact the children prepare the bouquets themselves. The day ends for the students after the headmasters speech. The teachers then have a small snack party. With a few variations, this formula is more or less followed. A few thoughts to reflect upon on this day. A teachers job is a thankless job. If students do well in their parents take the credit. If students fare badly, it is the fault of the teacher, the headmaster, the management and the school. A student spends merely five hours or so in school, where as most of the time the student is at home. Yet parents expect the teachers to be responsible for solving all the behavioural problems of their children. There are many parents who send their children to school as a kind of day care centre to keep them away from mischief as they themselves have no time for their children. Many times, when students have a holiday, they do not want it as they have nothing to do at home! Most lay persons have the impression that teachers do no work. They work for half a day and get fat pay packets. What they do not understand is that teachers deal with active young human beings during their hours of contact with them. It is a mind stressing job. The teachers all the time have to be resourceful and innovative and capable of dealing with young minds. As a teacher, some of my greatest moments have been when a child's eyes have lit up with understanding. These moments are priceless like when a child says "thank you for what you've done for me" years after the child has left school. The true test of a teacher is when the student surpasses the master. I have had the pleasure of having many many students who have surpassed me! -- Tony de Sa Ph: +91 832 2470148 E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] M: +91 9975 162 897 ----------------------------------------------------------- Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one's levels of aspiration and expectation. - Jack Nicklaus ------------------------------------------------------------
