A guiding force behind success
If a student remembers a teacher even after several years, what more we
can ask for in life, asks Chitra Narayan
Just close your eyes. Relax your mind. If you were to name the great
teachers of your life, what qualities of theirs would stand out? One would
probably conclude that they didn't teach but they influenced.
The Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) founder Sathya Sai Baba
quotes that "Most of the teachers teach in the class, with complaints while
some of them explain and a handful of teachers only inspires". How true it is!
Each one of us fondly remembers a few teachers who have touched our lives only
because of their love and warmth.
Dedication, devotion, duty, discipline and discrimination, the 5D's are
undoubtedly the basics of teaching. That's why it is said that great teachers
don't produce a product, they produce an effect.
At every juncture, I fondly remember many of my teachers who have taught
me without teaching. I was fortunate to go to the institute of Sathya Sai
Education, Thailand and learnt from Art Ong Jumsai, the Nasa scientist who has
sent the Viking space craft to Mars, the importance of silence and Sathya Sai
Education in Human values integration in everything that we do.
He says that the word "tiredness" is to be removed from the dictionary.
Every teacher should take the teaching profession as a greatest gift from the
Almighty to affect not only the minds of their students but their lives as
well. He also stresses that it is not important to prepare a lesson plan but to
prepare oneself in this profession. The reason for this is that the children
never look for a teacher but for a guide, the student never looks for a fact
giver but for a loving friend.
Another teacher of mine BG Pitre, Director of Institute of Sathya Sai
Educatioin (ISSE) , India always make it a point to delight his students. He
says with firm faith that, "students won't take delight in learning until the
teachers take delight in teaching".
Every time I go to India, I make it a point to visit at least two of my
old teachers in each trip and I could see delight and tears in their eyes.
That's the reason our scriptures says, "mother, father, teacher, the Almighty".
I experience the same delight quite often with my students here and many of my
ex students who have completed their 12th and left the Sultanate had met and
spent some time with me recently. After leaving the nursery 12 years back, if a
student remembers the teacher and place, what more we can ask for in life? I
always thank the Almighty for making me a teacher because I have found
happiness and peace in this and take the privilege of leading the lives along
with my wonderful team. In one way, we can firmly say teaching is not just a
profession. It is an investment. In this the teachers barters their time,
effort and love for the welfare that cannot be counted. It is said that," small
deeds done are better than great deeds planned". To all the teachers of the
world, "A Happy Teachers Day". Keep on influencing your children's' lives.
(The writer is the director of Middle East Nursery)
