"The true teacher is he who can immediately come down to the level of the students, transfer his soul to the student's soul and see through and understand though his mind. Such a teacher can really teach and none else"
--------- Swami Vivekananda
Actually this is the place where the role of a teacher is important. This coming down to the level of the young learners and thereby trying to chalk out their problem and at the same time imparting in them the values and the morals is what the primary job a good teacher and this is here where lies the scope of positioning himself/herself as the role model or super hero. Though it is also to be mentioned that this may not be a deliberate attempt…the young minds opening up and with each passing day gaining experience to judge the world around…as the teacher is his/her all-through companion in this process he naturally become the role model. The students start imitating, judging and follow the teacher. The source of knowledge had always been regarded as the superior and following the general tendency it is therefore natural that the young pupils start following their teachers.
Teaching had been regarded as a profession with meager monetary reward but a great deal nobility for long, as viewed by Henry Von Dyke too. Time and again teaching has been associated with the concept of economically struggling people with a golden heart and an insatiable zeal for knowing and letting know. "He is poor but honest" had been the accepted construction. With the change of time the profession has changed its shape also. No longer is it treated as one where people are paid lowest. So with the changed attitude questions have raised regarding whether teacher still continue to be the role models. To be precise I find no reason as to why this question should at all arise? Teachers are human beings and in to survive monetary superiority is necessity and following that teachers had to come out of that shabby sordid construction. But that has never made the teachers less dependable or never lessened the nobility attached to the profession by any degree.
Once wile I was studying at the University, one of my teachers used to say "a few years from now you people will be on this side of the table and there you will understand the role of a teacher. Each and every moment you will realize the indelible mark that the teacher has left on your mind. Every topic you come across, you will start thinking how he/she would have taught this one in the class and thereby you will tend to follow the same course." This is the biggest role that a teacher plays in the life of the student—enabling him to take a decision at the moment of need. It happens to be a custom with all of us to think about other, to position ourselves in the place of our acquaintances to weigh the various options that may prop up once we are struck somewhere. For the young minds the immediate person is the teacher. From my practical experience also I can infer, when ever I get into any hurdle while teaching I recollect my school days and look out how my teacher would have dealt with the similar situation if one such had arose. It makes my task easy.
Another important aspect that I think should be mentioned in this context of decision making is the capability to judge on the basis of the moral standards. It is to be mentioned that a teacher is a person with whom the young minds spends the most of the time and that too in creativity and learning. So a highly esteemed person as a teacher can definitely be a role model for the students. A person can impart the moral education, ethics and values the best if he/she himself/herself follows them in his/her own life. A person of character has the wisdom to know right from wrong; is honest, trustworthy, fair, respectful and responsible; admits and learns from mistakes and commits to living according to these principles. A young mind while judging every bit of it would naturally be stimulated by the success the teacher who might have been a strict follower of the basic rules and customs. Therefore the ward will naturally be driven toward value education. Teacher being described as the instrument shaping the future of the society, by virtue of their own life can definitely be an example in front of the students.
This, I feel is beyond the boundaries of any time. The young mind is the most receptive one and the person from whom he receives the most in the same one he would look upon in future…it is beyond any doubt. This characteristic virtue is implanted in the minds of the young people since early childhood…this is the time when the basic education is given and this ultimately gets embedded in the sub-conscious mind that finally give shape to the character of the future citizen. The teacher is the person with whom the man spends the most productive time of his life and therefore it is none other than the teacher whop can become the superhero of the young minds. The teacher can do no wrong, the teacher knows everything…not even the parents…this is what the child psychology depicts…and this is the biggest challenge of the teacher. The question of being the role model therefore is not of possibility with the passage of time rather it is regarding how much efficiency is required and who really posses that to execute the same. The young minds are listening and little eyes are watching each and every move.
No comments:
Post a Comment