Teachers are integral to your life. You probably spend more time interacting with them than your parents. But surprisingly, some of you still harbour misconceptions — and have built stereotypes — about them. To set the record straight, we asked teachers from around the country to dispel the notions. Our goal was not just to clear the air, but also understand how teachers feel about being misunderstood. And, we got some great responses...
I’m sorry and I apologise mean the same thing. Except at a funeral – said Demetri Martin famously. Those who appreciate and can comprehend such dark humour are supposed to be more intelligent, says a new study published in the journal Cognitive Processing. Teachers are intelligent, so says ancient wisdom (pun intended). Thus, going by the mathematical equation A+B = C Genius ... we intelligent teachers have a sense of humour. Jokes apart, teaching the “so called” boring subject of social science to today’s ‘instant gratification’ generation is immensely supported by the use of humour. A sense of humour genetically inherited helps, but an acquired sense of humour cultivated through a reading marathon and a sharp sense of observation adds cream to the cheese cake. Telling students, “Please touch the newspaper sometimes, it does not carry the Zika virus” to encourage them to keep abreast with current affairs rather than sermonise on why they should read the newspaper, works wonders. A political joke and a pun laden statement get the best attention in class.
Manju, Indira National School, Pune
I take it sportively from the child who, after listening to my speech says with excitement, “sir, it was superb, but I didn’t understand a thing” to another who says sir your blog is melodious”...to the one who replies to the question, “what is beautiful in your life?” with “sir you are beautiful” to those who say, “sir aapka mooch achcha hai” to which I quip, “thank you.” I am a performer in class, a stand-up comedian, a philosopher and a good listener. When my jokes fall flat (quite often), I say, “please laugh, that was a joke” and the kids laugh their heart out. I come to school for you children, for you alone, dear ones, you make my day.
Santhosh Kumar Kana, Kendriya Vidyalaya,
INS Dronacharya, Ernakulam
What? Teachers are not fashionable... Bah. Ask the tiny tots, who know the colour of the lipstick worn by every teacher. Ask the primary children who love the dresses and the bright colours that their teachers wear and want their moms to wear the same. Ask the high school teenagers, who take fashion tips from their mentors and guides in school. Today’s teachers are super cool, from theorems and definitions to haute couture... you can seek their advice, for everything under the sun.
Sonal Narang, vice-principal, Anand Niketan Ahmedabad
Four years ago, I walked into my 8th grade class with my Macbook, so that I could show my students a PowerPoint presentation on Europe. For a change there was pindrop silence in the class. I was secretly pleased thinking I had achieved that elusive notion called ‘class control’. I soon found that the students were gaping at my laptop as I continued to hook it up to the class TV with the dongle that is needed for all Apple devices. It was a fun lesson. I use email to keep in touch with students and parents. My students have also learnt to make video presentations for their projects. Sites like Khan Academy, facilities such as Google Drive, educational apps, Dropbox facility etc. are just a few other features I use frequently to make my life easier. Am I not tech savvy enough, students?
Swaroop Gokhale, Vidya Valley School, Pune
Listening endlessly to ‘Ma’am, she is pushing me, Ma’am he took away my pencil” … and many such complaints from the whole bunch, I have learned to look beyond the appearances of my students and to see and hear into their souls. Every child we deal with has a beautiful heart where kindness resides and it is up to us as teachers to bring out the best in them. The myriad roles of a teacher in school are that of a mentor, guide, friend, counsellor and yet if we are called judgmental, it is a myth which surely needs to be busted...
Samriddhi Roy, Sadhu Vaswani International School, Mumbai
Teachers, the oft misunderstood lot, bear the brunt of being disciplinarians. These serious-faced teachers who are all out there with index fingers over their sharp noses! I broke that mould this summer. I went underwater sea walking in Thailand, and lived to tell the tale! Students, typically, don't think that teachers can do something fun and adventurous. I feel I'm more connected to my students by doing things that tell them I can have fun and see the world just as you do. Now, do I hear, “She might have gone there to discipline the fish underwater for all we know.”
Tejashree Patil, teacher, Vidya Valley School, Pune
To inculcate the habit of curiosity among students, a teacher should be prepared to face challenges posed by students, otherwise the teaching-learning process will be a stagnant affair. A teacher in a true sense is a learner first. Teaching-learning is a two-way process – so there should always be a scope for disagreement, albeit, constructive. A classroom where both teacher and students work together to find answers to a problem, is what can be termed as an interesting session. Imagination and innovation can never take flight in a class where the myth that ‘a teacher knows everything’ prevails.
DEVIKA AWTAR, KV, Highgrounds, Chandigarh
Whether it’s a question of dress, conversation, going out with friends, or even just spending time with our families, we’ve been set into a fixed mould. Our students are inevitably shocked when they see us in, say, jeans instead of a sari; in casual conversation, if we happen to use a slang term, it becomes a topic of discussion. The fact remains, though, that we have personal lives as active as any other person’s. Students often think that we have to be totally dedicated to them, to the exclusion of anything else in our lives, but we have families to look after, we have our health and those of our near and dear ones to worry about, children to bring up, and functions and social events to attend . We need our time. For long have students held the myth that we are teachers all day, every day.
Garima Salgotra, DPS Whitefield, Bengaluru
If marks could have been the first priority, no teacher should have devoted her valuable teaching periods in teaching students relevant and socially important values of life like kindness, sympathy, empathy, care, concern etc and thereby make them think out of the box. Secondly, if I ask students about the person they remember the most in life after family members, a majority of them would say, teachers because, for teachers, making connections with students on a personal level is what the purpose of teaching is all about. But due to our educational pattern, parents’ expectations, peer pressure and undue importance attached to sky rocketing marks, the students are under the impression that the teacher focuses only on marks.
Savita Ajay, Montfort School, Nagpur
Yeah... sure, teachers are ignorant about pop culture. We live on another planet altogether. Do we not watch TV? Or read popular culture pages in newspapers? Why should we not enjoy listening to Ed Sheeran as much as you do...? Hey, Insta, Snapchat....are not Greek and Latin to us. Reminds me of an incident that once occurred during a Std IX class. I walked into the classroom and saw ‘The Chainsmokers’ written on the board graffiti style, with ‘#selfie’. As I stared at the board, a hush fell over the class. A voice from the backbenches piped “It’s not about that... I mean smoking.” I said “I know! They are DJs Alex Pall and Drew Taggart.” One of the bolder ones, his eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline, remarked incredulously, “You’re not supposed to know that!” Dude... Why not?
Sumita Ghose, Pawar Public School, Pune
Indeed this is a myth in the 21st century. And why only the 21st century? What about the oft-quoted ‘friend, philosopher, guide’ line? That’s been around for ages. To be a friend one has to have the complete trust and confidence of an individual. Isn’t that the very essence of the teacher-pupil relationship? A complete belief and conviction in one another. And that’s what constitutes a friendship – and one that lasts forever, regardless of physical proximity or geographical boundaries. The teacher and the taught connect with one another in just one heartbeat. If that isn’t friendship, what is?
Sumita DasGupta, DPS International, Saket, New Delhi