Who Becomes A Teacher

[krish44]

Share:

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

I was reading an article in The Mint of 5th feb regarding the above subject

The writer Anurag Behar says normally four types

1Those who are financially struggling to complete 12th class and want to find a respectable job . they do 2 yr diploma in education to become primary school

teachers, they are normally poor people from lowest rungs of society. In older days even those without

qualification in the field of education such as housewives without a degree in education or widows without means of support

became primary school teachers.

2.persons who tried everything else and failed and became a teacher.

these are from higher economic strata with aspirations to become engineers , doctor and clear civil services.

Along the way , their options start closing and they end up doing BED to become teachers.BED for them is

the insurance for possibility of failure in all their aspirations

3.the common type is of women who do dip ed and BED that after marrige they can do a teaching job.. the

ideal woman balancing home and job with decent income, predictable working hours and respectable.

4 . contract teachers. those who drift into it with small salaries with short period contracts which keep

getting renewed. even these require education qualification.

most as it can be seen drift into teaching rather than choosing it as a career option. since we have Right to Education now

. Education has gone into the hands of ordinary men and women., Eight million teachers like these floating

all over the country and are further growing in numbers.

It is not realised that teaching is a complex and demanding job calling for certain dispositions, capacity and

ethical commitment,it is hardly an ordinary role.

teachers are getting used as ordinary all purpose labour for election duty, census work, ration card checking , polio

eradication,blood donation drives and any job demanded by govt agencies.

all these need to change if teacher need to perform the role of teaching.

comments

 

[Raji Ram]

The troubles teachers face in the new education system is analyzed in this pattimandram.

pattimandram

 

[krish44]

In my school life I have encountered some teachers who were not fit to be called that.

One lady teacher in class five terrified me so much that I dropped out of school without anyones knowledge home and it was

found out only after couple of months or so.lol

I got attached to one that I did not want to be promoted to the next class as I would miss him.

the regimentation was so high that I felt it was more of a correction home than a place of learning

I was relieved to make it to college without too many scars where I had the first taste of relative freedom.

I do not know in retrospect how I could spend so many best years there.

I lost all interest in studies there .I bloomed later in college to make up for my poor school grades

Those school days are best forgotten.

I suppose it was because of teachers whose only qualification was they were tamil brahmins from a certain part of

india were employed there.most were not fit to be teachers and did not have the requisite academic qualifications

and training. some were wives of government employees. primary teachers were destitute widows with no

qualifications. others in senior classes had requisite degrees in their subjects without teacher training certificates.

I still wonder how many could do well as students of that school

 

[auh]

There are very few qualified individuals who are passsionate about teaching.

India is a country that has not learnt to respect teachers in spirit and action. This maybe perhaps due to the widely prevalent education system itself that converts a flexible and fertile mind into a conditioned engine for monetary benefits.

These were the type of teachers I came across -

The bad:

1) A previous door to door salesman became an lecturer in management. He simply bore down on any student who had a different view and was unable to create interest for the subject.
2) A gold medalist in Mcom taught accounts which flew over the heads of almost the entire class and out of the window.
3) The professor who joined later as HOD of management was an ex employee of a cements company. He could not deviate from the text book view point and had exhibited no tolerance for open discussions.
4) The lecturer who taught taxation seemed to be teaching to the next classroom, while we were engaged in our own petty discussions.
5) Our school biology teacher - made every student read one para in a lesson and when it was over, the lesson was construed to have been taught.

The neutral:

1) The math teacher - a good individual with a genuine attitude to teach. Whatever guffaws we had was brushed aside by her earnestness and we were all ears in her class. The only grain that rubbed was the grievance that certain complex theories and derivations could have been handled better.

2) A professor (and a principal of a sister institution) who taught us management - meticulous, open to debate but a disciplinarian with a flair for strictness that perhaps may have stuffed out some creativity in the class.

The good:

1) The professor (and our principal) who taught us economics - a gem, both as an individual and as a teacher. His passion was evident in the way he cherished and nourished the subject and his command was exemplary. He articulated well enough that we debated with him often enough on the subject and all queries were welcomed. I consider myself lucky to have studied under him - an eminent scholar and teacher. (In a sense, he was our Mr. Chips)

2) Years later, another part time professor who taught us information systems audit - he was a class by himself. We laughed, listened, discussed, and debated with him on the subject and he held our attention with ease.

3) Our history teacher in school - he made the events of yore run before our eyes. He laced it with original comments and lateral thoughts and we were truly disappointed when he retired. History was fun with him.

4) Our school principal - he taught us english for about two or three years and we used to look forward to it. He would compare latin phrases and sometimes explain the etymology of the word. It made a difference.

When I think about whether I could have been better - as an individual, as a professional, as in a member of the society, I would emphatically answer in the affirmative. Had I experienced more teachers like "the good", it would have made a world of difference.

 

[Vaagmi]

1. Anurag Beher, from his experiences in school, has divided the teachers into 4 categories. He has nothing good to say about them. He has rather done an analysis of the economic background of these teachers and has branded them with a broad brush as mostly wanting. he does not have a word to say about good teachers in the hundreds of schools who are doing a silent but efficient job. And he has nothing to say about the background from which the pupils come to the schools. He has nothing to say about the parents role. I have not read his original writing. I am writing on only what Krishji has presented here.

2. Krishji has said more or less in the same vein his bad experiences in the school. He too appears to be very bothered about the background of the teachers like they were widows deserted, wives of Government Servants (was it a disqualification?) etc., besides the fact that they were not qualaified to teach.

3. Each one here speaks from his experience. I do understand that it can only be that. Then they try to find the reasons as to why a teacher failed by doing a bit of research into their socioeconomic background-which is completely irrelevant.

4. This is how I look at it:

I am fortunate that I had my schooling under marvellous personalities who were my teachers. I studied in a nondescript, distant, sleepy agricultural, small village carefully tucked away from all modern aspects of society. The nearest contact point of civilization was Tirunelveli a town about 20 KM away. And we had an elementary School (that was how it was called those days, the equivalent these days is Primary School .The school had classes only upto 5th). There were just 2 teachers handling about 60 students with minimum facilities. Girls were hardly 20 in number. We used to sit on the floor and learn. Only after 4th class we graduated to benches. There were no desks because they were a luxury and space was limited. One teacher used to take care of first three classes and the Head Master used to take classes for the rest of the two classes. Mr. Easwaran Pillai my teacher from the 3rd class onwards was a gem of a man. He had a knack of teaching maths in simple but effective way. I learnt my basics in maths only from him and I still remember him. He used to be strict and yet friendly with the students. Once when he went on leave for one month a replacement was sent. The new gentle man was also good at singing. He used to sing songs for us in the class. He made us fish for him in the local pond. I have learnt the tricks of fishing in the Pond/irrigation tank along with my friends. Every time we gave him a Kilo or half of the most tasty fishes he used to express his happiness by hugging us all. Then I had in my 3rd class a Gomathinayakam sir who taught me how to determine directions (North, south, east and west) besides teaching me how to properly lock a lock and many other things. My parents were keenly watching my progress and my Dad used to supplement the efforts of my teachers by spending 1 hour every day on my studies with me. My dad was an excellent teacher himself.

Then I went to a Chritian Missionary school (this school was called a Higher secondary school those days and had classes upto 8th. The 8th class was called ESLC and had a Govt. Exam at the end of the academic year to clear. Here too I had great teachers. They were strict when it comes to discipline and were friendly. I had a William James sir and a janaki Wilfred Madam as teachers. They taught us well. They also taught us about Chritianity. I used to go and pray in the church every Monday all weeks in those 2 years I spent in that school. I used to go the school which was 2 km away from my village along with my friends walking to and fro. There was a jungle stream on the way and on the sands of it, on our return home, we used to play kabaddi. Invariably the playing sessions will end up in fist fights. The next it will also be forgotten and another day will start. That was the age and that was the mindset then.

Then before reaching the 8th standard I went to another distant village to my Grandmother's house where I did my classes upto SSLC in a "High School". I cannot forget my teachers in this school. Mr T.P.Gopalakrishnan, Mr. N.Balasubramanian, Mr. Appu Satagopan and Mr. Rangachary were gems. They really moulded me because I was at the age in which my basic values were being formed. They were selfless souls who did a great job. I can write a book on each one of them. All students had respect and love for those teachers. There were students who were slow learners. They used to spend extra time with them and make them come up to a higher level. I have seen these teachers' face light up when a slightly difficult nuance is picked up by a student. It was as if they lived for just that moment. They used to celebrate it. That was the kind of commitment they had for education.

I do understand that every one may not get such teachers. But then there is also responsibility devolving on the student. It is a relationship between individual teacher and individual student. Both contribute to make it meaningful and rewarding. There is no use blaming teachers alone. For clapping two hands are needed. more can be written. But it has become lengthy already.

(to be continued in just one more post)

 

[krish44]

vaagmi ji

See how you have ended up in life and how I have become.one has to see the final product to decide

now I can trace our present status and mindset to our schools, lol

 

[mkrishna100]

Yesterday I watched a DVD which was an interview with Jaggi Vasudev ( of Isha Yoga ) and he told the sad part in our Country is that Teaching job is taken by those who have been unsuccessful in getting other jobs and not because they really love the job of teaching .

Osho in one of his talks had a contrary view of President S Radhakrishnans birthday being Celebrated as the Teachers day as he was a Teacher who became a president . Osho said had Radhakrishnan went back as a teacher after his Presidency then it would have been a great respect to the teaching profession as a President became a Teacher .

In current Context I feel Government Schools and Collages have better qualified Teachers than the Private ones ( there are exceptions to this ) .

 

[Vaagmi]

vaagmi ji

See how you have ended up in life and how I have become.one has to see the final product to decide

now I can trace our present status and mindset to our schools, lol

Krishji,

we have both ended up in the same place--the TB forum. LOL. Only we had different experiences. No need to have regrets. Look at the funny side of it all and enjoy.

 

[vgane]

I studied in PSBB from Class 1 to Class 12..It is a strict school..Really liked the following teachers...

On the top is Padma Shri Mrs Y.G.Parthasarathy herself..She used to conduct English classes & it was just superb..When she speaks it used to be pin drop attention in the class..She has a gift of the gab..When she addresses the entire school in the morning her speeches were embellished by quotes from various authors, philosophers, scientists, religious preachers..The most interesting quote is " More things are wrought by prayers than this world dreams of..She is a strict administrator and disciplinarian..

I enjoyed the Friday assemblies which was a regular feature..There used to be extempore, debates, music competitions, meeting eminent people (I met JJ when I was a kid in one of the school functions)..I also met India's greatest mathematician Sakuntala Devi!

The annual day functions are gala events..Everything was meticulously planned and executed... It was a collage of Dance, Drama & Music..I really cherished the wonderful scripts, excellent visuals and lilting music

My grounding in Hinduism is because of the school..The school was secular and there used to prayers for all religions..Monday was for Lord Ganapathi, Tuesday was for Lord Muruga, Wednesday is for Jesus, Thursday for Lord Vishnu and Friday for Sakthi..There used to be an Islamic prayer too but I do not recall the day of the week for that!

We used to have actor's, actresses and politicians kids there...I guess there was Mathiazhagan's daughter also studied.., Savithri Ganesan's son was also a student there...

I once met Rajini & Kamal in one of the jamborees...Vyjayanthimala Bali used to be a regular to the school functions

Overall I enjoyed my school..I learnt a lot..I owe it to the teachers of this great school

I will continue this later to talk about other teachers whom I admire

 

[tbs]

I was reading an article in The Mint of 5th feb regarding the above subject

The writer Anurag Behar says normally four types

1Those who are financially struggling to complete 12th class and want to find a respectable job . they do 2 yr diploma in education to become primary school

teachers, they are normally poor people from lowest rungs of society. In older days even those without

qualification in the field of education such as housewives without a degree in education or widows without means of support

became primary school teachers.

2.persons who tried everything else and failed and became a teacher.

these are from higher economic strata with aspirations to become engineers , doctor and clear civil services.

Along the way , their options start closing and they end up doing BED to become teachers.BED for them is

the insurance for possibility of failure in all their aspirations

3.the common type is of women who do dip ed and BED that after marrige they can do a teaching job.. the

ideal woman balancing home and job with decent income, predictable working hours and respectable.

4 . contract teachers. those who drift into it with small salaries with short period contracts which keep

getting renewed. even these require education qualification.

most as it can be seen drift into teaching rather than choosing it as a career option. since we have Right to Education now

. Education has gone into the hands of ordinary men and women., Eight million teachers like these floating

all over the country and are further growing in numbers.

It is not realised that teaching is a complex and demanding job calling for certain dispositions, capacity and

ethical commitment,it is hardly an ordinary role.

teachers are getting used as ordinary all purpose labour for election duty, census work, ration card checking , polio

eradication,blood donation drives and any job demanded by govt agencies.

all these need to change if teacher need to perform the role of teaching.

comments

hi

i have bunch of teachers in my family....my father was a teacher in panchayat union elementary school....i was teacher in

higher secondary school...my 2 chithappas were teachers....my athai's daughter/husband both are teachers....the list goes on...

just info...i was the teacher in mylapore chennai....which is very famous english medium cbse school in chennai...

 

[JR]

My sister is a teacher. She was teaching for a long while at PSBB, T.Nagar, Chennai for the primary school. Then she qualified herself in M.A (English Lit), M.Phil and since her spoken English and vocabulary are excellent, became the HOD of the English Dept. in Ponn Vidyashram, Chennai for sometime. Unfortunately since the commute was very long, she quit the job and owing to various ailments, decided teaching primary school kids in English subject alone is easier for her and is currently teaching at Jawahar Vidyalaya in Chennai. I heard from her that to get teaching jobs these days one has to pass the SLET test which is quite tough! Although she has 20 yrs experience in teaching, she couldn't quite make the salary of those peer teachers in PSBB (who make close to Rs. 40K/month). Teaching profession is very, very demanding (except for holidays) because one has to have classroom control, correct test papers, handle parents, etc along with teaching! My sister is well reputed in Jawahar! I hope her dreams to rising up high in her career comes true in Jawahar!

 

[krish44]

For a year after PG in engg.in IIT I floated around as a research scholar doing particularly nothing much except reading

fiction in library which had a wonderful collection. when professors wanted off, we could get drawn in to lecture and

take tutorials for UG programs. Neither the students nor the stand in teacher had any interest and both would

have loved to go hostel early for evening nasta. I had a rollicking time gossiping with them and tell them the source

materials of prof s lectures and how to manage and do well in his papers if they could answer just 20 questions that

he repeated in turns in tests and exams. many thought I was their blood brother as they could get good grades

because of me.lol