EVERGREEN PROFESSION: TEACHING

“Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, calibre, and future of an individual. If the people remember me as a good teacher that will be the biggest honour for me.” – Dr A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.

This is the most important time of the year. All the results are declared, students are busy in choosing their career. In India, there is a general rush towards Medical/Engineering courses.

While the most brilliant students go for IITs or Medical courses in reputed colleges, other settle down with a seat in private Engineering colleges. Very few students opt for General Science, Commerce and Arts.

When most of the students want to join professional courses, very few want to become teachers. Better to say that teaching as a profession is considered last: more so by compulsion.

Isn’t it a sad state of affairs? India needs millions of teachers. According to the reports of UNESCO, India’s teacher crisis is little less than Nigeria’s. Every professional college needs teachers/professors. Every vocational college needs teachers and instructors. Every college, high school, primary school are in need of teachers. There are also reports that India doesn’t have enough number of good teachers and Professors at every level. Then why there is no rush to become a good teacher?

The reluctance probably lies in the social status of a teacher. A low paid salary and a disciplined life…no one want!! There is no distinction between paid time and unpaid time of work. A teacher works almost always, either physically or mentally. Hard work indeed but still less glamorous than an Engineer or a Doctor!!

Now, it’s time to call for creating an undercurrent among the mass to take up teaching as a profession. Good students should take up this social responsibility to educate our next generation. Again, If we go through the survey reports of UNESCO which says the abysmal condition of teaching and learning in most of the Government primary schools. A sixth-grade student cannot read a second-grade textbook! The level of understanding of Mathematics and Science is abnormally low. The capability of students to learn the language, frame a sentence is shamefully low.

The various lucrative career options could not drag good students towards teaching. As a result, the quality of teachers degraded over the years. The failure of subsequent Governments to think about the quality of primary and higher education, infrastructural facilities to schools and colleges lowered the dignity of the teaching profession. There must be a social drive to convey the positive sides of a teaching career.

• A teacher is a social creature, connected to society, committed to social responsibilities. Noble profession, isn’t it?
• A teacher is a surrogate parent for students. Teaching discipline, punctuality, inculcating moral values are part of the teaching job.
• There is a lot of scope for freedom. Prepare your own models. Innovate methods to teach any topic, help students in completing projects etc. You are the boss of your classroom. Isn’t that fantastic?
• Interacting with the young curious mind is fun itself. You, as a teacher, get a chance of shaping the future of the country. Educating fresh minds, showing them the right path, exploring their ideas in the best possible way will help the nation to progress.
• While teaching others, you also develop good qualities. You learn to be disciplined, always seek for knowledge, develop leadership quality because sometimes your students depend on the decision you take.
• You teach the future engineers, doctors, lawyers, scientists, accountants, poets and other teachers
• You become a role model for several hundreds and thousands of future citizens of the country
• A teacher meets thousands in a lifetime, parents list includes the richest to the most struggling. It’s a good opportunity to know people and the society. Realise the change the society is facing if yu are for a long time in teaching.
• Not all get the opportunity to shape young minds. Teaching others, gives your heart and mind, a unique kind of pleasure and satisfaction
• If you join teaching, gradually, with experience, you will find a purpose of your life. Life is all about purpose and passion. Teaching in this way the most fulfilling job.
• The opportunity to mix with people of many types- culturally, religiously. You can have a closer look to life, you come to know about life, people and problems.
• Moreover, you do not forget what you have learnt in your school and college days. Teaching needs a lot of reading. In this way, you can keep yourself upgraded about your subject.
• Young students are always smart when it is about new gadgets, new style or anything that is new in the market. You have to know everything to tackle them. So you remain smart all through your life.
• There are so many new methods to apply while teaching. Many innovations you can do with your teaching methodology. Teaching is so challenging that it keeps you busy with a new problem every day.
• Nowadays, teaching is multifaceted. Teach, guide for projects, keep track of students, study their behaviour, counsel and then write a report on every student.
• Identify weak learners and try to do your best teaching for them.
• Hence, teaching has many benefits that you won’t get in other professions.
• You will never scared of losing your job if you are a good teacher. There will be schools and colleges. Society will not ban education any day. So this is a job where you are super secure.

Be creative, transform lives, contribute in building a civilised society, spread knowledge, help poor, be a role model, inspire, ignite the hunger of acquiring knowledge.

BE THE CHANGE

BE A TEACHER

‘True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create their own’                                                                                                                                                   – Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek writer and Philosopher.