This Teacher’s Day, we asked some questions from the teachers of tricity to know more about them and their thoughts. Every teacher teaches us something that we hold onto and cherish for life. They act as our guides, mentors, friends, and even parent at times. They always wish the best for us and are there at each step of our journey.
In these tough times, they are our heroes and we salute each and every one of them who adapted to this new normal.
We asked the following questions:
1. What is the best and worst part of teaching?
2. Any memorable experience with the students.
3. If you can pass on any wisdom to the students, what will it be?
4. If not teaching, which other profession would you choose and why?
5. How easy/difficult it was to adapt to online teaching because of the lockdown?
The answers are:
There are so many memorable moments with my dear students. But one moment that I will never forget is when my students made time to celebrate my birthday even when they were busy attending a mathematics conference. The students played many games, danced to music and ate cake. Celebrating such moments with them makes me feel like I’m reliving my childhood again and this is the best part of our profession. I will always remember the way they praised me and some said that they considered me as their inspiration. After this gesture, I felt that I am giving full justice to my profession. Another memory is when a student shared her personal problem with me and wanted my suggestion. This gave me immense happiness that my students not only like me as teacher but also consider me as a good mentor with whom they can share their problems. These sweet memories complete me as a teacher. Love to all my students.
Chitra, MCM DAV College, Chandigarh
Young minds full of dreams! Ideally, they should be, but alas! The throes of changing times snub the creative aspect of every aspiring clean slate of knowledge. Even before a child is able to discover the colour of the sky or appreciate the song of the birds, they are made to recite by rote that the sky is blue. Knowledge is there in plenty for those who seek it, not only in classrooms which are now becoming redundant, but out there in every walk of life. What you need is an open, receptive mind; a clear heart and the ability to walk with your head held high. Nowadays, these things are taught less in homes and educational institutions as the race is to ace the exams and not to become a humane individual.
Practice the art of listening, introspect in silence with a serene mind, learn to give, be humbled, respect all irrespective of age, pause in every situation that is about to bring out the worst in you and above all, love yourself and everything around you.
Manmohan Litt, Yadavindra Public School, Mohali
The best and worst part of teaching:
Let me start this piece by saying that teaching is not only interesting but also exciting, and it is a special skill which is in you or has to be practiced. It’s not lucrative but is a noble job. It’s mundane in a way, but we have the steering wheel to steer the pupils the way we deem fit. Students observe you and you can’t hide yourself, but you can alter your style and language to win this game. Students can find faults but you can remain unperturbed by your patience and faith. Follow up is the greatest tool. I feel teaching can become a colourful profession if you hold it and the children in high esteem. You have to come prepared, which requires effort. Checking can be a pain and backlog is a bigger pain. Argumentative students can unsettle you. You have to play the part of a motivator, father, policeman and judge, which is not easy for a non-serious teacher. Having said that, teaching is not impossible and winning too is visibly possible. All it requires is an honest heart. Students who don’t know how to salute will learn to.
Karamjeet Singh Grewal, via email
If not teaching, I would choose nursing. Nursing is about being a mother to her patients, which requires love, support, care and guidance. Teaching is also very relatable to nursing. A nurse helps the doctor and makes things easier for him/her. A nurse is called ‘Sevika’ as she takes care of the patients with love and kindness. A nurse is a community helper of our society and so are the teachers. I believe that there is nothing greater than to serve our community and our country. The best part nursing is that only women can choose this profession, which reflects today’s women empowerment.
Sunanda Bal, Krishnagar Public School (KPS)
For me, the best part about teaching is being constantly in touch with the young energy on the campus. I don’t think there’s anything negative about teaching. I have enjoyed every bit of it and there are many memorable experiences about it. From students randomly calling you years after leaving college, to them coming to you asking for advice both on academic and personal matters; it is a very satisfying experience to be able to help them develop personally and professionally.
If I have to pass on any wisdom to my students, I would tell them to focus on not just academics, but also on holistic personality development. Confidence, people skills and perseverance will really take them very far.
Q: How easy/difficult it was to adapt to online teaching because of the lockdown?
I think, if you know your subject and know what you wish to deliver to the students, it won’t be difficult to adapt to the online mode of teaching. One has to be a little more creative to keep the students engaged because there is no direct interaction and you don’t receive immediate student feedback, but it’s not that difficult. In fact, I enjoy the challenge.
Divya Jyoti Randev, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma (GGDSD) College, Chandigarh
The best of teaching is that we learn new things daily and students encourage us to do same things differently, in a creative manner. One memorable experience is when a class 9 student transformed and managed to excel. The child was very naughty, never completed his homework and disturbed the whole class, but in peer learning, he was appointed as leader of a group. This made him sincere and made him excel. If I have to pass on any wisdom to the students, I would tell them to do more, be critical, indulge in creative thinking, think out of the box and avoid rote learning.
Rajeev Kumar, Govt Model Sr Sec School, Sector 23, Chandigarh
With virtual classes ranging anywhere from 2 to 6 hours a day, it is not just the students but also the teachers who are adapting to this new ‘normal’. We have been attending a lot of webinars on how online teaching and learning can be made easy and glitch-free for both teachers and students. It looks and sounds promising but we are the ones to experience it first hand and it isn’t that simple as it sounds. We face issues with technology and infrastructure, such as inconsistent WiFi speed and gadget malfunctioning. As I teach mathematics, it is very difficult to make students understand the concept and takes a lot of time. In addition, the satisfaction that comes while teaching in person is much greater than teaching online. Our lifestyles, too, have become very sedentary. Extended screen time is a health hazard for us. We are hopeful that this situation is temporary.
Manisha Singla, MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh
If you can pass any wisdom to the students, what it will be? A very worthwhile question, as every teacher has many things to give to his/her students. But someone has rightly said that we can give only what we have, so I hope to pass on the quality of patience. If one has this quality, then half of the battle is won itself. One should be patient while studying and writing answers; with siblings and schoolmates; and most of all be patient while listening to others. So, my dear students, be patient when you want to take some decision for yourself, because you are the one who will lead your family and your country. Just like flowing water, keep moving on and slowly, the obstacles will start changing their path themselves.
Amita Antil, Kendiya Vidyalaya Sangthan
The best part of teaching for me has been the minimal workload and
the freedom that comes with the role. In today’s fast-paced world, teaching is
one of the few jobs that gives you the privilege of pausing to reflect. For me,
that meant a lot of time to do things that I liked, to invest in goals and to
cater to loved ones. Additionally, teaching a subject like literature gave me
the opportunity to plan my classes with creativity and make the classroom
conducive for discussions. Lastly, being a teacher gave me a chance to have a
positive impact on my students, be it ever so small.
A classroom needs equal participation from both the students and the teacher.
The worst part of teaching for me has been not able to form a bond with my
pupils. When students don’t take any interest in the class, teaching feels like
chore.
Bhaskar Sharma, Panjab University Regional Centre
The best part of teaching is to remain in contact of young students and motivate them to be good at all the things they deal with. I don’t find anything bad in it. Each day becomes memorable when I interact with my students.
I want them to be independent in their views and decision and want to teach them life skills, which are missing these days. They should have the courage and knowledge to see the good and bad aspects of each phase of life.
Online teaching was a different mode but I think teachers have the quality to adapt to the challenge very quickly. So, online teaching too became easy for me. Of course the work is more as the reaction and expressions of students are not visible.
Neela Pawar, MCM DAV College, Chandigarh
A teacher is a learner forever. Teaching gives new horizons to the knowledge of the teacher. It also gives an immense satisfaction of being an essential contributor in nation building. There is no bad part in teaching.
I always cherish the moments when students applaud the efforts we put in to make them understand the difficult parts of the curriculum.
I would like each and every student to know that learning is a pleasure and not a burden. Students must focus more on grabbing knowledge with a positive mindset. Student life is the most cherishable part of life, so make the most of it by widening your vision, develop a good hobby, enjoy good music, read good books and make time to appreciate nature. Lastly, study to empower yourself.
Neha Kundra, RIMT World School
DC Model teachers are tech savvy and due to this we were able to roll with the punches of online teaching and adapt as per the need. Strong cooperation among the teachers, an open mindset, sharing knowledge and expertise carried along everyone on this journey. We left no stone unturned to give the best to our students in an interesting manner. When a teacher meets a student physically, a connection is established, but now I have learned to build that connection with the content delivery in an effective manner to ensure the presence as well as participation of my students in the class. The present crisis has made both students and staff stronger as a group of people. I do miss the hustle and bustle of school life, the laughter and the interaction. The challenge is definitely not having that contact, but still the school community has grown tighter. We have learned to find opportunity in adversity. We, the teachers are warriors of the present time, safeguarding the future of our generations and making sure that our children emerge from this lockdown- physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically stronger.
Manisha Negi, DC Model School, Panchkula
I have been teaching Class 10 in Mount Carmel School since 25 years. Being a language teacher, I try to counsel my students from time-to-time along with regular academic teaching. Though, I never thought that my students are even seriously listening to me, but I took it as my duty. Later, I realised that it’s the effort that matters. Around 3 years ago, one of my students scored really well in Class 10. I was really surprised and happy when her parents came to me with a token of appreciation and they gave full credit to me for her brilliant performance because they never expected that it would happen and it was only the counselling that helped her score well. I never did so for the sake of any credit but when students come to me and tell that whatever I told them helped them be a better person, I feel that my purpose has been fulfilled and it makes me feel really good and successful as a teacher. That is why; teaching is not only a profession, but a passion for me.
Sarita Pahuja, Mount Carmel School, Chandigarh
According to me, the best part of teaching is that teachers get the opportunity to shape and take a student’s career to meaningful path. We help them develop good social skills so that they can become responsible and helpful persons. It is rightly said that teachers work as a role model for their students. Students always copy the ways their teacher looks, talks, smiles, etc. Hence, before furnishing good habits in our own students it is essential that one should develop such habits, because students will copy them. As a teacher teaches the subject over which he/she holds mastery, then this profession becomes their passion rather than a burden.
Nowadays, due to the upcoming generation, teaching is becoming difficult. Now, students don’t respect their teachers, they argue with them. Rather, I say that they are short tempered and don’t have that much patience to understand somebody else’s feelings and emotions. Due to the lack of these skills, sometimes it becomes tough for teachers to handle such students.
Dr Sumita, Mount Carmel School, Sector 47B, Chandigarh
Sharing a single memorable experience, when you have a lot is somewhat difficult. I remember the various times I felt blessed to have such obedient students who used to wait for class, even if there was a function in the college. Teacher’s birthdays are celebrated like it is some huge occasion. Students dance, sing and showcase their talents. That time is an awesome experience when your student achieves something great and they make you feel that you are the reason behind that success. When students share different experiences, it feels good to know that they are not only learning a subject, but also learning to be a good human being in your class.
Geetika Gupta, Panjab University, Chandigarh
The best part of teaching is that we are able to contribute in building future citizens, society and nation. However, the worst part is that teachers are underpaid and not acknowledged by higher authorities.
There is one memorable experience when one intelligent student of 2019 batch fell sick and was not recovering. I started motivating her and reminded her to make the most of every situation. Miraculously, she recovered and is doing well in life.
Passing on wisdom to students, I would tell them to be independent and self sufficient by working on every aspect of your life. Contribute, be a giver rather than a taker. Finally, it is your humility and integrity that counts!
Teaching is not just sharing of knowledge and information. It is beyond that. It is developing the right attitude in the students.
Geeta Mehra, MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh
Ten years ago, I retired as a teacher. I am fortunate that I got to spend a good amount of time with students. What I feel is that the students who perform poorly in exams are generally more intelligent. They struggle due to the lack of help. Nowadays, due to the pandemic, all students and teachers are facing a tough time in online classes.
Reena Arora, via email
For me, the best part of teaching in interacting with students and gaining and spreading knowledge, which keeps one energetic. I personally find nothing bad in teaching.
A memorable experience with the students is last year’s Teachers Day Celebration. It was amazing and will be missed this year.
Being a mathematics teacher, I would advice my students that if a problem occurs in life, first analyse it with full concentration and then patiently reach the conclusion.
If not teaching, I would choose the profession of doctor.
Dr Leetika, MCM DAV College, Chandigarh
Being a teacher is the greatest thing in the world. One is blessed to be a teacher and this joy grows everyday, every year. The best part is the curiosity ,the smile, the expectations of young faces as you enter the classroom. These exuberant faces motivate you to deliver to the best of your capability. Rather, you grow in your life as you interact with the young minds. There is an urge to work harder and better every day. When these young boys and girls step out into the world and do well, you feel proud that you have played a small part in their growth. Every moment in the classroom is memorable. It is a profession that gives you respect and lots of love. It is a very honorable profession and I am glad that I am a part of this fraternity that chisels the future citizens.
Dr. Kanwalpreet, DAV College, Sector 10D, Chandigarh.
Difficulties faced while adopting online teaching during the pandemic was yet another challenge for the unsung warriors. In today’s time, the technology has made us its puppets and our lives are undoubtedly dependent upon this feigned world. The concept of online teaching was initially a righteous step but can’t replace the phenomenal classroom. Neither the students nor the teachers relish, though they are interacting live but the ethical learning goes on missing. There are many factors because of which the gap lies, such as children being at home experience a homely environment and are not able to connect their minds to the subject’s core, technical glitches. Surely one neglected aspect is that the crucial discipline required in a learner stage is suffering which impacts in unenthusiastic terms. So the fighters are in their field and will win this battle as they are trained to teach the young buds and everyday they fight to make these diamonds crystal clear. From a teacher to all the teachers, Happy Teacher’s Day!!
Dr Pooja Sharma, Mehr Chand Mahajan Dav College For Women, Chandigarh
