Monday 11 August 2014

A Teacher's Diary

It is the first day in college for my students, not for me. When I enter the classroom, I see new faces at every
corner. They stare at me mischievously and with mistrust. I can feel clearly that they are not ready to let me cross the threshold of their periphery. I am not allowed to peep into their world at any cost. After all, they are stubborn teenagers. Anyway, our first session, the introductory session, begins as usual. I get some bits of information from each of them. Some discussion on the course outline and the class is over.

Our regular classes commence from the next day. Gradually the teacher-students rapport starts to improve. With each passing day, we come closer. I know scores of things about them. We share our interests, happiness, problems, aims, birthdays and things like that.

We are like a family. Among them, some are aspiring writers, some are poets, some are artists, some are singers, some are dancers and some are orators. They are a creative bunch of people.

For me, they are varieties of beautiful flowers in my garden. In each face I find an intimate family member. Many of them are my source of inspiration. They touch my heart deep down. Really, my students are wonderful. They are full of new ideas. Sometimes they come up with such spectacular things that I cannot help gaping and gasping.

It is not true that all students are equally attentive and responsive when study comes. Some of them never trouble me. They do all assignments sincerely. They raise sensible questions and always make the lessons more lively and interesting with their active participation.

Nevertheless, others talk too much while classes are on progress. Their minds travel somewhere else all the time. There are some who respond to me if I insist, otherwise they sit quietly.

I consider this individual differences is normal. My treatment to all is the same. I believe I never show discriminatory nature because everyone of them is equally dear to me. I accept them as they are, with their strengths and weaknesses.

Supporting each other in teaching-learning process, one day we come to the end of the course. I wonder how quickly time flies away. We spent the whole year together in a blink and now we are going to depart soon.

Ah...a painful feeling. Today is the last class. My heart is heavy and eyes are tearful. My lovely students will not be in my class from tomorrow. We bid farewell. I offer my good wishes for their bright future. They promise to contact me regularly and not to forget too. I am happy for them that they are moving forward in their life.

The story is not over here anyway. Now I eagerly look forward to seeing a new lot of students with strange faces for the next session.This cycle goes on as long as I am in teaching profession.

(Published in an English Daily The Kathmandu Post on Thursday, June 29, 2006)

[The pictures on this blog are posted here with permission from their owners or have been gathered from various sources on the Internet. If you are the copyright-holder to any of the photographs herein do not hesitate to contact me. They will be swiftly removed if desired so.]
    


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I would appreciate any and all suggestions on making improvements (as long as they are viable).