Lessons Learnt By An Educator
“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
With years and experience comes wisdom. I look back at my life and wish I had the understanding that I now have.
As an only daughter in a middle-class family, love surrounded me. My two brothers were academically brilliant and were allowed no concessions, and were always urged to study and achieve excellence.
I was the pampered one, never told to study and struggled through school life in Maths. I finally started doing well once I moved to senior school and could choose the subjects of my choice.
Fortunately for me, the motivation to emulate my brother’s success was so strong that I was soon on the right track, and started achieving laurels in academics.
Being a voracious reader then, I read books that I would procure from the lending library in the vicinity. The moment I finished reading the book, I would rush back to reissue a new one. The thicker the edition, the more engrossed was I in the plot, and till I had completed the novel that was the world, I was submerged in.
Books were my window to the world, and I spent all my free time pouring over whatever I could lay my hands on. Enid Blyton to Agatha Christie, Perry Mason, Chase, P. G Wodehouse were some of the authors I read vociferously.
Books transported me into a fantasy world, exposing me to a plethora of vocabulary and characters. The joy of being submerged in books is incomparable and a source of great happiness too. Books gave me solace and were my best friends.
I began to write, and my English teacher in Loreto, who was an Irish nun motivated a timid and reticent child, to emerge out of her shell and be creative in my writings.
The constant failing in maths had brought down my self-confidence, and I was quiet and shy beyond normal, keeping to myself and spending time engrossed in my books.
A good teacher motivates the child and builds up their self-esteem. Unfortunately, we tend to label children not realising its unfair to the child as every one of us has different cycles of learning.
In my years as a teacher and administrator, I was accused of being too lenient.
I learnt to assess the child and compare his achievement to his previous efforts and applauded the improvement.
Reach out, give that extra time, look out for what they know and not for what they don’t.
What seems simple to one, maybe difficult for the others. Give each student the concessions they need and they will blossom.
Encourage students to read for its multiple benefits of increasing empathy, building vocabulary, reducing stress, mental stimulation, memory improvement, better writing skills, confidence, and character building.
An underachiever suffers from low self-esteem. Give them the opportunities to succeed, look into their eyes, talk to them, give them the extra time and attention they need, and lo-and-behold you have made them into winners.
Teachers are magicians. They can make the process of learning favourable as it should be.
As a parent, despite the lack of time, we extend ourselves for our family. Similarly, as a teacher, we must do the same for our students.
A good teacher is able to mould attitudes and imbibe positivity in students.
A little pat on the back, an encouraging smile, a hug, bestowing responsibility and lots of love are the key to success.
The initial years in a school are the most important, and the teacher is significant in creating and building the right attitudes in students. A extra effort initially helps make a connection with a child. With patience and encouragement, you will invoke the interest and desire to learn.
I have always measured my success as a teacher by the number of non-performers I have converted and made into confident achievers.
As a school administrator, I came across some staff members who were hard-working and others who shirked work. The hard-working got saddled with more responsibilities, and the ‘hardly working’ successfully avoided taking on difficult assignments.
Reflecting, I know I was wrong. Every person has potential, and by not compelling them, I was doing them and the institution a disservice. So refrain from falling into that trap.
Inclusion is so essential in the process of decision making. Empower and give teachers and students the importance they deserve.
Every person, however, unimportant will have something to contribute. Listen to them even if you don’t feel the necessity.
The teacher in the classroom understands the pulse of the class, and there can be nobody wiser than her. She can predict what strategy will work or not work, so do not brush her judgement aside.
In our constant bid to improve and generate change, in schools, we appoint consultants who come equipped with theoretical expertise and knowledge. They must assess the existing systems, take adequate feedback from the management, teachers, and students before formulating change. It should be done judiciously with the purpose and intent shared.
Reflecting on the many years, I have spent as a teacher; I wish I had more time to do fun things with my students. We tend to get curriculum-driven and lose out on the pleasures of learning and facilitating.
If I were to go back in time, I would encourage primary schools to allocate more time to free play. Children, at play, learn all the life skills necessary to be creative, unique, independent, social, healthy, active, and robust individuals.
We, as educators, have a very important role to play. It is imperative we empower our students with knowledge, social skills, curiosity, agility, adaptability, initiative, and the aptitude to solve problems.
We, as educators, have the responsibility to develop in our students a passion for learning. This passion should never cease to grow and should enable them to be the change-makers of tomorrow.
