On Being A Teacher.


I started my career as a teacher in 2003. I must confess I could never teach much. I only learned, about life, about people and about school, a place where I spent most of my time during the day. I have recieved a lot of love for the work I have done, from my collegues, seniors, friends and above all from my young partners in the classrooms. They would come to me and tell me "Ma'am, you are so nice." It feels good to be a 'nice teacher'.


               One of the major tasks that teachers all over the world have to perform is the 'correction' of 'work' done by 'students'. I have three problems with the whole process.First, I can never think of the tiny faces staring at me eagrely as just 'STUDENTS'. They are children, the young ones of the species I belong to. Hence, they are special and every single one of them is unique in their own way ( just like all other life forms on planet Earth) . This leads us to the second problem.


               Since they are all unique, how can the same kind of 'WORK' interest all of them? From my point of view the whole process of education starts looking like slavery. I do agree there are basic things such as the 3R s that every individual must learn... Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic. But life holds much more than that for the young ones to explore.


                 The last in the series of problems is the term 'CORRECTION'. I struggled a lot with that part. The time I was spending sitting there 'CORRECTING' the notebooks could be spent far better if I could talk and listen to or may be play with those enegetic little beings inside the classrooms. I realised this quiet early in my career. Every step that I am taking now aims at making the lives of our children a little better.

Why 'I' Am Not You And You Are Not 'Me'.

Individual differences that make us what we are.


Each of us is different and unique. What makes us so? The secret is in our genetic inheritance and the learning that happens in our respective environments. Even though two children are placed in the same environment, they perceive it differently. You might find examples around you. Your siblings, incase you have any, will be completely differently from you. Thus, even when adequate material is available as our heriditary or innate capacities and environmental characteristics, there will be a wide range of individual differences. The pace at which each one will develope and express the changes will also vary. But there is a catch in the situation. Both genetic endowment and environment can over rule each other. A not so genetically endowed person might progress much when provided with a stimulating and well balanced environment, whereas a good genetic makeup might get overruled by  poor environment in which the child is growing. Hence, it becomes very important to provide our children with an enriching environment which gives them a feeling of peace and the understanding that every thing around them is in harmony with their organism. 

IT ALL RUNS IN THE FAMILY!!

Our children are our own creation. To put it in Kahlil Gibran's words, "They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself... You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth."

Of all the traits and features that make up our personality, a lot can be attributed to our Genes.It is termed as Heredity in developmental terms. Here are a few characteristics that are influenced by our genes.


Physical traits- physical appearance, height, weight etc.


Intelligence- many genes, each with its own small effect, combine to create an overall influence on intelligence. Thus, making us unique and different even from our parents!


Personality- behaviour, temperament, emotional make up etc.

All these characteristics are further affected and molded by the environment we provide to our children. Thus, even when we go out to choose a school for our little ones, we have to make sure the atmosphere at school is at least a little similar to that at home. The child will adjust well in such a situation.