Tuesday, March 31, 2009
There is Something about Teaching...
Worth a read, even if you've read it before:-
Some dinner guests were discussing life. One man, a CEO, explained the problem with education: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher? You know what they say about teachers: 'Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.' " He turned to a guest and said, "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?" Bonnie replied, "You want to know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 minutes without an iPod, GameBoy or movie rental. I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them have respect. I make them take responsibility for their actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write. I make them read, read, read. I make them show their work in math. I make them use their brains. I make students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe. I make my students stand and place their hand over their heart when they say the Pledge of Allegiance. I make them understand that if they use their gifts, work hard, and follow their heart, they can succeed in life. And then, when people try to judge me by my salary, because I know money isn't everything, I hold my head up high and ignore their ignorance. So what do I make? I make a difference! And what do you make, Mr. CEO?" There was no response.
I had got this e-mail forward a few years ago and I was "doing" something in industry then. I was in full agreement with this. Bonnie might be real or fictitious character, does not matter to me, but I am real, and I face similar questions from people. People laugh at my foolishness. "Why you have chosen this 'job', when you can get so many better jobs with your qualifications? Why can't you go back to Ittiam?". People are ready to believe any other answer except the true reason for coming to this profession. For most in this society, teaching 'job' is the last resort. I get a surprise, when people whom I thought to be sensible talk this way. They do not understand that without their teachers they wouldn't have been what they are now. It is true that for some teachers, teaching is a 'job'. In every field, there are people who take a job as job and others who take it as passion.
In 2006, when I left the industry for higher studies, some had laughed at me, for leaving such a lucrative 'job', but then they came up with explanations such as, "May be after addition of a 'degree' she'll get paid better, that's why she is doing this." I did not give any clarifications. I did not go there for a degree, I went there because I realized my limits. B.E. is not at all sufficient to quench one's thirst for knowledge. When I worked as research assistant at IISc, I do not know what they thought, they must've had unanswered questions.
For me, even in industry, work was passion. It is not that I did not like industry. It is just that I love this more. There I used to interact with machines more, here I interact with humans more. Machines respond only technically-if I write a program, they give the output. Humans are much more expressive and lively. Yes, it is obvious, but many times we miss the obvious. We often end up loving materials more than people; nothing wrong, it is one's personal choice. This is my 'choice': sharing what I know, learning along with them, finding answers for my doubts and their doubts, being on my toes all the time as we have day by day basis deadlines which can't be slipped. We must be careful while taking leave, as we can't waste some 50 odd people's time. We must arrange for alternate classes. In addition we have lot of administration work. You see, it is not as easy as it looks from outside. I enjoy it. Right now, it looks as if this is what I wanted. (Opinion may change later.) I respect my teachers, I respect this profession. It is only adding to my self respect. I love my students, like a teacher must. I respect them like a friend and love like a sister too. I am emotional like any other human and I find no shame in admitting it. As long as no one can take advantage of my emotions, it is fine. I am emotional about every class. I make notes, modify it twice, think while traveling, think while teaching and think about how I taught and what I spoke. There are times when I get momentarily angry with them and shout. Interesting thing is, they do not feel bad. They know why I tell them what I tell. They are quite innocent (relatively innocent) who think that they are not. I laugh at their stupidity, I laugh at my own stupidity more often, who knows? it may be my stupidity to think that they are more innocent!
I believe that undergrad education is for shaping the character of a person. Hence I keep talking about other things too. I urge them to develop their own set of principles, a philosophy for life. I urge them to be honest with themselves and others. It is nice to see the results of my work. I try hard to make them realize that more than numbers, what they learn about various things-technical or nontechnical-is what matters. I think some of them realize it faster, but all of them ultimately will.
It is time to change the phrase as "Those who can, teach"; and we, the teachers, are not here to comment about "those who can't". Our job is to make our students think, "I can do whatever I want to".
Comments:
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Standing ovation to your article. Excellent. If people can come to teaching by choice rather than by chance, what better can society ask for?
Glad to know that u despise rote learning and advocate the importance of conceptual clarity.
Are u still actively researching novel ideas in Ur field? I am sure u will make every attempt to bridge the gap between industry & academia .
Are u still actively researching novel ideas in Ur field? I am sure u will make every attempt to bridge the gap between industry & academia .
# posted by 
: 5:15 PM, April 03, 2009
: 5:15 PM, April 03, 2009
Amazing article and I agree to each and every word of it. It just reminds me my all time favorite professor Dr. S.J. Bhat when I was doing B.E in MIT Manipal. Teaching was passion for him. Good Luck and keep the same good spirit.
# posted by : 8:21 PM, April 03, 2009
: 8:21 PM, April 03, 2009
Really inspiring article I must say! Apart from making all that, you make me envy you!!! I aspire to be a worthy teacher... maybe at some point in time!
Thanks for all the compliments...I don't think I am really doing anything great..In RVCE, there are much more inspiring teachers.
I was a little hesitant to write such a blog initially for the reasons stated in the previous post. But then, I am fortunate to have good students who are much more matured than I thought. I dedicate all these compliments to my beloved students.
I was a little hesitant to write such a blog initially for the reasons stated in the previous post. But then, I am fortunate to have good students who are much more matured than I thought. I dedicate all these compliments to my beloved students.
I had a prof. venkatakrishnan who used to say " exams are not there to prove or disprove, they are there for us to improve!". I liked it, I am sure most students will, irrespective of their performance :)
# posted by : 11:13 AM, April 10, 2009
: 11:13 AM, April 10, 2009
My uncle completed his PhD worked in AT&T bel labs for ore than 5 years and came back to india and joined a primary school as a teacher. Dow aht you love. Teaching is my passion too.
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