Perks of being a teacher #2

There is a lot more to this job (like I said before).  As teachers, we come across different kids- the intelligent ones, the weak ones, the bright ones, the ones with presence of mind, the ones who are good at Math, the ones who like Literature. But we forget that the ‘weak ones’ might be good at dancing, singing or calligraphy or theater. If not these, then those kids might be good at responding to a stimulus that is gentle.

The other day, while I was correcting notebooks, I was caught unawares by the voice of my colleague, who was sitting right next to me. She was probably trying to scold a kid who was playing with the stones on the ground. And the kid’s response was altogether worse. He made a face at the teacher and ran away. Co-incidentally, that kid was in my class.

Generally, I am polite and gentle in my ways when I have to scold him because I had read somewhere that using harsh words can harm the relationship between the teacher and the student. That particular day when I asked him about the morning incident, he did not reply but started crying. “Everybody thinks that I can only do mischief. My classmates don’t play with me as they think I am bad at it. Teachers don’t want to listen to me. Parents don’t have time for me,” is what he said.

I realised that the poor child had been bearing the brunt all this while. And if not for him, it was, definitely, a learning for me.

As teachers, we can help the children run in the mind- boggling race of life. Support and polite tone is what these kids seek; respect and care is what we can give them.