My Perception of a Teacher.

Teaching is a noble profession because it shapes the character, caliber and future of an individual. But today when I look around I find students who are afraid of their teachers. Afraid to raise questions, afraid to put forward their doubts & dilemmas, afraid to be in the class. The youth today is that breed of intelligence who is tech savvy, is updated about the latest changes on a daily basis but among these you will find students/children who are highly demotivated, depressed, lacking in confidence, anxious and are in a state of trauma. The youth today faces lot of competition and is always bogged down with the pressure from their families, their own expectations and immense peer pressure. Thanks to our society that sets the norms for being a topper, a ranker and keeps the students in an incessant rat race with their dreams & aspirations, full of anxiety, unable to overcome their shortcomings and full of frustration at times.
It is the moral responsibility of that person who as a teacher enters the life of these students. A teacher's role is to guide, nurture and satisfy the mental cravings of the students with knowledge related to the subject that is being taught. Instead of this today there are teachers who are full of vengeance for their students. The reasons for this vengeance are so insignificant, like a student contradicts with your views, a students keeps questioning you or a student is over eager to express his/her knowledge over the subject. What is wrong in this? Why do the students not have freedom of expression in class? Why can't they raise their doubts? Why do they not have the right to put forward the commotion of their mind which they go through when they are learning? Were we teachers different than them when we were in our youth? Alas! if the students do all this the teachers don't approve of their behavior. They make it an ego issue and deduct their marks/ harass the students through any means accessible to them. We as teachers have the responsibility of shaping the future of our students, then why this vengeance for them?
When a teacher behaves this way, the teacher fails to understand or neglects the pain, the shock, the trauma he/she is inflicting upon a student. Many students quit many things of their choice to be in the good books of a teacher. And yet today I see many of the teachers whining and complaining that the students are not willing to learn. But how willing are you as a teacher to accept every student without any bias as he/she is. I always think - "What if someone treats my child like this?" and this "What if" has always taught me to empathize with my students and see the situation from their perspective unbiasedly without being judgmental towards them and try my level best to be of support to the students around. Being a teacher is as difficult a task as being a parent. As your children grow, you as a parent learn many bitter sweet lessons of life through them. Similarly as your students learn positively from you, your wisdom develops, you are motivated to go that extra mile for them and you too learn a lot from your students.
Majority of persons whom I meet and who are teachers have a very negative attitude towards students. I can never comprehend it, why? There is so much negativity in the class where the teacher doesn't know the essence of being a teacher. I always prefer having a lively class but never at the cost of maintaining discipline. A strict disciplinarian that I am, I always prefer silence while I teach, but with a standing instruction that in case of any doubt/ any problem, every learned person who is sitting before me can just raise the hand and I will listen positively to him/ her. In contrast I am shocked when I came to know of incidences when the teachers told the students not to ask questions or raise any sorts of doubts. How shocking this is for students who are genuinely in doubt! There is freedom of expression which means I love it the most when my students are responsive BARRING any loose talk/comments. All these years since 2005, after I began teaching I have invested myself fully for my students. But the investment which pays me millions is the emotional investment in my students. The ability to get along with them by creating a positive rapport is a trait which strengthens our relationship. Even after so many years of their graduation when my students remember me and stay in touch I beam with joy. What more reward does a teacher need!!! Most of the contacts in my phone are my students.
The motive behind sharing this is that it is not difficult to be a teacher if you learn to accept the students as you accept your children. If your children have the right to speak, question or contradict you why can't your students do that? These are the students who have achieved merit, paid fees and enrolled at your institute. Even they have the right to speak, question or contradict. If as a parent you have the responsibility of raising and nurturing your children then as a teacher you are responsible for nurturing the youth. As quoted in the image above - a teacher is never an ordinary person then why do teachers make themselves ordinary by shirking their duties, through vengeance towards students? How right it is to play with the future of your students?
At any moment whenever I remember or meet my teachers, I bow in reverence to them for teaching me the real lessons of life by educating me and eliminating my ignorance and guiding me to knowledge. They all are great teachers who nurtured, guided and shaped our personality. Why can't all be such teachers who are remembered for their goodness, for nurturing, mentoring and guiding their students. By expressing my thoughts over this topic I don't at all intend to convey that all teachers are wrong in their method/attitude towards students but as a rotten apple spoils all the other good apples - the same applies here. Neither do I mean that as a teacher you have to bear with the notorious students. NO, not at all. The notorious and indisciplined ones should be taught the lesson they deserve but not at the cost of the good and willing to learn students.
A teacher has to decide the limits - set the rules - keep your words - be sincere - create a positive rapport and be a support system for your students rather than being a tyrant in the eyes of the students. The youth today is full of frustration, anxiety, nervousness and is facing a lot of pressure. Many of them have succumbed to vices and taken up drinking, drugs, smoking and what not. Due to all these reasons students need physical and emotional safety as they are away from their parents. Be empathetic without bias towards them. Help them grow in learning, shower them with love and affection and widen their horizon through knowledge.