When I was in high school I got to know how my teachers started their profession teaching. I learnt that the teachers who were teaching us did not choose to become a teacher. In fact, I was shocked to hear them say when there was NO option left for getting a job they ended up teaching. It is painful though. But one has to analyse this situation carefully.
Why would such a noble profession be treated this way. All bright students are interested in getting a fat pay check after they graduate and settle peacefully. Because people are forgetting the ladders they are using. One day we will be left with no good ladders to hep us out.
We (especially Indians) would be very happy to work as employee in Google than creating one in India (Even though we have more talent and ability to create one). During my course of life I have seen teachers of various calibre. Right from a single teacher who teaches the whole day for a particular class students(who would sit on a floor under thatched roof) to teacher who teaches flawlessly in a air conditioned class with projector, mic, laser pen, etc.
As Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam remarked in one of his statement in vision 2020. We need very good task force (Youth) so that they will build the nation as stronger power. Those youth force are possibly school students now. To build such a youth force we need good teachers to train them. In order to develop good teachers we must have good teaching institutes. Especially elementary or high school level and more specifically teachers in primary schools.
In our society/education they suppress the free thinking of an individual to try out new things or think innovative. This always happens. Most of the time in most of the board/school exams pupil are being tested on their ability to remember(and recollect/write) rather than understand that apply the knowledge learnt. This experience taught me few important things that are lacking/happening in most of the boards across state.
- Lack of (or minimal) class room interaction(teacher-student interaction).
- Lack of Non-Direct or Thinking questions in Exams / Quizzes
- Incomplete or Inadequate or Incorrect knowledge transfer.
Most of my pre-IIT class rooms were sort of above things. I exactly know what is missing in other Institutes. Although I can not change the mentality of other teachers across other institutes. I can impart this culture in other schools / colleges students by encouraging them to ask Question and think creatively.
Similarly, there are two kind of students.
- Students who evolve through book or with any teacher are in need of guidance.
- Exceptional students with not so extraordinary teachers are being suppressed.
We must not let down these kinds of students. A Good teacher can guide them in the right path. So whom do we call as a Good Teacher?
- is not the one who teaches everything in the book.
- Who inspires the student to learn, understand and think,
- who need not teach everything. But whatever they teach must be clear to students.
Why should I be teaching?
I can not do something that I don't like to do. And I can not do something that I am not happy doing it. However I get the sense of accomplishment and satisfactory feeling when I am sharing my knowledge with others. And I am really happy to doing(teach) it. I can be a better teacher. I can teach them in a way that I wanted things to have taught that way for me. I can make students who can be a better knowledgeable persons. I can inspire them to do research/invent stuffs. I can even inspire them to become teachers. Therefore this goes as a drop into APJ's vision. By doing a PhD I can prove to the world that I am patient enough and capable of doing research. And it also tells people that I can invent/discover new things on my own and also teach grad students.
Anyone can do anything. However,
If I do not do it, who else can do it better.
