Was It Worth It?

Every now and then I feel that I had chosen the wrong profession. Why hadn’t I chosen to be a journalist, an RJ, a novelist, a translator-- why did I become a teacher?
I remember my post graduate years when there were discussions about our career options and I used to vehemently declare I’d never become a teacher even if I had to starve to death… The reason was that as a student I was notoriously obnoxious and decided that I’d do anything but deal with students like ‘me’. Well, Fate has this funny way of laughing at you and there I was, well into my 13th year of teaching.
Why did I opt to be a teacher?
I suppose I should admit one thing- I became a teacher because I had opted to be one. Well, I was not in it for money… God knows I, like all my colleagues all over the world, was underpaid for the mammoth task I had undertaken.
Glamour? Covered with chalk dust and lugging piles of books, trying not to degenerate into hysterics…? Hah! Fat chance!
The joy of spreading knowledge?Who am I kidding? I know that for every achiever feathering my teaching cap, there were dozens who gave me nightmares…or sleepless nights!
Then why was I a teacher?
I guess I know why, inside my heart, when…
…I saw light dawning on a few faces at last when I got through to them.
…I shared light-hearted moments with my students while I let them relax and ‘interact’ in class.
…While travelling by train suddenly a young man or a pretty lady came near me and asked me, “Are you a teacher?” “Did you teach in…?”And then… “Ma’am…I was your student! Are you still a teacher?”
Then follows a wonderful session of recalling the highlights of their academic years, remembering all my students…and colleagues…

The most unforgettable reward of teaching came my way when, while waiting to cross a road in Bangalore, I had met two of my students who had graduated as engineers, and when one of them said, “ Ma’am… I still remember all the details of the ancient civilizations you taught me in Grade 8 - Indus Valley, Egyptian, Babylonian, Inca and the Aztec.” I smiled blinking away the tears that threatened to fall… What kids! All I had done was let them read through my collection of National Geographic with articles on these topics as an incentive to getting them interested in those topics… I recalled their enthusiasm on those occasions. Many of them were seeing such a magazine for the first time in their lives.
Another thing my ex-students want to know is “Are your present set of students as good as we were? Do you like them more than you liked us?”“Never!” I tell them, knowing that God would pardon me these little fibs, for the joy and pride I see on their face then is the true bonus I earn in my career…
Last summer vacation, when I was in Bhadravathi, three boys of my 1995 batch dropped in. They had heard that I was in town and wanted to see me… I was transported back to those days when I taught them in my class… the boys have all done well for themselves… and they told me how all the others in their batch were doing… where they were and who all had got married… they rang up some of their friends then and there, telling them that they were with me… Many of them called back, as their network obviously is strong…and that feeling of being loved and respected once more overwhelmed me…
All these things make me feel that it was quite worth it!

Originally Posted by twinsmom

Every now and then I feel that I had chosen the wrong profession. Why hadn’t I chosen to be a journalist, an RJ, a novelist, a translator-- why did I become a teacher?
I remember my post graduate years when there were discussions about our career options and I used to vehemently declare I’d never become a teacher even if I had to starve to death… The reason was that as a student I was notoriously obnoxious and decided that I’d do anything but deal with students like ‘me’. Well, Fate has this funny way of laughing at you and there I was, well into my 13th year of teaching.
Why did I opt to be a teacher?
I suppose I should admit one thing- I became a teacher because I had opted to be one. Well, I was not in it for money… God knows I, like all my colleagues all over the world, was underpaid for the mammoth task I had undertaken.
Glamour? Covered with chalk dust and lugging piles of books, trying not to degenerate into hysterics…? Hah! Fat chance!
The joy of spreading knowledge?Who am I kidding? I know that for every achiever feathering my teaching cap, there were dozens who gave me nightmares…or sleepless nights!
Then why was I a teacher?
I guess I know why, inside my heart, when…
…I saw light dawning on a few faces at last when I got through to them.
…I shared light-hearted moments with my students while I let them relax and ‘interact’ in class.
…While travelling by train suddenly a young man or a pretty lady came near me and asked me, “Are you a teacher?” “Did you teach in…?”And then… “Ma’am…I was your student! Are you still a teacher?”
Then follows a wonderful session of recalling the highlights of their academic years, remembering all my students…and colleagues…

The most unforgettable reward of teaching came my way when, while waiting to cross a road in Bangalore, I had met two of my students who had graduated as engineers, and when one of them said, “ Ma’am… I still remember all the details of the ancient civilizations you taught me in Grade 8 - Indus Valley, Egyptian, Babylonian, Inca and the Aztec.” I smiled blinking away the tears that threatened to fall… What kids! All I had done was let them read through my collection of National Geographic with articles on these topics as an incentive to getting them interested in those topics… I recalled their enthusiasm on those occasions. Many of them were seeing such a magazine for the first time in their lives.
Another thing my ex-students want to know is “Are your present set of students as good as we were? Do you like them more than you liked us?”“Never!” I tell them, knowing that God would pardon me these little fibs, for the joy and pride I see on their face then is the true bonus I earn in my career…
Last summer vacation, when I was in Bhadravathi, three boys of my 1995 batch dropped in. They had heard that I was in town and wanted to see me… I was transported back to those days when I taught them in my class… the boys have all done well for themselves… and they told me how all the others in their batch were doing… where they were and who all had got married… they rang up some of their friends then and there, telling them that they were with me… Many of them called back, as their network obviously is strong…and that feeling of being loved and respected once more overwhelmed me…
All these things make me feel that it was quite worth it!

Happy Teacher's Day - Twinsmom

It is nice to see you relate all your experiences as a teacher. I know how it will be when someone who you cannot recognise instantly wish you and then relate that they are you student in such and such a batch.

I myself enjoyed and enjoying such pleasure. Though as you say it is tough to stay out of hysteria, it is always a noble profession I feel. I am happy to remember all those teachers who taught me right from my KG (initially my parents then me collected photographs of group photos of all the class).

Congrats.

dear viju,
ode to that teacher in u, i reckon with all your expression here as i have seen it with my eyes, even going down on their knees to give flowers, big men calling across priya on a busy commercial street, yes all this is only to the teacher in her..and many like you...wonderful article on a teacher day 5th, i can remember DR.Radhakrishnan a lot, a man who said about philosophy, searching a black cat in a dark room, very true, some how i cannot forget this at all...sunkan


dear viju
the title is not appropriate, a teacher is more than a mother, and worth more than any human in the world...

i know....! nothing much to say but we loved all our teachers who really worked hard to put or brains to work....a warm and kind salute to them!!!and all teachers who work towards the same goal...bringing up buddies who are real heros and heroines (!!!!!!!!!!!??????????)in life!....all students love your teachers!!!!!!!!!!

Dear twinsmom,
very well writeup. happy teacher's day,really u did a,doing a wonderful job,congrats & proud to be a teacher. u know in my childhood i want to become a teacher,becoz my mother was a teacher,no itz not the reason,mainthing was i want to beat students with scale becoz i got lots,so just like tit for tat. luckily i didn't get the chance orelse poor students,hahahha.

Dear Twinsmom

You started off with a negative note...... I dont know why..... Matha, Pitha, Guru, Deivam..... Teacher comes above GOD..... Teacher's role is not only in just teaching the subject as per the sylabus..... It includes mending the child and moulding him/her as a good human being.....

Students always remember Good Teachers who have helped them to grow in their life......I still remember my Accounts Teacher and the looty I did in the class... I keep visiting him once a while and go to the School also...

I think you should be proud of yourself, being a Good Teacher.........

Veda

Twinsmom,

never think -ve about your profession. you are in a profession which teaches and grooms all the other professions.

Guru is the only one who has a place even before god and is equivalent to god...

guru vishnu guru devo maheshwarah guru sakshat parabrahma guru devo maheshwarah ... guru sakshat parabrahma guru devo maheshwarah tasmai shri guruveh namaha

Happy teachers day...

Hey guys,
It was not meant to be negative.... more a cathartic one... The last 4 years of my teaching experience turned out to be very stressful... Too many extracurricular activities... and somehow finishing the syllabi amidst all the other work... I have for months together stayed at Printing press till 7 or 8 in the evening... sometimes even till 9 pm bringing out the school magazine... while the better half frewtted and fumed at home... and others were home by 2 pm... It all turned out to be rather thankless... and meaningless as I was not satisfied by the teaching part... the only comfort used to be the students... They loved me...as much as I loved them.... That made me carry on for 7 years... but then, it just was not worth it anymore... So I quit!

Definitely worth it after you had shared with us about how your past students react to your being in town and seeing them well settled in life, makes you feel like you have reaped the rewards of your hard work. It is like the saying in Tamil " Pirantha palan adainthen", meaning to say that you have accomplished the purpose of your birth.
When i went to admit my older daughter in the school I had studied I was proud to see my teachers remember me and call out my name, though it
was many years later the effect of having your guru identify you is something that cannnot be put in words.
Thanks for bringing back fond memories, twinsmom!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twinsmom
Thanks for sharing your thoughts in your great style. That is a good question for everyone. You have written so well. i enjoy it so much. I worked for many years before taking off to spend time with family. every day is a reward in itself and yes its worth it for me. I cannot write as well as you but thats something everyone needs to ponder at sometime.