By Shreyas Bansal
Student of Class IX,
Akshara International School, Pune
You must be experiencing the same when it comes to the lockdown, as it is very difficult to pass so much time just sitting at home. It is the first time our present generation is experiencing a lockdown. In this write-up of mine, I am going to share my insight into the bond between a teacher and a student.
You must be wondering why I have given this piece of writing the title ‘When Roopa Ma’am taught me the biggest lesson’. The answer is when I was attending my English class online, I came across a wonderful chapter given in the Beehive book of class 9th ‘The Fun They Had’ by Isaac Asimov. It is a chapter that signifies the idea that ‘Technology is very good but when it is used excessively it destroys human feelings, emotions and develops negative energy around the person’. The story is set in the year 2157 which shows that it is a futuristic story. It is a story of a girl Margie, and a boy Tommy who finds a book that has old and crinkly pages. It is a book about ‘old schools’. New schools refer to the present schools for Margie and Tommy as they live in a world where students are getting an education from a robotic or a mechanical teacher.
Now, what is a school? According to me, a school is:
A temple where we get the right guidance and are able to build the right mindset and attitude.
A place where a child discovers his potential and talents.
An environment where one explores new fields and new dimensions of life.
A beautiful canvas where one creates lifetime bonds with other children and teachers.
Now, what’s a bond between a teacher and a student? It is the best and everlasting bond in one’s life. A teacher guides a child in such a way that he gets to learn new things, inculcates new values and develops certain formidable virtues. I share a different and unique bond with all my teachers. Each teacher of mine has taught me different lessons in life. In this article, I am going to share what Roopa Ma’am made me realize through this chapter ‘The Fun They Had’.
The story begins….
I started hating schools, getting more addicted to technology and wanted homeschooling. I started hating some of my teachers as I felt that they often scolded me without any rhyme or reason, purposely obstructed my views and always belittled me. I don’t know how it started happening and I was reeling under great pain and irritation. I never used to miss my school but slowly and steadily I started disliking it so much that I started looking for good reasons to avoid going to school and had continuous fallout with my everyone, especially my mother. Though I tried hard to keep control on my emotions, I failed most of the time. Things were getting worse for me at both home and school. At school, I deliberately avoided and ignored my teachers and wanted to stay at home at any cost. I started feeling that there was no use of going to school and felt it be a complete waste.
During the last days of class 8th, I was filled with negativity for my teachers, schools and the entire system. My mother along with my father always consoled me and said, ‘If you can’t respect a teacher, you can’t respect anyone’. They tried to cheer me up, but I was not in a listening mode. My parents were always there for me whenever I needed them. They always stood by me and understood me. Though I didn’t follow them blindly, yet they provided me with endless support and gave me unconditional love. I didn’t care much for their selfless love as I was becoming selfish and reclusive.
A new beginning….
Heartfelt gratitude to Roopa Ma’am for teaching us the chapter in such a profound way that it served as an eye-opener and made me realize and think about my limiting beliefs and thought pattern. I figured out that I was unreasonable and adamant in my approach to life. She made me realize deeply to acknowledge the importance of teachers (Gurus) and schools (Vidyalaya) in my life again. After, seeing the expression of Margie in the story, where she regrets not having human teachers. She thinks that the children of the earlier generations were so fortunate to have human connect in their lives where they felt liberated and elevated in each other’s company.
I too felt the same way and started missing my school badly. I felt relieved when my father guided me on the same and taught me that nothing is right or wrong, it is how we perceive a particular situation according to our preconceived notions and judgments and then act accordingly.
Lastly, I would like to summarise in a very simple way that a teacher (Guru) is important in one’s life because:
A teacher is a child’s second parent.
A teacher is a person who makes a child realize his shortcomings and helps him to improve further.
A teacher provides the right guidance to the child so that he can excel in his life.
A teacher motivates and uplifts the child when his self-esteem is low.
When a child is facing a problem, it is the teacher who comes in the form of Almighty and helps and guides the student by being an angel or a divine medium.
A teacher inculcates good values and virtues in a student’s life.
Through this small expression of mine of the word ‘Teacher’, I would dedicate it to all my wonderful teachers of the school:
T: Talented and Terrific
E: Energetic and Enthusiastic
A: Awesome and Amazing beings on Earth
C: Coach and a counselor
H: Helper and Holistic
E: Empowering and enriching
R: Righteous and Rewarding
S: Supportive and Soulful
My takeaway during the lockdown, if there are no teachers and school days:
Life would be meaningless.
Doors of success and positivity would be closed.
Happiness would be missing, and life would be dull and dreary.
Relationships would be a miss and one would feel lonely and solitary.
So, I would request everyone after reading this article to write, call or message your teachers a gratitude note i.e. a thanking note.
This note can make their day. It will give you happiness and a lot of blessings too!
Thank you for reading the article!
Shreyas Bansal