The School of Life Pratyush Das08:12 1 comments

(From the book THE RISING SUN - a collection of stories  by Purnendu Ghosh)

Friends, I have been a teacher of your school since its inception. For the past fifteen years I am also the Principal of your school. Today is my last day at the school.

I have so many fond memories associated with this school. It is not the time to recount them. But now I will have enough time. Whenever you have time, you can call me. I will come and share with you some of my fond remembrances. The school I studied had special section for the good students. This ‘special section’ supposedly had ‘better’ teachers. The idea perhaps was that only good students deserve the guidance of good teachers. Maybe mine was a case of sour grapes as I was not a part of this elite section. Friends, I must tell you today that I am happy that the school of which I became a teacher has no elite section reserved specially for the gifted students. The school I have been associated with works on the premise that all students are good students.

My experience tells me that a teacher who knows his subject very well but doesn’t know his students can’t be a good teacher. Good teachers are compassionate and caring. I very strongly feel that a teacher’s performance evaluation by his students helps a teacher greatly. Getting rid of incompetent students is easy. It is time to recognize the need of getting rid of incompetent teachers.

If I am ever asked, what is the most flattering description of a teacher—a hero or a role model—I would say a hero. A role model impacts our life for a shorter period. Once his role is over, he disappears from the scene. Heroes have much longer half-life. They remain with us for a very long time. We say a hero of the century. Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, two of our greatest teachers, are our heroes.

I remember a young colleague of mine. He was a very good student. Since he was an exceptionally good student, he did not understand why some students take so much time to understand even simple things. He always tried to move faster in the class. Some students could not keep pace with his speed. The students wanted the young teacher to reduce his speed. The senior teachers advised him to move a bit slow. He agreed, though reluctantly. Effective teachers ensure that students are really learning and understanding what they are teaching. My experience tells me that students can’t learn unless the teachers succeed in capturing their attention. Effective and successful teachers know that all learners are different. They thus address their needs by differential instruction.

Coming back to my young colleague, he gradually learnt to move with the class. He understood that some students need time to understand even simple things. He learnt to be patient. I will now tell you about my other colleague. He was an average student, but he was one of the most popular teachers of the school. Naturally, all students were very fond of him. This raises the question—can a mediocre ever excel? Can a mediocre overcome the sense of mediocrity?

I believe it is possible to overcome the sense of mediocrity. As you all know that climbing is difficult for those who are at the base line. For those who are at the top maintaining their position is quite a challenge. Those who are at the middle of the ladder are the most vulnerable and confused. They have equal opportunity of moving up as well as chance of sliding down. These are the people who are likely to face the most formidable challenge. I suppose it is the opportunity well utilized that is important to take an ordinary to an extraordinary level. One suddenly doesn't get transformed into a talented one. Talent doesn't change overnight, but opportunity does. The seizure of opportunity transforms one from the ordinary to extraordinary.

Friends, a mediocre tale may not appeal, but I believe the tale of a mediocre can be inspiring. Mediocrity may not excel, but a mediocre can. Another question comes to my mind—should one follow someone else’s footsteps or chart his own course? I believe, it is our approach that is the decider. We know that drawing is different from tracing. When we draw, we encounter discontinuities. These discontinuities disappear when we trace. But many of us like to live with a few discontinuities. These discontinuities form our driving force to move forward on our own terms.

My profession has taught me another lesson. It is that everything is not for sale. Many things are available for free, but that doesn't mean we should have them. If someone pays your bill, it doesn't mean you should overspend. I have learnt that education is something that should be understood by these yardsticks and valued accordingly.

We all know that the possibility of being caught and the magnitude of punishment are the two things that deter us from going the wrong way. There is another perspective. This perspective tells us that our internal reward mechanisms are very powerful. Often they guide us to take the right path. They help us to overcome dishonesty.

Friends, we act selfishly if the act maximizes our own payoffs. But it is also true that we are sensitive to the costs that our dishonest ways impose on others. Our dishonesty has a rider. We behave dishonestly enough to profit, but honestly enough to delude ourselves of our own integrity. We are careful that our positive self-view doesn't get spoil.

I shall always remember what my mother once told me. She said I am not a bad student. She said this when I informed her that I failed in my exam. When I told her that I failed, she was more upset than I was, but did not explicitly show her disappointment. She said I failed because I did not study. She said she knows that I can do much better but only if I want to. I wondered what Ma has seen in me that I have not seen in myself. I asked Ma how she knows me more than I know myself. She kept quiet. She did not say anything.

I appeared for the same exam next year. This time I believed in what Ma believed about me. I became more confident about my abilities. I did pretty well in the exam this time. The course of my life changed. The convictions of Ma created in me a will to excel. She knew that her conviction was not enough. No one can be rescued or guided by someone else’s beliefs. She knew nothing would be possible if I was not convinced about my abilities. Ma knew convictions, and confidence can’t be forced upon but come through self-realization. Conviction is not enough. One needs a matching intellect to do well. A mismatch between will and intellect results in discontent. A mother’s conviction can create the will. The intellect is not an extension of someone’s beliefs. It comes imprinted on the grey slate we are born with. Intellect is inborn and can be chiseled and polished. Here too Ma played a role. Perhaps failure awakened my dormant intellect.Ma saw imminent danger in my failure. She would not have succeeded had she enforced her ‘will’ upon me. She opted to use restraint. She had faith in ordinary people. She knew ordinary people are better learners.

It gives me great satisfaction that I am a teacher. I have known that teacher’s commitments to his student and student’s obligations to his teacher extend well beyond the classroom and formal schooling. I will always remember you my young friends as you are the ones who so patiently prepared and shaped me for what I am today.

The teacher-student relationship, like all other relationships, is a tricky matter. It depends on how well responsibilities are defined and understood and ultimately met by both the sides. I am grateful to you my young friends that you have understood this responsibility so well, and that has helped me to understand my responsibilities better. The good thing is that it was not automatic. We both have earned it.

Once a university professor was asked—What will change everything? The professor said he wants the end of conventional centralized, age-stratified schools. He wants to see some schools opened where each child follows his personal learning track at his individual level and rate. He wants all the children to do playtime and gym-type activities together. I know opening such a school needs another level of determination and resources, but, my dear friends, I wish to start such a school—The school of life.

In this school of life, knowledge will not be a burden. In this school no problem will be trivial. In this school learning will not be dictation. In this school incoherence will be heard. In this school the mutants will co-exist with the clones. In this school there will be hope that dreams can become reality. In this school mirrors will turn into windows. I shall end my talk with a hopeful note. With your permission I would like to tell you one of my favourite stories that I have already told some of my colleagues.

You might have noticed a framed photograph of a most beautiful person in my office. If you have seen the picture, you can’t miss the calm confidence on the person’s face. She is my mother. Ma got married when she was eighteen years old and had just completed her Intermediate exam. The year I failed Ma decided that she should continue her studies. She wanted to be a graduate. After the marriage, there was a big gap, but that did not deter her. My mother did not want to teach me wisdom because she believed wisdom can’t be taught. She knew wisdom is not knowledge. Wisdom requires experiential demonstration, and that is exactly what my mother did.

She completed her graduation as a private student. Once I asked Ma why did she decide to continue her studies after such a long gap. She said she wanted to get photographed wearing the graduation robe. The photograph you have seen in my room is that photograph. After so many years I know why my mother continued her studies. Why did she go for graduation? She wanted to give me company as a student, as a friend. She wanted to give me courage and conviction that if she can do it at this age, why can’t her son who is so much better than her can do it at such a young age. Friends, I am proud of my mother. I am proud that my mother is proud of her son. My family celebrated my success. I am still celebrating my mother’s success as a mother as a teacher in the school of life.

When I failed in the exam, my mother must have been disturbed seeing me a bitter and angry man. She must also have seen in me the potential, the potential to do well in life. She did not parrot me. But she gave me the courage to say that ‘I can root out my insecurities and self-doubts’. She gave me the confidence, that ‘I can do it’. Friends, the gown tells me that I was so fortunate that I got the tutelage of a rule-breaker mother and the best teacher.I thank you for your patience and wish you all the very best.

Author: Purnendu Ghosh
              (Director, Birla Auditorium Jaipur
              Former Professor, IIT Delhi )