Looking Back
Teachers are key instruments in shaping the future of society. The value they bring is lot more than the skills they teach. They care and they inspire. Looking back, I remember and recognize many who were instrumental in my growth. I am going to ignore all those who bring a bad taste.
Mary Teacher: Apart from math I also learned about cooking fish from her. She was an epitome of teachers showing real interest in the well being of her students and going out of her way to help them. She helped my friend Senthil by arranging for lunch at my home. ( It was pre Sathuunavu time. What a great soul Kamaraj and MGR were to bring this midday meal scheme and expanding it to help people). She also funded him to study up to high school through some Christian charities. She was strict, kind and caring.
Ramasamy: He taught History at BVHS. I do not remember he ever opening the history book. His style of teaching was through a dialogue. He taught history like describing commentary for a match or a movie. I am glad that he did not teach us history beyond 8th otherwise I would have had a fatal attraction with history. I liked his style of teaching and narration. I adopt this a lot in my management style.
Vai. ma: (வை.மாதப்பன்) Taught us tamil for 9th and 10th Grade. Very open and straightforward person. While every teacher used to prepare for DOE inspection he never wavered from his class arrangement or teaching style. I let him down big time during one of DOE inspection. He picked me with all the trust and asked me about வினைதொகை and I answered ” I do not know”. I still remember the disappointment in his face.
RBC: When I was in self doubt he boosted the confidence in me and re assured me that I am capable and can do well. It might have been just few small sentences for him. When I moved to Chennai from Salem, his words were tonic and were real moral booster. I have very high regards for him. Anybody could have taught me Alegbra and English. But there were very few teachers who were willing to have such offline conversations with their students.
While we were wasting our time @ MIT Dr.P.V.Ramakrishna was a not only an inspiration but also a role model to become a true engineer. Unfortunately for me his arrival was too late and was not able to steer the ship in time. I am sure that there are thousands of students now who have been helped a great deal by Dr.P.V.R.
By the time I came to college, the learning style changed. Suddenly I started learning from my own mistakes and mistakes of others. It was a very interesting and important transformation. Once that transformation happened, I started seeing teachers all around me. There are inspirations everywhere and failure became as important as success with respect to learning.
The other day I was narrating to my 11 year old about the time I spent with his younger brother playing. He just replied, ja Dad.. You would have taken 5 phone calls and checked emails 15 times in that 2hours. I was taken aback at first. Then a realization dawned on me.. I just learned something about myself… There was a teacher just 11 years old on my lap smiling at me..
I wonder how am I going to be inspired by him and more than that HOW AM I GOING TO INSPIRE THEM.. Suddenly the heart feels a lot heavier. Being a student is a lot easier ..
I dream of a day when I have my own office building, where I will name conference room after teachers who have inspired us. Thanks to Prakash, his earlier blog made me to reflect on my teachers.