Insight

Who is a teacher? When someone asks this question, generally the answer would simply be someone who teaches in schools or colleges, and it is a job for which they are paid. But, is this the proper definition of a teacher? If we ponder over the question, we get so many answers from within ourselves and from others too.

The first teacher is, of course, the mother who teaches what is good and what is bad, apart from the subjects to be taught in schools, once the child becomes old enough to go out and attend school

       Now let us see the words that stand for each letter in the spelling 'Teacher'. For me, it goes like this: Talented, earnest, affectionate, concerned, helpful, eager, and resourceful. Of course, we can add our own words for each letter, but all in all, a teacher is an embodiment of almost such qualities which have a profound impact on a child's life even after he or she grows up. So, now I think I have conveyed the importance of the role of a teacher in one's life, and who else knows better than me, as I myself am a teacher by profession.

    Let me take you all to read a very beautiful short story about how a child brought a dramatic change in a teacher's life and how she repaid this to the child by shaping his future into a highly successful one.

    Mrs. Rita, the school principal of Cottons School, received a complaint from the class teacher of standard fifth about Teddy, the student who was often mentioned in the list of complaints submitted by different teachers at the same school. The child attended school with a messy uniform, uncombed hair, unpolished shoes, and an overall untidy appearance. Additionally, his schoolwork and homework were frequently incomplete. In class, he appeared listless and disinterested in the lessons, often dozing off. It was enough to warrant complaints.

   As a teacher, even though it was her moral responsibility to love all children, which she claimed to do, within her heart and mind, she was not truthful. When marking Teddy's papers, she derived perverse pleasure from marking big X's next to wrong answers and putting F's at the top of the papers with flair.

   At the school where Teddy studied, there was a regular practice of teachers analyzing students' performance while considering their previous records. They had to assess each student's past and present performance to determine whether remedial classes were needed. As Miss Thompson took Teddy's file, assuming it would be similar to his current performance, she was surprised when she read the remarks made by previous teachers.

    Teddy's first-grade teacher had remarked, "Teddy is a bright child with a pleasant and ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners. He is a joy to be around."

His second-grade teacher had given similar remarks but also mentioned his mother's terminal illness, which may have made life at home a struggle.

His third-grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death due to illness has been very hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father does not show any interest in his work, as he himself is unhappy. His home life will soon affect him if proper steps are not taken."

Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and shows little interest in school activities. He does not have friends and is always lethargic and listless."

Mrs. Thompson now understood the real problem and felt ashamed of how she had treated the young boy. She was filled with guilt.

A week later, as Christmas approached, all her students brought her Christmas presents, beautifully wrapped with bright ribbons and bows. Teddy's gift stood out. It was wrapped in newspaper with a small slip that read, "Miss Thompson, happy Christmas from Teddy." The other students laughed and made fun of Teddy as she opened the gift.

Miss Thompson lovingly wore the stone bracelet from Teddy and applied the half-filled perfume bottle, exclaiming, "Wow, what a beautiful bracelet, and what a sweet fragrance from this perfume gifted by Teddy." Following her lead, the other students exclaimed with joy.

At the end of the day, after all the students had gone home, Miss Thompson sat at her desk, tears in her eyes. She had been a changed person since that day, more considerate and soft-spoken to all students, especially toward Teddy. She took a keen interest in Teddy's academics and other activities, and everyone noticed a drastic change and improvement in his overall performance. Teddy was doing well in his studies, socializing more, and becoming punctual and regular with his class and homework. He was no longer untidy and careless. She had done her part as promised to God.

After the academic year ended, Miss Thompson had to relocate due to personal reasons, and she lost touch with Teddy. However, her thoughts lingered on him and his well-being.

Then, one day, she received a message on her social media account from Teddy. It read, "Miss Thompson, you will be happy to hear that I will be graduating second in my class. Thank you, love, Teddy." Four years later, another message arrived, stating, "Dear Miss Thompson, I will be graduating first in my batch, and I wanted you to be the first person to know about my accomplishment. Thank you, love, Teddy."

Another four years passed without any message from Teddy, and Miss Thompson eagerly awaited a message from him. Eventually, it arrived, and it said, "Dear Miss Thompson, as of today, I am Teddy Stallard, MD, and I wanted you to be the first person to know about my accomplishment. I am getting married on the 25th of next month, and I request you to come and bless me. You need to sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. Your blessings will be the most valuable gift for me."

Miss Thompson attended the wedding and sat where Teddy's mother would have sat. She wore the bracelet with the missing stones that Teddy had gifted her a few years ago and the perfume that Teddy's mother had used when she was alive. Teddy was overjoyed with her presence, and after the wedding, he hugged Miss Thompson and whispered in her ear, "Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I can make a big difference in this world." Miss Thompson replied, "Teddy, you have it wrong. You were the one who taught me that I can make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you. Thank you, and God bless you both." She bid farewell and returned home.

This is how their meeting ended. The bond between a teacher and her students should continue, as it is a mutual dependency between a pupil and the teacher. While a teacher imparts knowledge and skills that help the student's professional and personal development, the teacher, in turn, learns new things that they might not even realize they need to learn. Happy Teacher's Day to all the teachers, especially those who take special care and interest in nurturing the interests of students with special needs and requirements.