Why are you a teacher?

The topic of the day may seem to be surprising to some of you but this is an important question to be discussed. One learned person told me yesterday that he may not punish a child for a bigger mistakes but the small mistakes would not be allowed to get away without telling the child about the same. The reason for this was that it was easy to take care of small mistakes and if not checked on time will become bigger which are really difficult to be handled. Here the teachers play a significant role in moulding the future of the society for the good of the country.This made to think about a question which is often asked while a perspective teacher is interviewed for the appointment in a school. The question is, why do you want to be a teacher? I shall not discuss about the numerous answers which are given by the candidates but the most common of them is that he/she loves teaching the children. This may be true in many cases but that is not reflected in the day-to-day behavior of many of them when they become teachers. The fact is that we all like children and often remember our childhood activities and life during those days. So when someone tells that he/she loves children and that is the reason he/she wanted to be one, I do not really get very much impressed by that. This question is asked so many times by everyone around including the children. One day a child of class VI raised his hand to ask some question while the teacher was discussing some topic in the class. She thought that the child had not understood something and gave her the chance to ask the question. To her surprise the child asked her, why had she become the teacher? The teacher was surprised and laughed away the question. But the question remained in her mind and she discussed the same with her colleagues. They all were really baffled to find the answer of the question. The teacher concerned tried to satisfy the query of the child and in the process also was looking for the reason which made the child to ask this question. She could not answer his question, but did get the reason behind the child's asking this question. One day when this child was in his room and the mother of the child was talking to her friends then the issue regarding the performance of their children came up and one mother spoke certain things against the teacher(the child used to like this teacher the most) which were not really in good taste and the child felt hurt because he always appreciated and loved this teacher and wanted to become a teacher like her. When he heard a few negative remarks about the teachers, he got confused whether he would also be criticized like his teacher if he ever becomes one? The child still wants to work as teacher but is looking for the answer which can motivate him to become one. This child has made me also look for the answer of his question which does not seem to be easy.

 In the past. the people who became teachers were really keen to be and they got the support of the family.  Most of them were quite happy with what they were doing and the society was always appreciative of their efforts and teaching community was respected the most . You have many examples to support this statement. Over a period of time, things have changed but not necessarily for betterment. The role and the importance remain the same, but the respect has become invisible in the smoke of the materialism. The teachers could not highlight themselves so that they would have been visible to all even in this dark cloud of the material gains. The society also did not play its role in constructive manner which has lead us to the situation when nobody wants his/her children to become teachers. The statement may not be liked by some people but teaching has become the last choice for today`s youth and their family. It does not mean that best brains are not coming in this field. There are many teachers who always wanted to become one but endeavoured for other professions because of the pressure of the family members. They really love teaching the children and do not worry about what is being said about the teaching profession. This made me to think about the force that motivates them to be a teacher and do well for their students. It is the passion and some teachers must have left an impression on their mind in the childhood.  Many teachers are motivated to do well seeing their children doing better. When a teacher sees the satisfaction and the sense of achievement on the face of his/her children,it becomes the most important motivating and satisfying factor for him/her to do better. For some teachers to be in the company of the innocent and cheerful faces is the motivation. There are some teachers who get motivation because they learn everyday from their students.

We all must realize that the teaching profession was important, is the same and will have the same place in future also. The approach of the society might change but the fact is that a good teacher is must for everyone of us. There is a hidden aspect of this profession. Though it appears that the teachers and the teaching profession do not have that respect from the society as in the past but look at the worry of would be parents of the schools and the colleges, for their children. They remain in search of the institutions which have the best teachers. Though we are facing the onslaught of the technology and virtual classes but that is also not possible without good teachers. So the answer of the question of that innocent child and many other people about, why am I a teacher is, that I enjoy teaching the children and get the most opportunity to learn from them everyday. There is no other profession, where I would have got so many happy teachers (they are the children) around me as I have in the school. I learn from them and also from their parents and grandparents through the children.They are the source of motivation for the real teacher and that is why one should feel proud of being a teacher. Though money is important for all but that is not everything in life. Think about the satisfaction of doing something for the future of the nation. The society would also be able to do very good service to the nation if the teachers are not ridiculed in the presence of the children, otherwise it may have a negative impact on the impressionable young  minds.  The teachers should be proud of being teachers and focus on the development of their students.