A teacher has to perform multiple roles in the process of educating the child. Education is ‘training the mind and not stuffing the brain’. Every country today is reeling under the pressure of examinations and the stuffing-the-brain process behind it. An American Journal, National Parent–Teacher Journal (1955), gave the definition of American education as, ‘the mysterious process whereby information passes from the notes of the professor on to the notebook of the student, through his pen, without entering the mind of either of them’. This is not only a pertinent account of the American education system but also an appropriate description of education system in India today.
Swami Vivekananda proclaimed long ago, “The end of all education, all training, should be man-making. The end of all training is to make man grow. The training by which the current and expression of will are brought under control and become fruitful is called education.” This should be our educational vision. Educational stagnation can be removed only by treating education as training of the mind and as Vivekananda defines it, as ‘the life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas.’ The entire educational method and program should keep this lofty objective in view.
Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaya
The above Sanskrit quotation tells us that it is
‘education that emancipates us’. The term
‘education’ is derived from ‘Educere’ which means to ‘train’ or ‘to mould’ into desirable forms. The Oxford Dictionary says that ‘Education is the systematic training and instruction, especially of the young in school and college’. Swami Vivekananda said, ‘Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man’. It is in these contexts that the teacher plays a vital role in the life of a student. The teacher is held in high esteem in any society. Particularly, in our country, a teacher is regarded as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. Teaching is considered to be the noblest of all professions.
A teacher plays a crucial role in transmitting the glorious culture, traditional values, desirable attitudes and occupational skills to children. A teacher trains the students in personal and social behavior and inculcates human values in them. A teacher creates an atmosphere for the child to develop fully as a complete human being. Jiddu Krishnamurti, who had been proclaimed to be the ‘coming world teacher’ by Theosophists, gives emphasis to ‘the cultivation of the intellect and the necessity to have a sharp, clear, analytical and precise mind’.
Multi-tasking
A teacher has to perform multiple roles in the process of educating the child. The key role of
a teacher is that of a leader. Teachers become leaders ‘experientially’ and not by mere university degrees. Teachers become leaders by way of real life experiences. Teachers can learn the art of leadership through the crucible of life’s experiences. Warren Bennis, the most famous Leadership Guru, rightly said, “Leadership doesn’t come from genes. It doesn’t come from reading or listening to lectures. It comes through the hard earned experience in the arena than watching from the balcony”. This is how leadership skills are acquired by a self-motivated teacher. As a dynamic leader, a teacher has to show his students the right way by influencing their raw minds and guide them properly in developing the skills of critical judgment and independent thinking. Swami Vivekananda felt that “Real education is that which enables one to stand on one’s own legs”. The teacher should teach the value of logical thinking and analytical reasoning to his students. Hence, it is the primary duty of the teacher to impart life skills to the students so as to make them self-sufficient.
Mahatma Gandhi is one of the greatest teachers of the world. He gave great significance to the practical utility of education. He said, “Education should meet life at every point.” He had very high regard for teachers. Moral values and ethical principles can be inculcated in the minds of students only by way of a teacher’s personal example. A teacher should promote the child’s moral and ethical development. Gandhiji said, “It would be idle for me if I were a liar to teach the boys to tell the truth. A cowardly teacher would never succeed in making his boys valiant.” How wisely said! Gandhiji laid stress on punctuality. He was never late to for an appointment. Once, a leader turned up late for a public meeting. Gandhiji chided him thus, “Independence also would be delayed by 45 minutes.” What a brilliant thought and approach! Work ethic and time management were of utmost importance to Gandhiji. Punctuality is a great virtue, which has to be followed by teachers. If teachers are on the dot, students too will be punctual. So, teachers should act as change agents and try to bring about positive attitudinal changes in the students by setting an example with their exemplary behavior.
A teacher can inspire and motivate the students by his own behavior and put them on the path of righteousness. He can impress upon their young minds by way of teaching about the lives of great men. Students should be made to read the biographies and autobiographies of noble people, brilliant scientists, fine intellectuals and splendid achievers in order to take inspiration from them. By promoting reading as a habit, teachers can also divert the minds of young children from the senseless attraction of the Internet, TV programs and films, which have a negative effect on their innocent minds. Children get easily influenced by the depiction of mindless violence, crime, horror and the other unwanted scenes on the big and small screens and begin to imitate such things in real life too. The latest boom in reality shows on TV is spoiling the children to a great extent and it is creating a culture which is totally destructive.
Many a time, the teacher acts as a Judge, as he judges the academic performance in an impartial and just manner. A teacher should be neutral and be free from all kinds of prejudices. While assessing the performance of the students, he should be fair-minded and unbiased. There is no room for favoritism or partiality. The ‘offences’ committed by the students are immediately checked by the teacher, who sometimes plays the role of the police or a detective. He is a referee when he settles the disputes and differences among his pupils.
While dealing with problem children, a teacher performs the duty of a counselor. This is a very important role, especially in the present days, because parents have hardly any time to devote to children or to concentrate on the problems encountered by them. In a nuclear family set up, if both the parents are working, there is no one at home to take care of the children. We see many children suffering from different kinds of psychological disorders and phobias as the parents do not think of giving quality time to them. Most of the parents do not have any knowledge of child psychology and they do not handle the children with care. In such cases, teachers, as counselors, should not only counsel the students but also the parents. In my understanding, parents too need counseling so that we can avert suicidal tendency among teenagers, which has become a common phenomenon, especially in the stifling atmosphere of corporate colleges. Unable to handle the tremendous stress put on their tender brains, many students are resorting to suicides, which is unwarranted. So, teachers should fulfill the responsibility of being good counselors.
The teacher is a true friend, guide and philosopher to the students. Above all, the teacher is a parent surrogate as he/she substitutes the parent as long as the child is under his/her care. Teachers should act as guardians and caretakers and give all their love and attention to the little children, who are left under their care. Gandhiji serves as an ideal example in this regard. When he was in South Africa, he decided to teach the children at Tolstoy Farm. He gladly took upon himself the task of a school master cum father and humbly states, “Only this much I knew–that, under ideal conditions, true education could be imparted only by the parents and that then there should be the minimum of outside help, that Tolstoy Farm was a family, in which I occupied the place of the father, and that I should so far as possible shoulder the responsibility for the training of the young.” This kind of a ‘parent-child’ bond should exist between a teacher and a student and then only the teacher can do justice to his pupils. A teacher should ideally be a parent substitute to the students and mould his character.
A teacher is respected only when he displays deep erudition, profound knowledge, questing mind, sharp intellect, research aptitude, scholarly insight and sophisticated culture. I quote V.S. Srinivasa Sastri, an eminent teacher and scholar, as he mentioned two corollaries of a teacher’s duty. “One is the need of reading and adding to one’s own knowledge.No man’s conversation is worth anything if he is not in touch with the events round him and if he does not keep abreast of the movement of thought and opinion. Also let every teacher of the young remember always that they learn largely through imitation, that imitation is unconscious as well as conscious, and that it is, therefore, incumbent on him, for the sake of his pupils as much as for his own, to set a good example in all respects”. Dr.S.Radha Krishnan, the world philosopher and distinguished teacher, aptly said, “No teacher, who is not master of the field or who is not in touch with the latest developments in his subject and who does not bring to bear upon his duties a free and untrammeled mind will ever succeed in inspiring the youth with love of truth which is the principal object of education.” May all teachers take inspiration from the words and deeds of these great teachers and make themselves better teachers for creating a better tomorrow.
The multi-dimensional role played by the teacher is very challenging in the present day society. A teacher in the modern times has to be a good communicator, motivator, researcher, innovator and organizer. He should be able to utilize effectively all the available resources and tools of educational technology. He should keep updating his knowledge and skills and keep pace with the latest developments in his subject.
Human Excellence
The Mahabharata has many useful lessons for teachers as well as for students. The following lines from this great epic are uttered by queen Vidula for the benefit of her son, king Sanjaya. They carry a beautiful message not only for teachers but also for students.
Muhurtam jvalitam sreyo
na tu dhumayitam ciram – (Udyogaparva .131,13):
“It is better to flame forth for an instant than to smoke away for ages.” Some of the greatest
teachers like Sankara and Swami Vivekananda lived ‘short but intense lives’. To quote Swami Ranganathananda, “Theirs was an intense dedication to God and man, to God in man; and it changed the course of human history. It is better to live for an ideal and vision than to vegetate for long years in a humdrum existence. We have to inspire ourselves with the conviction that we have been called upon to be an instrument of our nation’s purposes.” We should take inspiration from this ennobling and practical ideal that has been put forth by our noble teachers.
‘Human excellence’ is the recurrent theme of Swami Vivekananda. He proclaimed, “Give me 100 youths, I will change the world.” His thoughts have come to us as a fresh breeze because, for centuries, we had lost this concept of human excellence. Swami Vivekananda believed that he could change the world with just 100 youths. Year after year, batch after batch, our teachers have innumerable students left under their fostering care. What a wealth of human resource is at their disposal! Teachers can perform miracles by meticulously transforming those raw products into finished products! Those uncut diamonds could be diligently formed into polished diamonds by a resourceful teacher! ‘Formation’ and ‘transformation’ are the two wonderful things that are in the purview of a creative teacher. A teacher derives immense satisfaction when he can touch the minds and lives of his students.
Swami Vivekananda thundered forth, “Are you a man? I do not care to know to what race or to what religion you belong, I do not care to know to what community or what nation you belong. But are you a man?” How relevant are these words in this modern age! “Stand on your feet and be men and extend the hand of help and strength to your fellow-men.” As teachers, what better insight can we give our students than to initiate them into this great mantra of manhood and womanhood? The power of the youth should be internalized and their energy should be positively channelized by innovative teachers.
Visionary Teachers
In future, the role and responsibility of a teacher has to be clearly defined. The Education Commission (1964-66), under the active leadership of Dr. Kothari, rightly observed “The destiny of India is being shaped in its classroom”. The teacher should be aware of this moral obligation and should take up the responsibility of ‘man-making and nation-building’. A teacher’s role has to be tailor-made to suit the needs and demands of the country. In his book for the youth titled ‘Ignited Minds’ A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, former President of India, talks reverently about the ancient Indian teachers, whom he addresses as ‘visionary teachers and scientists’. He pays rich tributes while quoting the examples of exemplary teachers and scientists such as Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, Bhaskaracharya, Srinivas Ramanujan, Sir C.V.Raman and Prof.S.Chandrasekhar, who made exceptional contributions to their respective fields and won international accolades. Let all teachers take some constructive clues from such visionary teachers and rededicate themselves to the noble cause of teaching.
I conclude with a prayer from Taittareya Upanishad, which points out the true relationship between the educator and the educated. Let us pray that this spiritual relationship sustains forever.
Om Sahanavavathu,
Sahanau Bhunaktu,
Sahaviryam Karavavahai,
Tejaswina Vadhitamastu
Mavidvishavahai.
Om Santi, Santi, Santi.
which means – ‘May the Divine protect us both, the Teacher and the Disciple. May He nourish us both. May we work together with great energy. May our study be vigorous and fruitful. May we not hate each other.
Om Santi, Santi, Santi.
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