Most of the 11 teachers from the state who will be conferred the National Award to Teachers 2014 in New Delhi, September 5, are myriad-minded personalities with active interest and participation in other fields. They are capable organisers, women and child rights activists, environmental campaigners and dedicated social activists, but teaching, for them, bypasses all other obligations and commitments. Shabiha Nur Khatoon meets some of the outstanding mentors who are carrying the lamp of learning in the state
Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara
Guru Sakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shree Guruwe Namah
Translated, the widely-quoted sloka on the slate above means a teacher is creator, Brahma; He is the preserver, Vishnu; He is also the destroyer, Shiva and He is the source of the Absolute. Earlier, gurus were considered God and students used to give up their families, friends, and everything for the attainment of education from them. The feelings of students towards teachers in ancient times are beautifully expressed in the lines ‘Tum hi ho mata, pita tum hi ho, tum hi ho bandhu, sakha tum hi ho’.
But times have changed. The respect, regard and reverence which students had for teachers are fast vanishing. Instances of teachers being ridiculed, threatened, beaten up and even killed are not uncommon. It is believed the youth and children are the future of the nation and their future is shaped by teachers. But if the teachers are not respected and don’t a command of position of authority what would be left of their role in society? Teachers are nation-builders and they need to be given their due. As the adage goes ‘there is a difference between trying to make something for yourself, and trying to make something of yourself’. And it is teachers who help us make something of ourselves.
Even if we cannot become Ekalavyas to our Dronacharyas shouldn’t we at least try to be Arjunas? Good teachers inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instill love of learning that urges us to excel in all that we do. In India September 5 is celebrated as Teachers’ Day as a mark of tribute to the contribution made by teachers to society. September 5 is the birthday of Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, well-known diplomat, scholar, former President of India and, above all, a Teacher with a capital T, who was a staunch believer in the qualities of education. Teachers’ Day is an occasion to pay gratitude to teachers for their selfless effort in shaping careers. This year, Teachers’ Day is also going to be special for Orissa, as 11 school teachers have been selected from the state for the ‘National Award to Teachers 2014’ in New Delhi. The award is given for outstanding contribution to education.
Sunday POST interacts with some of the award-winners…
Krushida Begam who hails from Dhenkanal is a scholar, voracious reader, critic, linguistic, educationist, debater and great lover of children. She graduated in Arts with Distinction. Her depth and command over Oriya literature urged her to acquire a Masters in Oriya from Utkal University. She was posted as teacher in Primary School, Singh Sahi UP School March 5, 1981. She has earned immense popularity among students for creative thinking as reflected in different activities. She has attended national- and state-level seminars and workshops where she had contributed innovative ideas for the development of education. She is involved in different activities initiated by NGOs on education, child rights, women’s rights, environmental protection, water conservation, health and sanitation and socio-cultural uplift of the deprived sections. Her generosity has made her hugely popular people and she is a great organiser and anchor. When we spoke at length with her on primary and secondary education in the state and how could the overall quality of education be improved she said, “In my view the quality of primary education needs to be enhanced. A teacher should focus only on the development of the teaching-learning process. Teachers should not be involved in activities other than teaching. The state shall provide equal status to all teachers. There should be no discrimination among teachers and para teachers, Sikshya Sahayaks, Gana Sikshyaks should be accorded respect. Equal pay to equal work can promote the interest of teachers and lead to quality improvement.”
When it comes to the role of a teacher in ensuring quality education she said, “A teacher plays a vital role in enhancing quality education. First of all, teachers should love their children as their own kids. Teacher should create a friendly atmosphere in schools so that children come to the school happily and feel an urge to be in the company of the teacher. Every child has some inborn qualities and it is the teacher who needs to understand it. Teachers should organise various activities in schools so that every child can participate in events of his/her choice. Teachers should keep in mind all the activities contribute to the experience base of the child. I have always tried to create a friendly environment in the school to help students could express themselves freely. A harmonic school environment should be given importance and teachers should participate eagerly in school activities.”
Niharbala Rout who is now headmaster of Dadhisinga Primary School, Dhenkanal, started her journey in the profession October 8, 1988 at Town Girls’ Primary School, Angul. She believes that the objectives of the Right to Education Act have been only partially realised in the state. She says there has been development in terms of infrastructure and school environment but when it comes to quality education, success is yet to be tasted.
“The best moment of my career was in 2010 when I met with a severe accident and my students, when they got to know about it, collected money to buy incense sticks, sindoor and fruits to offer to Maa Mangala and seek blessings for me so that I got well soon,” she said.
Niharbala has received several awards for her contribution to education including the Best Teacher Award in 2009 from the Teacher’s Association, Best Work for Water and Sanitation in Rural Area/School awarded by Ruparsan Sahoo, collector, Dhenkanal, in 2014, and the State Teacher Award from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2014.
Jhasaketan Purohit who started her career in February 1988 said, “I always wanted to be in this profession. Right to Education is spreading its wings. Teaching is an exciting and challenging career, full of personal rewards and a chance to encourage and support others to achieve their potential. In addition to the necessary academic requirements involved in becoming a teacher, students also need to develop the skills required to effectively teach and become outstanding teachers.”
He also tells us about the different skills that make a good teacher. A good teacher is the one who sticks to his commitment towards students and the profession. He should encourage effective two-way communication which would make the learning process easy.
Jhasaketan has received awards for his contribution like the State Awards to Teachers in 2006, Bolt Award from AIR India for “preserving crumbling environment” in 2007, Best Guide Teacher- 2011 and Biju Patnaik Award for Wildlife Conservation 2012-2013.
“At first I was a Sikhya Karmi in 1989 and then became a regular. I never wanted to pursue the teaching profession so for me it has been accidental. Sometime you have to leave the decision fully to your destiny because you sometime you never expected. And whatever position I hold today is because of my family’s support,” said Minati Pattnayak from Puri. Minati said an educational system that aimed to offer quality education to all young people should be able to count on teachers who are well-trained and adequately paid. Further, they should be capable of independently following the evolving processes and structure of knowledge, and have the necessary competence to take into account the growing interdependencies at both the global and local levels that impact on schools.
“Many countries are suffering from a serious shortage of teachers, or at least of teachers who are qualified in particular subject areas. There are numerous obstacles that wean well-trained, competent teachers away from the profession like low wages, a precarious social status, heavy workload, large class sizes and limited prospects for professional advancement. Many systems are witness to an aging secondary teaching staff, which further accentuates the cultural distance between students and those responsible for their education. Female representation is often very unequal. Moreover, the attractiveness of the teaching profession to competent young people is lessening and they are getting attracted to other lucrative professions. All over the world, too many young people are leaving the formal education system having lost the motivation to learn, and consequently, the desire to teach. In certain countries, teachers are leaving their professions early in favour of more advantageous working conditions and career prospects,” Minati said.
Every year she organises a Car festival camp at Puri and provides relief material to the flood-affected. She has received many awards for her outstanding literary achievements and social activities including the Governor Award for Scouts and Guides.
Subhanshu Kumar Das always wanted to be a teacher. He joined the profession in 1992. Subhanshu believes in a friendly teaching atmosphere which helps the student learn better and removes all hesitation from their minds related to clearing doubts and problems. “Teaching is a practice that involves passing of knowledge to people considered ignorant in a field of study that is being taught. A teacher can be a person of any age provided he is well versed in a particular sphere. Nevertheless, the possession of knowledge does not always mean that a person can be a good teacher. A teacher has to be knowledgeable in the area he/she is teaching. This does not mean that a person has to be an expert, but the most essential skills will be apt in getting the point across to be perceived by the audience. This comes from the principle that people cannot teach what they do not know. Additionally, a teacher requires the characteristic of being patient. The students that are to be taught have different levels of knowledge and if a teacher is not patient, a lot of misunderstandings may arise, thus portraying the teacher’s flaws,” he said.
“Moreover, teachers must show confidence. This does not mean that they should not admit when they are wrong. Confidence enables the student to learn in a more comfortable environment. Besides, qualified teachers are able to portray mentorship. They should be able to develop positive attributes in their students. For mentorship to flourish, maturity has to be shown. Good teachers need to show responsibility, however young they are. This will enable them to perceive emotional fluctuations among students, thus becoming able to know what teaching methods to use to achieve the set goals. A good sense of humour in teachers helps relieve the tension between them and students. This, in turn, facilitates free flow of information. Teachers are also required to have good presentation skills to help students perceive information visually and auditorily, hence making sure that their knowledge remains in the long-term memory,” added Subhansu.
Another award-winner Bimala Prasad Patanaik of Dharakote said, “My father was a headmaster in his time, so I always wanted to follow his example. There is no doubt that the quality of education in the state is improving and it is because of Right to Education Act that all students from the age of 6 to 14 are given primary education. The personal qualities of a teacher are more important than education. A teacher must know how to draw students’ attention, and charismatic teachers can do it. Also, good teachers should be able to make teaching-learning interesting. It is difficult to assimilate information and knowledge if a teacher carries on his lecture without enthusiasm in a boring manner. Teaching should be made much more
interesting.”
“I strongly believe that the goal of the teacher is to find a common ground with students and instill in them love of knowledge. That is why I think that personal qualities are more important for a teacher than knowledge. I am a very strict disciplinarian as a teacher, but people say I am less stern outside the class,” added Bimala.
