Change is the key

The QUEST Team invites students and teachers of all member schools to put forth their perspective on ‘GURU- SHISHYA- PARAMPARA’,the relationship between students,teachers and how it moulds education. We will publish the two best write-ups by students and teachers every week. The word limit for the write-up is 300 words,and it can be emailed to quest.delhi@expressindia.com

Alka Pathak
Guru Govind dou khare,kaka lagu paya,Balihari Guru Aapne,jin Govind deo bataya.

Govind means truth,the essence of life. A teacher is one who educates,directs and gives guidance to connect with the truth. It is he who holds the student and leads him through the path of journey called education. In this endeavour,he sometimes cites his experience,sometime sets targets and introduces the child to his potential,of which the child is unaware. He nurtures the latent talents in the same way a potter gives shape to a pot,which is why it is said that a good schoolmaster is better than many priests. Students trust their teacher so implicitly that they blindly follow him even in front of parents

In today’s era of fast changing values and technology,we find that students are getting exposure to many means of education,that can be the media,the Internet and books to name a few. In such a case,many wonder do we really need a teacher to teach anymore. Can a human being be replaced by audio-visual teaching aids?

It is true that these aids appeal to the eyes and mind,but at the same time they are mechanical,emotionless,can feed facts and nothing else . In contrast,if a teacher takes his duty and responsibility seriously he can provide moral support,ethical values,emotional positivity to the upbringing of the child. What we teachers need to learn is to match pace with GenNext,so that we can understand their aspirations,conflicts and hidden fears. We must upgrade our self not only regarding textual content but also about changing cultural values. As teachers we must come out of the confinement of our comfort zone and match steps in each field. At the same time,we must preserve the time-tested attributes of a teacher — that of a facilitator,motivator,friend,counsellor who empathies with the needs of a growing child and understand his requirements with love,affection and moral support. No wonder a teacher will always command loyalty,respect and obedience.

Delightful task! To read the tender thoughts,To teach the young idea how to shoot
PGT English

Abhas Mrig
The very mention of the Guru-shishya tradition takes our mind to the ancient times when pupils used to be taught by teachers at the ashram. There was one teacher-run boarding schools with only a few students attending. The teacher was seen as a a parent,a teacher and like a god. There would be unquestioned compliance of the Guru’s command and teaching. There was complete submission of the pupil’s ego to the teacher’s will. That explains why student would touch teacher’s feet.

Today,one can find only a shade of the devotion,respect and duty to the teacher by a student of the kind heard of in ancient times. Even that shade of feeling is not universal. Leave aside complete submission of one’s ego to the teacher’s will. We find frequent friction and clashes of egos. The sacred relationship is plagued by ills like disrespect,contempt,greed,misuse and exploitation. Today,the teacher is perceived as another service provider who gets paid for it. What can one call it — another extreme?

While the earlier concept gave one joy and bliss the latter leaves one with jittery feelings. We need to do something to improve the relationship. It might be impossible to recreate the situation as of yore,but it is desirable to travel a few steps back. For that we need to ponder over the reasons for change from that extreme to this extreme and take corrective measures.

To my mind,in earlier days there were not many students and teachers. The teachers were established maestros of their fields. Today the globe is a village teeming with a huge number of students and teachers. While the teachers need to establish themselves as par excellence,the students wish to stay ahead in the cut-throat competitive environment. Both students and teachers are under tremendous pressure to perform,excel and establish. Hence,the huge expectations from each other. Upon failure to get the expected,one feels let down and looks forward to alternatives to fulfill goals. Besides,the lure of lucre,and overall decay in social values have taken its toll.
Class XII-A

GEETHA S.
We are living today in a world of breathtaking change and education is a vital area which cannot escape it. In fact,our entire educational system is undeniably in need of urgent and mutual change. This great change begins with the basic Guru-shishya parampara concept. However,gone are the days when Eklavya gave away his thumb to his guru without asking any questions. We do not expect children in uniform to sit in a classroom listening to the teacher unquestioningly any more.

With the great change in the field of education,there is the requirement of a new breed of teachers to guide the generation of the 21st century.

Today,students are influenced and touched not so much by a teacher’s skills and talents as they are by a teacher’s loving and caring disposition. In fact,the qualities for which the teachers are remembered most are qualities of the heart,like caring,kindness and concern. It is these qualities that touch lives and transform the young.

Moreover,now is a time of giving and receiving. Though the child comes to learn,yet the teacher has so much to learn while teaching,having to deal with children of different calibre.

As communicators of value,a great task lies ahead of every teacher to instill in children a sense of self-esteem which will rejuvenate children to a higher realm of attention. Need for the ability to listen to children and understand what they do not say,makes it all the more challenging.

In this Guru-Shishya Parampara,the vital point that the Guru needs to remember is that it is better to build children than to repair people,and good communication of value is the pathway to achieving this. No matter what we may say,the teacher has a big role and a big place in the heart of a child,with the child always reiterating,“But my teacher said this way,not that.”

Successful teaching,like successful partnership can only happen in an environment where both parties understand and are understood.
TGT English

TARUN CHAUHAN
Ancient India was dedicated to the love and respect for teachers or Gurus.

According to the interpretations of ancient Indian tales and the Vedas,a teacher’s words were the highest God,i.e.,the order of God.

One of the greatest students,Eklavya,who considered the idol of Dronacharya as his teacher and even offered him his gratitude by giving the thumb of his right hand as gurudakshina. Even the devil like Mahisasura paid his gratitude by acquiring the heaven.

But gone are those days when a Guru was everything for a child. Gone is the Eklavya’s spirit. A teacher is no longer a guide and a philosopher. Trends are changing and a teacher is now a friend and a counsellor as well.

In this modern era,the teachers have been given one more title,i.e.,the builders of a nation and students are the future leaders of a nation. Even a change in lifestyle has not changed the Guru-Shishya Parampara. For example: Panchanan Maheshwari,a botanist established a Department of Botany in Delhi University for his teacher.

But this is not the whole truth about the changing trends. Teaching was a profession that earlier received the most respect,but today it doesn’t get the kind of respect it deserves. Some students feel ashamed in respecting their teachers. And this disrespect has resulted in increasing indiscipline in the classroom and a degradation of the teacher-student relationship.

Not only are students responsible for this,but teachers as well. There are many cases of torture and harassment by teachers. In the words of Gandhiji,a teacher should have such an effect on his students that even in his absence they abide by his teachings. But it is not so. This imbalance in the teacher-student relationship has also resulted in conflict.

It is the primary duty of both Guru and Shishya to maintain the Guru-Shishya Parampara as a give-and-take relationship.

So that we Indians can proudly say: “ACHARYA DEVO BHAVA.”
Class XII-B