‘Teachers are a student’s second parents’

Apoorv Mangla,

XII,Kalka public School

Communication is an essential component in fostering a good relationship between students and teachers. Talking to a student can help a teacher understand a student better. A teacher should come across a student as a friend,guide and mentor,empathise with the student by being one like them. Once a student feels that the teacher appreciates what it feels like to a student,the students feel they are on the same wavelength as their teacher. Consequently,they will trust their teacher more. We criticise a student’s action but students are so used to criticism that they develop a defence mechanism. We need to make them feel safe enough to relax their defences and and turn even the most difficult student to into a positive member of the class. Tips for teachers: Praise students before scolding. Never let fear be your image but love. Give them a sense of belonging and not empty threats. Avoid comparisons as it is deeply resented. One must never label a child but try and understand their needs. Keep doing all this and one would soon find students as a teacher’s best friends confiding everything in the teacher.

Sohini Chakravarty

Teacher of Delhi Public School

R.K.Puram

Since ancient times,parents have always relied on the school — read teachers — to impart not just education,but also to train their wards to be good citizens and human beings. This was done by sending them to the gurukuls,away from homes,totally devoid of parental interference and indulgence.

We have come a long way since then. A lot has definitely changed,but even today parents still rely on the school for the mental,physical and emotional growth of their child. Keeping in mind the current social and economic scenario,it is imperative for a teacher to bond with his/her students. Behind all that bravado and hard exterior,they are just kids — longing for a periodic pat,a generous praise and a shoulder to cry on. Most children today have little or no communication with their parents. It is a world of knowledge explosion,with no place for prudish,conservative thoughts. The teacher has to be their anchor in all this and more. She has to be their confidante. She alone can offer them that patient hearing,advise them objectively while offering them all the right guidance.

I would strongly advocate the carrot-and-stick policy here. Apply the proverbial stick,but tell them why it is being done so. A strict teacher,who is principled and practices what she preaches,is always appreciated by students. Students no longer look to a teacher for knowledge. They want a teacher who is compassionate while being strict; one who can fearlessly tell them when they are going wrong and one who treats them as an individual with his/her own special needs and talents.

Gowri Ramachandran

Department of English,DPS,

RK Puram

Socrates said that our youth dislike authority,no longer rise when teachers enter the room,contradict their parents and love to chatter in place of exercise. How correct,for the modern teenager sets his own rules. The teacher should treat them as intelligent individuals with diverse aspirations. Identifying and helping them attain their ends will go a long way in building a life-long relationship. Guiding them in bringing out a newsletter that they have for long wanted,giving positive inputs for an article they have written for publication in the newspaper and giving opportunities for public speaking are some of the ways in which a student can be provided with an enriching environment. Students are smart and sensitive individuals who can sense the genuineness of the teacher. So,enjoying their company is important. A teacher,who works hard at making her lessons interesting and encourages innovative activities,wins over disinterested students who generally escape any kind of structured,formal training. “Example is better than precept”. How true it can be. The modern student is techno-savvy and cannot connect to a teacher who is technologically challenged. A teacher,who is a willing learner and extends a hand of friendship towards the students,creates an environment of trust enabling better communication and pursuit of knowledge.

Usha Diptivilasa

English teacher at Delhi Public School,R K Puram

Like all other relationships,student-teacher relationship needs to be based on mutual trust,honesty and respect. I think the secret of having and maintaining a good relationship depends a lot on how each side manages the expectations of the other side. Since teachers were,once upon a time,students,I believe the onus of nurturing and improving the relationship lies more with teachers. My favourite teachers were those who were blackboard friendly (perhaps because seeing is believing),knew me by my name and could turn any drab issue into an interesting one.

Fed up with the anatomy of a honey bee,I remember having once asked my high school biology teacher the logic for including honey bee in the syllabus in place of something more interesting and beautiful like a butterfly. Production of honey cannot be the criteria,I reasoned,because the anatomy of a cow which produces something as important as milk is not included in the syllabus. She admitted she has never thought about it,but would definitely get back to me on this. After a few days she told me she was ready to hazard a guess. According to her research,while a butterfly maybe more beautiful,we value a honey bee more because it is subject to self-imposed discipline of a “bee society”. Perhaps the rigorous discipline and self-restraint of a honey bee,in contrast to a bohemian and free lifestyle of a butterfly is what is exemplary and helps them in producing the precious nectar. With experience,I have been better able to appreciate the profoundity of those simple words. As a teacher today,I know it takes a great deal of courage,confidence and conviction to say “ I don’t know ”and tackle adolescent pranks in a positive way. My respect,love and adoration for my teacher had only increased by the day since then.

Anindita Mitra,

St Thomas School,Gol Market

“When you make them smile,laugh,think,write,explore,take notes,read,or give them a chance…you have taught them something everlasting”. So said Wayne Groves and the thought rings true even today.

My six-year-old would often argue and disagree with me on how something is to be done,saying “My ma’am says it is to be done like this.” It’s really true kids place their teacher above parents. Teacher’s direction is the final word. Don’t we also still remember the names of our favourite teachers? The relationship between students and teacher is one of the most beautiful things in the world because it is not based on any familial or blood relation,but still is very delicate and sincere. Sceptics may call it no longer as selfless as it used to be,but I beg to differ because a loving teacher can be truly a mean to transform the life of her students. Like every other relationship,this also needs investment in terms of sincerity and trust for it to blossom. I believe,mutual respect,commitment and faith are the key elements to make this relationship bloom. In this fiercely competitive world,it makes even more sense to build self esteem and confidence in the students by acknowledging and appreciating their emotions.

Seema Vishesh,

Springdales School,Dhaula Kuan

Importance of teacher is well-known since Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ram-Lakshman,Pandavas all had their gurus — Guru Vasishta for Ram-Lakshman,and Dronacharya for Pandavas. In today’s schools and colleges also,teacher has an important place. Guru is needed in each field,be it engineering,medicine,accountancy,etc.

I think student-teacher relationship is much more important than a parent-child relationship. Though now a days we don’t see the due respect for teachers in students and teachers too have been more professional and lack somewhat in their dedication.

The fact is,with technology growing,we no longer to teachers with questions. Rather we sit in front of a PC,connect to internet and run a search to find answers for our questions. But the importance of a teacher’s influence on a student should never be underestimated. The values learned at home are developed further at school under a teacher’s guidance. Everything has become a business now. Over the past years,the gap between teachers and students has become smaller and the relation of respect has changed into that of friendship.

“A student’s dreams begin with a teacher who believes in him/her,who tugs and pushes and leads them to the next plateau. The teachers,in their own unique way,leave an impact on students’ minds which lasts forever. After parents,teachers are the ones who succeed in imparting morals values to students. The importance of a teacher in a student’s learning process is never limited to academics. Rather,every action of a teacher is considered by students as an ideal and is followed.

Sushms Kalia,

In-charge,Middle School,ASN Sr Sec School Mayur Vihar

There’s no denying the fact that it’s a tough job for teachers to maintain a good and cordial relationship with students. But having a pessimistic view is not a solution either. As parents,we do everything for our children to keep them happy and progressing in the right direction. If it is so,can’t we teachers,who are considered the second parents,do same for the children? Students are after all are only children and their’s understanding of the world and its affairs may at times be erroneous. It is the responsibility of the teacher to mend and guide them. Secondly,rewards and punishments must go hand in hand. Teachers need to look for whatever little goodness and spark they notice in students rather than resort to fault-finding. If a student is told repeatedly that he is good for nothing he really becomes good for nothing. Thirdly,teachers must lend their patient ears to the students and we should allow them to unlock their creativity.

Manoj Kumar Aggarwal,

St Mark’s School,Janakpuri