Teacher’s Day special brings stories of students from across India

Initially, it took time for me to get entry into the Army. But I was allowed to stay at the ASI campus for training. Before I officially joined the Army, I did not have proper shoes needed for javelin throw. Kashinath sir ensured I got everything I needed like shoes, good diet and even dry fruits. He used to get healthy homemade food for me. I did not have to ask him for anything because he was very generous. Now, of course, the Army takes care of all my needs.

Though there were other javelin throwers in the group, Kashinath sir always had time for me. I have followed his training schedule, and it has helped me get to where I am — sixth place at the World Athletics Championships. 

When Sir asked me to join him in Pune, my technique was not ideal. I was very raw, though I had a strong throwing arm. For instance, the angle of the javelin was too high. He helped me correct it.

Even now, at times, I tend to throw with a high angle, but the coach is always around to rectify it. Also, I used to bend my knee during the block, but my coach helped me correct the technique further. Kashinath sir also helped me get stronger physically and more confident. When it comes to mental training, he tries and keeps me positive.

Currently, I am a havildar in the Army and my family is proud of my achievements. I took up javelin when a PT teacher in my school asked me to join a group of students who he had short-listed for throws. Some were asked to pursue shot put, others discus throw, and I was selected for the javelin. At that time, I didn’t imagine I would reach a World Championship final.

(Manu finished sixth in the World Championships final in Budapest and is an Asian Athletics Championships silver medallist)

As told to Nihal Koshie

Five ways to empower your child

Here are ways you can empower your child. (Source: Freepik)

When a child doesn’t feel safe with an adult, it’s important to empower the child with tools that help them cope and communicate to ensure their well-being. Some tools that children can use are:

1. Teach the child about personal boundaries and that it’s okay to say “No” when they feel uncomfortable. Encourage them to assert their boundaries in a calm respectful manner. Teach the children to speak up for themselves and seek help when needed. This skill can be invaluable in various life situations.

2. Help the child identify other adults they trust and feel safe with. These individuals can be family members, friends’ parents, mentors, or school counsellors. Let the child know that it’s okay to ask for help. If there’s a situation where the child is uncomfortable to talk, they may have a pre-agreed-upon code-word with a parent/trusted adult. This word signals that they need help without explicitly stating it.

3. Encourage the child to listen to their “gut feeling”. If something doesn’t feel right, they have the right to remove themselves from the situation. Help the child develop a plan for leaving a situation when they do not feel safe. Help the child pre-identify the safe spaces, whether it is at home, at school (like a washroom), or at a neighbour’s house, where they can go. Ensure the child knows emergency phone numbers.

4. Parents can role-play different scenarios with the child where the child can practice asserting themselves and expressing their discomfort to the adult in question. Parents should encourage the child to confide in them or a friend or in people who can provide emotional support. Reinforce that feeling uncomfortable or unsafe is not their fault. No child should ever blame themselves for the adult’s inappropriate behaviour.

5. Advise the child to keep a diary to document any incidents or uncomfortable situations. This can help them open-up and also keep track of what’s happening. Teach the child to practice self-care relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, creative visualization, or mindfulness-based exercises in order to help them manage the anxiety and stress.

The child’s safety is of the utmost importance. If the child’s safety is at risk, involving the concerned authorities may be necessary.

(Dr Shaunak Ajinkya is consultant, psychiatrist, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Mumbai)

‘Aim for the sky, you’ll reach the treetop’

Sana Khan, 16, is a Class XII student at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Nuh, Haryana.

Who is your favourite teacher?

I have a Chemistry teacher at school who reminds us that we need to constantly push ourselves, else, we might just have to get married early. But my respect for him grew after the violence in the city. When school reopened after the curfew, he told us not to worry. He said, ‘Jaise tum ho, waise hum hain (I’m just like you)’. I was glad that he did not see us apart and checked in on us every now and then. Once when he noticed that I was spending a lot of time on social media and my attention span was waning, he spoke to me about it. He said that the longer my screen time is, the stronger corporates benefit from it. I went home and uninstalled apps that very day.

What you wish teachers wouldn’t do?

My sister is a teacher and the one thing I always tell her is not to raise her hand on a student. Children are quite young, and a beating could go terribly wrong. Recently, when I saw the video of a teacher asking students to beat a Muslim child in Muzaffarnagar, I wondered if teachers shared the same thoughts while caning and punishing students. Fortunately, I have never had a teacher who beat me because most of them speak to us and help resolve our issues even when we are underperforming.

One thing you wish teachers would do?

My school is a girl’s school and one thing I want to see is younger women teachers. Most of my teachers are old and I wish they knew us better. I think younger teachers would approach us with a greater level of empathy.

Also, my school has poor infrastructure — no benches or tables, no laboratories or good libraries and the ceiling of our classroom leaks after every rain — I wish our teachers did something to make it better.

Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up? 

I would like to be a police officer. Nuh is one of the most backward regions in the country and we have no Muslim women in the force here. When I become one, many young girls will find it easier to take this path. My parents are poor and people tell them that I should be married off rather than be sent to school. I told my father to send me to a government school and to give me some time. I chose Science, thinking I would have other professions to fall back on if this did not work out, but for the January 26 parade at school, when I wore the khaki uniform, my father looked so proud. He said I looked the part. I would have pursued a career as a teacher if it were not for this dream. So, I plan to go to a coaching centre at Mukherjee Nagar to prepare for the SI (Sub Inspector) test. If you aim for the sky, you will at least reach the treetop; if I aim to be an SI, I could end up as a constable. 

As told to Aiswarya Raj

‘Teaching changes your perception’

Qurat-ul-Ain, 14, is a Class IX student at Kothi Bagh Girls Higher Secondary School, Srinagar.

Who is your favourite teacher? 

Shabia Ma’am! She teaches us biology.

What do you like about her?

I like that she is dedicated and enthusiastic, works hard and gives her 100 per cent in the classroom. She is very calm while teaching us.

What you wish teachers wouldn’t do?

This is a tough question! But yes, I think a teacher should not focus so much energy and time on checking our copies. They check our copies almost every day!

One thing you wish teachers would do?

They should be friendly and patient, then a student will always give his or her 100 per cent in the classroom. Students like such teachers and it makes their job easy as well.

Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up?

My father is a driver and my mother, a homemaker. I would love to become a teacher when I grow up.  I do believe teaching broadens your horizons, changes your perception, your thought process in a way that you get a vision that enables you to look ahead of others. Teachers contribute to society. I think there are very few professions like teaching through which you can contribute to society in such a big way.

As told to Bashaarat Masood

‘I hope teachers didn’t practice favouritism’

Harsimran Preet Kaur, 11, is in Class V, Pathshala Public High School, Amritsar.

Living in an area riddled with drug menace, Harsimran’s parents rely on teachers to protect their children from becoming targets of drug smugglers

Who is your favourite teacher? 

My favourite teacher’s name is Rita.

What do you like about her?

I appreciate that she treats all students in the same manner. There’s another teacher who doesn’t treat me well, but Rita ma’am doesn’t differentiate among students. She cares for everyone, and in return, all the students love her too.

What you wish teachers wouldn’t do?

I hope teachers didn’t practice favouritism by giving special treatment to one student and ignoring or slighting others. Some teachers tend to do that, and it’s not fair.

One thing you wish teachers would do?

I wish all teachers were like Rita ma’am, treating all their students kindly. I feel comfortable asking Rita ma’am anything. Teachers should create an environment where children aren’t afraid to approach them. Sometimes, there are students who can’t understand a topic but they are too shy to raise their hand.  Often they get left behind.

Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up?

No, I don’t want to become a teacher. My dream is to become a doctor because I want to alleviate people’s suffering through medicine.

As told to Kamaldeep Singh Brar, Amritsar

‘Teachers shouldn’t be late to class’

Ashok Verma (12) is in Class VII, Government school, Jodli, Neem Ka Thana, Rajasthan.

Who is your favourite teacher?

Mukesh sir is my favourite. He teaches us science; I love studying science.

What do you like about him?

He always comes to class on time, and explains everything to us in detail. He is very good with every child and even after the classes if we need to understand something, he helps us out. He regularly conducts tests; I got A grade in his subject and he praised me before everyone in class.

What you wish teachers wouldn’t do?

I wish teachers wouldn’t smoke in school. They should also not be late to class.

One thing you wish teachers would do?

Teachers should hold extra classes for students who need help in their lessons.

Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up? 

I come from a Dalit family and we are small farmers. I want to become a district collector when I grow up because I feel I will be able to help many people and contribute to society. 

As told to Deep Mukherjee

‘Learning needs to be more exciting’

Niranjana Ambedkar (11) is in Class VII, Chennai Public School, Anna Nagar

Who is your favourite teacher?

My favourite teacher is Deepa ma’am, our social studies teacher.

What do you like about her?

She teaches very well and her method is very innovative. She playfully narrates stories and that helps us remember concepts. Deepa ma’am is more than a teacher; she is also a friend to us, who speaks to us about subjects outside the syllabus, too. 

What you wish teachers wouldn’t do? 

Some teachers in some schools say students shouldn’t use the restroom during class hours. I don’t think that is right. 

One thing you wish teachers would do?

Learning should be made more exciting. Teaching shouldn’t be limited to mere bookish subjects and it should be done using small fun ways. 

Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up? 

Yes. I know a lot of teachers inspire many kids; I can imagine myself being a teacher.

As told to Arun Janardhanan

‘I wish teachers would treat us equally’

Saba (13) is in Class VIII, Karamat Husain Muslim Girls Inter College, Lucknow

Who is your favourite teacher?

My favourite teacher is Prabha ma’am; I don’t know her full name, everyone calls her that. She teaches us History, Geography, Civics and is our class teacher, too. She is very nice to everyone.

What do you like about her?

What I like most about her is that she is patient and listens to us. She has been very nice to me even when I was up to mischief. She encouraged me to work hard despite me scoring low marks in a few class tests. When I didn’t score well, she encouraged me and ensured that I didn’t feel disheartened and my performance has improved since then.

What you wish teachers wouldn’t do?

I wish teachers wouldn’t hit students. I am not saying they do that often, but I just wish that it never happens. It is humiliating.

One thing you wish teachers would do?

I wish our teachers would treat us all equally despite how we are at studies.

Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up? 

Yes, that is my dream. I want to become a teacher so that I can teach children what I have learnt. I want to complete my education and become a teacher at a government or private school. Teachers leave a mark on their students and I would want to do that.

As told to Asad Rehman