What's the name of your gift ????????

September 5 is Teachers' Day. A look at how some teachers touch the hearts of their students. Just a bit of kindness, a dash of wisdom and a sprinkling of love.

Sakshi raced up the stairs her schoolbag dangling from her shoulder. She guessed it right. Her friends were chatting in the corridor. While nudging her way past the other children so she could spend a few minutes with her friends before her teacher arrived, she collided with someone she thought she should not have. Her class teacher looked bemused. Sakshi blinked innocently. Her snack bag with water bottle almost fell when her teacher asked, “Can I keep it for you?”

Abdul thinks the world of his teacher who doesn't speak English very well. Her voice is not sweet for she has to be really loud in class so that even the sleepiest child is attentive. She is well mannered and gentle but does not accept excuses. Children flock round her table and ask how her Sunday was. They also know that if they hadn't done their homework, they will be made to miss activity period. Abdul, however, has only one thing to say. For all the years he will have to spend in school, he wishes his teacher would be promoted along with him, from one class to the other.

They care

Netra and Surya cannot stop talking about their teacher. “Oh she is so good,” they say. “Good?” I ask. “How do you know she is good?” Summer holidays were longer than usual but when school reopened textbooks weren't ready. Only one book was available and that was with the teacher. But when lessons were taught, the entire class would follow word by word as the teacher read aloud from the book. How? The teacher would, every single day, write down the page to be taught on the blackboard, till textbooks were given to the children ten days later. “Our teacher wanted us to know what she was reading. She made sure we didn't take our eyes off the board. We love her for writing out pages for us,” they say.

Do children really care if their teacher taught them well or not? Of course they do. Every student has an ability to evaluate the teacher. They can quickly identify the teacher who knows the job from the one who doesn't. In fact, behaviour patterns of the students largely depend on the kind of teacher they have.

Ved keeps asking his teacher why she wears more than one ring on her finger. If wedding ring was one, what was the other for? Dayanita likes it when her teacher pleats her saree and pins it to her blouse. She says it makes her look “neat”. Even mannerisms are made much of. The teacher who nods her head with a smile is remembered and spoken fondly of.

It is hard to believe but true. Children seem to appreciate the teacher who bothers to ask why they missed school when they get back after a day's leave. And when the teacher is away for a day, she is enquired of her absence too, the very next day!

Who's a “good teacher”? Taking notes from what children look for in a teacher, it is fair to call a good teacher a gift. The child who gets to learn from such a teacher is gifted. Creative wisdom, beauty of character, a kind heart and knowledge that endures are wished for every teacher today.

Deepti's views sum up the need every child feels for in a teacher. “I am fine in school. My teacher is like a mother. Just one more exam to go and I can do what I want. My teacher said so.” I turn to the teacher. Deepti had been asking her teacher if she could wear nail polish to school. The teacher had said yes, a white polish, after the exams!

A celebration

September 5 is the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. He was a diplomat, scholar, philosopher and the President of India. It is in his memory that this day is celebrated as Teachers' Day.

In 1962, when he was the President some of his students wanted to celebrate his birthday. But Dr. Radhakrishnan said, “instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers' day”. From then on, the day has been observed as Teachers' Day in India.