Teachers.

Teacher's Day come and go
And with every year I learn more
More than I ever teach.

I noticed that on every Teacher's Day ..... at least in recent years ........ it is the old students and ex-students who wish/greet/phone/visit/mail/write. The present students I teach are not always so enthusiastic.

Possible conclusions :-

a. We as teachers are less effective as the years go by.

b. The present lot of students are not sensitive to our teachings.

c. What we teach is a life-time learning for the taught, and that is why the old students come back to us with love and affection. The present students have not yet realised the value of our teaching . However, they will one day.

I copy-paste here on this page a mail which I had sent to some of my students (ex-students) in October, 2005. After 5 years, my sentiments remain the same.

I could not delete Arik's reply to my mail for some "HTML error". I have not disclosed the other recipients and their replies.

Nandini ma'am,

I am fairly certain that most people in this email would agree that you were an inspiration and that you transcended the textbook definition of teacher to become a mentor. If not, we would not have kept touch with you over these years :) ... don't worry about me just yet ... worry when I go to Iraq for my next assignment in January!

Regards,
Arik.

Nandini Dutta wrote:

The past few weeks saw the passing away of three of my educators. I shall not call them teachers.

One was Mother Marie-Claire, a nun at Loreto who put up with my outrageous ways with love and compassion (the hallmark of Loreto education). Never was there a harsh word, no matter how wicked my behaviour. Loreto education is so very wholesome. It sees you through life.

Then passed away my Economics teacher at College. A scatty and eccentric lady , who opened up my mind like no one had before. The modicum of academic discipline I possess today, I owe to her.

The third was dear IG (IGPatel) who saw me through my wild and wilful days at Delhi .Though he did not teach me as such, but he and his wife (Bibi) were always around for any intellectual discussion/argument. Many a times he acted as a 'sounding board' to the rather far fetched and immature hypothesis and paradigms that I presented to him at regular intervals. We ripped the topic apart and that by itself was a great learning process.If today I'm known to be argumentative, its because of IG.

A mere RIP or a prayer does not do them justice.

What I regret today is the fact that we as professors being in the academia, perhaps have not been able to impart to our students (through the years), a greater part of what we received from our mentors. I rue the fact. It is not just me, but many in our generation (professors and teachers) who received so much from our teachers, and yet, perhaps could not pass the same to the young minds that we teach/taught. My apologies

In introspection

Nandini Dutta.

Those at Univ., have fun. Arik, I worry for you. The rest take care. Priya, do mail.