Teachers across six continents share their experiences from their growing years, which helped them to mould thoughts, to observe and perceive and most importantly remember the one person who inspired it all- their respective teachers.
The last paragraph of Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie read- “The last class of my old professor’s life took place once a week, in his home, by a window in his study where he could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink flowers. The class met on Tuesdays. No books were required. The subject was the meaning of life. It was taught from experience.
The teaching goes on.”
and as the tradition of knowledge sharing continues, the very quintessential element of the continuous process of learning reflects a special chapter in time across the globe. As teachers gather to prepare students amidst busy classrooms, corridors, open-air teaching grounds or within the comforts of home, it is more than mere education that begins its nascent journey. The imprints of which remain embedded for the entire life of the student- and it all begins with the simple lessons of life.
With India preparing to celebrate Teachers’ Day on September 5, as a mark of respect towards a loveable teacher and philosopher, who was also the first Vice-President and second President of Independent India- Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, a similar day of respect is also marked across the globe as a mode of tribute for the humongous task of teachers- the World Teachers’ Day on October 5, which not only celebrates the profession, but also aims to promote international standards towards the same. In remembrance towards the undanting efforts of teachers across geographical boundaries, this is a tribute towards the very essence of teaching as reflected by people from the same profession and across all six continents, who reminisce their respective teachers who taught them the real meaning of teaching and learning.
ASIA – Anura Manatunga, Sri Lanka
Introduction
Coming from a family of teachers, where his grandmother, grandfather, mother, one of his two sisters and both his brothers, three of his uncles, two aunts as well as his wife are teachers, Manatunga feels closest to the discipline, being a part of the profession from his very childhood. At present, a professor in Archaeology at University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka and also a director at Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Manatunga is also the director of the Polonnaruva Project of Central Cultural Fund, Sri Lanka and also the founder of International Association for Asian Heritage (IAAH). He is also a regular visiting faculty in Sri Lanka as well as abroad.
Reminiscing experiences
“My association with teachers is not only confined to the school or university, but my family and home. My mother, grandmother, grandfather and one of the uncles were teachers at the school where I was first admitted in 1967. Three of my uncles and two aunties were teachers in the same school from time to time. All of them lived in the same house as an extended family at our ancestral home at Teripehe, a remote village in the central hills of Sri Lanka. With my present family including several members from the same profession, I am very well also aware about the privileges and grievances of teachers, which are a life experience to me.
I remember my first teacher- Ms. W.R. W. M Y. Wickramasinghe. She is none other than my own grandmother. She died in 2005, aged 95. She could read newspapers without glasses till she died, of which she was often complimented upon. She was not only a teacher but also a very active social reformer of the village and was always happy to share her experiences with us.
I remember my first day in school in the year 1967. Our class was in one end of a long corridor, which had short walls and a few doors, resembling gates. I was asked to sit by a boy who was much older to all of us and that boy was assigned to look after me. I became very good friends with him and we are still friends. Unfortunately due to his parent’s negligence, he was not admitted to school at the proper age and my grandmother took charge of his studies like her own close kin. The boy is now a well-known personality in Sri Lanka and often, in various public announcements, refers to the contribution of my grandmother and myself in his life.
I still remember what my grandmother taught us in our first day at school. She sang a well-known children’s song, “Me gase Boho …” together with us and taught us the meaning of it. The meaning of the song is that there are lots of oranges on the tree, but only two is enough for me and my sister. Thanks to her teachings, the meaning of this song has been deeply embedded into my mind and heart and became my vision of the life.”
Gayatri Ravindran, Kuwait
Introduction
An MA and MEd, Ravindran completed her schooling from Jammu and a college in Dharamshala and became a teacher in 1992. Teaching variously in Chennai, she is at present a vice principal in one of the branches of Indian Community School in Kuwait.
It all began with one book by Enid Blyton
“Each one of us is inspired by something or someone when we are young. It motivates us to be someone, do something. I am a teacher of English and I am proud to say that what I am is because one young friend and one teacher identified something in me in school and that motivated me to be who I have become.
I came to Jammu in 1974 from a small school in Delhi and entered St Mary’s Presentation Convent School with great difficulty. My math skills were bad and my English was worse. In sixth standard, a young friend introduced me to the writing of Enid Blyton. Tough I do not recollect his name, yet I thank him for these books changed my life and my language. They introduced me to a world of fantasy and escape and of new worlds. I went on to explore more authors and more books, including Wodehouse and Georgette Heyer, to Somerset Maugham to Tolstoy and also various magazines, papers and the papers our ironing man would wrap our clothes in to deliver them to us.
By standard ninth, my English had tremendously improved- which was also with the help of my English teacher. She read my English answer sheets to the class saying that they were the best. For someone who had always been looked as an oddball, it was the best motivation I could get. My confidence in speaking increased because she asked me to participate in elocutions and debate competitions. Though I never got a prize, she encouraged me a lot.
I joined Government P G College, Dharamshala in 1982. I was given opportunities to speak in elocution competitions but here also as in school, I failed. One competition I remember is on Asian Games and I couldn’t remember my speech after the 6th line and came off the stage saying sorry!
In my first year, I was asked to substitute for compering at the last minute in our college cultural program “Galaxy”. It was a fashion show and I had to introduce my friends and their costumes…..usually a monotonous affair with people walking to the front and then returning. No script dictated how and what to say…I was a free bird and I let words do the magic….encouraging the audience to look at this hairstyle, that clip, those pants, these lovely earrings….encouraging the participants to show attitude as they posed with their theme clothes……that year, it was the most popular show….and the compere, the most popular new face in college. I had found my talent. After that I never went for any elocution competitions learning my speech by heart. I never won first place anywhere, but my confidence increased with leaps and bounds.
In my second year, I went to a lecturer to ask him to suggest books to read. As he recited names, I told him I had read them. After taking the names of about 24 books, he stopped and asked me, “What are you doing in undergraduate classes? You should be doing masters in English!”
That was my turning point. I finished my college standing fifth in the University of Himachal Pradesh and did my masters in English. Getting married in between, I moved to Tamilnadu, but completed my Bachelor in Education (B Ed). Though teaching wasn’t on my list of careers, I joined a local school. My talents in singing and dancing helped me to reach children better. My English was appreciated wherever I went. At every step I knew I was carrying a baton…which my English teacher had given to me……whenever I found a student trying to write good English, I did what my teacher would have done….motivating the student by reading the answers and encouraging…the baton has been passed to hundreds of students who pay the best tribute they know, by adding me as their friend on Facebook….and posting comments on my wall and chatting with me…keeping in touch.
Over the years, I have found my own style of motivating students, which has come from all my varied experiences in different schools. I was able to complete my Masters in English only in 1998, while I was expecting my second daughter, but the love for the language and the spirit of encouraging my students were sown way back when a friend told me to read a children’s book to improve my language and a teacher smiled every time I answered her question in a language she openly appreciated.
Ours is a holy calling…not everyone is cut out to be a good teacher. But most develop their teaching skills through experience. Anyone can teach, but it takes that something extra, something special to make an unforgettable teacher. And at each step, a teacher has a baton to pass to her students – of inspiration and motivation, so that they reach higher. Instead of “Good marks!”, “Your answer for question number 3 was definitely the best I read in class!” – makes all the difference in the world to a student. It shows that each word was read and valued. The teacher’s word becomes holy, priceless.
As William Arthur Ward says, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” I was inspired by one.”
AUSTRALIA – Channa Wickramasekara, Melbourne
Introduction
Born in Colombo in Sri Lanka (1967) with a background of secondary education from Royal College, Colombo, Wickramasekara entered Monash University in Melbourne Australia for further studies where he went on to complete his higher studies and doctorate and Diploma in Education. Currently working as a private tutor while conducting research into a military history of the recently concluded civil war in Sri Lanka, Wickramasekara has published two books and several articles and chapters in books on South Asian Military History as well as three works of fiction.
Developing own style
“Working as a private tutor at the moment, while conducting my own research: I completed my secondary schooling in Sri Lanka and my tertiary studies in Australia. I had a fairly interesting group of teachers at school- ranging from the downright boring and uninspiring to the inspired and truly devoted. In between were those who cared little about the profession but were still fun to have as your teacher. To me, the best teachers were those who cared little for the conventions of teaching and tried to develop their own styles. In university in Australia the teachers that impressed me the most were those who demonstrated professionalism as well as sound knowledge of their subjects. Coming from a formal education atmosphere, I was also pleasantly surprised by the informal attitude in the student-teacher relationship in Australian university, where students are always encouraged to ask questions and think critically. The most significant academic contribution to my teaching came from the teaching of the highly professional lecturers and tutors I had during my Diploma in Education. They knew their subject and they inspired me with their ability to deliver lessons without notes and to keep students engaged. Yet, if I ever modeled myself on one of my teachers it will have to be my logic teacher whose style of teaching was very unconventional to say the least. He taught students through discussions and debates rather than by giving lengthy notes. In the process we learnt a great deal about a range of subjects in addition to logic. I was also heavily influenced by the culture of learning in university where debate and discussion was the order of the day and try to encourage my students to do the same.”
SOUTH AMERICA – Axel Díaz Maimone, Argentina
Introduction
Born in 1985, Prof. Axel Díaz Maimone is a teacher and writer in Argentina.
Sharing of knowledge
“Dr. Jorge Secondi (He is lawyer and teacher at the University. Born in 1955): “Tuve tres docentes que dejaron una impronta en mí. Habían estudiado en la universidad reformada, que permitió el acceso de las clases populares a la universidad, y por eso llevaban la sensibilidad del hombre de pueblo al quehacer profesional (es decir, comprendían que su orígen los ayudaba a lograr una unidad técnica y cultural, comprensiva de la realidad social). Esos docente rompieron con el encriptamiento del conocimiento, transmitiéndolo sin egoísmo e interdisciplinando las ciencias a efectos de complementarlo.Puedo decir que esos profesores transmitieron técnicas orientadas al bien común y al desarrollo social.”
“I had some teachers which left important impact on my live. They were (or they are, because they are not dead) who helped me opening my mind. When I was a child, I started to read and play the piano so, music and literature were part of my childhood. Now, I am a teacher of music and also a writer and I am also studying law and I am near to be a lawyer. So, I must recognise the importance of my teachers from school and university, because they gave me their knowledge.”
NORTH AMERICA – Dr. Riten Kumar, North America
Introduction
Riten Kumar MD, MSc is a clinical fellow in the division of Pediatric Hematology – Oncology and also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. He completed his medical school from Calcutta Medical College and his pediatric residency from the State University of New York. His specific area of interest is treating blood clots in children. He will shortly be starting an advanced fellowship in Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis at the University of Toronto.
The right kind of treatment goes a long way
“William J. Mayo, one of the founding fathers of the Mayo Clinic said that “once you start studying medicine you never finish”. I recognised the gravity of his words in the first year of my training in pediatric oncology. I started my fellowship with lofty ideas of curing cancer, but was soon humbled when I realised that despite my training, research and the most modern arsenal of therapy, I could not help everyone.
Then I learned an important lesson from one of my teachers. Donna Betcher- who is a nurse practitioner and an associate professor of pediatrics at Mayo. She has been treating children with cancer for 35 years. She is an accomplished writer and has written several chapters in books and research papers. But what Donna taught me went beyond anything written in a book or research manuscript. She made me realise that being an effective oncologist requires perhaps a little more than just knowing the chemotherapy protocol for Leukemia. The emotional and psychological ramifications of the disease are equally important in treatment. The extra step of empathy is what differentiates the physician as a highly skilled technician from the physician as a compassionate ally.
Donna’s emotional bonding with her patients is exemplary. She is a child when she is with her patients and a fierce advocate for them behind their back. Most children dread coming to the hospital, but Donna’s patients actually look forward to seeing her. She made me realise that not being able to cure the cancer does not mean that you have given up on the patient. She is a living proof of what was said in the movie ‘Patch Adams’ – “When you treat a disease, you may win or lose, but when you treat a patient you always win”. I have since started treating my patients and not just their disease and this attitude has hopefully helped my patients, their families and myself.”
Christine Lawrence, Washington D.C.
Introduction
With a master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University and a master’s in English Literature from Georgetown University, she is at present an assistant professor at the School of Communication, American University, Washington D.C. Lawrence covers through her experience areas of politics and government to the SOC journalism division, having worked for ten years as a senior editor and reporter for Congressional Quarterly- a news organisation that reports on the U.S. Congress. She has also written and edited numerous books for Congressional Quarterly on politics and the legislative branch, including Politics in America, Congress and the Nation and the Guide to Congress. She currently teaches courses on news writing and reporting, media history, and media studies. Teaching as an SOC adjunct professor since 1993, she was also awarded the University Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching in an Adjunct Appointment.
Opening the mind towards knowledge
“What qualities do all good teachers share? How do good teachers inspire their students? One way to answer these questions is to consider how certain teachers influenced our own lives. I currently teach news writing and media studies and have worked professionally as a reporter and editor. I always knew I would work with words as one of my favorite pastimes as a child was to curl up on the sofa and lose myself in books. But as I made my way through school, it was certain teachers who brought literature and writing to life for me. As an undergraduate English literature major, I had a professor who was both formidable and demanding but clearly loved the great English authors he was sharing with us. I can still hear his deep baritone voice reading to us in old English the opening lines to The Canterbury Tales. I took courses in the great English poets with him, John Donne and John Milton as well as Chaucer. What he inspired in me was a love of language. Reading these classic poets with him made me realise the rhythm and music that can happen when words come together. I then went onto graduate school in literature and had a professor, who was quite the opposite temperamentally, but still an inspiration in his teaching. He was quiet and shy, and very unassuming, but his passion for his subject was obvious. I studied the English Romantic poets with him, and we would often spend one class period on one line of poetry, teasing out exactly what the poet was trying to say. Through his diligence and insight, this professor demonstrated the importance of literature and how it can enhance our lives. I then pursued a master’s degree in journalism as I suddenly realised I could be paid to write. I studied with a professor who taught me the fundamentals of newswriting and gave me insight into how to ask the right questions. Not only of the people you interview, but also of your own work or the work of other writers you edit. He inspired me to ask the unobvious question, to keep calling to get an answer, to read your own work and the work of others with a critical eye, and to always keep your reader in mind. He made me realise that good writing is clear writing. Now I am a teacher myself. I continuously think back on the classrooms where I was inspired to consider what qualities these teachers shared. And here they are: They were all passionate about their subjects and they shared this passion with their students, they expected high performance but they also treated their students as equals, and finally, they proved that the pursuit of all learning is a joyful experience. And so I say to my students: Open your minds and learn.”
EUROPE – Delia-Laura Popescu, Bucharest
Introduction
With a B Sc in Chemistry from the University of Bucharest and an M S and a Ph D from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg, USA, she was also a postdoctoral researcher at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA. At present, Popescu is an assistant professor at the University of Bucharest, Department of Inorganic Chemistry. With various publications to her credit as well as awards, including the Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship in Green Chemistry (2006) and Hugh D. Young Graduate Student Teaching Award (2006), her main areas of research include catalysis, environmental chemistry, polymerisation techniques and synthesis of advanced materials with biomedical applications.
In need of a better understanding
“As a child in a family of teachers, I was able to observe closely, the day-to-day life and dedication of my parents to their students and profession. My fascination with their work and my intense desire to see myself assume a similar role in someone’s life, as my parents did with their students- and this very thought provided the foundation for my career choice.
The years passed by and I kept thinking, especially at the dawn of a new school year, about the many teachers, professors, mentors, and role models that helped me shape my life and career. I’ve been privileged to encounter in my school years amazing individuals, highly motivated, creative, and dedicated educators. To make their teaching role as useful and enjoyable as possible, my teachers were employing a variety of methods and approaches, so every student could always find one that suited him or her learning style and stage of understanding. My teachers liked to teach and they were completely devoted to doing their best when in front of us, the students. They liked to be part of our lives, to learn and make us learn at the same time. They viewed their role in the classroom as a mediator between the knowledge and the students. Therefore, they welcomed questions at any moment; showed us respect for our ideas and feelings; shared their knowledge with us; built harmonious relationships based on commitment, trust, and respect.
My relationship with my teachers proved to be an important formative event of my life and work. They inspired me, believed in me and made me believe in myself. Therefore, I am very aware of the fact that when I am entering the classroom door it is not only as a teacher, but as a person and mentor as well. I am not only imparting chemistry knowledge, but supporting general education and personal development. I know I am affecting the emotional, intellectual, and social growth of each student I encounter. This is why above any test result or discussion, I consider the student my partner. A partner aimed to work hard and dream big. A partner aimed to be my equal or even more.”
Ngalla Jillani, Africa
Introduction
With a B Sc in natural sciences (Zoology and Botany) and a Masters in archaeology, looking at the relationships between brain evolution and tool making abilities in the genus Homo and finally a PhD in Neuroscience figuring out the way neurons are connected and how circuits are formed and how this is related to size of the brain in primates.
Journey to the “next level”
“This far I have come in academics, thanks to teachers and scholars those who have shaped my destiny in academics, from primary level to University. As the saying goes in my mother tongue- “if you desire to see the horizon clearly, climb onto the shoulders of tall people.” Tall people refers to the people that have journeyed through education and are able to guide you through the path of education and inspire you to discover the natural order of things, because in my view and opinion, education is about discovering the way things are ordered in nature and appreciating this order.
Coming from a humble background, my going to school was, as matter of fact, a way for me to discover what those that had been going to school before me learnt and discovered!
My very first day in school to start primary one, was filled with excitement and eagerness to learn a few things, one of which was how to speak and write in a foreign language and be able to read books because that was what I was seeing older and learned people do on a daily basis. The classroom setting was an open-air one under a tree. We were pioneering a new school closer home as the next closest school was about five kilometers away from my village. The excitement of starting school was boosted further by two middle-aged teachers who were eager to impart knowledge to us. Prior to this new school under a cashew nut tree, I had had a few days in nursery school(kindergarten) where I had learnt a few things mostly singing and using our fingers to write on the dusty classroom floor the numbers- from one ten and some twisted lines. Thus, when the themes of numbers and writing were introduced, I had an idea of what these were and became the teacher’s favourite student. Mr Robert Bandari took exceptional interest in lessons and would talk to me hours on end on what I could become if I got to concentrate and work hard on my schooling. He would mention the things that humankind had invented and continued to invent in present times and also told me that it was due to curiosity and asking questions of how and why, among others, that yielded answers in the form of innovations and inventions that a person can truly learn. In everything that I learnt every day, he would challenge me to see it in terms of everyday use and functionality, some of which I learned to see clearly as I proceeded higher up in the education ladder. This prompted me to have the urge to go to the next level in education so that I could be able to see what Mr. Bandari wanted me to see when I proceeded higher up. For sure I have seen what he meant as everything I have learnt in class has had some relevance in many ways in my academic and everyday life. From his inspiration, I have managed to go to the level of completing my doctorate. I have taken interest to teach at every level after my ordinary level and advanced level education classes. I took up a full time teaching position after my first degree and continued to do the same even after I left mainstream teaching to undertake research at the National Museums for Kenya where I have been working as a research scientist in human origins program. I have continued to share knowledge with youngsters and continued to preach the fact- “when you go for the next level in education, there are things that you discover, which clearly gives a picture of the way the natural world is ordered.” This statement has been an inspiration too, to my students since most of them have wanted to go to “the next level” to make discoveries about the order of things. Most have done it.”
