When the taught becomes the teacher! - Madhu RD Singh

• When the taught becomes the teacher! - Madhu RD Singh Mrs Madhu Singh, is a senior teacher in the Army Public School, Ambala Cantt. She has also been the  Principal of a school, and has attended several teaching workshops. 
• Dr Ravinder Puri of Sirsa gets Prestigious Best Teacher Award from Governor Haryana Dr Ravinder Puri is Associate Professor at Govt National PG College Sirsa, he teaches Psychology to undergraduate and post graduate students

 

SIRSA NEWS ( www.SirsaNews.com )

05 September, 2013

Pictures and Videos: Amar Singh Jyani, GS Mann, Background Music: Murari Verma.

When the taught becomes the teacher!

Happiness, satisfaction, and pride are the feelings that come to my mind as I look back at nearly 25 years of teching experience. Indeed, fulfilling! A warm glow envelopes any teacher when suddenly in the market place, a grown-up person bends down, touches your feet,  and with a twinkle in his eyes, asks – “ Ma’m, do you recognize me?”  On such occasions, I feel humbled and at the same time – TALL!!

My initial years with the toddlers were eventful. These bundles of energy, matched my energy. I sang, recited, danced, and made drawings with them. Being young, I was impatient at times, but those angelic faces with round cheeks, big eyes and podgy physique,  ensured that impatience soon melted in the air. These four/five year olds were pretty sure about how they wanted the class to be held. They taught me to imagine, to shed every inhibition, and to be pure at heart. They laid the foundation stone of my teaching career.

Building on versatilities and armed with plentiful ideas, I moved on to the middle section. The growing teens, often at conflict with themselves, defiant and bold, were handful. Teaching, counseling, mothering and being a confidante – all had to be combined to deal  day to day. Academics will be there but more important was all associated conflicts of a twelve/thirteen year old. This age group sought answers and wanted every query to be replied, however awkward it  may be. They provided  me  an insight into the world  of  a teenager where evry minor issue is a major one and every demand is an order. I understood the troubled teens perfectly, and kept alternating between a teacher, a disciplinarian . a confidante, and a mentor!  Phew!!

Thereafter I moved to senior section. All grownups! Really, I thought so. Anyway, this age group of sixteen/seventeen was starry eyed, seemed to know everything, ready to explore all forbidden things, and yet owned up follies when confronted. Armed with experience, one improvised. If I was gentle for some, tough for others; friendly for some, difficult for others – but one thing about me was common – “ she makes learning of  HISTORY easy!!”  Thank God, I figured in their every day talk. This age group turned me into a friend, a facilitator, a guide, and above all a A MOTHER! I laughed, joked, and even mimicked them! In the class, I involved children in sharing the latest information and made full use of our smart class rooms. As a result, the ice was never there! They made me very happy, energetic, and most importantly updated. I moved with times. I was never an old piece, I would never be obsolete. I was appreciated, loved and respected for genuinely being with my students. They could count on me – any day, any time, any problem.

When today, I look back, I do feel that I progressed and performed well as a teacher because I was ever a LEARNER! I learnt at every stage, kept my mind open, improvised and changed myself with the changing times. The teacher in me remained alive always because I kept updating myself with the latest changes in the field of education and also in the society. I evolved!

On this ‘Teachers Day’, I salute all these wonderful children who taught me at every stage of life and kept the TEACHER in me ALIVE!!!  Thank you, dear students.

This write up by: 

Mrs. Madhu R D Singh (Teacher)

Army Public School. Nicholson Road  Ambala Cantt – 133001 (Haryana)

Note: Mrs Madhu Singh, W/o Colonel R D Singh, is a senior teacher in the Army Public School, Ambala Cantt. She has also been the  Principal of a school, and has attended several teaching workshops. The couple belong to village Pilimandori ( Fatehabad), and take keen interest in the welfare of their village.

Dr Ravinder Puri is Associate Professor at Govt National PG College Sirsa, he teaches Psychology to undergraduate and post graduate students.