Tuesday 29 March 2011

9.A BORN -TEACHER


After leaving the University,I joined as a lecturer in the Chinmaya Mission College,Calicut.College teachers were called Lecturers.Though it was a parallel college,not approved by the government,teachers there also called lecturers.The lecturers were expected to lecture on the topics included in the syllabus,not to coach the students so as to make their appear for the examinations.Students as well as parents expect from a college(especially from a parallel college)that the students are equipped witn the necessary skills for getting them a professional qualification and/or a secure job.None cares for the acqisition of sfficient knowledge and expeiemce to improve and develop their personality and become good and useful citizens.
In the college I took classes(or lectured) for the B.A.Degree classes.Though I have taken tuitions for students preparing for SSLC and Pre-Degree Examinations ealier for a few students,it was for the first time in my life I am stading before a class of matured final year degree students of the strength of 50.The paper I had to deal with was public finance.The topic was taxation.I had done sufficient home work and well-prepared with summary notes just to glance through while lecturing besides the detailed notes to be dictated to the class.
I started early from my house.I wore a dhoti and shirt.I had with me a plasic cover containing my notebook and a pair of my newly-stitched pants.My brother has asked me to put on the pants while starting from the house itself.But I was very reluctant to do so.I have never worn pants and none in my area has seen me in pants then.So I took it in a cover and would change it at a mosque nearby the college before stepping into the college..In those days there were no buses to our village and  I usually walk up to the 6th mile busstop near Velliparamba.There were buses every five minutes coming from Mavoor.In those days Mavoor was a thriving industrial centre with the establishment of the Gwalior Rayons unit by Birla.So I need not wait and waste toomuch time for getting bus.However there were no seats available upto the Medical College bus stop.The jampacked bus would be almost empty when the passenges climb domn there.Most of them would be patients or persons coming to see their relatives and neighbours admitted there as inpatients.I would climb down from the bus at the Mananchira bus stop in the heart of the city and walk to Moonnalingal where the college was situated.It was just half-a-kilometre away from the beach.There was the  French Bakery and Restaurant nearby our college.The other major buildings in that area were the Calicut Corporation office and a Fire Station.The Calicut studios of All India Radio was only half-a-kilometre distance from our college.Incidentlly,the principal of our college was the wife of the Station Engineer of AIR.There were about a thousand students in  our college and 25 staff members.
I remember my first attempt as a lecturer.After the bell rang the Principal sent for me.She asked me to the final B.A.Economics class.The peon showed me the class.When I entered the class,the whole class, half of which were girls stood up and greeted me.After reciprocating I asked them to take their seats.Instead of any introductory pleasantries,I straight away went to the lesson.Usually some teachers ask the students to introduce themselves in their first class and itroduce himself thus:'I am so and so.My native place is so and so.I am going to teach you.the so and so subject,etc.'.It was a suprise for the class to have such a beginning.First of all I just reviewed the syllabus covered so far.Then dealt in detals with necessary suitable illustrations from day-to-day life.The students were much impressed by my class.Even I did not think that  I could perform that well. So in the first class itself students could form a positive opinion of me and and my class.All the students and fellow-teachers endeared me .I became very popular within a week.I was very regular,prompt,punctual,systematic and devoted as a teacher.I went to the class well-prepared.So I had never to waver or stand without doing justice to my duty.I never remember any instance when a student question me or want further explanation.Though English was the medium of instruction,I would explain the relevant matter if any in Malayalam also.I was never strict in the class.Not to mention,I was friendly and brotherly to all students outside the class.I continued there for one academic year withut break.There were many extracurricular activies and functons in which I was an attendant.At the annual send-off function I spoke for a few minutes following repeated demands frm the students.And next year I could not continue since I was in Trichur.
After a gap five years I became teacher in a residential high school at Alathur in Palakkad district.There I was a resident tutor attached to the hostel also.The students were small when compared to the college classes.There I took classes from fifth standard to tenth standard.There  I remained only for three years. There I served as an examiner also.As it was a private unaided school there were some professional limitations .After the teaching job I came back Calicut where I joined a College where I took classesfor post-graduate classes,the subject being Sociology.I also took classes for M.A.Economics also The particular paper I dealt in was Economic Thought.I also took Sociology for degree students and Managerial  Economics for B.Com students besides Politics and History for degree students.Have also taught languages like English,Hindi,French besides my mother tongue Malayalam at various levels.While working as Director of an Employment Guidance Centre at Malappuram I have taken classes in Ceneral Studies and allied subjects to the youth preparing for competitive examinatioons.
Teaching was one of the interesting professions I was engaged in.While doing other activies like research work,social work,helthcare work,etc I have been engaged in teaching on temporary basis.For sometime I ran a tuition centre of my own.But due to preoccupations like field work I was compelled to abandon it.It oe of my greatest pleasure to be a teacher who impart knowledge and wisdom to fellow-beings,young or old,men or women.

No comments:

Post a Comment