An unexpected visit...

That day, I was so tired and I didn’t feel like going to work. Moreover it was 5 September, Teacher’s day. I imagined what would happen at school. The students who wish me ‘Happy Teacher’s day’, the programs that they perform for the teachers, teachers’ meeting, and a gift from the Principal etc. The same as last year, everything is going to be repeated one more time. Nothing interested me. I lied down on my couch watching TV – a day to rest.

Around 10 O’clock my phone rang. It was Harini, a girl who was in my class, 4 years back.

-Madam, can I visit you today?

I spontaneously replied –‘Not today, may be during week-end’

-I just want to give you a card. That’s all.

I didn’t want to insult her. I told her ‘yes’.

The appointment, it was fixed at 5. Around 4 O’clock, another call. It was two other girls, Sujitha and Srimathy from the same class. They wanted to come to see me…

Suddenly, I remembered that class which I liked a lot; my first year as a teacher – the enthusiasm I had, the good relation that I established with my students, the initiatives, the sacrifices.

I also realised that I wasn’t the same as before. I changed and I found that my profession had become mechanical and monotonous.

My house was in disorder. I didn’t want to get more tired by arranging all that. I quickly took a bath and I waited for the girls.

Finally they came with gifts and cards. They just wanted to tell me that they love me very much and I was a teacher on whom they could count, when they lost their way.

I didn’t have much to offer them. ‘Madam, I would like to have a tea.’ asked Srimathy. We were very happy with some biscuits and tea. They had grown up, almost became women. I felt proud of them that they had become responsible and positive and lovable. They had found their own path towards God and happiness.

I regretted for not preparing a good meal for them and not having any gift to give them.

‘We can have dinner together one day’ my husband’s voice consoled me a bit.

But for them, nothing was important than seeing me, talking to me, passing as much time with me as possible.

Harini left around 7 O’clock and others around 9. We laughed a lot without conditions, without barriers.

When I was alone, I read the cards that they gave me. The words touched me profoundly. I realised the nobility of my profession, the impression that we leave on another person. What a good compensation for the little things that we do, the words of encouragement, some advice, the support, the corrections – all the things that they keep still as good souvenirs and treasures. Of course, a teacher has the opportunity to influence and touch and transform their students and lead them in a path towards happiness.

In Harini’s letter were written these words.

‘You didn’t teach me not to fall, but how to get up if I fall;

You didn’t teach me how to fly in the air, but how to walk with my feet touching the ground;

You didn’t teach me how to conquer, but how to fight…

Ma’am, you don’t know how many good things you can do, just being who you are ’

I don’t know to what extend I have encouraged them, but I know that these are the words that encouraged me to continue my profession with joy and confidence. We are just farmers who sow the seeds. The harvest, it’s sure.

I thought of this year’s students.

A new outlook, a new spirit! Nothing is new, but everything changed!

Une visite inattendue

 

Une visite inattendue

Ce jour là, j’ai été tellement fatigué et je n’ai pas eu envie d’aller travailler. En plus c’était le 5 septembre, le jour de la fête des professeurs. J’ai imaginé ce qui va se passer à l’école. Les étudiants qui me souhaitent « Bonne Fête », les programmes qu’ils donnent pour les professeurs, la réunion des professeurs, et un cadeau de la part du directeur etc. Le même que l’année dernière, tout va répéter une fois de plus. Rien ne m’a intéressé. Je me suis couchée sur mon canapé en regardant la télé- un jour pour me reposer.

Vers 10h mon téléphone a sonné. C’était Harini, une fille de ma classe, 4 ans avant.

-Madame, est-ce que je peux vous rendre une visite aujourd’hui ?

Jais répondu spontanément –« Pas aujourd’hui, peut-être le week-end »

-Je veux vous donner seulement une carte. C’est tout.

Je ne voulais pas l’insulter. Je lui ai dit ‘oui’.

Le rendez-vous, c’était fixé à 5h. Vers 4h, encore un coup de telephone. C’était deux autres filles, Srimathy et Sujitha de la même classe que Harini. Elles voulaient passer me voir…

Tout à coup, je me suis souvenue de cette classe que j’aimais beaucoup. Ma première année comme une prof- l’enthousiasme que j’ai eu, la bonne relation que j’avais établi avec mes étudiants, les initiatives et les sacrifices.

J’ai aussi réalisé que je n’ai pas été la même qu’avant. J’ai changé et j’ai trouvé que mon métier est devenu mécanique et monotone.

Ma maison était en désordre. Je ne voulais pas me fatiguer plus en rangeant tout ça. J’ai vite pris une douche et j’attendais les filles.

Finalement, elles sont venues avec les cadeaux et les cartes. Elles voulaient tout simplement me dire qu’elles m’aiment beaucoup et j’étais une prof sur qui elles peuvent compter, quand elles perdaient leur chemin.

Je n’ai pas eu grand-chose à leur offrir. « Madame, j’aimerais un thé » demandait Srimathy. On était bien content avec quelques biscuits et du thé. Elles ont grandi, presque devenues des femmes. Je me suis senti fière qu’elles soient devenues responsables et positives et aimables. Elles ont tous trouvé leur propre voie vers dieu et le bonheur.

J’ai regretté de n’avoir pas préparé un bon repas pour elles et de n’avoir rien à leur donner comme cadeau.

« On peut manger ensemble un jour » la voix de mon mari me soulageait un peu.

Mais pour elles, rien n’était plus important que me voir, me parler, passer avec moi autant de temps possible.

Harini a quitté vers 7h et les autres vers 9h. On a bien rigolé, on s’est bien amusés sans prétentions, sans barrières.

Quand j’étais seule, j’ai lu les cartes qu’elles m’ont données. Les paroles m’ont touché profondément. J’ai réalisé la noblesse de mon métier, l’impression qu’on laisse sur une autre personne. Quelle bonne récompense pour les petites choses qu’on fait, les mots d’encouragement, quelques conseils, les réconforts, les corrigés- toutes les choses qu’elles gardent encore comme de bons souvenirs et des trésors. Bien sûr, un prof a la chance d’influencer et toucher et transformer leurs étudiants et les dirigent dans une voie vers le bonheur.

Dans la carte Harini a écrit ces mots. « Vous ne m’avez pas enseigné comment ne pas tomber, mais comment me lever si je tombe ; vous ne m’avez pas enseigné comment voler dans l’air mais comment marcher avec mes pieds touchant la terre ; vous m’avez pas enseigné comment conquérir, mais comment battre…Madame, vous ne savez pas combien de bien faits vous pourrez faire pour les autres en étant qui vous êtes. »

Je n’ai aucune idée à quel point je les ai encouragées, mais je sais que ce sont ces mots qui m’encouragent à continuer mon métier avec joie et confiance. On est seulement un fermier qui sème les germes. La récolte, c’est sûr.

J’ai pensé à mes élèves de cette année. Un nouveau regarde, un nouvel espoir.

Rien n’est nouveau, mais tout a changé.

Terror gets an award!!

Around ten years of teaching has not even started making me a teacher with expected qualities. Every year I am humbled by the gifts from children, from little things packed in gift wrappers to the sweetest smile that they pass. I consider myself too small for these big gifts but value them high as they are reflections of their unpolluted minds.

More than the gifts, I value the twinkling in their eyes, wondering what my reaction will be. But truly speaking everything was received with much gratitude and love.

An ordinary teacher in an ordinary school is always unseen and unheard and unrecognised. There is no scope of promotions or awards or rewards. People say that we never grow in our profession. But a teacher's growth is counted not by the steps she climbs up, but by the steps she walks with her students. Without experienced teachers from class 1 to 12, there is no school or education possible. It is not a job, it is rather a mission.

Whatever it is, life brings its own surprises. I never ever could dream of any reward as a teacher than the innocent love that I enjoy in my classrooms and campus. But my student thought differently. She fixed an appointment to meet me, she asked for 15 minutes to be with me and she came in her casual dress and specs and a bag on her shoulder. She had passed out of school, yet she looked so much a part of the school.

She sat in front of me and told me the reason for her coming. 'I want to thank you ma'am.' She meant all the words she said and they brought tears of gratitude to my eyes. We shared some time in the French room where she attended my class for 5 academic years.

Finally she opened her bag and took out a long packet, evidently a gift, and stretched it to me. She let me open it. As she waited with her curious eyes to see my response, I took out slowly something with a metal base and a long stem, with a crystal at the top. Truly I loved it. As I thanked her, she further explained. 'It is not a gift ma'am. It's an award.' True, it really looked like one. It was one.

After lifting it up like a winner, I kept it back in the box. 'Have you ever got an award before, ma'am?'

I sat amazed at her thoughtfulness. 'It is on behalf of all your students ma'am'. I had no words to respond. She said it all.

There is no gift more valuable than a kid's smile and no award greater than the recognition from a kid. That is why I stand before the kids for judgment and that's why when they tell me innocently that they call me 'Terror' I take it with a smile.

I confessed to my student 'I don't think that my personality suits an ideal teacher.' Her reply came fast 'you were too strict when you had to be, but kind when needed.'

Anyway I continue my journey as a teacher with another year's batch flown out of my class with flying colours. Instead of damaging, if I have added one feather to your wide wings, that is the best reward that I will ever have as a teacher.