The responsibility of a teacher does not end in school. Mentorship, academic support, and the teacher-parent-student triangle are essential.
Muntashir Kifayat Hussain
It was about 3:45 when I left the school at Narbal, where I work. Watching carefully the presence of students along the roadside is something we staff members at Boys High School, Narbal, routinely do after leaving school. To my surprise, I saw one of our brilliant students accompanied by the derailed youth of our area. I kept watching and followed them. Being a local, I knew their intentions. Their intentions are always to derail students who take their studies seriously, since they themselves left their studies long ago.
They entered a nearby hotel and had tea. Watching from a distance, I could see laughter all around—sharing jokes, perhaps. It reminded me of Iqbal (RA):
Hui Na Zagh Mein Paida Buland Parwazi,
Kharab Kar Diya Shaheen Bache Ko Sohbat-e-Zagh.
(Earthbound crows cannot aspire to the eagle’s flight,
But they corrupt the eagle’s lofty, noble habits.)
After leaving the hotel, they boarded a bus and went to Srinagar. I slept a sleepless night, fearing that another fragrant flower would soon lose its fragrance if not taken care of. The next day, the boy was in the morning assembly. I went close to him and smelled smoke. I was shocked to realise that the poisonous seed had been sown.
I discussed this with a friend of scholarly bent. He came up with a plan to save these flowers from falling into traps outside school hours. The responsibility of a teacher does not end in school.
Mentorship: A teacher is a counsellor. An educator should encourage a growth mindset and guide student development. The time a student spends at home after school hours should be psychologically interpreted by the teacher at school. The teacher should have the phone numbers of parents, with whom constant communication is essential.
Academic Support: An educator should provide one-on-one tutoring through occasional Zoom classes. This will clarify student involvement in studies and make the student accountable.
Class Tests and Feedback: Regular assessments and constructive feedback play a crucial role in shaping the overall development of students.
The Teacher-Parent-Student Triangle: An educator should maintain a diary containing the contact numbers of parents. The diary should contain not only lesson plans but also the strengths and struggles of students. There should be a connection between the beautiful triangle of students, teachers, and parents. This triangle should exist within the lesson plan diary.
In my diary, fortunately, I had all the information about the student I had seen in bad company the other day. I communicated everything with his parents, and with a little effort, I was able to save him from being trapped in the ugly tentacles of drug addiction.
Planning and Preparation: Grading assignments and writing report cards regularly helps keep students well within the domain of discipline and moral ethics.
In a society filled with filth, moral bankruptcy, and drug addiction, the role of the teacher is pivotal. Educators in the present era need to be the real saviours of children and society.
Allama Iqbal (RA) rightly uttered:
Ata Hai Yaad Mujhko Guzra Hua Zamana,
Woh Bagh Ki Baharain, Woh Sab Ka Chehchana.
Azadiyan Kahan Woh Ab Apne Ghonsle Ki,
Apni Khushi Se Aana, Apni Khushi Se Jaana.
Ayi Bahar, Kalyan Phoolon Ki Hans Rahi Hain,
Main Iss Andhere Ghar Mein Kismat Ko Ro Raha Hun.
Jab Se Chaman Chuta Hai, Yeh Haal Ho Gaya Hai,
Dil Gham Ko Kha Raha Hai, Gham Dil Ko Kha Raha Hai.
(I am constantly reminded of the bygone times—
Those garden springs, those choruses of chimes.
My heart aches the moment I think of the buds’ smile at the dew’s tears.
Since separation from the garden, the condition of my heart is such:
My heart is consumed by grief, and grief is consuming my heart.)
To be an educator in the present circumstances demands change to cope with the pressures of rotten social ethics and moral bankruptcy. If an educator cannot rejuvenate society, then who else can?
A handy information system—documenting the strengths and struggles of students, along with contact numbers of parents, integrated with lesson plans—should be made mandatory for all teachers. This will help them remain in touch with parents 24/7.
The writer is an Educator at the Boys High School, Narbal
mu**************@***il.com