When a teacher sang in an exam hall

Some were writing furiously, some trying hard to jog their memory and a few squirmed in their seats. The usual scene that an exam hall presents. Then it happened. In a swift move the invigilator walked up to a student and seized bits of papers dramatically from under his answer sheet. The pin-drop silence in the hall deepened.

The boy who was caught cheating turned pale, not knowing what to expect next. As everyone held their breath, the examiner intoned: Mar diya jaye ya chod diya jaye/ bol tere saath kaya slook kiya jaye. Nobody expected a song at this juncture. The tension eased a bit as everyone, including the cheater, smiled. That was my history teacher, Rauf Khan, at his humorous best. He had a typical way of dealing with students. He was not the type to browbeat the classroom.

He knew how to win over even the recalcitrant students with humour and tact. No wonder he had a great fan following among students. But not everyone was like him. There was this mathematics teacher who believed in corporal punishment. I still dread to recall his intimidating self. The result: Numbers still give me the creeps. Good teachers know how to connect with students and bring out the best in them. Besides homework they give a lot to take home to think about. Unfortunately such educators are in short supply. Today technology has made many things obsolete.

But a good teacher remains irreplaceable. Technology at best can only supplement teaching. Nowadays we are talking about virtual classrooms. Tech tools do assist in learning but what happens when the software doesn’t work or the internet connection snaps midway? Moreover, how do we cover up the socialisation that comes with the company of peers? Low pay and lack of respect discourages many from taking up this noble profession.

And those who become educators are wanting in altruism. They are bothered more about their personal gain than the students’ well-being. These days students are flooded with information since everything is available at the click of a button. Teachers, therefore, ought to improve and update their knowledge to meet the rising expectations. My lecturer-niece, Saiqua Parveen says a teacher is only a facilitator of learning. Like a lamp he should keep burning in order to light other lamps. Surely the impact of a teacher can be felt for generations, they can never tell where his influence stops.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated September 6,2018