Contemplation's of a Teacher

“A teacher’s influence extends into eternity. While Emerson declared  that men are what their mothers make them, Aristotle placed teachers on a higher plane, when he said; “They who educate children are to be honoured more than those who bear them for these only give life, those the art of living well. It is very true that the influence a teacher makes on a student is great. As a teacher & a mother I feel there is a lot of truth in that statement. Very rarely a student forgets his/her first teacher. My experience with the tiny tots has been a fulfilling and satisfying one.

       When these kids first enter school, they are just uprooted from the secure lap of their parents/grand parents, to a completely new atmosphere. They feel lost and insecure for the first few days till they get used to their teacher. It becomes a second home for them, with their teacher taking the place of their mother. It is such a beautiful experience, as these tiny tots look up to you as a mother/teacher/ role model. They become so attached to you and so possessive, that each one thinks that the teacher is his/her own property. They come to you with every little problem of theirs, which includes complaints about their mother or father scolding, brother or sister hurting or small bruises they got while playing etc. As one comes up with such a story, others follow with their own little tales.

       
Later on, as the teacher starts teaching them, each child wants to be the first one to be taught to write, to colour or to recite rhymes. Then it is a competition among them as to who would be the first to complete their work. It is such a fulfilling & beautiful feeling, when you inspire them to learn the letters of the alphabet and the numbers. It is that foundation which sees them through their entire life. It sometimes becomes tiring at times because of their mood swings. It is then you need to coax them and pamper them to get their attention. But at the end of it, you have a great satisfaction.

      
You get to learn a lot from these tiny tots. They have a unique way of making friends. The way they  laugh and talk to each other and share with each other. There is so much innocence in their friendships. Sometimes they fight and then a few minutes later, you see them hugging each other and walking hand in hand. It is as if they have not fought at all. They have no egos like the elders.  When one child finishes writing  and finds  the other struggling to write, they hold hands of the other and help them to write.

   
At times I have found the most well behaved and obedient child becoming very indifferent and bullying others. Even when you try to talk to them, they just become silent.I really used to find it very confusing. Unless the child is going through some kind of a problem, it is unusual of a child to suddenly misbehave. When you talk to the anxious parents about the child, they too find it confusing as they are not able to understand the cause. It is sometimes the birth of a younger one that causes this insecurity. At times it is the fights at home, or death of a close one in the family. Sometimes the child opens up and speaks out when extra love and care is shown to that child. Then the attitude slowly changes. But if  it goes unnoticed, the child becomes a very troublesome student.

  
To put it in a nutshell, it is the most rewarding experience, I have ever had as a teacher. You need the patience and a love for these tiny tots. Sometimes you have to be one among them. Only then you can build a rapport with them. They observe you a lot and imitate too. We too can learn a lot from them by observing them. Some of them remain friends throughtout their life. The first teacher always makes a lasting impression in the minds of children.