A word to our teachers on the Teachers' Day

Written on 11th of August

As I entered the class VIII of an English medium school, I was indeed happy for the natural behaviour of the kids... I still wonder why a class room becomes a market place just as the bell rings...

I felt the scene would have been different if they had seen their regular teacher get in. I was after all, a non-descript entity.

They would have sat silent for their teacher... Perhaps!

The fact was confirmed in a couple of minutes that I entered the class. A girl started asking others to be silent but to no avail.

Then I could hear one saying somebody has come...

The noise subsided as I observed the small little things that were around the table...

There was an old rusted cylindrical metal vase which contained pieces of chalk, small broken pencils and more. Next to it, on the chalk powder filled table, was a duster...

The noise was slowly reducing as the kids probably thought I was allowing them to settle down...

As I picked the long book on the table, a smart boy stood up and said... (I did not as anything)... "Sir, That is the complaint book..." I dared to open it and smiled to myself thinking how much pleasure teachers get as they enter the negative of their own kids...

The first page contained... Anish - DID NOT DO HIS HOME WORK. Next line - Sahil - Came late... The next - Lakshmi - Did not bring her book...

I flipped the pages and was sad to see such similar comments.

I did not speak.

Then to my amazement I found a cane placed right at the corner of the table... As if to symbolize the dictatorship of the bygone Hitler era...

Without thinking my hands reached to the cane, I hit myself a couple of times and pushed it through a pile of paper on the cupboard...

I had made my presence felt without me speaking a word. I could see all smiles as I hid the cane while one bursted out - "hope she doesn't find it".

I only wished there was a long book that could record the good deeds of the kids and a couple of chocolates that were incentives for being human.

BUT: The Complaint Book and The Cane still remaining :)

Image Credits