Today was a very special day. My students of 7th standard are having their semester exams and today was their maths exam. As soon I entered the 3rd floor of the school, half of the class just howled on me; some to clear their doubts, some to tell me how much they have prepared and some just to hear what I am saying just in case I told them which questions are coming. After all that was over I went to the room in which I had the invigilation duty. After some time another of my student came to me. I thought he also had some last minute doubts to clear. When I went near him he just smiled and then touched my feet!!!
Honestly, I was startled. This is the first time somebody had touched my feet and I really didn’t know what to do. Somehow I gathered myself and put my hands on his head. All that I could manage to say was ‘do well’ and then I said ‘bye’! I didn’t know where that ‘bye’ came from but I hoped that it was not loud enough for him to hear. Then he went away and I was standing there half laughing at myself and half conscious that the whole class would be doing the same.
Anyways it made me feel very special. This is the first time I had got this kind of respect as a teacher and that too from a student from whom I couldn’t expect such a thing. But then from whom was I expecting this!!
Today, I feel, that boy has made me a guru from a teacher. Thanks Prerak…

I had my first parents- teacher meeting last Saturday. I was scared, as some senior teachers had said that some parents just howl on the teacher for silly things. Some parents tried that on me too but I was better than them.
All things went fine but overall it was a depressing day. At the end of the day I realised that parents are making life too difficult for their kids. Intentionally or unintentionally they are the people responsible for making the whole system a rat race.

I agree that we are all part of a rat race but I m surprised to see that this thing starts right from the age of 8 or 9, when the parents say, ‘look, that girl/boy is better than you.’ That’s when they put all they have to prove, to be in the competition.
They grow up wondering whether they will ever be at the top someday?

I have a student of 7th class who cries like hell even when she gets 19 out of 20. She simply wants full marks and doesn’t want to leave any scope for anybody to defeat her. I met her father on Saturday. I told him that she is very insecure and needs to change otherwise she wont be able to handle any defeat in her entire life, which is really bad. He seemed to agree with me but after a point of time I started feeling that he was proud that his daughter was like that. I don’t understand why he can’t see the consequences of such a mindset the way I see it.

There was another parent who just wont listen that her son is very indiscipline. Her only argument was that he is getting good marks. I don’t understand why getting good marks is the centre of the world for all the parents. Do they send their children to school to get good marks or make them a good human being?

I don’t say that I don’t care a damn about this competition. Even I compete with my colleagues. I also feel victorious when my students get full marks or result of my class is better than the result of other sections that I don’t take.
I agree that all of us secretly dream of winning this rat race. But if we are in this race then, at the end of the day, we are also just another rat!

We must understand that from the dawn of this earth, competition is everywhere but the soul aim of this competition is not to win, but to improve what exists. Its so amazing to see the world in this aspect when you are hardly having time to see what you doing, why you doing and where it is leading you??