The Role of A True Teacher

We see that recently the practice of children going for special tuitions has become quite common। These tuitions and tutors are engaged apart from students' regular school curricula। The purpose of a teacher is not to simply teach the subject matter। Most children are able to read or understand. Teachers must devote more effort to understand why students actually study and aid them in developing a passion for the subjects they study. When teachers help students develop this, students can become less dependent on the theoretical knowledge given directly by teachers and thus be more free to use the energy of their passion for a deeper comprehension of the subjects they study.

This brings us to the question what is the actual role of a teacher? Is it merely imparting the theoretical knowledge of the subjects taught, or is a comprehensive approach called for? This question has become so significant today because students are being churned out en masse in today's educational system। While the number of schools and colleges is rising day by day, the quality of education is gradually sinking। Added to this is the number of private coaching classes mushrooming by the day, with both parents and children thronging to these institutions. Apparently, this practice is for improving the grades of children and of course, trying to forge ahead in the rat race for a successful career, profession and material acquisitions. But is the proliferation of such tutors and teaching institutions enabling the system of education to produce the right minds and intellect that are expected to take over the reins of society? Or are we mass-producing a truncated product, one that superficially meets the demands of education, but fails to fulfill its actual role?

It is very easy to blame the society for the ills of the educational system। Blaming the present-day educational institutions and teachers only obscures the fundamental problem - that we ourselves have lost focus of what the actual role of a teacher ought to be। It is this loss of focus that is responsible for the proliferation of numbers of tutors and coaches, while true teachers are becoming an increasingly rare species. We need to ask ourselves what is the actual role of a teacher, which is quite distinct from that of a coach or mentor? What makes a teacher a real guru? A quite practical approach, one that I have personally tested and experienced positive results with is to have the teacher spend about half the allotted time with the student in identifying his dream or passion and discussing it, and Then devote the rest of the time for actual teaching of the subject at hand. children, on their part, should be encouraged to read the subject matter and write down the questions the're not clear about. This helps students develop interest in the subject. Once the child develops a genuine, passionate interest in his desired subject, regular studies are more than adequate to propel him towards a better performance in that subject or career. Then he won't need a tutor twelve months of the calendar.

The current system of tuitions basically makes our children weak and dependent. in no way does it create in students a genuine interest in the subject matter, or make them aware of the need to develop a true passion for the subject. teachers themselves need to grasp This truth and develop This orientation, in order to become gurus in the true sense. Else, the remain only coaches and mentors. This is the fundamental difference between true teachers and simple mentors.