Dr.
APJ Abdul Kalam always used to say that he would like to be remembered as a
teacher. He grabbed every opportunity to teach students. Administering a pledge
on national development to the youth was his passion.
Minutes
before his end came on Monday 27th July 2015, Dr. Kalam was teaching
students at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong.
“Teaching
is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber and future of an
individual… youth have a dream and also they have a pain. The pain comes out of
their dream; they want to live in a prosperous, happy and peaceful India. This
type of student’s environment ignites me and leads me to interact with young
minds”, he said in an interview.
“One
of the very important characteristics of a student is to question. A teacher
should have a creative mind and encourage questions. At times, I find that
teachers are in a hurry to finish the syllabus. But, there should always be
discussion”, the former Indian President said during the course of the interview to
national daily newspaper, The Hindu.
Retracing
back to one of my memories about Dr. Kalam, on 22 December 2007, during the
foundation week of CIE, Department of Education, Delhi University, where he
delivered a lecture whose words have been etched upon my mind since then.
He summoned the prospective & existing faculty staff to commit themselves
to his 11 commandments for a proficient
teacher.
- First and foremost, I will love teaching. Teaching will be my soul.
- I realize that I am responsible for shaping not just students but ignited youths who are the most powerful resource under the earth, on the earth and above the earth. I will be fully committed for the great mission of teaching.
- As a teacher, it will give me great happiness, if I can transform, an average student of the class to perform exceedingly well.
- All my actions with my students will be with kindness and affection like a mother, sister, father or brother.
- I will organise and conduct my life, in such a way that my life itself is a message to my students.
- I will encourage my students and children to ask questions and develop the spirit of enquiry, so that they blossom into creative enlightened citizens.
- I will treat all the students equally and will not support any differentiation on account of religion, community or language.
- I will continuously build the capacities in teaching so that I can impart quality education to my students.
- I will celebrate the success of my students.
- I realise by being a teacher, I am making an important contribution to all the national development initiatives.
- I will constantly endeavour to fill my mind with great thoughts and spread the nobility in thinking and action among my students.
