Significant Learning with a Significant Relationship!
Nothing could stop the spirit of the Teacher’s Day celebration!
I chose to be a teacher 10 years ago. Over a period of time, I have learnt Teaching is just not a profession, teaching is all about self-learning, inspiring, motivating and encouraging the students to realize their dreams and exceed their potentials!
Unlike every year, this year Teachers’ Day celebration at schools and colleges was all about having fun and bonding virtually.
I had a different experience of the Teachers’ day celebration, of course, there were whats-app forwards, messages, and calls from students. Interestingly, I had one student who wished me differently. He is one of the hardworking and toppers of the class. He actually texted and wished me on whats-app in a language I speak! My mother tongue is Kannada, and this student of mine is from a different state and he hardly knew my language. I was wondering how he could write in my language. He later told me, he used a language translator in Whatsapp to write in Kannada. What mattered to me the most is that he tried to communicate and connect with me in my language. He made a very special wish for me on this Teachers’ day. Though it was the simplest thing to do, it was a rewarding moment for me. As a teacher, I had established a relationship with my student!
“Great teachers focus not on compliance, but on connections and relationships.” — PJ Caposey, ASCD Emerging Leader.
This photo by Ami Vitale, a photographer @natgeo is a beautiful capture of a teacher and student bond! Amid Covid-19 with a mask on, a teacher is welcoming her student to the class by giving an ‘Air Hug’. It is a reflection of the relationship between a student and a teacher!
For a teacher, the proud moment is to see his/her students succeed and to go on, do bigger and achieve greater things! More than this, it is rewarding for a teacher, when he/she develops a relationship with their students. Once the relationship is built, a teacher will be able to discover new and exciting things about the students and can help them better in untangling the challenges faced by them to progress in their studies, also motivate and encourage them in an excellent way!
As a teacher, it is so rewarding to be surrounded by love all around me from my students. I received my reward of being a teacher, as I could build a relationship with my students! This reward only drives me to want to be the best teacher I can be for myself, the university I work for and for my dear students!
I am celebrating this achievement of mine through this article! You do it intentionally or not, as a teacher you will be inspiring others for just being you! With that I would like to conclude, no matter what you do, never take it for granted! Be the best version of yourself at all times, since you will never know who you are inspiring!
“The teacher could never be ordinary. Both construction and destruction belong to him.” -Chanakya.
