The Role Of Teachers

Swami Chinmayananda

oi-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 13:46

Today, the teachers must serve as a bridge between the school and the community - as a link between the pupil and the parents. It is high time that we made an intense heart-search whether we are serving the nation as we should. Whatever be the reason, there cannot be any excuse in an independent country when those who are employed in such a crucial profession on which depends the existence of the independent community, default in their duties. Even a starving soldier has no excuse to fail to shoot at the approaching enemy line. Similarly, we teachers shall not justify ourselves at any provocation to overlook our duties or to prove ourselves inefficient in this great joy of educating the future generations.

While working hard, sincerely pouring out our love and affection to the tender children and imparting unto them a stable culture and a brilliant character, we shall certainly, as members under the Constitution, seek our own rights and privileges. Unfortunately, we find that we have slipped into a wrong channel where we ignore our duties but loudly demand our privileges.

The present examination system must be replaced. This is meant only for creating typists and clerks. The system of examination should bring out from the students their own original thinking and independent judgements. This new system of examination cannot be integrated into our present system unless the teachers also straighten their text book cramming, note dictating, dead system of imparting instruction. This is the method adopted by instructors and not by true teachers. A teacher's job is to set the student to think independently and give him the art of educating himself. A lot of adjustment among ourselves is required before we can hope to change the present system of education.

No doubt, some of the teachers are loaded with work, but even in the present system there are some rare few who in spite of their work, experience it as a load of joy. Such true teachers are indeed very few among us. We must consider in our discussions how the work-load can be converted into joy-loads of self satisfaction in having done our best to carve out the future leaders of our country.

In the '30s if it was the responsibility of the politician to win our independence, at present we must consider that it is the responsibility of the teachers to create the true Bharat in the very interest of the character of the generation.

About the author

Swami Chinmayananda

Swami Chinmayananda the great master's lectures were an outpour of wisdom. He introduced the Geetha Gnana Yagna. He wrote a lot of books on spirituality, commentaries to Vedantic texts, children books etc. He then started spreading His teachings globally.....