The international Teacher's day falls on 5th October, which was established in 1994 by UNESCO. Anna and I want to offer these buds and flowers to those who live the calling as a teacher !
The Parenting and Teaching are two significant formative influences upon the lives of children.
Some teachers surprise us the way they reach to the level of students. I recall when Dr Frank Garlick, a professor of Surgery form Christian Medical College Vellore, while visiting me in 1971, chose to live in my room in the hostel, at the government Medical College hostel, Nagpur and not in a guest house. That was his way of getting to know the ambience of a hostel, dining in the hostel mess, and sharing the common facilities in hostel life! For the next three years, the conversations with friends often referred to Dr Garlick as a 'teacher who volunteered to share in the student life' !
Professor David Morley came to listen to a presentation that I was making when he needed a pair of crutches to walk after his knee replacement surgery! When I felt surprised and moved by his gesture, he responded to me by saying, ' a teacher follows the path of students' !
Professor S.S.Deshmukh, my guide during my post graduate training in Child health said to me once while examining a crying child, ' Learn to feel the cry of a child and not just hear it' !
Professor Malathi Jadhav, during her bed side rounds, would greet the parents first, then the nursing and medical colleagues before she turned to examine a child !
Professor P Zachariah often travelled to meet the alumni of Christian Medical College, which led to the formation of the Alumni Association of the Christian Medical College Vellore. He once said to me, ' A teacher has a traction towards students' !
I recollect how teachers provide us experiences which form our perspectives and optic to life! The last time Anna and I visited professor C.K.Job, when he was terminally ill, recollecting his life long association with some of his students he said, ' Students have a formative influence on the teachers' !
I wish the fraternity of teachers would feel honoured when their self giving transforms students. Dr Paul Henry a Neuro-surgeon told me recently that 'teachers guarded him through his learning years'!
To all teachers, let me say, the vocation of being a teacher is similar to the vocation of parenting !
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
Thank you Sir, for being such a wonderful teacher and mentor to me and many others. You continue to teach and guide us through your blogs. Very grateful for that 🙏
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