Message To All Teachers

Afterall, how does a high values based society ends up being a mass of plain givers and takers?

In today's time, we see people becoming more and more transactional. ''Ambition' is a positive word and 'professionalism' is considered cool in all trades. Pertaining to the employment, words like 'service' and 'duty' are out of fashion. 'Job' is the new standard word. We are fast becoming a society where presentation is regarded higher than the deliverance. As a teacher, I ask to myself, is there anything that I can do even in a smallest way? Well, at the very least I can write an article!

Not despite being a teacher, but because I'm a teacher, I will have to state the truth that along with all other sections of the society, teachers are also becoming professional. With obvious positives you would associate with the word 'professionalism' there is inherent element of 'trade' in it. So should that be ok for a teacher be a trader?

Some would say, why not? We are living in a world where hospitals have their sales & marketing department, where police department have their own targets to achieve, we have professionals offering funeral service packages and where selfless service is seen with suspicion. So, is it a crime for a teacher to be a bit more self serving and circumspect? Since when being pragmatic become bad?

Well, the answer is not a resounding 'NO', but I would definitely contest this logic. In my opinion, teaching work is too important a duty to shrug off the high morals and values in the name of pragmatism. Yes, police have targets but they deal with criminals. Funeral service package providers deal with deadbodies. In comparison, doctors should maintain higher ideals but they too mostly deal with sick lives. Whereas, teachers' have chosen a field where they have to "shape the lives"! they deal with living future! What they sow in the society today will become THE Society tomorrow.  Therefore a society can never afford their teachers to become only transactional in their work.

Answeing my own question that I asked in the very beginning, a society becomes plain givers and takers when its teachers become transactional. These can be professional teachers as well as the parents or whoever influences the children. So whoever works with children, should never be diluting the high values.

Having said all that, it is also a fact that the teachers also live in the same society where all other traders live. They also have their families to feed. And they can only play with the cards which they have been dealt. Till very recently, ours has been the society which gave the highest respect to the teachers. The teachers were equated with god! Their requirements were duly met by the rest of the society. Not anymore! Present times require them to be self sufficient.

So, finally, what is my point? My take would be that for teachers it is utmost important to adhere to high values and morals, be an example for your students to follow and always keep the future of the society in mind before anything else. And regarding the survivability, well, believe in the fact that everyone needs good teachers. The world has become more selfish is even more a reason that it will value you if you truly deserve it. People genuinely want to compensate for selfless service. Believe in the goodness that is there in yourself!

Lastly, teacher's is a service which will never make you a millionaire, but it will make you happyonaire, satisfactionaire and pridonaire. It's a path where you give much much more than you take... You are serving the future... You are duty-bound to the society... But you will be remembered... You will be cherished... You will be exampled...

If this life doesnt enthuse you, then you have chosen a wrong career. And your wrong choice will cost not only to you but to the entire society.