Uma Purkayastha reflects on the crucial role of teachers in shaping young minds in society.
Disciplining as a form of regulation of behaviour is an elemental part of schooling. This has
been a traditional practise that goes hand in hand with teaching, growing up and learning that is authorised and enforced by teachers. Existent since the ancient ‘Gurukul’ system (a type of education system dating back to the vedic period with the shishya/students/disciples living near or with the guru in the same house for a period of time where they learn and get educated by their guru or teacher), teachers have been and continue to be the architects of coaching and guiding a child, eventually building a nation.
As learners, school going children necessitate direction as it is only natural to be oblivious of the ways of being. The practice of discipline, which sometimes stretches to punishments, is to awaken a realisation of their fault and its rectification to help their moral development; but not to invite their moral death. In the name of ‘punishment’, however, a teacher must also be aware of his/her boundaries and must avoid being harsh or brutal at all costs. As a practice, the meaning of ‘punishment’ is indeed a dreaded word amongst children but many a time, exercised beyond its limitations. This weighs heavily on the child that is subject to such treatment and has bearings on the child’s mental, emotional and social areas of life.
Even though it should not be prevalent, but it is existent in many schools and institutions without them getting reported. Many fatal cases have also come to light. An example of a healthy boy who turned deaf for life, due to the use of physical force in the form of slapping by his teacher is reason enough for many children to suffer from school phobia due to the
harsh and cruel attitude of the teachers. In many such cases, children either remain silent or because of the lack of knowhow, parents do not address such issues. In recent times, many such incidents find mention. The recent incident where a student was allegedly coerced to wear a garland of shoes and chappals because he could not speak in English during a class drew the ire of the parents and many concerned citizens in the state. In another disturbing case where a student was singled out on the basis of his religion in the state of Uttar Pradesh and his classmates were encouraged by the teacher to hurl abuses and physically abuse the child was another alarming case.
While these cases are open for debates and discussion centering around the violation of 
rights, effects on mental health, trauma at school, this also draws attention to the hirings of teachers and the need for sensitisation of people on such topics. Such barbaric practices by teachers in the name of punishment creates trauma and social anxiety among children and either leads them towards dropping out, performing poorly at grades or even turning them into anti-social elements.
Teachers as role models
Students are the future of the country; but teachers are their moral backbones. If teachers, in the name of punishment, injure their moral backbone, how would the nation thrive? Teachers hold immense power in their words and actions. In the words of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of Independent India, and one of the most eminent philosophers and teachers of the world, “Our educational institutions are devoid of all
cheers and joy …. And therefore, whatever a teacher does, must be with a song in his heart to rejoice in the noble mission of teaching”. As a great educational reformer, his theory was that, a teacher should try to equalise his mind and soul with that of the children, whom he/she teaches; and read their mind, their likings and dislikings to make the act of teaching effective.
Rabindranath Tagore, a great educational reformer also said that, for so long as the teachers are not able to create joyful eagerness in the students’ mind, teaching will be unsuccessful, and it will only be an imposition of some subjects on the children’s brain which will never help them in their mental development. So, it is a must for teachers to make the teaching atmosphere joyous, to get students to be eager to learn something new. Screaming and other merciless ways of regulating impertinence are sometimes handy tools of many teachers, which perhaps is effective on some but has a blunting effect on many and is in no way justifiable.
A ‘good’ teacher’s main aim, therefore, is to mould the tender minds using engaging ways as well as joyfully stimulating interest in their minds through good humour so as to bring out their strengths, while rendering an added effort to those who are not as quick as others to learn. A teacher that exhibits a balance of qualities such as patience, empathy and even temperament, while also being firm with assertions is an ideal but also a requisite.
Teaching is a sacred profession and not a mere job. One that cannot be determined by a degree. In our formative years, as we spend time with peers, under the supervision of teachers, students emulate habits, ways of speaking, and thinking just like their teachers. It is a profession that weighs in on responsibility and that has the power and potential to create able citizens for the society. Therefore, it is a great service to humanity and which is why even after decades into adulthood, we fondly remember our “favourite teacher(s)” having impacted us so fondly.