If there is one important truth about me, it is that I have tried to be a true and good teacher to the best of my ability all my life. Nothing hurts such a person more than a sign that someone who pretended to be a devoted and special student for years and years finally proved to be an insensitive ingrate. I am referring to the blogpost I wrote on May 01, 2008, titled "Don't be a teacher with a heart". I do wish more people would chip in with comments on that post, telling me how they would feel if they had been cheated like that after they had done their best to be a teacher with a difference... and whether they can honestly condemn teachers who become scoundrels with not a care about whether their old boys and girls go to blazes after they have paid their fees in full, once they have had experiences as painful and galling as I have had.
7 comments:
Dear Sir,that you feel only sad and not anger after such an incident is a great virtue after all.
That you can love students a "big deal" is what very few teachers do(I haven't seen in any one else that nobel virtue).
And there might be a few students (many here in the followers list)who do look you as a father figure,just that they can't express as it should be expressed.
The Law of karma also states that one should attach his heart to the job he does without giving himself any inneundo of any rewards.And you will get someone who qualifies as in every aspect to your idea of ultimate student.
You are probably feeling that you had a lifetime of such distressing experiences and so no more such pain again.
But then every day till you teach you will have to endure hours of being inanimate.How can a man like you be a dead man walking everyday for some hours? i donot think that even you would disagree with me.
That the idea of me saying wise words to you is even ridiculous but then to quote Katusmoto from the movie "The Last Samurai":
" The perfect blossom is a rare thing....you could spend your life looking for one & it would not be a wasted life".
I read in some blog "I teach in the hope that there might be a gem who would turn up and make my efforts worthwhile".If you stop loving them then only pebbles would be polished ,gems and flinstones could lose their shine and spark forever.
With regards and lots of love,
Amit
As a teacher you had been the best that you could be. Till this date I have not come across a single man who can be compared with you. Though I am a student who have not been able to meet up to your expectations, I would keep on saying that you are a fantastic teacher. But an ideal is an 'ideal' because very few are able to follow it. So I believe that there will be a few students who will definitely meet up to your expectations. And they are more valuable to you than others.
Thank you, Subhanjan, but nothing in your comment touches on how bad I feel about having ex-students like this! And if you happen to be one of those who have suffered from Sir's coldness, you should know whom to blame. After so many years, one cannot risk the burden of suffering the same way again after trusting and loving so much, so one becomes, alas, hyper-cautious, which shows off as abrasiveness and coldness to those who maybe do not deserve it...
Dear Suvro sir,
I have been your student for two years and they were enough for me learn quite a few things from you!
I am not talking here about english literature or grammar in particular, but certain 'values'. They are the values that has really helped me in certain spheres of life, and I now have realized their real importance!
You were the person who urged us to learn new english words everyday,you gave twenty words and told us to find their meaning from the dictionary,remember! At that time it felt so bullshit,simply wastage of time! You made us do those crosswords,you made us hear those BBC cassettes and you were also that person who encouraged us to see good films-remember that film 'THE LITTLE TERRORIST' that we watched along with you at your PC!
You used to say one thing,I still remember, that 'A person who knows english properly willnever starve in his life in India'! Had I just understood its real significance three years ago, I would have been ten steps ahead of what I am know!
Well, now coming to that above mentioned blog, I dont know under what circumstances you had written that dreadful blog(because as far as I know,you are not in that much state of fury quite often) and I also dont know that person(about whom you had written that blog),more importantly.So I shouldn't comment about that.
All I can do is apologize on his behalf!
But what I know about you tells me this that you are such a person who can never be a misguidance to others only concerned about the monthly fees.Because you were the one who was bold enough to comment outrageously about such people around us and rather well known to us!
Remember you used to say "toder dharona bhalo dakthar injection dei ar bhalo teacher notes dei"("you feel that good doctors will inject you and a good teacher shall gift you his notes"). These words were metaphorical, weren't they?
So I guess that it can never be about 'notes & fees' going with you! Isn't it?
Thanking you,
Kumarjit.
It so happened that after searching the blogs for not any particular topic,I typed the words Rumours about me" on impulse and I was astounded to read the blog "I wish I had resigned sooner".Even more shocked was I when I read the orkut links and all the comments.
I do not know what to say except that my previous comment on this post might seem overtly optimistic to the point of foolishness(as it does to me now).I now have a better idea what are the side effects of being so good.I even thought what your reaction would have been after you read my highly encouraging previous comment.You might have said something like this- 17 year old boy.I wont say anything,let him be a teacher,face all what I faced and then he would understand.
If I would have been your friend(meaning a friend of nearly the same age) I might have sarcastically replied,"but you still insist on teaching".
Good Lord.
P.S- Suvro"Stalin" Chatterjee.Didn't quite digest that.
Yes, Amit, but I shall still insist that they who "loved and respected" me for many years and then suddenly turned coat hurt much more than those who have hated me (for whatever reason) all along. Nothing is worse than pretended affection and respect!
Yes...to that I can only but agree. There really is nothing worse than pretended respect and love and affection....or respect and love that is handed out only as a matter of convenience. I cannot think of many things that can hurt more than knowing that another's affection, love, and respect were feigned.
Yet, I still find it hard to understand. Why would one pretend? That is what I do not understand. Sorry for being so block-headed about this, Suvro da.
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