Children should be able to reach their teacher under any circumstance (Pic AFP)

On October 5 we celebrated the Universal Teachers’ Day. All those who are into the profession of teaching need to reflect seriously and see whether they fulfill the demands of the teaching profession. A quality teacher always fulfills the demands of his / her profession. A mediocre teacher exists to pass time and does not create any impact on the lives of students. A quality teacher always does otherwise.

Teaching is a noble profession. It is the mother of all professions. I will say that teaching is a noble vocation given by God himself. It is a quality teacher who makes the world beautiful. All the teachers of the world have a greater responsibility in molding the young generation to be genuine and authentic human beings. It is truly a daunting task. It is indeed very challenging. But nevertheless, a quality teacher will achieve it. As the Holy Bible says,“A healthy tree bears good fruit, but an unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit and anunhealthy tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matthew 6/17-18).

I recently came across a statement by Dr. Haim Ginot, Child Psychologist and Holocaust Survivor. It goes like this “I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no person should witness: gas chambers built by educated physicians. Infants killed by trained nurses. Women and babies shot by high school and college graduates. So, I am suspicious of education. My request is : help your children become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters or skilled psychopaths. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more human.”

A quality teacher teaches and directs children to be more HUMAN.
Dr Ginot’s statement is very important because it indicates that the task and responsibility of a teacher is daunting and onerous. To teach children to be more human is a herculean task. A quality teacher will try his/her level best to be more human and to teach his/her children as well to be more human in all endeavours of life.

Though teaching children to be more human undoubtedly is a herculean task, yet it is not a mirage or a utopia. Emphasis on the human formation of every child is utmost important. Nowadays we find people with lots of degrees and other educational qualifications, yet hardly do they practice the good qualities and virtues in life. So we have a doubt on the human formation that they have received at the very primary level. The primary education plays a significant role in the human formation of every child and here the teachers’ role is pivotal.  

A quality teacher practices and teaches children to practice good qualities and virtues.
To be more human is to practise good qualities and virtues in life. A quality teacher will always focus on the fundamental virtues and develop and direct the children to grow on those virtues and qualities. Virtues like love, humility, mercy and compassion towards one another are some vital virtues and qualities to practice in life. Children with good qualities and virtues are a great asset to the society and to the country. To greet persons whom, we meet saying; Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, have a Great Day, God bless you etc. and to say Sorry, Excuse me, Thank You will make this world more pleasant and beautiful. These simple and humble gestures and greetings ought to be in the constant usage of teachers.  

A quality teacher reads the minds and situations of the students.
Students come from different backgrounds. There are children who come to school from broken families, single parent families and disturbed families. There are children who come to school on an empty stomach and without a proper place to reside.  So, reading the minds of the children and understanding their situation are utmost important.  

A quality teacher is lovable, available, and approachable.
Children should be able to reach their teacher under any circumstance. Even if they make a mistake they should be able to communicate it to their teachers with trust. In this cutthroat competitive world, children are under enormous pressure. Parents are in a rat race to earn a living and to store money in the banks for their children. Sometimes these parents have hardly any quality time to spend with their families and their children. Moreover, these children when they come to school will love to approach their teachers, and tell all kinds of stories, problems, experiences, and sometimes even their terrible predicaments etc.

A quality teacher is a true and genuine companion to fellow teachers in the staff.
A quality teacher will always lend a genuine hand to fellow teachers in the staff. He/she will encourage and energize the other teachers to be more active and will offer constructive criticism. Moreover, fellow teachers will love to associate a quality teacher because of his/her character.

A quality teacher is close to God/ their religion.
People who are close to God or their religions will live a life worthy of their calling/vocation. They will live a genuine and an authentic life. Closeness to God is utmost important to be a quality teacher.
 A quality teacher leads with example. If you are into teaching as a career strive hard to be a quality teacher. “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22/14).