Teaching - A PASSION

To start "blogging", I had 2 topics in mind. Somehow, I decided to go with this subject.

Teaching - I had been into it right from my high school days until I completed my degree. I had never ever imagined myself as a teacher. Mathematics was my favourite subject in school and I presumed Accounts/commerce to play a major role in my career but ended up doing my engineering degree in Electronics and Communication and finally landed on a s/w job.

Now coming to the subject, I accidentally got involved into the so called 'divine profession'. Though not a full time job, I enjoyed every moment of it. I started by assisting my mom in teaching Mathematics for a group of high school students. Most of these students were my friends, juniors and neighbours. They got so much accustomed to my way of teaching that they requested me to continue coaching them for their board exams. Actually I had no idea to do that for I had just finished my board exams and felt that I was not mature enough to take up this responsibility. I was excited about it. But accepting this meant so much a commitment for me. Anyway it was to be under my mom's supervision and that made things a bit easy. The other factor was that I had known this group of students for years together. Yeah...that's how it all started and was not as tough as thought. The group came out with flying colours and so I continued with the next batch and the next and so on for about 6 years until I finished my college.

What was in it that really kept me involved for so long. One, I enjoyed spending time with different kind of students...their questions. I get to know a lot about different schools. I get to see different text books. In fact, I learnt a lot of concepts in Mathematics as a teacher than as a student. Things that I missed to understand in school, got clearer everyday. Answering questions meant learning more of my favourite subject.

Of course it helped me earn my pocket money. This in turn depicted me as a responsible person in the family and society. The one other benefit I derived from it was it kept me in touch with the subject and helped me attend all my aptitude tests for my job interviews with ease and comfort.

Above all these, was the sense of satisfaction. Sitting all night preparing model question papers, spending that extra time with the students to have them answered and evaluating their answer sheets are moments that I have enjoyed doing during those days. Day before exams I normally used to have short sessions with the students, picking up important topics/problems, suggesting ways of studying to boost up their confidence and providing tips on answering the examination paper. It often happened that one or few of them show up after they finish their exams and shout out of excitement, "Akka, the recurring deposit problem that you marked yesterday was on the question paper today." I always was the happiest person in the world at that moment.

Even more exciting is the day of the board exam results. I was never bothered about when my semester results were declared. But I used be the first person to log on to the Internet to check the board exam results with a list of register numbers in front of me. The feel of satisfaction I experienced when I found my student successful in my favourite subject has no bounds. It's hard to describe what I felt when I knew that one of my students secured a cent percent in one of the mathematics paper, though I haven't had a chance to meet her since then. The height of satisfaction is attained when parents call up to express their happiness and gratitude on the good job I had done through out the year (in some cases it's years together).

It's almost 5 years, since I am out of teaching and out of my hometown (since I got to work as a s/w engineer). Whenever I visit my hometown, I get a chance to see some of my students. Its a great feeling when they come up to me and wish me. It brings out my curiosity to know what they are up to.

I do keep in touch with some of them directly or indirectly get to know of them as I still have my brother staying in my hometown. Thanks to orkut for I receive occasional Hi's from some lovable students.

Today I cherish every moment I spent teaching and those fond memories will never perish, for it will be remembered all through my life. In fact I will be glad to take up teaching, if I get the chance and time.