Hope in the guise of the Maths Teacher
Patience is one of the principal abilities of a teacher. Patience while encouraging and explaining topics to the students gives them a sense of courage and the belief that they can achieve anything.
The same thing happened to me when I was appointed as a maths teacher in one of the schools on the outskirts of my town.
On the first day, I introduced myself to the students and asked them to introduce themselves. Every child enthusiastically introduced himself, but one child caught my eye. He neither introduced himself nor was he curious to know about the subject.
I noticed that he used to copy all the digits in reverse. For almost a week, I observed him, and then I understood he was suffering from dyslexia. His parents were illiterate and didn't know what the issue was with their child.
As a teacher, I wanted to give colours to that boy's hands so that he could colour his life.
I tried to speak with him, but he didn't talk to me. It took me another week to break the ice. Then, one day, in a playful manner, I tried to teach him about letters and digits. I tutored him during the extra periods and sometimes after school. After 2 months of practice, he finally started to improve.
I used to encourage him to participate in different extracurricular activities too. After my constant upliftment, he showed courage and participated in an inter-school debate competition. He was very nervous, but I motivated him that he could do everything he wanted to. He stepped on the stage, and with all his might, he gave his best. He didn't win, but everyone was surprised and appreciated his improvement.
After that, he gained confidence and started performing well in academics. It took six months of patience and courage to make him what he is now. I was so overjoyed, as if I were the one who passed with flying colours. That time, I understood how a teacher's attitude towards students can mould their lives.
Ananta @ RPK Moradabad, India
Bhawna Arora, Parul, Poonam Mehra, Ashita, Rajni Mehra, Neha, Anshika, Asha Mamgain