By Nita Shashidharan
The teacher a student remembers comes in different hues and styles,
A student remembers the one, who hit them often on the knuckles,
Who instead of trying to encourage them to learn and become outstanding,
Often made them hold their ears, kneel, or stand like a murga* outside.
The teacher a student remembers comes in different hues and styles,
The one who shared all the questions and answers before the exams,
Who instead of teaching them to learn the concept or make them think,
Often made them peer into copies of compiled texts, and learn it by heart.
The teacher a student remembers comes in different hues and styles,
The one who asked why the sky was blue, reminded them to think,
Who instead of telling what’s right, also asked what they thought instead,
Often made to ponder and debate, shared stories, and gave them their time.
The teacher a student remembers comes in different hues and styles,
While I have just mentioned three to you, there are of course many more,
Who need not fit in one box, may be strict, make learning fun or smile,
Often may mean so much to a student, no matter which style.
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*murga = rooster (Hindi). The murga punishment symbolizes a common punishment that many Indians might be familiar with in their childhood.
About the Author:
Nita Shashidharan is a PhD student at ATREE. She is currently studying the changing patterns in forest-agricultural dynamics and its relationship to provisioning ecosystem services under climatic variability and institutional dynamics in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu. She has a keen interest in science communication, teaching, and often contemplates about the state of education and researchers in India.
ATREE Young Researchers Network 