On Teaching - Why are all the Good Teachers Crazy !!

Dedicated and inspired by my school physics teacher Mr. A

Physics Test 1:  So our physics teacher Mr. A , started writing out the questions on the board , he was new in school , and the very 1^st test a teacher takes used to be our benchmark for rating his teaching skills as students. (Oh yes , the easier the question , the higher the rating) . We had great expectations from Mr. A – he was an influential speaker , with a unique style and all – something we had’nt really witnessed before. But at the end of the class , when the bell rang , we all were horrified – none of us were sure , what we had written . And then the results of our test converted our horror into a dark reality , etched into our minds with the steel grey liquid – only 2 students had passed , rest all FAIL .

Physics Test 2 : So now we had already rated Mr. A as a scary teacher –we knew there was no point . But then he surprised us , “It’s an open book test , students” , he said .. That changed it all . Dear Sir , you don’t really know , but we are good at ‘find , copy and paste’ (its actually the skill that landed most of us as Engineers.) Half way through the test , he smiled and said –“You can even go to the library if you want” . That was the signal – we realised even no H.C. Verma’s would be able to help us now. Result the same – only this time all FAILED .

Yes , we did’nt really like him in high-school , he was non-methodological  in his teaching ways – and we , well  we were used to the routine manner of text book teaching , of mugging up and scoring , too lazy to break the routine, to explore something which would’nt get us Marks- yes MARKS was all our school life revolved around.

But then , came junior college , and as our little minds matured a little ,we saw his ways. The respect for him started forming shape , and I assure you , it has always grown since then. He did his best  juggling between roles for us – a tutor , a friend , a mentor – he knew when to be what. We did take undue advantage of his sweet nature at times – bunking his lectures (ahh , it felt like new found freedom) , emptying the mercury of the lab thermometers (i still recall how much fun we had ) ,  it made him upset , but in the end he always forgave us – he cared of his students we knew. Our lives broke the cage of marks and we enjoyed the flavors of true learning, actually being capable of being passionate about a subject.

Why I am penning this down ? Because I feel  I owe it to him – his “crazy “ (apologize for the use of the word Sir - but crazy is what people understand ) ways of teaching formed my way of thinking – the attitude of “breaking the routine” is what does carries one a long way – be it college or work – and makes people respect you.  Dear Mr. A , you were indeed one teacher , I am proud to have had , your non-methodological style and attitude still inspires me to take those risks at work and in life, to be able to think differently  , and more importantly, It freed me of my fears and made me feel that I can make my own space in the world.