Knuckle knock teacher

We have to give it to the social media. No other forum offers such a powerful platform to connect and share affection. Teachers in India might have been overwhelmed on Thursday (Teachers' Day) by the outpour of love from social media users. Educationalists well deserve the spotlight as they shape the minds of the children, who in turn, chart the course of the society.

Funnily, the attitude towards teachers seems to have changed in the last few years. Earlier, teachers were feared by students (out of respect). Now, in most cases, it is the other way around (not out of respect).

I know a teacher who was dedicated. A talkative girl repeatedly disturbed the class and so the teacher asked her to leave. The girl did so. The next day, the teacher had to leave too – her job. The influential girl convinced the management that the teacher was too strict and inefficient.

During my school days, a teacher used a foot ruler to punish students. One day, it was my turn, as I did not answer a question. He hit my knuckles so hard that I cried out. “This pain is not your enemy, it’s your friend,” he philosophized. Such ideas are outdated. I can still feel the pain and never scored well in his subject. I do not agree that such punishments help improve children.

By the way, talking about Teachers' Day, I can understand celebrating World Toilet Day or World Television Day, but World Keyboard Day leaves me amused.

Well, I cannot complain as I am using the keyboard to write this.