Teachers who shaped us

Musings 1 Minute

Like every year, this Teacher’s Day, I cherish the memory of two teachers from my high school in Durgapur, who shaped me, left an indelible mark on me, who remain in my heart even after 35+ years:

·      Mrs. Bhaskaran, my mathematics teacher

·      Mrs. Srivastava, my Hindi teacher

I got punished often; I was made to kneel down outside the class by Mrs. Bhaskaran, as I would miss doing my homework. I also remember the extra effort she made to teach me geometry (I used to struggle with theorems). And her pride when I scored 98% in mathematics in Class VIII.

I can close my eyes and be transported back to Mrs. Srivastava’s class – narrating the poem ‘Keikeyi ka anutap’ or repentance of Keikeyi once Ram leaves the palace, King Dashrath dies and her son Bharat disowns her. I was a science student and least interested in Hindi or literature. She showed me the role of literature in one’s life.

Over last few decades, I have tried to locate both the teachers and their whereabouts, but to no avail. They are my favorite teachers, not because they were easy or friendly, in contrast they were strict disciplinarians and didn’t hesitate to use the stick (not literal). They are my favorite teachers because they:

  • championed the long-term good of the students, not caring if the students hated them in the short run
  • knew how to make complex subjects simple, easy to understand, inspire students to learn
  • were impartial, in fact, they would spend more time with students who were lagging behind
  • believed in the potential of the students, even when no one else did, including the student himself / herself
  • Never ever gave up on a student

Who were your favorite school teachers? And why?

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Published by Padma Rajeswari

At the outset, I would like to thank you for stopping by my Blog. I believe that there is nothing right or wrong in this world. What’s right in this moment and context may be wrong in another moment and context. This belief has inspired me to name my blog ‘Perspectives’. Perspectives is a platform for me to share my experiences, thoughts and perspectives on various subjects. You may have a different point of view. I look forward to hearing them, these are the triggers for rich and deep conversations. On personal front, I live in Mumbai, India. I love to read; Somerset Maugham and Nevil Shute are my favorite authors. My favorite books are The Razor’s Edge, Mrs. Craddock, Chequer Board and Gone with the Wind. I am thankful to my father who inculcated the habit of reading in me early on. I am also passionate about traveling, I have been to most parts of India and to several countries across the globe. On professional front, I work in Human Resources function. Over two and half decades, I have worked across multiple industries and cultures. I focus on Leadership Development, Talent Management, Visioning and Culture, Large-scale change, Employee Listening & Engagement, Employee Well-being, Inclusive work culture, HR effectiveness, Behavior and Mind-set shifts through sustained interventions I currently lead Organization Effectiveness Function for Aditya Birla Group, a $44.3 billion conglomerate with 120000 employees across 35 countries. I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading my blog. I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you!

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