Thank You my students!

There are times when one gets self doubt as to whether it is worth doing something with so much passion.

It is true in my case with teaching. I have consciously or subconsciously taken a particular approach to teaching which makes me popularly unpopular. As I tell some of my close friends, my students love to hate me and hate to love me.

Teaching and mentoring is a thankless job. The only satisfaction one gets is when one sees ones students getting ahead in life.

I, in fact, gave up teaching in 2005 and took a sabbatical for a year and a half. But then I felt a vaccum in my life and the itch to get back to the classroom was too much to resist. So back I came to IGNOU in late 2006.

I have questioned my wisdom in returning to teaching and had a long discussion with my family on the toll it takes on my health and the strain I put myself to. They empathised with me but told me that since I have been blessed with the ability to impart knowledge, it will be a grave injustice to all if I don't put that to effective use. Besides, they argued, 'you enjoy teaching and you have always told us to enjoy what we are doing'.

But my query was from a different angle. "Yes, I do enjoy teaching, but do my students enjoy my teaching?. Am I being too harsh on them? Am I out of touch with the modern world which places less emphasis to knowledge and more emphasis on acquisition of degrees?. How do my students view me?". For me this was very important.

The outpouring of love and affection I noticed on my birthday from my students allayed lot of these self doubts. I am happy that I have a small place in your life and for reassuring me ' A Big Thank You' to all of you. Thanks a lot to those who called me up, who visited me, made me cut birthday cakes, gave me bouquets, cards and even a nice memento. Also my thanks to those who silently wished me from the bottom of their heart.

What more can a teacher ask for on a birthday than the love and affection of his students. Your action has reaffirmed my commitment to teaching.

Thanks once again.