I'm Schoolmaster..........

Then what is left? I don’t know. I am only a seeker. Not a Guru. That means I am a student only, not yet a teacher. Means, my Lord, I am only a simple school master. The one who lays academic foundations in the very young minds which, I would earnestly believe will be useful when they build up huge superstructures of different disciplines. Mostly technocratic these days. Or managerial. Whatever. They are all so invariably focussed that in fact there is no time, no space in the time table, for fringe subjects, like values and traditions of the subjects they study or developing a comprehensive outlook of things around. That is why I have to stress on these methods. So I work a full 48 days almost continuously, with overtimes at times, doing a simple civil work of developing a drainage system and levelling a play field.

The methods of it – empirical observation, elaborate site plans with detailed photo graphs, alternatives, procuring labour, making them understand the necessary details, means training, fixing wages, checks, counterchecks and alternations. Oh! My God, some fellows will remember it when they face real life situations. Just my dears, I said my std IX ones – Just to take up the challenge and see through it. A public school boy will never shy away from a challenges. Neither will a school master worth his salt. So I do it for you to learn. And I think it is as much or may be more important than the time-tabled geography. I would show them a lesson on drainage, an excellent footage for lesson 3. I am in 5 ½ of the total six lessons. Maps need to be concentrated Poor things, many did not know the directions. I would make a nice compass on the ground and start a serious attempt at map study. Get Madam Mary Varkey to do a lesion for the Xth children.

To day we start a text book study – covering all points by their reading notes. Point by point – taking extra time, may be evenings. – a period more for a week. And as the dignified Mrs. Daphne would say, ‘You start doing the work and God helps. That is how we got a century last year. Century pass is the norm. With an average of 82% or so. Till now there are six best teachers and mind you, four are from us people. And in fact the best of us missed it and she is matured enough to take it on her stride. She comes from a family of a dozen teachers. OK, divide it by, two, half dozen and more. So she knows the work and does it well. All my teachers are. So I can loiter in subjects like Upanishads and read scientific American because, you know, some body has to do it, isn’t it? At least turn the pages! Exactly, that is what I do. Rapid Reading- Means riding so fast, missing all the roadside scenes. But how can there be roads without roadsides. And by nature I am a side walker. That is why I made a walkway along the sides. And to popularise it I make this compass and the Triple Tree point and the Corner Triangle and so on. The process of doing it, the system followed in their making etc. are to be academic. That makes the school a learning centre. It is a quarter to seven. Time to get ready. Today is Wednesday. 4 periods continuously. Mostly of l hour each. I would put off the drainage presentation and use conventional methods which are familiar enough for the students to maintain discipline.