The nation builders
M Ahmad
In the year 1965, some of the prominent students of Late Dr S. Radhakrishnan organised a gathering to pay obeisance to that Great Teacher of repute. In that gathering, in his speech Dr Radhakrishnan expressed his deep reservation regarding his birth anniversary celebration and emphasised that his birth anniversary should be celebrated as ‘Teachers’ Day’, by paying homage to other Great Teachers of India . Since the year 1967, 5th September is celebrated as Teachers’ Day till date. This day is also marked as birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was a staunch believer of education and was a well-known diplomat, scholar, the President of India and above all, a teacher.
The modern age with its dynamic development, new technologies and advancement in different areas of life is one of the reasons why we respect and admire innovators, such as scientists, entrepreneurs, and artists so much. However, sometimes we unjustly forget the quiet heroes of progress.
Those who work behind the stage, our teachers. Teachers are the most important members of our society. They give children purpose, set them up for success as citizens of our world, and inspire in them a drive to do well and succeed in life. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and teachers are that critical point that makes a child ready for their future. Teacher is a maker of man. He is foundation of all Education, and thus of the whole civilization of mankind, present and future. No nation reconstruction is possible without the active cooperation of the teacher.
The role of teachers in society is both significant and valuable. They are one of the main pillars of a sound and progressive society. They bear the weight and responsibility of teaching and apart from parents,they are the main source of knowledge and values for children. It is rightly said that a teacher plays a key role in shaping our future. Nowadays,being an engineer or a doctor is considered good,but they would not have been able to get where they are without teachers. A good teacher is like a candle it consumes itself to light the way for others.
Children carry what they are taught at a young age throughout the rest of their lives. They will use what they have learned to influence society. Everyone knows that today’s youth will become tomorrow’s leaders, and teachers have access to educate the youth in their most impressionable years — whether that is in teaching preschool, teaching extracurricular, sports or traditional classes.
Teachers have the ability to shape leaders of the future in the best way for society to build positive and inspired future generations and therefore design society, both on a local and global scale. In reality, teachers have the most important job in the world. Those who have an impact on the children of society have the power to change lives. Not just for those children themselves, but for the lives of all. They’re not just educators; they’re role models who inspire and motivate children outside the classroom as much as they impart knowledge inside it.
Through their perceived personal qualities, behaviours, or achievements, they can inspire others to strive and develop without providing any direct instruction. Teachers follow students through each pivotal stage of development. At six to eight hours a day, five days a week, you as a teacher are poised to become one of the most influential people in your students’ life.
After their parents, children will first learn from you, their primary school teacher. Then, as a middle school teacher, you will guide students through yet another important transition: adolescence. As children become young adults, learning throughout middle school and into high school, you will answer their questions, listen to their problems and teach them about this new phase of their lives. You not only watch your students grow you help them grow. Teachers can make lifelong impressions on children, regarding how to act in the difficult situations that they will inevitably face in life.
Teacher educators not only have the role of supporting student teachers’ learning about teaching, but in so doing, through their own teaching, model the role of the teacher. In this respect, the teacher education profession is unique, differing from, say, doctors who teach medicine. During their teaching, doctors do not serve as role models for the actual practice of the profession i.e., they do not treat their students.
Teacher educators, conversely, whether intentionally or not, teach their students as well as teach about teaching. The teacher is a representative of the society who inculcates moral precepts. There is no other profession that can supersede the teaching profession. Teachers, therefore, rightly hold a position higher than that held by any other professionalist in the Society. Teachers feed moral values into society and double up as its educational foundation.
It is rightly said that quality of a nation banks on quality of its citizens, the quality of its citizens depends upon the quality of their education and the quality of their education depends upon the quality and role of their teachers. A nation comprises of the children way more than adults. The children are the future and the teachers are the ones who are getting them ready for their task. With optimum education, wisdom, exposure and resources, the teachers are building the nation for tomorrow brick by brick and the foundation is so solid that the nation will only grow upwards.
Teacher is the maker of nation, so for the development of the country, it is very important to have good teachers and good teachers can be produced only if we have a good system of teacher education and dedicated and efficient teacher-educators. The teacher can be rightly called a nation builder. Teachers through their perseverance love and sacrifices have shown us the right path in which great men have built our nation. It is our dear teachers who mould our character, our personality and show us the right direction which leads us to our final destination. In the development of a country, great attention has to be paid to education and learning, as well as good morals, and nobody is more suited to assist in this process than the humble teacher.
However, the teaching profession has become much more sensitized. They can no longer teach ex-cathedra, but have to find ways to get students interested, and encourage them to take an active part in the teaching process. They also have to be familiar with modern technologies, and able to manage teamwork: in other words, modern teachers also have to be keen students. when we think about great people, let us not forget that behind them stand armies of dedicated teachers, the discreet heroes of our progress.
Teachers not only impart knowledge but also nurture children with spiritual qualities to become disciplined members of civil society and develop skills required to become productive contributors to the economy. Teachers, through their perseverance, love and sacrifices, show the students the right path in which great men have built our nation. This is why John Adams said that the teacher is a maker of man. He is the foundation of all education, thus of the whole civilization of mankind, present and future. No nation construction is possible without the active cooperation of the teacher.
Moreover, flourishing national development and a society truly prosperous with knowledge all begins from its teachers. While the role of knowledge and a skilled society with visions and aspirations in the success of a nation cannot be stressed enough, it should also be remembered that knowledge cannot be acquired if it is not sought and received through the help of the teacher.
“The universe of tomorrow will be conceived from the schools of today” says M.L Jacks. Thus, educators, in fact, are the nation developer of the country. A Nation’s progress is determined by the ability of its educators to change the character of the future generations. Without educators figure, perhaps a large nation will not be able to enjoy their sons and daughters hard-earned efforts of the country that has encouraged the nation’s developments. Teacher is also considered a hero for development, because on their hands will be born heroes who would fill the public spaces in the country’s development. The ideal teacher is not just a teacher who meets the technical requirements of smart, clever, or expert in their knowledge. It is far more important than that, teachers should be able to put themselves as an agent of change in the development of Nation. To make these things happen as a nation-builder, an ideal teacher should constantly seek knowledge, be of good character, have high motivation and be creative, innovative and effective in the teaching strategies.
The primary responsibility of combining the inherent talents of the students lies with the teachers; a good teacher is a personality-builder, a society-builder, and a nation-builder, said the Former President of India, Sh Ram Nath Kovind
It is necessary to improve the conditions of the teachers. Only then they will continue their job with full vigour and zeal. Only then they will discharge their duty towards the students as well as the nation in true sense of the term. Only then their potentialities will shine in the new generation, the real hope of the nation.
“Teachers have selflessly and courageously chosen the path where they will always be working for the mankind and for its good. Not everybody has the heart to do it.”
(The author is a former Incharge Abhedananda Home-Higher Secondary Institution)
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