Teachers' Day 2020

For a teacher, Teachers' Day holds a very special place in his/her heart. It's the day they are pampered, showered with praises, flowers, handmade cards and they get to let down their hair!

My favourite part is the fact that I have the rarest of rare occasions of sitting in the audience having nothing to do but to thoroughly enjoy the programme - one that I did not have to train anyone for.

As I sit among the other teachers, my colleagues - my friends, all decked up in our finest of finest, I feel a wave of emotions sweep over me. I'm thoroughly happy, almost ecstatic, I'm choked with emotions at the thoughtful messages, I'm amused at how hard the PTA and School Council are trying, in vain, to maintain discipline, I'm feeling 'on top of the world' almost like a celebrity as I hear my name being called among cheers from the crowd.

Above all this and beneath all this I feel a deep sense of gratitude - gratitude to God for calling me to this vocation - gratitude to these youngsters who have literally grown up with my own children and have become my own now.

I also feel humbled at the thought that I am given this honour when I still have a long way to go to become the Teacher I was meant to be.

At the end of the day, beaming with joy,  I would return home loaded with flowers, cards and a gift from the Management, giving thanks to God for making me a Teacher. I would then check and reply to messages from my past students and reminisce and be grateful even more.

Well, this has been how I spent this day for the past few decades. Never did I ever dream of what happened this year - 2020 - the year that will be marked in History for time immemorial. 

Well, knowing my students, who are unstoppable Boscoites - who move ahead no matter what - I knew there would be a programme. I was right! The kids did put up a programme and how! It was all online....planned and executed by the School and Class council. During this pandemic, they planned, coordinated, allotted tasks, chalked out a programme, divided the work, shot song videos, dance videos, message videos, made cards. It felt like watching a show on Netflix!

I was awestruck! I was filled with pride at what our kids can do on their own. I was pleasantly surprised at some of their hidden talents too. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and it made me forget where I was - in front of my PC screen. When it was time for me to express my Thanks, I choked because I wanted to see my students, my children. I wanted to see their beaming faces looking up at me mentioning their performance. I wanted to touch their heads blessing them as I moved back to my seat after my Vote of Thanks. I wanted to be present among them. However as I continued with my thanks I suddenly realised that although we were not physically in one Hall, we were actually connected in spirit....the love and respect between a teacher and her student broke all barriers and instead of brooding on what has been or might have been I was back again in front of my students, imagining their cheers and smiles....I was in the here and now....feeling happy, proud, grateful and humbled. That had not changed.

 I switched off the PC and checked and replied to the hundreds of messages expressing their love and respect towards me. That had not changed.

I am a TEACHER and as long as I have my students I will be a TEACHER and I will enjoy TEACHERS' Day....each one being more memorable than the previous.....Thank you my dearest students....Thank you for making TEACHERS' DAY 2020  the most memorable one till now....

......until 2021!