Guiding Light: The Teacher Is A Friend

Whenever I am asked who is an ideal teacher, I hear the words of my beloved Master ringing in my ears. He said to us again and again: The true teacher is a friend!

Yes, my friends, this is the one great mark of a true teacher: he is, above all, a friend. It is in an atmosphere of friendship that a teacher can draw out the best that lies within the mind and heart of the pupil.

There is a proverb in Tamil which says, "When your child reaches the level of your shoulders in height, you must begin to treat him as your friend." What is true of parents is also true of teachers. Those of you teaching young adults in higher education must treat your students as your friends.

This kind of friendship does not involve needless familiarity like back-slapping, first-name terms, etc.; it is more like a protective guardian, a caring mentor—like the all-encompassing friend, philosopher, and guide in that immortal expression.

David Brenner made it in the tough world of showbiz in the US. He became the host presenter on a network show and built a good fan following. When he became a celebrity, he recalled with gratitude his physics professor, Dr Jacobs. As a young man, Brenner had been classified as a disruptive student, who often disturbed and upset classes with his funny tricks and jokes. Dr Jacobs made a deal with his boisterous student: at the beginning of each class, he would give Brenner five minutes to crack his jokes, to jest around, to do anything he wanted, but just for five minutes. At the end of the five minutes, Brenner would have to sit down, behave himself, and follow the rest of the class quietly.

Dr Jacobs was able to channelise the youngster's excess energy while keeping him in control. Little wonder that Brenner would remember him with gratitude.

You may not all have comedians in your class, but I'm sure you have aspiring singers, artists, sportspersons and dancers. Help them to channelise their energy, appreciate their talents, help them discover their own potential and still be a useful, productive member of the class.

* September 5 is celebrated as Teachers’ Day.

Dada J P Vaswani was a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.