An ideal teacher

From very ancient times teachers have been honoured as builders of the nation. Plato and Aristotle in Greece, Vashisht and Vishwamitra in India, enjoyed a status next only to Kings and Princes. Their word was law to their disciples. But it must be remembered they were ideal men, sages and saints, who thought of the good of others every moment of their lives.


Teachers are the salt of the earth. When teachers grow weak or corrupt, that means, the utter ruin of society. They are the lumps that shatter darkness, the light houses the guide the wandering ships and keep it away from dangerous rocks.


An ideal teacher is,in the first place, the master of his subject. He spends his days in the pursuit of studies. He is ever hungry for the latest information and researches on his subject. He reads journals and magazines which keep him well informed and up-to-date. A library is like a temple to him.


A teacher again, possesses the art of making the most difficult subject intelligible to his students. He understands the difficulties of his pupils and with sympathy and even compassion would come down to their level. It is a great sin to talk over the heads of the students. When a teacher takes pains to teach his students, no wonder students love and rever him. He is regular and punctual.


A perfect teacher is always fair and impartial. For him all students are alike. He is like a father to them. A teacher would be failing in his duties if he favoured some students on grounds of their riches or social status. An ideal teacher is simple in his habits. He has no time for the glitter and pomp of life because these are declarations of empty minds. If he has any spare money, he would spend it on books and magazines rather than on curious and decoration pieces.


With all this about an ideal teacher, one cannot help saying that an ideal teacher is a rare bird. But then all ideals are unattainable.