Chief Minister Narendra Modi addressed over 2.20 lakh primary school teachers from across Gujarat via video conferencing on 6th June 2013. The address was a part of the training programme for the teachers.
The Chief Minister recalled the contribution of his own teachers and at the same time stressed on the importance of learning in our lives. He stated that one of the biggest successes of a teacher is when the teacher is able to teach the student in a method that inspired the student. He urged the teachers to make optimum use of the training programme and absorb new things from here.
CM stated, “The child of Gujarat, their lives and future are of utmost importance and we need your help in shaping their lives. It is about the future.” Summing up the essence of the training the Chief Minister declared, “After this training when you go among your students, they must feel inspired and can learn something new.” He also urged the teachers to understand the essence of this effort closely.
In his speech, the Chief Minister asked the teachers to inspire their students to do creative things. Recalling an anecdote from his childhood the Chief Minister said, “I remember one of my teachers did something new. He kept a diary and asked the person who came first to write the first sentence. Then, the rest followed suit. We saw that the students were really excited to come and write the first sentence. Later, the teacher read out the sentences and we were shocked that we wrote all that,” and further said, “It was a teacher that inspired us to think, put our thoughts and these were no expert professors but school teachers.”
CM pointed out to Teachers, “You are not teachers only due to the degrees you have. You become a teacher from the mind and from your actions. Ask yourselves- are you a teacher? And if you are a teacher you must see the lives of the students that you are shaping. A teacher who is only waiting for the bell to end the day can never shape minds. But a teacher who thinks about the pupil, the pupil’s future is a true teacher.” He urged the teachers to take care of the pupils like they would do to their own children, saying, “Just like you do not see the growth of your children in parts but in entirety, you should see your students like that as well.” He also said that the teachers would feel very proud when a former student of theirs stops their BMW car and touches their feet recalling their experience in the classroom. “I am sure you all will be very touched. This is a true delight of life and what you are doing is the Shikshak Dharma,” he opined.
The Chief Minister told the teachers that they have got an excellent opportunity to shape the lives of youngsters and they must not let go of it. Recalling an experience during one of his Gunotsav visits he stated, “I went to meet local teachers during Gunotsav. Usually the Chief Minister does not meet teachers so they were all surprised. During the meeting one teacher started crying. I asked what happened? The teacher said both my husband and I are teaching in this school for the last seven years but if we had taught properly, you would not have had to come.” Shri Modi went on to say, “You need not do anything more. Even if you do perform your basic responsibilities there is no way your school cannot get A grade.”
Urging teachers not to let problems affect the child, CM declared, “Agitations and your demands are understandable, we can sort all of that out by talking but we cannot sacrifice the future of our little students, which is of prime importance. There may be problems but there is no fault of the child.” He talked about the need for teachers to have a spirit of positivity in their lives so that they can wonderfully perform their role of making students powerhouses of knowledge.
He acknowledged that a good teacher is one who is present both from the mind and the body. Emphasizing on the importance of learning, he asked the teachers share with their families what new things they learnt and not shy away from admitting that they learnt something new. He said that it is important new thoughts keep coming in the minds of the teachers. Giving an example he said, “There was a teacher in Dahod. That teacher taught poems in a language that the tribal students understand. Students in Kutch speak a different language. We should make efforts to think of ways in which they too can understand what is being taught. All this is not in the syllabus but the mind must be ready. Once we decide to make a difference in the mind, the results will be good.”
CM also pointed to the importance of the spirit of community and togetherness and how that is possibly in decline these days. He said, “We need to get the society towards Samoohikta. Earlier this was prevalent but today children are restricted to their own television, own games…the time of playing together is going. The West is taking great efforts to discover this sprit of Samoohikta but for us, it has been a part of our culture. You as teachers must think of how the entire class can flourish together as a community. Again, this is not in the syllabus but it is about living for the society and doing something for the nation.”
CM recalled how after becoming the Chief Minister he invited all his teachers and honoured them. He also urged the primary school teachers to interact with him through social media such as Twitter and Facebook.
Sources: CM site / Gujarat Information Bureau
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