Can Do, Will Teach...

In the course of a person's journey and his evolution, comes a time when man is at a cross road and has to take decision on Which is the best option for him as a traveler...

In recent times I have toyed with the idea of getting fully in to training  and education initiatives in the public health domain... The reasons are many... some of which I will try to put down as:

1. I have enjoyed teaching and structuring new education/training program addressing the 'felt needs' of the audience,
2. The most enduring impact on health status or services can directly be made in the best manner by ensuring that your workers are trained adequately in the work/services that they are supposed to deliver at a community level and,
3. In my opinion (that's just 'in my opinion' totally), the most rapid and swift impact on any intervention can be made effectively through the right training and education

 When I turned to literature, Internet and did some groundwork to somehow 'justify' my feelings ;) I came across some pros and cons of the idea and one the quotation by George Bernard Shaw was something which made me stop and think awhile...

The famous GBS, in one of his famous quotation says (rather humorously though)

" Those who can, do; those who can't, teach'.

Although said in good humour by old man GBS, it made me think...

It has been a universal and rather sad common thread running across all the nation across the world which is this: that the people who take up teaching are the one, who for lack of any other vocation takes to this profession while comfortably oblivious of the fact that it is the job of the highest order which requires to shape the thought leaders of tomorrow, the inspiring generals of our future nations, the compassionate saints of humanity and the sharp scientists who will take world to its new era; in fact the learning institute in that sense becomes the crucible where our tomorrow takes form and shape in the hands of the inimitable artist: the teacher...

Indeed, such is the power of teachers as we have seen through ages: examples of Chanakya, Aristotole and Socrates abounds who have helped shaped our history, destiny and the course of human civilisation...

But the question remains thus: if we do understand so much about the value of teachers and their contribution in shaping future generation, then why across the world teacher and teaching is such a neglected issue. The answer I think lies within ourselves...

Although all of us cherish the value that our teacher gave us, hold on to their ideals and become nostalgic when we mention their name; yet how many of us would really like to venture out to teaching ourselves as a full time vocation...

I remember a small incidence which gets back to me on occasions like these...

We were in The Gambia and I heard a small conversation between my school principal and the head of the training institute for the community (The school was a charitable school run by my community.).. The Principal was complaining about the quality of teachers who come out of the training institute to join the various schools of the community and how appalling was their standard overall not only in terms of teaching but also in their overall conduct and discipline..

The head of the training institute just heard the Principal out, smiled and replied in Urdu...

"Kya karien.. hamarey jaise padhe likhe log apne acche bacchon ko doctor ya engineer banane bhej diya karte hain.. aur jo ghar mein koyee kaam ka na ho.. jo khud padhayee thik se na kar raha ho, shararati ho usse hum training isnittute bhej dete hain teacher ban ne.. (What to do, educated people like us send our meritorious children to become doctors and engineers.. while the one's who do not do so well in studies and are mischievous are sent to the training institute to become teachers)..

However, with increasing demand on teachers (who  more than help you cram up theories and show you easier way to pass your examination) a time has come when there is increasing demand on  those who are good practitioners of the art and are hence increasingly asked to double up as teachers to pass their skill along... As for me, I have realised this new phenomenon (with which I have experimented myself ) hold s a great deal of  practical implications for the organization.. Increasingly I have seen that by working on such an assumption and making it a reality (in a participative manner), the performance of the workforce has gone up manifold with fresh energy being infused in them through the new training and capacity building program...

As for me, the journey of my own evolution and self development has started yet again and as with other such experiences, I will await this experience to enrich me and make me more complete as a person and and as a professional...

 Will end by sharing a quote which inspired me...

The task of the excellent teacher is to stimulate "apparently ordinary" people to unusual effort. The tough problem is not in identifying winners: it is in making winners out of ordinary people. 

 

K. Patricia Cross