The teacher and the student are partners to each other in the teaching-learning process. They share a lot of mutual experiences together within the classroom by virtue of this process. However, their lives outside the classroom can be very different. This essay tries to understand the daily world of the student and the teacher, the interaction of these worlds within the class and why a teacher should not let any external issues come in the way of her relationship with the student. It takes into context a small boy in class and a lady teacher.

The student, he is in his own world with no pressures whatsoever. He is still growing and needs his nutrition, play and sleep. He gets ready on his own and prays to God to help him win the running race. He helps his mother by doing the chores and gulps down breakfast and milk, although he might do so sulking. He comes to school, greets his teachers and friends and follows the instructions of his teachers. He is happy and waits to learn something new every day and tries to get his doubts cleared. He eats his snacks and lunch on time and plays with his friends. He tries his best in everything, has no ill feelings towards anyone and maintains good relations with all those around him.

The Teacher, She gets up early in the morning, cooks for her family, does the household work and sends her children to school. She quickly gets ready, says her prayers, gulps down her breakfast glancing at her watch all the while and rushes outside to catch the school bus. She is present in the school to teach the child something new each day. She has many pressures at home and at school. She constantly worries about the well-being of her family and knows that a lot is expected from her by everyone. She may not be able to complete all the tasks on time and would be under constant stress to complete the jobs assigned to her.

The Interaction

The teacher and the student are the ‘Guru’ and the ‘Sishya’. They engage with each other on the same platform. The boy eagerly awaits a good word from the teacher in front of the class for a job well done, perhaps for submitting a good home assignment. However, she is having a lot on her mind at the moment and dismisses the student in a brusque manner. At this point in time, the teacher is doing her job mechanically without consideration. The boy trembles and is afraid the next time to submit his assignment fearing that he may be told off in front of the whole class.

One cannot expect a child to understand the issues faced by the teacher that may have led her to snap at the student. The boy only knows how he is expected to behave in class and he does not know what a harsh word is. On the contrary, a teacher will definitely understand the mind-set of the boy and lends a helping hand whenever it is needed.

Irrespective of the pressures that a teacher faces either within the school or from her home, she does not have the right to send a ‘butterfly back to its cocoon state’. She must plan her syllabus well in advance, prepare for the classes and be organised. Her duty as a ‘Guru’ means that nothing else can come in the way. She is expected to interact with children in a lively way and help them come out of the metaphorical cocoon. While teaching a lesson, she cannot miss any opportunity to teach the child the importance of morals and values. The student is more likely to absorb such values through the moral of a story that the teacher has taught compared to a scolding. Childhood can deeply imprint thoughts and memories onto the minds of children that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching is a task that should ensure that only the best and most fruitful of these memories stick with the child. One day, when the boy becomes a man, he will know and realize the importance of his teacher. At that precise moment, all the pressures and struggles that the teacher may have felt will seem miniscule compared to the values she has endowed upon another human being through her teaching. This is why we teach. At the end of the day, we are more than teachers.

In the formal education system which most if not all parts of the world adopt in bringing up an individual with attitude and credible knowledge, there stands tall a great pillar. This pillar metaphysically pivots every angle of the world. It could be also seen as a god who has succeeded in creating world changers. The god is the teacher personified.

But it is quite unfortunate that most people do ignore what should be extremely appreciated and cherished. The social and academic respect that every teacher should enjoy could be seen to have steadily derailed in our contemporary society. The charisma they move along with and the privilege their children enjoy is no more. This is simply because the regard and respect doesn’t exist anymore. Her influence and power has waned off these days and is still waiting to explode in the fingers of ingrates. Do you see the impact of teachers globally? If no, painstakingly read in between the lines below.

A tall tree does not spring up by itself or on its own, someone has to cultivate it and develop it to maturity. So it is in this case, no great man was born great. Though he may be by fate of the future, there is still the need for someone to guide him through the way with instructions, tutorials and lectures in order to brighten up his memory.

Nelson Mandela who liberated his country from the apartheid regime; Wole Soyinka and chinua Achebe who attested to the apex of literature; Ngozi okonjo iweala who is a leading figure in global finance and economics; Dora akunyili whose intelligence and diligence saved the dear lives of thousands of Nigerians; including other distinguished Nigerians, Africans, Europeans, Asians and many more who have left footprints in the Sand of Times were all able to do so because someone impacted into them. Someone tutored them. Someone trained them. If it were not so their impact would not have been felt as it is in the world today.

Do these teachers need to be rewarded and recognized?

The answer is “YES”. They deserve it! Every respect should go to them because every farmer after cultivation looks up for a bountiful harvest. These teachers should be given incentives from time to time as it boosts their morale and encourages them to do more and perform efficiently.

Students on the other hand should learn and adopt the habit of paying proper attention to any teacher they find around their walls as this is the ultimate a student can offer to a teacher. In addition, giving the teacher all the respect and loyalty that is due is highly expected from every good student to a superb teacher.

Besides, the teachers should also keep improving on their profession especially in the area of its quality in order to have enough to disseminate to eager listening ears. Presently, the profession is witnessing a slight drop in the quality and authenticity it possesses due to the emergence of fakes. Let’s not forget in a hurry that “the hand that fed the poor during famine could equally receive a shed during rainfall”. My teacher remains a great gift to me, what about you?