Nov 10
17
Shun the Stick
Recently, I came across a wonderful article titled “Shun the Stick” and would like both those who are on the parenting side of a child’s life as well as the educators to read. The writer has gone too deep into the causes and effects of corporal punishment which at times exceed the limits of human values and cause great harm. But the worst harm that is done is from the psychological impact that the behavior of the grown-ups have on a child. The parent seem over caring while the teacher lacks the principal role of being a role model, an ideal for the child or a hero, as the modern day super heroes of comics and science fictions take away that stand from them. Well, spiderman does have a message there when he says “With great power comes great responsibility”, but today teachers shed their responsibility while they are held responsible without the power that they should be holding.
The writer brought back a memory of a nice photo I had cut from the News Paper a few years back which clearly depicts that a child would never prefer to be a teacher nor take teaching as a profession. Someone did tell the truth when he said that teaching is the profession of losers, and that teaching is taken up by those who dare not earn in another profession. I also remember a lady who had completed Engineering and had applied for a teacher’s job. When asked the reason she replied that she did not find a job in engineering. A wonderful phrase is put forward by Bhaskaran in this article for today’s teacher, “economic untouchable“. The class or school is certainly not a place for biases for both the teacher or the parent who are responsible for the child, they like the fact or not. The school, however, today has become a commercial super mall where display pieces are held high for the prospective customers who walk in as window shoppers. Education has become a synonym for business and schools and universities just breading grounds for the hungry industries owned by capitalists who create career trends in the form of job opportunities. A concept well explained by John Taylor Gatto. Movie buffs would prefer the “3 Idiots” of Amir Khan.
The relation of the master and disciple or apprentice is truly a divine and heavenly one which has lost its true charm just like most of the things that have lost divinity and spiritual worth in today’s capitalistic world and mindset of the society. I met my teacher who had taught me Arabic and Quran during my early age a few months back. He was truly torn down my the society and I dare call him poor for he holds a very high stature in my heart. I could see the feeling of loosing on his face, as if he was ashamed from my presence. I reminded him about how he I had recited Surat al-Mutafifeen to him by heart and also reminded him of his caning. I could see his face fall as I asserted how tall he stood before me and how thankful I was to him for the discipline he had induced in me. I ever wish I could have done something that day to be a grateful student.
