Dilemma of a teacher

I was never trained to be a teacher; rather I was trained to be an auditor in the last phase of my academic career.  I started my career as a practicing auditor right after qualifying the CPA examination and was adequately warned by my seniors that the profession needed a great degree of honesty, integrity and dedication towards the job.  After all, the auditors and only the auditors were trusted with the duty of presenting the ‘true and fair ‘view of the financial affairs of the corporates owned by general public of the country.

Even though I started my Auditor’s career very enthusiastically, I realized in no time that I was not meant for this.  I was reminded frequently by my senior that an auditor must have senses like a sniffer dog in a sense that we must be able to ‘smell’ fraud without actually looking into the books and accounts and that I must look for evidence even in dustbins in the bathroom for probable irregularities. The idea of sniffing all the time and sieving through dustbin wastes for evidence was not appealing at all. Even though, almost all sniffer dogs ( I mean, auditors) I came across during my stint at the job were fat and well- fed, I decided to quit and settle in a job more suited to a lesser mortal like me.

I joined a corporate house right after marriage and was put under probation under an MBA (Finance).  I started off with all sincerity and dedication.  It was clear within a month that I terribly lack in matters of “organizational behavior” as we, Chartered Accountants never study the subject ‘OB’ but MBAs do.  My supervisor had a clear advantage in that.  As I was accumulating quite a few praises from the Executive Director for my clarity of thought, I was ruffling few feathers of my supervisor unknowingly.  On a particular day when I disagreed openly on some points (which were quite ridiculous) made by him and narrated the episode to my husband back at home, he smiled and said, “Start looking for another job as your days are numbered and you are not going to survive the performance appraisal”.  He could not have been more right.  Coexistence of a know-all MBA (Finance) and a proud-of-lineage Chartered Accountant was impossible and I had to bring my corporate career to an abrupt end.

 As I was gearing up for another round of job-hunt, God smiled at me and I was spared the trouble of going through few rounds of interviews to prove my suitability to prospective employers …… I was on my way to motherhood!! In a span of two years, I became mother of a princess and a devil-in-disguise. Amid flurry of activities day in and day out, I completely forgot that I once qualified one of the toughest professional examinations in my first attempt!  Honestly speaking, those five years of child-rearing were physically taxing and mentally stressful and I lost all connection with professional developments in my field.

After a sabbatical of five years, I took out a print of my CV to be circulated amongst prospective employers but employers were convinced beyond doubt that a mother of two young children could never be a responsible employee…..my candidature was never considered even though academically ,in many places, I was the best candidate.  But isn’t it a proven fact that everything happens at the right time?

For me, the right time arrived without any hint and voila! I was hired by a National Federation as their Finance Controller before I realized even.  The job was my last chance to prove a myth to be wrong that mothers can also be responsible employees. My sincerity, hard work, dedication and determination compelled the Management to extend my part-time appointment to  a full-time one with additional responsibility of teaching’ business finance’ in the Hospitality Management Institute run by the Federation.  Little did I know, that this would be a turning point in my professional career…….

The students accepted me with open arms in their innocent but mischievous world and I became their mentor, friend and mom at once and probably for the first time, I liked something so much as a profession.  As I started contemplating taking teaching on a full-time basis, the students only made my decision making easier when I was voted the “Best Teacher of the Year”.  I was overwhelmed with emotion and decided to leave a well- paid corporate job to be a Teacher with all earnestness.

I accepted an offer to teach Finance in a Business School and assumed the responsibility of making them fit for the big bad corporate world. The responsibility left me sleepless at times.  I never boasted to my students that I knew all and they came back to me for an answer later if something was unknown to me.  Such was the understanding! Each day was new as students in a classroom are the most unpredictable lot but I took every challenge to my stride…… was this all about the job? Not to the least bit as there had not been a single day when I did not yell at them for not being disciplined or when I did not scream at them for neglecting their studies or when I did not boycott them for not doing their assignment.

To make life worse, at those moments of heightened tension, some of them giggled or some of them came up with weirdest excuses to drive me insane.  Life became similar to nightmares when I took charge of “Placement”.  I even forgot to wish my husband on his birthday as I was immersed in placement activities; I did not have time even to look at my children’s homework after a hard day and so on…

  ….but their faces full with expectation, kept me going with all sincerity.  I might not have been able to place them in places of their choice but I know for myself that I tried my level best to see them through during the most crucial juncture of their precious lives.  All pain come with rewards and here also, my rewards are more than adequate:

I have a hotelier student in Chennai who promised me “stay free of any charge as long as I wish” in his father’s hotel as I helped him draw up a budget during his internship in London on long distance phone call at 2 o clock at night.

 On an occasion, when I had to rush to my daughters’ school as she suddenly fell ill, five of them escorted me to the school just in case any help was needed.

As they knew very well that my husband travels extensively, they demanded that they be gifted Swiss chocolates whenever ‘Sir’ travelled to Switzerland.  I kept my promise and all of them stood ever ready for even my grocery shopping!

We cried together when Kumud,a dear student  lost her mother and my students insisted that if I could go and sit by her side for few moments, maybe she would be able to gather herself to continue with life! Such was their trust and faith in me!!

Is it comparable with any material reward I might have acquired in my corporate job someday? I guess not.

Someone honored me with the responsibility of convincing his girlfriend’s father about his suitability as he believed only I could do this….

We decided to celebrate “Basant Panchami” at my place and a troop of 25 young lion cubs descended at my house frightening the neighbors in the housing complex where I resided.  They invaded my kitchen, drawing room and terrace without hesitation and cleaned the house before leaving so that I could sleep without worrying about cleaning the next day.  We could only manage Khhichdi, pakora, and chutney but they polished off the last grain with so much appreciation!! Before leaving, all of them touched my feet and said,” You are more than our teacher to us and we all know that you will always be there for us.”

They glorified my existence!

 Animesh, Piyush, Nitin were the first critics of my blog and their encouragement and appreciation motivated me to write, my Masters Degree midterm exam notwithstanding..

On my farewell day, Khusboo, Navita, Esha, cried inconsolably uncertain about their placement.  Shikha called me early morning when we were leaving for the airport and was upset that she could not say “bye” to me the previous day.

Devesh was sad that I did not include 'my students' in the list of precious gems I possess! (All of you , are, indeed precious gems)

One student’s father confided in me about some psychological problem of his son and was certain that I might be able to help him out as I was his favorite teacher.

 So much of trust, love, affection, faith are my “extra earnings” and I have the privilege to keep them safe for years. All these compensated more than adequately any material losses that I might have accepted in terms of less remuneration compared to a corporate job. ….. but do I regret my decision? Not at the least bit and I will remain a teacher if ever I go back to work somewhere.

Dilemma arose when I started receiving invitation to be ‘friend’ on Face Book from my students. 

Should I or shouldn’t I accept?

Would that not be an invasion on my personal space? So I left them alone without accepting or ignoring the invites completely…..thinking that they could always e-mail or sms or call if they wanted to convey anything personal to me and vice versa? Was the student-teacher relationship to last for only two years that they were under my supervision in my class? What if anyone needed my advice or assistance, just in case, in their professional career?  What if someone needed to share anything that he/she could not have been able to do with anyone else?  What if they needed guidance even if they are now settled in their respective jobs?    

Just in case, they need my help, will they be in a position to call me or sms me at their discretion now that I am in a distant land?

I should assure them that I am always there for them for the rest of their lives wherever I am and whatever may be their dilemma.

I opened the door for them and accepted all FB invitations from all of them!

I am always there for you all, all my students!! I owe part of my existence to you all, my dear children!!