A teacher to remember

 

When I look back on my years as a school boy, I remember a teacher who left an indelible impression on my mind for various reasons. He taught Mathematics, was energetic, strict and determined to see that no pupil was ever left behind in the subject.

He was empathetic, motivational, original and caring. Period after period, he went about his  task methodically. For him, teaching was definitely a passion. While I did not excel in the subject, what he taught me, stayed with me, and today,  when I look back 40 odd years later , it was probably he who unknowingly motivated me to become a teacher.

The year was 1968 but the memories are vivid. I was in St Joseph’s Allahabad .

We called him UNCLE JOE – he was a master, guide, father figure, math whiz, tutor and an orphan.

Being brought up by a single parent myself I guess I was drawn to him . Having not done well in the subject my mother asked me to approach him for private tuition, which I did rather hesitatingly as I knew my mother could hardly afford it .

I also asked him how much he would charge. He asked me to start tuition and informed me that he would talk about charges later. He never did .

Day after day and month after month, me and a few others like me were knocking at his door at 5. 30 am . Being a bachelor, his room was always untidy with newspapers strewn around – he was a voracious reader .

He would clear the table by sweeping everything on to the floor and for an hour we would be immersed in sums . Whether adding, subtracting, dividing or multiplying – from  the top, the bottom , side ways , on paper or in his head , the answer were always correct .

Algebra, Arithmetic and Geometry began making sense all of a sudden and he managed to clear concepts like no other teacher had ever done .

The year went by and I managed to pass with good marks.

When I went to show him my report card , he congratulated me -  I then asked him about his charges .

He smiled and said ‘ No charge Michael ‘ Just pray for me .

Uncle Joe died a few years later –he had been ill and no one knew it -  he was only 40 . May his soul rest in peace.

His life was gentle, and the elements mixed so well in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, “This was a man.”

Thank you Sir

A teacher to remember

 

When I look back on my years as a school boy, I remember a teacher who left an indelible impression on my mind for various reasons. He taught Mathematics, was energetic, strict and determined to see that no pupil was ever left behind in the subject.

He was empathetic, motivational, original and caring. Period after period, he went about his  task methodically. For him, teaching was definitely a passion. While I did not excel in the subject, what he taught me, stayed with me, and today,  when I look back 40 odd years later , it was probably he who unknowingly motivated me to become a teacher.

The year was 1968 but the memories are vivid. I was in St Joseph’s Allahabad .

We called him UNCLE JOE – he was a master, guide, father figure, math whiz, tutor and an orphan.

Being brought up by a single parent myself I guess I was drawn to him . Having not done well in the subject my mother asked me to approach him for private tuition, which I did rather hesitatingly as I knew my mother could hardly afford it .

I also asked him how much he would charge. He asked me to start tuition and informed me that he would talk about charges later. He never did .

Day after day and month after month, me and a few others like me were knocking at his door at 5. 30 am . Being a bachelor, his room was always untidy with newspapers strewn around – he was a voracious reader .

He would clear the table by sweeping everything on to the floor and for an hour we would be immersed in sums . Whether adding, subtracting, dividing or multiplying – from  the top, the bottom , side ways , on paper or in his head , the answer were always correct .

Algebra, Arithmetic and Geometry began making sense all of a sudden and he managed to clear concepts like no other teacher had ever done .

The year went by and I managed to pass with good marks.

When I went to show him my report card , he congratulated me -  I then asked him about his charges .

He smiled and said ‘ No charge Michael ‘ Just pray for me .

Uncle Joe died a few years later –he had been ill and no one knew it -  he was only 40 . May his soul rest in peace.

His life was gentle, and the elements mixed so well in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, “This was a man.”

Thank you Sir

Strange names

Was reading an article on music this morning and came across the name Snoop Dog.
 Well he was christened Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr , so probably he felt that was not too good a stage name for a man of his stature  and hence the change .
In 2012, after a trip to Jamaica, Snoop Dog  announced a conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias, Snoop Lion came up. All the better to roar with I guess !
So far so good . A trifle crazy - but still within limits

The article then went on to discuss Sean John Combs who was not too pleased with his name either and hence changed it to Puff Daddy . Better a Daddy than a Dog !
Where Sean and Calvin got their monikers from I don't have a clue but they sure sound weird to me .
A little more reading and I was left flabbergasted .
Celebrities have gone crazy naming their babies . Its gone from the sublime to the ridiculous and as the years go on I dread to wonder how far this naming game will go  .
Have a read and you will get what I mean .
While some of the names are truly laughable others make me want to cry . I would truly be embarrassed to name my kid with any of these rather peculiar names .
 Imagine the plight of those little brats when they grow old enough to understand . Probably it is a forgone conclusion that when they do realize that they were a joke , they too will change their names .
So here goes .
THE POOR KIDS' NAMES                                                                                              
( RICH KIDS ACTUALLY )


MOXIE CRIMEFIGHTER -                                    
TU MORROW
JER MAJESTY
CAMERA
HEAVENLY TIGER LADY
NORTH WEST
EGYPT
INDIA
SAFFRON SAHARA
SPEC WILDHORSE
POPPY HONEY
DAISY BOO
SPARROW MIDNIGHT
AUDIO SERVICE

I just wonder as to what lengths celebrities will go for popularity .
I personally feel it is contrary to the child’s interest to have a name that can only lead to mockery and disobliging remarks in the years ahead. Imagine the teacher taking the class attendance . Try it yourself and you will get what I mean
What does one make of all this tomfoolery ?
 From one  perspective, for the state to try and  save parents from their own silliness seems rather silly.
 On the other hand, however, allowing parents to give their children silly names could be seen as a whole lot sillier.
It is tempting to see banning such names as a moral duty and many countries do it.
 Recent examples of banned names include 4Real (New Zealand),   and Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 (Sweden), which was intended to be pronounced “Albin”.
 It isn't surprising to note that over the last few years,  various judges all over  the world have had to intervene and challenge parents’ choices: Nutella, which was banned in France; Cyanide, which was outlawed in the UK; and perhaps most bizarrely, the girl called ‘Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii’ in New Zealand, who was put under court guardianship so that she could pick a more traditional name.
Some psychologists have put down this weird naming trend among the Millennials to the desire for Individualism while some studies show that wealthier people  often tend to be more self-focused and  prefer uniqueness over conformity.
  “When you have lots of resources and are less worried about scarcityand what people will say , you can afford to stick out and be different - probably its the "who cares what others think" attitude
Some names given to babies in the  last year are just as bad.
This sure is the height of craziness.

Ima Kettle
Hazel Nutt
Pearl E. Whites
Sandy Shaw
Rusty Nails
Robin Plunder
Lorry Truck
•Justin Case
•Seymour Leg
•Woody Bush
•Justin Tune
•Lowden Clear
•Maurice Minor
•Bernd Onions
•Artie Choke


I rest my case and leave you to be the better judge
•

Strange names

Was reading an article on music this morning and came across the name Snoop Dog.
 Well he was christened Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr , so probably he felt that was not too good a stage name for a man of his stature  and hence the change .
In 2012, after a trip to Jamaica, Snoop Dog  announced a conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias, Snoop Lion came up. All the better to roar with I guess !
So far so good . A trifle crazy - but still within limits

The article then went on to discuss Sean John Combs who was not too pleased with his name either and hence changed it to Puff Daddy . Better a Daddy than a Dog !
Where Sean and Calvin got their monikers from I don't have a clue but they sure sound weird to me .
A little more reading and I was left flabbergasted .
Celebrities have gone crazy naming their babies . Its gone from the sublime to the ridiculous and as the years go on I dread to wonder how far this naming game will go  .
Have a read and you will get what I mean .
While some of the names are truly laughable others make me want to cry . I would truly be embarrassed to name my kid with any of these rather peculiar names .
 Imagine the plight of those little brats when they grow old enough to understand . Probably it is a forgone conclusion that when they do realize that they were a joke , they too will change their names .
So here goes .
THE POOR KIDS' NAMES                                                                                              
( RICH KIDS ACTUALLY )


MOXIE CRIMEFIGHTER -                                    
TU MORROW
JER MAJESTY
CAMERA
HEAVENLY TIGER LADY
NORTH WEST
EGYPT
INDIA
SAFFRON SAHARA
SPEC WILDHORSE
POPPY HONEY
DAISY BOO
SPARROW MIDNIGHT
AUDIO SERVICE

I just wonder as to what lengths celebrities will go for popularity .
I personally feel it is contrary to the child’s interest to have a name that can only lead to mockery and disobliging remarks in the years ahead. Imagine the teacher taking the class attendance . Try it yourself and you will get what I mean
What does one make of all this tomfoolery ?
 From one  perspective, for the state to try and  save parents from their own silliness seems rather silly.
 On the other hand, however, allowing parents to give their children silly names could be seen as a whole lot sillier.
It is tempting to see banning such names as a moral duty and many countries do it.
 Recent examples of banned names include 4Real (New Zealand),   and Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 (Sweden), which was intended to be pronounced “Albin”.
 It isn't surprising to note that over the last few years,  various judges all over  the world have had to intervene and challenge parents’ choices: Nutella, which was banned in France; Cyanide, which was outlawed in the UK; and perhaps most bizarrely, the girl called ‘Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii’ in New Zealand, who was put under court guardianship so that she could pick a more traditional name.
Some psychologists have put down this weird naming trend among the Millennials to the desire for Individualism while some studies show that wealthier people  often tend to be more self-focused and  prefer uniqueness over conformity.
  “When you have lots of resources and are less worried about scarcityand what people will say , you can afford to stick out and be different - probably its the "who cares what others think" attitude
Some names given to babies in the  last year are just as bad.
This sure is the height of craziness.

Ima Kettle
Hazel Nutt
Pearl E. Whites
Sandy Shaw
Rusty Nails
Robin Plunder
Lorry Truck
•Justin Case
•Seymour Leg
•Woody Bush
•Justin Tune
•Lowden Clear
•Maurice Minor
•Bernd Onions
•Artie Choke


I rest my case and leave you to be the better judge
•

Extremely interesting to see the UAE making it mandatory to teach Moral Education in all schools. We are privileged to live in a forward thinking country .
There is no denying the fact that we are living in troubled times  . On a regular basis we read of mugging, shooting, rapes, plunder , knifing , stealing , robbing in almost every city and community in the world .
The bigger picture- corruption and bribery , war mongering and threats everywhere around the globe.
Things like Terror attacks  & shooting on college and school campuses  are everyday occurrences .
We have become so conditioned that such news has ceased to faze us any longer and this is sad but undeniably true.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” When we ponder on  what a complete education includes, Dr. King’s words of advice help us understand that pure academic knowledge &  intelligence isn’t enough. Examinations , grades and marks do not matter .
 In reality, its the content of one’s character that helps to ultimately determine the choices and actions an individual will ultimately take. Dr. King also compared education without morals to a “Ship without a compass on a choppy sea with no destination in sight "
Never a truer word was spoken.
A number of world scholars   have linked the implementation of character education in schools to the improved academic performance of students. A  study done in 2003  of 600 California schools states that character education “Reduced office referrals, improved attendance and test scores, increased skills for conflict resolution, lessening of risky behavior, and overall improved school climate and civility.” Another study determined that the most commonly affected outcomes included positive impacts on socio-moral cognition, pro-social and behavioral attitudes, and problem-solving skills, among many other areas.
 It is very obvious that over the years the focus of education has shifted drastically and there is no denying the  fact that  our children are being taught too few moral values in school today and if Moral education is included in the curriculum it is at the bottom of the list and given a cursory glance at the most . THIS MUST CHANGE .
This has led to increased violence as evidenced by the regular  attacks in school and college campuses  . Societies all around the world have been affected with manifestations of increased crime and disrespect for parents, teachers, elders, and other people in authoritative positions.

Moral values help in improving behavior, instilling respect and enhancing relationships with others.
Knowing what is right or wrong is a key element in life that shapes the character of an individual. Good moral values allows a person to make the right decisions and improve their interactions with other people. It help to produce better human beings and this is the need of the hour .
Thus the UAE is definitely on the right track.
What is critical is that school Heads and all staff buy into this and embrace it wholeheartedly.
There are two types of resistance- active and passive .
Active resistance has people disagreeing with an instruction openly  . Passive resistance is even worse and difficult to spot . People say yes and agree whole heartedly and then go and do just the opposite .
The initiative of teaching Moral Education and making it compulsory aims to instill ethical values among UAE school students and to promote such concepts as tolerance, respect , love and community participation.

It hopes to develop a spirit of entrepreneurship, positive interaction and responsibility, and encourage a love of learning, creativity, innovation and ambition in pupils.
 The challenges of the 21st century required governments, educators and parents to work together to teach ethics and community values to young people, and build an educated, cultured society.
As Educators of the present preparing our pupils for the  future , it is imperative that we  all must work to ensure that this important initiative succeeds.


 

 

Extremely interesting to see the UAE making it mandatory to teach Moral Education in all schools. We are privileged to live in a forward thinking country .
There is no denying the fact that we are living in troubled times  . On a regular basis we read of mugging, shooting, rapes, plunder , knifing , stealing , robbing in almost every city and community in the world .
The bigger picture- corruption and bribery , war mongering and threats everywhere around the globe.
Things like Terror attacks  & shooting on college and school campuses  are everyday occurrences .
We have become so conditioned that such news has ceased to faze us any longer and this is sad but undeniably true.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” When we ponder on  what a complete education includes, Dr. King’s words of advice help us understand that pure academic knowledge &  intelligence isn’t enough. Examinations , grades and marks do not matter .
 In reality, its the content of one’s character that helps to ultimately determine the choices and actions an individual will ultimately take. Dr. King also compared education without morals to a “Ship without a compass on a choppy sea with no destination in sight "
Never a truer word was spoken.
A number of world scholars   have linked the implementation of character education in schools to the improved academic performance of students. A  study done in 2003  of 600 California schools states that character education “Reduced office referrals, improved attendance and test scores, increased skills for conflict resolution, lessening of risky behavior, and overall improved school climate and civility.” Another study determined that the most commonly affected outcomes included positive impacts on socio-moral cognition, pro-social and behavioral attitudes, and problem-solving skills, among many other areas.
 It is very obvious that over the years the focus of education has shifted drastically and there is no denying the  fact that  our children are being taught too few moral values in school today and if Moral education is included in the curriculum it is at the bottom of the list and given a cursory glance at the most . THIS MUST CHANGE .
This has led to increased violence as evidenced by the regular  attacks in school and college campuses  . Societies all around the world have been affected with manifestations of increased crime and disrespect for parents, teachers, elders, and other people in authoritative positions.

Moral values help in improving behavior, instilling respect and enhancing relationships with others.
Knowing what is right or wrong is a key element in life that shapes the character of an individual. Good moral values allows a person to make the right decisions and improve their interactions with other people. It help to produce better human beings and this is the need of the hour .
Thus the UAE is definitely on the right track.
What is critical is that school Heads and all staff buy into this and embrace it wholeheartedly.
There are two types of resistance- active and passive .
Active resistance has people disagreeing with an instruction openly  . Passive resistance is even worse and difficult to spot . People say yes and agree whole heartedly and then go and do just the opposite .
The initiative of teaching Moral Education and making it compulsory aims to instill ethical values among UAE school students and to promote such concepts as tolerance, respect , love and community participation.

It hopes to develop a spirit of entrepreneurship, positive interaction and responsibility, and encourage a love of learning, creativity, innovation and ambition in pupils.
 The challenges of the 21st century required governments, educators and parents to work together to teach ethics and community values to young people, and build an educated, cultured society.
As Educators of the present preparing our pupils for the  future , it is imperative that we  all must work to ensure that this important initiative succeeds.


 

 

Courage .............and fear

There are only 2 reasons for professional stress . Either it's your fault - In that case you must

definitely try and remedy the situation as fast as possible - you up your game, do your best , work

smarter , harder and deliver .There is no other way.

On the other hand if it's the other person's fault, you must tell them so - clearly, politely ,

professionally and in no uncertain terms.

 You must make them realize they were wrong - they must change and you must continue to knock 

 on all doors till that happens .

 Suffering in silence is for the weak and the timid .

Far too many people in the present day and age are afraid to speak up even when they are certain they

 are right - and therein lies their folly .

 To quote Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice "There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear

 to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”