Hero Worship
Last week when I was watching T V , I came to know a man tried to nail himself on the cross with the help of his friends for he was terribly upset as his most favorite 'fan' did not become chief-minister of that state. I got stunned for a moment. I felt it was an extreme adulation for an individual. Suddenly it flashed my memory on one of the incident that took place long back in my class, when I was in service. It was in the year 1985. I had worked in Teachers' Training Institution for ten years. I had taught T C H students I mean 'would be' teachers. I had taught thousands of students during those period.
It was probably in the year 1988, I had one batch of 50 students in the class. Most of them were adolescents. It was not English class, a free class and a seminar was conducted, the topic was 'characteristics of adolescents' and 'hero-worship'. Students participated well as the discussion went on in mother-tongue. It was group-discussion. Good response I had from students side. Only a few kept mum but others argued their points in different ways.
Adolescence reveals strong tendency towards hero-worship. Fan-following or hero-worship is common among youth. Possession of any quality that attracts an individual and idolizing can provide much stimulation for them. This type of hero worship involves harmless behavior.
Young people do need heroes to look up to and emulate. The coming generation do need examples to follow. One may regard a sportsman as a hero, another may like scientist yet another may be devoted to a film-star, a wrestler or a political leader. Likewise true heroes may be military men and women, teachers, police-officers, if not our fathers and mothers. The passion to serve without expectation of reward is what makes them hero.
. Sometimes intense personal attitudes towards heroes reflects traits of psychoticism. Such were some of the good responses.
In the meanwhile, a student named Balachandra, pointed at his friend Bhaskar and proudly said that he imitated the style of kannada veteran hero Dr. Rajkumar. His dress, his posture, the way of his talking resembled that super hero and that many of the students in the class called him Jr. Rajkumar. At that time some students banged the desk and showed their appreciation.
At once one of the students named Shridhar stood up, tried to pull his leg and said in a irritating tone, 'Of course he dresses like a hero, talks like a hero, walks like a hero but his mind is big zero'. He repeated the last line with more emphatic stress in an ironical way.
I just asked, 'who's Bhaskar?'. A boy stood up in the last group. Mostly on hearing the comment, he became nervous with his dull and feeble look on his face, feeling guilty looked at me, fumbled his shirt button with his fingers, stammered when tried to speak but couldn't say anything and sat off.
It was an open insult to him in front of especially girls.
I thought it's better leave him alone without dragging the matter much and turning to Shridhar, as if punishing him I said,'Make a fresh note on the concluding points of the given topic to sum up the seminar and he did accordingly.
Next day Bhaskar wasn't in the class. When asked, his friend said that he was in the hostel, previous night he didn't sleep also. He spoke of dying. He became sensitive. He wanted to leave the college'. I felt very sorry for the boy.
I sent a word for him. On his coming, I spoke convincing words to him. I said, 'Hero- worship is not bad. Admiring your hero for his accomplishment is admirable. But did you ever think why did you come to this field that too becoming a teacher? Your super hero Rajkumar is hard worker he does good deeds, he is a performer. You try to work hard like him. Study hard, fulfil your dream. If you become a good teacher, that would be your contribution to your super hero. Think over'.
My words he put in practice and I noticed his remarkable change and gradual improvement in later days. To my surprise, I couldn't believe my eyes when I came to know he stood first in final exam. I congratulated him on his success when he had come to collect his marks card, with a broad smile.
Many years later, he was transferred to a school in my place. I heard he was a good teacher. One day he came to me and invited me to be as a chief-guest on the annual day function of his school. When he addressed his students, he up- hold my thoughts and appreciated me as his role model. What else teachers need more than students' appreciations?
He said, 'If ma'm weren't there, I wouldn't become a teacher'
Its true! In adolescence the individual's nervous system becomes stronger. They take up decision in hurry but elders may be either parents or teachers should be tactful in handling them in right way.
Indu Naik
Last week when I was watching T V , I came to know a man tried to nail himself on the cross with the help of his friends for he was terribly upset as his most favorite 'fan' did not become chief-minister of that state. I got stunned for a moment. I felt it was an extreme adulation for an individual. Suddenly it flashed my memory on one of the incident that took place long back in my class, when I was in service. It was in the year 1985. I had worked in Teachers' Training Institution for ten years. I had taught T C H students I mean 'would be' teachers. I had taught thousands of students during those period.
It was probably in the year 1988, I had one batch of 50 students in the class. Most of them were adolescents. It was not English class, a free class and a seminar was conducted, the topic was 'characteristics of adolescents' and 'hero-worship'. Students participated well as the discussion went on in mother-tongue. It was group-discussion. Good response I had from students side. Only a few kept mum but others argued their points in different ways.
Adolescence reveals strong tendency towards hero-worship. Fan-following or hero-worship is common among youth. Possession of any quality that attracts an individual and idolizing can provide much stimulation for them. This type of hero worship involves harmless behavior.
Young people do need heroes to look up to and emulate. The coming generation do need examples to follow. One may regard a sportsman as a hero, another may like scientist yet another may be devoted to a film-star, a wrestler or a political leader. Likewise true heroes may be military men and women, teachers, police-officers, if not our fathers and mothers. The passion to serve without expectation of reward is what makes them hero.
. Sometimes intense personal attitudes towards heroes reflects traits of psychoticism. Such were some of the good responses.
In the meanwhile, a student named Balachandra, pointed at his friend Bhaskar and proudly said that he imitated the style of kannada veteran hero Dr. Rajkumar. His dress, his posture, the way of his talking resembled that super hero and that many of the students in the class called him Jr. Rajkumar. At that time some students banged the desk and showed their appreciation.
At once one of the students named Shridhar stood up, tried to pull his leg and said in a irritating tone, 'Of course he dresses like a hero, talks like a hero, walks like a hero but his mind is big zero'. He repeated the last line with more emphatic stress in an ironical way.
I just asked, 'who's Bhaskar?'. A boy stood up in the last group. Mostly on hearing the comment, he became nervous with his dull and feeble look on his face, feeling guilty looked at me, fumbled his shirt button with his fingers, stammered when tried to speak but couldn't say anything and sat off.
It was an open insult to him in front of especially girls.
I thought it's better leave him alone without dragging the matter much and turning to Shridhar, as if punishing him I said,'Make a fresh note on the concluding points of the given topic to sum up the seminar and he did accordingly.
Next day Bhaskar wasn't in the class. When asked, his friend said that he was in the hostel, previous night he didn't sleep also. He spoke of dying. He became sensitive. He wanted to leave the college'. I felt very sorry for the boy.
I sent a word for him. On his coming, I spoke convincing words to him. I said, 'Hero- worship is not bad. Admiring your hero for his accomplishment is admirable. But did you ever think why did you come to this field that too becoming a teacher? Your super hero Rajkumar is hard worker he does good deeds, he is a performer. You try to work hard like him. Study hard, fulfil your dream. If you become a good teacher, that would be your contribution to your super hero. Think over'.
My words he put in practice and I noticed his remarkable change and gradual improvement in later days. To my surprise, I couldn't believe my eyes when I came to know he stood first in final exam. I congratulated him on his success when he had come to collect his marks card, with a broad smile.
Many years later, he was transferred to a school in my place. I heard he was a good teacher. One day he came to me and invited me to be as a chief-guest on the annual day function of his school. When he addressed his students, he up- hold my thoughts and appreciated me as his role model. What else teachers need more than students' appreciations?
He said, 'If ma'm weren't there, I wouldn't become a teacher'
Its true! In adolescence the individual's nervous system becomes stronger. They take up decision in hurry but elders may be either parents or teachers should be tactful in handling them in right way.
Indu Naik
I loved the narration of the story. -Rahul
ReplyDeleteI too. Hats off to you madam, who rescued the pupil to become a great teacher who honoured you accepting u as his role model. ska
ReplyDelete